mousine, which at the time was the transportation mode preferred by the very rich and notable. This particular Phantom carried the Beatles to Buckingham Palace for the ceremony inducting them as Members of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. Lennon later returned his MBE medal to the Queen as a protest to the Vietnam War.

The Phantom, on the other hand, enjoyed the singer songwriter’s attention as he retooled the interior with amenities including a bed, TV and a refrigerator. The availability of a radio telephone must have offered unusual freedom considering the communications of the time.

The outside was repainted using yellow, blue and orange arranged in a Romany or Gypsy theme–which Lennon was familiar with because he had bought a caravan that looked similar and used it as a garden fixture. Steve Weaver was the artist.

With the limo’s appearance and infrastructure set in stone, the land cruiser (over 18 feet long) made its way to New York after the Beatles broke up. In 1978 Lennon and Yoko Ono donated the car to a museum in exchange for a tax break. In 1985, it resurfaced again at a Sotheby’s auction and was expected to bring about 0,000, but amazingly the auto was purchased by Jimmy Pattison, a car dealer and entrepreneur from Vancouver .

Eventually the Phantom was donated to the province and landed in the Royal British Columbia Museum. In 1993 Jim Walters was engaged by the museum to care for the car, which he found under an unfolded parachute in an underground garage, which was hardly the best of conditions for such a valuable piece of motor vehicle history.

The link between Walters and the Phantom goes beyond the maintenance and restoration work he has done on the Phantom over the years. The insurer goes as far as requiring that Walters be the only person allowed to drive the car.

The Globe and Mail says the proper care of the car includes periodic runs down the road, which is understandable, but how do you accomplish this with such a valuable piece? Mr. Walters thinks thatu’re an auto mechanic, your chances of being personally linked to one of the 20th century’s biggest names in music have to be minuscule or non-existent.

But Jim Walters is more than just a technician. He is an auto restorer of great note and co-drove and prepared a 1938 Packard Super Eight for the Motor Challenge of the Millennium, which marked the new century with an 80-day rally around the w

teal all of the media headlines but we think there is one model from this manufacturer that you will see far more copies of of in the parking lots and on the streets of your local town. It is the affordable, efficient and

Now, before we begin we have to say that at this time we don’t recommend the four door sedan variant as it is kind of ugly and it also has a much lower quality ranking than the hatch. We are not sure exactly why these two cars have differing levels of reliability but these have been the findings of Consumer Reports and other reliability surveys. According to Consumer Reports the Versa has an “average” reliability rating.

The 2011 Nissan Versa five door starts at just $13,570 for a 1.8 S model that comes with air conditioning, a 4-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system, an aux-input jack, 15-inch wheels with plastic wheel covers, anti-lock brakes, six airbags, a rear wiper, a six-speed manual transmission and a 122 horsepower/128 lb. feet of torque 4-cylinder engine. A four speed automatic can be selected as a no-charge substitute for the standard six-speed manual.

For a bit of luxury you might want to select the Power Plus Package ($980) which nets you cruise, power windows, power door locks and a center armrest. One negative aspect of the Versa package is that stability and traction control are only available as options in the $370 VDC package where competitors like the Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris offer those features as standard.

2010 Nissan Versa

2010 Nissan Versa
Enlarge Photo
Upgrade to the top of the line SL model and you also get 15-inch aluminum alloy wheels, fog-lights, power everything, a 6-speaker premium audio system with iPod functionality, keyless entry, upgraded interior trim and a standard CVT automatic that helps this little economy hatchback return EPA estimates of 28 city/34 highway. We would add the $980 Premium Package for its Bluetooth and steering wheel mounted audio controls alone but you also get push button start, 16-inch alloys and a leather wrapped steering wheel.

Also available is a moonroof for $600 and an in-dash navigation unit that is reasonably priced at $680 and includes XM satellite radio, XM traffic and a USB port. Select each and every option and your 2011 Nissan Versa SL will nudge right past the $19,000 mark putting it in close contention with the 2011 Honda Fit’s MSRP.

The interior of the 2011 Honda Fit five door hatchback may not be as versatile as the Fit’s but it does boast the most rear legroom in its class. The dash layout, while uninspiring, feels solidly assembled and offers up very easy to master ergonomics. The 2011 Nissan Versa five door has 13.8 cubic feet of cargo room available behind the rear seats.

It might be easy to overlook the simple workhorse that is the 2011 Nissan Versa but that would be making a mistake. It makes for a fine alternative to the 2011 Honda Fit, 2011 Ford Fiesta, 2011 Toyota Yaris and 2011 Mazda2. The 2011 Nissan Versa may not be square like a Cube or wacky like the Jukeu’re an auto mechanic, your chances of being personally linked to one of the 20th century’s biggest names in music have to be minuscule or non-existent. But Jim Walters is more than just a technician. He is an auto restorer of great note and co-drove and prepared a 1938 Packard Super Eight for the Motor Challenge of the Millennium, which marked the new century with an 80-day rally around the w

Then think about automotive technology as a challenging and rewarding career path.
and a spot on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics’ list of the top 20 jobs?Car Care News Service listed some of the new technology heavy systems that are going to need committed, bright and trained individuals to learn to identify and resolve faults that will undoubtedly follow their widespread adoption.

Electronic stability control, adaptive cruise control and variable valve timing were cited. Add to this the need to understand the science behind how our vehicles will be powered in the future (think electric, hybrid and the continued and super efficient use of gasoline as pointed out in GreenCarReports recently) and you have a career for a lifetime.

The career path to an entry level job is shorter by about two years than an undergraduate degree. This translates into less debt and a faster recovery of the investment in education. In addition the field need not be limited to being a technician, since there are countless support jobs in marketing, sales and training that have auto technology as their foundation.

So what is the bedrock in a person’s personality that might indicate an aptitude for auto technology? The first is an intellectual curiosity that drives a person to find out the backstory of why something has failed and what it will take to right it. Persistence bordering on stubbornness is helpful, feeling as though there is more to resolving a problem than just resolving the problem. In very difficult times getting things right transcends making a profit or even pleasing the customer, it becomes about figuring things out and the pride that brings to the repairer.

While the prospect of working with handheld diagnostic tools may be attractive there will always be wrenches. I think there has to be a recognition that even the technicians of the future will have to get their hands dirty. And whether it is with the kind of grease that has to be cleaned from the fingernails or figuratively with the trials that accompany every job that has the potential for failurend I don’t know of any that don’t) the aspiring technician must be ready to accept this.

what with a few new ridges in the hood and a new grille. But as the old adage goes you cant put lipstick on a pig and make it all turn out differently. To call this car a dog is to besmirch the character of canines. At least dogs are cute and have nice personalities, neither of which is true of the deplorable Sentra.

Navigation is now available and there is also a light beige leather trim with maple wood accents option that you can order to attempt to make the interior look slightly less low rent. To be honest, the plastics inside the Sentra feel about as durable as something made from recycled happy meal containers. Just because you don’t have a lot of money to spend doesnt mean you should have to suffer in an economical car. Honestly, pretty any choice barring the Chevy Cobalt is a better one.

The worst part? The far better looking, better built and very reliable Nissan Altima is only a few thousand dollars more and you’ll be paying about the same for car insurance. Trust me, if you want to be happy in the long term buy an Altima. Or if you need something less expensive check out the Kia Forte or Hyundai Elan

version hasn’t changed in looks from the standard Altima, it has the same front fascia noticeable foglights, and more modern headlights that the non-hybrid version does.  Nissan have succeed in making the car look more sporty however, and the vehicle keeps up with all other hybrids in the looks department.  The only real difference to the styling are the additional hybrid badges on the car.

At 35 mpg city and 33 mpg highway the Nissan Altima hybrid lives up to the expectations fuel economy wise.  The vehicle gives out 198 horsepower from its 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine.  The Altima is surprisingly powerful, and its handling capabilities are outstanding.  Continuously Variable Transmission allows the hybrid to move smoothly through the gears without the driver even being aware of the shift changes.  However, when the car alternates between electric and gas drivers are aware of the change, and some say it is too abrupt.

There is some controversy when it comes to the cars braking system, which uses regenerative braking to recharge its batteries.  Some reviewers have noted that the car shudders and a whining noise is heard in conjunction with the braking system, while others haven’t been bothered by this at all.  Standard features of the interior include, a trip computer, dual-zone climate control, and power windows.  You will pay more for additional features, but for some hybrids the standard features of the Altima will cost you a lot more money.

One of the major selling points of the 2010 Nissan Altima hybrid is that it is a very safe vehicle.  It is high in the safety ratings for front impact crashes and rollover accidents.  Front-seat side airbags and side head-curtain airbags are standard, it has traction and electronic stability control, and standard four-wheel antilock disc brakes.  It is a rather costly option for a hybrid, but Nissan are a reliable and trustworthy dealer that don’t disappoint when it comes to family

.Accord is still one of the top choices in this class for interior space, styling, ride comfort, performance, and featuress well as fuel economy, which has been improved for

While the 2011 Accord Coupe and Sedan models call out to different types of buyers, but they both have a look that’s much the same from the front. From the side or back,  Honda Accord sedan has a softer, more conservative appeal than its coupe cousin. The coupe has styling that’s bolder, with a smoother downward curve of its roof, more sculpted flanks, and what appear to be slightly different proportions. Even though curvier roofline and longer doors can make it seem shorter, it’s not by much—just about three inches, overall, with most of that difference going to the backseat.

Inside, the Accord models are either fashion-forward, or a little drab and unintuitive—depending on your tastes and, frankly, which trim level you get. The Accord’s rakish instrument panel looks great from a distance, but the placement of the buttons and controls sometimes feels as if it was done more for style than ergonomics; that said, its interior still feels more stylish and upscale than base versions of the Camry, Altima, or Fusion.

For 2011, the Accord’s instrument panel has been revised, and the climate controls in particular have been given a fresh look and feel. Also on the outside, the look has been tweaked slightly; it’s gained a new grille design, a revised front bumper and rear deck lid, and new wheel designs—plus some minor aerodynamic improvements.

Whether you choose the sedan or coupe, four-cylinder or V-6, the 2011 Honda offers satisfying overall performance and is among the better-handling vehicles in this class. In any case, the Accord has some of the most powerful, refined engines in its class. Both of the 2.4-liter fours are smooth operators, but the EX sedan (and all four-cylinder Coupes) have 190 horsepower instead of 177 hp; you can sense the added pep in passing, though both feel about the same from a standing start. The preferred engine for hauling lots of people or cargo is the V-6. In the Accord it makes 271 hp and incorporates Variable Cylinder Management (VCM), which helps improve fuel economy. Simply put, it’s a refined engine that gives the Accord a luxurious feel. While these models aren’t sprung to feel like sports cars, their suspension strikes a nice balance between handling and comfort. Strong brakes and good body control round out a package.

While the 2011 Honda Accord is a mid-size sedan by most eyes, it qualifies as a large car according to the EPA. Its interior really does feel big-car accommodating for driver and passengers. The front seats are comfortable and supportive, there’s plenty of legroom in back, and the trunk is huge. Across the Accord lineup, noise and vibration are about the best they get in this budget-minded sedan class. Base four-cylinder models aren’t quite luxury-car smooth, but they’re quite and well isolated, and in upper trims with the V-6, Honda employs an active noise-canceling system and active motor mounts.

Feature-wise the Accord is a mixed bag. LX models of the Honda Accord have no lack of standard features, though you’ll need to step up to top EX-L models of the Accord to pack in the luxury features, including dual-zone climate control, leather upholstery, and a sound system with active noise

r. The new Juke combines elements from the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and even Nissan’s own Cube to create its stylistic exterior.

The vehicle was first revealed in concept form at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, but Nissan has planned its release in late 2010 to ensure a quality design by the time production rolls around. Some have questioned whether the move was so that the Juke would accompany the other line of vehicles Nissan is planning to roll out such as the new Infiniti M37 and M56, and Leaf all-electric car, all of which are due this year.

Most can see the immediate representation of both SUV and sports car in the Juke but if you don’t, look at the bottom of the vehicle to see the SUV base with bulky wheels and frame, and the top of the Juke to see a sporty streamlined coupe. While some automakers have created similar concepts, such as the Lexus RX330, Porsche Cayenne, and Infiniti FX35, Nissan is considered to be the first to create an affordable version that meets the quality standards expected of a mainstream brand.

In the U.S., the Juke will come with a single engine, a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder with more than 180 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. With such a small green engine, it’s only assumed that the pricetag of auto insurance will be next to nothing. The Juke will be priced from below or the base model, a truly astounding pric

have wondered this for awhile now. Since Hyundai went all top notch with its 2011 Sonata, then wouldn’t the competition have to do the same? I mean really, even the Honda Accord looked a bit more stylish than the Altima. So did the Toyota Camry, kind of.

For 2012, the Nissan Altima will be redesigned front to back and top to bottom. A new set of engines and a new hybrid uing Nissan’s technology instead of Toyota’s will also join the car. The new powertrains should significantly improve fuel economy, ensuring longer trips on a single tank.

This is my guess, but Nissan will probably have to come out with a wagon version of the Altima since Hyundai has just started testing its Sonata wagon. Obviously the Altima will come in two body styles, a sedan and a coupe. A convertible is being considered.

Hopefully Nissan will price the Altima more appropriately to it’s com

buy a new car in South Africa? We aim to show case the best new cars in South Africa for sale at the best prices from a range of motor dealers. Many of the new cars are sold through dealers advertising on these pages and come with full motor plans and warranties. If you have a specific car in mind and cannot find that car here, then email us here.

New cars which are currently being sold at great promotional prices and deals in South AfricaAudiToyota , Honda, Volkswagen, Citroen, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Renault, Volvo and many more
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san, brought Teana as a Completely Built Unit ) into the Indian market with an elegant look and a powerful engine in 2007. This luxurious Sedan is equipped with advanced technology and it attracts with its body design. The parts have been imported from Japan which makes the performance visibly good, but the availability of spares and the service quality is a concern.

Design and Features:

The exterior design of Nissan Teana is very stylish and attractive. This sedan is longer than most of the cars of its class. The eye-catchy exteriors include the front grill, the Bi-Xenon, high projected head lamps covered with blue colour lens, the bumper, the tail lights, and the wide design at the side window. Its exteriors make it look impressive and give it a wide look. The lines running through the front and the rear add to its dynamic look.

The interiors of Teana are also designed luxuriously and voluminously. The instrument panel, newly designed center console, the wood trimmed steering wheel, the front seat ventilation system, the good Air-Conditioning system, the music system with 6 audio speakers, the navigation system and the rear-seat head rests are worth mentioning and they add comfort to its passengers..

Driving abilities and comfort:

The driver’s seat is 8-way electronically powered and has lumbar support. So, the driver can enjoy a relaxing all-day ride. The front passenger’s seat is also 4-way electrically powered. The comfortable positions of the seats, the low NVH levels, urethane cushion material provide a good experience of ride for both the driver as well as the passengers.

Nissan Teana is capable of running smoothly and silently on any type of road. The front suspension, the multi-link suspension at the rear, the shock absorbers that are placed close to the tyres, and the springs enhance the stability on the worst roads as well as during cornering.

Teana offers a lot of safety features for its passengers. Some of which are the Anti-Lock braking system (ABS), the Vehicle Dynamic Contrraction Control Systemand Electronic Braking Distribution air bags for the driver and the front seat passenger and the Collapsible Steering wheel.

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