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Sniffing Out Speed Enforcement
Valentine One Radar Detector
As more towns begin to rely on speed enforcement to help generate additional revenue, drivers need to shore up their defenses. The Valentine One Radar Detector is one of the best in the business of avoiding speeding tickets, using antennas for both front and rear detection. V1’s fantastic range gives the driver plenty of advanced warning about the local “Officer Friendly.”
Read
the full Valentine One Radar Detector review.
Lift Your Car With a Finger
Electric Auto Jack
Cranking a jack can be a hassle, so the Electric Auto Jack comes in handy. Simply position the automated jack under the appropriate spot on the vehicle, press a remote control and your car rises to the occasion. This electric scissors jack lifts up to one ton and extends up to 14 inches. Best of all, the jack only needs your car's cigarette lighter to run.
Read
the full Electric Auto Jack review.
Sensors on Wheels
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Prevent car accidents and increase your vehicle’s fuel economy with the Tire Pressure Monitoring System. The system's sensors are planted on the car's tires, which signal a windshield-mounted monitor to alert you when tire pressure drops below 27 psi. The hardy, reliable and accurate sensors help save you the inconvenience of changing a deflated tire alongside the road.
Read
the full Tire Pressure Monitoring System review.
Keeping Your Eyes On the Road
Drive Alert Master
Driving while drowsy can be just as dangerous as driving drunk. The Drive Alert Master helps prevent you from dozing off behind the wheel by emitting loud beeps if your head drops too low from fatigue. The device is worn securely around your ear, similar to a cell phone headset. If you begin to sleep and drop your head, a sensor inside the device detects the motion and triggers the alarm to jolt you back awake.
Read
the full Drive Alert Master review.
Have a Ball
Mothers PowerBall Mini
Autophiles can keep their babies buffed and ready to roll with the PowerBall Mini. This smaller version of the original PowerBall is three inches in diameter, and can buff out the nicks and scratches that may result from day-to-day driving. Its diminutive size and included ten-inch extensions make it easy to restore those tough-to-reach spots.
Read
the full Mothers PowerBall Mini review.
Your
Own Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot
WAAV
EVDO AirBox X2
The WAAV
EVDO AirBox X2 is a multi-connection mobile
broadband cellular router that provides an internet
connection on the go, making it convenient to
download last minute documents, look up directions
or just do a bit of online gaming during the
carpool ride. Those who rely on public transportation
for their daily commute need not fret, as mass
transit vehicles may soon be equipped to utilize
these handy gadgets.
Read the full WAAV EVDO AirBox X2 review.
Going,
Going, NAVIGON
NAVIGON 7100 GPS Navigator
Hit
the open road with confidence with the NAVIGON 7100
dashboard GPS navigator. Less than one inch thick,
the NAVIGON is sleek, stylish and fully loaded. The
full-color, highly-detailed 3D maps, turn-by-turn directions,
free lifetime travel updates, destination suggestions
and Bluetooth technology will ensure that you'll always
know where you're going—and that you'll get there
with flair.
Read
the full NAVIGON 7100 GPS Navigator review.
Personal Mini Movie Theater
Sun Visor DVD Player
By
law, drivers are not permitted to watch movies, television
or other video displays, but many states allow the
front seat passenger to do so. The Sun
Visor DVD Player's seven-inch LCD screen is cleanly
integrated into a fold-down sun visor designed to
fit only on the passenger side of any automobile.
In addition to reading DVDs, the player comes with
an antenna for TV reception and the capacity to plug
in a flash drive or memory card.
Read the full Sun Visor DVD Player review.
Mobile
Video Security
Vehicle Safeguard Video Camera
No
more walking out to a parking lot and discovering someone
has damaged your car without leaving a note. The Vehicle
Safeguard Video Camera acts as your own miniature surveillance
camera. Once mounted on the dashboard, the cell phone-sized
camera can film up to five hours when a 2-gigabyte memory
card is used.
Read the full Vehicle Safeguard Video
Camera review.
Keep
Your Hands on the Wheel
DSP
Bluetooth Car Kit
Common
sense dictates that the best way to use a cell phone
while driving is with a hands-free device. Headsets
don't work for multi-person calls, and cell phones
with speakerphone sometimes can't deliver the volume
necessary for an en route call. In steps the DSP
Bluetooth Car Kit. The well-designed unit works pretty
well and offers a fair amount of accessories and
features, considering its reasonable price tag.
Read the full DSP Bluetooth Car Kit review.
Cool
Your Jets... Or at Least Your Car
Susita Auto Vent II
It
is arguable that the worst part of summer is getting
into a hot car after it’s been parked in the
sun for a few hours. Leaving the windows open a crack
helps vent some of the heat buildup but interior
temperatures can still reach well over 130 degrees.
The Auto
Vent II uses a solar-powered fan to keep interior temperatures
down.
Read
the full Susita Auto Vent II review.
The
Radar Detector That Thinks
Escort
Passport 9500i Radar Detector
In
your daily commute, how many false alarms do
you get from your radar detector? Wouldn’t it
be nice if you didn’t have to reach over and
turn down the volume of the beep, brap or buzz at city
intersections where false alarms occur? Escort’s
newest Passport
9500i radar detector takes care of
that for you by remembering where the false alarms
are.
Read the full Escort Passport 9500i Radar
Detector review.
ESPN
in Your Escalade
TracVision
A7 Mobile Satellite System
 Create
the ultimate mobile entertainment system with TracVision
A7 with DIRECTV. With the satellite "dome"
mounted to the roof racks of an SUV or minivan, up
to 185 channels are available to watch from the on-board
LCD video screens.
Read the full TracVision A7 Mobile Satellite System review.
It's
a Shoe-In
Piloti
Spyder SV Driving Shoes
Driving
enthusiasts with a sense of style will love these
hip new driving shoes from Piloti. All come in leather
or suede, with an assortment of colors that will
hopefully match your pocket-rocket’s body paint
or your custom Ferrari’s
interior.
Read the full Piloti Spyder SV Driving Shoes review.
A
Touch of Clarity
Sony
Nav-U Portable Satellite Navigation System
Navigation
systems are one of the most popular options on cars
today. They can be expensive, however, and many consumers
are turning to aftermarket choices to fill their
directionally challenged needs. An excellent example
of these portable devices is Sony’s
Nav-U. It features highly intuitive touchscreen
technology to input information, while crisp graphics
and crystal-clear voice commands point you in the
right direction.
Read
the full Sony Nav-U Portable Satellite Navigation System review.
Plug
and Play
Belkin Auto Kit for iPod
Automakers
are answering customer demand by outfitting most new
cars with an auxiliary MP3 player jack that provides
a direct connection to the car’s stereo. The Belkin
Auto Kit for iPod is perfect for these vehicles,
providing both power and stereo connection. Without
this kit, iPod owners (with the exception of the nano)
would be forced to plug in two different cords at opposite
ends of the player in order to both listen and keep
the battery charged.
Read
the full Belkin Auto Kit for iPod review.
One
Giant Wipe for Mankind
ACDelco Beam Wiper Blades
Before
Mary Anderson invented the windshield wiper in 1903,
trolley drivers had to stick their heads out of their
side windows to drive through the rain. By 1916, all
American cars were made with a hand-operated version
of the device that has saved millions of us from having
to towel off our precipitation-drenched heads. Ninety
years later, the latest advancement in windshield wiper
technology is ACDelco’s Beam Wiper Blade.
The
frameless blades create less wind lift resistance than
typical wipers, and are less noticeable in the driver’s
line of sight. “It’s the design of the future
for wiper blades,” said Chris Vermette, product
specialist for ACDelco. “Its sleek, modern styling
complements the aesthetics of today’s vehicles.
With no metal structure, the Beam Wiper Blade fits the
curvature of the windshield for a more uniform wipe.”
Automakers, including Cadillac,
are already adding pairs of them to their vehicles,
and the parts maker estimates they fit 94 percent of
the automobiles already on the road. Although they are
start-of-the-art, their goal is the same Mary Anderson
envisioned – keeping windshields and drivers’
heads dry, and everybody safer.
To
find out how to get ACDelco Beam Wiper Blades, visit
www.acdelco.com.
All
in the Family
Justice Brothers Car Care Products
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If
your car upkeep routine involves little more than
filling up the tank and occasionally going in
for an oil change, you might be surprised to discover
the myriad products available to help your vehicle
perform its best. Justice Brothers, Inc. offers
car care products for your engine, transmission,
brakes, tires, fuel injection and any other auto
parts that might need attention. The company,
which makes all its products at the Justice Brothers
headquarters in Duarte, Calif.,
also makes fleet, farm and industrial lubricants
and cleaners. Over sixty consumer goods are available,
ranging from engine oil and diesel fuel system
additives, to brake parts and engine cleaners.
Items available in auto parts stores, car dealerships
and repair shops are the same as those used by
professional teams that compete in racing events
like NASCAR, Grand American and the Indy Racing
League. So whether you’re speeding down
the race track or cruising on the freeway, Justice
Brothers car care products can help your ride
be as smooth as possible.
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Auto
aficionados, note that the Justice Brothers Racing
Museum in Duarte, founded in 1985 and located
on Route 66, features a wide collection of vehicles.
Among the automobiles and parts on display are
street rods, restored classic vehicles, ice racing
motorcycles, dragsters, midgets, antique gas pumps
and historic engines, as well as a Pitts aerobatic
biplane and two Indie cars that appeared in the
movie “Driven” with Sylvester Stallone.
The museum is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
and there is no admission fee.
For
more information about products as well as the
museum, visit www.justicebrothers.com. |
Finding
Your Way
StreetPilot 2720 Automotive Navigator
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Getting
lost is a drag, and every time it happens, don’t
you think, “if only I could afford a car
that had GPS in it?” However, you don’t
need a vehicle with a built-in navigation system,
because there are affordable, portable alternatives.
The StreetPilot® 2720 is small, completely
portable and compatible with any automobile. So
whether your ride is a jalopy or a Jag, you will
always know exactly what turn to make so you don’t
end up in another time zone. Built-in maps will
get you where you need to go, and for increased
safety, the 2720 converts text into speech so
that you can keep your eye on the road, not the
dashboard. Hate being stuck in traffic? In certain
areas, drivers can also subscribe to the GTM 10
optional traffic services that let you know which
freeway or intersection to avoid. So roll down
the windows and drive, without worrying that you
won’t be able to find your way back.
For
more information, including cost, visit www.garmin.com. |
Music As You Like It
3 in 1 Car Kit for iPods
 As
convenient as iPods are, somehow, they just got
more convenient. Meet the 3 in 1 Car Kit for iPods
from Sakar International. It’s lightweight,
portable and props up your iPod or iPod Mini so
it’s in easy reach while driving, just like
your radio. Simply plug the gadget into your cigarette
lighter receptacle, slip the iPod into place and
put the FM Transmitter into the headphone jack.
Your iPod will charge and play music through your
stereo system. So now you can listen to those
old disco tunes or Frank Sinatra or whatever you’ve
downloaded with clear (and loud, if you feel so
inclined) stereo sound.
Purchase
at www.compusa.com. |
Time
for a New Car
Mercedes-Benz CLS 55 AMG "IWC Ingenieur"
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They're
all doing it. Automobile manufacturers and watch
companies are working together to bring their
respective products together. The latest ultra-fast
and ultra-luxurious combo comes from Mercedes-Benz
speedmerchant division AMG and the Ingenieur line
of IWC.
So
you get a lot of attention, speed, luxury and
precise timing … but it will take a lot
of your hard-earned greenbacks to secure the purchase
… if you can. Please let us explain. The
price for an AMG edition of IWC’s Ingenieur
series starts at $6,200 and creeps up to $7,000.
The price for the car, if you have to ask, is
circa $100,000, but the German manufacturer is
releasing only fifty-five CLS55 AMG’s Ingenieur!
And yes, the IWC only made fifty-five watches.
So if you buy the car, you have an option to purchase
the watch, but you would think they’d go
as a set. Too bad it’s not a “gift
with purchase.”
The
watch is guaranteed to deliver a lifetime of accurate
time, and you’d want the car to feel new
for a lifetime as well. Speaking of the car: This
just-released version of the CLS comes with 476
horsepower, achieves 60 mph in 4.7 seconds and
can reach almost unheard of speeds for a luxury
sport sedan (the CLS 55AMG is governor-limited
around 150 mph). It has distinctive Ingenieur
logos all around and a plaque on the gear-shift,
titanium, 19-inch wheels. With all this combined
equipment, you have no more excuses to be late
for work. |
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Star
Service—Truly
OnStar
by General Motors
As a car multi-tasker, OnStar is that rare product that can help you find your way in daily life as well as provide a lifeline when in need. The simple-to-use service utilizes satellite and wireless technology to give its users constant phone-like access to OnStar Advisors. These Advisors can provide a driver with something as basic as alternate directions when the interstate is jammed or assist in a more urgent matter by contacting an ambulance in the case of an accident.
Read the full OnStar review.
Don’t
Get Lost, Get High-Tech
Magellan
RoadMate 700
 When
you’re lost in the wrong part of town, asking
for directions may be impossible no matter who’s
nagging—that’s where the Magellan RoadMate
700 comes in.
Using the same technology it developed for Hertz’s
Never Lost system, Thales Navigation has designed a
portable GPS device that’s ready to use in any
car. Its plug-and-play installation means you can move
it between cars or even use it with a battery pack accessory
when you step out of the car. Just like Mapquest, the
RoadMate allows users to key in a destination and choose
a route based on the shortest distance or the shortest
time. The map then moves along with the car as the device
provides oral directions. Wrong
turn? No problem. The RoadMate will adjust its route
to bring you back on course.
Retailing at $1,299, this peace of mind doesn’t
come cheap, but a scaled down version, the Magellan
RoadMate 500, is available for $999. The difference:
while the 700’s internal hard drive comes pre-loaded
with mapping data, the 500 uses a flash memory card
onto which users must upload their maps. A fixed system
on a new car could cost $2,000 or more, so considering
its comparatively low price and its portability, we
think the RoadMate is a refreshing option.
Purchase
at www.magellangps.com
Beam
Me Up Some Music, Scotty!
"Part
rocket science, part rock 'n' roll:" XM
Satellite Radio
 Satellites
may be an integral part of billion-dollar weapons systems,
but they're also used to deliver "killer"
tunes. XM Satellite Radio is the industry leader, with
over 170 digital channels cranking out everything from
music and Oprah to IndyCar Series Racing and the World
Cup. More than 6.5 million subscribers are spending
$12.95 a month to have the signal beamed to their homes
and cars. Through partnerships with General Motors,
Honda,
Toyota,
Hyundai,
Nissan,
Porsche,
Volkswagen,
Audi,
and Subaru,
XM is available in more than 130 different vehicle models
for 2006. Get
it at www.xmradio.com
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to Products
Read All Car Reviews
(Updated:
12/13/11 NW)
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