Saturday, 4 February 2012

Mercedes Benz - the luxury brand

Brands sends different messages to consumers and when I think of luxury car brands, among the first images to come to mind is the three-pointed star Mercedes-Benz logo. It is one of the most recognizable and timeless logos. The German car brands have built up a reputation for good engineering, quality, design and service quality. However, unlike BMW, VW or Audi, most consumers automatically associate Mercedes Benz with prestige and luxury.

However, when people think of safety, Volvo is the brand listed on top. While the Japanese brands are listed high for Quality and BMW comes on top for performance (according to The Consumer Reports National Research Center). The only This is really interesting because Mercedes Benz does make high performance and sporty models (for example, the SLK range) and are also among the safest cars around (according to Euro NCAP results). Despite this, Mercedes-Benz remains as one of the top most desired brands among customers around the globe.

Mercedes-Benz SLK 200 BlueEFFICIENCY Sport-Paket AMG (R 172)

Despite the perception the Mercedes-Benz cars are expensive, you will be surprised to learn that you can actually get used models at really affordable prices. However, maintenance can be an issue as spare parts can be expensive. As always I only recommend that you use the genuine parts recommended by the manufacturer. It can also prove to be quite hard to find parts for older models. You may need to find a reputable spare parts dealer.

If you live in the US and are looking for Mercedes Benz Parts, I recommend that you check out German Star's Mercedes Parts Catalog. With 25 years experience in the Mercedes Benz parts business, they have and extensive inventory with parts parts listed by chassis or engine type.

Even if the parts you seek are not listed, you can contact them via email or on their site using their Online Quote Form. You can also drop a line in their Discussion Forum where one of their staff will respond promptly.

If you are not really sure about your chassis type. the site has a Mercedes Model Info form for quick reference.

I was quite impressed when I read that orders are shipped via UPS or FedEx and received within 2 to 3 days. There is not much information on the site but they also serve international customers.

Friday, 3 February 2012

Best cars of 2011 - Euro NCAP

Euro NCAP has published the results for 53 new car models available in the European market, including the commercially available Electric Vehicles. The vehicles achieved a five star rating and showed good scores in each of Euro NCAP’s four areas of assessment.

The best cars in each category are listed below:

Small off-road 4×4 category: Audi Q3

Supermini category: Chevrolet Aveo

Small Family category: Ford Focus

Small MPV category: Mercedes B Class

Large Family category: Volvo V60

The Ford Ranger was the only pickup tested by Euro NCAP in 2011. It is the safest pickup yet tested by the organisation and scored highly in all areas of assessment, most notably in pedestrian protection.

As for electric cars, the Nissan LEAF was the first of its kind to achieve Euro NCAP 5 star overall rating.

Read the full report on the Euro NCAP site.

Thursday, 2 February 2012

Bentley unveils 2 new cars

Early this month, Bentley unveiled two new cars, the new Continental GT and GTC V8 models, at the North American International Auto Show, Detroit. The cars are powered by the new 4.0 litre, twin turbocharged V8 and said to offer exceptional standards for power-to-emissions in the high luxury sports car sector.


The new Bentley V8 engine delivers maximum power of 500 bhp (507 PS / 373 Kw) at 6000 rev/min and an extraordinary peak torque of 660 Nm (487 lb ft) which is available across virtually the entire rev range from 1700 to 5000 rev/min, providing exhilarating performance and effortless power delivery in the Bentley tradition. Combined with a new close-ratio 8-speed automatic transmission, this translates into a 0-60 mph sprint time of 4.6 seconds for the GT coupe (0-100 km/h in 4.8 seconds) and a top speed of 188 mph (303 km/h).
The GTC V8 top up

The V8 Continental models achieve outstanding levels of fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions for the luxury performance sector and are capable of travelling over 500 miles (800 km) on a single tank of fuel. This represents a 40 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions.


The new car models are distinguished by a black gloss matrix grille with chrome frame and centre bar, a red enamel Bentley badge, and a black matrix three-segment lower front bumper divided by distinctive body-coloured strakes.

20-inch alloy wheels comes as standard on both models with an optional 21 inch six-spoke design which is available in dramatic Diamond Black (exclusive to the Continental V8) or Diamond Silver finishes.

The interior car design continues the fresh, sporting design theme with an Eliade cloth headlining, new contemporary Dark Fiddleback Eucalyptus veneers, optional two-tone leather colour split and short centre console.

Tuesday, 31 January 2012

Monday, 30 January 2012

Wednesday, 25 January 2012

Good quality spark plugs

One of the most important components of your car are the spark plugs. Many of us do not realise the important role that the spark plugs play in the the smooth running of our cars. I once tried to save money by insisting on some cheap brand spark plugs when I had my car serviced. It was OK for a while but after a few months the acceleration became poor, my fuel mileage went down drastically and I knew something was definitely wrong when there were rough vibrations while idling.

I took the car back to the garage and as I had suspected, the spark plugs were fouled. After changing the spark plugs to the brand and type recommended by the manufacturer, I felt like I was driving a completely new car.

There are several popular brands out there and the market but among the most popular are the NGK spark plugs. They are considered the leaders in spark plug technology. If you are in the US and looking for NGK spark plugs for your vehicle, visit the JEGS online store. They have a huge range of NGK spark plugs as well as other popular brands including Bosch, Champion and AC Delco among others. The prices are reasonable and they offer same day shipping.