BERBAGAI JENIS TIPE MOBIL

Sejak pertamakali mobil di temukan dengan menggunakan tenaga uap tahun 1672, sejak saat itu mobil telah menjadi bagian hidup manusia. Kalau dahulu mobil hanya berfungsi untuk mencapai tempat tujuan dengan lebih cepat, dahulu rata-rata kecepatan mobil hanya 10 mph atau lebih, sekarang mobil bisa mencapai kecepatan rata-rata di kisaran 150-200 mph. Fitur kecepatan bukan satu-satunya atribut yang telah mengalami perubahan, pengembangan mobil hampir terjadi di semua sisi dan pda gilirannya dapat membantu kita dalam mengklasifikasikan mobil dalam kategori yang berbeda. Zaman sekarang ada begitu banyak produsen mobil yang menawarkan berbagai jenis model yang memanjakan kita dengan berbagai pilihan sesuai selera. Dengan begitu banyaknya model mobil, memahami setiap jenis model dan fungsinya dapat membantu menentukan mobil mana yang akan kita miliki.

Berbagai Jenis Tipe Mobil

1. Mobil convertible
Mobil Convertible adalah mobil kecil dengan atap yang dapat dilipat, sehingga memungkinkan pengguna untuk merubah mobil dari kendaraan yang tertutup ke tipe terbuka . Terdapat dua varian mobil jenis ini - convertible soft top , dimana atap terbuat dari vinyl atau kanvas , dan hard convertible , dimana atap terbuat dari plastik atau baja . Atap ditarik dilipat dan ditempatkan di dalam atau di atas bagasi kendaraan. Beberapa convertible menggunakan lipat manual, sementara yang lain ada yang secara otomatis seprti mobil convertible model sekarang . Kadang-kadang , memisahkan atap bisa menjadi tugas yang membosankan, dan membeli varian power- assisted dapat menghemat banyak masalah . Meskipun sebagian besar convertible dua - seater dan memiliki dua pintu , convertible empat - seater dengan dua atau empat pintu juga tersedia . Beberapa convertible populer yang kita bisa melihat di jalan-jalan hari ini adalah Ford Mustang , Volkswagen New Beetle , Dodge Avenger , Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder , Pontiac Sunfire.

2. Mobil Coupe
Coupe merupakan mobil kecil dengan dua pintu mobil dan dua tempat duduk penumpang (seater), ada juga yang  empat-seater, dengan atap yang biasanya cenderung ke arah belakang. Desain unik dari sebuah coupe empat-seater - dan interior yang relatif sempit dengan jarak antara kursi depan dan belakang berkurang drastis, membuatnya tampak dan terasa seperti versi singkat dari jenis sedan. Sebuah coupe dua tempat duduk, di sisi lain terlihat seperti mobil sport. Anda mungkin mengalami masalah kram pada empat-seater coupe - terutama ketika Anda menduduki kursi belakang. Beberapa model coupe yang terkenal di jalan-jalan hari ini terjadi menjadi Bentley Continental GT Coupe, Aston Martin DBS, Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Jaguar XJ (X351), Ferrari 612 Scaglietti dan Saturnus Ion 4-door coupe.

3. Mobil Hatcback
Hatchback adalah mobil yang menggabungkan ruang penumpang dengan ruang kargo sedemikian rupa. Mobil-mobil ini biasanya digambarkan sebagai tiga pintu atau lima pintu hatchback, karena adanya pintu tambahan untuk mengakses ruang kargo. Ruang barang dari mobil-mobil menengah dapat diakses dari kursi belakang. Dalam hal ukuran, hatchback berkisar dari mobil subcompact untuk mobil mid-size, dan  keuntungan bagi kendaraan ini akan lebih mudah untuk menggunakannya dalam lalu lintas kota. Beberapa model hatchback paling populer terlihat di jalan saat ini termasuk nama-nama seperti Audi S3, Geo Metro, Dodge Caliber, Mini Cooper, Chevrolet Aveo, Lexus CT 200h, dll

4. Mobil Minivan
Minivan adalah mobil menengah, lebih tinggi dari sedan atau hatchback, yang paling dikenal adalah interior luas mereka. Mobil-mobil ini juga disebut sebagai kendaraan serbaguna (MPV) atau kendaraan multi-utilitas (MUVs) seperti yang biasa digunakan untuk penumpang serta transportasi barang. Pada beberapa model mobil, kursi bisa dilipat untuk mengubah mobil penumpang ke kendaraan utilitas. Sementara sebagian besar dari mobil-mobil ini adalah roda depan drive, empat wheel drive minivan tidak benar-benar langka. Namun fitur lain yang aneh, di sebagian besar minivan pintu geser yang membuat tugas pemuatan barang jauh nyaman. Beberapa model mobil yang paling populer untuk dilihat saat ini adalah Dodge Grand Caravan, Volkswagen Routan, Kia Carnival, Hyundai Entourage, Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, dll

5. Mobil Sedan
Sedan berkisar dari menengah untuk model besar, dan biasanya memiliki dua baris kursi dengan ruang yang cukup, tidak seperti jenis coupe . Sementara dua remaja duduk di kursi belakang coupe akan merasa sedikit sempit, dua orang dewasa dapat mengambil kursi belakang sedan tanpa memiliki perasaan seperti itu - yang membuat mobil ini ideal untuk keluarga. Sedan yang jauh mobil paling umum mobil sedan corolla, dan selanjutnya dikategorikan ke dalam sedan mewah - dengan interior mewah yang mendefinisi ulang konsep perjalanan mewah , dan sedan olahraga - yang terlihat dan terasa sporty karena desain tweak dan mesin yang kuat . Honda Accord , Toyota Camry , Subaru Legacy , Ford Taurus , BMW Seri 7 , dll adalah beberapa contoh dari sedan tersedia di berbagai belahan dunia saat ini .
Sedan Mewah - Maserati Quattroporte , Lincoln Town Car dan Rolls - Royce Ghost
Olahraga sedan - Aston Martin Rapide , Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution dan Lexus IS - F

6. Sports Car
Mobil sport tidak benar-benar perlu perkenalan, kekuatan ini dikemas mobil dua tempat duduk , dirancang khusus untuk jam kecepatan luar biasa , sangat populer di kalangan semua kelompok umur . Fitur mereka menonjol termasuk mesin berotot, terlihat ramping berdasarkan hukum aerodinamika , manuver menakjubkan, kapasitas tempat duduk terbatas dan kurangnya ruang kargo. Meskipun mobil-mobil ini terlihat dan terasa banyak seperti coupe mewah. Mobil sport tidak diragukan lagi mahal, tapi mobil-mobil ini dimaksudkan untuk orang-orang yang tidak suka berkompromi pada kekuasaan. Sebuah mobil sport dari produsen terkenal - dengan kemampuan untuk 200 mph atau mempercepat dari 0-60 dalam waktu kurang dari 7 detik , pasti akan datang dengan label harga lebih dari $ 400.000. Beberapa mobil sport paling populer yang tersedia saat ini adalah Bugatti Veyron Super Sport , SSC Ultimate Aero TT , McLaren F1 , Ultima GTR , Ferrari Enzo dan Jaguar XJ220 .

7. Sport Vehicle ( SUV )
Kendaraan sport - atau SUV bahwa mereka sering disebut sebagai kendaraan yang dirancang untuk berkendara di jalan biasa serta medan off-road . Di beberapa negara , SUV juga disebut sebagai kendaraan off road . Fitur menonjol dari SUV termasuk ground clearance yang luar biasa , empat - wheel drive dan styling kasar . Tidak semua kendaraan four-wheel drive memenuhi syarat sebagai SUV juga, karena fitur ini juga terlihat pada jenis kendaraan saat ini. Sementara SUV dan station wagon mungkin tampak identik , fakta bahwa yang terakhir dibangun di atas chassis ringan membedakan keduanya. Kendaraan sport yang lebih dikategorikan menjadi tiga jenis SUV kompak, SUV menengah dan SUV ukuran penuh. Meskipun serbaguna , kendaraan ini dapat dikenakan biaya mahal ketika pemeliharaan . Beberapa model SUV yang telah menjadi populer dengan waktu adalah :
Compact SUV - Hyundai Tuscon , Jeep Compass , Range Rover Evoque
SUV menengah - Chevy Traverse , Ford Escape, Range Rover Sport
SUV Full Size - Toyota Sequoia , Ford Explorer , Lincoln Navigator

8. Station Wagon
Station wagon adalah kendaraan penumpang yang menampilkan atap yang relatif panjang dan area kargo yang luas di bagian belakang. Meskipun ruang kargo di kendaraan ini kurang dibandingkan dengan minivan, kita tidak dapat mengabaikan fakta bahwa ia memiliki ruang penumpang yang setara dengan sedan . Lima pintu kendaraan - dengan pintu kelima di belakang pemberian akses ke area kargo , juga dilengkapi dengan bukaan pintu yang menjamin pemuatan mudah muat kargo . Meskipun konsep ini mirip dengan hatchback , mobil jenis kedua berbeda satu sama lain - terutama dalam hal ukuran . ia popularitas station wagon telah turun akhir-akhir ini , terutama karena munculnya kendaraan sport dan mobil kecil lainnya - kedua kategori perbankan pada suatu sifat karakteristik tertentu. Beberapa station wagon yang terlihat di jalan-jalan sekarang termasuk model seperti Honda Accord wagon , Nissan Avenir , Volvo 245DL Wagon , dll
Kalau mobil impian saya seh cuman mobil sedan corolla, sungguh walaupun mobil sedan corolla tipe lama seperti corolla dx dan corolla great, tidak mengapa…

SUMBER : kompasiana.com

GET CHEAPER CAR INSURANCE

From years of messing around with insurance companies in different countries, here's what I've learned about trying to get a better deal. It might help you. It might hinder you. Hopefully there's at least one nugget of information in here that you didn't know about though. I'll add more items to this page as time permits as well as any good ideas from readers.

1. Don't lie

Don't even be economical with the truth. It might result in a cheaper insurance quote now, but if you ever need to make a claim and they discover that your 1.6 litre car actually has a 2.0 litre engine, your insurance will be voided and that'll be all she wrote. It's a lot more difficult to lie about the car now though as most insurance companies require the VIN before they'll quote you. Even so, lying about occupation, address - any of the other influencing factors could ultimately end up very badly, because if you lie well enough, you'll be slapped with a fraud charge as well as having to pay for your accident and resulting claim. That Would Be Bad.

2. Beware the deductible.

Your deductible has a huge bearing on how much you pay for your car insurance. It's the amount below which the insurance company won't pay out. For example a £250 / $500 deductible means that any claim below that value is your responsibility. For any claim higher than that value, you pay the deductible and the insurance company pays the rest.
A higher deductible means more out-of-pocket expense in the event of a claim but cheaper insurance. Conversely a lower deductible means less out-of-pocket expense in the event of a claim but more expensive insurance. This is because the lower deductible is putting more cost responsibility on the insurance company. So weigh up your options and if you think you can afford to cover a £500 / $1000 claim out of your own cash, put that in as the deductible and your premium will plummet.

3. Don't hammer the phones or web for quotes.

Sure you want to compare car insurance quotes but each time you phone a company up or apply through their website to get a quote, they will ding your credit report with a query. Too many queries and your credit score goes down. As little as this should matter to the cost of your insurance, if your credit score goes down, your car insurance goes up. To compare quotes without affecting your credit rating, you can use a car insurance comparison website as these compare quotes from a panel of insurance companies in a single search.

4. Just because you're renewing doesn't mean it's the cheapest.

Check your premium with a couple of other companies each time you come to renew. Don't assume your current premium is still the cheapest. More often than not, the same company will gently increase existing customer's premiums to cover the cost of discounted offers for first-time-buyers. Call your insurer and you might be able to talk about moving to a different company; often you'll be put through to a customer retention specialist who will have access to better deals than the first-tier phone operators. From there you might have a bargaining chip. Be careful though - if they call your bluff, you might price yourself out of the market.

5. Do you live in the same place - for insurance purposes I mean?

Ask about address re-regioning, re-zoning or re-allocation. Companies often re-allocate their risk boundaries and consequently their customer's addresses. They typically won't tell you if the premium has changed unless you ask. Of course this could also mean your car insurance has gone up, not down.

6. Multiple policies gives multiple discounts

Most insurance companies will give you additional discounts if you have more than one policy with them. For example if you have your home and car insured with them, both will be discounted by some amount. You need to do some homework here because if you find cheaper car insurance quotes elsewhere and move to another company, any discount you were getting on your home insurance will vanish and that premium will go up. Did you save enough with the new car insurance company to cover the increased premium for your house at the old one?

7. Web vs. bricks and mortar

If you ignore insurance brokers, there are two types of insurance company. Traditional bricks-and-mortar companies are those who have big offices and locations all over the country / world where you can actually go and talk to someone face-to-face. Web companies are those who have call centres and one central office where you can only ever speak to someone on the phone. They both have their advantages and disadvantages. Web companies don't have to pay for buildings all over the place so their fixed costs are lower which can translate into discounts. Bricks-and-mortar companies have offices where you can go and beat your fist on a desk in front of someone, but those assets cost more. When shopping around, consider both types - you really shouldn't always go for one or the other. In some cases, bricks-and-mortar can be cheaper for one type of insurance and more expensive for another. Cue the next tip:

8. When multiple policies DON'T give multiple discounts

Insurance is a strange business. I used to have my house, car and bike insurance all with one company. When we got a second car, they wanted nearly double the premium for it. I shopped around and ended up with a web insurance company. Figuring they had a good deal, I asked about my motorbike and for that they were three times more expensive than the old lot. Long story short - car and house are with the new company. Bike is still with the old company. I've no idea why there are such discrepancies but it always pays to shop around.

9. Modified car doesn't necessarily mean high premiums

Typically, if you modify anything on your car, most insurance companies will jack the rate up. At the time of writing there was at least one insurer in the UK who had seen the light. Adrian Flux Insurance were quoted in Max Power magazine in 2008 as giving slightly lower premiums to people with heavily modified cars. Their rationale? If you've poured money into your ride to customise it, there's a good chance you're going to take more care of it than Joe Average with his crappy Vauxhall Astra / Geo Metro (delete depending on country). In July 2009 they confirmed this with statistics showing that modified car drivers are 20% less likely to be in an accident.

10. Alarms and physical locks

In England, discounts are still given on car insurance if you have a Thatcham-approved alarm fitted. This is an alarm system tested by the Thatcham labs to determine its effectiveness. The problem is that most people are oblivious to car alarms going off now. At most, they're a deterrant. The truth of the matter is that if you have a desirable car, an organised gang can have it on a boat out of the country before you even know it's gone. This happens a lot to high end Mercedes, Rolls Royce, Range Rovers and Bentleys. Cars will be targetted, and when the opportunity arises, they'll be lifted using a lift truck and then transferred to a lead-lined shipping container on the back of a truck close by. That will take it to the nearest docks, stuff it on a cargo ship and it'll be gone. The lead lining is to soundproof the container as well as to cut off any tracking radio signal from an advanced alarm system.
Of course if you're driving around in a Ford Mondeo, you probably don't have to worry about this happening to you.
Crook locks, The Club and various other physical locks are a good idea if you remember to use them. It's no good having one of these lying in the passenger footwell - it won't protect you from anything down there. Most insurance companies don't recognise these as discountable items though. So whilst they're good visual deterrants, they won't get you cheap car insurance. (Because the insurance company can't guarantee that you will use it).

11. Protect your no-claims discount

Still an almost unheard-of idea in America, no-claims discount takes a percentage off your insurance each year, normally to a maximum of 60% based on never making a claim. If you get to full no-claims, you can then pay an extra amount each year to guarantee that discount even if you make a claim. In America, no-claims doesn't exist. There are so many fees and charges to cover lawyers fees that it's almost impossible for them to give no-claims discounts. For example, 70% of my annual car insurance bill in America doesn't cover me or the car, it covers me against being sued by someone for splashing them with a puddle or throttling them with a seatbelt.

12. New or used?

It sounds obvious but this one is often overlooked: there is a very tangible difference between new and used when it comes to insurance prices. Do you really need this year's model? What does it have that you can't live without, that last year's model was missing? Sometimes people get so stuck in the 'new car' train of thought that they forget about the followon costs. Not only is it almost always cheaper to buy a used vehicle, but because it's used, the car will attract a cheaper insurance premium. In addition, there's a lot to be said for used cars - the original owner has taken the hit on depreciation, the first couple of services should have been done, and the engine and gearbox will be loosening up nicely as everything beds in. I know VWs and Audis used to be a great example of this - they only really ever got into their stride after about 30,000 miles or so. I've not owned one recently so I don't know how much that's changed, but my most recent properly new car - a Honda - still feels 'tight' after 10,000 miles. 

Thanks :)