Europe has a great train network, but sometimes you don’t want to have to rely on a train schedule to get you where you need to be. For those times, a car rental may be just what you are looking for. So are you ready rent a car in Europe? Great! Here are 10 things you must know before getting behind the wheel:

1 – Learn Local Signage

If you’re going to be doing any amount of driving, it never hurts to learn what the road signs are going to mean. Some things will be the same, for example red means stop, yellow means caution, and green is go. A call to your travel agent should get the information you’re after.

2 – Car Rental Insurance

You might think your home auto insurance will cover you in Europe, but chances are, it’s not going to. The most common way to get insurance is through the car rental supplier, however your credit card company may offer that service to you. If that’s the case, call them well before your departure and have them send whatever documentation is required so you can take it with you. [Read more…]

The Ford Motor Company received some very good news from the Environmental Protection Agency this month. Its 5-passenger, 5-door pure electric hatchback has been rated at 110 MPGe in city driving, beating Nissan’s Leaf and offering the best fuel efficiency of any car in its class.

The 2012 Ford Focus Electric delivers top fuel efficiency and is the latest EV offering to hit the market thus far. The EPA states that the Focus Electric will get 99 MPGe on the highway or a combined 105 MPGe in city and highway driving. That gives the electrified Focus a 6 MPGe edge over the Leaf and with its 76-mile charging range, the Focus tops the Leaf’s range by three miles as well. [Read more…]

I know you’re going to hate me when I say this, but I passed my driving lesson first time, when I was 17. My learning to drive was not without its mishaps, though, with a black cat running in front of the car incident, and many arguments ending in tears with my long suffering dad.

But I was delighted to pass at 17. I have now been driving for over 10 years and contrary to some statistics, I have never had a bump or an accident of any kind.

I am safe, courteous, and hate selfish drivers – especially those who cruise down the middle lane of a motorway – don’t even get me started…

However, I have a few friends who are petrified of driving. Some have even passed their test, but still can’t get behind the wheel. Some haven’t even bothered to learn – and they are in their fifties!

Whether its nerves, lack of student motivation, an accident you have encountered in the past, or just sheer laziness, you CAN overcome these fears.

Here are the top 5 mistakes that often cause people to fail their driving test: [Read more…]

The Tesla Roadster is innovation and beauty wrapped into one. Its supercar design is smooth and detailed, while the electric power puts this roadster in a class all its own.

Exterior

The chassis is a resin construct, which was designed to exclusively support the electric-drive technology. Locking wheel lugs come standard along with four wheel independent suspension for optimal ride and safety. The exterior is comprised of carbon fiber body panels, and sports a double insulated black soft top. Halogen low and high-beam assemblies and LED tail lights are standard.

[Read more…]

The exhaust system of your car represents the last leg of the combustion process. When most people think of tail pipe emissions, they imagine carbon monoxide and the other negative byproducts associated with vehicles.

Often times, however, drivers are surprised to learn that one common byproduct of combustion is also one of the most familiar compounds on Earth – water. As a result, it’s common and completely normal to see water dripping or “leaking” out of the end of your car’s exhaust system.

[Read more…]