Archive for category Dodge

New Car Insurance Costs

Posted by in Dodge on June 23, 2011

More to the sticker price than meets the eye!

Buying a new car can be a very exciting and overwhelming experience. Sorting through options, makes, models and features is enough to make your head spin. Not to mention the financing and car insurance costs. However, being prepared before you shop can help make the buying process quicker and easier for you!

Identifying the ideal car for you.

Before heading out to the car dealership, make a list of what you are looking for in a new car. As you are writing the list, think about the same concerns a car insurance company would consider when quoting you a rate, such as:

* How do you use your car?
* How many passengers do you typically carry?
* How often do you drive your car?
* Where do you drive?

These factors will help you pinpoint the best car for you, while also helping to potentially keep your car insurance premium down.

Features to consider before you buy.

Make a list of all the features and options that are important to you, such as head and leg room, transmission type, engine, trunk size, airbags, security system, anti-lock brakes and other safety features. Car insurance companies often give discounts for some of these items; saving you significant money on your overall quote.

Also, check out auto manufacture’s websites. Many have special pages that let you “shop” for your dream car – giving you the opportunity to select the features that are important to you, while also providing you with the true cost of these “extra perks.”

The cost.

Before you buy you should always factor in all costs involved with buying a new car, including sticker price, gas, maintenance, financing rates, taxes and car insurance.

How much you pay for your car has a powerful effect on your car insurance premium. A luxury car with all the latest safety features will typically cost more to insure than a no-frill economy car, due in part, because the higher-priced car may be more expensive to repair or is more likely to be stolen.

Yet some cars do consistently get better deals on car insurance rates than others. For example, a $14,000 Dodge Neon costs about the same amount to insure as a $34,000 Volvo XC70. According to Edmunds.com, the Dodge Neon would set you back an average of $4,410 in premiums over five years, while the Volvo would cost $4,605. Read the rest of this entry »

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Dodge Diesel Performance

Posted by in Dodge on June 23, 2011

The Dodge Cummins diesel is a favorite of many diesel enthusiasts because of how many modifications can be done to it. The Dodge Cummins diesel comes stock with great power and fuel economy and can be tweaked to get diesel fuel mileage in the upper twenties and some even report low thirties in mpg. That is phenomenal economy for a truck. They can also be turned into ground pounding monsters. Today we will take a look at a few of the modifications that can be done to make the vehicle either more economical or more powerful.

First the most popular modification for any diesel is a performance chip. These come in chips, modules and programmers. All have the same basic functions although they will all alter the fueling in slightly different ways and have a variety of safety features. Generally for a conservative driver, with almost any diesel chip about three to four mpg increases can be achieved. Most of these chips add about 120 horse power on their top setting. There are some extreme chips though that will add about 230 hp and over 400 torque to the dodge Cummins diesel.

Probably the second most popular modification for the Dodge Cummins Diesel is performance diesel fuel injectors. Upgraded injectors can also add economy for a conservative driver. The injectors come in stages that range from 50 hp to 150 hp over stock, and even more extreme injectors can be custom made. 50 hp injectors would be for someone looking for a little more power and better economy. 150 hp injectors would be considered extreme. They also come in complete injector replacements or just nozzle or injector tip upgrades.

For any diesel that is being modified, a higher flow exhaust should be added to help it keep exhaust gas temperatures down and to relieve engine stress. Most people upgrade the size of the entire exhaust from the turbo. Others use the Aero Exhaust which is a muffler replacement only. The design of the Aero Exhaust increases the speed of the exhaust like a jet would as the exhaust flows through it. On the 2005 Dodge Cummins diesel the Aero Exhaust adds 19 hp and 38 dyno tested torque by just replacing the muffler.

Another popular modification is the cold air intake which allows more air into the engine which helps to combust a higher percentage of the fuel. This gets more power to the wheels instead of out the tail pip in a big black cloud. Read the rest of this entry »

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