BMW owners who are seeking more power from their rides often turn to aftermarket parts to help them achieve their goals. Cat back exhaust systems (parts added in back of or behind the catalytic converter) are one method for doing just that, offering several important benefits along with more power. Let’s take a look at how a cat-back exhaust can enhance your 3-Series, 5-Series or other Bimmer vehicle.

How A Cat Back Exhaust System Works

Before choosing a cat back exhaust you need to understand exactly what you’re buying. Catbacks feature large width exhaust pipes and low restriction performance mufflers which help to lower exhaust

The Ginn Open that was held last April 9 to 15 in Florida has the objective of helping raise money for the Red Cross and the Florida Children’s Hospital. The winner of the said event has driven away in America’s favorite convertible courtesy of Chrysler.

Chrysler— manufacturer of Plymouth mufflers — was one of the founding sponsors of the Ginn Open and its official automotive sponsor. For this year’s tournament the Plymouth muffler manufacturer, Chrysler is giving away an all-new 2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible as prize for the winner.

According to Dave Rooney-Director, Chrysler Marketing and Global Communications, “The all-new 2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible is now better than ever. It offers the unprecedented combination of unmistakable road presence, athletic handling and innovative technologies, as well as plenty of room for people and gear. In fact, the all-new Sebring Convertible is the only retractable hard top in the segment that can pass the two-golf-bag test.”

The funds raised during the tournament were used to help Red Cross and Florida’s Children Hospital to extend assistance to the residents of Lady Lake, Fla. The area was hit by severe storms and tornadoes last February killing 21 people and destroying hundreds of homes. Chrysler has donated $5 for every person who tests drives a Chrysler vehicle during the Ginn Open. The test drive program was open to all individuals possessing a valid driver’s license and 18 yrs old or older. The test drive program was made available to the public last April 12 to 15 starting 8:30 am to 5 pm.

The 2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible: The Prize

The all-new 2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible is offering what no other convertible has been able to offer before—three automatically latching convertible top options, vinyl, cloth and a body-color painted steel retractable hard top which is a first for this new 2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible—all of which can be retracted with a push of a button on the key fob.

And that’s not all! Standard power hard tonneau cover is also offered on all models. The Chrysler Sebring whether top up or down provides the benefits of a coupe and the true open-air freedom of a convertible. The Chrysler Sebring convertible has a U.S. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of $26,145 (including a $675 destination charge). The price of the Sebring Convertible is $645 below the comparable outgoing model with $2,965 more content, including standard side seat-mounted air bags, four-wheel disc anti-lock brakes, tire-pressure monitoring system, automatic latching convertible top, standard hard tonneau cover, AM/FM stereo with six-disc CD player, six-way power driver and passenger seats and a tilt/telescoping steering wheel.

I am often asked “Jason, I get people to my website, but nothing
happens. What am I doing wrong?” Is this you? Did you build a
website only to have people come and leave? If so, you can still
save your website. By following some tried and true rules, your
website can become supercharged and be all that you envisioned.

First, we need to dispel one myth. The Internet amazes almost no
one anymore. When I started in the early 1990’s it was a whole
different story. Today, the Internet is a major force in our
lives. Instead of saying things like “Wow! Look at that!” we are
saying “Been there, done that.” However, some people know this
and go to the wrong extreme by over complicating their website.

Rule One: You are not an artist.

Ok, maybe you are, but you still don’t need to use every
available color and font in the known universe on your website.
Take a look at any newspaper. How many colors and fonts do you
see? Many are black and white print with a splash of color here
and there. Their type is sure and steady. The USA Today is one
of the more colorful papers out there and even they don’t go
nuts with color.

If your website is a visual car wreck, your visitors will end up
leaving. Your website could look like a piece of art, but if the
message gets lost, it is a waste of space. Keep your colors
simple and pleasing to the eye. If you look at some of the most
successful websites, you will notice they usually have a simple
color scheme.

Rule Two: Your website is not a puzzle.

Have you ever been to a website for the first time and seen
information all over your screen? If so, you most likely felt
overwhelmed and you probably left. Here is a fact. The more
orderly your website is in regards to content layout, the more
focused your visitor will become on the content. Content that is
not in an orderly fashion is sometimes coined as “hip”, but the
end result is a less focused visitor.

Does this mean you need a plain boring website? Of course not.
However, due care is warranted when laying out content. I would
like to direct your attention to the newspaper again. Most
newspapers use grids to layout their content. Look at the
newspaper. Even though it has a wealth of information, you feel
right at home. This is the same effect your website should have.

Spend the extra time and figure out how you can best lay out
your content. Always design with the first time user in mind.
Keep navigation as a top concern. You don’t need fancy flash
buttons and other doodads. If the visitor can not use your
website with ease and minimal distractions, all is lost.

Rule Three: Keep your focus.

How many websites have you went to that spend valuable homepage
space welcoming you to the website? Think about this for a
moment. Why is this necessary? What could be put into its place?
When a new user goes to your website, you have literally seconds
to interest them enough so they stay. Do you want to waste that
valuable time with a welcome message?

When you turn on TV to watch your favorite show, does the show
start off by welcoming you to Channel X and Show X? Of course it
doesn’t. The whole point of this section is to illustrate just
how important space is. You do not have the luxury of time to
have fluff on your website. Your ad copy (text/images) must be
lean and mean.

Another common mistake I see on ecommerce oriented websites is
the whole “who we are” speech on the homepage. When a new
visitor comes to your website, they don’t care who you are. They
care about what you can do for them. Keep your focus on the
visitor’s needs and not your own. Before you spend time talking
about yourself, you need to give the visitor a reason to care.
Because of this, it is best to put all your text about your
company on other pages. There is nothing wrong with putting a
blurb about your company on the homepage, but it should be
limited and to the point.

If you find yourself at wits end, it is time to call in the
experts. My company, MarketJunction.com, can help you. Are there
more than three rules you ask? Yes, but I selected three very
important ones for you in this article. My website,
JasonAMartin.com, has more informative articles. Follow these
three rules and you will be well on your way to a supercharged
website.

Copyright 2005 Jason Andrew Martin LL

Columbus Day is all about joy, celebration, and jubilation all over the country. To celebrate the occasion, Autoland Chrysler Jeep Dodge, a leading full service dealership for new and pre-owned Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge vehicles at Springfield, New Jersey (NJ), has come with a Columbus Day offer – Huge Construction Sale of $100 of monthly payments till January 2008.

Autoland Chrysler Jeep Dodge, auto dealership, located at 170, Route 22 East, Springfield, New Jersey, exhibits a wide range of 2007, 2006, New, Certified Used, and Pre-owned Chrysler Vehicles such as the PT Cruiser, PT Cruiser Convertible, Sebring Sedan, Sebring Convertible, 300, Pacifica, Town & Country, and Aspen. The dealership also has an elite display of new and pre-owned Jeep vehicles like the Jeep Commander, Compass, Grand Cherokee, Liberty, Patriot, Wrangler, and Wrangler Unlimited. New and pre-owned Dodge vehicles including the Dodge Caliber, Viper, Charger, Magnum, Caravan, Nitro, Durango, Dakota, RAM 1500, RAM 2500, RAM 3500, and Sprinter are also a part of the dealership?s impressive assortment. The Residents of Springfield, Union, Greenbrook, Staten Island, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Woodbridge can walk in to the dealership?s showroom at Springfield and a take free test drive of their favorite Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge.

To receive great deals on new or pre-owned Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge vehicles, those interested can check out the dealership?s website http://www.1800autoland.com/ for the latest New Vehicle Specials, Pre-owned Vehicle Specials, Finance Specials, Internet Specials, and Lease Specials. Genuine Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge parts/accessories can be ordered online.

One can even schedule a service appointment online for your Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge vehicles. The parts/service coupons available online can be printed and furnished to the dealers to get great discounts on parts and service of your vehicle.

Various finance options are also available to help you with new or used car purchase. Research and select your next Chrysler, Jeep, or Dodge vehicle from the Autoland Chrysler Jeep Dodge?s extensive inventory. The dealership provides hassle-free online shopping including finance application, virtual brochures, vehicle reviews, and trade-in value appraisals.

As NASCAR racing has grown in popularity, more and more people are wanting to know more about all aspects of the NASCAR Circuit. A lot of people have heard of Dale Earnhardt Jr or Jeff Gordon. But there are a lot of things about NASCAR that many people don’t know. So here is a breakdown and some information about the different divisions.

The three national divisions of NASCAR are the Nextel Chase for the Cup, the Busch series, and the Truck Craftsman series. Most people who know something about NASCAR know about the Chase. With 26 regular season races and 10 Chase races, the Nextel Cup series is watched by hundreds of thousands of people across America weekly. In it’s third year, it continues to grow in popularity each year.

The Busch series is NASCAR’s second highest level series. It might be compared to the minor leagues in other professional sports. But the difference is that many Chase drivers also drive in the Busch series to gain extra practice on the tracks or to work on certain things. So the Busch series has a good mix of up and coming young drivers with veterans sprinkled in. Busch races are usually held the day before Cup races at the same location except for the races in Mexico and the upcoming race in Canada. The Busch cars are similar to the Cup cars with only small differences.

The Truck Craftsman series is the third level of NASCAR racing and is rapidly becoming well attended and popular with racing fans. It’s a different animal from the NEXTEL and Busch series and has it’s own fan base. Running a full schedule since 1995, the truck series drivers race nearly as often as the Cup series do. With 25 races each season, some Cup contenders are racing in the truck series as a part time job. And several well known Cup racers got their name recognized in the truck series and then carried that over into the Cup series.

NASCAR’s popularity is widespread and it has much more going on than you might think. Did you know that there are twelve racing series in NASCAR? The three national divisions get the most press, of course, but all over the country racers are struggling to make a name for themselves and gain national attention in hopes of moving up to one of NASCAR’s three top series. NASCAR seems to offer something for all audiences and gives a wide variety of drivers an opportunity to compete and possibly move up to the next level.

The kitchen is one of the most common places of get together in many homes. It is a place to loosen up and bond with family and friends. Therefore, the kitchen should be cozy and convenient. But from all the warm images that the kitchen may present, there is something hidden that lingers, its pollution!

Kitchen can be the main source of pollutants in a home. Think all the grease, smoke, unwanted odors and moisture produced during cooking. Pollutants that stick to the walls, ceilings, carpets, furniture, and upholstery may require frequent cleaning and all the effort and expense it entails. But having an exhaust fan system will get rid all of these problems.

A good, reliable kitchen exhaust fan system is what you need especially if you are fond of cooking frying and broiling foods. Cooking methods often produce evident particles as well as an unseen mist of greases that can cover the surfaces of your kitchen if they are not vacuumed and exhausted to the exterior of your home. And, without an effective kitchen exhaust fan, air inside will be packed with dangerous contaminants and disease-causing agents released into indoor air.

Cooking releases excess moisture in the air and make indoor air very humid. If not ventilated properly and adequately, it can decrease the quality of indoor air and may lead to a number of problems like asthma, allergies, skin rashes, headaches and nausea and other breathing disorders.

It can possibly cause formation of fungus, mold spores, and mildew that may cause severe health problems. Home furniture may be warped due to excess humidity. Wall paints may crack and peel.

There are wide selections of products in the market that will keep your kitchen well ventilated. It may cover a choice of kitchen range hoods, kitchen exhausters and kitchen fans. All these products are well designed to keep the air inside your home fresh and the atmosphere comfortable.

Kitchen range hoods can furnish an attractive look and be functional additions in your kitchen. It can drive out heat, smoke, moisture and odors fast and directly. These kitchen range hoods are available in different designs and colors. This type can also provide cook top lighting and some models even offer a selection of light levels like a subtle nightlight.

Kitchen range hood are installed directly over the range to trap the heated air, smoke, moisture and gas fumes while a fan exhaust it through duct work to the exterior of the house. It has a filter that traps grease that can be easily removed and cleaned. This type of kitchen ventilator must be with the same width as the cooking surface. It serves and sets up directly over it at a height of at least 18 to 30 inches from your burners.

You can have it installed. Most of it comes with free service installation when bought. Otherwise, you can do it yourself by following the instructions in the manual.

Whatever type of exhaust fan you decide to install in your kitchen, it will definitely improve the air inside, as well as the overall environment inside your house.

Ford Motor?s Chairman Bill Ford Jr. has recently called for a national energy policy saying that the auto industry together with the energy companies, government and other industries should cooperate in developing a comprehensive plan.

Chairman Ford Jr., addressing the Detroit Regional Chamber said that the auto industry is not looking for handouts nor it is trying to evade its responsibilities. On the other hand he said that he would like to move beyond the ?patchwork? of current fuel-economy rules and ?arbitrarily set standards.?

The executive said that all of the stakeholders should help to create a more comprehensive plan for cutting carbon emissions. He also stressed that Ford is continuing to invest in cleaner, more fuel-efficient technology in spite of its restructuring program.

Chairman Ford Jr. said, “Environmental sustainability is a critical issue for our future growth and prosperity.”

He further added that although the company has been able to develop the first hybrid SUV which is the Ford Escape and redeveloped its Rouge plant in Dearborn, Mich., in what he termed as ?environmentally friendly way?, the Chairman wishes that the company would have done more.

Chairman Ford Jr., also said during a question-and-answer session that the company ?didn?t stretch far enough in the past few years? on design but the new vehicles such as the Edge crossover utility and the Ford Flex are ?really indicative of the kind of design we want to have in the end.?

Despite the fact that Ford did well at truck and SUV design, Chairman Ford said, “I think as we started getting back to the car business, we weren’t perhaps bold enough.” He also said that he was ?Very disappointed? by the comments made by Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-III., at his recent speech in Detroit wherein Obama has criticized the US automakers and calling them to do more to build furl-efficient vehicles.

Chairman Ford Jr., added that he would like to invite Obama to Ford?s plant in Chicago “where we make a vehicle that’s more fuel efficient than the one he’s currently driving.” He further stated that it is not only the stressed on the production of more fuel-efficient vehicles that?s weighing on the US automakers but also the rising cost of health care that leaves US manufacturers at a disadvantage. “Unless, nationally, we get our arms around this, it’s going to be very hard to be a manufacturer in this country of anything,” he said during a question-and-answer session.

However Chairman Ford has also made it clear that he is not at all endorsing a national universal health-care system but he did say that the present system is ?broken?. US automakers are facing a growing burden of providing heath care for thousands of retirees and active employees. But he didn?t mention just how Ford will deal with its health-care costs especially since its talks with the United Auto Workers union are getting near.

It can be remembered that Ford the producer of high quality car accessories such as Ford floor mats has taken a big step in changing its management stature when it hired Alan Mulally who is a former Boeing Co. (BA) executive as the new Chief Executive. And just recently, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger while speaking to the same conference has made a call for a national, single-payer health-care system. Gettelfinger said, “Our continued failure to enact serious health-care reform puts U.S. companies at an enormous competitive disadvantage. All of our major trading partners, every one, have national health-care systems which deliver quality care at an affordable price.”

1. Raise the automobile up. If you do not own a lift, use ramps or a jack. Pick up the rear so you will be able to get under it. Evaluate the shape of all the parts of your exhaust system prior to starting. If you want to start at the catalytic converter, exhaust manifold, or the crossover pipe, make sure to order the necessary parts before getting rid of the old exhaust system.

2. Lie down on your back and place yourself under the car until you’re looking at where the pipes connect to the catalytic converter.

3. Unbolt the old exhaust system beginning from the rear of the car and make your way forward. Typically, the bolts are rusty and difficult to remove unless you’ve got an impact gun. Apply some WD-40 to penetrate the bolts.

4. Take out all pieces of the exhaust that you plan on replacing. Take them off the hangers and lay your parts aside. You should now have all of the pipe removed. If you’ve got brand-new hangers (suggested because stock ones are spongy and old), cut off the old ones with some sort of cutting tool (dremel will work).

5. Depending upon the type of hangers you have on your car, place the brand-new hangers onto the exhaust pieces first; this is normally a less complicated method to put the pieces back on.

6.Beginning from the front of the car, install the exhaust piece up and then put it onto the pipe in front of it. Don’t tighten it up all the way until you have all parts on.

7. Whenever you do not have brand new gaskets to position between the pipe sections, either purchase some brand-new ones or you can utilize the old ones if they are the correct diameter. It is advisable to have new ones to prevent exhaust leakage afterwards.

8.Subsequently after all pipes are connected, begin fastening each section to the 1st. Apply an ample amount of torque on each bolt to make certain it is tight.

9. When you make it to the rear of the car, take a couple of steps back and fix any alignment readjustments. You want the tailpipes to be level with the bumper and to look satisfactory.

10. Check all the bolts again and make sure they are tight.

11. Start the car up and find any leaks you might experience.

I brought it to Midas and they gave me an estimate for $225.
They said it only needs a muffler replacement, no other parts need replacing.
The car has 105000 miles and it’s the original muffler.

Just wanted to see if somebody knows how much it cost to get in and watch the Nascar race. How much does the Pit Pass cost to watch from the pits?