TTAC reviews the 2010 Prius and writes – ‘The Prius is certainly not a driver’s car in the traditional sense, and no enthusiast would want one as an only car. But as a commuter, especially if the commute tends to be stop-and-go, the Prius makes a lot of sense. In addition to outstanding fuel economy, the Toyota offers reliability, a roomy, functional interior, the highly refined feel pioneered by Lexus, and, with the latest revision, even a stylish exterior. That Toyota has managed to bundle all of these attributes and leading-edge technology into a package most new car buyers can afford borders on incredible.’

Toyota really nailed their target market with the Prius. Folks who shop for this type of car don’t really care if it’s fast or if it handles well. They do care that it gets outstanding fuel economy and is refined. Read more about the 2010 Prius.

Hi there – could you help spread the word about Houston Cars? I could really use your help in getting my work out to new readers. If you would send someone a link, email, or even mention it to your friends, I would appreciate it. 2010 Toyota Prius Review – TTAC is a post from: Houston Cars, home of the best darn car reviews around.

No one likes driving in the rain.  Your car doesn’t handle as well, nor does it stop as quickly.  Perhaps even more importantly, it’s hard to see.  Sure, windsheild wipers help, but they’re only on the front glass.  What about the side windows?  Or the rear glass? 

Aquapel helps repel water

Aquapel® glass treatment bonds to the glass, and repels water.  Rather than raindrops sitting and collecting on your glass, they’ll run off and out of the way.  The result?  Clearer vision when it’s raining.  Being able to see clearly can make the difference between an accident or just missing one. 

By coating your glass with Aquapel windshield rain repellent , you reduce glare dramatically, and improve your vision in bad weather.  If you’re out driving at night in the rain, the effects are even more dramatic.  Take a look:

I can’t see much of anything in the second picture, can you?  You may not realize just how bad your night vision is when it’s raining – but it’s terrible.  That’s why coating your glass is so important.

How often must I apply Aquapel?

Don’t worry, you won’t be out in your driveway every weekend re-applying.  One coat of Aquapel is good for up to six months.  Feel free to wash your car as much as you want, because it won’t affect Aquapel. 

Where can I buy it?

In the near future, you’ll be able to buy Aquapel directly from the manufacturer.  Until then, you can find an Aquapel® dealer near you.

Hi there – could you help spread the word about Houston Cars? I could really use your help in getting my work out to new readers. If you would send someone a link, email, or even mention it to your friends, I would appreciate it. Aquapel Glass Treatment Review is a post from: Houston Cars, home of the best darn car reviews around.

I usually stick to Houston cars dealers here on this site.  But today I feel like branching out, so here we are.  Motor Werks ( no that’s not misspelled ) sells New and Used Cars in Illinois.  More specifically, Motor Werks focuses on luxury cars.  On the new car side, we’re talking about BMW, Mercedes, Infiniti, Porsche, Saab, and Cadillac.

Yeah, they really have that many luxury brands available.  At the time of this writing, Motor Werks has 855 new Luxury Cars For Sale – that’s outrageous.  Generally luxury brand dealerships have a very small inventory – not the case here. 

Pre-Owned BMW‘s are another big focus at Motor Werks, with 49 currently in stock.  Just in case a new BMW isn’t quite in your budget, Motor Werks still has a solution for you.

Easy Navigation and great features

Navigation is simple and straightforward, the way a modern automotive website should be.  There are even 360 degree views on all in-stock inventory.

Motor Werks has a huge leg up on the competition.  Offering so many brands, and such a huge inventory are huge selling points.  As if that weren’t enough, Motor Werks even offers international shipping on all vehicles.  If you’re in the market for a luxury car, no matter where you are, it’s worth giving Motor Werks a look.  They may just blow you away.

Hi there – could you help spread the word about Houston Cars? I could really use your help in getting my work out to new readers. If you would send someone a link, email, or even mention it to your friends, I would appreciate it. Motor Werks Review is a post from: Houston Cars, home of the best darn car reviews around.

Car dealer reviews are nothing new for Houston Cars – it’s something we do on a regular basis.  Normally the reviews are focused on Texas car dealers.  However, today we’ve decided to branch out and include the largest Seattle Ford dealer – Harris Ford.

New Cars – A different approach

Most new car dealers show every new car they have in inventory.  Harris Ford decided to go against the grain.  Rather than lose potential customers who are looking for a specific unit that Harris Ford might have, shoppers get to see every possible configuration.  With a vehicle configurator, online brochures, downloadable e-brochures, and 360 degree views, the options are nearly endless.  Quite frankly I prefer it this way as opposed to listing out the hundreds of in-stock vehicles.

When it comes to Ford Dealers, Seattle – Harris Ford is pretty much the one you want to see.  Their inventory is huge ( so huge they don’t show it online – good move ), and their reputation is pretty solid.  The new vehicle specials are pretty impressive too, by the looks of things.

Figure out your payment easily

One of the best additions to Harris Ford’s site is the Ford vehicles loan calculator.  Simply put in the basics of your purchase – months, rate, selling price, and down payment.  The calculator automatically figures out the monthly payment, as well as the total you’ll pay in interest.

On the cutting edge

With the fancy display on new vehicles, Harris Ford is really on the cutting edge when it comes to automobile dealers.  The best part looks to still be in the works.  There is a link for a Harris Ford blog – but it’s not quite active yet.  If these guys can get a blog up and running – wow.  Very few car dealers blog effectively, and it can have a great impact on the dealership’s success.  Good luck Harris Ford, you’re on the right track.

Hi there – could you help spread the word about Houston Cars? I could really use your help in getting my work out to new readers. If you would send someone a link, email, or even mention it to your friends, I would appreciate it. Harris Ford is a post from: Houston Cars, home of the best darn car reviews around.

For our folks over on the other side of the pond, specifically Great Britain, I’m reviewing Motors Today – a car search engine.  On the main page, the search options are front and center ( well front and to the right technically ).  You choose your location, search radius, make, model, and max price – and Motors Today shows you what used cars are out there.  Even if you’re looking for used luxury cars, you’re in luck.  When you search nationally for “Bentleys”, there are a whopping 175 results.  That’s a whole lotta Bentleys.

If you’re looking to finance car, no worries.  Motors Today has a section for that too.  You’ll get a list of banks with their best rates, and an application link.  There are sections for folks with great credit, soso credit, and subprime credit.  No matter where your situation falls, there’s an application for it.

For those who are looking into buying new cars, it looks like you’re actually out of luck.  There are sections for used cars, finance, auto news, and auto reviews ( currently empty of reviews ), but no new car quotes.  I think there’s room for new car quotes on every car website.   Used cars are a better value, but there are a ton of folks out there who just won’t buy used – they have to have new.

Overall I think Motors Today is a good site – the layout is clean, everything is easy to find.  There are absolutely tons of used cars inventoried on the site.  To make the site great though, I think that new car reviews are necessary, as well as new car quotes.  Hopefully these features are on the way, and Motors Today will have a bright future.

Hi there – could you help spread the word about Houston Cars? I could really use your help in getting my work out to new readers. If you would send someone a link, email, or even mention it to your friends, I would appreciate it. Motors Today Review is a post from: Houston Cars, home of the best darn car reviews around.

Gas prices are down a bit, but let’s face it – the stuff is still expensive. Most of us probably wouldn’t mind a bit of help in the gas bill area. There are ways to get some relief though, if you’re interested. Simply follow this link and enter your zip code to get started. I haven’t tried it yet myself, but it doesn’t cost you anything to put in your zip code. Worth a shot, right?

Hi there – could you help spread the word about Houston Cars? I could really use your help in getting my work out to new readers. If you would send someone a link, email, or even mention it to your friends, I would appreciate it. Free $500 Gas Card is a post from: Houston Cars, home of the best darn car reviews around.

Car Angel Ministries is a non-profit organization that helps a variety of people – from at-risk youth, to folks without a place to call home, and even prisoners trying to get back on the right track. The concept is simple – donate your car, boat, or even RV to Car Angel Ministries. They’ll then use the proceeds from your donation to help one of their causes. The question that’s probably in your mind is simple, but you might be afraid to voice it – “What do I get out of it?” Don’t be ashamed, it’s natural to ask that question. And fortunately, you do get several benefits from donating your car to Car Angel Ministries. Take a look:

• Tax deduction based on the value of your donation
• Instant tax receipt – no waiting for it to come in the mail
• Save time – you won’t have to sell your car on your own
• Save hassle – you needn’t worry about any repairs to your car
• Help Car Angel Ministries charitable causes

As you can see, there are quite a few benefits to donating your car. Even if your car isn’t running, you don’t have to worry. Car Angel Ministries will send out a tow truck to pick up your car, and give you a tax receipt on the spot. You don’t even have to pay for the tow truck – it’s free.

At the end of the day, you have a decision to make. One on hand, you could sell your car privately, and deal with placing ads, doing repairs, taking phone calls, handling test drives, etc etc. Or you can save yourself a huge hassle and donate your car. Not only does it save you time, you get to help make a difference in some folks lives. Helping youths and the homeless can make a huge difference in their lives, and help point them in the right direction. Supporting Car Angel Ministries by donating your car, boat, or RV makes it possible.

Hi there – could you help spread the word about Houston Cars? I could really use your help in getting my work out to new readers. If you would send someone a link, email, or even mention it to your friends, I would appreciate it. Car Angel Ministries Review is a post from: Houston Cars, home of the best darn car reviews around.

CarSeek recently redesigned, revamped, and re-launched their website. I’m a big fan of re-launches myself – when I re-launched HoustonCars.org as a car blog, the results were amazing. So I’m a big fan of refreshing and re-launching a site – if done properly, the results can just be incredible. Readers will come streaming in and find exactly what they’re looking for – the ultimate goal.

What is CarSeek all about?

Let’s start with the sections. Right on the main page, there are 5 main sections – News, Price Quote, Reviews, Articles, and Finance. The Auto News section covers any automotive industry related news. Everything from laws the affect the auto industry, to manufacturer profit reports, to auto shows can be found here.

Articles

The Articles section is an editorial-type area. This section I can really get on board with, because it has things like how to save money on gas, cost/benefit analysis for hybrids, and tips on how to buy used cars. These are real things that car shoppers need to know, and things that can help them make good buying decisions.

Reviews

Car Reviews is right up my alley – after all, reviews are what I do best! The sheer volume of reviews at CarSeek is impressive. Each and every 2007 model has a review, and 2008 model reviews are being added daily. The newest reviews appear first, but you can list reviews by the manufacturer as well.

Price Quotes

This section is easy to navigate, unlike many other sites that offer a similar feature. Simply select the make & model, and press the “Get Free Quote” button. On the next screen you can select the trim level of your choice from a drop-down box, and then put in your basic information. This information is then transmitted directly to your local dealers. You get several competitive price quotes – at no cost to you, and with no obligation to buy.

Finance

The Finance section gives some tips on how to best finance a loan, and fit that loan into your budget. If you want to apply for financing, simply click on the “Apply for Loan” button and you’ll be taken to the secure credit application. Fill in all the requested information and press Send – you’re done. You’ll be contacted by the lenders soon.

Overall Look and Feel

CarSeek has a very clean design, which is easy on the eyes. Web design is not something that everyone can do – and it looks like CarSeek hired a professional to handle this for them – good call. The navigation is very simple and straightforward, and getting lost on the site is impossible. The site loads very quickly and without any errors, just like you’d expect. In fact, the site reminds of me Edmunds in many ways, with the major exception that Edmunds loads significantly more slower, and times out quite a bit.

The advertising is kept at a very reasonable level, which impresses me. It’s very easy to get carried away and go overboard with different kinds of advertising, and Carseek resisted the temptation.

Final Thoughts

There is no one perfect car site on the internet – and I think that’s a great thing. Diversity keeps everyone on their toes, and helps each site continue to improve the user experience. CarSeek has done an impressive job with their re-launch, and I think they have a very bright future. They have brought together a ton of excellent information into one place, and organized it very well. The simple navigation is such a huge advantage that I can’t stop talking about it.

So many sites on the internet just don’t “get” simple navigation. Their sites are confusing, and it’s easy to get lost, and give up. CarSeek doesn’t have that problem – the information you want is rarely more than 1 or 2 clicks away, no matter where on the site you are. At the end of the day, CarSeek helps you find what you’re looking for, quickly and easily. In this world of busy days and little spare time, that’s exactly what we all need.

Hi there – could you help spread the word about Houston Cars? I could really use your help in getting my work out to new readers. If you would send someone a link, email, or even mention it to your friends, I would appreciate it. Carseek Re-Launches is a post from: Houston Cars, home of the best darn car reviews around.

Reader’s Rides is a new section of Import tuner, that allows you to submit your own ride for other readers to rate.  Wow, say that three times fast.  At the top of the page, the cars are broken down by make.  So if you’re a Honda fan, you can choose to view Hondas only.  Same goes for any of the other makes listed.  Of course, you’ll only find imports here – remember, it’s Import Tuner!

Besides sorting by make, you also have the option of viewing the rides by Most Popular Rides, Newest Rides, Highest Rated, and Most Commented.  Clicking on any of the thumbnails will bring you to the car’s dedicated page.

I decided to pick on this here 1994 Supra because, well, I like me a good Supra.  As you can see, there is a ton for you to check out – plenty of pictures, horsepower, modifications, ratings, and comments.  The only thing I don’t like is that you have to register to comment, but I guess they probably do that to keep the spam away.  Registration takes only a minute or so, so it’s not that bad.

Overall Reader’s Rides has some potential – you have the ability to put in a ton of pictures and information about your car, which is really neat.  I like the fact there there is both a rating and a comments system – many sites only have one or the other.  Now all they need is some more members, so there are more cars to check out.  If you haven’t signed up already, give it a shot.

Hi there – could you help spread the word about Houston Cars? I could really use your help in getting my work out to new readers. If you would send someone a link, email, or even mention it to your friends, I would appreciate it. Reader’s Rides Review is a post from: Houston Cars, home of the best darn car reviews around.

VCARS is a car site ( duh ) with a few different angles.  The part of the site that appeals most to me, is the Supercar wallpapers section.  Why this section?  Well, it’s all about the fastest cars on the planet.  Coincidentally, the fastest cars are usually the best looking too, and that’s why they make great wallpapers.  You’ll find everything from the Saleen S7 to the Koenigsegg CCX here.  What you won’t find is Honda Accords and Toyota Camry’s.  Good cars that they are, they just aren’t particularly exciting.  The supercar wallpapers are available in sizes from 800×600 all the way to 1280×1024, which covers most people’s screen sizes.  ( There are regular car wallpapers for folks who like that sort of thing, in another section. )

VCARS isn’t a one trick pony though, which is a good thing.  I love good wallpapers, but they aren’t enough to give a site lasting power.  VCARS is also chock-full of Motoring News.  This section is a blog-style format, and has been running since January of this year.  There is all sorts of news from the automotive industry, including new car announcements, industry rumors, model changes, and more.  There’s no shortage of news here, though I’d personally like a little more flair in the write-ups.  It’s probably just my style preferences though – many folks prefer the VCARS style.

And if the first two sections weren’t enough for you, VCARS has another trick.  There’s a whole Used Cars section, which will help you find the used car of your dreams.  The only catch?  It’s for UK drivers only, which is great if you’re in the UK.  I wasn’t able to test this portion of the site because it requires a UK postal code, which I don’t have.

Hi there – could you help spread the word about Houston Cars? I could really use your help in getting my work out to new readers. If you would send someone a link, email, or even mention it to your friends, I would appreciate it. VCARS.co.uk Review is a post from: Houston Cars, home of the best darn car reviews around.