Great Gift Ideas For Motorists

To see previous posts about the Chevrolet Matiz and Captiva use the category buttons in the right-hand column. 

Here are some great gift ideas now Christmas nears and we start thinking about buying presents. What’s more these gift ideas are normally limited editions, exclusive and high quality. 

How do you figure out what interests people? 

One clue is the subjects most written about and read. You can look on the Internet or on magazine racks.  You’ll find the topic of cars is popular. 

I’m not suggesting buying a car but here are some car related gifts. 

In the parts department of your local dealer, you’ll find what’s called merchandise, which is separate from accessories. Depending on the dealership they supply all kinds of goodies: 

• AUDIO, SPEAKERS, NAVIGATION, DVD
• AUTO-CARE PRODUCTS
• BOY’S & GIRL’S WEAR
• CHILD SEATS & ACCESSORIES
• DESK & CORPORATE ITEMS
• LADY’S WEAR & WATCHES
• LUGGAGE & ACCESSORIES
• MEN’S WEAR & WATCHES
• MINIATURE CARS
• MINIATURE CLASSIC CARS
• MINIATURE CONCEPT CARS
• MINIATURE SPORT CARS
• PEDAL CARS
• RADIO CONTROLLED CARS
• TOYS & GAMES  

They’re exclusive – you can only buy them from franchised car dealers. They’re limited editions – manufacturers only order one batch in a given season. And they’re high quality. 

So it could be a good idea to check out your local car dealer’s parts department for a unique and special gift 

Ralph Spence

www.chevroletreviewsandprices.co.uk

November Motoring Tip

Getting off the subject of Chevrolets, the Chevrolet Captiva and Matiz …

Now November is here we can see the changes in temperature, weather and daylight hours.

Changes in temperature are important because they often cause battery problems. A battery check just before winter could help you avoid breakdowns.

Because most motorists are travelling to and from work in the dark and wet it means they’ll be using their lights, wipers and heaters more often. This places a heavy burden on your battery.

Your battery provides the power to start your car.

Your battery is also the power source for –

• management systems

• heated screens and mirrors

• locking and alarm systems

• radio

A check would help ensure trouble-free starting and help prolong the life of your engine and catalytic converter.

Two other points:

1. Regular tyre checks are important all year round. Wet roads make checks even more important.

2. It’s a good idea to get your car serviced ASAP, if one is due about this time of year.

 Ralph Spence
www.chevroletreviewsandprices.co.uk

The Chevrolet Matiz is …

The Chevrolet Matiz is a small budget price city car with five seats and five doors. There are two peppy engines 0.8 and 1.0 with three trim levels S, SE and SE+.  

The Chevrolet Matiz style has a certain charm. The interior is spacious and well thought out. And it’s affordable. Prices new are low, it’s cheap to insure and tax and economical on fuel.  

The Matiz is compact and narrow in width so easy to drive, park and nip around town. You can always find a parking space, even when parking’s limited you can squeeze in.  

It’s also quite high making it easy to get in and out of and gives an elevated view of the road ahead. 

What sets the Chevrolet Matiz apart from other cars in this class is the level of equipment you get for the price you pay. 

Below you’ll find posted:

• Where does the Chevrolet Matiz stand in the budget car marketplace?
• The Chevrolet Matiz shows real style
• November 2, 2007 Designed to be a small budget city car
• October 27, 2007 Little things mean a lot in the Matiz
• October 26, 2007 Comfort is important because it relaxes you making you at ease and happy
• October 25, 2007 The importance of a comfortable driving position
• October 15, 2007 What do the Chevrolet Matiz and Maserati have in common?
• Taking a DIM view of Matiz motoring costs
• October 14, 2007 How the Chevrolet Matiz is a great opportunity
• October 13, 2007 How much does it cost to run a Chevrolet Matiz?
• October 13, 2007 Facts and figures about motorists and safety.
• October 12, 2007 The Chevrolet Matiz and anticipation
• Chevrolet Matiz and accident avoidance
• October 11, 2007 The Chevrolet Matiz and car accident protection
• October 10, 2007 Chevrolet Matiz Product Guide
• September 24, 2007 What Every Motorist Needs To Know About Air Conditioning 

Ralph Spence
See how the Matiz compares with its competition

 

Where does the Chevrolet Matiz stand in the budget car marketplace?

And please don’t confuse budget cars with minis, super minis and super-sized minis. We’re talking cheap.

I can tell you where the buyer stands. The budget car sector is the safest sector in which to buy. Because if a manufacturer can make a car at these prices and survive they’ve just got to be good. 

The contenders are the: Chevrolet Matiz, Chevrolet Kalos, Citroen C2, Daihatsu Charade, Daihatsu Sirion, Fiat Panda, Ford Ka, Hyundai Getz, Kia Picanto, Peugeot 107, Smart ForTwo, Proton Savvy, Suzuki Alto, Suzuki Ignis, Toyota Aygo, Volkswagen Fox. The two Chevys and two Suzukis come under the GM umbrella and their old slogan, ‘a car for every purpose and a car for every purse.’ 

The first thing is these are budget cars. They cost next to nothing to run. They cost little to buy. There is a limit to what they can depreciate.  

So how do these budget cars compare? 

• They are all small.
• They look chic, cheeky or charming.
• They have a surprising amount of space inside for their size.
• They’re OK to drive. Engines are eager and zip you along at a healthy pace.
• They are all economical to buy and run.
• None have the crash protection you’d like but most drivers of this class seem to avoid accidents. 

Their small size is an asset for busy crowded lifestyles, nipping through gaps, where progress is normally thwarted. 

They are no-nonsense cars. They are all you need for commuting, meeting people, transporting children. 

It’s very difficult to set the makes and models apart. It doesn’t matter if you can’t because you can’t lose. They’re cheap but it’s the chic, cheek or charm that gets you. Your mind gets you to this sector and the heart takes over with a clear conscious. 

The Chevrolet Matiz wins in three ways:

1. It is still a real charmer being designed by the acclaimed Giugiaro.You get more specification for your money.
2. The Matiz is well equipped with a clear dashboard and effortless to drive with power steering as standard. So it’s not only cheap – it’s value. Value is the foundation of the Chevrolet brand.
3. The Matiz is long in the tooth, so there are real deals to be done. Whilst it still ticks all the boxes – mpg, co2, space, insurance costs, ease of use, specification.

 

 Ralph Spence
See how the Matiz compares with its competitors at Chevrolet Matiz Car Comparisons

 

The Chevrolet Matiz shows real style

Somehow small cars give you more style for your money. The Chevrolet Matiz is still a modern design with curved shapes.  

 When you approach the new Chevrolet Matiz you’re welcomed with a friendly smilely face and distinctive front headlamps. The rear features round taillights. The Matiz’s expressive styling promises a spacious interior.  

The Chevrolet Matiz was designed by Giugiaro who also designed the Fiat Panda, Punto and Uno in the small car class.    

The new Chevrolet Matiz is available in the following colours/colors:Ocean Blue, Electric Yellow, Poly Silver, Jazz Blue, Highway Yellow, Super Red, Apple Green, Dynamic Orange, Pearl Black, and Mighty Blue.

Designed to be a small budget city car

The Chevrolet Matiz is only 3495 mm long. To give you an idea, a Vauxhall Cosra is 3999 mm long. So the Matiz is a tiny car – that’s the idea – excellent for city driving and tight parking spaces.  

More important is the width because some small cars are over 1700 mm wide, over 1900 including wing mirrors, which almost fills the width of a UK parking space with little room to open the doors – especially if they’re 2-doors. The Chevrolet Matiz is only 1495 mm wide – excluding wing mirrors – which is great for UK city roads. 

Take into consideration a minimum turning radius of 4.6 m and the Chevrolet Matiz seems sensible for city roads. 

 Ralph Spence