New car recommendations for $25k to $31k?

Q. We are having info overload as we research. We've driven a few but nothing blows us away.

We have a family of 5 (2 adults, 3 kids ages 8 and younger). Car will mainly be used for daily business commute of around 25 miles round-trip with occasional piling in of entire family. We'd prefer gas mileage of 25mph or better that is comfortable for all in the back, leather, moonroof.

Kicking around Honda Accord (hybrid or normal sedan), Hyundai Elantra, Mazda 6.

Any other recommendations?

Thanks.

Answer
First, avoid Hybrids. More complex systems, thousands of dollars more to buy for only a few mpg increase, and when the battery fails, it's several thousand to replace. A Prius battery for example is about $4000 to replace, plus labor.

Here's some things to think about.
The Mazda6, Honda accord V6 (the only one worth buying) and the Elantra all use timing belts. Timing belts have to be replaced every 3-5 years at a cost of $800-1500. If a car needs a $1000 repair after just 3-5 years, that's not very reliable.

By comparison, let's look at some alternatives.
For that price range, you can get a 3.6L V6 Dodge Charger that gets 31mpg highway and still has 300hp. Plus it would be far more comfortable for all involved, and more reliable.

You can also get a Ford Fusion with either the 2.5L I4 or the 2.0l ecoboost. Both of them will get better fuel economy than you could want, and both have timing chains that never need replaced. No $1000 repairs every 3-5 years. The 2.5L Fusion gets 22/34mpg, the 2.0L EcoBoost 2.0 gets 22/33. That's just as good as the Accord V6s 21/34, both are slightly cheaper than the V6 Accord, and will be more reliable.

Small town info.?

Q. I am in my 30s, single, no children. I would like to move somewhere else in the future. For people living in small towns, tell me why your town is a great place to live and why. I am looking for info that you don't get in books.

Answer
Lawrence, KS

http://www.lawrence.com/

http://www.city-data.com/city/Lawrence-Kansas.html

The "Midwest Oasis." It's between Kansas City & Topeka, home to Haskell Indian Nations University & the University of Kansas.

Population 80,000, including 30,000 KU students (the town dramatically shrinks in the summer when all the students & professors are out-of-town). But there is an amazing sense of community here & feels a lot smaller. Everyone knows everyone.

Downtown, East Lawrence, & Old West Lawrence have the small town feel. West Lawrence is suburbia from hell. It is very possible to never, ever cross over to that side of town because we have a vibrant downtown with retail shops, restaurants (down home & exotic), bars (something for everyone, including Free State Brewery), & small grocery stores (local, organic, & specialty). And there is a great Farmers' Market 9 months of the year. Local food--everything from greens & tofu to elk & buffalo--is big here.

There is an okay bus system and a lot of people walk or bike everywhere. It's a progressive, open minded community. There is a no smoking ban (excluding the Hookah House), gay partner registry, & the city uses hybrid cars.

Because Lawrence was settled by people from Boston (in a successful effort to stop the spread of slavery west) it looks completely different from the rest of the state. There are trees everywhere, a river, a lake, and the town is centered around a giant hill (Mt. Oread) with KU at the top.

Lawrence is the 2nd most educated city in the country (after Boston). That means there are a lot of coffee shops & book stores.

The best jobs to be found are in education (public, Montessori, & Catholic schools), KU, the service industry, & self-employed. Other big employers here are Hallmark cards, the city government, & in-bound call centers (pay great, lousy atmosphere).

It's a magnet here. People move here from little Kansas towns for the quality of living. Or for school. Or for a job. And never leave. Or they do move away. Usually to Portland, OR, or Denver--then move back.

There are a broad spectrum of churches, a synagogue, a Buddhist center, a mosque, & agnostic & atheists groups.

The Downfalls

Spring & Fall are great. Winter is cold (although not like, say, Chicago). Summer is hot.

Cost-of-living is high for midwest towns. (California transplants laugh at this, though.)

It's in the middle of the country. Great for a lot of people. Not so great if want to live close to the ocean.

College kids are a mixed blessing. The annoying ones stick to places you'll never go.

The town is obsessed with basketball. (But also with Barrack Obama.)

The sprawling Westside. Again, easy to pretend it doesn't exist.

Not diverse compared to huge cities. (BUT exceptionally diverse for a town.)

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Need suggestions on a car for tall person that has kids or info on toyotas if anyone has one ?

baba02703

I am looking to buy a new car. problem is I am a leggy six feet tall and I have small kids. so I need a car that will have enough room for me yet not take up all the room in the back seat. I need room for the kids. I don't have alot of money to spend. Can afford up to 16 grand max so I am looking at an 2008 or 2009. I am interested in the toyota or maybe a hybrid of some sort. right now I drive a 2004 Altima but I want to a newer one. In that car I never use all the trunk space plus my little one always kicks my seat when I drive because I have to put my seat all the way back. I cant afford a newer Altima besides I think they are just too big and I want better gas milage.

Answer
Minivan. Doesn't matter which one.

Hmm, gas mileage is an issue for you. Okay, the Fit fits people pretty well. The Mazda5 is a sneaky minivan - it looks like a zippy tall wagon but it has three rows of seats (they're kind of loose with that "rows" bit)

Get a new Malibu. They're roomy inside, plenty of length for your legs.

My 16 year old daughter wants a new car for her BDay, any advice?

MaHaa

My daughter is very responsible, takes care of herself (she's a diabetic), does well academically and socially in school, does chores as part of our family without having to be asked and chooses to earn her money, instead of looking for hand outs. She is a great kid and it is now time for her to get her 1st car. She has done her research, research that has not only informed us (her parents)in depth but the research was done totally on her own. She presented us with cost, taxes, title, and insurance,what the vehicle got for miles per gallon,....basically she worked out a budget for herself. My question lies within the following, she fell in love with the Toyota Camry Hybrid and I have to admit, she loves it for good reasons. I do not know much about the car ,or the pros and cons to owning a hyrid of any sort. Any information regarding hyrids, their safety history, what kind of vehicle your kids drove for thier 1st car,etc anything that can help this very proud but very nervous Mom
You all are great and the comments are appreciated more than you know. One thing you need to know, my daughter has been saving her money for her 1st car for 1 1/2 years now (with her babysitting $) and starts her 1st retail job on Monday. Her father and she have the following agreement:If you put your entire check in the bank to save, in return Dad will match every cent you saved for your car...plus give you an extra $20 for weekend spending $" She is a great kid! And very responsible. But is this too much?

I just don't know if this is a safe car and if buying her oone or actuall
My daghter has been saving money for her first car by babysitting, doing odd jobs around the heighborhood, and has put every single penny in the bank. For that reason, we will match the amount she has saved.

Answer
the HyCam is a GREAT car, but it's way too much for someone her age. this is a very high end toyota, with all sorts of luxury add-ons that most 16 year olds would never dream of.

she needs to drive a used car for a while at first, i didn't get my first new car until i was 22, financed it under just me and my husband, we are much more appreciative of it. you need to set lower standards at first for her to let her aspire to better things and make her work for them, rather than setting her at the top right away. 16 is just too young- i was also quite responsible at 16, i was fully supporting myself while going to high school, working 35 hours a week, and saving for college. but i was not ready for a brand new car (as much as i really wanted one). i drove an old, crappy buick until after i finished college. and i was happy to do so now that i look back.

in summary, you DO NOT need a new car at the age of 16. how about a used prius or a used camry? they are also great cars, highly reliable if maintained correctly, and very safe.

just for some hybrid safety info, the HyCam is equipped with side, side curtain, front, and driver knee airbags. the prius is equipped with all of the above minus the knee. the high voltage system cuts off in the case of an accident, so that there are no problems with safety in an extraction. i've seen some nasty accidents with the prius that people have survived with minimal injuries. the passenger cage is amazing. i'm sure the camry hybrid has a similar cage structure.

seriously though, that car is way too much. i hope you consider other options.

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How does Tesla Automotive help the environment ?

hybrid car info for kids image

HeartThrob

I keep hearing that Tesla is making the environment a better place because it's taking cars with IC engines off the road.

Well energy cannot be created -- it can be transferred...... so the energy has to come from somewhere right ?

Okay, so people plug in the cars to derive their fuel source from a socket in their house. The power source can be traced back to a power plant burning coal or fossil fuel ( IC engine based powerplant which uses LNG).

If energy is energy, doesn't the same quantum of energy taken for all those cars that would have been on road come from a fossil fuel burning power plant instead of a gas pump ?

Imagine me kicking a 10 ton ball. Let's say I have EAT a ton of food to have the strength to do so. And it takes 100 units of energy to do so.

Now that 100 units is needed to kick that ball 5 feet regardless of whatever is being used. So instead of me kicking it, imagine a robot kicking. This robot still needs 100 units of energy. And it will get it from where ? it will poof out of thin air ? No...it'll get it from the coal that's being burned in a power plant which is producing energy that's transmitted to the robot wia copper wires over a grid.

So what's with the hype around Tesla ?
READ EDIT:

I don't want answers that beat around the bush about how great tesla is, so forth and so on... yada yada yada...look at the answer of the first replying individual, his username is "In Science We Trust" .

I DONT CARE about how much boot space a tesla has. All I want to know is, how does putting a Tesla on a road use any less fossil fuel than a ICE based car. With a tesla you're using power from coal based power plants. With an ICE car youre using refined crude oil from under the ground.

Answer
You question is almost as stupid as your username and photo. The energy efficiency for any moving vehicle, whether powered by an electric motor, an internal combustion engine (ICE) or a hybrid design, comes down to overcoming energy losses sustained during operation. The losses can be classified into two categories: road-load and energy conversion. The design engineers at Tesla Motors have incorporated groundbreaking innovations in overcoming both types of loss. If youâre driving one of the new Tesla S Models you immediately become aware of this as your car quietly rockets from 0-60 mph in just over four seconds, covering a quarter-mile in about 12 seconds (reaching 108 mph).

This is definitely sports car performance but contained within a beautifully-designed luxury sedan. The carâs sleek look is a major contributing factor to overcoming road-load loss a perfect marriage of form and function. Overcoming Road-Load Losses

Road-load loss includes the forces that cause a vehicle to expend energy for purposes other than propelling it forward, such as:
â¢Wind-resistance (drag)
â¢Gravity (vehicle weight)
â¢Rolling tire resistance
â¢Mechanical friction caused by bearings, brakes, drive shaft and hubs

To overcome these road-load loss obstacles, primarily in an effort to extend the driving range of the Tesla EVs, design engineers went to work to build extremely aerodynamic, lightweight bodies that are shapely, slippery, and really look good too. High-performance, low rolling resistance tires are used and all moving parts are made of materials and constructed to be as frictionless as possible. Energy Conversion Losses

Energy conversion is the process of delivering power from an energy source to the drive wheels that ultimately propel the vehicle. Lithium-ion battery cells are used in Tesla EVs because of their superior energy density. Although some energy is lost to heat in the battery pack, the extreme efficiency of the Tesla EVâs powertrain (the motor and the drive inverter) allow for near 90-percent efficiency.

Compare this to your typical gasoline-powered car with an efficiency of about 35-percent and the difference is astounding. Even hybrids donât come close to this level of drive-efficiency, since they are also dependent on a gas-powered engine. Nearly two-thirds of the power produced by an ICE is lost as excess heat created during the combustion process.


For more detailed info, see this:http://www.teslamotors.com/goelectric/efficiency

As for the reason for the hype... when it comes to what matters - how it looks, drives, features and functionality it is a screaming HOME RUN. What has it got? Looks... Incredible performance (0 to 60 in less than 5 sec)...great handling (due to extremely low center of gravity),... a beautiful and well designed computer interface.. an amazing amount of cargo space. No kidding, it's over 55 cubic feet! When you think about how Tesla has replaced a huge, inefficient, polluting, noisy engine with hundreds of moving parts that can wear out with a motor smaller than a beer keg and battery pack on the bottom, isn't it a huge Duh, this is way better?! The Model S is absolutely the coolest car on the planet.

Additional info
According to the Union of Concerned Scientists... "Nearly half of Americans live in regions where driving an electric vehicle means lower global warming emissions than driving even the best hybrid gasoline vehicle available. Over the lifetime of an EV, the owner can save more than 6,000 gallons of gasolineâa significant contribution to U.S. energy security. But our nationâs reliance on coal-powered electricity limits electric vehicles from delivering their full potential. Only by making improvements to our electricity gridâby decreasing the use of coal and increasing the use of clean and renewable sources of electricityâwill electric vehicles deliver their greatest global warming and air pollution benefits."

"To meet the challenge of climate change and reduce our nationâs dependence on oil, continuing to run our cars and trucks predominantly on oil-based fuels is not an option. On the other hand, electric vehiclesâcoupled with clean and sustainable electricityâare important parts of the solution."

Can more than one tax credit be taken on a return? If so, which ones can be taken together?

angel_rat_

Can more than one tax credit be taken on a return? If so, which ones can be taken together? How are multiple tax credits limited?

Answer
Short answer:

"Can more than one tax credit be taken on a return?"

Yes.

"If so, which ones can be taken together?"

All of them.

"Can more than one tax credit be taken on a return?"

Yes.

"If so, which ones can be taken together?"

All.

"How are multiple tax credits limited?"

It depends on the tax law for the tax credits.

Explanation:

First of all, let me give you some definition.

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=120665,00.html

Taxpayers should consider claiming tax credits for which they might be eligible when completing their federal income tax returns. A tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction of taxes owed. Some credits are refundable â taxes could be reduced to the point that a taxpayer would receive a refund rather than owing any taxes.

A nonrefundable credit is a statutory credit that is offset against, and limited to, the amount of the tax liability for the tax year.

A refundable credit is a credit that can reduce tax liability below zero. If these credits exceed the total tax liability, the excess is refunded.

Taxpayers should consider their eligibility for the credits listed below:

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040.pdf

These are all possible credits that one can lawfully take in the US.


********From line 47 to line 55, these are non-refundable credits.

You are suppose to take the credits by the line order. For instance, you would take Foreign tax credit before Education credit. You would take Education credit before Child tax credit.....

Line 47 Foreign Tax Credit (form 1116) Are you paying foreign taxes such as your investment income (e.g. Nokia dividends are withheld by Finnish government- we ought to liberate them :)?

Lne 48 Child Care Credit (form 2441)
⢠The Child and Dependent Care Credit is for expenses paid for the care of children under age 13, or for a disabled spouse or dependent, to enable the taxpayer to work or look for work. For more information, see IRS Publication 503, Child and Dependent Care Expenses.

Line 49 Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled: This credit is available to individuals who are either age 65 or older or are under age 65 and retired on permanent and total disability, and who are U.S. citizens or residents. There are income limitations. For more information, see IRS Publication 524, Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled. Gee I've difficult time obtaining any tax payer fitting in the catagory. Either their tax liabilty is zero or their income is too high.

Line 50 Education Credit (Form 8863) Do you have big kids that will not grow-up and stay at home?

Line 51 Retirement savings contribution credit (Form 8880) This suppose to help the lower and the middle class of America to save.

Line 52 Residential energy credits (Form 5695) I always think they should up the credit limitation.

Line 53 Child Tax Credits. ⢠The Child Tax Credit is for people who have a qualifying child. The maximum amount of the credit is $1,000 for each qualifying child. This credit can be claimed in addition to the credit for child and dependent care expenses. For more information on the Child Tax Credit, see IRS Publication 972, Child Tax Credit.


Line 54 and 55 MISC. Credits (such as hybrid car, Mortgage Interest Credit, Adoption credit and other odd credits).

⢠Adoption Credit: Adoptive parents may qualify for a tax credit of up to $10,960 for qualifying expenses paid to adopt an eligible child. The credit may be allowed for the adoption of a child with special needs even if you do not have any qualifying expenses. For more information, see the instructions for Form 8839, Qualified Adoption Expenses.



*******The following are refundable credits:

Line 66
⢠The Earned Income Tax Credit is a refundable credit for low-income working individuals and families. Income and family size determine the amount of the credit. For more information, see IRS Publication 596, Earned Income Credit.

Line 71
⢠Telephone Excise Tax Refund is a one-time refund for anyone who paid federal excise taxes for long-distance telephone service billed after Feb 28, 2003 and before Aug 1, 2006. A refund of previously collected telephone excise taxes may be requested on your 2006 federal income tax return. The refund request can be based on the actual tax paid or a standard refund amount ranging from $30 to $60. For more information, go to the IRS website at IRS.gov and link to Telephone Excise Tax Refund.

Line 68
Additional Child Tax Credit (form 8812)

This credit is for certain individuals who get less than the full amount of the child tax credit. The additional child tax credit may give you a refund even if you do not owe any tax.

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Which of my ideas would be best for a 7th grade enviroment crisis/solution project? >choices given<?

hybrid car info for kids image

Q. -Hybrid cars
-Shrinking forests
-Renewable energy (wind, solar, hydro)
-Fossil fuels
-Polar Ice caps
Which would be most interesting? Are there any other suggestions?
{I can't do Global Warming}

Answer
Interesting! I actually am doing a project like such. I would probably go with renewable energy. I may choose hydro or wind because people may not know as much about it. I think that you want something people can learn from, so I would choose that one.
For info on renewable energy:

http://www.nrel.gov/
(this is the National Renewable Energy Lab. They have lots of info on most topics like such, however some information is quite complicated!)

http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/renewable/renewable.html
this is an interesting website i found that has illustrated and detailed info on all types of renewable energy. very good when you first start researching!

those are two good websites for starters-
good luck and nice project ideas...
hope it all turns out well!

how can i get free electric bike manufacturer directory of Europe?

Tammy

this is my site,and i want to export to foreign,but i have no free electric bike manufacturer directory .
what i have in hand is totally out of useat all.
http://www.aurora-bike.com/products/ebike/EB03-26.html

Answer
http://www.ev-info.com/en/electric-bicycles-manufacturers.html

I think this site (link) will best suit your needs.
SHORT EXCERPT:

Quote:


".....The new Dutch bike brand Urban Arrow makes smart urban bikes. Our 1st electric transport bike is designed for families with young kids that want a green, affordable and time saving alternative for their city cars.

We re-invented the transport bike: a fresh design, composed out of light, safe and comfortable materials, equipped with
a powerful German made electric pedal assist and built with
A-branded components.

The modular frame makes it possible to attach a different front frame, resulting in a regular transport e-bike or in a 3 wheeled cargo e-bike.
Urban Arrow will be distributed and serviced via selected independent bike dealers.wwww.urbanarrow.com
....
Christina Bikes - NetherlandsGreen power

Christiania goes electric! De Green Power heeft een krachtige motor en een afneembare 9 Ah Lithium Ion accu op de bagagedrager. Dat is lekker licht fietsen! Nu in twee uitvoeringen, met lange en korte bak.www.christina.nl
....
Malaguti - ItalyMalaguti and the environment

The production of motor-vehicles offering design and performance combined with a reduced consumption and a lower environmental impact is among the main targets of Malaguti, always caring about the environmental issues.
On the threshold of the new millennium Malaguti was already one of the first companies worldwide to market an electric bicycle as well as conceive and create an electric scooter, in order to offer effective solutions for both the urban commuting needs and the pollution issues.

In fact, in the year 2000 two brand-new products were introduced: CIAK Electric Power, a zero-emission electric scooter, and Pedalight, an electrically assisted bicycle, two different ways to offer an alternative urban mobility solution.

By now environmental sustainability is essential for a product to be successful.

The consciousness that our planet needs our moral and active engagement found fertile ground at Malaguti especially with regard to engines, with the introduction of alternative dual drive vehicles.

In November 2008 Malaguti presented at EICMA (International Bicycle and Motorcycle Exhibition) its first prototype of a scooter with HYBRID ENGINE. ...."

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