iTaggit has several impressive vehicle collections in our gallery, and this classic beauty would fit right in. According to British reports, the world's oldest surviving Rolls-Royce set two new records this past Monday when a private collector paid 3.5 million pounds ($7.22 million) for it in an auction at Bonhams. The winning bid makes the classic not only the most expensive pre-1905 car purchase, but also the most paid for a Rolls-Royce. This shattered the previous record for a veteran car purchase, which was 1.76 million pounds for an 1884 De Dion Bouton, and also the previous record of 1.48 million pounds for a 1912 Silver Ghost Double Pullman Limousine.
The newly purchased RR was built in 1904 and is only the fourth vehicle produced by the landmark cooperation between Charles Rolls and Henry Royce, which is still one of the oldest lines running. It is an open-topped two-seater with a small ten horsepower engine. It is in perfect condition after being restored in the 1950s, but was first exhibited at The Paris Salon in the Fall of 1904. This particular car carries with it a pedigree of sorts, as it was the only Rolls-Royce qualifying on the basis of its pre-1905 date to take part in the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run. It first ran the prestigious rally in 1954.
If you are curious about managing collections of old car parts, or cars in general, post your queries to our blog board. We can also help manage collectibles from this classic car era by providing knowledge about your items.

Have you ever seen a car dealership ad that has flashing, appealing prices on your t.v. set while the announcer speaks 90-to-nothin' about how much you can save? It seems more and more of car and truck commercials are heading that way during the end of the 2007 model sales. Deals are about to start popping up now that the 2008 models are beginning to roll in. Dealers entice consumers with their "spectacular" deals that "no one else" has because they are the most amazing dealership in the whole country. (Aren't you lucky you live near them?!)

Below is a list, as originally written by Eric Peters on aol.com, on what to look for when  you are wanting to buy a vehicle with one of these deals. Don't forget to catalog your vehicles and any information that needs to be easily accessible to you on iTaggit.com (with your setting on private of course).

"Offer only available in FLA, GA, SC... " (and so on). Many incentives offered by the automakers are regional -- meaning, if you don't live in one of the areas where the deal is good, the deal is not available to you. The same new car prices might be $1,500 less (or more) just by crossing the state line.

"All estimates are computed on the basis of a 10 percent down payment..." Some financing deals are contingent on things like the buyer coming up with a predetermined cash down payment. In the example above, you'd need $4,000 in cash at the time of sale to take advantage of the advertised low-rate financing on vehicles with a new car prices of $40,000. If you don't have the cash down payment, they may stick you with a higher finance rate.

"Offer not compatible with other offers..." This means you may not be able to get both low-rate financing and "x" dollars cash back. You have to pick one or the other. It's important to run the new car prices before you are in the pressure cooker of the dealer's store, too. This way, you'll know ahead of time whether it makes more sense for you to go with the lower-rate financing -- or the rebate.

"Dealer participation may affect savings... " This means the offer's contingent on the dealer's "participation" in the program (rebate/cash back, special rate financing, etc.) being advertised by the automaker. Remember: Dealers are independent operations; they may sell Fords or Hondas, etc. -- but you are not dealing with Ford or Honda, per se. Be sure the dealer you're negotiating with is, in fact, participating in the rebate/cash back deal you saw on TV. He may not be. Don't assume he is.

www.iTaggit.com is now a proud sponsor of the National Corvette Owners Association (NCOA). Check out their page here to learn more about the largest Corvette club in the nation!

 Also, remember that we have a blog section where you can post your thoughts on everything vehicle related and get feedback from the rest of the iTaggit community so let us know what’s on your mind. You can click here to read all the new blogs or watch vehicle related videos on our iTaggit clip channel. Just scroll down to the vehicles section.

 
Enjoy! 

Check out cool new videos about everything vehicle by clicking on this blue paragraph! These videos are courtesy of ClipSyndicate and they will be updated all the time so be sure to check back for the latest automotive clips.

The way this works is, when you click on the link you will be shown a very short advertisement. Don't get impatient. Once that clip is finished you will be shown a list of all the cool videos that make up the iTaggit vehicle channel.

Enjoy and please feel free to leave any questions, comments or suggestions here. Engage the community, that's what we're all here for!

Cheers,

James G
 

March 23, 2007

Robert E. Petersen, an entrepreneur who single-handedly created the largest special-interest publishing company in America, was instrumental in the evolution of the hot-rodding culture, and who, with his wife Margie, realized his dream of establishing an educational museum to pay tribute to the automobile, died on Friday, March 23, at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, Calif. after a short but valiant battle with neuroendocrine cancer. He was 80.

“Mr. Petersen helped create and feed the American obsession with the automobile, delivering gasoline-powered dreams to the mailboxes of millions,” said *** Messer, Director of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. “He understood the thrill that an average person could get from seeing and reading about horsepower as an art form.”

A native of Southern California, Mr. Petersen’s mother passed away when he was 10, leaving him with his Danish-immigrant father, who worked as a truck and equipment mechanic. As a young man he picked up his father’s skills, learning to weld, de-coke engines, and hone his fascination with cars.

After graduating from Barstow High School in the mid-1940s, he moved to Los Angeles, working at MGM studios as a messenger boy. Following service in the Army Air Corps toward the end of Word War II, Mr. Petersen, now an independent publicist immersed in the burgeoning customized auto culture of California, was instrumental in creating the first hot-rod show at the Los Angeles Armory. To help establish the event, in January 1948 he launched Hot Rod Magazine, and hawked the magazine at local speedways for 25 cents a copy. Motor Trend, a more upscale publication for production car enthusiasts, and dozens of other titles aimed at specialty automotive segments soon followed.

Mr. Petersen spent decades as Chairman of the Board of Petersen Publishing Company, which was at one time America’s leading publisher of special-interest consumer magazines and books before its sale to private investors in August 1996. Among its other diverse successful titles are Teen, Sport, Rod & Custom, and Guns & Ammo. He also headed a wide variety of other businesses including ammunition manufacturing, real estate development and aviation services that each reflected another passion he shared.

Firmly established as an American success story, Mr. Petersen had one lasting vision: an educational museum to pay tribute to the automobile. On June 11, 1994, the lifelong dream of Robert E. Petersen was fulfilled with the opening of a 300,000-square-foot automotive museum named in his honor, made possible by his $30 million endowment.

Today the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles stands as the nation’s premiere automotive museum, serving thousands of visitors each year. Its mission remains to educate and excite generations of auto enthusiasts with the fascinating stories, vehicles and people that have influenced the American love affair with the automobile – a mission that has been a resounding success thanks to the generosity of its main benefactor.

In addition to his noted auto collection, Mr. Petersen also developed a keen interest in sport shooting. He served as Shooting Sports Commissioner for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, where he was responsible for building that venue from an old dairy farm within six months.

Mr. Petersen served as president and chairman of the board of the Boys’ and Girls’ Club of Hollywood, and was a member of the National Board of Directors for the Boys’ and Girls’ Club of America. He was active in support of numerous children’s charities and also served as a member for the Los Angeles City Library Commission.

Both he and his wife have been major contributors to the Music Center of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Additionally, he was a founding member of the Thalians social society, which raises money for the Mental Health Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. His ongoing contributions to the community earned him numerous special citations from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and Los Angeles City Council.

Mr. Petersen was to be honored with both the ‘Automotive Icon’ and ‘Visionary’ awards at the Petersen museum’s annual gala on May 10. The ceremony will now be held as a tribute to Mr. Petersen and his contributions to the institution and community.

“What made him so special was that he gave every ounce of his energy and abilities to his dreams. He was a quiet man who truly became an American icon,” the Petersen museum’s Messer said. “He made his living doing things he loved and he found success at every turn. The way he lived his life, always looking for ways to give back in return for the success he enjoyed, made you proud to count him as a friend. The museum is now his legacy.”

He is survived by his wife, Margie. In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made to the Petersen Automotive Museum or the charity of the person’s choice in his honor. Funeral mass will be held Thursday, March 29, at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City.

If you’ve watched television, listened to radio or read most any newspaper or car magazine, you probably have heard of C. Van Tune.  He’s one of the best known, most knowledgeable and most respected automotive journalists in the world.  For over 20 years, Van’s writing, photography, presentation and driving skills have been showcased in more than 1500 live television and radio appearances, nearly 2000 print articles, and countless web entries.

A life-long car enthusiast who bought his first copy of Motor Trend Magazine at age 8, learned to drive at 10, and could identify every year, make, model and engine size of every car on the road by 12, Van was the perfect person to have a career as an automotive journalist---beginning while still in college and culminating as Editor-in-Chief of Motor Trend from 1994 through 2001. During his tenure, Van’s high energy and hands-on editing style transformed the 45-year-old staid title into one of the most popular, most exciting and most quoted automotive publications in the world. His editorial team increased circulation from 900,000 to over 1,300,000 and launched the magazine’s Television, Radio, Internet, and Auto Show brand extensions.

After seven years at the helm of MT, and in a position in his career where most people would have gladly “ridden the wave” of success, Van shocked the industry by retiring from print journalism to concentrate full time on his TV career…landing a job immediately as the host and co-creator of ESPN’s highly-rated DRIVE! television series. He also became a regular guest on NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Live with Regis & Kelly, CNBC and MSNBC business channels, as well as on Top-50-Market TV stations across the country. Each year, Van’s automotive commentaries and expert opinions have been seen by over 125,000,000 people.  

A self-described victim of “Mad Car Disease” Van owns more than 25 cars, most of which are 1950s and ‘60s classics or current-day high performance vehicles…plus a fire engine. He has road tested over 2500 machines during his career, and his love of motor-sports has put him behind the wheel in professional road racing, drag racing, hill climbs, autocrosses, off road racing, vintage racing and celebrity racing.

Now, C. Van Tune is bringing his experience, knowledge and passion to iTaggit.com. Bookmark this page and check back daily to read Van’s opinions, rants & raves, ask him questions, go inside his personal car collection, and interact with Van and his select group of car-expert friends about anything on four wheels. From the best buys in classic cars to the latest products on the road…and whatever else you want to discuss.

C. Van Tune’s “Mad Car Disease”. Catch it only on iTaggit.com.   

Smarten Up When Gassing Up
 by: Kenneth M Flegel

Did you know that saving money on gasoline can be as simple as when and where you purchase your fuel?

In the early morning when the temperature is still cold or cool the fuel in the underground tanks at the service station is more condensed (shrunk), and the fuel in your tank is also more condensed from cooling down over night while your vehicle was parked. So your tank has more room when you fill up and the fuel you put in is taking up less room, and therefore you get the most fuel for your dollar. As you can well imagine the service stations are aware of this and some have actually installed inline heaters on their pumps to try and eliminate this advantage to the consumer. However these inline heaters do little in the cooler or colder temperatures of the early morning. Avoid purchasing fuel in the heat of the day if you can for obvious reasons, but also because those inline heaters tend to further expand the fuel in the heat and that results in you getting less fuel for your money.

Another good tip when gassing up is to make sure you never fill your tank to the brim that extra dollar or two of fuel will do far more harm than good. Filling your tank to the brim or topping it off causes the excess fuel to go into your expansion canister and flood it, which will defeat the expansion factor and result in a noticeable reduction in fuel mileage. The other problem with over filling your tank is that most new vehicles have electronic gauges that work with a piece of metal attached to the float arm which slides across the metal contacts of the sending unit indicating how much fuel is in the tank. Topping off your tank can push this contact beyond its limits, resulting in damage to the sending unit and inaccurate readings on your fuel gauge. If you continue to over fill your tank eventually the fuel gauge will stop working completely.

Buy your fuel form a station that is consistently busy as their underground tanks are filled with fresh gasoline on a regular basis. A slower moving station will have fuel that has been sitting for a long period of time and this can lead to the fuel becoming contaminated. Contaminated gasoline is less powerful than fresh gas and will result in a loss of fuel mileage. You should also stay away from the independent and cheapest stations. These stations get their fuel from the supplier of the week and cheap fuel usually means contaminated, watered down, or below average fuel all of which results in poor mileage, not to mention what it might be doing to your engine?

Don’t buy fuel when the tanker truck is at the station filling the underground tanks, because as he is filling the tanks it’s stirring up years of dirt, sludge, and condensation from the bottom of the tank which will end up in your tank. These contaminates will not only cause a loss in fuel mileage but, over time can seriously gum up your engine. Another good habit to get into is to fill your tank before it drops below the quarter tank mark so you’re not sucking up the sediment from your own tank.

Most vehicles these days recommend using regular grade gasoline. Using high grade fuel such as premium won’t result in better fuel mileage if your vehicles octane requirements don’t call for it. To find out what your vehicles octane requirements are look in the owner’s manual it should be listed in there.

When it comes to motor oil it is recommended that you use high quality oil that matches the manufacturers suggest grade. This can directly result in a one to two percent increase in fuel mileage. Finally there are hundreds of fuel and oil additives out there most of which don’t do a whole lot and usually cost more than they are saving you. However we’ve researched a number of them and compiled a list of the ones that actually worked. We included in our study cost, savings, will it harm the engine, company background and availability.

For more on our results of this study or this article feel free to contact me.

Ken Flegel (306)-545-4535 or (306)-501-7424

or E-mail me at kenflegel@sasktel.net