Picking Your Next Vehicle And All Its Options
If you are ready to purchase your next vehicle, you are probably going through a mental checklist on what it is you want or need. Today, choosing the right car goes beyond how great it looks, how fast it goes and whether it is economical. There are so many choices in regards to options and features now, that one can truly go to town with their decision.
What are some of these features? To start, how about safety. While safety isn't in the bells and whistles category, it is of great value to many people. If you want to know how the vehicle you are looking at rates safety wise, try researching it through organizations such as the well-regarded Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In researching, look for manufacturers that consistently achieve the IIHS' "Top Safety Pick." The NHTSA awards 5-Star ratings to vehicles with the highest crash and rollover safety.
Other cool features include consoles. Consoles in vehicles have come a long way. Today, car manufacturers are coming out with what is called multipurpose center consoles. Such consoles utilize a center bin that can be customized to hold CDs, personal items or even a laptop computer. Add to that the 12-volt power point and you have a place to charge your electronics. And then there is the cool auxiliary audio input for iPods and other MP3 players along with small slots built into the side of the console for organizing the routing of power cords.
Overhead consoles and advanced gloveboxes also help utilize space. These overhead consoles or "airplane style" consoles can include three large storage bins, one small bin, four air vents, four lights and up to two 8-inch DVD entertainment screens (when properly equipped).
Gloveboxes have also come a long way too and hold a lot more than a pair of gloves. Some vehicles come with twin gloveboxes, which may be opened electronically. There is even a vehicle that allows storage for small personal items in a dash bin to the left of the steering wheel.
How about washable interior surfaces? This feature that some vehicle manufacturers are implementing includes a black urethane-coated utility flooring that allows one to haul muddy mountain bikes or wet snowboards, which can easily be hosed out. Waterproof seating upholstery (called FXC — "fabric for extreme conditions") keeps the chairs stain-free. Rubberized floors and water-resistant seats with sealed seams to keep everything intact when rinsed out. There is also rear sliding storage trays in some vehicles that extend 18 inches beyond the rear bumper for simple cargo loading and unloading. Up to 400 pounds may be placed on the unit. A separate rear cargo tray is "reversible," creating a walled bin useful for carrying balls or other objects with the potential to slide. An asymmetrical tailgate on some SUV's allows easy loading when both closed and open. The short half on the passenger side lets users load cargo easily when closed, and the long driver-side half provides a luggage/gear storage shelf when down.
How about a partially exposed Lazy Suzan (rotating storage tray) beneath the passenger floor - yes there is a vehicle with this too. Or a retractable dry-cleaning hook?
And storage? Many car manufacturers are realizing people want more and more storage in their vehicles. Today, vehicles come with things like passenger compartment storage and super folding seats. Folding second- and third-row seats that fold completely flat into the floor is another cool feature. When the seats are upright, there's plenty of storage below the floor.
The choices are endless in today's vehicles, making driving and owning your vehicle more fun than ever. So before you pick out your next vehicle, make a list of items you find will enhance your driving experience and do a little shopping around.
Greg Chapman of Greg Chapman Motors is a knowledgable and leading provider of used cars, trucks, and SUV’s. Since 1959, Chapman motors has supplied reliable used cars in Austin and the surrounding area. For more information please visit http://www.gregchapmanmotors.com.
What are some of these features? To start, how about safety. While safety isn't in the bells and whistles category, it is of great value to many people. If you want to know how the vehicle you are looking at rates safety wise, try researching it through organizations such as the well-regarded Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In researching, look for manufacturers that consistently achieve the IIHS' "Top Safety Pick." The NHTSA awards 5-Star ratings to vehicles with the highest crash and rollover safety.
Other cool features include consoles. Consoles in vehicles have come a long way. Today, car manufacturers are coming out with what is called multipurpose center consoles. Such consoles utilize a center bin that can be customized to hold CDs, personal items or even a laptop computer. Add to that the 12-volt power point and you have a place to charge your electronics. And then there is the cool auxiliary audio input for iPods and other MP3 players along with small slots built into the side of the console for organizing the routing of power cords.
Overhead consoles and advanced gloveboxes also help utilize space. These overhead consoles or "airplane style" consoles can include three large storage bins, one small bin, four air vents, four lights and up to two 8-inch DVD entertainment screens (when properly equipped).
Gloveboxes have also come a long way too and hold a lot more than a pair of gloves. Some vehicles come with twin gloveboxes, which may be opened electronically. There is even a vehicle that allows storage for small personal items in a dash bin to the left of the steering wheel.
How about washable interior surfaces? This feature that some vehicle manufacturers are implementing includes a black urethane-coated utility flooring that allows one to haul muddy mountain bikes or wet snowboards, which can easily be hosed out. Waterproof seating upholstery (called FXC — "fabric for extreme conditions") keeps the chairs stain-free. Rubberized floors and water-resistant seats with sealed seams to keep everything intact when rinsed out. There is also rear sliding storage trays in some vehicles that extend 18 inches beyond the rear bumper for simple cargo loading and unloading. Up to 400 pounds may be placed on the unit. A separate rear cargo tray is "reversible," creating a walled bin useful for carrying balls or other objects with the potential to slide. An asymmetrical tailgate on some SUV's allows easy loading when both closed and open. The short half on the passenger side lets users load cargo easily when closed, and the long driver-side half provides a luggage/gear storage shelf when down.
How about a partially exposed Lazy Suzan (rotating storage tray) beneath the passenger floor - yes there is a vehicle with this too. Or a retractable dry-cleaning hook?
And storage? Many car manufacturers are realizing people want more and more storage in their vehicles. Today, vehicles come with things like passenger compartment storage and super folding seats. Folding second- and third-row seats that fold completely flat into the floor is another cool feature. When the seats are upright, there's plenty of storage below the floor.
The choices are endless in today's vehicles, making driving and owning your vehicle more fun than ever. So before you pick out your next vehicle, make a list of items you find will enhance your driving experience and do a little shopping around.
Greg Chapman of Greg Chapman Motors is a knowledgable and leading provider of used cars, trucks, and SUV’s. Since 1959, Chapman motors has supplied reliable used cars in Austin and the surrounding area. For more information please visit http://www.gregchapmanmotors.com.
Labels: car safety, vehicle options, vehicles
posted by Greg Chapman at
1:27 AM
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