29/06/2012
Airbag seatbelts from Ford
Having airbags for the front passenger and driver is all very well and good, but what about the backseat passengers?
It’s quite rare, in my opinion, to have any safety equipment ready to leap into action to save backseaters from injury in a collision.
Well, next year Ford will be offering inflatable seatbelts for backseat passengers as an extra – which will probably cost around £250.
Initially the belts will be available only in the Mondeo, but the company plans on having it available in all of their family cars eventually.
The seatbelts, which will act as airbags for anyone in the rear of the vehicle, are safe for use with a booster seat and wil fully inflate in 40 milliseconds.
Hopefully this will lead to a reduction in the number of whiplash, back and head injuries suffered annually in the UK.
The inflatable belts have already been available to the American public since late last year, and apparently the company states that so far 40% of customers have elected to have the safety extra.
I’m not surprised! Changing the paintwork colour of a Ford Mondeo can cost anything from £200 to £545 – with that in mind £250 for something which will protect someone from suffering harm in a crash is a very good price!
It’s quite rare, in my opinion, to have any safety equipment ready to leap into action to save backseaters from injury in a collision. Well, next year Ford will be offering inflatable seatbelts for backseat passengers as an extra – which will probably cost around £250.
Initially the belts will be available only in the Mondeo, but the company plans on having it available in all of their family cars eventually.
The seatbelts, which will act as airbags for anyone in the rear of the vehicle, are safe for use with a booster seat and wil fully inflate in 40 milliseconds.
Hopefully this will lead to a reduction in the number of whiplash, back and head injuries suffered annually in the UK.
The inflatable belts have already been available to the American public since late last year, and apparently the company states that so far 40% of customers have elected to have the safety extra.
I’m not surprised! Changing the paintwork colour of a Ford Mondeo can cost anything from £200 to £545 – with that in mind £250 for something which will protect someone from suffering harm in a crash is a very good price!
Photo © Criterion via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: air bag, backseat, crash, driver, Ford, inflatable seatbelt, injuries, passenger, safe, vehicle, whiplash
09/03/2012
Hard times bring expensive tastes
In my opinion, there’s something about times of economic hardship that makes us all long for quality.
Take the Second World War for example, during that time my grandparents had less than they’d ever had at any time before then, yet, even now, I’m wearing a good pair of well looked after brogues that once belonged to my grandfather, while my sister’s most beloved garment is the beautiful coat that my grandmother wore when she was in the Wrens.
I guess not having a lot of financial means makes us truly value things that last – things that are enduring.
This fact would perhaps explain why, despite endless talk of credit crunches, tough times, recessions and depressions, sales of prestige cars such as BMW, Mercedes and Audi are on the rise.
Whether or not these vehicles are of better and more enduring quality than Vauxhalls, Fords, Toyotas and their like is beside the point – maybe its just that we want security, which would explain why more and more car insurance companies are being asked to provide cheap quotes for luxury and prestige models.
Take the Second World War for example, during that time my grandparents had less than they’d ever had at any time before then, yet, even now, I’m wearing a good pair of well looked after brogues that once belonged to my grandfather, while my sister’s most beloved garment is the beautiful coat that my grandmother wore when she was in the Wrens.I guess not having a lot of financial means makes us truly value things that last – things that are enduring.
This fact would perhaps explain why, despite endless talk of credit crunches, tough times, recessions and depressions, sales of prestige cars such as BMW, Mercedes and Audi are on the rise.
Whether or not these vehicles are of better and more enduring quality than Vauxhalls, Fords, Toyotas and their like is beside the point – maybe its just that we want security, which would explain why more and more car insurance companies are being asked to provide cheap quotes for luxury and prestige models.
Image © swanksalot via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: Audi, BMW, car insurance, Ford, Mercedes, Toyota, Vauxhall
30/09/2011
Fancy buying a used car? How does £1.6million sound?
Thinking about saving money by buying a second hand car instead of a brand new one? Well, you definitely won’t be making any savings if you choose the world’s oldest running car! The 127-year-old steam-powered vehicle is expected to sell for a huge £1.6 million.
The 1884 De Dion Bouton Et Trepardoux Dos-A-Dos Steam Runabout, nicknamed ‘La Marquise’, is set to be auctioned off in early October and was manufactured twelve years before Henry Ford assembled his first car.
As well as being problematic to find a car insurance quote for, the vehicle could prove to be impractical for long journeys with a forty-five minute wait for it to generate enough steam to get going (yes – it’s steam powered) and a maximum speed of 38 miles per hour.
Finding a fuel top-up mid-journey is likely to be tricky too as the vehicle is powered with paper, wood, and coal.
It’s fascinating to see how much cars have progressed over the years, we really are spoilt for choice today with so many different brands, colours and sizes to choose from.
The long life of La Marquise is certainly impressive, but here at duck2water we will be spending our money on more recent models of cars.
The 1884 De Dion Bouton Et Trepardoux Dos-A-Dos Steam Runabout, nicknamed ‘La Marquise’, is set to be auctioned off in early October and was manufactured twelve years before Henry Ford assembled his first car. As well as being problematic to find a car insurance quote for, the vehicle could prove to be impractical for long journeys with a forty-five minute wait for it to generate enough steam to get going (yes – it’s steam powered) and a maximum speed of 38 miles per hour.
Finding a fuel top-up mid-journey is likely to be tricky too as the vehicle is powered with paper, wood, and coal.
It’s fascinating to see how much cars have progressed over the years, we really are spoilt for choice today with so many different brands, colours and sizes to choose from.
The long life of La Marquise is certainly impressive, but here at duck2water we will be spending our money on more recent models of cars.
Photo © futureshape via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car insurance quote, Ford, fuel, second-hand, used
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]