Of Trabants and a Belvedere

If you haven’t read Mark Landler’s article on the Trabant, I recommend checking it out.
Mr. Landler attended a meeting of Trabant owners celebrating the car’s 50th anniversary and learned that for many people living in eastern Germany, the Trabant represents a sort of nostalgia for the way things used to be before the Berlin Wall came down.
It’s called Ostalgie, or nostalgia for East Germany. According to one of the organizers of the meet, it’s not so much a longing for Communism, but for the simplicity of the time, before the region was swept into the tumult of marketing, luxury goods and, one assumes, Brangelina. “We treasured things in those days,” Uta Pleissner said. “The Trabant was a symbol: You had your family, you had a house, and you even had a car.”
I can relate to this. When I tell people that I write about cars for a living, they inevitably ask, “So you review cars?” My negative answer always leaves their faces blank, as if there’s nothing else to write about. But cars have always been more than products to be reviewed, consumed, and sold. You only have to look at the battle over global warming to understand. Cars are a politically charged symbol of where you stand on the future of the planet or, even more broad than that, of how much you care about anything. The entire automotive product line represents a scale measuring levels of humanity, with the Prius at one end and the Hummer at the other.

Esurance Auto Insurance Glossary: U & V

Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage
Underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage is available in some states, where it's often mandatory.
This type of auto insurance coverage pays for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages when you or your passengers are injured in an accident caused by a driver who has insufficient auto insurance coverage.
This kind of auto insurance coverage typically pays the difference between the coverage limit you select and the other driver's bodily injury coverage limit.
The amount covered by underinsured motorist bodily injury is capped at the limit you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy.
Underinsured Motorist Property Damage Coverage
Underinsured motorist property damage coverage is available in some states, where it's often mandatory.
This type of auto insurance coverage protects you if your car is damaged in an accident caused by a driver who has insufficient auto insurance coverage. Other specific protection afforded by this type of auto insurance coverage varies from state to state.
This kind of auto insurance coverage pays the difference between the coverage limit you select and the other driver's property damage coverage limit.
The amount covered by underinsured motorist property damage is capped at the limit you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy.
Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage
Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage is available in some states, where it's often mandatory.
This kind of auto insurance coverage pays for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other general damages when you or your passengers are injured in an accident caused by a driver who has no car insurance. Uninsured motorist coverage also pays for injuries sustained in hit-and-run accidents.
The amount covered by uninsured motorist bodily injury is capped at the limit you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy.
Uninsured Motorist Property Damage Coverage
Uninsured motorist property damage coverage is available in some states, where it's often mandatory.
This kind of auto insurance coverage protects you if your vehicle is damaged in an accident caused by a driver who has no car insurance. Other protection afforded by this type of auto insurance coverage varies from state to state.
The amount covered by uninsured motorist bodily injury is capped at the limit you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy. In some states, you'll need to pay a deductible each time you file an auto insurance claim.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage
In some states, both uninsured and underinsured motorist bodily injury are bundled into a single coverage. In the states where this type of auto insurance coverage offered, it may be mandatory.
This kind of auto insurance coverage pays for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages when you or your passengers are injured in an accident caused by a driver who doesn't have enough car insurance, or who completely lacks auto insurance coverage. This type of auto insurance coverage also pays for injuries sustained in hit-and-run accidents.
The amount covered by uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury is capped at the limit you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy.
VIN
The VIN, short for Vehicle Identification Number, is the unique 17-digit number found on every car. The VIN contains the vehicle's serial number, as well as abbreviations for the make, model, and year.
The VIN appears on your vehicle registration card. It's also engraved in your car, near the base of the windshield on the driver's side dashboard and/or on the edge of the driver's side door.
Though you don't need to enter your VIN when you get an auto insurance quote from Esurance, you will need to provide your car's VIN when you buy your auto insurance policy.

Esurance Auto Insurance Glossary: R, S, & T

Rental Car Reimbursement
Rental car reimbursement is an optional kind of auto insurance coverage that helps pay for your rental car expenses if an insured car is damaged or stolen and you need a rental car.
SR-22
An SR-22 is an official document that shows proof of financial responsibility. Courts may require an SR-22 or a similar form for people convicted of certain traffic violations.
Secondary Driver
A secondary driver is one of the drivers listed on your auto insurance policy who's insured for driving an insured vehicle. However, this driver is not a car's primary driver.
A secondary driver is also sometimes known as an occasional driver in auto insurance terminology.
Supplemental Spousal Liability
Supplemental spousal liability, or SSL, is an optional coverage, available only in New York State.
This type of auto insurance coverage protects you if you’re found to be at fault in an accident resulting in injury or fatality to your spouse.
The amount covered by SSL is capped at the limit you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy.
Stacking - Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage
Stacking is an option available when you buy uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage. Stacking changes the limits for this type of auto insurance coverage.
When you choose stacking, uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury limits increase by the number of cars you're insuring. If you buy $50,000/$100,000 limits for uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage, choose stacking, and insure 2 cars, stacked limits for this coverage then equal $100,000/$200,000.
Steering Restraint
A steering restraint is a durable collar or shield fitted to the upper and lower casing of your car's steering column. The collar makes it harder for potential thieves to access, or "hotwire," your car's ignition system.
You may qualify for an auto insurance discount if your car is fitted with a steering restraint.
Tort
Tort is a legal term used to describe instances when someone is deemed legally responsible for injuring another person or damaging his/her property.
Some states ask you to select a tort provision. In these states, you can limit your right to sue for non-monetary damages (like pain and suffering) in exchange for a reduced auto insurance premium.
Towing Coverage
This type of auto insurance coverage is optional, and pays a fixed amount toward towing if your car breaks down or if it's disabled in an accident.

Esurance Auto Insurance Glossary: P

Passive Alarm
Passive alarms are automatically activated and emit warning sounds when someone tries to get into your car. Once the passive alarm has been triggered, the system disables the automobile's starter, ignition system, and/or fuel circuit.
You may receive an auto insurance discount if your car is fitted with such an alarm.
Personal Injury Protection
Personal Injury Protection, or PIP, is a kind of auto insurance coverage available only in certain states, where it's often mandatory. PIP generally includes expanded coverage of accident-related medical costs. In some states, PIP also pays for lost wages and similar losses.
Specific protections afforded by this type of auto insurance coverage and limits on PIP payments vary widely from state to state.
Pleasure Use
If you use your car for pleasure, this means that you typically drive it for fun, with no regular commuting or business use.
Policy Expiration Date
Your auto insurance policy's expiration date is the date when auto insurance coverage ends if your auto insurance policy isn't renewed. The expiration date can be found on the declarations page of your auto insurance policy, on a proof of insurance card, or on a recent auto insurance renewal notice.
Policy Term
A policy term is the length of time an auto insurance policy is valid. Auto insurance policies from Esurance have a policy term of 6 months.
Primary Driver
The primary driver is the person who drives a car most frequently.
Primary Use
A vehicle's primary use is how the car is typically used. Auto insurance companies usually classify primary use as commuting, business/commercial, or pleasure use.
Primary Policyholder
The primary policyholder is the person who serves as the main point of contact with Esurance. Since he/she is the main point of contact, we need the primary policyholder's valid email address so that we can send account updates, auto insurance renewal notices, and other policy-related communication.
Typically, the primary policyholder is also the person billed for your auto insurance policy from Esurance. If you prefer, any other person listed on your auto insurance policy can also be billed for your auto insurance premium.
Property Damage Liability Coverage
Property damage liability coverage protects you if you are held responsible for damaging someone else's property in a car accident.
Property damage coverage helps you reimburse another person for their damaged property (such as a car, a fence, or a home). This type of auto insurance coverage also helps pay your expenses in a related lawsuit.
The amount covered by property damage liability is capped at the limit you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy.

Esurance Auto Insurance Glossary: N

National Credit File
The National Credit File provides objective consumer information regarding the financial history of an individual. Information contained in this report is often used to calculate insurance scores.
No-Fault Insurance
If a type of auto insurance coverage is described as no-fault, this generally refers to the way the insurance company settles a covered auto insurance claim.
Generally, if a certain coverage is no-fault, responsibility doesn't have to be assigned before an auto insurance claim gets settled.
No-Fault States
In some states, called no-fault states, insurance companies are legally required to pay a policyholder's covered losses, regardless of who's held responsible for an accident.
Some no-fault states also restrict the right to sue for damages. In states without no-fault regulations, the insurance company covering the person who caused an accident is forced to pay for covered losses.
Non-Passive Alarm
A non-passive alarm has to be manually activated every time you leave the car. If someone attempts to open your car, the alarm sounds, and the system disables the automobile's starter, ignition system, and/or fuel circuit.
You may qualify for an auto insurance discount if your car is equipped with such an alarm.

Esurance Auto Insurance Glossary: L & M

Liability
Liability is a term that broadly means legal responsibility. If you run a stop sign and hit another car, you may be found liable for the damages to the other driver's car.
Liability Coverage
Liability coverage protects you from having to deplete your assets to pay for damages if you're held responsible for injuries or damages arising from a car accident.
The two main types of liability coverages in an auto insurance policy are bodily injury and property damage.
Limits
Limits are the maximum amount an insurance company will pay for a covered loss. Though you can choose your limits for certain coverages, some states require you to buy certain levels of auto insurance coverage. In such states, you'll have to choose limits that at least meet your state's auto insurance requirements.
Medical Benefits
Medical Benefits coverage is sometimes a part of your auto insurance policy's Personal Injury Protection or First Party Benefits plans.
Medical expenses that are the direct result of accident-related injuries are covered. Covered medical expenses are capped at the limits you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy.
Medical Payments Coverage
This auto insurance coverage pays medical bills and/or funeral expenses if a covered driver and/or accompanying passengers are injured or killed while in an insured vehicle, regardless of fault in an accident.
This may also cover policyholders and their family members when in others' vehicles, or when policyholders and their family members are on foot and hit by a car.
The amount paid by medical payments coverage is capped at the limit you choose when your buy your auto insurance policy.
Motor Vehicle Report
A Motor Vehicle Report (MVR) provides information on your driving record. This report includes accidents and moving violations. Auto insurance companies obtain MVRs from states where you or other insured drivers have been licensed to drive.

Esurance Auto Insurance Glossary: I & J

Income Loss
Income Loss coverage is sometimes a part of your auto insurance policy's Personal Injury Protection or First Party Benefits plans.
Income loss coverage protects you if you're unable to work due to accident-related injuries. This auto insurance coverage helps you recover portions of your lost salary and other expenses you may incur as you try to return to work.
Indemnity
An indemnity is a pre-determined sum paid for a covered loss.
Insurance Claim Report
Insurance claim reports provide details about auto insurance claims you or other insured drivers have filed with insurance companies. These reports are provided by independent consumer reporting agencies that collect auto insurance claim information from a variety of insurance companies. One of the most common agencies issuing such reports is C.L.U.E., the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange.
Insurance Score
Insurance scores are based on analytical models that objectively measure the relative likelihood of future insurance losses based on your credit history. These scores and analyses of their significance are provided by independent consumer reporting agencies.
Insured
The insured is an individual covered by a given auto insurance policy.
Judgment
A judgment is a final decision rendered by a court of law. For example, in a lawsuit related to an auto accident, where Kate hit Eric’s fence, the court determined that Kate was wholly responsible for the accident. The judgment determined that Kate should pay for the costs of repairing Eric’s fence.

Esurance Auto Insurance Glossary Series：F and G

First Party Benefits
First Party Benefits, or FPB, is a kind of optional auto insurance coverage available to Pennsylvania drivers.
Depending on the specific FPB coverages you select, if you're injured in an accident, FPB covers you and relatives residing in the same household for medical expenses, lost income, accidental death, and/or funeral costs. The amounts covered are capped at limits you select when you buy your auto insurance policy.
Full Coverage Auto Insurance
Full coverage auto insurance denotes an insurance policy containing all auto insurance coverage legally required in a given state. The term “full coverage” does not imply the policyholder will always be fully covered.
Funeral Benefits
Funeral benefits coverage is sometimes a part of your auto insurance policy's Personal Injury Protection or First Party Benefits plans. If a covered individual dies from accident-related injuries, this auto insurance coverage pays for a portion of funeral expenses, regardless of who is at fault in an accident.
Covered costs are subject to the limits you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy.
Garaging Location
The garaging location is where your insured car is parked most of the time. This location is usually indicated by the ZIP Code of the policyholder's primary residence.

Esurance Auto Insurance Glossary Series：E

Effective Date
The effective date is the date your auto insurance coverage begins. You are not covered by car insurance prior to an auto insurance policy's effective date.
Emergency Road Service
This optional auto insurance coverage pays a fixed amount toward vehicle towing if your car breaks down or if your car gets disabled in an accident.
Endorsements
Also known as riders, endorsements are changes to the original insurance contract. In auto insurance coverage, endorsements may include changing your deductibles or adding a new car to your auto insurance policy.
Exclusions
Exclusions are situations that are not covered by a given auto insurance policy. Specific exclusions are listed in your auto insurance policy.
Extraordinary Medical
Extraordinary medical coverage is sometimes a part of Personal Injury Protection or First Party Benefits plans.
Extraordinary medical coverage protects you in the event you suffer accident-related injuries that require serious and/or long-term medical care. Extraordinary medical coverage begins once you have exhausted the limit on your standard medical benefits coverage

Esurance Auto Insurance Glossary Series：D

Deductible
For some types of auto insurance coverage, you're asked to choose a deductible. A deductible is the amount of damages you agree to pay for if you file an auto insurance claim.
Though choosing a higher deductible can substantially lower your auto insurance premium, if you file an auto insurance claim, you'll have to pay the full, pre-established amount of the deductible out of your own pocket in order to receive payment from your auto insurance company.
Declarations
The declarations page of your auto insurance policy summarizes the factual information essential to your auto insurance coverage: the policyholder's name and address, a description of the insured vehicles, the auto insurance premium, as well as the coverages, limits, and deductibles.
Defensive Driver and Driver Improvement Courses
These courses consist of defensive driving training for drivers of all ages as well as "mature driver safety courses" intended for drivers age 55 and over.
In certain states, you may qualify for an auto insurance discount if you're in the eligible age range and if you've taken one of these safety courses.
Depreciation
Depreciation is the decline in an object's value due to age, wear and tear, or obsolescence.

Esurance Auto Insurance Glossary Series：C

Card ID Number
When you pay for your auto insurance policy with a credit or debit card, we ask for the card's ID number. This 3-digit number is printed on the signature strip of cards with the MasterCard, Visa, and Discover logos. American Express card ID numbers are 4 digits long, and are printed on the card's front side, immediately above the actual card number.
To better safeguard your security, many businesses like ours are starting to ask for a card ID number. The card ID number helps ensure that no one is able to make a purchase without having an actual credit or debit card in their possession.
Claim
An auto insurance claim is a policyholder's request to be reimbursed for a loss that's covered by insurance.
Collision Coverage
Collision coverage helps pay for auto repair or replacement costs if your car hits another vehicle/object or if your car rolls over.The maximum amount paid for repair or replacement is the car's actual cash value, minus the amount of the deductible you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy.
Collision Deductible Waiver
This auto insurance coverage pays the deductible for your collision coverage if you're involved in an accident in which an uninsured motorist is held legally responsible.
This particular auto insurance coverage isn't available in all states. If it is available, you have to buy this coverage with collision coverage when you buy your auto insurance policy.
Commuting
If you primarily use your car for commuting, this means that you mainly use the car to drive it to and from work or school.
Comprehensive Coverage
Comprehensive coverage helps pay for damage to your car resulting from fire, certain natural disasters, falling objects, and vandalism. Theft's also covered.
The maximum amount paid for repair or replacement is the car's actual cash value, minus the amount of the deductible you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy.
Continuously Insured
The length of time you've been continuously insured is the number of years you have been covered by one or more auto insurance companies without a lapse in your coverage

Esurance Auto Insurance Glossary Series：B

Esurance Auto Insurance Glossary: B
Benefit
A benefit is the amount paid by an auto insurance company to you or your beneficiary when you file a claim.
Bodily Injury Liability Coverage
Bodily injury liability coverage protects you if you are held responsible for injuring someone in a car accident.This coverage helps pay for the injured party's medical expenses and lost wages. Bodily injury liability may also help pay your expenses in a related lawsuit.
The amount covered is capped at the limits you select when you buy your auto insurance policy.
Broadform Collision Coverage
This auto insurance coverage is available only in Michigan.
Broadform works like standard collision coverage, but also pays for collision damage to your insured car regardless of who's at fault.
Although this auto insurance coverage will pay up to your car's actual cash value regardless of fault in an accident, you'll be responsible for the deductible amount you select if you're found to be more than 50 percent responsible for the accident. If you're less than 50 percent responsible, you won't have to pay this deductible.
Business/Commercial Use
This classification means that you mainly use your car for business purposes (such as sales, service, and delivery calls) or work-related errands (like trips to the bank or post office), and other work-related driving. Commuting to and from work is not considered business use.
Esurance doesn't currently provide auto insurance coverage for vehicles driven primarily for business/commercial use. (Not sure if this applies to you? We show you a checklist to help you figure out if business/commercial use applies to you when you get your auto insurance quote.)

Saying ‘Small Block’ and Really Meaning It

DOWNSIZING may be a chilling concept nearly everywhere, but not in the workshop of George Luhrs, a machinist in Shoreham, N.Y., with an affinity for the very small. Mr Luhrs has built a single-cylinder engine you could lose in a pocketful of nickels and dimes.
The piston of Mr. Luhrs’s itsy-bitsy engine rides in a cylinder whose bore is just 1/8-inch across. The engine’s stroke — the distance that the piston travels up and down inside the cylinder — is only 5/32 of an inch. The spark plug? You could lay seven of them across the face of a dime and still see F.D.R. peeking through.

My, Your Car Looks So Delicious

SADDLE TAN. I will never forget the name of the color of the Chevrolet my father bought in the 1960s. The name still suggests the Wild West, the television show “Gunsmoke“ and being as cool as James Arness, its star.
Today’s automotive browns have different associations from Saddle Tan, and different names. Brown is now about coffee and chocolate, said Chris Webb, exterior color trend designer at General Motors, which has the colors Dark Mocha and Cocoa. There’s a pattern here: The industry is naming colors after food. Other G.M. colors are Black Licorice, Cappuccino Frost and Salsa Red.

Private Island Welcome for 2008 Honda Accord… in Boston?

Car companies love to host junkets. Dubai, the coast of Spain, you name it — where there’s sunshine and a ready supply of shrimp cocktails, there’s a new car introduction going down. After all, why give someone a car to drive on their own grim pothole-ridden roads when you can stoke their happy thoughts at some exotic resort?
This is why I was amazed and excited when Honda announced that its upcoming 2008 Accord launch is taking place on my own turf, Boston. If you’ve ever driven in Boston, you understand how courageous that move is. In Boston, the world’s auto journalists will contend with construction, congestion, and my fair city’s famous reputation for courtesy behind the wheel — I hope the Accord has good sightlines, because I’d hate to miss a single digit flipped in my direction. I applaud Honda for daring to introduce a car in — gasp — a non-idealized environment, to present it in a realistic context for once.
However, a junket is a junket, and of course Honda wasn’t going slack on the fancy send-off. I got my itinerary last week and saw that after the drive, there’s a harbor cruise followed by dinner on a “private island.” “That’s strange,” I thought, “I didn’t realize that there were private islands in Boston Harbor.” I read down a bit further and discovered that Honda’s little slice of paradise is none other than Spectacle Island. I’d tell you about Spectacle Island myself, but I’ll let the state’s turnpike authority Web site explain.

Chrysler

Failure, it seems, can actually be measured as success. Failed executives often profit handsomely from lucrative pay packages. They are booted out, generous stock options in hand. Golden parachutes break their fall from grace.
So, should it surprise anyone to hear that an individual who stands to gain in the divorce of Daimler and Chrysler is apparently the matchmaker who put together the doomed marriage?
The German press began reporting in recent days that former DaimlerChrysler head Jürgen Schrempp, who was forced out in 2005 at a low point in the merger’s fortunes, has stock options in the company that he could cash in for up to $134 million. (For example, see this story in Der Spiegel )
Mr. Schrempp and other senior DaimlerChrysler executives were given options from 2000 to 2004 to buy as much as 14.5 million options. The stock had started trading at $80 in October 1998, the heady days after the “merger of equals” was first consummated. By 2003, it had fallen to about $30 a share.
Since Mr. Schrempp left, the stock has rebounded under the care of new management to as high as $90 a share. Analysts have predicted it could go up to as much as $134 a share as the merger approaches final unwinding.
Chrysler was worth an estimated $36 billion when DaimlerBenz swallowed it up. Cerberus Capital Management is buying it for about $29 billion less than that. Other notable casualties in the final box score: 40,000 jobs lost so far, shuttered factories, outsourced production, supplier bankruptcies.
According to Der Spiegel, Daimler still supplies Mr. Schrempp with an office on the 13th floor of Mercedes-Benz’s Munich skyscraper, employs his secretary, and pays his office manager — who is his wife (and former secretary) Lydia — a reported yearly salary of $269,000.
All too often in business, it seems nothing succeeds quite like failure.

Rise of the Carborgs

In the third hour of a recent road trip, my friend Jay, who lives in Manhattan, brought up his Carborg Theory.
“The car and the human together are a cyborg,” he said from the back seat. “It’s a single entity, with its own intentionality and purposes, separate from the individual human or the intention-less car — a carborg. When the car almost runs you down when you’re crossing the street, you can’t think of the driver individually as just a jerk” — I’m paraphrasing — “or a bad driver or not paying attention. You have to treat the two together as a black box and ask yourself, if I watch how cars operate, as if they were independent organisms, what is the nature of their behavior? From that perspective, you’d have to conclude (especially in Manhattan) that cars are actively trying to kill people.”
At this point, I need to explain that Jay is the type of person who can relate the lack of public restrooms in Manhattan to “Das Kapital.” Hours one and two of the four-hour drive were spent on congestion pricing.
He went on about his Carborg Theory: “I suppose another argument you could make if you look at the carborg this way is that it is competing with humans for resources. First, it’s going to consume all the oil, which we need for electricity and other purposes. Now its going to consume all the food (via ethanol). People will starve, while cars are getting fat on corn and sugar.”

As American as Nachos, Maple Syrup and Sushi

What does “Made in America” mean, especially in today’s automobile industry?
Darrell Waltrip, the Fox Sports commentator and retired Nascar champion, recently offered a salient observation about the arrival of Toyota this year in the stock car racing series. Previously, the series has been the playground of “American” manufacturers.
“Of all the cars out there on the track today,” Waltrip said at a recent race, “the Dodge Charger, the Chevrolet Monte Carlo and the Ford Fusion, the Toyota Camry is the only one that’s made in America.” (Full disclosure: Darrell Waltrip’s business relationship with Toyota has included his own edition of the Tundra pickup.)
Waltrip’s statement is true enough, though.

Rise of the Carborgs

In the third hour of a recent road trip, my friend Jay, who lives in Manhattan, brought up his Carborg Theory.
“The car and the human together are a cyborg,” he said from the back seat. “It’s a single entity, with its own intentionality and purposes, separate from the individual human or the intention-less car — a carborg. When the car almost runs you down when you’re crossing the street, you can’t think of the driver individually as just a jerk” — I’m paraphrasing — “or a bad driver or not paying attention. You have to treat the two together as a black box and ask yourself, if I watch how cars operate, as if they were independent organisms, what is the nature of their behavior? From that perspective, you’d have to conclude (especially in Manhattan) that cars are actively trying to kill people.”
At this point, I need to explain that Jay is the type of person who can relate the lack of public restrooms in Manhattan to “Das Kapital.” Hours one and two of the four-hour drive were spent on congestion pricing.
He went on about his Carborg Theory: “I suppose another argument you could make if you look at the carborg this way is that it is competing with humans for resources. First, it’s going to consume all the oil, which we need for electricity and other purposes. Now its going to consume all the food (via ethanol). People will starve, while cars are getting fat on corn and sugar.”

Esurance Auto Insurance Glossary Series：A

Accidental Death Coverage
Accidental death coverage is sometimes a part of your auto insurance policy's Personal Injury Protection or First Party Benefits plans.
If someone who's covered dies from accident-related injuries, this type of auto insurance coverage may provide a payment to the insured's designated beneficiary.
Actual Cash Value
You'll see this term a lot in auto insurance policies or if you ever have to file an auto insurance claim. That's because most auto insurance coverage reimburses you only for the actual cash value of your car. Your car's actual cash value is calculated by determining its original value, minus the amount your car has depreciated since you bought it.
Adjuster
An adjuster is the person who investigates and settles auto insurance claims.
Agent/Broker
Agents and brokers both sell and manage insurance for their customers. Agents are the authorized representatives of an insurance company or companies, while brokers are the authorized representatives of people looking for insurance.
Anti-Theft Recovery System
These systems consist of an electronic device that's installed in a concealed area of your car. If your car is stolen, you can activate the device and it will emit a signal that can be used to locate your car.
Anti-theft recovery systems can be effective over a radius of several miles, depending on local geography. Ask your car dealer or nearby police department which brand of recovery systems are supported in your area. By installing an anti-theft recovery system, you may be eligible for an auto insurance discount.

The Forgotten ’90s Classic

Reading the Rob Sass article on TVR last weekend, I was sad to see it end with TVR’s 1987 departure from America, which meant no mention of the Peter Wheeler-era Griffith, possibly the most important TVR of my lifetime.

But before we get to the Griffith, we need to talk about Giles Cooper, who until recently owned the TVR Centre on the outskirts of London and sold more TVRs than anyone else in the world. Mr. Cooper had such a close relationship to Mr. Wheeler, who ran TVR from 1981 to 2004, that his critiques affected the design of every car. I spoke to him a few times while I was working on an article on the revival of Marcos Cars two years ago and found him to be one of the most fascinating people I’ve ever met. And it was inside the TVR Centre that I learned the importance of the Griffith.
I think you can still find the TVR Centre next to a nursery in a suburban neighborhood of large houses. I remember walking past BMWs, Porsches, and Mercedes-Benzes parked in the driveways. I walked more than 30 minutes from the High Barnet tube station, and I did not see a single TVR.
“It was a lot easier to sell TVRs 25 years ago than it is today,” Mr. Cooper said.

Roaring Engines, Filthy Fingernails

At 5 a.m. in Le Mans, there is a mix of emotions, mostly of the sleep-craving variety. I’ve been put to work cleaning tires and shuttling them between the Corvette Racing team and Michelin’s makeshift headquarters across the paddock. I knew it wasn’t going to be glamorous, but after catching a glimpse of myself in a mirror, I realized that I look like I’ve spent a day in a coal mine. Brake dust is on my face, in my hair, in my ears, and under my nails. Whether I like it or not, I’ll be bringing home a pound or two of Corvette brake dust as a souvenir.

Still, nothing re-energizes you more than stealing away for a couple minutes and watching the cars blast down the main straightaway at night. Lights ablaze and with brake discs glowing, a few cars shoot wicked-looking flames from their exhausts. Five minutes of this is better at waking me up than any triple-strength espresso. Unfortunately, there is some disappointment among the Corvette team. The No. 64 Corvette C6.R dropped out of the race after only two hours. It was a harsh blow. This marks the first time a factory-sponsored Corvette has not finished Le Mans since the team started coming here in 2000.
But with 10 hours to go, the No. 63 sister car, driven by Johnny O’Connell, Jan Magnussen and Ron Fellow, is in third place and within striking distance of the leaders. It should be an exciting morning.

2009 Prius: Not So Fast

A third generation of the Toyota Prius gas-electric hybrid car has been eagerly anticipated. Though Toyota has not officially announced when the redesigned Prius would appear, unofficially, automotive journalists had been tipped to expect it sometime in 2008, as a 2009 model.
However, news reports from Japan last week said the car has been delayed by at least six months, to early 2009.
A Toyota spokesman said the company would not comment. The reason? Because no official launch date had ever been confirmed, there was no way to officially confirm a delay.
Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, a Japanese industrial publication, reported last Friday that the delay was caused by snags in developing new batteries for the electric system. The next Prius was expected to use new lithium-ion batteries. Currently, the Prius uses nickel metal hydride batteries, which take up more space and aren’t as efficient.
Whether the delay is real or not, it appears that the battery problems are plenty real. Previously, Toyota set a goal of reducing the size of the battery pack in the next Prius by 50 percent, while also increasing its efficiency.
The delay is apparently to give Toyota engineers time to retro-fit the new Prius design with the old-style nickel metal hydride batteries they’d hoped to be rid of. At least initially, the new Prius will still have nickel metal hydride batteries, Nikkan Kogyo reported. Lithium ion power is not ready for prime time (remember all the exploding laptop batteries made of the same substance?). Lithium ion gets unstable under extreme pressure - apparently too unstable for automotive use at this stage of its development.
The apparent failure of Toyota, and its development partners, to come up with a viable next generation battery pack is a serious setback. Will its competitors use this to try to seize a competitive advantage

Chinese in Talks to Send Pickups to Mexico

MEXICO CITY, June 14 — A small Chinese automaker and its New Jersey partner are negotiating with Mexican officials to import Chinese-made pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, the first step toward establishing a beachhead in North America.
As part of the deal, the partners expect to begin building an assembly plant in Tijuana this year that could export pickups and S.U.V.’s to the United States within a couple of years, said Marc N. Scheinman, a consultant to Chamco Auto of Parsippany, N.J.
A Chinese delegation met Thursday with the governor of Baja California to discuss details and a formal announcement could come next week, said Alejandro Contreras, a spokesman for the state government.
The Chinese automaker, Hebei Zhongxing Automobile Manufacture Company, expects to begin exports to Mexico by September, said Mr. Scheinman. Zhongxing is a regional producer in Baoding, in the western Chinese province of Hebei, that produces mostly pickups.
The company’s Web site reports that it has the capacity to produce 110,000 vehicles. But Michael J. Dunne, vice president of international operations for J. D. Power & Associates, wrote recently in The Detroit News that the company was expected to sell just 25,000 vehicles in China this year.
Exports to the United States will not start until at least the middle of next year, said Mr. Scheinman, after engineers at the Baoding plant bring the vehicles in line with American safety and emissions standards.
The United States auto industry has been speculating about when the first Chinese cars will crack the market. A plan to introduce cars produced by the Chinese automaker Chery Automobile foundered, said David E. Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich.
“When you look at what’s required to compete in terms of emissions and safety standards, it is incredibly difficult,” Mr. Cole said. “Talk is pretty cheap and doing it is very difficult.”
American, Japanese and European automakers all export to the United States from plants in Mexico.
“Mexico is a very good manufacturing base,” Mr. Cole said of Zhongxing’s plans to build a plant in the United States. “It has good skilled workers and relatively low costs. But would the vehicles really be ready for prime time?”

AMG: Passcode to Absolute Power in a Mercedes-Benz

MUSCLE cars are inseparable from America and the ’60s, their innocence sweetly harmonized by the Beach Boys, their more sinister side chronicled in films from “Bullitt” to “Grindhouse.”
But while they burned rubber in their time, only a handful of muscle cars, the ultrarare L88 Corvette among them, could actually top 400 horsepower.

Today’s revival of the old horsepower wars still features familiar Motown combatants like Corvette, Mustang and Charger. But it is Mercedes-Benz, once known for conservative sedans and sleepy diesels, that is overwhelming the competition. Forget 400 horses: the AMG division of Mercedes is the new King of Zing, churning out models that top 600 horsepower.
In recent months, I sampled AMG’s four-alarm buffet in every imaginable style and portion, and my taste buds are still on fire. Among them was the E63, at first glance just another E-Class sedan, the Ford Taurus of upscale suburbia. Yet with 507 horsepower under its hood, the E63 is one of several Jekyll and Hyde AMGs. It can give that young hooligan at the stoplight in a Mustang a paddling he won’t forget — and then revert to being an upstanding citizen for a trip to the local boutiques.
Founded in 1967 as an independent racing shop specializing in Mercedes cars, AMG — it took its name from the initials of its founders, Hans-Warner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher, and from Mr. Aufrecht’s birthplace of Grossaspach, Germany — the company used racing success as a springboard to develop speedy production Benzes. Its first American model arrived in 1995, the C36 AMG sedan.
And its philosophy of “one man, one engine,” with each power plant hand-assembled by a single technician, continues today.

2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR Preview

2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR Preview – New York Auto Show: Ironically, the worse Ford does, the better Carroll Shelby seems to fare. You'd think that it would be the opposite, seeing as automaker and maker of autos are forever connected by historic acts of automotive genius. Yet when Ford falters, when they need a headline, ‘ol Carroll is at the ready, riding into town with a new supercar Ford fans will easily fall for, and hard. That, of course, is by design, and Shelby (with Ford) is at it again, this time at the 2007 New York Auto Show where they'll debut the Ford Shelby GT500KR in the Big Apple.

“KR” is for King of the Road, and there's 540 horsepower that won't let you forget that the Ford Shelby GT500KR is one of the most powerful Mustangs ever built. The boost comes from the Ford Racing Power Upgrade Pack, while other upgrades include a carbon composite hood, air extractor vents and 14-inch Brembo brakes. The production version will come with 18-inch chrome wheels, not the show floor model's 20-inch set. Ford is planning for a build of about 1,000 units, at a price of $50,000.

2008 Dodge Grand Caravan

While SUVs and crossover vehicles have become de rigueur in the world of family hauling, we'll always have a soft spot in our hearts for the perennial favorite, the good old minivan. To us, nothing says minivan like a Dodge, who pretty much invented the segment in 1984 with the original and much-imitated Caravan. In fact, I spent a large portion of my youth in the backseat of one of those, looking straight ahead wondering why I was forced to play soccer instead of football.
But recently, minivans have gotten a little--well, a lot--more staid in the last few years. While most of the bling has gone into the SUV, the 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan goes a long way to change that image and present a compelling case for owning something smaller, more fuel-efficient and let’s face it, old school.
“While we love our soccer moms, we know they aren’t the only moms out there. We wanted to include the Harley moms too,” says Kathy Graham, Manager, Minivan Product PR at DaimlerChrysler. Graham has been known to haul her hog around with her minivan and that’s the point of the Grand Caravan. “Dodge is aimed at an active and younger buyer. It’s a “do more” minivan, it’s the family helper.” says Ann Fandozzi, Director, Front-wheel Drive Product Planning.

2008 Hummer H3 Alpha

Anyone who's driven an H3 knew a V-8 was much needed. A 295-bhp 5.3-liter small-block V-8 has found its way into the engine bay of an H3 whose front end has had numerous adjustments. They include a modified frame, a new steering system and beefed-up drivetrain components. The front and rear differential housings are now of rugged cast iron, not aluminum. This purity of off-road worthiness is what gives this H3 the Hummer's Alpha badge, the second model so designated.
With a 33-percent increase in towing ability, now at a maximum of 6000 lb., the H3 might find favor with consumers who previously had little love for the baby Hummer . To sweeten the deal are numerous new standard features, including stability control, ABS and side-curtain airbags.

For those who need bling to go with off-road ability, the H3 Alpha comes standard with the luxury package that has more chrome than is necessary. However, for those who want even more, an X package is available that even includes a chrome gas cap. For this premium H3, expect to pay close to $40,000.

2008 Honda S2000 CR

What's your idea of retirement planning? At Car and Driver, our scribblers spend their golden years counting their air miles and grousing about the web interns. If you're Shigeru Uehara, Honda R&D's Executive Chief Engineer, you spend your last year on the job building a track-ready special-edition version of the S2000.
Lots of engineers build track toys, but not many get their cars approved for production. Uehara isn't just any engineer; he's credited as the father of the Honda S2000 and the Acura NSX and Integra type R, the trio that convinced a generation of American tuners and enthusiasts that Honda is a legitimate performance car company. Uehara’s legacy is solid, so he doesn’t need to work on the NSX's successor—he said through an interpreter that he's leaving that to the next generation. Instead, his final gift to the enthusiast world is the S2000 CR.

New Infiniti G37 Embodies Key Design Aspects

There are few cars on the road that not only define a brand, but also set the tone of what the brand aspires to become. The first generation G35 Coupe was that vehicle for Infiniti. With its low-slung and aggressive stance, powerful V-6 engine and a fun to drive nature, not previously associated with the Infiniti nameplate, the 2003 G35 Coupe was the car that launched a thousand imitators and set the benchmark for all future Infiniti products.
Now Infiniti has raised the bar once more, with its second generation G-series coupe, now called the G37 to reflect the change in engine size -- a 3.7-liter DOHC 24-valve V-6 with an estimated 330 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque. The engine, the VQ37VHR, is Nissan and Infiniti's newest iteration of their powerful and torque-friendly six-cylinder engine, the VQ35. Using the newly developed VVEL (Variable Valve Event and Lift) system that combines hydraulic-controlled variable valve timing and electronically controlled variable valve lift on the intake side to help improve performance and response, the new 3.7 is a marked improvement of the last generation V-6.
Mark Igo, Vice President and General Manager of Infiniti, says the new engine comes down to three factors: Increased performance, responsiveness and efficiency. "The new 3.7-liter V6 is a true powerhouse," said Igo. "This power plant also features Infiniti's trademark 'Swell' acceleration with special tuning that builds horsepower almost continually to the redline, like a building wave." To go along with the new power plant is a newly enhanced platform and suspension system, which should be an improvement of an already great driving vehicle.

2007 Nissan NISMO 350Z

Nissan has added a new, fifth model to the 350Z coupe line with the NISMO 350Z. Featuring a host of unique equipment—including a wild body kit and stiffer suspension—the NISMO Z goes on sale at Nissan dealers nationwide in July as a late-2007 model.
NISMO, Nissan's in-house tuning and racing support subsidiary, has made body and handling kits not just for the 350Z but also for the Altima, Sentra, Maxima, Titan, Frontier, and Xterra for several years. However, the NISMO 350Z is just the second model (the Frontier was the first) to wear the NISMO badge (which, by the way, stands for Nissan Motorsports International) in the U.S.
It’s, um, rather easy to tell the NISMO Z from the stock model, thanks to a downright shocking aero package featuring an aggressive front fascia with a racing-style chin spoiler, smoothed front corners, skinny fender lips, and side skirts. In back, it gets worse, with an obnoxious rear fascia with a functional air diffuser (how could something that big not be functional?) and, of course, a double-decker rear wing.
Performance improvements for the NISMO Z include a lowered suspension, Brembo brakes, a NISMO exhaust, and super-sexy NISMO gray five-spoke forged-alloy wheels (9.0-by-18-inch front, 10.0-by-19-inch rear) wearing Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires.

2007 Nissan Altima Summary

The 2007 Altima is a 4-door, 5-passenger family sedan, available in 4 trims, ranging from the 2.5 to the 3.5 SL. Upon introduction, the 2.5 is equipped with a standard 2.5-liter, I4, 175-horsepower engine that achieves 26-mpg in the city and 35-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard. The 3.5 SL is equipped with a standard 3.5-liter, V6, 270-horsepower engine that achieves 22-mpg in the city and 28-mpg on the highway. A variable speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard. The 2007 Altima is redesigned for 2007.

2007 Jeep Compass Review

Jeep Compass – Review: Minus navigation systems, travel is aided by two handy inventions – the map, and the compass. A compass will point you toward a general direction, yet fails to represent alternate routes or more suitable destinations. The map lays out the road for travel and unveils countless alternatives along the way. So, to bring things back around, buying a Jeep Compass is like using a compass: if all you want is to go in the general crossover direction, pick the Jeep and go. Smarter travelers, however, may want to use a map and find better alternatives at destinations like Honda, Hyundai, and Suzuki.

Super Formula 1

Detailed Product Description

110cc air-cooled and 4-stroke with CDI ignition system
User age: >10 years old
Engine: 110cc, single cylinder, air-cooled, 4-stroke
Max. speed: 50km/h
Max. loaded: 80kg
Rated power and rotate speed: 5.2kW/7,500rpm
Max. torque and rotate speed: 7.5N.m/5,000rpm
Oil type: 90#
Tank capacity: 2.5L
Ignition type: CDI
Compress ratio: 9.1:1
Driving mode: chain
Starting system: electric start
Tire (front / rear): 160/50-6, 185/45-6
Brake system (front / rear): double hydraulic disc brake
Suspension (front / rear): hydraulic suspension
Gear shift mode: 3 front, 1 back
Dimensions (L x W x H): 2,500 x 965 x 720mm
Carton dimensions: 2,600 x 1,020 x 615mm
N.W.: 180kg
G.W.: 200kg
Qty/20' FCL: 12pcs
Qty/40' FCL: 24pcs
Qty/40' HQ: 32pcs

Chrysler may get health care deal

DETROIT–Chrysler may get the same health-care concessions from the United Auto Workers that its Detroit-based competitors received two years ago.

Union president Ron Gettelfinger said yesterday the UAW must find a way to give Chrysler a deal similar to those it gave Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. in 2005.

"We've been talking to Chrysler quite frequently – we do need to find a way to fix the problem there now that Chrysler is in a downward mode," Gettelfinger told a Detroit radio show host yesterday.

The UAW in 2005 gave health-care concessions to Ford and GM that saved the companies billions of dollars, but refused to grant the same deal to Chrysler because of its stronger financial condition at the time.

In 2005, Chrysler Group made $1.8 billion (U.S.), but its fortunes turned when gasoline prices rose to around $3 per gallon and buyers started to shun its truck-based models.
The company said it lost $618 million in 2006 and $1.98 billion before interest and taxes in the first quarter of this year.

Gettelfinger said in March that the UAW had finished a review of Chrysler's finances to determine if the concessions are warranted, but wouldn't state the outcome of the review.
His comments yesterday, however, acknowledged Chrysler has a problem that needs to be addressed.

UAW spokesperson Roger Kerson would not comment beyond Gettelfinger's remarks, and Chrysler spokesperson Michele Tinson also would not comment.

Both sides have been negotiating on the health-care concessions in advance of national contract talks with the Detroit Three that are set to formally begin in July. But so far, no health-care agreement has been reached.

Combined, the U.S.-based carmakers have more than $100 billion in long-term retiree health care costs that analysts say must be reduced.

Gettelfinger's statements indicate that a health-care deal could be in the offing, but it's not clear whether it will be done before national contract talks formally begin, said Efraim Levy, senior industry analyst with Standard & Poor's.

Much has changed since 2005, Levy said, including Chrysler's losses and the pending divorce from DaimlerChrysler AG, its deep-pocketed German parent.

"The fact that the union appears more ready to talk reflects the fact that the muddied playing field has become more equalized recently given the proposed transaction selling Chrysler to Cerberus, and of course, Chrysler's poor performance in the marketplace," Levy said.