Happy Honda Days Eh?

Happy Honda Days, Eh?
By Matthew Keegan

I love this time of year! The seasonal music, the lights, manger scenes, and the silly ads on television. No, I am not talking about ads pitching products to put in your stocking or to set under your Christmas tree. Instead, what I like is all the car ads cleverly designed to get you to leave the mall and hit dealer showrooms. There is a lot more then meets the eye when a car ad makes its appearance during the holiday season. It isnt all ho, ho, ho either! Read on and I will tell you what it is all about.

Happy Honda Days! Yes, playing on the Happy Holidays theme the group of five or six carolers singing Honda songs are doing what they can do to get you to buy a new Honda. So, why this pitch and why this time of year? For two reasons: consumers are buying Christmas presents, so purchasing a new car is nowhere near the top of anyones priorities, and Toyota. Toyota?! Yes, that is right. Toyota and Honda are once again battling for the top spot for the best selling car in America. Long ceded by American automakers who sell more trucks than cars, the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry are the two top selling cars. Guess what? December 31st marks the final day that cars sold can be tabulated as 2005 sales. Honda wants you in their showrooms and they want you to buy. Move over, Toyota!

Dont think for a moment that Honda is the only manufacturer with a big year end sales drive in place. Virtually all manufacturers are in a race to get you to buy a new car now. Each is hoping that you arent too busy to watch a little bit of television, listen to the radio, scour the newspaper, or search the internet in hopes that an ad promoting their product will find its way before your eyes. You cant shop all the time, right? Right?

To help you out, the following are some of the current campaigns already under way and the brand they are touting:

December to Remember; Lexus

Toyotathon; Toyota

Miles of Freedom Plan; Dodge

Keep It Simple; Ford, Lincoln, Mercury

Red Tag Sale; GM

A to Z Year End Event; Nissan

The Cadillac Seasons Best Sales Event; Cadillac

Winter Event; Mercedes

There is no telling what other sales events are being planned. By the time the new year rolls in, you are likely to be as sick of them as you will be of all the tinsel, the egg nog, and your 47th viewing of A Christmas Story.

Happy holidays to you and yours; Happy Honda Days if you are choose to purchase a new car during this already overstressed time of the year!

Matt Keegan is a contributing writer for the Race Pages, a supplier of quality Honda exhaust and Honda radiator at discount prices.

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Honda Odyssey 2004: The Weekly Driver Review

Honda Odyssey 2004: The Weekly Driver Review
By James Raia

The Honda Odyssey and its minivan competitors - Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Caravan and Toyota Sienna - are often touted as family vehicles.

In television commercials, the Odyssey is showcased with a mother or father transporting the neighborhood youth soccer team to practice or with a family packing up for a summer camping trip.

But what if a large family isn't part of the equation? Is a minivan still a prudent choice?

With the 2004 Honda Odyssey, a strong case can be made in favor of a minivan for a two-person family or even an individual who needs a healthy amount of space for cargo or who enjoys traveling with friends.

For my weekly drive, the Odyssey was the 240-horsepower, 24-value V6, EX model with a 5-speed automatic. With its Redrock Pearl exterior and Ivory interior, the vehicle has a confident presence and performs equally impressively.

Although a minivan, the Odyssey has surprisingly quick acceleration and has been timed in under eight seconds in the standard 0-60 mph test. While obviously not marketed as a high performance vehicle, the Odyssey is not tortoise-like in any acceleration situation.

Still, the purchaser of a minivan is likely more interested in substantial cargo area than drag racing.

And that's an area in which the Odyssey shines.

Beginning with front interior, the seats are spacious, wide and comfortable. The front center console is actually a folding tray. When not in use, it folds parallel to the passenger seat, leaving ample access to the first of two passenger rows.

The second row of the seven-passenger vehicle provides superior room. The bucket seats are adjustable into many settings and can also be moved together to form a bench seat that can be slid forward and aft for appropriate leg room.

The third row seat folds into the floor, which further extents available cargo space and alleviates a problem in other similar vehicles. A third seat not in use doesn't have to be stored elsewhere.

If all rows of seats are in use, there's a deep, rectangular space behind the third seat for additional cargo space.

I never drove my test vehicle with more more than one passenger, and that left the second and third rows vacant. With cargo ar additional passengers it's likely the ride quality would have improved, but wasn't bad with only a front-seat passenger only slight bumpy in some situations. The front bucket seats provide a superior view without any obstructions.

For drivers unaccustomed to automatic shifting adjacent of the steering wheel, there's a slight learning curve. The shifting arm is positioned behind the shorter arm that operates the windshield wipers. More than once, I reached for the shifting arm and engaged the windshield wipers or windshield cleaning spray.

Regardless, the available options in my vehicle were plentiful and nicely appointed: leather seats, individually heat front seats, front and rear air conditioning, driver's 8-way power seat with adjustable lumbar support, cruise control and a audio/visual package than encompasses an AM/FM cassette/CD stereo, rear DVD played, second seat, flip-down seven-inch LCD monitor and remote and wireless headphones.

Those features push the Odyssey's price well into the low $30,000 range. Still, add such features as dual- powered sliding rear doors on both sides of the vehicle, automatic climate control, steering wheel radio controls and efficiently operated and illuminated visor mirror and map lights, and it's no wonder the Odyssey's reputation as the best value in its class continues to expand.

2004 Honda Odyssey

Safety features -- Driver's and front passenger's front and side airbags, ABS brakes, traction control system.

Fuel Mileage (estimates) -- 18 mpg (city), 25 mpg (highway).

Warranty --Bumper to Bumper, 3 Years/36,000 Miles; Drivetrain: 3 Years/36,000 Miles Corrosion: 5 Years/50,000 Miles

Base price range -- $24,490-$30,490.

James Raia is a syndicated journalist in Sacramento, Calif., who writes about sports, fitness and business topics as well as the syndicated car review column, The Weekly Driver.

To read more of his car reviews, visit: The Weekly Driver

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Maruti Heads on with Honda Products

Maruti Heads on with Honda Products
By Rain Stockton

Maruti is trying to tighten its loose ends in SUV and in premium sedan segment. This New Delhis one of the leading automobile manufacturers is also taking heads on with the products of Honda, this after sx4 that was launched against the city in premium sedan- now in SUV.

Maruti is ready to drive into another Honda defense structure after the sx4. Soon, it will launch its SUV which is the new grand Vitara to take on the Honda CRV. This happens to be Maruti's second experiment with the Vitara. It first launched the Vitara in 2003 but sold a menial 380, as compared to the Honda CRV, which has sold more than 7400 units since its launch in the same year. Even Hyundai Tuscon has sold 1626 units since its launch in 2005. Maruti hopes that the new 2 litre Vitara, which is priced between Rs 14-16 lakh, will bring home the numbers.

Maruti Udyog MD Jagdish Khattar said that it is small and compact and they are offering it with a price which will be very attractive.

The new grand Vitara, known as the Escudo in Japan, will be available in both the automatic and manual versions.

The new Honda CRV is a more powerful vehicle but it also comes with a heavy price tag of almost Rs 18 lakh.

Car enthusiasts along with analysts are interested to see if Maruti can win over customers with an aggressive pricing strategy.

About Maruti Udyog Limited

New Delhis Maruti Udyog Limited is one of the leading automobile manufacturers in India as well as the market leader in the car segment, both in terms of volume of vehicles sold and revenue earned. It is a leading four-wheeler automobile manufacturer in South Asia and was the first company in India to massively produce and sell more than one million cars. And it is largely credited for having brought in an automobile revolution to India.

Though the actual production commenced in 1983, Maruti Udyog Limited (MUL) was actually established in February 1981. It has produced more than 5 Million vehicles through 2004. Marutis are sold in India and various other countries, depending upon export orders. Suzuki in Pakistan and other South Asian countries sell cars similar to Marutis (but not manufactured by Maruti Udyog).

Yearly, the company exports more than 30,000 cars and has an extremely large domestic market in India selling over five hundred thousand cars annually. More than a million units of this car have been sold all over the world so far. Maruti Alto currently tops the sales charts.

As of May 10, 2007, Indian government sold its complete share to other financial institutions, making the government longer a stake holder in Maruti Udyog.

About Honda

Honda is well known for its diverse line up of quality automobiles and car parts under Honda such as Honda CRX parts and Acura name plates, and for its motorcycles, ATVs, power products, marine engines, and personal watercraft.

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2006 Honda Civic Si: Automotive Innovation at Its Best

2006 Honda Civic Si: Automotive Innovation at Its Best
By Jenny McLane

Designed as an Advanced Personal Compact, the next-generation Si will incorporate flowing bodywork, a steeply angled windshield, and wide stance to suggest stability and forward motion. The new Si will be the fastest and most powerful Civic offered in its twenty-year history. The 2006 Civic lineup, launching this fall, will include a 4-door Sedan, a 2-door Coupe and Si Coupe, an even more fuel efficient Civic Hybrid and a natural-gas powered Civic GX.

The Civic Si Concept builds on its performance heritage with a 200-horsepower, 16-valve, and DOHC i-VTEC engine with an 8,000-rpm red line, mated to a close ratio 6-speed manual transmission. Helping to put all that power to the ground is a helical-type limited slip differential for improved launch traction and cornering performance.
A 200-horsepower 16-valve i-VTEC engine powers the 2006 Si. Honda sources indicate that next-generation i-VTEC technology will have significant gains in performance and fuel economy. A six-speed transmission will give drivers manual control of shift points up to the engine's redline of 8000 rpm, and a helical-type limited-slip differential will enhance traction and cornering ability.

The Si Concept includes performance features such as 18-inch cast aluminum wheels with 225/40R high performance tires, and 4-wheel disc brakes with large cross-drilled brake rotors. The 2006 Civic Si Coupe will be the most powerful, fastest and fun-to-drive Si we've ever put on the street, and the Civic Si Concept sets the direction in terms of its styling, package and performance, said John Mendel, senior vice president of American Honda. It's part of a new family of Civic vehicles that build on the already class-leading values of the Civic in terms of safety, styling, performance and fuel efficiency.

This new production Civic Si Coupe will serve as the performance leader for the 2006 Civic model lineup, which will be completely redesigned. The 2006 Civic will feature more emotional styling, enhanced performance, and the latest generation of intelligent i-VTEC engine technology.

One of the leading Honda Parts suppliers is Parts Train. They offer high quality aftermarket Honda auto parts at guaranteed lowest prices. Simply browse at http://www.partstrain.com/ShopByVehicle/HONDA and you have access to one of the largest Honda auto parts wholesalers in the United States. Parts Train offers a variety of aftermarket and replacement Honda car parts including radiators, fog lights, tail lights, air filter, Honda engine parts and many other Honda replacement parts. Parts Train's very friendly and efficient customer service staff will be waiting for your enquiries.

Jenny McLane is a 36 year old native of Iowa and has a knack for research on cars and anything and everything about it. She works full time as a Market Analyst for one of the leading car parts suppliers in the country today.

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Honda Pilot 2005 with Innovative Honda Performance Parts Aftermarket Parts from Parts Train

Honda Pilot 2005 with Innovative Honda Performance Parts, Aftermarket Parts from Parts Train
By Jenny McLane

The 2005 Honda Pilot features an advanced 3.5-liter, SOHC, 24-valve, 60-degree, and V-6 engine, aluminum-block-and-head design that is compact, light and powerful. It has 255 horsepower (+15 horsepower), 250 lb.-ft of torque (+8 lb.-ft.), very low emissions, high fuel efficiency and instantaneous throttle response. The 2005 Honda Pilot replaced the Passport and it shares the same basic chassis and powertrain as the MDX. The three Pilot models all offer a V6, 255-horsepower engine paired with a 5-speed automatic transmission.

The new Honda engine features a broad and flat torque curve, very low emissions and high fuel economy. The new drive-by-wire throttle replaces a conventional throttle cable with an all-electronic system that relays throttle pedal position to the engine computer. The new system reduces overall weight by incorporating the cruise control system and reduces shift shock by communicating with the transmission during up- and down-shifts.

The more powerful engine is coupled with an innovative drive-by-wire throttle system, which reduces overall weight by incorporating the cruise control function, and helps to reduce shift shock by communicating with the transmission during up and down shifts. The Pilot DBW system replaces a conventional throttle cable arrangement with an all-electronic system that senses the accelerator pedal position and relays that information to a computer.

List of standard features include tilt steering wheel, cruise control, 60/40 split folding second and third seats, power mirrors, windows and doors locks, remote keyless entry and AM/FM/CD player, among other items. The EX and EX-L models include a six-disc changer, steering wheel radio controls, automatic-off headlights and allow wheels. Leather upholstery, heated front seats, power sunroof and heated power mirrors are standard on the EX-L model only.

The Pilot uses an advanced four-wheel drive system called Variable Torque Management 4WD VTM-4. VTM-4 is a proactive system that combines the best features of modern on-demand and conventional four-wheel drive systems.

It has an eight-passenger seating capacity with 60/40-split second and third row bench seats that fold flat for segment-leading cabin flexibility for hauling people and/or cargo.

Safety features include dual front airbags, four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock, side impact door beams, electronic brake distribution system, tire pressure monitoring system, immobilizer theft deterrent system, remote keyless entry and traction control. EX adds alarm system, garage door opener and auto-off headlamp control. EX w/leather adds brake assist and vehicle stability assist. Optional safety features include navigation system.

Performance, versatility and reliability sums up the Honda Pilot 2005 and Partstrain sees to it that these qualities are maintained to the highest level through its superior Honda Performance parts, Aftermarket parts, OEM Replacement parts.

Parts train's product line-up for Honda vehicles includes Engine system, Electrical system, Header, Exhaust, Hoods, Hubcaps, multiple Body Kit designs, Suspension, Condensers, Bumpers, Radiator Support, Spoiler, Catalytic Converter, and a variety of additional upgrades that compliment the car. Visit http://www.partstrain.com/ShopByVehicle/HONDA to browse on all its top of the line Honda parts. All Honda auto parts are new and guaranteed to fit.

Jenny McLane is a 36 year old native of Iowa and has a knack for research on cars and anything and everything about it. She works full time as a Market Analyst for one of the leading car parts suppliers in the country today.

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Honda Newark How To Buy A Honda In Newark For 90% Off

Honda Newark - How To Buy A Honda In Newark For 90% Off
By Rob Richards

Honda ... Newark the two go together like cherry blossoms and Branch Brook Park! If youre looking for a Honda, Newark, then be ready to pay a pretty penny! This article will show you how to get a Honda, Newark, for up to 90% off of retail.

Honda Newark The Problem

All of us have only so much that we can spend on our cars. We all have to make choices in life and choosing to have a car or not in Newark isnt really a choice, its a requirement! Oh sure, there is mass transit available, but its always on someone elses schedule and never very convenient. Life in Newark, since it is so spread out, dictates that we have our own set of wheels.

The problem arises though, when we are faced with the finite amount of money available to buy a car. If youre thinking of buying a Honda, Newark, you have made a good choice. Hondas are very reliable, the insurance and maintenance costs for Hondas are reasonable and they are worth every penny you put into them, and then some!

But again, what are we to do when we only have so much to spend? Perhaps you would like to be driving a car that is only 1 or 2 years old, but your bank account says a ten to twelve year old car would be better. When faced with these types of situations, we are given a very limited number of options.

Honda Newark The Not So Good Option

The first solution that comes to mind for many people is to go out and borrow the money for a car. People do it all the time. If you were to walk into a new or used car dealership tomorrow, you could conceivably drive away in a new or nearly new car. You would feel pretty good about your purchase, that is, until you had to make your first payment.

Many car loans last for five or six years. Do you really want to be making payments for that long? Think about what you could be doing with that extra $300 or so each and every month, if you didnt have a big car payment to make. Think about what $300 could pay for. The vacation that you could easily save for. The new wardrobe your wife has needed. Costs for sending your kids to college. There are plenty of things that you would rather purchase, if only you didnt have that big car payment to make.

If youre thinking right now that thats just the way it has to be, Ive got some good news for you!

Honda Newark A Better Option

OK, you need a Honda, Newark, but you dont want to spend full price or anything even approaching full price. What are you to do? You could scour the classifieds until you find a great car at a reasonable price, but this could take a long time to weed through the lemons. You could spend time searching through the lots, looking for just the right car, but you wont get much of a deal. Or you could try thinking outside of the box and find your next car through an online auction.

Yes, thats right, online auctions. Everyday thousands of vehicles are impounded or seized by banks and government agencies like the police, sheriff, DEA, FBI and even the IRS. These cars could have been seized for a number of reasons and they are then sold to the public at a deep discount. How deep? As much as 90% off!

If youre looking for a Honda in Newark, you have several options. If paying full price or going into debt for the next 4-6 years doesnt sound appealing, then you need to do yourself a favor and look into online auctions.

Sound too daunting of a task? Dont worry, Ive done ALL the legwork for you. To see my # 1 Recommended Source for getting your next Honda Newark for as much as 90% off, Click Here... http://www.squidoo.com/Police-Impound-Cars/

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Safe and Secure in a 2006 Honda Accord

Safe and Secure in a 2006 Honda Accord
By Amber M Sell

When shopping for a new car there are so many things to consider, including the features, accessories, upgrades, and dont forget about all the financing options. But no matter how extravagant these features may seem, they are only distracting you from what should be your main concern and first priority when car shopping safety. Even though every new vehicle must meet the minimum federal safety standards, it is obvious that some cars have been manufactured with your familys safety in mind. Some manufacturers not only attempt to meet the minimum safety standards, but strive to stretch the limits. This is extremely noticeable in the 2006 Honda Accord as it emphasizes safety with its first-rated seatbelts and top-quality airbags.

Seat Belts

Nothing is provides more safety then seat belts. They are the primary protection in every vehicle. The 3-point seat belt with pretensioners is as standard in the 2006 Honda Accord. Each seat belt rides across the lap and chest to help restrain passengers during sudden stops or impacts, and provides superior protection. The features that make this seat belt so unique are the automatic tensioning system and the load limiters. The automatic tensioning system causes the seat belt to instantly tighten upon impact to restrain any forward movement from the passengers body. The load limiters work together with the tensioning system by allowing the seat belts to loosen just enough to relieve the passengers body of the sudden force while still controlling the overall restraint. Additionally, the 2006 Honda Accord includes adjustable seat belt anchors that adjust perfectly to the passengers height, optimizing their comfort and safety.

Airbags

Today airbags are mandatory in all new cars and are designed to act as a supplement to seat belts. When airbags and seat belts are used together, there is a significantly higher reduction in serious head injuries when compared to people using seat belts alone. The 2006 Honda Accord is manufactured with top-quality airbags that offer outstanding protection.

• Dual-Stage, Dual-Threshold Front Airbags (SRS).

  In the event of a collision, sensors will detect the front impact and cause the dual-stage, dual-threshold front airbags to inflate and deflate in a fraction of a second. Depending on the level of impact, the airbags will inflate at various speeds; high impacts cause rapid deployments and low impacts cause slow deployments. The speed of inflation also accounts for whether or not the passenger is wearing a seat belt. All these features help prevent serious head and chest injuries.

• Side Curtain Airbags.

  The side curtain airbag in the 2006 Honda Accord increases protection during side collisions. The airbag is positioned along the side of the headliner, providing a layer of protection between the passengers upper body and the car door. In the event of an impact to the side of the car, five sensors will cause the airbags to quickly inflate, providing further protection for all outer passengers.

• Front Side Airbags with passenger-side occupant position detection system (OPDS).

  In the event of a side impact, sensors will cause side airbags to immediately inflate. The OPDS uses a total of seven sensors in the front passengers seatback to detect the height and seating position of the passenger. If a child or small-statured adult is leaning forward into the path of the side airbag, the sensors will deactivate the airbag. The driver will immediately be notified by a warning light. Similarly, the warning light will turn off as soon as the passenger sits back in the upright position.

The 2006 Honda Accord continues its tradition of being among the best cars on the market. If safety is your first priority a 2006 Honda Accord is the right car for you. It will give you all the safety measures and precautions to keep you safe.

1 The information for this article has been obtained from the following website: http://automobiles.honda.com/models/modeloverview.asp?ModelName=Accord+Sedan.

About the Author: Amber Sell is a Web Content Specialist for 10x Marketing in Orem, Utah. For more information about the 2006 Honda Accord, please feel free to contact SAM'S CLUB Auto today.

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