A Commuter's Life Style Resource for Easier Living

35 MPG 2009 Ford Focus SE Review

Three weeks ago, I was driving to meet friends to watch the new comedy Tropic Thunder, when my AC went out on the freeway. I later brought the car to the dealership for repairs and borrowed brand new econo box rental: a 2009 gold metallic Ford Focus SE 4 door sedan.

I have driven many small econonical cars and rentals in the past. To my surprise the new 2009 Ford Fou 

I had the rental for 2 days to commute to work and run errands as I would have done daily.  


Solar Charger/Maintainer Part 2: hooked up to the Altima

Last week,I ordered Sunsei Solar 2-watt 12-volt charger for fun. It turned out to more useful as I used it more. I got it directly tapped into the Nissan Altima's battery via the fuse box, so the charger can power my battery during the 10 hours of the day it was parked. Read more...

DISCLAMER: ***You should seek a professional electrician or auto installer to do this as it involves electricity and the potential to get injured or damage your car. Attempt at your own risk.***

cover of Sunsei Solar 2-Watt 12-Volt Charger #SE-135Sunsei Solar 2-Watt 12-Volt Charger #SE-135
asin: B000BTCKYY

Solar Power! Review of Sunsei Solar 2-watt 12-volt charger! Part 1

In Southern California there is many things: beaches, mountains, deserts, urban sprawl, sky scrapers, and a lot of sun. In fact, SoCal is a desert and the majority of the day is filled with sunshine. I had a thought of harnessing the mightly energy of the sun with a solar panel. I ordered Sunsei Solar 2-watt 12-volt charger for fun.
Read more...

cover of Sunsei Solar 2-Watt 12-Volt Charger #SE-135Sunsei Solar 2-Watt 12-Volt Charger #SE-135
asin: B000BTCKYY

Riding to the Carpool with a electric bike!

I have been saving lots of money by maximizing my carpool driving and driving alone only when required by work.
Recently, started to figure out more ways of saving gas and but it took more prep time. I decided to bicycle to my carpools house! Read more...

cover of E-Zip Mountain Trailz Electric BicycleE-Zip Mountain Trailz Electric Bicycle
asin: B000MSDKOI

Funky scooter!

With scooters all the rage, it would be great to find a faster electric scooter to get to point A to the point B and point C which is for food. I found a neat scooter which can go 20 mph from the box rather than moding a chained version to go fsater. Really cool and all functions built-in, such as AC power charging, motors in the wheels . and long lasting batteries. The Go-Ped ESR750H seems to have all that in order.

cover of Go-Ped ESR750EX Electric Powered City Scooter (Multiple Colors)Go-Ped ESR750EX Electric Powered City Scooter (Multiple Colors)
asin: B000VM4CLA

Scootors and other ways of travel.

With gas at $4.60, it pays to hyper mileage, carpool, and use public transportation. As I have wrote before i carpool with 3 other coworkers and drive about once a month. The gas usage still hits my wallet at about 4 gallons a day during the week which i drive and 1 gallon for the week i just need to drive to my carpool meetup locaton.  However, i have been considering other forms of transportation Read more...

cover of Haynes Techbook Scooters: Automatic Transmission 50 to 250cc (Hayne's Automotive Repair Manual) (Paperback)Haynes Techbook Scooters: Automatic Transmission 50 to 250cc (Hayne's Automotive Repair Manual) (Paperback)
asin: B000GHJKJE
cover of Schwinn 500S Electric ScooterSchwinn 500S Electric Scooter
asin: B000MSDKN4
cover of Go-Ped ESR750EX Electric Powered City Scooter (Multiple Colors)Go-Ped ESR750EX Electric Powered City Scooter (Multiple Colors)
asin: B000VM4CLA

Hyper mileaging ... getting 15%+ better gas mileage

I have been trying to save gas during my commute. Efforts to do so was by implementing hyper mileaging.  We  i started off by opening the windows rather than the air conditioning. Then by coasting half the block rather than leaving my foot on the gas pedal and braking 40 feet from the intersection. And lastly, by driving at or below the speed limit. By doing so, i was able to achieve 23 MPG in the city compared to a previous 18 MPG. Thats a difference of 5 MPG. Read more...

cover of ScanGauge II 3-in-1 Compact Multifunction Vehicle Computer with Customizable DisplayScanGauge II 3-in-1 Compact Multifunction Vehicle Computer with Customizable Display
asin: B000AAMY86

Nissan Altima Hybrid Review... Buy it or wait...35 MPG versus 23 MPG

I have been thinking about buying a new car to replace my current 2003 Nissan Altima. Its not that the car is bad, its the fuel prices and incentives to buy a new hybrid that has got me wondering. The question is when to buy. Currently their is a $2350 tax credit for the Altima Hybrid that makes it look very attractive to narrow the price gap between a tradition internal combustion engine (ICE)... Read more...

cover of Plug-in Hybrids: The Cars that will Recharge AmericaPlug-in Hybrids: The Cars that will Recharge America
author: Sherry Boschert
asin: 0865715718

Air Condition Safety... Sick Car Syndrome due to Gas Prices?

I used to remember when i was in college and gas was 2 dollars. I was making just enough for tuition and gas money to goto the mall or the beach in my 1991 Toyota Camry. I usually drive in the heat and save gas. But as winter and fall came about i needed to use the AC to dehumidify the car windows. Turning on the AC also dries up the inside of the car. Another benefit using AC was keeping the car clean from fungi and mold growth by eliminating moisture condensation in the vents... read more...

cover of Xantrex Technologies XPower Plus 400-Watt Inverter #851-0400Xantrex Technologies XPower Plus 400-Watt Inverter #851-0400
asin: B0001DVQNG
cover of LifeHammer Original Emergency Hammer (Orange)LifeHammer Original Emergency Hammer (Orange)
asin: B000BN3A4Y

2 gallon a week commute!? Aptera!

I guess its been on the news and been spreading by word of mouth, but to think about a 300 MPG car to drive to work would save me a lot of fuel and be green at the same time.  My co-worker told me about this Aptera 3-wheelled electric car that has a range of 120 miles on battery power; or 300 miles per gallon on electric -gas generation. Its oddy shapped and looks like the front of an airplane or a mix from the "Flight of the Navigator" and Buck Rogers.  But i kinda like it. It looks geeky but yet futuristic.  My main interest is the mileage savings for the communter.

cover of Electric Vehicle Technology ExplainedElectric Vehicle Technology Explained
author: James Larminie,John Lowry
asin: 0470851635
cover of Modern Electric, Hybrid Electric, and Fuel Cell Vehicles: Fundamentals, Theory, and Design (Power Electronics and Applications Series)Modern Electric, Hybrid Electric, and Fuel Cell Vehicles: Fundamentals, Theory, and Design (Power Electronics and Applications Series)
author: Mehrdad Ehsani,Yimin Gao,Sebastien E. Gay,Ali Emadi
asin: 0849331544
cover of Flight of the NavigatorFlight of the Navigator
asin: B0001I562I

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