Car Club Blog

The 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano is new for 2007 and is powered by a 611-horsepower 6.0-liter V12 engine combined with the F1 SuperFast transmission that shifts gears in 100 milliseconds. The 599 GTB Fiorano also features F1-Trac to optimize traction and the SCM (magnetorheological fluid suspension system) developed with Delphi which provides improved bump absorption and body control.

Now that summer is almost here in Dallas, TX, the sun is a bigger part of many people’s automotive dreams. For some, summer driving means renting a convertible in DFW from DFW Elite Auto Rental.com. For others, it means converting their cars to run on solar power.

One Boise, Idaho man has the answer to climbing gas prices, now above $3.75 per gallon. Rather than take a painful trip to the pump every week, John Weber chooses has modified his yellow Festiva to run on sunlight.

“People stop me all the time,” John Weber told Boise-based KTVB. “They’re like, ‘Do you really buy no gas?’ And I’m like, ‘No, I don’t buy any gas.’”

“Good for Mr. Weber,” says small business consultant Ron Sturgeon, owner of a Dallas luxury car rental business. “I applaud him for finding a way to make himself energy independent and for his spirit of self reliance,” said Mr. Sturgeon.

While Sturgeon’s DFW car rental company doesn’t offer solar cars for rent, it does allow those with a passion for driving to rent a Dodge Viper as well as a bevy of other exciting sports cars. “I don’t think it’s carbon neutral, but renting a Viper guarantees an unforgettable day of fantasy car driving,” says Mr. Sturgeon.

Some of the drop tops available to Dallas sun worshippers from DFW Elite Auto Rental include a Bentley Continental GTC, an Aston Martin V8 Vantage, a Dodge Viper SRT-10, a Ferrari 360 Spider, a BMW M6, and a Mercedes SL500.

For John Weber, the sun is a way to avoid dependence on others for his energy needs. Although a Festiva is not really my style, I have to admire him for paying more than lip service to his environmental beliefs.

“I don’t like to be dependent on big global corporations to get my needs met; I like to get my needs met locally,” Weber told a reporter from KTVB in Boise.

His car runs on solar or can be charged off a regular house outlet. Before you get up in a lather about Weber selling out to the local power company, check this out.

Kate Miller-Wilson is a freelance writer living in the Twin Cities. Visit her website or email her for information about her freelance writing services.

More than 650,000 trucks manufactured by the Ford Motor Company are being recalled due to a faulty power brake assist hose. The voluntary recall came about because of 11 minor accidents involving the recalled vehicles. Fortunately, no one was injured in these incidents.

Ron Sturgeon, owner of a Dallas TX exotic car rental company is impressed with Ford’s responsiveness. “Ford has done a lot to improve the cars that they are making,” said Sturgeon. “I hope this setback won’t discourage people from taking a fresh look at the good things going on at Ford,” said the owner of a Tarrant County luxury car rental firm.

The Ford recall affects the 2005-2006 models of the Ford F-150 and Lincoln Mark LT pickup trucks. The affected vehicles have 5.4 liter three-valve V8s. The problem prompting the recall arises because the brake hose on these vehicles may swell and eventually detach from the intake manifold.

Although this defect won’t prevent the truck from braking, it will increase the pressure that a driver has to exert on the brake pedal to bring the truck to a stop.

The timing of the recall couldn’t be worse for Ford as the U.S. automaker gears up to launch a new version of its popular F series pick up truck. According to a wire story, Ford’s sales are already down 16% because of record high gas prices and fears of more bad news from the slumping housing sector.

“I remain optimistic that Ford’s renewed focus on making better cars for the American market will payoff in the long run,” says auto afficianado and Dallas web designer Josh Davis.

Parts for the repair to the affected Ford vehicles are not yet available. Ford will begin notifying owners of the recalled vehicles in early July.

Ford dealers will replace the brake hose at no charge to owners of the recalled Ford models.

Kate Miller-Wilson is a freelance writer living in the Twin Cities. Visit her website or email her for information about her freelance writing services.

It is one of the seminal moments in one of the defining films of my generation.  The year was 1986 and the film was Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

The particular scene involved a distraught Cameron lamenting his loveless relationship with his father who, according to Cameron, loved his small collection of exotic cars more than he loved Cameron.
 
As any distraught son in an 80s John Hughes film would do, Cameron blew a gasket and took out his frustration on his father’s cherished Ferrari 250 California Spyder, eventually sending the classic Ferrari careening into a ravine 50 feet below its elevated garage.

Oops.

Car fans can take great joy in two things:  First, the California Ferrari destroyed in the movie was a replica and second, Ferrari is set to introduce a new California Ferrari very soon.
 
Surprisingly done just a few months prior to the Paris Auto Show, Ferrari leaked out several photos of the 2009 Ferrari California.  Special thanks to Matthew Phenix at Wired Blogs for the tip.

At first glimpse, the new Ferrari takes styling cues from the 612 Scaglietti, but don’t think for a minute that this car is just a cut and paste job.

For starters, the 2009 Ferrari California will boast the company’s first retractable hardtop.  And don’t think that just because the Ferrari California looks like art, it won’t perform like a Ferrari.
 
Word is that the newest front engined V-8-based Ferrari will boast 450-plus horsepower and get from zero to sixty in four seconds or less.  That compares extremely favorably to my Honda Civic’s 110 horsepower engine that requires a minute hand to clock!

“It has always been our experience that Ferrari doesn’t do anything half way with their cars.  A Ferrari’s performance is every bit as immaculate as their styling and our customers always cherish their time driving a Ferrari,” says Dallas small business consultant Ron Sturgeon.
 
Sturgeon operates an exotic car club in Fort Worth TX that allows its members to use a fully stocked exotic car garage at their whim.  By utilizing a tier points system with different levels of membership, DFW Elite Car Club provides members the exotic car driving experience at a fraction of the cost and hassle of direct ownership.

Additionally, Sturgeon operates a company that specializes in luxury car rental in DFW. DFW Elite Auto Rental.com helps car buffs to get their hands on luxury car rentals for weddings in Dallas, classic car rentals for Dallas high school reunions, trade shows or other business events.
 
Finally, Sturgeon oversees an exotic car tour business that treats participants to a full eight-hour day of driving five different exotic cars throughout Texas’ most driver-friendly roads.

“We’ve got several Ferraris, and knowing me I won’t be able to resist the new California model for long,” claims Sturgeon.  In the meantime, I’m sure his clients will find special joy in driving the newly arrived 2008 Lamborghini and 2008 Dodge Viper.  And I’ll keep hoping someone gives me a exotic car rental gift certificate from DFW Elite Auto Rental.

Written by G.D. Gregory.  If you are interested in having me write stories for you or seeing my portfolio, please contact me at ggpsu@yahoo.com. 

Streetcar, the car club started four years ago by two university friends, has undergone a 10 per cent rise in membership since Alistair Darling imposed a steep increase in car taxes in the Budget last month.

The club, which has 30,000 members and 750 cars in six cities in the UK, has had 3,000 people join since the Chancellor said that drivers would have to pay a showroom tax of up to £950 for the biggest gas-guzzlers.

Brett Akker, co-founder and joint managing director of the club, expects to double its membership this year and to have 1,000 vehicles on the road, as motoring costs climb and as the congestion charge in Central London rises for larger vehicles in the autumn.

Mr Akker said that a membership of 250,000 was a realistic goal for 2012. The business was started with eight cars in South West London in 2004 and has expanded beyond the capital since. Members pay £49.50 a year to join, a fee that covers their insurance. They are given a swipe card, which gives them access to a cluster of cars - VW Polos or Golfs - parked close to where they live. The swipe card opens the car and a PIN turns off the car’s immobiliser and gives access to the glove compartment, where the keys to the ignition are. Members pay £3.95 an hour for the Polo and £5.95 for the Golf. Car hire for 24 hours costs £39.50 and weekend hire is £90.

Most members choose not to buy or replace a car and use cars only for journeys on which they are needed, Mr Akker said. Transport for London, which is spending £4.3 million to help London boroughs to find parking places for car clubs, has calculated that each car club vehicle on the road replaces an average of 20 privately owned cars.

Using research from the AA, Streetcar calculates that using your car for two short trips a month and one trip a month would cost around £2,750 a year. The equivalent cost of using a Streetcar would be £700.

Smedvig Capital, a small private equity group, invested £6.4 million in the company last year but there are no plans for further fundraising.

There is probably nothing more American than niches. Many of our most formidable industries started out as niches. For example, the automobile, beer, and technology all started out as niche endeavors.

And there is no secret to what motivates a niche industry…need! Well, unless you’ve been living under a rock, you are aware that the greatest need in United States, if not the world, is relief at the gas pump.

Within this context, it is predictable that many niche businesses will pop up offering any number of possible solutions to the gas price dilemma. One such invention is the E-Fuel 100 MicroFueler. Hat tip to CS Magor at Uber Review for the tip on this nifty item.

What does this device do you ask? Well think of gas tank and a distillery all rolled into one. Oh, and it fits in your garage.

Basically, the MicroFueler takes raw materials and turns them into car-friendly ethanol. The main ingredient of choice is sugar, and lots of it. It takes about 10 to 14 pounds of sugar (and some yeast) to produce a gallon of ethanol.

That makes the cost efficiency of the MicroFueler dependant on the cost of sugar, or other ingredients used.

Perhaps even more favorable as an ethanol source in the unit is stale beer. Because the beer has already been through the fermentation process, it is ready for ethanol conversion.
If all this sounds too good to be true, there are some negatives to consider.

First, the MicroFeuler costs about $10,000. This means you’re going to have to drive a lot of miles to pay for the unit, even assuming your final gasoline (or ethanol) costs are less than what you get at conventional pumps. Also, you have to have a car with an engine that accepts ethanol as fuel.

“There’s not a chance that we’ll be running our Dallas exotic car rentals on ethanol from sugar any time soon,” warns Ron Sturgeon, an owner of a luxury car rental company.

“Warranty issues and the desire to follow the recommended care advice from the makers prevent us from considering the Microfueler,” said the Texan. “Still, I think it’s a sweet idea, and I wish them well in bringing it to market,” said the Dallas luxury car rental company executive.

American ingenuity will find an answer to the rising gas prices. And it’s likely to be entrepreneurs unafraid to try a bold answer who will lead us to energy independence.

Written by G.D. Gregory. If you are interested in having me write stories for you or seeing my portfolio, please contact me at ggpsu@yahoo.com.

This weekend, the city of Addison, Texas will be celebrating the 15th annual Taste Addison festival. The celebration features special menu choices from more than 50 of Addison’s restaurants, as well as live music from The Black Crowes and Gavin DeGraw.

Thanks to Claude Etienne Armingard for the Black Crowes image.

Also featured will be children’s entertainment and live demonstrations from celebrity chefs.

Ron Sturgeon, owner of a Dallas exotic car rental company and luxury, classic, and exotic car club, is a big fan of the Taste Addison celebration. “Addison is a great town,” says Sturgeon, “and this festival is a fun way to explore all that the restaurants of Addison have to offer. Plus, this year’s musical line up is sensational.”

One of the highly anticipated events at Taste Addison 2008 is the Flair Bartending Exhibition. The exhibition, which takes place at the Bowl Stage on Saturday, May 10 at 6:00 PM, will feature several area bartenders who specialize in the art of “flair bartending.”

This form of bartending involves tricks like throwing, spinning, and flipping bottles and drinks while ensuring drink accuracy and no spills. Think Tom Cruise in “Cocktail.”

Another fun vacation activity at Taste Addison 2008 is the Taste Showcase. The Taste Showcase features some of the area’s top chefs, as well as vendor displays, cooking demonstrations, and wine seminars.

For a complete schedule of the events at the Taste Showcase, check out the official Taste Addison 2008 website.

“I think we’ll see a lot of people renting exotic cars for the Taste Addison celebration this year,” says Sturgeon, who also owns a company that does fantasy car driving tours. “After all, if you’re going to be eating exotic food, why not arrive in an exotic car?”

Ticket prices for Taste Addison 2008 are $5 for adults before 5:00 PM and $10 for adults after 5:00 PM. Children under 4 are free. For those who want to make a day and night of it, the city has a Get a Room promotion that gets you tickets and some meal discounts when you book a hotel room for the Taste of Addison 2008.

Kate Miller-Wilson is a freelance writer living in the Twin Cities. Visit her website or email her for information about her freelance writing services.

With news that the government’s economic stimulus checks will be arriving early, many consumers are looking for fun ways to spend their extra cash to benefit the US economy.  Home improvements and debt payoff are high on some people’s lists, but if your roof is in good condition and your credit card is paid off, you may be interested in checking out some fun ways to spend the money.

“Exotic cars are a great way to get some serious bang for your buck,” says Ron Sturgeon, owner of a Dallas exotic car rental company.  “The memory of driving an exotic car is sure to last longer than anything else you could buy,” insists the Texas entrepreneur.

Exotic car rental is a popular alterative to owning a luxury, classic, or exotic car.  After all, even with the bit of help we’re getting from Uncle Sam, most of us aren’t going to run out and buy a Dodge Viper.  However, the stimulus check could let you spend a day driving your dream car.

Lot’s of fans of American muscle cars have been itching for a chance to rent a 2008 Dodge Viper.In Dallas, it’s been our most in-demand sports car rental.

According to the IRS website, most taxpayers are eligible for the economic stimulus checks.  The checks began arriving in people’s bank accounts earlier this week.  For the scoop on when to expect your check, take a look at the official IRS website.

“People who chose direct deposit will receive their economic stimulus payments the quickest,” IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said on the IRS website. “We know there are many people who are eligible for an economic stimulus payment who have not filed a tax return. If you think you may be eligible, even if you don’t normally file a tax return, please check it out. And, use direct deposit to get your payment faster.”

Once you do receive your payment, check out the Exotic Car Rental Directory to find a business that rents luxury cars in your area.  After that, it’s just a matter of picking out a car that you’ve been itching to drive. 

For an auto aficionado, renting a sports car in Dallas TX, or any other city, is a fantastic way to stimulate the senses and the economy.

Kate Miller-Wilson is a freelance writer living in the Twin Cities.  Visit her website or email her for information about her freelance writing services.