The CAR Allowance Rebate System (CARS), commonly referred to as Cash for Clunkers officially began on July 24th. Under this $1 billion government program consumers qualify for a cash credit towards the purchase of a more environmentally-friendly vehicle from a participating dealer when they trade in a less fuel-efficient car or truck. This program is also designed to help energize the economy; boost auto sales and put safer, cleaner and more fuel-efficient vehicles on the nation's roadways. Eligibility requirements and other details can be found at the official website for the program, CARS.gov.

Heading up north this weekend (July 25-26)? If you like cars, don't miss the car show in Midland where all classic, antique, hot rod, muscle, and special interest vehicles are displayed on the Midland County Fairgrounds. There are swap meets, large collector car for-sale lot, entertainment, and a variety of food vendors!

A.J. Baime's Go Like Hell is a remarkable story of Henry Ford II's quest to beat Ferrari at Le Mans, racing's most glamourous and dangerous event. Ford, with the help of a young visionary Lee Iacocca and a former racing champion turned car builder, Carroll Shelby, entered the high stakes world of European racing in order to reinvent the company. Buckle your seat belt and go!

The Ford Piquette Avenue plant in Detroit may be the most significant auto-heritage site in the world. In 1904 the Ford Motor Company built the Piquette plant as its first factory building. Here is where Henry Ford and his team built the first 12,000 Model Ts and many subsequent models. The Ford Piquette Avenue plant is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a State of Michigan Historic Site and a City of Detroit Historic District. The plant offers tours for the public.

Date: Sunday, June 7, 2009
Location:  Riverside Park, Ypsilanti

The 13th annual Ypsilanti Orphan Car Show displays orphan vehicles that are makes, not models, of cars, trucks, motorcycles that are no longer manufactured. A large percentage have been out of production for over fifty years. The show features a "pass-in-review" by make or group, with several automotive historians describing the vehicles as they pass by. A good chance to enjoy a bit of the outdoors while viewing the vintage vehicles!

Whether you're in the market for a new car or a used car, Autotropolis is a good place to begin your search. This new site is full of great features for both the first-time or experienced car shopper, including the latest car reviews, videos of the latest models, auto industry news, access to daily classified ads, and a list of the Top 10 used cars. Check it out!

 

ChiltonLibrary.com contains information for most of the popular vehicles of the past 30 years, plus some coverage of specialty models. Just select a year, a make, and a model, and you can find valuable repair tips, diagrams, etc. to help make the car repair job that much easier. This database is accessible from all the library computers. Canton residents can log in from home with their Canton Public Library card number.

Date: May 16, 2009
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Location: Jackson Road Boulevard, Ann Arbor
This 1st annual car cruise is a great event for any vehicular enthusiasts. Jackson Road is the "Old" US-12, the route from the Motor City to Chicago during the 1920s through the 1950s. Multiple hubs along the Boulevard display vehicles and clubs. Green and hybrid vehicles are on exhibit at the main hub. Cars may cruise the Boulevard for the public to see at set times for each hub. Free admission.

Before you buy or sell a car, find out its value by visiting the website of Kelley Blue Book, which includes reviews and ratings as well as information on financing and insurance. Another trusty source is the N.A.D.A. Appraisal Guides . For over 70 years, it has been America's largest publisher of used vehicle values. The website includes pricing information for automobiles, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, and boats.

President Obama and members of the United States House of Representatives have reached an agreement on a bill that could offer as many as one million vehicle buyers a voucher for up to $4,500. Designed to help the struggling automotive industry, these vouchers could be applied to passengers cars, trucks and work vehicles. Under this plan, old passenger cars and trucks being traded in would have to get less than 18 m.p.g. Stay tuned as details are hammered out. In the meantime stop by the library to look at the Car & Driver 2009 Buyers Guide take a peek at all of the new and exciting vehicles available.

Join journalist Greg Melville and his college buddy Iggy as they set out to be the first people to drive from Vermont to California in a "french fry car" - a beat-up 1985 Mercedes diesel station wagon powered on vegetable oil collected from restaurant grease dumpsters along the way.  Greasy Rider : Two Dudes, One Fry-Oil-Powered Car, and a Cross-Country Search for a Greener Future is the story of two adventurers determined to take on the last great driving challenge and join our nation's fight against petroleum addiction.

Edsel, the only child of Henry Ford I & Clara Bryant, married Eleanor Clay in 1916. The Fords began building their dream home in 1926 at Gaukler Pointe in Grosse Pointe Shores, a fashionable new suburb on Detroit's eastern boundary. The family moved in at Christmas 1929. Built along the shores of Lake St. Clair, the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House is an impressive yet unpretentious home featuring exquisite architecture by Albert Kahn and landscape design by Jens Jensen.

Have you ever noticed the current state of the world and wondered...WHY?  Visit Daryl Cagle's Professional Cartoonist Index for a different view of today's events.

In his new book, Why GM Matters : Inside the Race to Transform an American Icon, William Holstein makes the argument that GM is essential to our nation's well-being.  He goes deep inside GM to show what's really happening at the country's most iconic corporation.  Holstein explains how GM has already radically retooled its entire operation, from manufacturing and cost structure to design.

Plane fares are so expensive, especially if you have a big family, it might just be cheaper to drive.  But how do you know for sure?  AAA Fuel Cost Calculator can help you decide with their interactive site.  You enter in where you are going and what kind of vehicle you own and it tell you approximately how much it will cost in gas.  If only the airlines were so helpful.

The annual auto issue includes the BEST & WORST 2009 CARS.  Exclusive ratings, reliability, performance and value are also included in the April/09 edition of Consumer Reports.  CR is available for patron use on the Adult magazine shelf and at the Adult Reference desk.

In today's economy, many people are keeping their cars longer and older cars require special love and care.  Car maintenance is not for the faint of heart, but the library can help you brush up on your auto repair skills. Clueless About Cars is just one of many titles in our collection that can help keep you and your car on the road.

The Auto Show is back this year, from January 17-25 at Cobo Hall in Detroit. Check out what the auto industry has to offer, from production models, hybrids to over-the-top concept cars. Rediscover your love for the Tin Lizzies of today!