03 Polaris Predator 500 Shift Shaft B1804 on 2040-parts.com

Money Advice Service’s Online Tool Helps Buyers Choose Wisely

NEW researched published by the Government-backed Money Advice Service (MAS) has found more than half of people who purchased a used car underestimated the running costs. Some 56% of motorists said that total cost, including maintenance, repairs, insurance and fuel had turned out to be higher than anticipated, while one in five (20%) have resorted to going into debt just to keep their vehicle on the road. One in four (26%) of the 3,000 people surveyed who have bought a second-hand car since 2012 now has regrets about their purchase, with many of them saying they had not worked out whether it was really affordable or that the purchase price was too much in the first place.

Sky takes Mazda powertrains to the next level

Mazda's next-generation of powertrains, called Sky, will feature a variety of new technologies that company engineers say improve fuel efficiency by 20 percent. The Sky engines--Sky-G for the gasoline version, Sky-D for diesel--coupled with a Sky-Drive automatic transmission or a six-speed manual, were offered for test drives during a technology day in Berlin. The Sky-G engine we drove was a 2.0-liter inline-four that made 160 hp and 155 lb-ft of torque.

Chevrolet plays the name game with paint color for the upcoming Volt

We know the Chevrolet Volt is going to be green, but what color will it be? Chevy is staging a contest to officially name the color of the Volt, and it's down to three finalists: EV-ergreen, environMINT and Viridian Joule. Two of the names were submitted by California residents, and one came from Florida.