Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Research...

So far my researching for essay three/four has been going well. I have check out 8 books from the public library and I have 6 more on hold, waiting to be picked up. I feel that my topic will be a easy one to research. I haven't come up with a solution to the problem yet. I have quite a few ideas in my head, but I am going to have to read more books to actually come up with a solution. I have been extremely busy lately and I haven't had time to really do much hw. Work has been my number one concern at the moment, but that needs to change fast because I am falling behind at school. I have self paced classes that I need to finish,and this essay is going to need lots of attention, but its just a matter of actually finding time, which has been very hard these past couple weeks. Oh well that's life, busy, busy, busy!!

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Works Cited(essay #2)

Works Cited
(it didn't align the way I had it in Word.
I had it double spaced and aligned
in correct MLA format,
but it messed up)

“Compare Cars: Hyundai Elantra-Interior Features.” MSN Autos. 7 March 2007.
http://autos.msn.com/research/compare/engines.aspx?c=0&n=3&i=0&ph1=t0&ph2=t0&tb=0&dt=0&v=t93634&v=t1695

“Honda Civic vs. Hyundai Elantra.” Car Space 2001. 21 Feb. 2007
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ee9e647/638.

Matras, John. “2001 Ford Focus.” TestDrive. 26 Feb. 2007
http://www.nctd.com/review-intro.cfm?Vehicle=2001_Ford_Focus&ReviewID=801

Moorhead, Ron. “2001 Hyundai Elantra.” TestDrive. 26 Feb. 2007
http://www.nctd.com/review-intro.cfm?Vehicle=

Moorhead, Ron. “2001Volkswagon Jetta.” TestDrive. 26 Feb. 2007
http://www.nctd.com/review-intro.cfm?Vehicle=2001_Volkswagen_Jetta&ReviewID=919

Moorhead, Ron. “1999 Volkswagen Jetta. TestDrive. 26 Feb. 2007
http://www.nctd.com/review-intro.cfm?Vehicle=1999_Volkswagen_Jetta&ReviewID=570

Plunkett, Bob. “2001 Honda Civic.” TestDrive. 26 Feb. 2007
http://www.nctd.com/review-intro.cfm?Vehicle=2001_Honda_Civic&ReviewID=813

Thursby, Ray. “1999 Honda Civic.” TestDrive. 26 Feb. 2007
http://www.nctd.com/review-intro.cfm?Vehicle=1999_Honda_Civic&ReviewID=506

The used 2001 Hyundai Elantra(essay #2)

The used 2001 Hyundai Elantra

When I was looking to get a bigger car about a year ago, I decided a used car was the way to go. I needed a 4 door mid sized family sedan, with low mileage, something that was stylist, and it had to be at the very most $6,000. I compared the used 1999 or 2001 Honda Civic, the used 2001 Ford Focus, and the used 1999 or 2001 Volkswagen Jetta and this is what I found out. I put my criteria in the order that I feel to be most important to the least important.
Crash Test Scores were important to me. When comparing the Elantra to the 2001 Civic they both got “4 stars in the rear test, the Elantra got 5 stars (the highest possible) for the front and the Civic got 4” (Honda 1). So overall both vehicles are good vehicles with the test proving safety, but there are other reasons why I choose the Elantra.
I also wanted something that had average or above average gas mileage. The manufacturers estimated each of the cars to have the following miles per gallon (MPG). “The 1999 Civic gets 29 city and 35 highway mpg” (Thursby 4) “The 2001 Civic gets 32/37 mpg” (Plunkett 4). “The 1999 Jetta gets 19/28mpg” (Moorhead 4). “The 2001 Jetta gets 19/28 mpg” (Moorhead 4). “The Ford Focus gets 25/33 mpg” (Matras 4). “The Elantra gets 24/33 mpg” (Moorhead 4). Upon calling the current owners of a certain car, I determined that the manufactures were wrong. All the Civics owners I talked to got about 30/35 mpg. The Jetta owners got 17/26 mpg, and the Focus owners got about 27/33 mpg. Well the most shocking thing I found was, that most Elantra owners got more than the estimated mpg. They were getting about 26/35 mpg, and now that I am an owner of an Elantra, I can tell you that is true, I get about 27-29 mpg in the city. My boyfriend owns a Ford Focus and I can tell you that he gets about 25-27 in the city, which is around what the manufactures said Focus’ would probably get.
Another real important deciding factor in buying a used car was to see how many miles were on the car. I looked at one Ford Focus and it had close to 110K, now that would be fine if the car was 6 or more years old, but when I was looking at cars, it was in the beginning of 2006 meaning that they should have just over the average for 5 years. The average number of miles driven a year ranges from 15K to 20K. That would means when I was looking for a 2001 car at the beginning of 2006; I wanted something with 75K to 100K. Well when I found the Elantra, it only had 61K, which is great! I knew I couldn’t pass up on a car with such “low” miles. Buying a used car really doesn’t give you much choice in how many miles a car will have on it, but if you have a choice, choose a car with as low of miles as possible, it will save you from more problems (mechanically) down the road.
When I was looking for a used car, I wanted something that was practical, something that I wouldn’t have to do a lot of up keep on. I needed something that didn’t have a lot of damage to the outside or inside of it. Going with a used car, I knew I didn’t really have much say in this but, I was able to look at different cars before I choose to buy the Hyundai.
Another important feature for me was the interior design and features. “The Elantra has 39.60 in. of headroom; it has 38.00 in. of read headroom” (Compare 1-2). It also has “53.00 in. of front hip room, and 55.60 in. of rear hip room” (Compare 1-2). “It overall interior is more spacious then both the 1999 and 2001 Civic and both of the 1999 and 2001 Jetta” (Compare 1-2). The Elantra seats 5 average sized adults comfortably. I knew at certain times, I would need to fit as many people in my car as I could, and I wanted them to be as comfortable as possible.
So with the criteria that I had, my decision was made easier with the help of the Hyundai Elantra. It was exactly what I wanted, and I have and will continue to recommend it to anyone.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Spring Break Is Over =(

So today is the first day back from Spring Break, I am not looking forward to today. The paper we have to turn in today, I feel, is one of the worse papers I have written. I don't know what more to do, I am driving myself nuts with it!

Anyways, I had a wonderful Spring Break, this is the first time I have ever gone anywhere for Spring Break, and I am so glad I did!!

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

Spring Break!!

Ok so today is Tuesday...that means one more day of English and its Spring Break. I am so excited, I need a break from school. I can't wait to go to Bellevue(Seattle)...it should be very exciting. I get to see my love KJ!!! I haven't seen him since the end of January!!! I know that my time up there is going to fly by and then I have to face reality again and come back to school, and go about my normal day life, oh well...School will be over in a year, so I am happy about that!! Got to run back to school now!