Rifle-makers then brilliant automakers now

Mazda is an automobile name that originated from Jujiro Matsuda’s company that was founded in 1920 in the historic City of Hiroshima in Japan. Although many believed that ‘Mazda’ is basically an Anglicized pronunciation of the founder’s name ‘Matsuda’, the name is officially associated with Ahura Mazda, a god worshipped by early civilizations in West Asia.

In Mazda’s company website, Ahura Mazda is interpreted to be the god of wisdom, intelligence and harmony and a symbol of ‘automobile culture’. The desire for World Peace and the development of the automobile manufacturing industry is upheld to be the company’s vision.

Mazda descended from the original company Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd. that was renamed Toyo Kogyo Co. Ltd. in 1927. This company originally manufactured machine tools and gradually moved to automobiles by the introduction of Mazda Go in 1931.

During the Second World War, Toyo Kogyo produced Type 99 rifles, particularly the series starting from 30 to 35 which was heavily used by the Japanese Imperial Army. But the defeat of the Japanese in the Second World War failed to bring down the company, and instead, it was soaring high a decade later. Mazda R360 went out in 1960, and in 1962, the notable Mazda Carol followed.

It was only in 1984 that the company officially adopted the Mazda name, although all cars sold since the company began production and selling were named ‘Mazda’. Ford Motor Company owned only 15% of stakes in Mazda before it increased its controlling interest to 33.4% on March 31, 1999 when the Asian Financial Crisis plagued Southeast Asia.

Many of Ford’s models were based from Mazda, such as the Mark Fields, Probe, Escort and the Mercury Tracer. The Escape is co-developed by Ford and Mazda, which the later named as the Tribute. Mazda helped Ford develop the Explorer in 1991; the same model was sold as the Navajo by Mazda. Although Mazda was not successful with the Navajo, the Explorer was a best selling SUV under the Ford badge - the success of which is kept for more than a decade.

In 1979, Ford was successful with the Laser and the Telstar, two of the best-selling Mazda-based cars. In return, Mazda used the Ford Ranger’s pickup as the basis of its North American B-series trucks since 1994. Later, ford replaced Laser with its own Focus, and Telstar with the Mondeo. In Europe, the Mazda 121 which is based on the Ford Fiesta gained high selling performance. Platform sharing proved to be mutually beneficial to the partnership between the two automakers.

Hizakasu Imaki, Mazda’s current President attributed his company’s commitment to technological advancement, citing their achievement in continuous development of the rotary engine. He also reiterated Mazda’s investment in green technology with the upcoming hydrogen-fueled models.

Get on board Mazda’s rich and historic heritage now. Let your key wear Mazda Keychains, the best trinket that perfectly matches your Mazda key. Flawless metal designs called ‘teardrop’ and ‘valet’ keychains are masterfully engraved with the stylized ‘M’ logo and the official font rendition of the brand name “Mazda” in text.

Make sure that you buy the right motorcycle eyewear

The most important motorcycle accessory is eyewear. It protects the eyes from flying insects, dust particles, cigarette stubs or any other debris that may be propelled through the air by powerful winds. The danger is caused not by the size of the particles but the speed at which these objects may hit the rider’s eye. Another danger that riders face is from headlamp glare. This can be especially disconcerting at night. Bikers should also not forget that they need to protect their eyes from harmful rays of the sun.

The best way to avoid these dangers is to use good quality sunglasses, spectacles or the helmet shield. They must ensure that their sunglasses are able to cut off UV light. They must also ensure that the glasses are shatterproof, and strong enough to withstand the impact of flying debris. The same applies to helmet shields. It must be made of good quality plastic that does not hamper vision, keeps out glare and should not crack or shatter when hit by a flying object.

Some riders make the mistake of borrowing sunglasses used by their friends. This is not a good practice. To be safe, the sunglasses must fit snugly. Loose sunglasses can always fly away on impact or slide down the nose. Such glasses can cause an accident because the rider has to adjust them often.

A good solution is to buy sunglasses that are made of nylon and metal. These glasses fit better, and can cause less damage to the rider in case of an accident. The rider must also not try to save dollars when buying riding glasses. The eyes are precious, and need the best protection. While buying sunglasses, the rider must look at branded eyewear like Chanel Sunglasses, Rayban Sunglasses or Gucci Sunglasses. These sunglasses will provide the right fit and protection.

The sunglasses can be bought both online and offline. However, it is advisable that you buy the sunglasses from a shop, ideally a shop that also employs an optician. This allows you to select the sunglass that fits you well. You can also check the weight of the sunglass, and the pressure that they exert on the nose. Sunglasses that are heavy may become an irritation in the long run.

You have the option of ordering sunglasses from an online store too. It is quite possible that you may even get a handsome discount. But then you can never be sure of the fit. It is therefore best to personally try the sunglass before buying it.

10 auto insurance myths you should know about

The truth about fallacies of many car owners believing that the insurance premium coverage for their new car is covered, and maybe the truth just might make you change course.

(1) "No-fault insurance means, is it not my fault?" That means that your insurance company pays for your damages regardless of who's at fault. No they don’t!

(2) "Can the color of my car affect my insurance rate?" No!

What do influence your rate are your vehicle's year, make, model, body type, engine size, credit history and driving record.

(3)"If I lend my car to a friend and that friend is in an accident, his or her insurance company will pay for the damages…right?" Wrong!

Your car is your responsibility! And guess what, even though you weren't present at the time of the accident, you still will receive a mark on your insurance record and your insurance premium could possibly go up.

(4) "Is my insurance rate is set by the government?" No!

The government has nothing to do with your car insurance rate. Where you live, your credit score, marital status and your driving record is what actually affects your premium.

(5) "I recently paid my insurance premium. Is my new car I just purchased is covered?"

Not necessarily. Most automobile policies require that the policyholder notify the insurance company or agent within a specified number of days, if indeed coverage is desired for the newly purchased vehicle.

(6) "Is it a fact that male driver under the age of 25 pay more for auto insurance?" Yes! Male driver under 25 years old can potentially pay more for car insurance than female drivers. However, across the board, teenagers and mature adults pay more for auto insurance, due in large part because these age groups are typically involved in more automobile accidents.

(7) "Can my credit score have any affect on my insurance rate?" Your credit score really does matter! Many Insurance companies take your credit score into consideration when deciding to increase or renew your auto insurance coverage.

(8) "Even without comprehensive coverage, am I still covered for theft, windstorms, and hail and deer accidents?" Many drivers believe that if they only purchase collision insurance, which covers accidents involving objects, that they will also be covered for incidents that involve vandalism, hail, animal accidents and fires. That simply is not true. You need to purchase both collision and comprehensive coverage in order to fully protect your vehicle from all of these situations.

(9) "Can my personal auto insurance cover both my personal and business use of my car?"

If you occasionally use your personal car for business purposes such as transporting clients, going to and from meetings or hauling business equipment, then you will more than likely need to extend your personal car insurance to cover your business use as well. Plus, if your employees use their car while working for you, you will want to also obtain a separate non-owned car insurance policy.

(10) "I've never had nor been involved in a car accident, do I still need automobile insurance?" Yes!

Some drivers are lucky enough never to have been or to be involved in an accident. However, if by chance you do have an accident; your risk of losing everything is great. Car insurance is the best protection you can have in the event an automobile accident occurs. It's also a legal issue - you are required, by law, to have some basic form of auto insurance, and failing to do so carries some fairly strict punishments.