Automobiles, don't we just love and worship them? Well, some people don't do either one, but most of us do. As pollution concerns are being tackled, by both stricter legislation and improved technology, we can feel a lot less guilty about our four wheeled friends. They come in all shapes and sizes, more or less, and can be so shiny and new that we just can't resist them.



Of course even when they're not new, the possibilities are there to improve them and make them our own. Some people even talk to their cars and spend hours looking after them. Sometimes we curse them but usually we bless them, and the global road building programs set down for their ever more increased use, is seemingly never going to be stalled.

Of course automobiles can cause us problems, but that's not their fault! That's just other people being complicated as usual. So, the automobile continues to rule, and like it or not, as a society we just can't do without them.

How can I get more mileage out of my automobile? There are many tips to help in this regard, and here are some now: Drive properly! Aggressive driving like speeding with rapid acceleration and late braking just wastes gasoline like crazy. As well as attracting traffic cops, this sort of behavior on the highway can use up to a third more gas than usual. Use cruise control for maintaining a steady speed instead. And overdrive gears help as well by slowing the speed of the engine without affecting the speed of the car. Know where your going Buy a GPS for your Car. If you are driving around in circles you will waist gas. Use a quality engine oil, though more expensive in themselves, a decent oil can give a boost of somewhere around a tenth to your miles per gallon; so the cost will soon be to your benefit by savings made at the fuel pumps.

Keep to the speed limit, this may sound boring but good mileage and speed doesn't mix. Somewhere around a quarter to a fifth of fuel is saved when you don't stray much above 60mph. Use air conditioning rather than open windows to cool down when driving, as open windows act to resist airflow around the car. But don't have it turned on all the time, as then it can use up power from the engine unnecessarily.

Don't keep any excess weight in your automobile. Check your tires are inflated properly. Learn your locality, there may be roads to use as shortcuts which others are not aware of (even longer routes can work this way if you have a clear road to drive on, as it will avoid engine idling or `stop and go' traffic, both of which are not good for gasoline and mileage).

What does engine oil actually do? Many things, and each one of them is of importance. Engine oil will lubricate, to guard against general wear and abrasion; it prevents corrosion; cools things down; gains better performance and prevents blocks from forming.

Do I need auto insurance before I buy a car? If you are buying your first car then yes. If you already own an automobile then (presuming you have it insured) most policies will cover the new car for thirty days so long as you have collision and comprehensive, but inform your insurer about your change of vehicle without delay.

What makes up the price of my insurance? Various factors are used to equate you with the 'right' premium. The type of car you will be driving, how expensive it is, and how often you drive for a start. That ties up with crime and traffic stats for your home area; as well as the average local costs for things like auto repair, parts, labor and medical care. Also added to the brew is inflation, and the success or failure that the relevant company and the industry in general, have had recently in dealing with fraudulent claims by other drivers.

How can I improve the shine on my paint job? A lovely glossy look and feel is what most of us want for our automobiles, to make us proud, but unfortunately time takes its toll. To help, always use a high quality polish with mild abrasives, and always follow the instructions carefully! It's amazing how many people ignore these and then complain later. If the paint is really dull, and has no shine at all, then a chemical cleaner should be applied to remove the surface `dead layer' of paint (where it has oxidized). The simplest tip though, is just one of timing. Wax your car straight away after washing or cleaning, this will make the most of the protection offered by the wax for the newly exposed top layer of paint, by slowing the evaporation rate of the paint oils and therefore, maintaining a shine.

What are those 5-star ratings from the government all about? You're talking about NCAP, which is an abbreviation for: New Car Assessment Program. This is run by the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) which is a division of the United States Department of Transportation. These rating are all about vehicle safety, and now include measures of frontal and side-on crashes, as well as rollovers. The stars, from 1 to 5 with 5 obviously being the best award, are given as protection ratings and calculated by what percentage of likelihood it is that serious injury will occur to the occupants.

What is reformulated gasoline? Reformulated gasoline (RFG) is fuel that has been altered to burn 'cleaner' and therefore reduce smog and toxic pollution in the air. During the seventies, the Federal Government introduced the Clean Air Act to force states to do something about pollution, and now somewhere around a third of gasoline sold in the United States is RFG. RFG has to be 2% by weight made up of oxygen, and different alcohols and ethers are used as fuel additives to achieve this, so the term 'oxygenated gasoline' is also used.

Can you explain those CARB emission ratings? Though strict (and soon to be stricter) federal emission standards exist, many folks in the United States may have heard about California standards more often. The CARB (California Air Resources Board) began with what is known as federal Tier 1 and came up with standards based on the percentage of toxic exhaust emissions that are reduced by an automobile as compared to the basic permissible amount: TLEV (Traditional Low Emissions Vehicle) = 50% less of hydrocarbons. LEV (Low Emissions Vehicle) = 70% less hydrocarbons and 50% less nitrous oxide. ULEV (Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle) = 85% less hydrocarbons, 50% less nitrous oxide and also 50% less carbon monoxide fumes emitted. SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle) = 96% less hydrocarbons, 95% less nitrous oxide and 70% less carbon monoxide in the exhaust. ZEV (Zero Emissions Vehicle) = a full and total 100% less emissions in hydrocarbons, nitrous oxide and carbon monoxide. These are electric powered vehicles.

What is a hybrid? A hybrid automobile utilizes both an internal combustion engine and electric power, to provide increased energy efficiency. These two drive sources can either do their work individually, when they are known as parallel; or they can work concurrently, referred to as series.

What is the most popular color for an automobile? Silver often tops this list, usually followed by white in second and black in third.

In Summary Automobiles will probably be around as long as the human race, in the future they may be hydrogen or solar powered, and may even hover or fly, but essentially they will provide us with the same mobility and independence as they do now, and be loved just as much for it.