Auto Aficionado 

Black Eyed Peas get customized Honda Civic

Now the Black Eyed Peas don’t only make good music, they make a good inspiration for a great ride --- for they, the Black Eyed Peas - and Honda have teamed up to create a one-of-a-kind Civic Hybrid that will be showcased at the band's Honda Civic Tour.

The car’s exterior gets a custom fireball-flaked metallic red-and-black base coat treatment with marbleized gold scrolling. The band's logo embellishes the rear passenger doors, and each band member's autograph can be found on the vehicle. Racing-inspired, black 18-inch Konig "Unknown" rims complete the exterior package.

The interior is outfitted with custom red leather seats with gold stitching, embroidered with the band's monkey logo on the headrests. A custom-installed Sure 55SH microphone acts as the gearshift and Alpine Electronics provides the state-of-the-art multimedia system.

The customized Honda Civic Hybrid that will be up for grabs in a sweepstakes until August this year.

Meanwhile, if you’re looking to customize your own Honda Civic, just click over to Auto Parts Discount for top quality wheels, hubcaps, hoods, grilles, and spoilers.

Scion gets updated for 2006

Toyota Motor has announced Thursday that the second limited-edition Scion for 2006 will debut at the New York International Auto Show, ahead of its launch in mid-April.



The tC Release Series 2.0 (tC R.S. 2.0) gets the Blue Blitz Mica signature color, a stainless steel mesh grille treatment, and satin-finish 17-inch alloy wheels. Side airbags and front/rear side curtain airbags are included in the package.

Interior 2.0 gets front and rear seats with trims in black Alcantara and a Pioneer Premium AM/FM/CD audio system complete with an iPod hookup and color-changing LED display. To up the level in inside, Scion adds a 35-watt subwoofer and XM Satellite Radio to the entertainment mix.

Only 2,600 of the tC 2.0 will be sold. MSRP is set at $18,260.

Meanwhile, excellent Toyota and Scion oxygen sensor, grilles, bumpers, spoilers and mirrors can be found at Auto Parts Discount.

The really hot cars

These cars are not only popular – they sell pretty well, like, in less than 15 days they’re off the dealership floors.

According to national sales activity tracked through the first eight weeks of 2006 by J.D. Power and Associates' Power Information Network, the really hot commodity – cars that spend fewer than 15 days on dealer lots before being sold are the Lexus IS, Toyota Prius and Scion tC.



The Pontiac Solstice, on the other hand, has a 16-day turnover, while the Honda Civic has a 13-day turnover. Fuel efficiency apparently still is a big consideration as to which vehicle sits for the longer time. Full-size SUVs, such as the Ford Expedition and Chevrolet Suburban, now take 94 days to sell on average. Gas-saving models, including the Toyota Matrix, Nissan Sentra and Pontiac Vibe, are now selling twice as fast compared to a year ago.

Toyota is very much on top of its game. Creating better and better quality vehicles that are worth your hard-earned money. And because our vehicles are our second largest investments, it’s only right that we take good care of it and drive it responsibly. Should it need replacement auto parts such as catalytic converter, radiator or AC condenser, make sure to purchase only from the most trusted online auto parts store, Auto Parts Discount.

2006’s Top picks

Consumer Reports magazine has unveiled their 2006 Top Picks. All ten are born of Japanese companies, with Honda occupying fully 50-percent of the list.

The winners, to be published in the magazine's upcoming May issue:

• Sedan, less than $20,000
Honda Civic

• Sedan, $20,000 - $30,000
Honda Accord

• Sedan, $30,000 - $40,000
Acura TL


• Sedan, $30,000 - $40,000
Acura TL
• Luxury sedan

• Infiniti M35

• Fun to drive
Subaru Impreza WRX/STi

• Small SUV/SUV, less than $30,000
Subaru Forester

• Mid-sized SUV/SUV more than $30,000
Toyota Highlander Hybrid

• Minivan
Honda Odyssey

• Green car
Toyota Prius

• Pick-up truck
Honda Ridgeline

Quality auto parts like mirrors, grilles, hubcaps, spoilers, starters and windshield wipers for these cars also can be readily found at trusted online auto parts stores like Auto Parts Discount.

Chinese threat?

“Could this be the first Chinese car capable of generating ginormous global sales?” Autoblog asks.



This is China Brilliance’s Jinjue, which can be translated either as “Triumphant Horse” or “Winning Gold”. Designed in Italy by Pininfarina, it looks a bit like a 5-Series and even has a kidney grille like a BMW. The Chinese automaker hopes this sports sedan will boost its annual sales from 17,500 to 30,000 this year. China Brilliance, according to Autoblog, is best buds with BMW.

So is it a threat?

Well, consider where Toyota was 10 to 20 years ago. With this Chinese car, who knows? And if so, it just means that as consumers, we’re bound to have better and better options when it comes to cars. Competition afterall, brings out the best in people.

And while we’re waiting to see if the JinJue will indeed make a positive splash in the U.S. market, we can keep our current set of wheels in shape with excellent auto parts like alternators, bumpers, wheels, mirrors and Auto Parts Discount from trusted online auto parts stores like radiators.

Can the new Tundra give Ford’s F-series a run for its money?

Toyota has introduced a bigger, beefier Tundra pickup at the Chicago Auto Show. Taking its cue from the styling of the FTX concept truck from 2004, the 2007 Tundra is without a doubt making an aim for the spot where Ford and GM are holding on tightly – the top pickup truck spot.



First introduced in 1999 as a 2000 model, the Tundra has since then won numerous awards and has been recognized for its value, quality and reliability. The completely redesigned 2007 Tundra will be bigger, more powerful and will offer new body and engine configurations.

"From bumper-to-bumper, under the hood and from the inside out the new Tundra is a true American truck that will set a new benchmark in the full-size truck segment," said Jim Lentz, TMS group vice president and general manager. "It will be aimed at the ‘True Trucker,' the true opinion leaders among full-size owners. True Truckers are highly credible because they use, punish, and demand the most out of the pickups they buy."



And set a new benchmark it has. The Tundra has been super-sized in every metric of comparison with the vehicle it replaces. Its all-new, full-size platform will feature a significantly expanded wheelbase and an increase of 10 inches in overall length. Tundra will also gain nearly five inches in height and will be four full inches wider than before, placing it among the segment leaders in overall size. When it goes on sale about a year from now (or maybe sooner), here’s what buyers will find:

* A bigger truck. The Tundra's wheelbase has been stretched 10 inches to 138.3 inches on the standard cab. The wheelbase on the Double Cab is 150.5 inches. The overall length grows about the same amount, ranging from about 228 to 240 inches.
* A new 5.7-liter V-8 joins the engine lineup. That engine should make more than 300 hp and be mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. It will join the current engines - a 4.0-liter V-6 that was rated at 236 hp for 2006 and a 4.7-liter V-8 that was rated at 271 hp.
* Towing capacity rated at more than 10,000 pounds.
* Three trim levels - base, SR5 and Limited - and three cab configurations, including the Double Cab.
* The options list will include a rearview backup camera and Bluetooth connectivity for cellular telephones.

In the meantime, while waiting for this magnificent truck to hit the market, keep your own set of wheels in shape with excellent auto parts like wheels, radiators, lights, window regulators and mirrors from your trusted online auto parts store, Auto Parts Discount.

‘New car smell’ is toxic?

You better watch it before you start inhaling deeply your new car’s smell.

You may be feeling smug about driving your magnificent new BMW or Honda Civic from your dealership’s parking lot – imagining the looks on your friends’ faces, and already relieved that you wouldn’t have to be constantly visiting Auto Parts Discount to replace your old car’s cowl, wheels, engine parts or headlamps – but think twice about savoring that new car smell.

According to CNN/Autos, a Michigan environmental group is charging that at least part of the so-called "new car smell" is toxic, and that the interior of an automobile has dangerous levels of various chemicals including PBDEs, used as fire retardants, and phthalates, used primarily to soften PVC plastics. These dangerous chemicals, the report says, are found in dangerous amounts in dust and windshield film samples. The group – The Ecology Center – is calling for tougher regulations to phase out the use of the chemicals as well as voluntary moves by the auto manufacturers to stop using the products inside of new vehicles.

"We can no longer rely just on seatbelts and airbags to keep us safe in cars," said a statement from Jeff Gearhart, the Ecology Center's Clean Car Campaign Director who co-authored the group’s report. "Our research shows that autos are chemical reactors, releasing toxins before we even turn on the ignition. There are safer alternatives to these chemicals, and innovative companies that develop them first will likely be rewarded by consumers."

The group found Volvo as the automaker to have the lowest levels of phthalates and the second-lowest levels of PBDEs, which it said made the Ford Motor Co. (Research)-owned unit the industry leader in terms of indoor air quality. Volvo also has the toughest policies for phasing out these chemicals. Ford also had among the lowest level of PBDEs in its vehicles, and General Motors (Research) and BMW vehicles also had lower-than-average levels for all chemicals tested. But Mercedes, Chrysler, Toyota and Subaru had higher-than-average levels of both PBDEs and phthalates.

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Dodge Ram Pickup Truck Goes Greener

In the last couple of years, we have been hearing from auto manufacturing companies about alternative fuel vehicles (AFV), hybrid vehicles and the like. We've even seen a number of hybrid vehicles introduced last year. So would it still stir some excitement if DaimlerChrysler announces that it will introduce a biodiesel-powered Dodge Ram pickup truck for the 2007 model year?

No and yes! No because the concept of a biodiesel-powered vehicle is no longer new for it to cause much excitement. In fact, DaimlerChrysler has already introduced a couple of biodiesel-powered vehicles in the past. The Jeep Liberty CRD diesel SUV, for example, can be powered with a mixture of 5 percent biodiesel and 95 percent diesel. And so with the diesel-powered Dodge Sprinter van that allows a mixture of up to 2 percent of biodiesel fuel.

But the diesel-powered Dodge Ram pickup truck is quite different from all of these DaimlerChrysler vehicles. Why? Because the company has approved the use of 20 percent biodiesel fuel for these trucks. If anything, this means improved fuel economy and reduced greenhouse gas emissions at a much higher level! And for this nation, that means an opportunity to lessen our dependence on foreign oil manufacturing companies. All of these make the introduction of the new Dodge Ram pickup truck stir some, if not much, excitement.

There, however, is another not too exciting twist to this story. The use of B20 (20% biodiesel) has been approved only for military, government, and fleet models of the Dodge Ram pickup truck. I believe, though, that on a later date, the use of B20 will also be permitted on the passenger models of Dodge Ram pickups. As to when that will be implemented, I don't have the slightest idea.

As of now, however, we can do nothing but wait for DaimlerChrysler to introduce the Dodge Ram pickup truck that can run on 20% biodiesel fuel. Let's make our wait productive, though, by doing the little things that can make our vehicles more fuel efficient and produce less harmful emissions. Auto Parts Discount helps us achieve this by offering high quality and high performance Dodge engine and exhaust parts like the catalytic converter, oxygen sensor and [link=http://www.carpartswholesale.com/cpw/intake_manifold.html]intake manifold. With these high quality Dodge auto parts, we can help lessen our nation's fuel and environment problems.

CNN’s cars to watch out for this year

Every year, the Detroit Auto show introduces us to more and more new cars. But very few of them will actually end up in people’s driveways.

Here’s CNN/Money's (along with James Bell, publisher of the automotive consumer magazine and Web site IntelliChoice, and David Champion, director of auto testing for Consumer Reports magazine) choice of cars that they think we should watch out for in the year ahead:

Volkswagen EOS – Volkswagen’s new attention-getting new model. If it's well made, the EOS would seem to be a promising product and just the sort of thing to inject a little excitement into what had become a rather timid-seeming brand.

Honda Fit - The Fit is really here as a representative of three new cars: the Fit, the Toyota Yaris and the Nissan Versa. All are small (therefore more fuel-efficient) and, most importantly, are expected to be about as cheap as new cars get.

Toyota Camry - The redesigned Camry introduces something really new: a design some people may actually dislike. Camrys have always been good-looking in a bland, Everyman kind of way. But Toyota's new front end treatment and the new Camry's more curvaceous look may be a turn-off to some.

Jeep Compass - This is a car designed for buyers who like the idea and style of Jeep vehicles but don't want the reality of owning a genuine off-roader. (The rough ride and all that, you know.) The question is will the fakery of the off-road look bother potential buyers?

Ford Edge - Now that everyone already has an SUV, buyers who want that SUV utility are looking for something that will set them apart a bit. The Edge's futuristic look, while not as avant-garde as the Nissan Murano, for example, makes a stylish, forward-looking statement.

Lexus LS460 - While European luxury automakers blame their cars' technical complexity for poor quality ratings -- you have to expect a few bugs in all that wiring, right? -- Lexus, which has built its name on quality, dives right in with a car that leaves no bell unrung and no whistle untooted.

According to CNN/Money, they aren’t sure if their picks would be great cars, what they are sure of is that they’re all important. Best of all, their picks will come relatively cheap. But if you don’t intend to replace your current set of wheels anytime soon, you can always update its looks with new grille, bumpers, valance, or spoilers with top of the line auto parts from reliable online auto parts stores like Auto Parts Discount.

“Bland” Toyota Camry gets a makeover

If you have always thought of the Toyota Camry as a rather bland car – one that you could make a bit more exciting with a little customizing and nice, quality auto parts from your favorite auto parts store Auto Parts Discount – well maybe this time with the recent unveiling of the all new, 2007 Toyota Camry and Toyota Camry Hybrid, you might think a bit differently.

Toyota is hoping to change the “bland” and “looks-like-a-car-my-dad-would-drive” perception of the vehicle with the 2007 Camry, the sixth generation of the best-selling sedan that first appeared on American roads 24 years—and 6.5 million sales—ago. On Monday, Toyota unveiled the all new version of the Camry, a top-to-bottom redesign that includes an optional 268-horsepower V6 and a hybrid variant that offers 42 miles per gallon in city driving.

"With the new 2007 Camry, Toyota once again raised the bar for the family sedan," said Don Esmond, senior vice president, automotive operations, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. "Camry's reputation as the gold standard was developed over more than 20 years of refining this excellent package and this new Camry continues that reputation."

The newly redesigned mid-size Camry will come in five trims, the top models drawing power from a new 3.5-liter V6. A short-stroke version of the Avalon engine, the 3.5-liter will pump out 268 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque, feature variable valve timing and come mated to a new six-speed automatic transmission.



The Camry Hybrid with Hybrid Synergy Drive will yield exceptional fuel efficiency with preliminary estimated ratings of 43 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway and 40 mpg in combined driving. Additionally, Camry Hybrid is expected to be certified as an Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV), just one of a handful of cars to meet the strict AT-PZEV standard. It joins the Toyota Prius, Toyota Highlander and Lexus RX 400h in the company's hybrid family. Soon a Lexus sedan will be added to the group.

Expect the new Camry to hit Toyota dealers in early March, with the Camry Hybrid later this year.