I call 30 cars buried in cement a new form of "art" called modern mafia cubism. No questions asked.
via
Ok so I went a little nuts with the entire thing, I kept finding them. why so many?
texas new car dealer - texas car dealer license - texas used car dealer - texas new car salesvtexas new car service - texas new car parts - texas new car repair - fort worth new car dealer - houston new car dealer
30 Cars Buried in Cement - Mafia Cubism
Bike Fro Art Car
This is what I call a Bike Fro art car, complete set of hair made entirely out of bicycles mounted to the outside of this ford van.
Aptera Flounders On Lane Change
This is bad news. If the Aptera, a supposedly well developed and carefully engineered vehicle, can't negotiate a Consumers Union lane change at a measly 45mph, they are in big trouble. It probably has a lot to do with the tricycle design -- the rear end is likely to want to come around without strong ESC intervention because it has so much less grip than the front. From CU's blog:
For reference, just about any mass produced four wheel car can easily negotiate a lane change maneuver at 45mph.Watched by a large group, including many note-taking and video-taping team members, the three-wheeled Aptera car struggled to find a clean run. More than two dozen attempts were made, with the car routinely sliding enough to topple several cones. In watching, it seemed natural to question how difficult this test is to pass. However, all current production vehicles, from small cars to large trucks, can successfully negotiate this test. We expect the Auto X Prize finalists to do the same.
Automotive Companies Doing Business In Iran
The New York Times recently published a list of international companies who are doing business in Iran. Here are the automotive companies on the list which have joint ventures or licensing agreements with Iranian companies:
- Daimler -- Active
- Fiat -- Active
- Kia -- Active
- Mazda -- Active
- Suzuki-- Active
Dazed and Confused with OpticaCARlusion
Coffee a Go Go Art Bike - Smitty's percolating coffee psycho
Smitty's percolating coffee psycho is bike ride that's all about the coffee. There is plenty of space for the coffee pot, the mugs and off course the coffee grinds. You never have to go looking for a coffee shop, because the bike is brewing all the time, now I want coffee, only 12 hours until my next cup.
This Side That Side Art Bus
I just got this in tonight and thought it would be a great addition to ACC. Its a 1990 GMC 3300 17 passenger school bus located in Capitan, NM (near Ruidoso). Its owned by Linda & Kurt Howard, owners of Horsemen's Grill & Cabins in Capitan, NM and was painted by This Side That Side, J. Atlasand and completed in only 20 days, December 2009.
The art bus will be used as leisure vehicle for Linda & Kurt and a seasonal shuttle to/from and around the many art communities around Capitan and parts of New Mexico.
Lt. Steve Zilberman RIP
I saw this story and was moved. Lt. Zilberman, a US Navy Hawkeye pilot lost an engine while returning from a mission. He fought the controls long enough to let his three crewmates bail out, but did not survive his water landing. He leaves behind a young wife and two young children.
Link
Also, there is a fund you can donate to for his kid's college education. See the VAW/VRC Memorial Scholarship Fund here.
VW Wild Boar Fuel Saving Modification
VW has announced that it will begin fuel savings modifications on all VW Golfs using wild boar dummies. Any one interested in this fuel savings upgrade can get it at no cost. Once the car is hits a wild board crossing the street the need for gas will go down to zero, since the car will be totaled, think of the savings. VW is also thinking about sharing this fuel savings technology with other car manufactures.
for the real story go to Jalopnik
Happy Earth Day, Obama!
For Earth Day, President Obama and Vice President Biden are flying, with their respective entourages, to New York. In separate planes (as required by security).
Rant: Gun Safety
I just read a very sad story about a 4 year old boy who accidentally killed himself by playing with a loaded gun that his parents left in their bedroom.
Epic Car Forum Breakup
This is one of the saddest, funniest, craziest things I have ever read. Read it for yourself. You get the details slowly, but by the end, you see the whole picture: illegal immigrant live-in boyfriend sperm donor who works 3 nights a week spends all his money on his car and brags on the Acura forum. Baby mama finds his account open, and dumps him right on the forum.
401(k) Rules explained - Tax, Withdrawals, Loans, Rollovers, limits
What is 401(k) retirement savings plan ?
401(k) is a retirement savings plan for a working individual in United States of America. 401(k) plans are sponsored by your employer. In this post you will find out a quick overview of the rules and regulations and the most important things you need to know about 401(k) investments.401(k) investment options

- Participant-directed 401k plans - These are plans in which as an employee you can choose how much portion of your money is invested in which particular financial instrument. Most 401k plans are of this type.
- Trustee-directed 401k plans- choice of investment options is made by the employer.
401(k) tax exemption rules
It is important to understand the tax consequences of your 401(k) contributions. The key points to remember are:- Investments in 401(k) plans are tax deferred. i.e. you do not pay income tax on your 401(k) contributions (at the time of the contribution), but you pay tax at the time of withdrawal.
- The returns on your 401(k) are tax-exempt : You earn from your 401(k) investments in the form of interest or dividend or capital gains. The biggest advantage of 401(k) retirement plans is that these earnings are not taxable.
401(k) rules for early withdrawals
- Pay income tax on 401(k) withdrawals: As explained above in 401(k) tax rules, you have to pay tax on the 401(k) withdrawal amount when you withdraw money.
- 401(k) hardship withdrawals: Many employers allow 401(k) withdrawals only if there is a financial hardship, e.g. 1) pay medical expenses, 2) pay college tuition fees, 3) for payment or installments etc. in order to avoid eviction or foreclosure of primary residence 4) for funeral of a family member. What exactly qualifies as financial hardship for the case of 401(k) withdrawals is decided by your employer usually based on predetermined criterion.
- 10% Excise tax for premature 401(k) withdrawals: Withdrawals from your 401(k) account before you turn 59.5 years old and (while you are still in service of the company) involves a penalty in the form of 10% excise tax on the withdrawal amount. Note that this excise tax is in addition to the income tax you pay on the invested amount. However you do not have to pay this 10% excise tax in the case when you are leaving your company after you are 55 years old or if you become disabled.
401(k) rules for loans
Although direct withdrawals from 401(k) involve a penalty, several (but not all) 401(k) plans allow you to take a loan on your 401(k) contributions at a predetermined interest rates. The 401(k) rules for taking loan (if it is allowed) are as follows.- The amount of loan you can avail is the minimum of 50% of your 401(k) balance or $50,000.
- The 401(k) loan has to be repaid in 5 years, unless it is meant for purchase of a primary residence.
- In case you take a 401(k) loan and decide to quit your job, you may have to pay back the outstanding loan balance in full. Otherwise the outstanding balance may be treated as a premature 401(k) withdrawal and maybe subject to 10% excise tax as mention above.
401(k) maximum limit rules and regulations
There is a maximum limit on the amount you can invest in all 401(k) plans in a given year and it is the minimum of the following two:- The maximum percentage of contribution limit set by your employer.
- The maximum 401(k) limit as prescribed by the federal government. The 2010 401(k) maximum contribution limit is $16,500 for employees below the age of 50 years and $5,500 for employees over the age of 50.
401(k) Rollover rules and options
You have the following options to deal with 401k contributions in case you retire, quit or change your job and do not want to leave your 401(k) assets with your former employer.- 401(k) Rollover Option 1: You can choose to rollover your entire 401(k) contribution to an IRA account, which you will have to setup before the rollover.
- 401(k) Rollover Option 2: You may be able to make a rollover of your 401(k) assets to a retirement savings plan offered by your new employer (which could be another 401(k)).
- 401(k) Rollover Option 3: You can choose to receive all your 401(k) assets, without making a rollover. However, remember that you will have to pay income tax according to 401(k) tax rules mentioned above. Moreover it is mandatory for your employer to withhold 20% on the amount of your 401(k) withdrawal for Federal Income tax. You are supposed to pay the remaining tax (after this 20% withholding) when you file your income tax return. In addition to the income tax, you also have to pay 10% excise tax if your age is below 59.5 years (as mentioned in 401(k) early withdrawal rules).
401(k)- additional benefits like matched contributions
Several employers, as part of their pay-package, match the contributions in 401(k) account. I.e. if you invest $1000, your employer will invest an additional $1000 on your behalf, thus doubling your investment. It is worth finding out if indeed your employer matches you 401(k) contribution by directly asking your employer.External useful links related to 401(k) contributions Other posts related to Tax breaks, tax deductions and tax credits that you may find useful.
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David Best Car at its Worst - RIP
HearseCon 2010 Ad! (A-Team Parody)
Ever owned a Hearse and was rejected from car shows because your ride was way to weird or deadly? Now there is HearseCon 2010 for those of you looking for an alternative event to go to this year. The event will be held June 18th-20th, Englewood Colorado and is described as "Burning Man for People who shower..."
Legendary Scooter Travels Cross Country
Jeffrey Holmes. He painted his 49cc 2006 TnG Venice with stars and stripes last summer and then took it on a 1400 mile cross country trip from from New Orleans to Key West and Back to Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
It was a solo trip (no chase vehicle or other participants) and he still
drives her daily and is currently working on a 93 Buick Hearse aka Vodou 1. Cant wait to add that to our collection of Hearses here on art car central. Great work.
2011 Explorer: Off Road Machine?
This interesting video that was posted on Youtube shows the vehicle dynamics manager for the 2011 Explorer program at Ford explaining the benefits of their new Terrain Management System (TMS). Ford's TMS is similar to Land Rover's Terrain Response, where the driver turns a dial to select one of several icons representing different road conditions.
Maruti Suzuki A-star review - Price, Mileage details
Maruti Suzuki A-Star review
This article is my own short review of Maruti-Suzuki A-star. This review contains details of A-star price, A-star features, A-star mileage and other factors that you need to consider if you are planning to buy a car. Perhaps before even beginning with the features I should start withMaruti Suzuki A-star price
A-star comes in 3 variants. Lxi, Vxi, Zxi where Lxi being the base model and Zxi the top end model.A-star Vxi on-road Price: Rs. 4.08 lakh
A-star Zxi on-road Price: Rs. 4.56 lakh. (top end model)

The prices given above are are on-road prices (i.e. the approximate final price you pay including taxes, insurance etc.) and are approximate. They may vary according to your region and other factors. For ex-showroom prices. Visit official website of A-star.
Three biggest plus points of A-star
- A-star mileage: A-star gives a mileage of around 20 km / litre (of petrol) (under ideal conditions). This is among the best mileage in the market.
- A-star is cost-effective: Even the top-end model of A-star, A-star zxi has an on-road price of around 4.5 lakh rupees. This is a very good deal considering the amount of features A-star has. (read below for details).
- A-star reliability: A-star is exported by Maruti-Suzuki to Europe. Nissan buys A-star and resells it as Nissan Pixo. An advantage of this is that A-star confirms to European safety and quality standards. I think of this as a plus point.
The one big disadvantage of A-star
- A-star space problem (internal design): A-star is small compact car and if you read reviews you will see that a lot of people complain about the shortage of space in the car. Indeed, the luggage space is short and you may find this a problem depending on your needs. As far as the leg-space or space for seating is concerned though, I think this is just fine, unless you are dealing with more than average obese people. So if you are looking for a family car where you want to carry lot of people or lot of luggage, perhaps it may be worthwhile considering other options. Have a look at a picture of the interior space for yourself

A-star fuel Options and A-star Mileage
A-star (unfortunately) comes only in the petrol option. Other fuel options like CNG, LPG or diesel would have made A-star an even more attractive choice. A-star gives a mileage of about 19.5 km per litre under ideal conditions (e.g. on highway).A-star technical specifications and features
All A-star models come with basic features like Air-conditioner, power steering etc (visit A-star specifications for a detailed list).. The high end Zxi comes with a CD player, stereo system with 4 players, dual driver/passenger airbags. The engine capacity is about 1000cc which is slightly lower than other cars int he market, but enough for most purposes.Posts related to Cars |
More Bad News For Toyota -- CR "Do Not Buy"
Because of this behavior, CR has given Toyota another black eye, with a rare and embarrassing "Do Not Buy" rating. This puts the Lexus GX460 in the same company as the Suzuki Samurai.We believe that in real-world driving, that situation could lead to a rollover accident, which could cause serious injury or death. We are not aware, however, of any such reports.
...
In real-world driving, lift-off oversteer could occur when a driver enters a highway's exit ramp or drives through a sweeping turn and encounters an unexpected obstacle or suddenly finds that the turn is too tight for the vehicle's speed. A natural impulse is to quickly lift off the accelerator pedal. If that were to happen in the GX, the rear could slide around far enough that a wheel could strike a curb or slide off the pavement.
India Income Tax Slabs - Direct Tax Code 2011-2012
New Direct Tax Code in 2011-2012, India
Government of India has proposed a new Direct Tax code or Direct Taxes Code to replace the old Indian Income Tax Act of 1961. This Direct Tax code is an attempt to simply the tax-life of an individual. The way it works is that the income tax slabs are increased, however several deductions (e.g. deduction on housing loan) and tax-breaks are taken away. A detailed post will be written about Direct Tax Code. Below you will find the proposed income tax slabs under the Direct Tax code will be debated in the Parliament and if approved, will be implemented in 2011-2012.Income Tax rates or Tax Slabs under Direct Tax Code : Table
Income: upto 1.6 lacs | no income tax |
Income : 1.6 lacs to 10 lacs | 10 % |
Income : 10 lacs to 25 lacs | 20 % |
Income : above 25 lacs | 30 % |
Direct Tax Code slabs 2011-2012, Women
Income : upto 1.9 lacs | NO TAX |
Income : 1.9 lacs to 10 lacs | 10 % |
Income : 10 lacs to 25 lacs | 20 % |
Income : above 25 lacs | 30 % |
Direct Tax Code slabs 2011-2012, Senior Citizen
Income : upto 2.4 lacs | NO TAX |
Income : 2.4 lacs to 10 lacs | 10 % |
Income : 10 lacs to 25 lacs | 20 % |
Income : above 25 lacs | 30 % |
Education cess and surcharge on total income tax
It is not clear whether education cess and surcharge will be applicable on income tax collected under direct tax code. According to the current indian income tax act, in addition to the income tax calculated according to the above income tax slabs, a 3% of Education cess is charged on the total Income tax paid (not on the total taxable income). If the taxable income exceeds Rs. 10 lacs, a 10% surcharge on the total income tax (not on the total taxable income) is also charged.Posts related to Income Tax rates in India |
Income Tax Slabs 2010/2011 - Tax rates 10-11
Income Tax Rates 2010-2011
Below you will find Indian Income Tax slabs decleared in Budget 2010, for the financial year 2010-2011. These ITslabs have been increased slightly (i.e. the tax rate has been reduced) as compared to the IT slabs for 10-11. Below you will find a detailed table of Income Tax slabs for men, women, and senior citizen. These tax rates are applicable for the financial year 2010-2011, i.e. effective from 1st April 2010 to 31st March 2011.You may also like to use the quick-easy-to-use this Income Tax Calculator on the website of IT department or download this Tax Calculator (Excel Spreadsheet) for calculating your tax for A.Y. 2010/2011.
Income Tax rates or Tax Slabs 10-11 : Table
Income: upto 1.6 lacs | no income tax |
Income : 1.6 lacs to 5 lacs | 10 % |
Income : 5 lacs to 8 lacs | 20 % |
Income : above 8 lacs | 30 % |
Income Tax Rates 2010/2011 or Women
Income : upto 1.9 lacs | NO TAX |
Income : 1.9 lacs to 5 lacs | 10 % |
Income : 5 lacs to 8 lacs | 20 % |
Income : above 8 lacs | 30 % |
Income Tax rates 2010/2011 for Senior Citizen
Income : upto 2.4 lacs | NO TAX |
Income : 2.4 lacs to 5 lacs | 10 % |
Income : 5 lacs to 8 lacs | 20 % |
Income : above 8 lacs | 30 % |
Education cess and surcharge on total income tax
In addition to the income tax calculated according to the above income tax slabs, a 3% of Education cess will be charged on the total Income tax paid (not on the total taxable income). If the taxable income exceeds Rs. 10 lacs, a 10% surcharge on the total income tax (not on the total taxable income) is also charged.Related: Indian Income Tax Act - Tax Deductions, Tax Exemptions, Section 80C,80D,80DD,80E, etc.
Posts related to Income Tax Rates India |
The iPod touch rocks!
I am playing with my new iPod touch, and it is amazing how much you can do with this little thing. Even blog!
Hyundai i20 review: models - Era, Magna, Sportz, Asta
New Hyundai i20 - the best car in the market ?
Perhaps the two best appealing features of Hyundai i20 are its design and its mileage. Far more attractive than the predecessor Hyundai i10, i20 has a better design but is also significantly more expensive (see Hyundai i20 price below). Perhaps only Fiat Punto comes close to Hyundai i20 as far as attractive design is concerned. (scroll down to read i20 details)

Hyundai i20 price and models (Era, Magna, Sportz, Asta)
Hyundai i20 comes in 4 models - i20 Era, i20 Magna, i20 Sportz and i20 Asta. These models and their slight variants are listed below along with their ex-showroom price. The actual price you pay for the car (called as on-road price) is slightly higher because of insurace, taxes and costs for possible additional accessories like door mats, etc. Add about 10% to 20% to the ex-showroom price below and you will get an approximate idea of the onroad Hyundai i20 price.- Hyundai i20 Era - Price = Rs. 4.74 lakh
- Hyundai i20 Magna - Price = Rs. 5.14 lakh
- Hyundai i20 Sportz Option - Price = Rs. 5.42 lakh
- Hyundai i20 Sportz - Price = Rs. 5.57 lakh
- Hyundai i20 Asta - Price = Rs. 6.01 lakh
- Hyundai i20 1.2L Asta Option with Sunroof - Price = Rs. 6.48 lakh
- Hyundai i20 1.4L Asta (Automatic Transmission) - Price = Rs. 7.84 lakh
The Era is the basic model, introduced recently. Asta is the top-end luxury model. Remember these are ex-showroom prices of the cars. So the actual on-road price will be higher (about 10 to 20% depending on various factors). So even the cheapest model is more expensive than usual entry-level hatch-back cars (like Maruti Suzuki Zen, Tata Indica or Hyundai's own Santro or i20).
Hyundai i20 Mileage fuel and engine options
All Hyundai i20 models come in Petrol and diesel variants with one of the following engines.Engine type & capacity | Gears, Transmission | Mileage (ARAI certified values) | i20 models with this engine option |
1.2L Kappa (Petrol) | 5 speed, Manual Transmission | 18 km/ltr | All models. |
1.4L CrDi (Diesel) | 6 speed, Manual Transmission | 21.5 km/ltr | All models except i20 Asta Option with Sunroof. |
1.4L Gamma (Petrol) | 5 speed, Automatic Transmission | 15.04 km/ltr | Only in i20 Asta model (without Sunroof model). |
The values of i20 mileage mentioned above are under ideal conditions, and you can expect to get values close to those on highways. Thus 1.4 Crdi engine will probably give you a mileage of 20km per litre of diesel on highways. The mileage in city will be less depending on various factors. The 1.4Crdi engine has been newly introduced by Hyundai, and especially the basic model i20 Era with this engine option is a very good bargain for those who worry about mileage.
Comparison of Hyundai i20 models - Era, Magna, Sportz, Asta
I will only compare the most important features of the above models. For a detailed list download the following Hyundai i20 brochure.Feature | i20 Era | i20 Magna | i20 Sportz | i20 Asta |
Fog Lamps | yes | yes | yes | yes |
Driver Airbag | no | no | yes | yes |
Dual Driver/Passenger Airbags (with passenger airbag on/off feature) | no | no | no | yes |
Side and Curtain Airbags | no | no | no | yes |
ABS with EBD | no | no | no | yes |
Power Windows | no | yes | yes | yes |
Height Adjustable driver seat | no | no | no | yes |
Electrically adjustable ORVM's * | no | no | yes | yes |
Body coloured outside mirrors with door handles | no | yes | yes | yes |
Alloy wheel with 185/65 R14 tyres | no | no | yes | yes |
In addition to the above all Hyundai i20 models with several features like Air-conditioner, Tachometer, 4 speakers with 2 front tweeters, etc. As mentioned above download Hyundai i20 brochure for a list of all features.
Hyundai i20 Airbags (in i20 Magna and i20 Asta)
The i20 Asta Model comes with a dual passenger/driver airbag in addition to side and curtain airbags. i20 Magna, which comes with a driver airbag, is the only other model to come with the airbag feature. The point is having an airbag increases the cost of your car by about Rs. 50,000 or so (very approximate estimate). Airbags is an important safety feature of a car which try to protect the passengers of the car in case of an accident. The i20 Asta, with fully inflated airbags (in an accident) would look like the following
Posts related to Cars |
Edmunds $1,000,000 Unintended Acceleration Challenge
Edmunds has published the official rules for the promised $1,000,000 contest to see if anyone can create a plausible failure mode that results in unintended acceleration in a factory stock mass produced vehicle. Rules here.
BYOBW 10th annual Next Week!!!!
via Boing Boing
The 10th Annual BYOBW or Bring your own Big Wheel down hill race is tomorrow at 4pm at 20th & Vermont St., San Francisco, CA. If you are interested you need to sign up BYOBW and a dress up
Easter Bunny Furball Art Car Madness - And More!!
With Easter on its way this weekend, I though it appropriate to explore the world of cute furry bunny art cars from around the world. There are a variety of the Easter Art Car wonders making the rounds this year, hiding eggs and scaring small children. From art cars to motorcycles with men in bunny suites, we have it all, enjoy, and Happy Easter!!!
Furry VW Bunny Art Car
Rex Rabbit Art Car
Pink VW Art Car
Burning Man Bunny Party Float
Burning Man Bunny Slippers






Blog Archive
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2010
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April
(28)
- 30 Cars Buried in Cement - Mafia Cubism
- Bike Fro Art Car
- Aptera Flounders On Lane Change
- Automotive Companies Doing Business In Iran
- Dazed and Confused with OpticaCARlusion
- Coffee a Go Go Art Bike - Smitty's percolating cof...
- This Side That Side Art Bus
- Lt. Steve Zilberman RIP
- VW Wild Boar Fuel Saving Modification
- Happy Earth Day, Obama!
- Rant: Gun Safety
- Epic Car Forum Breakup
- 401(k) Rules explained - Tax, Withdrawals, Loans, ...
- David Best Car at its Worst - RIP
- HearseCon 2010 Ad! (A-Team Parody)
- Legendary Scooter Travels Cross Country
- 2011 Explorer: Off Road Machine?
- Maruti Suzuki A-star review - Price, Mileage details
- More Bad News For Toyota -- CR "Do Not Buy"
- India Income Tax Slabs - Direct Tax Code 2011-2012
- Income Tax Slabs 2010/2011 - Tax rates 10-11
- The iPod touch rocks!
- Hyundai i20 review: models - Era, Magna, Sportz, Asta
- Edmunds $1,000,000 Unintended Acceleration Challenge
- BYOBW 10th annual Next Week!!!!
- Easter Bunny Furball Art Car Madness - And More!!
- Post-Passover Pizza For The Hungry
- "Naughty Volvo"?
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