Discover The Hottest Selling Automotive GPS Features And Manufacturers

By Michael Torc

The main focus will be on the manufacturers of automotive GPS and what features you need to be on the look out for before you make a purchase. By the end of this article, you will have the needed knowledge and confidence to find the device that best meets your needs.

Now a few sentences about the top three US companies.

1) Garmin has the deepest and broadest line of products. Their Nuvi line is attractive for many buyers. These devices have a lot of features packed into a sleek design that can fit into your pocket.

2) Tom Tom is Garmin's biggest competitor in the US that has attained this position due to aggressive pricing. Their GO 920T was recently listed by Consumer Reports as one of the best devices to buy. Its current price is just over the $400 mark.

3) Magellan is one of the first companies to enter the automotive GPS market. Their Maestro line is the most attractive for similar reasons to the Nuvi line. Magellan uses the tour guides of AAA inside their GPS's which is another great selling feature.

These three vendors of auto GPS units control almost 90% of the United states market to the point that anyone that has done research will see little reason to buy anything else.

The number of features you should be considering are several.

All advanced auto GPS units have touch screens, pre-loaded maps with at least the lower 48 States and a database of pre-configured destinations, also called Points of Interest (POI's).

Some of the more advanced but optional features are:

1) Wide, full color, glare-free screen that is at least 4.3-inches when measured across the diagonal. 2) Voice command recognition. 3) Pronunciation of street names instead of "Turn Left Here!".. 4) Advanced re-routing or the ability to enter more than one destination. 5) Bluetooth capability so that you can use the GPS hands-free while focusing on traffic and road conditions. 6) Instant traffic and weather alerts.

Extended maps, street name pronunciation, real-time weather and traffic alerts (needs subscription) amount to an extra $200. Garmin Nuvi does these very well. The wider display and Bluetooth can step up the price above the $400 mark. Multiple point routing can add another $50 or $100.

Other, relatively superfluous features, like 'photo album', are offered. I have outlined the ones I believe increase the value of your driving experience. In the automotive GPS marketplace, the competition under the $400 is quite fierce. Above the $400 mark, the marketplace is dominated by Garmin. I recommend you look at Garmin's 700 and 800 product lines, if you are willing to spend more.

To a first-time buyer, the automotive GPS marketplace seems overwhelming. It is natural to not consider several things. But by reading an article like this will help you wrap your mind around the market for auto GPS units somewhat better. - 21393

About the Author:

Michael Torc is a member of Mensa, a C programmer and a GPS enthusiast. He recommends a visit to http://www.automotivegpscentral.com where a prospective buyer can see what consumers buy and read product reviews written by experienced users.

Roadside Assistance is Worth the Payment

By Amy Nutt

Roadside assistance programs are designed to provide assistance when motorists are in difficult car related situations. or when they have other emergencies or difficult situations. With all of the services that come with a roadside assistance package, drivers are definitely getting great value for the price of membership.

The following is a list highlighting the services that make roadside assistance woth the ptice of membership:

1. If your vehicle breaks down and you need the services of a tow truck company, the tow fee that is covered under the membership will just about cover the annual roadside assistance membership fee. The tow driver will drive to your location and take you and your vehicle directly to the closest mechanic shop. Depending on the location of the break down, a regular tow fee is usually about $75 - $200. Most roadside assistant packages offer 24-hour assistance and towing nearly anywhere in the U.S.

2. If your car runs out of gas or you require replacement fluid such as motor oil, brake fluid, or radiator fluid, roadside assistance will send a technician out to your location and provide you with the needed fluids.

3. If you have a break down on the way to the airport, a roadside representative can help with securing a taxi service and a tow for the vehicle.

4. Roadside assistance packages can include a number of services such as: a battery boost, flat tire change, parts and fluid delivery, unfreezing "frozen" locks, replacing broken keys, towing or wrecker service, and replacing lost keys.

5. Many roadside assistance plans will provide accident or vehicle break down reimbursement.

6. Some roadside assistance providers provide a number of additional features. Auto club companies can offer members such features as travel services, maps and guidebooks, trip routing, and discounts on hotels, amusement parks, national parks, and much more. Some packages offered by auto clubs will allow one to add bicycle roadside assistance coverage to an auto program. Travel assistance can be in the form of reimbursing drivers for vehicle rental and travel expenses when their vehicle is stolen or rendered inoperative. This can include car rental, hotels, and dining expenses. As well, they can provide funds for speeding or moving traffic violations.

Being stranded on the side of the road is never a pleasant experience. You could have a flat tire, dead battery, broken car part, locked yourself out of the car, or have a flat tire. Roadside assistance is there to help in any type of car emergency. Roadside assistance plans are fast becoming a popular choice for millions of drivers. When choosing a plan, it is important to take the time to research the various options. Not all companies offer the same services with their plans so check several different companies before making a final decision.

Because a car is just a mechanical means of transportation, you never know when a malfunction will occur. When traveling long distances or late at night, you will be able to rest easy knowing that you have made a wise investment. - 21393

About the Author:

Roadside assistance is essential to achieve a peace of mind. As we offer different memberships that are tailored to your demands, you can now feel reassured that someone is there for you 24 hours! In addition, we also offer car insurance to allow you to enjoy your trips with no worries! As we offer much more, please feel free to visit us!

Used Tow Trucks for Sale

By Kenneth Elliott

Towing business is seeing good times these days. Buying used tow trucks is a good idea as they will be cheaper and this way you don't need to invest a lot on them. Before you buy one, decide which type you would want to add to your towing company. Make sure you have the requirements in mind before you go looking for them. Since the number of vehicles on the road is increasing day by day, the towing business will see nothing but positive growth.

Before you buy used tow trucks, you should know what different types exist and where each one is useful. The tow trucks fall under three categories. The first one is the oldest and not used much these days. It is called hook and chain. These types of tow trucks take an extra amount of time and effort. They also require person operating the truck to get on the ground and under the car to hook chains to a car. Axel tow trucks use hydraulic hoist to lift the front end and are widely used. Flatbed tow trucks have a back that can be lowered. Vehicles are usually loaded onto the back and moved. Boom tow trucks are generally used to pull the vehicles out of ditches.

When you are buying a used tow truck, get a mechanic to check it and tell you if it is worth buying. He can also check for its mechanical problems as well as safety problems. Buy one that will turn out useful in the city you own the business in. You may want to see the towing capacity before you buy. Additional accessories added to the tow trucks can also be helpful. If these accessories are available on the used truck, it will save you a lot.

Wheel lifts can greatly increase the tow truck's capacity. When you have a towing business, you will have to see what you will be towing often and buy the trucks accordingly. You should own one for light vehicles and one for the heavy ones. Or you will be wasting a lot of fuel by used the heavy duty tow truck for thing like towing bikes.

A number of good brands like Hummer, Ford, Chevy, Toyota, etc. have been rolling out tow trucks from a long time. All these brands have good vehicles and the spare parts are easily available. So buying used trucks of any of these companies shouldn't give you any problem. You can also choose of different models and the year of production depending on your budget. Knowing where and for what it was used will give you an idea of how durable the tow truck is.

Even if you don't have a towing business, tow trucks can also be used to tow trailers, boats, etc. Since it will be put to use only occasionally, a used tow truck is a good bargain. A tow truck can always be rented out when you don't have any personal use for it so it is never a waste. A complete service after the purchase will make sure the tow truck will work well and increase it life too. Internet is a good place to start looking as most people will advertise their used tow truck on various sites. - 21393

About the Author:

Find perfect recovery trucks for your business at http://www.recoverytrucksonline.co.uk. We offer some of the best Mercedes transporter trucks available.

Automotive Industry News - All You Need To Comprehend

By Ben Pate

One of the best tools that a consultant of a car dealership has is the automotive industry news. He always has to be alert as to what is going on around him at all times. What better way to do this than through the Automotive Repair Industry News. It can be his 411 of how to deal with his business. It can make all the difference with what goes on in his department of the car dealership.

Most of the automotive industry news is at the consultants' disposal on the internet. It is the fastest way to get the freshest news in the industry. He will be able to deliver cutting edge service to his clientele just by logging in to a web site on a regular. The ways in which it will change his commission greatly outweigh the amount of time he will use keeping tabs on it.

To be able to give a consumer what he needs you have to first know what he wants. The automotive industry news is one of the largest sources of this information. One cannot serve if he does not know what to serve. So for the dealership to stay on point they therefore have to know what they have to give to stay on point.

One of the ways the automotive industry news proves this is by showing the latest trends. The consultant of a car dealership will always know what is in fashion. He will not put the old gadgets in your car if you asked him to give you what's hip. Through the automotive industry news he will always be able to tell you what's hip for your car. It is the main reason that it is called "news"... It's new.

A lot of money is to be saved by keeping an eye on the News On The Automotive Industry. No money will be spent by the car dealership on anything that will end up not being sold. The automotive industry news shows that the maintenance of trucks has dropped. The investments of the car dealership should therefore be pushed towards some other types of vehicles like saloons.

The car dealership can also use the automotive news to their advantage. They can put the word out there about what their car dealership has to offer. They can do this for example by making it into the automotive industry news with some stint. Or they can just simply place an advertisement when everybody is watching automotive industry news

The consultant of the car dealership however has to watch out for one thing about the automotive industry news. It can be brainwashing. It can lead his clientele to not buy the pieces he has in stock. They might be the best out there but if the media says that it is not then he just has to deal with the consequences. These consequences may be as bad as throwing out all the parts that he had invested in. - 21393

About the Author:

The car dealerships should always appreciate the News On Automotive Industry though. Automotive Repair Industry News will always let them know that they are not the only ones experiencing sales difficulty.

Looking For An Amazing Gift? Try A Radio Controlled Toy

By Fiona Wyresdle

When you enjoy spoiling your son or nephew or cousin, you will want to get some superb rc toys for his birthday. These are always appreciated gifts and are lots of fun. No matter what age the boy is, even if they are 18, they will always love a radio controlled toy.

You can get remote controlled toys from dolls, to airplanes that actually fly. These remote controlled toys can also provide hours of endless pleasure for all ages from 3 up to adult. You can choose from various remote controlled toys that are made specifically to withstand crashing being played with for hours.

This is why you want to keep looking, so that you can have a really happy little boy on his birthday morning. There are a ton of ideas for remote controlled toys if you were to look on the internet. One of those ideas is a remote controlled robot, and if you are a father, you would know that every little boy wants a remote controlled robot.

When you have an older child, let's say from the age 4 and up you can opt for a real remote controlled car or train. You can even get a remote controlled boat. These will be great fun for a child to play with and they can learn all kinds of skills about driving like distance and direction.

You are able to also get remote controlled airplanes which actually fly and that you are able to control easily with a powerful battery. If you wish to make sure that your son, or daughter in fact, have a fabulous birthday, you ought to really look into the varied rc toys on the market and stick to the best one.

You are able to judge the best by the type of toy it is and how responsive the child is. If you have a younger child to deal with a car or robot or doll is probably the best toys. When they get a bit older and when you are able to supervise them, you may get the radio controlled airplanes and other things.

If you are looking for other remote controlled toys you will have to go online. There are a lot more remote controlled ideas that you can choose from and there are a lot of online stores that you can look at too. - 21393

About the Author:

Fiona Wyresdle writes for blog Hobby Source which has info on RC heli blade tracking and dirt cheap Walkera Dragonfly RC helicopters.