We’ve got more….you’ve guessed it….SPY SHOTS! Some of you may be thinking what the heck? The Mercedes-Benz B-Class doesn’t exist for United States Mercedes lovers, however that will soon change as Mercedes is planning up to three B-Class variants for the U.S. market!  The hatchback version in these photos (courtesy of LEFTLANE) will likely be a part of the B-Class’ U.S. mix, but two other models are still under consideration as well.  Mercedes-Benz is planning sedan and SUV variants of the next B-Class, giving the premium compact a broader appeal among U.S. buyers.

As you can see in the interior shots the display for the radio and navigation has moved up a bit on the dashboard as well as it seems that the gearstick for the automatic gearbox comes with a steering column gear selector rather than a gearstick in the center console. That will offer more possibilities for storage in the center console.

Look for the next-generation B-Class to debut sometime next year as a 2012 model, with a U.S. sales debut likely a year or two later.

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Okay so we all have garages or know people that do.  These tips can help prevent serious accidents and injuries due to careless mistakes involving the garage door.  Anyone remember the scene in the movie Scream in which the girl dies in the garage door? Yeah not a pleasant image! Some children and pets aren’t wise enough to know that garage doors can be harmful and if you happen to get caught in the garage door’s path, watch out!  We at Ray Catena Mercedes-Benz would never want such accidents to happen, therefore we are providing you these quick and easy safety tips to always keep in mind.

Garage Door Safety Tips and Info

By Jim Redfield

It is summer time and that means the kids are out of school and you are trying hard to keep them out of trouble. You have probably already had a long talk with them about what they can and can not do but did that include talk about Garage Door safety?

The garage door is the largest moving object in a house. It weighs in at over 300 pounds and can easily crush a small finger or toe. Unfortunately, the garage door looks like a toy. What is not to like about it. You hit a button and the door starts to open. Hit it again and it closes. Some kids settle for just that, but others play games like trying to beat the closing door by running underneath it.

There is a reason that July is garage door safety month, and that is because the most injuries occur during this month. Make sure you ensure the safety of your child. Read these tips on garage door safety and make sure your kids understand how serious the door is.

-  Do not play with the garage door opener. Constantly opening and closing the door can burn out the motor, rendering it inoperable.

-  Do not walk or put anything under the door while it is in operation. While many doors come equipped with safety sensors these days, there is always a chance that a broken wire or other error may cause the safety feature to fail. This results in the door crushing and injuring.

-  Do not touch the springs or cables attached to the system. These are under tension and provide the strength to lift the door. Inadvertently loosening one will cause it to snap lose and injure or damage whatever is in the line of fire.

- Do not dangle or hold on to the door or any other component of it while it is operational. There are videos of children enjoying a fun ride on the door while it lifts up. Unfortunately, there are also videos of children getting caught and pulled into the pulley system, often resulting in significant injury.

-  Do not neglect repair. The cost of a new spring, typically about 100 to 200 dollars, is nothing compared to a trip to the ER for an injury. If you have not done so recently, look over the various springs, pulleys, and cables on your garage door. Look for any signs of wear or tear and damage. If you need repair, find a professional to do this quickly for you. Simply open a yellow book or go to Google and search for Garage Door Repair birmingham or whatever your town is. Call the first few that come up and start getting pricing.

Ensure that your children have a safe and enjoyable summer. Talk to them about the dangers hidden in the garage, and supervise them when possible.

Jim Redfield provides tips and tricks for getting the most out of your garage door service. If you are in the Birmingham area and still need help on your garage door, call Precision Door Service Birmingham.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Redfield

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Take a look at the new Mercedes-Benz R-Class with this inside and outside tour of the newly designed model.  The R-Class is very spacious and can fit up to seven people!  Commanding power is delivered with energetic confidence by a choice of engines — a gasoline V6 or a 50‑state BlueTEC clean diesel V6 — both teamed with a 7‑speed automatic transmission and 4MATIC all-wheel drive.  Standard 19″ wheels and self-leveling rear suspension usher you around curves and over any road with poise and precision. While its rigid, aerodynamic body ensconces every seat of its roomy cabin in serene, secure comfort. 

Touring sedan, family car, and SUV, it doesn’t matter what you want to use the R-Class for–it’s always right!!

We’re constantly getting some great information from a number of different Mercedes-Benz sites out there, so we figured we’d do the honors of presenting our readers with a short little roundup of some of our favorites.  Check out these sites below for the latest in Mercedes Benz news and the most up-to-date information on Mercedes Benz cars.

BenzInsider: This blog has a team of writers who love all things associated with the Mercedes Benz Car Group (Mercedes, Smart and Maybach).  Daily posts keep this blog’s readers constantly coming back for more.

“This site’s main focus is bringing its visitors the latest and most interesting stories about the Mercedes-Benz Car Group (Mercedes, Smart and Maybach), which includes news, reviews, rumors and more.”

eMercedesBenz:  We love this site for quick, up-to-date information about Mercedes-Benz, Maybach, and smart.  Frequently updated with recent news, this site also offers a Lifestyle section that features items that may be of interest to you, along with contest giveaways.  For example, 2 weeks ago they had a free iPhone 4 giveaway just for commenting on the post!

“An online publication dedicated to covering the Mercedes-Benz, Maybach and smart brands. Established with the intent of bringing Mercedes-themed content from across the globe to one centralized location, eMercedesBenz has since grown to become the world’s foremost outlet by which to find the latest news, information, reviews and rumors pertaining to the Mercedes-Benz family of brands.”

Mercedes-Benz-Blog: Here, we’ve found a great source for Mercedes Benz reviews, Mercedes Benz spy shots, and brief glances at the history of Mercedes Benz vehicles.

“Mercedes-Benz-Blog is an independent online publication addressed to all Mercedes-Benz fans. It contains useful information about Mercedes-Benz, breaking news, spy shots, secret projects and pages of the prestigious history of the oldest and best carmaker in the world. That is Mercedes-Benz.”

Mercedes-Benz TV: Whenever we want to watch some incredible videos about Mercedes Benz, this is our go-to source! Check it our for the incredible layout and impeccable video quality.

Check out each of these sites and we guarantee  you won’t regret it! Enjoy

I really hope everyone is enjoying these spy photos that have been exploding on the internet recently!  Here we have follow-up spy photos (thanks to Gmotors.IE) of the 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe, along with crash test vehicle photos.  Remember that the new C-Class Coupe will replace the CLK when it officially hits the market.  Basically the C-Class Sedan and Coupe will share the same dimensions.  Engine wise, there will be a range of fuel efficient four and six cylinder options available.  Additionally it will be sporting L-shaped headlights, just like the existing CLS and SL models.

We should be seeing the C-Class Coupe break cover as early as June or July next year, so stay tuned for further info!

For full article click here.

Yesterday we told you about the 2011 Mercedes CL-Class that will be debuting this fall with state-of-the-art radar, camera, and sensor technology. Well what’s even better about the CL-Class is the BlueDIRECT engine that it will have.  Through a combination of innovative measures, including the third-generation spray-guided direct petrol injection and ECO start/stop function, the new V6 and V8 engines consume 20 to 24 percent less fuel than the previous versions.  BlueDIRECT engines provide increased performance, all the while using less fuel! How great is that?!

Check out this video to get a quick summary about how Mercedes-Benz’s new BlueDIRECT engines operate!

We hope you all are enjoying these spy photos because we have more on the way thanks to Car Advice!  Here are pictures of the new 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK AMG.  The engine to be used for this model is still a mystery, however, spy photographers said it sounds like a V8 engine.  This could possibly suggest that the new 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 may find its way into the SLK.  If it’s the twin turbo V8, it may have performance figures of around 400-450 horsepower, around 90 more than the current SLK 55 AMG which makes use of a naturally aspirated 5.5-litre V8.

For full article click here.

We’ve got more of your favorite spy shots thanks to MotorAuthority!  The 2011 Mercedes-Benz CLS will make its debut at the 2010 Paris Auto Show this September.  The new design will feature a wider track, as indicated by the extended wheel arches seen on previous test mules, and according to insiders its platform is borrowed from the current S-Class sedan flagship rather than the E-Class like the current model though this is unconfirmed.  New to the CLS will be a hybrid option based on the same powertrain as the one used in the S400 BlueHybrid.  Other engine options will include both V-6 and V-8 powerplants, naturally aspirated and twin-turbocharged.

For full article click here.

The new 2011 Mercedes-Benz  CL-Class continues Mercedes’ tradition of great two-door cars with this newest automotive masterpiece.  With targeted design modifications such as the new, more strongly pointed radiator grille, the new front bumper with integrated LED strips for the daytime running lamps and the standard bi-xenon headlamps, the Mercedes developers cultivated the poise and dynamism expressed in the design language of the two-door car in a contemporary manner.

The following video gives you a quick look at the most luxurious coupé to reach dealerships this fall.  For more information and specifics about the CL-Class, check out eMercedesBenz.

Only 3 days til the 4th of July! Who’s going to be setting off their own fireworks this holiday weekend? If you are, take all necessary safety precautions! Fireworks are no joke and can cause some serious damage!  We took it upon ourselves to supply you with a good firework safety article that teaches you how to set them off in the most safe manner.  Good luck!

Holiday Firework Safety

By Joseph Parish

Many municipalities have placed fireworks on the big “no-no” list, making them illegal to set them off. For those states where you can still legally purchase and set fireworks off I have included a brief set of safety precaution here. These guidelines are condensed from the Consumer Products Safety Commission and are valid for the home version of fireworks commonly sold in the stores.

First off, never and I repeat never tolerate children to play with fireworks of any sort. Fireworks are not toys and should never be thought of as such. Make sure you read all of the instructions and warnings which are packaged with the fireworks. When lighting firework please do so in a safe place and ensure that other people are out of the immediate range of them.

Light fireworks on a smooth surface far from any flammable materials. If you encounter one which refuses to light never attempt to relight it. Maintain a large bucket of water close by in the event of a malfunction or a fire.

The consumer protection agency offers these suggestions for the safe operation of firework activities. Follow these guidelines carefully for firework safety.

Line up your home fireworks display in such a manner that only one side of the area can be used for viewing. Don’t allow people to watch from all sides as it is much too difficult to maintain an eye on everyone in attendance.

Keep your fireworks on a flat surface and permit nothing flammable to be around the immediate area. To create flat surfaces on your lawn place a wide length of lumber across the grass which has been soaked in water? Lay the firework along these five foot boards about 6 inches apart in the order for which you plan to shoot them off. Light only one firework at a time. Dry leaves can be especially dangerous and create a potential fire hazard. Maintain a five gallon bucket 2/3 full of water nearby. Soak any used fireworks or duds in this bucket.

While using the fireworks keep a water hose close at hand and ready should the need arise. Allow only one individual to light the fireworks and above all ensure the person has not been drinking alcohol. This person should be at least 14 years old.

Never smoke around any sort of fireworks nor set them off during windy evenings. Use the popular long BBQ matches in order to light the fireworks. This keeps your face and hands a good distance from the fireworks. It is hoped that these tips will provide you with an accident free Fourth of July.

Copyright @2008 Joseph Parish

For more information relating to survival visit us at http://www.survival-training.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Parish
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