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Friday, 25 July 2008       

Matthew C. Keegan Profile and Articles




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1). 2010 Dodge Challenger: Back to the Future!
Blogs, car sites, and auto shows have been hyping up the concept Dodge Challenger to the point where you would think that the car is almost ready to roll off of a DCX assembly line. To say that the prototype is being well received is an understatement -- quite frankly if the Challenger was available for sale today the waiting list would be many mon...

2). 2009 Buick Enclave: From Concept to Reality
General Motors has been taking a beating for over a year now due to sales dips, make/model image problems, and labor and legacy issues. Truly, if there was a better time to jumpstart the company, I don’t know what it would be. Fortunately, someone in GM’s walnut-trimmed boardroom is getting the message: build what we want and we will buy it. The Bu...

3). 2006 Jeep Commander: 7 Passenger Trail Trekker
Jeep has finally done it. A 7 passenger trail rated Jeep is now available at a dealer near you. Long a maker of manly SUVs, the Commander holds true to form as it can easily be taken off road as well as down the highway. Unlike more pedestrian models, the Commander looks every bit the rugged vehicle that it is. For Jeep fans who need the extra room...

4). 2008 Saturn VUE: Inspired by Opel
General Motors’ Saturn division is hard at work on building a replacement for its small SUV, the Saturn VUE. Currently based strictly on U.S. technology, the 2008 VUE is expected to be heavily based on Opel technology: Opel is General Motors’ principal European brand. This is good news for those who were concerned that GM would ditch the Saturn VUE...

5). 2008 Chery QQ: Sneak Peak!
China’s Chery Automotive Group is getting set to import as many as five vehicles into the US starting in the summer of 2007. These 2008 models are reportedly going to be cheaper than competing models in their respective classes, undercutting some models by as much as $10,000 per car. I have been doing a little investigating and have learned more ab...

6). The Demise of EZBoard
For years, EZBoard was a community that offered relatively cheap and easy to maintain forums for managers. Virtually anyone could register, design, and layout a site and invite their friends to participate. Indeed, some of the largest forums on the internet are built upon EZBoard. Unfortunately, a recent system-wide hacking attack has destroyed the...

7). 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca: Ugly or Not?
Okay, Subaru fans…listen up! Do you think that the all new B9 Tribeca is a beautiful vehicle or is it an ugly duckling? As for me, I have mixed feelings. This particular SUV certainly doesn’t look like any other Subaru, nor does it easily get confused with any other SUV on the market. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder; let’s take a look at what ...

8). 2007 Hyundai Entourage: The Minivan Wars Heat Up
It was only a matter of time before they entered the minivan fray and after several false starts the on again and off again Hyundai minivan appears to be on once again. Hyundai is targeting a market it has long sidestepped and it appears that a long wheelbase version of the Kia Sedona will soon be sold in the US as a Hyundai Entourage. The minivan ...

9). 2007 New Car Extravaganza!
Months ago, in a related article, I covered five new or revised car models set to be launched on the North American market. The Jaguar XK, Saturn Sky, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Land Rover Freelander, and Dodge Nitro are already in showrooms or soon to make their appearance there. Beyond these five there are quite a number of other models also being planne...

10). 2008 Mercedes B Class: American Introduction Delayed?
Mercedes has long looked at the entire U.S. auto market as fair game, meaning it is not just a place where it can sell luxury vehicles, but a place to market “low budget” vehicles too. Unknown to some American motorists, the Mercedes name is much broader than simply being a luxury make. Like its German rival, Volkswagen, Mercedes sells cars in Euro...

11). 2007 Volkswagen Polo: U.S. Debut Stalled?
Volkswagens’ plans to deliver a sub-Golf sized car to the U.S. market has stalled as the German automaker considers allowing rival DaimlerChrysler [DCX] to import the car instead and sell it under the Dodge label. VW dealers are naturally unhappy about the move, but much more is at stake than what is evident. Will the Polo still show up? If not, wh...

12). 2006 Chevrolet Aveo: America’s Price Leader
The only thing American about the compact Aveo automobile is it’s Chevrolet name. Built in Korea [or in China] by GM Daewoo, the Aveo is America’s price champion coming in at just under ten thousand dollars. That’s right; you can still purchase a new car in the USA for under ten thousand dollars excluding taxes, dealer prep, and destination charges...

13). 2006 Honda Element: Unique Freak?
I admit it. When I saw my first Honda Element a few years back I thought it was one of the most hideous looking vehicles on the planet. Then I saw the Scion xA and Scion xB, so I quickly relegated the Element to third place. I confess that my earlier feelings about the Element have changed, possibly because I see so many of them on the road these d...

14). 21 Classic Pontiacs!
So, you think you know your cars now, do you? Well, consider this to be a test of your knowledge of Pontiac history. 21 Pontiacs are featured here: some are current models while others are truly classic in every sense of the word, dating back to the early 1960s.

6000 – Full sized [or almost] front wheel drive sedan of the 1980s....

15). 2006 Buick Lucerne: Return of the V8
The venerable Buick Park Avenue is no more, having been replaced by the all new Buick Lucerne, a down market version of the Cadillac DTS. With a 275-hp Northstar V8 engine, the Lucerne becomes the first Buick car in nearly ten years to arrive equipped with a V8. The entire Buick line up is in the process of being overhauled, so let’s take a look at...

16). 4 Ways To Increase Automotive Performance
In these days of high gasoline prices, it may seem ridiculous to consider ways to increase your car's performance as they are almost always associated with increased fuel consumption. However, there are four ways to increase performance that do not have to negatively impact your gas mileage. Let's take a closer look at each one.

1. ...

17). 6 Pocket Rockets!
Just because your car is small, doesn’t mean that it has to be slow. In fact, some of the fastest cars on the road today are subcompacts. How so? Because their owners have modified them to the point where they can squeeze out additional horsepower and acceleration. Let’s take a look at six cars that qualify as genuine “pocket rockets.”
...

18). 2007 Nissan Versa: Gen "Y", Take Notice
Automakers are clamoring to build and market cars to the Generation “Y” crowd which, loosely defined, and encompasses new drivers and mostly everyone who is under 30. Toyota threw the gauntlet down in 2003 when they introduced a line of cars under the Scion brand. Now, Nissan is responding and the Versa – to be released during the summer of 2006 – ...

19). 2007 Saturn SKY: The Wait Is Over
After months of nonstop hype, the 2007 Saturn SKY is now entering dealer showrooms. This two seat roadster marks an important turning point for the Saturn brand long identified with building nondescript, but dependable vehicles. With an MSRP of $23,690, the SKY is certain to sell for several thousand dollars over the dealer's sticker price as deman...

20). 2007 Nissan Maxima: 300, Avalon Take Notice!
During the late 1990s, Nissan rolled out a new version of its Maxima to the critical acclaim of automobile experts as well as to consumers who snapped up the snazzy car in record numbers. Nissan carried the momentum forward until when the 2004 model was released; it was perceived by many as a step backward and sales dropped accordingly. Now, Nissan...

21). Aviation Employment Boards And Finding Work
Finding work in the aviation industry involves spending time on the internet researching companies, obtaining contact information, and doing plenty of cold calling before landing your first interview. Fortunately, there are numerous sites online providing excellent information on how to find work. Let’s take a look at some of the more important one...

22). PHPBB: You Can Simplify the Set Up Process!
In several previous articles I mentioned my having downloaded and installed the fantastic PHPBB open source forum. I shared with readers the lengthy and tedious process of selecting the right mirror, downloading the files to my computer, and following all the long, drawn out, and complicated set up steps. Fortunately, what was once a procedure that...

23). 500 Auto Accessories!
The auto accessories market is experiencing explosive growth thanks to the ever increasing number of new vehicle models being marketed all across North America. For more than fifty years consumers have been the chief benefactors of this unrelenting growth and the selection for you has never been better. Let’s take a look at some of the many automob...

24). 2006 Chevy Impala SS: More Vroom!
Chevy’s flagship car, the Impala, finally has the power to match its heralded name. Ever since the car was redesigned in the late 1990s, the Impala has been more of a pretender than a performer. Now with an optional small block 5.3L V8 added to the mix, the 2006 Chevrolet Impala can go toe to toe with the Chrysler 300 and the Dodge Charger. The cha...

25). 3 Exceptional European Automakers
When you think of exceptional cars that are built in Europe, does your mind run strictly to cars made by Rolls Royce, BMW, or Mercedes? Perhaps Jaguar and Lamborghini come to mind as well. Each of these makes deserve all the accolades given to them. Still, there are three makes that are, for various reasons, exceptional. Let’s take a look at Volvo,...

26). PHPBB2: My Favorite Mods
I mentioned in a previous article about all the ins and outs of using PHPBB2, an open source forum. Although it does have some quirks about it, the program is free and with a little help from the PHPBB community, not impossible to install even for the novice. The program you will upload, however, is fairly basic in nature therefore modifications [o...

27). 2007 Chevy Tahoe: Selling Like Gangbusters
The jury is in regarding the recently released big SUVs from General Motors: they are an overwhelming success story. The Chevy Tahoe along with its GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade siblings are bringing in big gains for GM. Just in time too as the automaker pares excess capacity, closes plants, and lays off tens of thousands of workers. So, what is ...

28). 3 Pervasive Phishing Scams
Scams involving email continue to plague consumers across America, indeed the world. These so called "phishing" scams involve "spoofed" emails meant t

29). PHPBB2: A Tapestry of World Languages
Several of my related articles about PHPBB2, the open source program that helps webmasters create and maintain internet forums, touched on many of the technical aspects of the program. What you may not know is that PHPBB2 has a worldwide audience with the potential to reach more than half of the world’s population in their native language. Chalk it...

30). 3 Ultimate Japanese Automakers
Japan has been producing automobiles for almost as long as America, to the surprise of some. As the American automobile industry has changed, so has Japan’s. To this day, however, Japan still has the highest concentration of automakers of any country on earth: nine to be exact. Three, however, are real standouts producing not only high quality vehi...

31). 4 Smart [and Free] Programs For Your Computer
One of the fun parts of owning a computer is, of course, access to the internet. The worldwide web is chock full of useful information, readily available at your fingertips! It is also home to potentially lethal viruses, many of which can wreak havoc on your system within moments. The following four programs can help you avoid trouble; best of all ...

32). 2007 Toyota Camry: A Hybrid For A Leader
Toyota has a couple of big things in store for the Camry when the 2007 model year version of the car rolls out this coming summer: a complete redesign and the availability of a hybrid engine. Already the best selling car in America, the Camry is destined to be overhauled and re-engineered. Let’s take a look at some of the changes scheduled for Toyo...

33). 2006 Mitsubishi Raider: A Rebadged Delight!
If you were to examine the new Mitsubishi Raider, your eyes would behold the unmistakable triad logo centered in the middle of its beefy looking grille. However, as you let your eyes run the full length of the truck’s body and take a look at its styling cues, you would see something different, yet very familiar. Indeed, apart from some fascia, body...

34). Leading Private Jet Charter Operators
Flying with the airlines can be a time consuming as well as risky proposition for businessmen as well as for people of wealth. If you absolutely, positively must get somewhere fast you are putting your trust in a system that is overcrowded, inconvenient, and failing when you fly with the airlines. What are your options? Rent or lease a private jet....

35). 2006 Toyota Matrix: Value Meets Fun
During the early part of this decade Toyota was examining its vehicle line up and the decision was made to build a car to entice young people who were looking for something that was small, fun to drive, and affordable. While the Corolla served faithfully in this capacity, Toyota needed something that spoke excitement. The Corolla just wasn’t that k...

36). 7 Online Banking Success Stories
You have seen their ads and you may have wondered if they are worth a second look. What am I talking about? Online banks! Also known as internet banks, these are financial institutions who provide the majority of their banking services over the internet. Typically, online banks offer consumers high savings rates, low loan rates, and a mix of other ...

37). 2006 Ford Mustang: Retro Cruiser
When Ford decided to redesign the Mustang, they opted to incorporate a retro look, much like what was done previously with the Thunderbird. Fortunately, Ford didn’t look at the ghastly Mustang II series from the 1970s for a template, instead the US automaker drew upon the second generation Mustangs of the late 1960s for their inspiration. Let’s jus...

38). 3 Hot Selling Notebook Computers
The laptop market is an overcrowded field with literally hundreds of offerings available to consumers. Some laptops are very basic models with Celeron processors while others are full blown multimedia powerhouses. Featured here are three top models from the “plain Jane” to the middle of the road, to the fully loaded.

Dell Inspiron 1...

39). 2006 Acura MDX: Luxury With A View
You have to love the marketing guys. After all of the work of the design team, a new vehicle must pass through several rigorous channels including engineering, safety, performance, quality, durability, craftsmanship, government inspections, and management clearance, before even the first rivet is drilled or body panel painted. After all is said and...

40). Edit or Rewrite: Either Way it is Work for You!
As a freelance writer, some of my least favorite projects are those where the client wants me to rewrite an existing article. I have since learned that this type of statement, “It’ll only involve a little editing,” usually really means, “You’ll have to rewrite the entire article in order for it to make sense.” My advice to you, the freelancer, is t...

41). 2006 Jaguar X Type: Luxury for the Commoner
Prices for top selling luxury cars can easily top $50,000 when taxes, destination charges, and dealer prep fees are factored in. Generally, this isn’t a problem as the customer who purchases a vehicle of this renown can afford the big price tag. However, automakers have learned that there is a market for “entry level” luxury cars for up and coming ...

42). 10 Ways To Save On Car Insurance
For most people car insurance is a the single largest insurance expense after health insurance. Rates are high and are forever climbing, at least it seems that way. You can save money on your car insurance premiums by following these easy to implement steps.

1. Shop Around. Yes, it pays to shop and compare. Regulatory changes at...

43). 2007 GMC Yukon: Still Too Much?
I realize I may be stepping on some toes, but please hear me out. The upcoming, new from the ground up, GMC Yukon is certain to be perceived by some as being too much…in size, that is. With fuel prices at an all time high and consumer sentiment shifting to smaller vehicles will the GMC Yukon be considered outdated even before it hits showroom floor...

44). 3 American Performance Cars
Bear with me as I step back in time to formulate what I believe are three terrific American built performance cars: the Ford Mustang, the Dodge Challenger, and the Chevrolet Camaro. Currently, only the Mustang is in production with the Challenger coming back by 2009. GM hasn’t committed to building the Camaro just yet, but the company is likely to ...

45). 4 Reasons Why You Need A Tonneau Cover
Installing a quality tonneau cover on your pick up truck is a great idea that can only enhance your truck’s look and value. You can shell out a little bit of money and get a cover that looks no better than a tarp or you can pay a lot of money and get a tonneau cover that really makes a statement. In the middle area -- where most consumers shop -- y...

46). Why not a cold air intake?
Squeezing more power out of your engine is not as difficult or as expensive a task as you might think. Performance chips, performance exhausts, and sport air filters are all easy to install parts that can help your car achieve greater horsepower and torque without sacrificing fuel economy. In addition, a cold air intake can go a long way toward hel...

47). Hamilton Beach Brew Station 12 Cup Coffee Maker
The Hamilton Beach Brew Station 12 Cup Coffee Maker is unique amongst coffee makers. This coffee maker has no carafe, instead the coffee is self contained within the unit and is released into your cup by pressing on a dispenser. A great idea it is, but Hamilton Beach needs to engineer this product as it failed ten days after we purchased one...

48). PHPBB2: All It Can Be?
Please allow me to start off and say that I am very happy to run PHP software on my computer. Specifically, the bulletin boards developed by PHPBB2 [an open source program] works head and shoulders above the EZBoard system I gave up on several months earlier. Still, it has its own special challenges that only a regular user or administrator can app...

49). 2006 Ford Taurus: Swan Song
The 2006 model year will end the heralded Taurus name and for this writer it is a bittersweet time as Ford retires what once the best selling car in all of America.

When Ford introduced the Taurus along with its cousin the Mercury Sable in the mid 1980s the car represented a radical departure from the standard American car of the day. ...

50). 2006 Kia Rio: Use and Toss?
Kia vehicles have managed to make significant strides in quality and durability since being introduced to the US market in 1994. Widely panned by critics as producing cheaply built and cheaply priced models, some Kia models are now performing at average or slightly above. The Kia Rio is not one of these cars, however. Only the extended warranty mak...

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