British International Motor Show 2008

The next British International Motor Show takes place Wednesday 23rd July - Sunday 3rd August 2008 at London's ExCeL Centre in the Docklands. After the huge success of the 2006 show, the next British International Motor Show is already gearing up to be a spectacular experience with even more stunning global car launches, more interactive entertainment and more fun and thrills for all the family.

In July 2006 The British International Motor Show made a spectacular return to London after a 30 year absence. Whether you made it to the UK's number 1 consumer show, or not, you may have missed some of these amazing features.

Ethanol Vs. Beer

One of the market distortions that is being caused by the government mandate for ethanol in transportation fuel is the rising cost of all kinds of food, including one of my favorites: beer.

According to the WSJ in a fascinating article from October 5th, 2007, small beer brewers are getting squeezed by dramatically higher prices of barley and hops.

Consumers could pay 50 cents to $1 per six pack more in the coming months for many small-batch "craft beers," as brewers pass on rising hops and barley costs from an unpalatable brew of poor harvests, the weak dollar and farmers' shift to more profitable crops. Other makers of craft beers, the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. brewing industry, say they may eat the higher ingredient costs, which will pare their profits.

...

Craft beer makers have faced escalating costs over the past year. Prices for malting barley, which accounts for a beer's color and sweetness, have jumped as farmers increasingly shifted to planting corn, which has been bringing higher prices because of high demand from makers of biofuels, like ethanol. The weak dollar also has made it more expensive for U.S. brewers to buy commodities from Europe.

The price of malting barley has increased by a whopping 75% in the last several months, from around $4/bushel to about $7/bushel. As a result, the price of small-batch beer is expected to increase, and some small beer makers are actually in danger of folding.

Wouldn't it be better to allow importation of Brazilian sugar beet based ethanol, tariff free, and leave more of our agricultural capacity for the tasty stuff?

The 40th Tokyo Motor Show

The 40th Tokyo Motor Show 2007 will be held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba City for 17 days from October 26th (Friday) through November 11th (Sunday) this year. The show will be opened to the public from October 27th (Saturday).

At this year's show, upgraded special events that involve audience participation and experiences will be offered to generate excitement about vehicles, such as five types of test ride programs where visitors can actually come in contact with cars. The entertainment aspect will be heightened so that a wide range of visitors including women and youth, as well as families, can enjoy a full day at the show.

Addicted.

I'm addicted to this free "tower defense" type game. It's really good.

http://onslaught.playr.co.uk/

How to Reduce Car Insurance Payments

When it comes to automobile insurance, you can save a significant sum of money by asking the right questions and by taking certain steps.

Step One
Insure all your vehicles with one company to take advantage of multi-car discounts.

Step Two
Ask about multi-line discounts if you are also buying other lines of insurance.

Step Three
Know the value of your vehicles. Drop collision and comprehensive coverage on older vehicles you can afford to replace.

Step Four
Check before changing cars since rates on cars of equal value can vary.

Step Five
Ask about discounts for air bags, anti-theft devices, anti-lock brakes and similar equipment.

Step Six
Ask about discounts for drivers over 40 or 50, if applicable.

Step Seven
Select the highest collision and comprehensive deductibles you can afford.

Step Eight
Buy only coverage you do not already have from some other source such as an auto club.

Step Nine
Make an older, less valuable vehicle the primary transportation for younger drivers in your household.

Step Ten
Make sure younger drivers take driver's education courses.

Step Eleven
Notify your agent if your younger driver makes a "B" average or above in school, and ask about a "Good Student Discount."

Step Twelve
Ask about discounts for being "accident free" over a period of time.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid getting tickets; you'll be eligible for the best possible insurance rate.
• Stay with a company that gives fair, friendly and economical service.
• Never lie about your driving record to reduce rates. Misrepresentation can invalidate a contract, and your insurance company can refuse to pay a loss.

How to Select a GPS Car Navigation System

Have you ever settled behind the wheel of your car wondering whether you really know how to get to your destination? Fear no more. GPS (Global Positioning System) car navigation systems can show and even tell you how to get to any destination. These products use the GPS, which relies on a host of satellites to determine where you are.

Step One
Decide how often you intend to use the system. Inexpensive systems simply plug in to your car's cigarette lighter and are small enough to store in your glove compartment, but they're not as user-friendly.

Step Two
Consider the layout of your car. Some systems come with a monitor that displays a map. The monitor is commonly installed on the dashboard or on a pedestal extending from the dashboard. In some cars, such an installation may block air vents or make it somewhat uncomfortable for a passenger to enter or exit the vehicle or sit in the passenger seat.

Step Three
Select a system that features multiple ways of getting to your destination. This can include by address, by intersection, by a personal address book or via a location selected directly from the map.

Step Four
Look for a system that gives you vocal as well as graphical directions. The systems that use a map and monitor include arrows that show you the direction of a turn and also indicate where your car is on the map in relation to the destination. Other systems use the head unit or radio to display the name of the street on which you are to make a turn or on which you are traveling. Both of these systems also give you verbal directions as you approach a turn.

Step Five
Select a system that includes point of interest data. Most GPS systems include locations of airports and other transportation services, ATMs and banks, restaurants, hotels and a host of other sites.

Step Six
Choose a system that offers updates of the point-of-interest data.

Step Seven
Consider installation time if you are working on a tight budget. Systems that rely on maps displayed on monitors are more complicated and take longer to install than other types of systems.

Tips & Warnings
Manufacturers of GPS car navigation systems warn that, if the product is installed by a consumer or an unauthorized dealer, the company will void the warranty.

Automotive Groups & WebRing Member Drive

I guess you can call this a member drive, we run a few automotive communities which require membership to become a part of. The only reason that we require membership approval is to avoid spam & spammers. It seems to work well, but it also limits how fast we can grow.

Automotive Related Communities...
(all are looking for new membership):

Autos & Automotive - A Google Group
An automotive and motorsports group for discussing all things automotive related. Topics may include autos, automotive mechanics, auto shows, automobile racing, automotive parts, salvage, classic cars, collector cars & more. Pickup trucks, tractor trailer trucks and motorcycling are also allowed.

AutomotiveParts - A Google Group
Hunt for or offer automotive parts. Offer parts (new/used). Salvage yard auto parts search pools and automotive industry opportunites for new aftermarket automotive and high performance auto parts sellers from drop shippers and wholesalers.

Automotive - A WebRing
We are looking for people interested in joining our Automotive WebRing community at WebRing.com. WebRings a re great way to promote your website and help create new leads and business associations. If you have an automotive or motorsports related webpage, website, directory or blog, please join as a member of the Automotive WebRing.


Join Up!
All of the above groups and rings are great ways to increase your visibility, establish a comradery with other automotive enthusiasts and professionals, establish your expertise, help someone out, give something back and perhaps even create a new friend or even drum up business in the long run. The best part about such communities is that they can be fun. We try to keep them that way by eliminating the spam.

Of course, if you have cool parts to help others restore or upgrade their vehicles, like the front grille of the 1948 to 1952 Chevy pickup in good condition, or the Deluxe instrument panel for 1980 Chevy/GMC pickup trucks, we do want to see these types of posts in the AutomotiveParts group. That's actually why we created it. I have a 1980 Chevrolet C109 I am working on. The boss has a restored 1950 Chevrolet pickup. A friend and coworker of mine is working on a 1973 GMC pickup he is restoring. The shop is thinking about making the Chevy Gravel Dump Truck shown on this page a shop restoration project vehicle.

We would love to hear about any old Autocars, Maxwell automobiles, Graham Brothers Trucks, or Henderson (Excelsior-Henderson) motorcycles out there that might be hidden in your barn looking to be restored. Heck, I am looking for an old car, pickup or motorcycle for my new restoration project, myself. Post any such finds in either the Autos & Automotive or AutomotiveParts Google Groups, or in the Automotive WebRing's forum.

If nothing else, it will be fun discussing our dream rides and hot rods. Heck, what do you have hidden away in your garage or barn? What are you working on? Join us just to brag about it a little. ;) Join in just to discuss automotive mechanics or tell us what your car/truck can do. We'd be glad to have anyone who won't spam us with unrelated advertising.

By the way, please be patient when you do apply for membership. I approve membership requests every business day I am here, Monday through Friday, but not on weekends or holidays, and I usually take at least one or two days off each week (but, not always) to devote to running my own businesses. But I will get to it! ;)