January 2009

Want to know the only thing I completely find horrible?

I hate chickens.

No Joke, chickens smell awful.

When one thinks of the Toyota Yaris, there is not much confusion about what to expect from the car.  A small car which is meant for a reasonably small budget. The car itself is not cheating by cutting costs at the expense of safety, luxury and driving enjoyment. A typical Yaris is a modern car for a modern trendy buyer and very fuel efficient too. A nice car at a nice price.

Enter the Yaris TS, a much more vulgar expression of what other Yaris’s should not be. Would the same buyer, a person who is probably not prepared to pay above a certain amount for a car be very excited about a Yaris costing close to twice as much as the entry level model? Would the same buyer whose list of realistic features of what car to buy (not a dream car mind you) would not include top speed, 0-60 mph times and circuit like handling… Would this person look at their modest Yaris and think, wow how dumb can I be, I should have bought the much more expensive small car which is not any bigger that mine.

But there is a car out there in production and Toyota is hoping it will sell. The TS is powered by a 1.8 litre dual VVT-i engine producing 98kw (132hp). Surprisingly for a car with the much power Top speed is just above 200 km/h while 0-100km (60mph) is the 9 seconds region.

The car does well in terms of fuel consumption (7 litres for every 100 km). Other than that, slow standing still acceleration and a reasonable top speed(220km/h). This car is really just another Yaris with a bigger engine, revised suspension and chassis to handle the power, a few extra electronics for safety and driving dynamics. The exterior is not that different except for the 17 inch wheels. Not that much change on the interior.

  So then who would buy this car?

A)     Hyperactive teens with money to spend

Answer: No. They would rather have the new Ford fiesta or Honda Civic or even the older Volkswagen Polo

B)      Old women wanting a faster Yaris

Answer: No. This car is not that fast for the amount of power it has. Honda Jazz would be a good alternative.

C)      Seasoned petrol heads looking for some things spunky and excitingly fast but not being the usual suspects (M3, RS4, AMG).

Answer: Well a good option is the Renault Clio R27. Just a little more expensive but more rewarding.

D)      Absolute brain dead individuals needing their heads checked? No.

Toyota would have done their market research before embarking on this adventure. And a good number of people would have ticked in the yes box for wanting a Yaris that is a little bit more expensive. So the point is Toyota is leading the way in keeping their customers happy.

By: M.E Bapela

Feel like hearing the thing I absolutely dislike?

I despise celebrities.

Im serious, celebrities make my skin crawl.

This Monday my daughter and I agreed to eat at Fairfield Inn Jacksonville Airport in Kingston.



The restaurant was very relaxing. While listening to music my daughter and I devoured a completely tasteless dinners my daughter and I ever ate



I’ll upload images of the restaurant later on.

Can you honestly say it’s a pleasurable experience taking the little ones out in the “family car” for an outing at the weekends? More often than not we have just about cleared the end of the our road when the same old question comes loud and clear from the back seat of the car “Are we nearly there yet?”
We tend to stop off quite regularly to let the children stretch their legs and have a little run around, but sometimes this just is’nt really possible and that’s when we have to turn to plan B.
Generally we muddle through, but here are a few tips for surviving car travel with kids.
One: Always try to allow plenty of time for stops. Maybe 2 hours of car time, then a welcome break, this seems a good idea with young children.
Two: Prior to the journey let them get a special backpack or bag together with crayons, books, toys, activity sets, stickers, handheld games and maybe even including some new wrapped surprises for little kids.
Three: Small board games can be a good investment.  A tray would be helpful for this or just something to place the game on. If these special games are kept just for the car journeys they will probably not become bored with them.
Four: Bring plenty of snacks, such as fruit, crackers, juice packs, and treats, also an insulated bag for cold drinks would be a great idea, especially in hot weather. Plastic cups, plasters and a towel, will more than likely come in handy. For the “pit stops” a frisbee and ball for a little play about is a good way to expend some energy and one item which is a must is of course baby wipes no matter how old your kids are.
Five: Stories on audiobooks can make the miles fly by. Maybe even play a story for the whole family on the car stereo system, or if possible bring individual players for your children. A good idea would be to visit your local library to stock up on stories beforehand.
Six: Stop off at Burger King or MacDonalds and whilst Mum and Dad get a much needed snack or bite to eat the children can have a break in the playrooms. Or just let the kids get rid of their energy while you order their food “to go” to eat later in the car.
Seven:  The promise of a picnic is always a winner. The kids can let off some steam and you can save money on food!

So, taking all this on board hopefully the children will be happy which leaves the parents to enjoy the family outing too!

The classic car of your dreams is out there Go out and don’t hesitate, there’s a world of good priced Chevy IIs out there. Buy a Chevy II now before the price goes up! You won’t be sorry.

I can’t believe we have to put our baby away for the winter.
Justin and I have counted on our 1969 Chevy II now for nearly 3 years. Truth be told we’ve been very happy with the car. The climate is fair in western Texas, near Bacon, and we love driving in the car during the spring months. Our opinion is I’d say it’s a particlarly great toy for the money.

During the time we’ve owned the Chevy II we’ve been driving up a storm. My whole family made a weekend out of visiting my relatives in Mississippi numerous times with no problems whatsoever. The Chevy II does well on gas and has not given us many issues in terms of maintenance.

The Chevy II is in rare form, having been restored in the last two years. The previous owners seem to have taken excellent care of the car over the past 23 years. Our previous car, a Hino, had plenty of issues and we weren’t depressed to sell it off.

It was important to get insurance on the vehicle. For our antique classic car insurance we went with a company called Sneed Insurance. We signed up for the policy completely online, using their excellent web site. We found the company by reviewing the information on old cars. It’s an authority site for finding the best offer on insurance for collector cars. We insured the Chevy II for a fraction of what American Family Insurance wanted.

I don’t regret for a minute buying our Chevy II. While 1969 was just a blur to me, our car helps us relive those bygone days.

Other 1969 Chevy II Cars

[phpbay]1969 Chevy II,10[/phpbay]

This Thursday my daughter and I agreed to goto China KOON in Medora.



The menu was awful. While listening to music my daughter and I consumed a completely disgusting dinners my daughter and I had ever had



I’ll display pictures of the waiter later today.

Sky Harbor Airport is part of the Phoenix Airport System, US, together with Deer Valley and Goodyear airports, all located within very convenient distance from the city of Phoenix. There are three terminals adjacent to Sky Harbor Airport each with distinct facilities of parking, ground transportation, shops and restaurants. Easy access to all airport levels as well as guidance and assistance are professionally organized, with independent services that cover large parts of the airport from the baggage claim area to the club and the rent a car center. There are nearly 9,000 parking lots available on-airport not to mention that passengers can do around with the shuttle transportation option between terminals.

Sky Harbor Airport

From the twenty three international and domestic airlines that operate on Sky Harbor Airport, US Airlines and Southwest are the largest. For a passenger who turns to the services of this Phoenix airport for the first time, the complexity and design structure of the location are baffling, therefore it is advisable to get some information of general interest such as the runway specifics, the traffic information, the terminal access and regulations and so on. Sky Harbor Airport is the 8th largest and busiest airport in the United States handling the majority of the international flights in the Phoenix Airport System. Deer Valley Airport and Goodyear Airport offer alternative support to Sky Harbor Airport for traffic reduction and fluency of service.

Sky Harbor Airport

At Sky Harbor Airport, customer service comes second after security on a list of management priorities. Following the motto of the company, they are striving to make America’s Friendliest Airport, which is why they have all sorts of services that are not available with many other airports. At Sky Harbor Airport you can be assisted by one of the Sky Harbor Navigators to find your way through the complexity of the airport with the maximum of efficiency and minimum time waste. The Navigators are volunteers who offer info, assistance and guidance.

Sky Harbor Airport

For further help you can always address Travelers Aid office open on the 3rd level in Terminal 4; you can call, email or leave voice messages and someone from the office will get back at you promptly. If you lose something on the airport, go to the Lost and Found office available in a separate building between Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. In between flights, travelers have access to all sorts of facilities on Sky Harbor Airport from leisure activities in the entertainment centers to special access for the disabled, wireless Internet and conference rooms. Comprehensive information on the various services is usually available with the Info Desk or on the site of the airport.

After 37 years with the 1400 someone at Nissan remembered that they have a car in the half tonne segment. During all this time rivals would have steadily improved their equivalents especially the Opel Corsa Utility followed by Ford Bantam.

Nissan can be forgiven for neglecting the model as they were probably busy with more serious projects such as the Porsche bashing GT-R, the likable 350Z and cool SUVs such as Murano, Navara and Pathfinder. The one bakkie that has been helping the Japanese maker has been the Nissan Hardbody.

But boy did Nissan rake in profits with the 1400 from essentially a design that needed no further R&D. The legendary 1400 had (outgoing model) 47 KW and 97 n.m of torque. I fail to see what could be loaded, maybe not a quad bike or motor bike but certainly small businesses found the vehicle useful.

The NP200 takes advantage of the relationship Nissan has with Renault and this is evident in the car using a Renault engine producing and impressive 67kw from the 1.6 litre unit. The entry level model cost R88 900 which is cheaper than the Corsa at R92 500. The NP 200 has the biggest loading area in its class at 1,2 m2.

Does the car hold up well to the segment leading Corsa Utility? Difficult one. Looks are not NP 200’s strongest point. Actually the car is more suitable for commercial use than for every day driving. The interior looks a little Renaultish and has reasonable plastic finishes. On the other hand the Corsa Utility looks sharp and exciting on the exterior as well as boosting a friendlier interior.

All in all Nissan has played a sensible strategy with the NP 200 by making it more focused on light commercial purposes which results in a more affordable car for the buyer. The Utility is a more complete package that has appealing looks together with a more comfortable interior.

The new model is already doing well only a few months after being released and is a good replacement for the legendary 1400. A very affordable car which can be classified as cheap cars for sale.