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K-Rod flies back to Venezuela following brothers’ car crash

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Posted in Celebrity Auto News

Early last week, Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez left the team’s training facility in Florida to head back to his native Venezuela for “personal reasons.” Over the weekend, various media outlets broke the news that K-Rod was forced to fly home to tend to his two brothers, who were involved in a serious car crash.

Apparently, Rodriguez’s two younger brothers – Leandro and Erik – were in the middle of a 10-hour drive across Venezuela when the accident occurred. Erik had just taken the wheel at approximately 3 AM on Wednesday when he fell asleep and lost control of the family’s truck, flipping it multiple times. The vehicle eventually came to rest at the bottom of a ravine and burst into flames soon after all the passengers were able to extricate themselves from the cabin.

“They were sitting on the side of the road for four hours until somebody stopped by and picked them up and took them to the hospital,” said Rodriguez. “That’s when I found out and headed back [home].”

While Erik’s injuries were limited to a broken arm, Leandro suffered a broken ankle, knee and arm as well as fractures to both legs and hips, ESPN.com reports.

Rodriguez was back with the Mets on Sunday and is expected to be ready for the season opener Monday.

Sandra Bullock makes first appearance since the news of her husbands affair

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Posted in Celebrity Auto News, Mercedes-Benz

For the first time in more than two weeks since the news broke of her husband’s affair, movie star Sandra Bullock made a public appearance. Unfortunately, instead of accepting an award or showing off at a movie premiere, Bullock was photographed covering her face while being hassled by a group of paparazzi.

Wearing a large hat and draping a coat over her head, The Blind Side star tried to slump down in the seat of her chauffeured Mercedes-Benz to escape the madness.

“When you’re at your most vulnerable or least tolerant, that’s when the paparazzi come after you,” Lt. Jeff Dunn, who runs an anti-stalking unit for the Los Angeles Police Department told ABC News.

Meanwhile, her husband Jesse James, who was recently busted having an ongoing affair with a fetish model, faces a vandalism charge after allegedly damaging the car of a photographer who was apparently stalking him in Los Angeles. James, who is currently in rehab for sex addiction, has since been accused of cheating on Bullock with three other women over the past few years.

Although the National Ledger reports that James’ friends are referring to him as a “broken man” who is desperate to rekindle his relationship with his movie star wife, various media reports indicate that a divorce is imminent.

How to fix a scratch on your vehicle

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Posted in How To

With summer just around the corner, April is the time that most car owners get around to assessing their vehicle’s exterior and fixing any problems that may have occurred during the winters months. In the Northeast, dents, dings and scratches are bound to happen when snow hits the ground. With a few helpful tips, even the deepest, most obvious scratches can easily be removed.

The first thing that any car owner should do when encountering a nick or scuff mark is to go to the local auto parts store and purchase the materials necessary for the job. The three main ingredients that are needed are primer, body compound and paint in your vehicle’s color.

To obtain the correct shade, check your vehicle’s identification number, which is stamped into the dashboard on the driver’s side in most cars, according to EHow.com. Provide this number to your auto parts store and they can match the exact shade of paint for your vehicle. If possible, never choose a color using an eye test – a mismatched paint job will often look worse than the scratch itself.

After purchasing your tools for the job, wash the scratch and the surrounding area with a mild laundry detergent to remove any excess wax. Next, take a small section of sandpaper and grind away any rust that has accumulated. If the scratch is fresh, this step may be avoided.

At this point, you will want to take some masking tape and newspaper and isolate the scratch, says Christopher Bibey of Associated Content. After sealing off the area, take a plastic knife and apply body compound to the area. Make sure not to use a metal knife or you could significantly damage the paint job.

Let the body compound dry and then sand the area flat to create an even surface to paint on. Next, apply to primer to the scratch and give it time to dry.

Finally, take the smallest paint brush that you own and gently paint over the scratch. Be certain not to use too much paint or it may give the car an uneven look.

If you hang on to all of the materials that you purchase, you can fix most any scratch an no cost for the life of your automobile.

Study: 97.5 percent of motorists can’t safely drive while talking on the phone

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Posted in General Auto News

Although talking on the phone while driving may be safe for a select few, new research has found that an overwhelming majority of motorists are putting their life in their hands by using their cell phone in transit.

According to a recent University of Utah study, only 2.5 percent of people – known as supertaskers – can successfully drive while simultaneously using their cellular telephone, Health Day News reports.

“Given the number of individuals who routinely talk on the phone while driving, one would have hoped that there would be a greater percentage of supertaskers,” said study co-author and psychologist Jason Watson.

“And while we’d probably all like to think we are the exception to the rule, the odds are overwhelmingly against it,” he added.

In the study, the research team analyzed 200 people who took part in a simulated freeway driving session. Watson and his colleagues were shocked to find that nearly every participant took 20 percent longer to hit the brakes while talking on the phone than they did while driving normally.

Moreover, their memory performance, math skills and ability to properly follow the vehicle in front of them suffered considerably.

New York Auto Show to open this Friday

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Posted in General Auto News

Following two days of press conferences on Wednesday and Thursday, the annual New York International Auto Show will open this Friday and will showcase some of the most innovative vehicle designs of the coming year.

Early media reports indicate that the theme of this year’s auto show will be fuel efficiency and sustainability. In fact, the majority of the hyped cars to be shown off this weekend are hybrid or green vehicles.

Ironically, the Obama administration plans to announce the finalized fuel economy mandates for 2012-16 model cars on the eve of the event. Although hybrids still only account for less than 3 percent of the market share in North America in 2010, automakers are gambling that the current administration’s standards will make fuel-efficient, environmentally-friendly vehicles the wave of the future, according to The Globe and Mail.

Car manufacturers who plan on unveiling new hybrid versions of some of their premium models include Ford, Porsche, Nissan and Hyundai.
The event will be held at New York’s Javits Center and will run through Sunday, April 11.

Ford agrees to sell Volvo to Chinese automaker

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Posted in Ford, Volvo - DO NOT USE

Officials with Ford have reached an agreement to sell the company’s Volvo brand to China’s Geely Holding Company in an effort to streamline their business and become profitable again.

The sale marks the second time in as many months that an American automaker had agreed to hand over one of its divisions to a foreign power at a reduced price due to financial difficulties. Last month, General Motors sold its Saab brand to the Dutch supercar maker Spyker after nearly shutting down the division just weeks before the deal was signed.

As part of the agreement, Geely will pay Ford approximately $1.8 billion by the end of the third quarter, and the Detroit-based automaker will continue to build powertrains, stamping and other parts for Volvo after the sale is completed, according to Auto Week.

As for Volvo, which has become a hallmark for quality engineering and vehicle safety, Geely plans on “liberating” the Swedish brand by aggressively developing and marketing vehicles on a worldwide level.

“China, the largest car market in the world, will become Volvo’s second home market,” Geely chairman Li Shufu said in a statement. “Volvo will be uniquely positioned as a world-leading premium brand, tapping into the opportunities in the fast-growing China market.”

Shufu added that his company plans to invest at least $900 million of new capital into Volvo in the near future, and will open a new production facility in China to increase development in the East. However, Geely will not move Volvo’s main development offices nor its Swedish headquarters, and plans to keep the two companies completely separate, Reuters reports.

Meanwhile, the sale will allow Ford the financial flexibility to develop and manufacture new lines and to concentrate on the domestic market, where they have always had the most success.

Unfortunately, the agreement might spell the end for Ford Company veteran Steven Odell, who is expected to step down as the chief executive officer at Volvo soon after the sale is completed. However, many believe that Odell, who has been a major player within Ford’s organization for years, will stay on with the company after being relieved of his duties, Business Week reports.

“Odell’s been with Ford so long and is loyal to it; that’s where his heart is,” said Thomas Ivonen, a board member with Volvo. “I feel certain he will remain with Ford.”

2005 Toyota Tacoma proves up to the long haul

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Posted in Toyota

If there’s one thing that most drivers require from their trucks its dependability. As the workhorse of the automotive industry, trucks have to be rugged and tough to catch a driver’s eye, and according to MotorTrend Magazine’s Long-Term Verdict trucks don’t come much more reliable than the 2005 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner V-6.

The 2005 Tacoma was indeed a step up from earlier models, standing taller and wider than its predecessors and featuring a slightly re-sculpted exterior. Among the more common models including extended and crew cabs, one of the most popular styles was the sporty PreRunner – a sleek redesign that offered the look and suspension of a four-wheel drive vehicle to the compact truck driver.

Drivers fortunate enough to get a hold of the V-6 PreRunner are gifted with a 4.0-liter engine that pushes 245 hp at 283 lb-ft of torque, giving this truck the chops to hang in the same league as its larger counterparts like the Dodge Dakota.

The Tacoma’s interiors also grew substantially larger than earlier models creating a spacious driving experience, and with the added storage space and a 440-watt electrical outlet, the Tacoma’s bed is one of the most versatile in its class.

New Jersey teen drivers forced to identify themselves beginning May 1

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Posted in General Auto News

Teenage drivers in New Jersey will soon be easily recognizable. Following through on legislation approved last year by former Governor Jon Corzine, the Motor Vehicle Commission recently introduced red decals that most motorists under the age of 21 will be forced to display on their license plates.

The new law requiring decals, which will begin to be enforced on May 1, will alert police of anyone who is driving on a learner’s permit or a probationary license, according to KYW1060.com.

Pam Fischer, director of New Jersey’s Division of Highway Traffic Safety, says the law will help police enforce “things like a curfew, making sure they’re not having too many passengers in the car, they’re complying with the ban on hand-held and hands-free cell phones and so forth.”

After drivers have completed the 12-month provisional-license period, they will no longer be required to display the decal.

Meanwhile, local teenagers are speaking out against the regulation, stating that it unfairly targets a specific age group.

“It’s already scary being a new driver, but to know that you have a scarlet letter on your car can make you even more nervous,” said Christina Lombardo, the chapter vice president of Students Against Destructive Decisions at Old Bridge High School, quoted by Philly.com.

The decals cost $4 and will go on sale April 12 at Motor Vehicle Commission offices statewide.

Dwight Gooden arrested after crashing car in New Jersey

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Posted in Celebrity Auto News

Former New York Met ace Dwight Gooden was arrested in New Jersey on Tuesday after being involved in a two-car accident in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.

Gooden, who won the 1985 Cy Young Award at the age of 20, was placed into police custody after crashing his vehicle, with his five-year old son sitting in the passenger seat, while being under the influence of drugs.

The former Met and Yankee great faces a slew of charges, including endangering the welfare of a child, driving under the influence of drugs, leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident and reckless driving, CNN reports.

Gooden, 45, has a long history of drug and alcohol abuse, not to mention an extensive criminal record. The three-time World Series champion most recently pleaded guilty to a charge of reckless driving in 2002 and driving with a suspended license a year later. He also did a stint in prison in 2006 for drug charges.

In November of last year, Gooden discussed his substance abuse problem with the New York Daily News and wrote a book describing his 20-plus year addiction.

“I’m not out to prove everybody wrong,” he told the news source. “I’m taking it day by day. I’m clean and sober and just trying to make good choices for me and my family.”

New Jersey economy on the mend

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Posted in Auto Loans & Financing News

Even as a multitude of snowstorms hammered the east coast in February, the state of New Jersey had its most economically successful month in more than two years.

Over the last six months, experts have said that the recession has ended and the economy is back on track. However, significant improvements in the job market had not been felt by the majority of residents.

Fortunately, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development reported on Wednesday that the state added 3,700 jobs in February, all of which came in the private sector, APP.com reports. The unemployment rate is now at a five-month low of 9.8 percent.

“I’m starting to get interviews, maybe once every two weeks, whereas before it wasn’t that much,” said Justine Nardone, 54, of Ocean Grove, who is currently unemployed.

The state of New Jersey saw the jobless rate increase for 23 consecutive months from December of 2007 to the end of last year, more than doubling the unemployment rate in that time. However, as the state and the nation have put together a string of economically vibrant months, consumers and job seekers are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel.

“It’s certainly a positive sign,” said James Hughes, an economist and dean of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University, quoted by the news source. “I think we’re going to see an erratic pattern going forward, which happens at the end of recessions.”

Overall employment in the state grew to 3,853,400 in February, with the largest gains seen in the financial activities industry, the professional and business services field as well as the health and education sectors, according to Business Week.

Meanwhile, Michael Drewniak, press secretary for Governor Chris Christie, reiterated on Wednesday the administration’s pledge to reform the business climate in the state of New Jersey and make job creation the number one priority.

While calling the Department of Labor report “reassuring,” Drewniak also noted that the governor and his staff have plenty of work still to do.

“The governor and his entire administration are committed to restoring fiscal stability, growing our economy and reforming our business climate to secure New Jersey’s place as a place for strong, ongoing business growth and job creation,” he said in a statement.