The summer is upon us, and in my opinion, I think you should inspect your car each, and every season.  Now, it will all depend on where you live, but some summers are a lot hotter in some areas, than others.  As long as you keep on top of your vehicle, it should always be running in pristine shape.

In the hot weather, you’re going to find that it’s not only bad for some of your fluids, it’s also bad for your car battery.  This is why batteries generally go bad fast in warmer climates.  Some preventative measures can help you prevent all of this though.

Consider a tune up - If you’re not a car buff, you may just want to check in with your local auto shop.  Ask for a tune up, and they will do all the necessary checks to see if your car is up to par.  If there is something wrong, they will let you know, and it will be your decision from there to see if you want to replace it, or not.

Always get an A/C check - Warm weather can be brutal, but it can be even worse if you don’t have air conditioning.  Instead of waiting until the middle of the summer to get your A/C replaced, get it checked out before the warm weather even comes.  Have someone inspect the whole system to make sure it’s up to par.

Check the battery – As I mentioned above, a battery goes out a lot quicker compared to the colder months.  In warmer temperatures, the battery can corrode, and crack.  Make sure that you get this checked out so that you’re not stranded somewhere.

Keep up with oil changes - Yes, your oil changes should be done every 3,000-5,000 miles, but it shouldn’t be no different in the summer. Always make sure that you’re up to date, and you know the last time that you had your oil changed.

No matter what time of the year it is, always make sure that you keep up to date on your maintenance.   The summer is going to be no different, so make sure that you follow these tips to keep your car running strong!

If you’re looking for the ultimate sports car, and a car that comes with a sleek style, there is nothing better than the Ferrari California.  This is a 2 door, 4 passenger vehicle that is available in just the California trim.

Ferrari Californias available: “California”

MSRP : N/A

Seating capacity : 4 people

Key features :

- Applies to certain models only:

• Petrol injection V-8 engine
• 7 Gears
• Convertible GT
• Retractable hard top
• Gear box with dual clutch
• F1-Trac
• Multilink suspension

Gas mileage : 9/16

Awards won :

• The best new convertible for 2009.

News articles:

• California
• 1st Drive

Videos:

• California driving test
• Paris auto show

This is a hot make by Ferrari!  The 2009 599 GTB Fiorano is a 2 door, and 2 passenger luxury sports car.  It is available in two different trims, which are listed below.

Ferrari 599 GTB Fioranos available: Coupe, Coupe F1

MSRP : 302,584 – $312,395

Seating capacity : 2 people

Key features :

- Applies to certain models only:

• Top speed of 330 km/h
• F1 Superfast gearbox
• F1-Trac
• SCM Suspension
• V-12 engine

Gas mileage : 16 MPG

Awards won :

• Evo magazine named the 599 GTB as the Car of the Year for 2006.
• Top Gear Magazine also named the 599 GTB as the Supercar of the Year 2006.

News articles:

• 599 GTB
• Auto blog

Videos:

• 599 GTB Fiorano
• Test Drive

If you own a car, there’s probably going to be a time when you have to bring your car in for some sort of service.  Whether you go in for an oil change, or you go in for new brakes, you want to know exactly who you’re working with, so that you don’t get ripped off.

Know their experience: You don’t want to work with people who don’t know what they are doing.  Instead, you want to work with people that have a lot of experience.  When you head to an auto repair shop for the first time, ask them how long they have been in business, and see some of their credentials.

Customer service: You don’t want to be treated like garbage when you walk into a shop.  Instead, you want to work with someone that is friendly, and know what they are talking about.  If they can’t answer your questions, you may want to look elsewhere.

Always compare prices: Prices are usually the main motive when people bring in their cars for repair.  Make sure that you check with at least three other shops before taking yours to a new one.  You may find that the new one is a rip off, and not even worth it.  Instead, compare prices, but don’t always base your decision solely on a price estimate.

When it comes time to find a new auto repair shop, make sure that you follow a few points.  If you do so, you will soon find out that you’ll be able to find the best repair shop in town.  Always do your research, so that you don’t get ripped off!

We all dream about getting a new car, and getting rid of our old, embarrassing junker.  We’d love to get updated with the new features, and finally drive a car we choose. 

If you haven’t heard already, there is a new law called “Cash for Clunkers”.  It will be passed by Obama once he signs it.  What it does is it helps people get rid of their old car, and allow them to get a new car finally.  It is a great law that many people will be taking advantage of.  We’ve needed something like this along time ago, and finally someone has made that happen.

So, what exactly is Cash for Clunkers? 

Cash for Clunkers works like this.  If you have an old beat up car that is newer than 1984 (helps keeps us from junking classics) than you’re off to a good start.  We want to get all the old cars off the road.  In hopes of replacing them we newer, updated, and better gas mileage vehicles. 

Also, your vehicle must get less than 18 MPG.  So, unfortunately if you have vehicles that are smaller or mid sized cars, they may not qualify because they already get 18 MPG.  We’re looking to get the worst cars off the road, and the heavy polluters. 

Another thing that you need for your vehicle to qualify is a car that has been insured for at least the past year.  This makes sure people aren’t finding junk cars from lots and stealing them for money.

So now that you know what you need to qualify for Cash for Clunkers, how does this help you?

If you trade in your car that qualifies for everything listed above, you will receive $3,500-$4,500 towards buying a new car.  This will help the environment by getting rid of some of the bad cads, and allows the auto industry to do better with their sales.  So, if you can, save up some money, get rid of your junker, and buy that new car you’ve been dieing to have.  That’s a great amount of money to take!