
2009 Acura MDX Car
MSRP:$40,790 - 48,690
The 2009 Acura MDX is largely unchanged.
SUV seats up to seven and has all-wheel
drive.sole powertrain is a 300-hp
3.7-liter V6 engine and 5-speed
automatic transmission.











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What about Nano Car's Project ???
Ahmedabad, Oct 14 (IANS) says The foundation stone for the Tata's Nano car project at Sanand near Ahmedabad will be laid Nov 3, As In Gujarat, all new undertakings , traditionally begin on this day. Even if there is no word yet from the Tata group on the subject, Chief Minister Narendra Modi is also keen that the project is formally launched Nov 3. Sources said that Tata Motors was handed over 1,100 acres on Oct 9, and the transfer of land to Tata Motors has been completed at Sanand.
New s of objections are also raised by some Farmers and it is told there were no serious issues and the status of land handed over to the TaTa s would not be affected.
The lawsuit that Allstate Insurance recently filed in federal court in Miami may be bad news for the defendants -- tow-truck operators, chiropractic clinics, auto-body shops, some policyholders and others -- but it could be a good omen for policyholders. It definitely will be if it emboldens insurers to aggressively pursue fraud.
Staging accidents
The lawsuit alleges that the defendants collaborated in staging 17 auto accidents -- and possibly more -- and then filed fraudulent insurance claims. The lawsuit isn't a first. Allstate and other insurers do go after businesses and policyholders when they suspect cheating. More often than not, though, insurers find it easier to pay the claim and move on. That's because lawsuits are messy, expensive and time-consuming. Worse, the outcome of a jury trial can be unpredictable. In South Florida, even cases where the evidence of fraud is overwhelming have ended with insurers leaving the courthouse in shock and disbelief because of an unfavorable jury verdict.
As a consequence, many insurers are overly cautious about going to trial. Too often it is easier to pay than fight. The ultimate losers in this game of chicken are honest policyholders. They end up paying premiums inflated by the cost of fraudulent claims. This is why it is encouraging when an insurer goes to court to challenge an alleged bogus claim. Frankly, we wish it would happen more often.
The Allstate case involves an alleged network of businesses that brazenly and repeatedly filed claims in a scheme to steal from insurers -- and indirectly from policyholders. One driver would ram another driver's car. Both were part of the scam. Both would file claims for damages and medical bills, and the insurance companies would dutifully pay.
In these cases, the insurance companies paid out tens of thousands of dollars. Allstate realized that something was wrong when representatives noticed that the same cars with the same damage turned up in multiple accidents. The company investigated, gathered evidence and hired a lawyer to bring suit.
Billions lost
Whatever the outcome, the lawsuit sends a message to the scammers that they could end up in court and lose their businesses. There are other benefits, too. Once they're busted, the network of con artists has to cease doing ''business,'' or at least take extraordinary precautions to continue. If all insurers aggressively pursued fraud -- or even just a majority of them -- they could significantly raise the stakes for the thieves to stay in business.
Prosecutors say relatively few groups engage in organized fraud, but they steal billions each year from insurers and honest drivers. Insurers should consider prosecuting scam artists as an investment that results in lower costs for their business and lower premiums for customers.
The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro will arrive in early 2009 looking much like the concept. Of the three trims, the LS, LT and SS, the SS will be packed with the most performance goodies. Among them will be Brembo brake discs with four-piston aluminum calipers and much shorter gears, thanks to the TR6060 six-speed manual transmission. The 3.6-liter V6 will make 300 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, while the LS3 V8 will lay down 422 hp and 408 lb-ft. According to Chevrolet, the V6-equipped Camaro will run from zero to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds regardless of transmission choice. The V6 coupe will cover the quarter-mile in 14.5 seconds with an auto and 14.7 seconds with a manual, both at 97 mph. The brakes don't sound quite as impressive, though, as the base Camaro stops from 60 to zero mph in 132 feet. Not surprisingly, the V8-equipped Camaro SS delivers better numbers across the board as the manual hits 60 mph in 4.9 seconds and runs a 13.4-second quarter-mile at 108 mph according to Chevrolet. Strangely enough, it also claims that the automatic-equipped SS Camaro, which is rated at 400 hp, runs from zero to 60 mph in just 4.6 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 13.3 seconds.