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2016 Bangkok International Motor Show Total Bookings
The 37th Bangkok International Motor Show has just ended. It is time to see the top 20 car brands that received the most booking during the 14 days Motor Show. Just like the 33rd Bangkok International Motor Show, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Mazda and Mitsubishi are the top 5 winners. Thanks to the tenth-generation Civic, Honda has received a total booking of 4,308 cars during the 14-day event. On top of that, the Honda Civic is also the most significant new car at Impact Muang Thong Thani. Let’s see who else is in the list.

Top 20 Car Brands at Bangkok Motor Show

The list here is ranked by the number of total bookings received by each car brand during the 2016 Bangkok International Motor Show.
1. Honda – 4,308 units
2. Toyota – 4,013 units
3. Nissan – 3,586 units
4. Mazda – 3,557 units
5. Mitsubishi – 3,549 units
6. Isuzu – 3,429 units
7. Ford – 2,321 units
8. Mercedes-Benz – 1,700 units
9. Chevrolet – 1,385 units
10. BMW – 1,107 units
11. MG – 1,035 units
12. Suzuki – 1,002 units
13. Hyundai – 485 units
14. Subaru – 310 units
15. Tata – 278 units
16. Volvo – 128 units
17. MINI – 98 units
18. Lexus – 69 units
19. Porsche – 68 units
20. LX Mode – 47 units
The tenth-generation Honda Civic is definitely the spotlight of the Motor Show, however, there are also a few other notable cars such as 2016 Subaru Forester facelift, MG GS SUV, New Toyota Hilux TRD Sportivo, Chevrolet Colorado Xtreme and Trailblazer Permier, Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead, Aston Martin DB11, Ford Focus Ecoboost, Mercedes-Benz E-Class W213, Honda Accord facelift, Nissan NP300 Navara Sportech, Toyota Fortuner TRD Sportivo, Toyota Yaris TRD Sportivo, Mazda CX-3 Racing Concept, Mitsubishi Triton, Thairung TR Transformer II, SsangYong Tivoli, Suzuki Ertiga Dreza, and 2016 BMW Motorrad G310R. And also, all the sex yet pretty girls from Bangkok Motor Show who make the show hotter.
April 8, 2016
18 Cheap Cars to Build Fast (Part 3)

This is part 3 of 18 Cheap Cars to Build Fast, click here to read part 1: 18 Cheap Cars to Build Fast and here to read 18 Cheap Cars to Build Fast (Part 2).

12. Toyota MR2 (1989-1999)

The Toyota MR2 comes with a turbocharged 2.0L 3S-GTE engine giving 218 hp. It is available in both manual and automatic transmission. It is not a joke to say that you can now buy one for just $2,000 dollars or less. With another $1,000-$2,000, perhaps you can build the car engine to have at least 230 horsepower which is not bad.

13. Toyota Supra (1992-2002)

Without doubt, the Toyota Supra is a scary car. Scary in terms of the exterior look and the “push-you-to-the-seat” power. The Supra is a legend otherwise it won’t be the Fast and Furious cars. As it is the legend, it costs at least $18,000-$20,000 to own the last model which is 1998. The Supra could achieve 0-60 mph in just 4.6 seconds with a top speed of 285 km/h (177 mph). This is impressive, exciting, and WOW! You can only buy this car if you are ready to handle the Toyota 2JZ-GTE Twin-turbo 320 horsepower engine.

14. Mazda RX-7 (1990 – 1995)

Any RX-7 models from 1990 to 1995 will give you the “Swoooooosh” feeling you want in a fast car. This car is powered by a 1.3-liter twin-turbocharged rotary engine that pushes 255 horsepower and 217 pound-feet of torque. There are at least 10 reliable modifications you can do to this car to soup up the power. It can easily hit 400 horsepower if the tuning is right. Cat back, downpipe, intake, boost controller, aluminium ask tank, ECU upgrade, and high flow CAT are a few modifications done by most RX-7 fans.

15. Ford Mustang

Below $5,000, you can get a 10 year-old Ford Mustang. Any generation is great to build up because the parts is inexpensive in the United States. Hatchback, coupe, or convertible, the choice is in your hand. With few hundred dollars spent, you can add at least 15-20hp to a Ford Mustang, making it one of the best cars to build fast cheaply.

16. Chevrolet Corvette C4 (1984 – 1996)

With the price range of $4,000 to $8,000, you can get a Chevrolet Corvette C4 that has a fat V8 engine putting out 250 hp. If you want a fatter V8, go for the Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 (1990-1995) which has a 375 hp engine under the hood. Youtube around and you will see people have tuned Chevrolet Corvettes to make more than 800 hp.

17. Nissan Skyline GT-R

There are many things to be mentioned when it comes to a Nissan Skyline GT-R. The latest GT-R is already fast enough directly from the Nissan factory but you can make it even faster with a few simple tuning. It is not surprised to see many Nissan fans tuned the GT-R to make more than 1,000 hp. There are many videos on the internet showing how a Nissan GT-R overtakes many popular sports cars such as Ferrari and Lamborghini.

18. Classic Mini Cooper (1959 – 2000)

Nobody is kidding when the classic Mini Cooper is placed into this list. The Mr. Bean’s Mini doesn’t has a high horsepower under the hood and it doesn’t has an exotic exterior too. However, it gives you the fun you wish – go-kart handling and adequate amount of power. In the UK, you can get one for less than 1,000 pound and rebuilt it to a fast car with Honda’s B18C Vtec engine. There are many things you can modify to get at least 150 hp too if you would like to go for Mini’s engine.

Do you know any other cheap cars to build fast? Please leave us a message if you have something in mind.

March 25, 2016
18 Cheap Cars to Build Fast (Part 2)

This is part 2 of 18 Cheap Cars to Build Fast, click here to read part 1: 18 Cheap Cars to Build Fast.

6. Mazda MX-5 Miata

The latest Mazda MX-5 Miata costs nearly $25,000 but you can get 5-year-old MX-5 Miata for less than $10,000 or a 10 year-old MX-5 Miata for less than $5,000. Many Mazda fans purchase a used Miata and rebuild them to a real fast car. The original engine under the hood of a 2011 Mazda Miata has at least 167 hp and 140 pound-feet or torque. It has a lot of potential thus many people tune the engine up to 200 hp.

7. Mazda RX-8 (2003-2012)

The heart of the Mazda RX-8 is a 1.3-liter rotary engine rating 212 to 232 hp. The cheapest price you can get in the market is approximately $4,000 to $5,000. Thanks to its perfectly balanced weight distribution, the Mazda RX-8 is one of the best handling cars ever made. There won’t be any regret if you are looking for cheap cars to build fast because the original RX-8 is already fast enough.

8. BMW M3 (E46)

The new BMW M3 requires deep pocket to own one. However, you can get an earlier model below $15,000 such as the E46 (2000 – 2006), E36 (1992-1999) or E30 (1985-1992). The E46 uses BMW’s 3.2 L S54 M-tuned engine pumping 338 hp @ 7900 rpm. You can still modify for more powers if you think it is not fast enough. With limited budget, you can get a good M3 E36 at $6000-$7000.

9. Subaru Impreza WRX

The Subaru Impreza will impress you with its power. The WRX debuted in 1992 with a 240 hp engine. A 240-horsepower car in early 90s is considered powerful and fun enough even in 2016. The 1997 model added with forged pistons and the power was increased to 280 PS. Second generation of Subaru Impreza (2000-2007) has a few powertrain variants, rating from 261 hp to 280 hp. There are various type of Subaru engines available for the Impreza WRX therefore it is one of the great cars to build fast at low price. The engine sound of the Subaru Impreza WRX will impress you for sure.

10. Mitsubishi 3000GT / Mitsubishi GTO / Dodge Stealth (1991-1999)

The Mitsubishi GTO is the legend of Japan. It was one of the best cars ever built by Mitsubishi. This 2-door coupe sports car look fast and it is really fast. It is cheap to buy and you will have a lot of fun to own one. Under the hood, the top model features a DOHC 24-valve twin-turbo engine producing 396 horsepower at 6000 rpm. This is an impressive amount for a sports car built in the 90s.

11. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

A 10 year-old Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution costs less than 10 grand. You will have a lot of fun to rebuild or modify this car because the original 2.0-liter 4G63T engine in an Evolution VII is pumping 276 horsepower. Get an Evolution III (1995-1996), Evolution IV (1996-1998), Evolution V (1998-1999) or Evolution VI (1999-2001). Any of these generations are very cheap to buy and build into a real fast car.

Continue to read 18 Cheap Cars to Build Fast (Part 3)

March 23, 2016
18 Cheap Cars to Build Fast

Hunting for fast cars but with limited budget? $5k? $10k? $15k? Here is the list of top 18 cheap cars to build fast. Any car in the list here has an adequate amount of power which is impressive. There are also many ways to modify the engine under the hood to get at least 200 to 300 horsepower. In other words, these cars will not let you down. They can be project cars and they can be daily drive cars. Get your money ready and start to hunt for these cars in town.

1. Nissan Silvia (180SX / 200SX / 240SX / S13 / S14 / S15)

With less than $4000, you can get a 1990s Nissan Silvia 180SX, 200SX, or 240SX. Most of the S13 models paired with the SR20DET Single Turbo engine producing 205 horsepower and 274 Nm of torque. The Nissan Silvia S15 (1999-2002) features a ball-bearing turbocharger boosting 250 horsepower. There are many aftermarket parts where you can modify to the engine to make it at least 300 horsepower or more. It is an interesting car to drive straight or side way. This is also one reason why many people voted the Nissan Silvia as one of the all-time best drift cars.

2. Nissan Fairlady (300ZX / 350Z / 370Z)

The Nissan 300ZX Fairlady is a living legend. From KBB, you can get a decent one for $3,500 or lesser. Regular 300ZX features a 3.0-liter V6 engine that pumps 222 hp. However, you can go for the modified version which has a single turbo for each cylinder bank, it produces 300 hp and has a lot of potential to be modified. The ad in Australia once said “It drives like an aeroplane”. See also: Best used cars under $10,000.

3. Honda Civic

Have you ever drive a Honda Civic? No? You have to! Honda Civic is one of the coolest cars where you can build fast. Among all generations, fifth generation (1991-1995), sixth generation (1995-2000) and eight generation (2005-2011) are the most popular Honda Civics when it comes to modification. Many Honda tuners rebuild the legendary B16B engine (185 hp) and B18C engine (197 hp) into Civic models before 2000. As for eight generations, the best engine to be modified is the K20A which found in Honda Civic Type R. The original K20A produces 221 hp @ 8000RPM and 215 Nm of torque @ 6100RPM. It is very impressive for a Natural Aspirated engine.

4. Acura RSX (Honda Integra Type R)

You can definitely get a decent Acura RSX for less than $7,000. The 2006 Acura RSX Type-S features a 2.0-liter engine producing 201 hp and 140 lb-ft or torque. If this is not enough for you, you can go for its predecessor Acura Integra Type R. A 2001 Acura Integra Type R (features a 195 hp engine) costs about the same with a 2006 Acura RSX type S.

5. Toyota Corolla (AE86 / KE70 / AE70)

The latest Toyota Corolla E170 (2013-present) is featuring a 2-liter four cylinder engine pumping 145 PS @ 6200 RPM. It costs nearly $18,000 to get a brand new car but you can get this amount of power with some modification to a few earlier Corolla models such as the legendary Toyota AE86, KE70 or AE70. Most important, the earlier Corollas are FR (Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive) layout and you can drift them. Among these cars, the most popular engine Toyota fans put into them is the well-known 4A-GE. The fifth-generation 4A-GE “Black Top” engine produces 160 PS at 7,800 ROM and 162 Nm or torque at 5,600 RPM.

Continue to see 18 Cheap Cars to Build Fast (Part 2) and 18 Cheap Cars to Build Fast (Part 3)

March 23, 2016
Are Car Seat Covers Safe

Are car seat covers safe to be used? There are many types of custom car seat covers and car seat protectors available in the market. Some of them are available at very cheap price while some of them come with a high price tag. Regardless of the quality and durability, you should really consider about the safety when it comes to buying a car seat cover or strap covers.

Car Seat Cover Safety Considerations

Generally, any aftermarket products sold separately from your infant car seat are not recommended to be used. Whether a seat cover or strap cover, it may affect the safety of your infant seat during a crash. Although many products come with a label saying crash tested, there is no way to tell how a car seat cover will change how the seat performs during a crash. It could be safe if it is a minor crash but it could be dangerous if the car crash is serious.

Non-regulated inserts

Non-regulated inserts such as head rest, pillows, and other comfort items are not recommended to be used with infant seats. Many of these items will affect the passenger. These items could push the passenger out of safe position and may cause serious injury. In a nutshell, use rolled up blankets other than non-regulated inserts to give extra support in an infant car seat if it is necessary.

Car Seat Protectors

Most of the car seats come with gripe texture. Often, they are very firm and the gripe may loose if an aftermarket car seat covers is installed. Normally a good infant car seat will not damage your vehicle seat because they are well made. However, a think blanket or towel can be safe to use if you are concerned about spills and dirt. Double check your owner’s manual or call your manufacturer to confirm what is allowed. Usually a think towel or blanket will not affect the safety of your infant seat.

Custom Car Seat Covers

Custom car seat covers might look cute but often they are not safe to be used except those made by the manufacturer. Custom car seat covers may interfere with harness fit and change the distance and speed the head and chest travel in crash. Therefore, they are not recommended to be used. Call the manufacturer or check online to see if they are selling seat covers for your model. Also, do not forget to check with the manufacturer if the car seat covers safe for airbags vehicles.

Other than safety concerns, there are advantages of using car seat covers. For example, it protects your seat from spills and grime. Whether or not a car seat is good depends on your specific situation. In conclusion, are car seat covers safe? The answer is very much depends on your specific situation.

February 28, 2016