New cars on the other hand are always going to stand a better chance of working efficiently without the need for too many repairs. If they are hot off the production line then there shouldn’t really be an issue with anything as serious as the gearbox. Another popular choice is to buy nearly new cars that are considered to be ‘run in’ and tested to make sure they work fine. A new car could have problems, but the chances are minimised because everything is ‘new’. Naturally, used cars will have a higher mileage and that means the car has been put through the mill a bit more so there’s a greater risk.

The basic principle here is that the more you use something, the likelier it is to break. As much as you love your 10 year old car, you have to bear in mind that gearbox problems are going to be likely. If you notice the gearbox sticking or an unusual sound when driving, this could mean that there are gearbox problems. Get it booked into a garage straight away so they can take a look. You might find the gearbox repair costs more the longer you leave it.

Gearbox problems can be costly to repair, so the best advice is to make sure you do a test drive of the car before you buy it. Check that there are no funny sounds you can hear coming from the gearbox area. Have a chat with the salesman to get his expert opinion too.

DIY fans can sometimes feel a little beaten by the fact they can’t repair their own car, but there are plenty of other things they can try instead. What about that dripping bath tap that hasn’t been looked at for ages? Even if you can’t correct the indoor problem, you stand a much better chance than succeeding with car gearbox repairs. Even the most knowledgeable of people won’t be able to sort a gearbox out unless they have been properly trained, so bear this in mind. Lets face it, there are mechanics out there that are specifically trained in this highly specialised area, so you don’t need to do it. Since the gearbox is not an easy piece of kit to get to grips with, the mechanics should be able to solve the problem much quicker than any other individual can. And if it’s the cost that’s worrying you, it is a small price to pay for getting your gearbox professionally repaired.

In general, DIY with your car is best avoided.   Its very time consuming trying to repair something you’re unsure of and you are guaranteed to get frustrated with it. No car is toy and you don’t want to compromise your safety with some suspect DIY. The roads have enough problems and your car breaking down doesn’t need to be one of them.

Any car gearbox repairs can vary with the length of time it will take to fix them, so don’t ask the mechanic to rush the job. Individuals that aren’t mechanics would certainly spend hours and hours trying to resolve the problem, but the mechanic can do it much quicker. People should enjoy their DIY jobs, not loathe them, and if you attempt car gearbox repairs you certainly won’t find it a pleasurable experience. Talk to the professionals and get the job done right.

Speeding. Not only can they tell the driver how fast the vehicle is going, but they can also tell an operator. A number of the top devices even tell you if the vehicle is being accelerated or braked too hard. This helps companies establish who is driving well and within the law, and who maybe needs more driving training

Petrol. Stats released by Jump The Sun show that drivers, especially in the taxi business, would claim petrol money from their employers for miles that were covered whilst not on work hours. Employers could previously look at the tachometer of the vehicle but drivers would argue that they had to take a longer route due to traffic etc. There is now no room for argument though as bosses can see what miles were covered, on which roads and at what time of the day. The latest traffic information can also be fed into them

Location. Drivers can get to a new location much faster and more efficiently when their locations are mapped by a central operator. Calls don’t now have to put out to all drivers to discover their current position, the operator can simply check their computer and dispatch the vehicle which is closest.

For geolocation and tracking equipment, visit EST

The SLR was a bastard-child of a supercar that neither McLaren nor Mercedes-Benz engineers truly felt was their own. McLaren’s Gordon Murray, designer of championship-winning Brabham and McLaren grand prix racers, driving force behind the McLaren F1 supercar, thought the SLR overweight and overwrought; the antithesis of his personal automotive design philosophy. For Mercedes SLS engineers they were uncomfortable with McLaren’s free-wheeling, swift development culture and were skeptical of their methods. The culture-clash car that resulted was blindingly fast and supremely robust, but oddly styled and strangely uninvolving to drive.

All of which perhaps explains the new Mercedes SLS AMG, a lightweight, high-tech, 571 hp super-coupe that represents the distilled wisdom of some of the best and the brightest engineers at the world’s oldest automaker. And yes, it has gullwing doors.

Like the SLS, the Mercedes SLS is a front mid-engine coupe, with its 6.3-liter V-8 (actually, it’s 6208 cc) positioned entirely behind the front axle center-line. The engine is based on the M156 V-8 from the SL63 AMG, but has been tweaked and primped sufficiently to warrant a new in-house codename — M159. Mercedes SLS claims over 120 parts and components that have been redesigned. The most notable change, however, is a dry sump system that allows the M159 to nestle low in the frame. The engine delivers 571 hp at 6800 rpm, and a 479 lb-ft. at 4750 rpm. Some 402 lb-ft is available from just 2500 rpm.
The engine drives the rear wheels via Mercedes SLS new 7-speed dual clutch transmission, repackaged in a transaxle housing at the rear of the vehicle to aid deliver the SLS’s 48/52 front/rear weight distribution. Engine and transmission are inter-connected by a sand-cast aluminum torque-tube, inside which is a carbon-fiber drive shaft. The transmission offers four modes — basic, Sport, Sport+ and Manual — each with different shift protocols. The transmission also has a launch-control mode that allows full-commando starts with electronically controlled wheelspin to prevent the engine bogging down off the line.

You may notice that when you compare the rates of AMG Mercedes SLS as against the production models, the upgrades do add to the price ticket.

Through the early 2000s, AMG Mercedes Benz focused on two engines, both V8, both 5.5.liter, one standard four stroke and the other a supercharged engine. In 2006 however, AMG scrapped both versions of the M113 engine and replaced it with the M156. Again a V8, 5.4 litre, but updated and also now commercially available in a very turbo charged setting.

The smallest, current, turbocharged AMG Mercedes SLS Benz is the G55 and it’s standard V8 powered sibling is the SLK55.For those looking for a slightly larger AMG Mercedes Benz, the SL63 and the E63 are the models on offer, unless you really want to make an impression? In which case, the mystical Black Series CLK63 is top of the tree.As if this wasn’t enough, there is always AMG’s offering of a true super car!

Available now in Europe, but disappointingly not until Spring 2010 in the U.S., the AMG Mercedes Benz SLS, a gull winged super sports car is unleashed. With a whooping speed of 197 mph, and that is very electronically restricted! The SLS boasts a 6.3ltr V8 that develops 571 hp at 6800 rpm.

This new AMG Mercedes Benz supercar has just been voted the world’s best super sports car by over quarter of a million readers of 25 European motoring publications, so if you’ve got a spare US5,000 you’d better get your order in quick.

Following the success of the Gullwing on many racing circuits, Mercedes Benz decided to create a luxury sports car class based on it. Minus the Gullwing doors, the body make and style remained as a 2-door coupe convertible with a hard roof that can be retracted well lower down the body frame. Body styling emphasized aerodynamics, given the nature of the Gullwing as a race car. This also attracted more buyers as the body styling at the time dislayed aggresiveness, and a curvilinear form. Owing it to its origins of technical wonder, Mercedes SLS parts prides of precision steering, and independent suspension, allowing a better drive control and ease of use. The class was named SL which stood for Sport Light.

In 1957, the Mercedes 300 SL roadster rolled out of the popular assembly lines. A similar looking line 190 SL was also started. The 190 SL had a 105 hp engine and enjoyed a bigger production than the 300 SL, selling a total of 25,881 units. Both W198 models were discontinued in 1963, replaced by the “pagoda-roof” W112 models. Cars of this line sported advanced Mercedes SL parts like a fuel-injected, six-cylinder engine and lightweight aluminum fittings. All Mercedes models were rear-wheel drive and equipped with its own independed rear suspension. Many early models came with both a retractable hard top and a soft top, but there were also versions such as the “California Coupe” that only had hardtop configurations. Members of this line included the 230 SL, 250 SL, and 280 SL.

During the period between 1972 and 1989, several SL models in the R107 (Reihe series) were introduced to replace the aging W112 line. These models were a cross between the SL line and the Mercedes W114 model, carrying a small chassis with the SL’s large engine. R107 was later replaced by R129, starting with R129 300 SL in 1989. A variant of this class, the 600 SL, was most luxurious and heaviest SLs ever built. It featured options such as a CD changer, all-leather interior, V12 engine, and other standard Mercedes SL parts. While the SL series underwent slight design modifications in 1994 and 1999, it was becoming apparent that the decades-long SL series is losing ground to its more aggressive competitors.

Mercedes completely overhauled the SL line and in 2001, unveiled a brand new SL boasting a brand new body style with an electrically-controlled folding steel roof. This was followed by the 2004 Mercedes Benz SL and 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG. In 2005, the entire SL lineup was again refreshed. Mercedes SLS parts for these new models included an automatic climate control, power steering and locks, active body control suspension, an anti-theft mechanism, and a cruise control. Safety features, which Mercedes has been known for, were standard in all models.

You will notice that when you compare prices of the AMG Mercedes Benz against the production models, the upgrades do add significantly to the price ticket.

Over in the German manufacturing place, each Mercedes Benz AMG engine is exquisitely and meticulously hand crafted by a single engineer to ensure it is well-done and boasts of quality make. Amazingly, you can track down any AMG engine right back to the engineer that built it by the stamped signature that is applied to every engine as it is completed. You will find the AMG Mercedes Benz lined up alongside it’s unmodified sister model at most dealers as a ploy to feature the enhancements.

The main engine stalwart for the AMG Mercedes Benz earlier this decade was a 5.5 Litre V8 engine designated the M113 that carries the “55″ designation and came in both naturally as an aspirated and supercharged models. Mercedes AMG phased out both the naturally aspirated, all-new improver and supercharged 5.4 L engines in favor of the new, M156 V8, with optional turbo charging, beginning in 2006.

The current smaller models in the AMG Mercedes Benz range include the G55, with the turbo charged M156 engine, and the standard V8, SLK55.For those looking for a slightly larger AMG Mercedes Benz, the SL63 and the E63 are the models on offer, unless you really want to make an impression? In which case, the mystical Black Series CLK63 is top of the tree.As if this does not suffice, there is always the AMG offering of a true and astounding super car!

To take us into the future, released in November 2009 in Germany and because in the Spring of 2010 in the U.S. Mercedes SLS AMG is the new and long-awaited gull winged car. With a top speed of 197 mph, and that it is electronically limited! The SLS boasts a 6.3ltr V8 that develops 571 hp at 6800 rpm .

The good news is that 250,000 European motoring readers have just voted the AMG Mercedes Benz SLS the best super sports car in the world for 2009. The bad news is that if you haven’t got 5,000 to spare, you can only dream.

Marion’s husband recently cashed some major stock options to accomplish their life-long dream of owning an AMG Mercedes Benz. Marion said that when he is finished polishing it on a weekend, they even sometimes head for a quick drive!

The obvious highlight is the upward-opening ‘gullwing’ doors that – like the front-end styling – take their inspiration from the classic Mercedes SL coupe of the 1950s. But the 21st century gullwing is a very popular modern machine with an aluminum space-frame body, a 420 kilowatts V8 engine set just in front of the 2-seater cabin, 19-inch front, and 20-inch rear alloys, and AMG’s first seven-speed dual clutch semi-automatic transmission.

Most of the early news and gossip about the gullwing-no one really expected it to be called the SLS – is about the design, from the all new and sleek gullwing doors to the 50′s inspired air intakes and the muscular body is wrapped around the wheels. But the GLS is an AMG road rocket and that means it is a genuine supercar with a top speed which has to be held back to 317km/h and a 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.8 seconds. In some ways the Mercedes SLS AMG is a successor to the Mercedes-McLaren SLR, but it is around one third of the price and is a full-on Benz manufacturing, not a collaboration with its F1 partner.

Customers are already lined up in Australia for the first gullwings, which are expected to land in the first quarter of next year and to feature at the exclusive AMG drive day held at Albert Park on the Australian Grand Prix circuit. “Yes, we are holding sizeable deposits on the car. We have several orders for five cars this early and we perceive that the huge problem will have to be the allocation will be big enough,”McCarthy says. “We do not have the final tab yet but it will definitely be a very competitive among its class. Companies like Ferrari and others make supercars, but we’re talking a production run of around 1200 cars and that’s pretty serious numbers.”

Mercedes SLS spent a lot of time ensuring the gullwing is both fast and refined, a major criticism of the track-tuned SLR. It still weighs 1620 kilograms and the seats are only 369mm above the road, but the seat backs are made from magnesium, there is a useable glovebox and a Bang&Olufsen surround sound system. “It is unmistakably a Mercedes. There is an awful lot of 300SL in the design, but it is not a copy. It is a homage for Mercedes, but it moves the entire history along.

“When we specified that the cars were two items we have made standard – the fitted car cover and the trickle charger. It means the car can definitely sit in the garage and be ready for instant and any action.”

It is designed to call to memory the iconic 300SL Gullwing from the 50′s, the Mercedes SLS AMG also filled the missing link in the Benz’s range since the McLaren SLR. And gauging form detailed leaked photos it is a very promising vehicle as its predecessors.

The gullwing-style doors, hinged at the roof, will definitely no doubt be the best marketing feature, and wait until you see the interior which is ten times impressive. Packing in a whooping 555bhp AMG 6.3-litre dry-sumped V8 with 650Nm of torque, it’s capable of covering the 0-60mph sprint in 3.7 seconds and continuing on to a top speed of 197mph. Fortunately carbon-ceramaic brake discs will be offered as an option to scrub off the speed with ease.The obvious highlight is the upward-opening ‘gullwing’ doors that – like the front-end styling – take their inspiration from the classic Mercedes SL coupe of the 1950s. But the 21st century gullwing is a thoroughly modern machine with an aluminium space-frame body, a 420 kiloWatt V8 engine set just ahead of the two-seater cabin, 19-inch front and 20-inch rear alloys, and AMG’s first seven-speed dual-clutch manu-matic transmission.

The German supercar is already confirmed with a soaring pricetag beyond 0,000 and now Benz has revealed the road-ready car and its full technical specification.

An aluminium space-frame body helps to keep weight down to a manageable 1.620kg. Combine this with the latest seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and a near-perfect 47:53 front-rear weight distribution and the front-engined Merc should be as good to drive as it’s on-paper figures suggest.

Prices are likely to start from around £130,000 when it goes on sale in summer 2010 – less than half the price of the Mercedes McLaren SLR.

Yes the Mercedes SLS AMG convertible version has been leaked onto the internet, spurring rapid-fire rumors of its existence. The rumors, photos and videos have only served to amp-up anticipation for this exotic beauty.

So let’s compare the Mercedes coupe and the convertible. The distinct change is that the convertible model spied lacks the suave gullwing doors which is most popular, which now is replaced by the standard doors. It may be less James Bondish, but it is ideal for warm weather destinations. We perceived that it would make a graceful addition to any kind of fleet of for rent cars, adding a very trendy yet sporty alternative to appeal to the buying public.

If the news is true, then the doors will mark as the striking difference between the new Mercedes SLS and the SLS AMG coupe. Both are said to feature the same 6.2-liter V8 engine which has the speed of 563 HP and a 650 NM of torque.

As for the 0-60 test, the Mercedes SLS AMG coupe version hits it in an impressive 3.8 seconds, and that leaves us to assume that the topless version will lag somewhat behind, likely at an even 4 seconds.

It is always a welcome addition when a great supercar paves the way to a “convertible” or often named “roadster” version of itself. The market for exotic convertibles and exotic rental convertibles will certainly have room for one more!

While you await the release of the new Mercedes convertible, you can get in the mood behind the wheel of a Mercedes rental Miami style, or exotic rental car of your choice for y our next business or pleasure excursion.