mariusvatavu's Blog

Test Drive: 2008 BMW 1 Series

Sometimes 1 Does Not Equal Less

Vehicle Tested: 2008 BMW 1 Series 135i 2dr Coupe (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 6M)
Pros: Potent turbocharged inline-6 engine, responsive handling, excellent front seat adjustability and support, useful trunk, hushed wind noise.
Cons: Audio controls could be more user-friendly; it's an entry-level car with a not-so entry-level price.

Chances are you're not shopping for a 2008 BMW 135i because of its stunning ability to make zipping over a mountain road so easy that a caveman could do it (no offense). Chances are you'd never think about powersliding through corners or extracting every bit of grip its chassis and tires can provide. Chances are you don't even live near a mountain.


Cheaper fuel bills - The route to savings

Our 10 tips will save you fuel and money — and it all starts with choosing the best road

Swapping your car for a more frugal model will lower your fuel bills, but you could save even more by changing the way you drive and how you get from A to B. In fact, by avoiding the motorway and taking a slightly longer but less frantic route to work, you could save hundreds. You see, it’s not all about miles per gallon – it’s cost per mile that hits your pocket. Often, taking the more direct route will save money, and the fewer miles you do, the more your car will be worth when you come to sell it. Even without the cash benefits, every 10% fuel saving will cut emissions by the same amount.




 

Test Drive: 2008 Dodge Dakota Crew Cab Laramie

The Ideal Truck To Help Grandma Move?

Vehicle Tested: 2008 Dodge Dakota Laramie 4dr Extended Cab 4WD SB (4.7L 8cyl 5A)
Pros: Abundant and innovative interior storage, only V8 power in its class, best-in-class towing capacity, good braking performance, comfy seats.
Cons: Frightfully expensive, industrial interior, punishing highway ride, fussy navigation controls.

There are certain things you own that you just shouldn't tell people about, and the 2008 Dodge Dakota is one of them. No, that's not a cheap shot at Dodge's midsize truck. Rather, it's like a beach house or a big-screen TV. If you have one, you will suddenly have friends calling on you for favors every weekend.

Once word is out that you have a pickup truck, friends, family and casual acquaintances will immediately start turning to you for their moving, hauling and towing needs. Sure enough, when news of our time with the 2008 Dodge Dakota Crew Cab Laramie spread, one of our editors was roped into helping his grandmother move. So the Dakota was filled up with 40 years' worth of Grandma's stuff, including a pair of shelving units, a chandelier, 18 plants and a Bang & Olufsen record player.



 

Test Drive: 2009 Audi A4 3.2 Quattro - Comfort The cabin of the 2009 Audi A4 successfully combines both sporty and luxurious attributes. The meaty steering wheel is easy to handle and adds to the sporty feel, yet it isn't too bulky. The front sport seats offer plenty of support, and extra bolsters help during cornering. The range of adjustability of the driver seat, however, leaves something to be desired — it goes just far enough forward for a 5-foot-4 female to comfortably reach the pedals. Tall folks didn't find much to complain about, though. Legroom is plentiful in both front and rear seats, and there is ample headroom. On the comfort side, the dual-zone climate control system adjusts quickly and efficiently, and the premium 505-watt Bang & Olufsen sound system with 14 speakers and a six-CD changer offers near-pristine audio quality. The result is a pretty solid road-trip car — even after a six-hour drive, both driver and passenger felt comfortable and content, even if a little numb on the backside.




 

"Deep Throat"

 Sursa: ROL.ro

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