Lamborghini Sarasota

There is nothing more frustrating than driving down the highway and feeling like you are fighting to keep your vehicle in your lane. There are several possible culprits that can cause your steering to pull to one side or the other. If your vehicle is having trouble staying on a straight line, there are a few things you can check yourself to correct this problem.

Check your tire pressure. Often times an under inflated front tire can cause your vehicle to pull in one direction. Always check your tire pressure and be sure to keep your tires inflated according to manufacturer specifications. Keeping your tires properly inflated can also help improve your fuel efficiency.

Check your tire size. When buying tires always match tire sizes and tread patterns as close as possible. Different size, aspect ratio or even tread pattern can create enough of a difference to pull your vehicle to one side. If you are unable to purchase 4 tires at once, be sure to match your front two tires and back two tires to each other, to eliminate uneven wear and pulling.

Balance your car load. If you are carrying heavy items, like golf clubs or excessive weight, be sure to balance the weight evenly across your vehicle. If you can't do anything about the weight, it is possible to have the wheels realigned to compensate for the pulling. This is not recommended, as when the weight is removed your vehicle will pull in the opposite direction.

Check your springs. This is actually easier than it may sound. Park your vehicle on a level plane and measure the distance between the ground and your fender openings on both the front and rear of your vehicle. If one side is more than an inch higher or lower than the other, there is a high chance that you need to replace a spring.

If you have checked these possible causes and everything looks fine, there are other causes that a mechanic can detect.

Misaligned wheels - when your vehicles wheels are not pointing directly straight ahead. There are many causes, the most common being rear wheel toe or axle misalignment, front wheel camber misalignment, too much cross camber or caster alignment. Sometimes the culprit can be caused from the steering wheel. Make sure your steering wheel has been aligned after your vehicles wheels have been aligned to ensure proper alignment.

Dragging break - caused by a frozen or sticking disc brake caliper. When the caliper freezes or sticks, it doesn't allow the brake pad to kick back out from the motor, sometimes a weak or broken return spring in the drum brake doesn't pull the shoe back from the drum. When this happens it causes the vehicle to pull one direction or another. Replacing the caliper will resolve the problem.

Excessive road crown - to allow for proper drainage, roads are built sloped (crowned) so that rain and other fluids will drain to the side of the roadway. For those who spend a large amount of time driving on crowned roads, you can realign the wheels on your vehicle to compensate for the excessive crown.

If you are tired of fighting with your vehicle to stay in a straight line, the factory trained technicians at Lamborghini Sarasota can diagnose and correct any problems your vehicle may have to get you back on the road worry free.

The votes have been counted and the results are in! Over 30, 630 individuals logged on to livingouteast.com to vote for the Best of Out East for 2009. Voters nominated businesses in 28 categories, ranging from the best fine dining restaurant, the best doctors, the best bank, the best community and more. 

BMW of Sarasota, part of the Morgan Auto Group, prides itself on the absolute highest levels of customer service and satisfaction. It's no wonder readers of Living Out East & On the Bay Magazine have voted BMW of Sarasota the Best Local Import Car Dealer in 2009. Discerning automotive buyers in Sarasota have come to trust BMW of Sarasota, and every dealership in the Morgan Auto Group, over the years to provide the best experience when looking for a new or used vehicle. 

The Morgan Auto Group includes BMW of Sarasota, Lamborghini Sarasota, Toyota of Tampa Bay, Honda of Ocala, Wade Raulerson Buick Pontiac GMC and Wade Raulerson Honda.

He has long been revered as one of the many legends surrounding the world's most uncompromising sports car brand - Valentino Balboni, a remarkable test driver with his own personal cult status. Automobili Lamborghini now presents a model in his honor and bearing his name - the Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni.

The latest version of the Gallardo, Lamborghini's most successful model of all time - overall, more than 9,000 units of the model range have already been produced - boasts not only its own distinctive design and exclusive equipment, but its technology is unique too, as indicated by the model badge: the 550 stands for the power output in hp and the 2 is for rear wheel drive.

For several decades, Valentino Balboni has had a distinct influence on the character of the super sports car bearing the sign of the bull. With his fine-tuning and testing work, he has helped to shape many automotive legends, from the Lamborghini Miura of the 60s through to the current Gallardo and Murciélago models. Balboni was hired in 1967 by company founder Ferruccio Lamborghini himself. From early on, it was evident that the young Balboni had a special feel for cars, that most sensitive of all instincts that connects to the 'life blood' of an automobile and defines the soul of a test driver.

"A Lamborghini must always combine the precision of a race car with the reliability of a good friend," says Balboni. Since 1973, he has sat at the wheel of every prototype built by the brand, and even most production cars have passed through his hands before being delivered to their customers. This has turned Balboni into one of the most important representatives of the brand, with an outstanding reputation and status among the brand's fans and customers worldwide.

Limited to 250 units

After over 40 years with Lamborghini, Balboni is now officially retired. Yet, Valentino Balboni continues to travel to many countries around the world as an ambassador of the brand.
The special exclusivity of the Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni is guaranteed - it is limited to 250 units.

Light-footed yet extremely safe

With this latest version of the Gallardo, Lamborghini is honoring its long-standing test driver in a very special way. The LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni was conceived in line with his own thinking, and it meets many customers' requests for a model with a unique character, which offers a very special kind of active driving fun. The Balboni model is the only current Lamborghini that delivers its power to the road via its rear wheels alone.

Rear wheel drive has a special appeal to those sports car drivers who enjoy a particular driving style. Thanks to the eminently powerful V10 driveline, controlled overseer is no problem - naturally always to the extent defined by the driver - because refined road manners and perfectly tuned assistance systems mean that the Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni is an exceptionally safe sports car to drive.

Driving fun with unique character

In order to shape this unique character that combines driving fun and safety, the engineers at Sant'Agata Bolognese have incorporated extensive modifications into the LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni. It was not simply a question of moving the transmission to the rear axle, the vehicle had to be adjusted and tuned in every element of its driving dynamics. This includes springs, dampers, stabilizers and even the tires. The aerodynamics were also adjusted to take account of the change to the power flow.

The rear axle differential, with a 45 percent limited slip, was also redeveloped, as was the calibration of the e-gear transmission. One significant point was the adjustments made to the ESP system. While the standard program is focused on high stability, the CORSA program permits greater drift angles, thus enabling drivers to enjoy the dynamics of the LP 550-2 to their full extent.

Outstanding performance is guaranteed

Adjustments have also been made to the very heart of the Gallardo, the 5.2 liter ten-cylinder: the perfect synthesis of hi-revving pleasure, pulling power, a constantly exuberant temperament and a powerful symphony played in all keys. In the Valentino Balboni, the compact and lightweight power unit generates 405 kW (550 hp). At a dry weight of only 1,380 kilograms, this guarantees outstanding performance: the LP 550-2 is catapulted from 0 to 100 km/h (0-62mph) in a breathtaking 3.9 seconds, while the top speed of 320 km/h (199 mph) guarantees its place among the ultimate in super sports cars.

Powerful elegance in its distinctive design

The Valentino Balboni is not only unique in terms of its technology: its design and equipment reinforce its exclusivity. Its classic sporting character is emphasized by a color strip in white and gold running from the front panel over the roof and parts of the engine cover all the way to the rear spoiler, with inspiration from the classic sports cars from the '70s. This color treatment underscores the powerful elegance of the Gallardo and emphasizes the unique Lamborghini design DNA. The Special Edition is available in eight colors, from Bianco Monocerus through to Verde Ithaca, or Arancio Borealis to Nero Noctis. The Scorpius wheels retain their dark grey finish, while the brake calipers come in black, orange or yellow, depending on the exterior paint finish.

Classic sporting look for the interior, too

The characteristic color combination is repeated in the interior. The basic color of the full leather upholstery is black. Both seats, however, feature the color strip in white. The centre console is completely upholstered in Polar white leather to create a powerful accent. A badge below the left side window bears the signature of Valentino Balboni and the production number of the car.

The exclusivity of the Valentino Balboni is augmented further by its extensive equipment. Alongside several new leather features in the interior, there is also the transparent engine cover, the rear view camera, the navigation system with Bluetooth and the lifting system for the front axle that makes it easier to drive over obstacles. In addition to the extensive standard equipment, a list of further options is available including e-gear transmission and carbon ceramic brakes.

We all worry about something, and in these troubled economic times, worry may feel overwhelming and paralyzing. It can even take over your life. And, yes, studies show that chronic worry can lead to a host of health woes, including anxiety, depression, insomnia, headaches, stomach distress, muscle pain, overeating or alcohol abuse. But the truth is, not all worry is bad. In fact, a "healthy" amount of worry can be a good thing: It's what helps us adapt to changing circumstances and anticipate potential problems so that we can take constructive action to prevent bad results from occurring. "Worry is like blood pressure: You need a certain level to live, but too high a level can hurt you," notes psychiatrist Edward M. Hallowell, M.D., author of Worry: Hope and Help for a Common Condition.

When does good worry turn bad? Worry becomes toxic when it results in excessive dwelling on things that are either not worth worrying about or things you can't do anything about, or when it causes you to avoid dealing with your problems. "With toxic worry, the rumination makes you more negative and unrealistic in your thinking, and it immobilizes you," explains Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, Ph.D., professor of psychology and psychiatry at Yale University and author of Women Who Think Too Much.

The challenge, then, is to keep your worries in the healthy zone so that they help you adapt and cope without taking a toll on your health. In other words, the goal is to learn to "worry well" - as in, productively - and turn off the constant, unhelpful worries that can play endlessly in your mind. Here are five ways to do that:

1. Distract yourself . When the urge to obsess about your problems (or potential problems) kicks in, force yourself to stop - by saying "stop" out loud, if need be. Do something pleasant and engrossing instead: read, sing, exercise with a friend, indulge in a hobby or watch a funny DVD. Doing something that takes your thoughts off your worries will break the grip that negative thinking has on your mind and help you gain a fresh perspective, explains Nolen-Hoeksema.

2. Set worry hours. Don't worry spontaneously - establish a designated worry time, perhaps in the late afternoon or early evening (but not before bed). When the time arrives, write out a list of your primary worries, suggests Robert L. Leahy, Ph.D., director of the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy in New York and author of The Worry Cure. For each item, also indicate what you gain and what you lose by worrying about it. Spend 20 minutes focusing on your worries, then tell yourself you're done for the day.

3. Give your worries a reality check. Ask yourself: How much will this issue matter in a week, a month, a year or five years? Is the situation really as dire or urgent as you're telling yourself? "Most worries have an element of nearsightedness," says Leahy. But taking a step back, considering the big picture and challenging the way you're thinking can completely change your sense of what's happening. By assessing the probability versus the possibility of your worst worries coming true, you'll realize that no, you're not destined to become homeless just because your investments lost some value. Then, you can cross that worry off your list. 

4. Swing into problem-solving mode. With issues that have potential long-term consequences, write down exactly what you think the problem is or how the situation needs to change, advises Nolen-Hoeksema. Next, rephrase the issue to reflect the positive outcome you desire; for example, instead of worrying about getting laid off, ask yourself how you can make yourself indispensable to your company. Then get the facts about your situation (how is your company doing financially? how vulnerable are you?), brainstorm with a trusted friend what you can do to move toward your goal (maybe talk to your supervisor about how to solidify your position or volunteer for extra projects that need to be done), then formulate a concrete plan of action and give it a try. If it doesn't work, revise your approach.

5. Know when to let go. When you're dealing with an uncertain situation that you really have no control over, sometimes the best thing you can do is to simply let go: Imagine your worries being pumped into a helium-filled balloon, then release it into the air and watch it fly away. Take a shower and wash that worry right out of your head. Or write your worry on a piece of paper, crumple it up and throw it in the trash. Then set your sights on what you can control. If you're worried about the results of some pending medical test, for example, focus your attention on seeing friends you adore or finishing a project at work.

Why waste your time and energy engaging in unhealthy, unproductive worry? Learn to worry well instead! "Your mind can only be in one place at a time," explains Leahy, "so put it in a place that pays off."

Source: [Live Right, Live Well]