New Car Review: 2007 Mercedes-Benz S550
An uber-luxury car like the Mercedes S550 is not quite what it used to be.Marketplace realities demand much more.
Just as four and even five-hundred horsepower performance cars are now almost commonplace, the trickling down of formerly ultra-exclusive luxury features and amenities to more modestly priced cars has raised the bar at the top of the automotive food chain considerably. To stand out at $85k - let alone justify that kind of bar tab - requires a Great Leap Forward.
Eight Random Home Mechanic Do's and Don'ts
It's the small things that often get use into trouble (or save our bacon) when we're messing around with our cars. Here's a short list of Do's and Don'ts picked up from personal experience ... both good and bad!* Don't get impatient:
Guys who've been fiddling with cars for more than a couple of years will tell you one of the easiest ways to make a mistake is to rush things or allow frustration to cloud your judgment. Always allot plenty of time to do a job, even if that means the car is going to be on blocks for a couple of days until you get it sorted out. If you feel yourself beginning to get tired (or worse, angry) that's the signal to step away. Grab a beer from the fridge, have some coffee - whatever. Just so you leave it alone for long enough to get back in the right frame of mind.
How Much Is Too Much?
Most of us understand that driving drunk is irresponsible. But how many of us know how much drinking it actually takes to be considered "drunk," legally speaking?In all 50 states, the legal threshold defining drunk driving is a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .08. But you may also be charged with "driving under the influence at .06 BAC. And even if your BAC is below .06 and you're technically "legal," you may still be significantly impaired - and thus a danger to yourself and others.
Are You Ready For $5 Per Gallon?
Three dollars per gallon is a reality; $4 or even $5 per gallon is certainly a possibility. Maybe even a likely possibility.Are you prepared for that if it should happen?
Many of us (probably most of us) are not.
But we're foolish not to at least take the prospect of $4 gas (or higher) seriously - and plan accordingly. Here are a few things to think about in the way of hedging your bets and insulating yourself and your family from the economic shocks that could very well be just around the corner:
