Monthly Archives: September 2009

Author : Gregg Hall

Those who are unfamiliar with hybrid cars may not know that most come with new innovative tire designs When replacing your tires on your hybrid car, you should stick with the low-rolling resistance tires Those who own hybrid cars however know that these special low-rolling resistance tires are the best thing since the hybrid design itself Consumers are definitely not the only ones with their eyes on the new low-rolling resistance tires however Every major tire maker is getting in on the trend with new tires coming out frequently

You may wonder what low-rolling resistance actually means The name is a measurement of how tires roll on the road If the tire rolls easily, then it is considered a low-rolling resistant tire One benefit of these innovative tires is that they minimize the energy used by the tire Tires use energy as heat in three different locations First, there is heat between the tire and the road Secondly, there is heat between the tire and the sidewall Lastly, there is heat between the tire and the rim The great thing about the low-rolling resistance tires is that they maintain traction, handling, and durability When used with special suspension and brakes, they reduce resistance even more The tires go through all of the approval standards of normal tires, so you can be sure they are safe to use

Now that you know more about tires, you may wonder how they can make tires that reduce the energy usage The answer is that tire manufacturers are using several different elements to create low-rolling resistance tires First, they focus on the design of the tread Different companies are using different designs, so you may seem many different designs coming to the consumer soon After choosing a great design, they also choose lighter and stronger materials and reduce the sidewall to reduce flexing of the tire The tires are made to run without air pressure Most of them can still be used for up to 50 miles with no air pressure whatsoever This is an amazing trait of these tires With tires that can run without air pressure, you really have no need to carry around a jack or other tools for changing tires You would have plenty of time to get to the mechanic shop or home before your tire would be useless

Studies have shown that using low-rolling resistant tires on your vehicle can save on your gas budget These efficient tires are fitted for each vehicle, which in turn will make your vehicle run smoother and more efficiently It is estimated that you can save up to 6% on gas usage when using low-rolling resistance tires on your car When considering these tires, which tend to cost about $40 more than regular tires for a complete set, think about what you could save at the pump You may be spending a little more when purchasing the tire set, but you will save more than you are spending in the long run

Although these great tires can save you bundles, low-rolling resistance tires have had a few complaints Some drivers don’t like the way they handle on the road But most low-rolling resistance tires have great tread, if you are a wild driver, they may not be as great for handling However, slow or cautious drivers have seen no negative change It is more of a personal preference when it comes to how they handle

Consumers are taking the benefits of the new low-rolling resistance tires very seriously California has even passed legislation that requires all replacement tires sold in the state to be as efficient as tires on new vehicles, which are mostly low-rolling resistance tires This is a huge step toward the low-rolling resistance trend More states are considering legislation as well

When looking for new tires for your hybrid, be sure to check out the low-rolling resistance options It is likely that your old tires were low-rolling resistance tires, so you will be used to the features they offer, whether or not you knew about their benefits before You may be spending a little more in the beginning, but you will make up the upfront cost in gas savings almost immediately

Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida. Get auto parts at http://www.car-parts-plus.com/

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Author : Gregg Hall

Almost everyone I know has a story about at least one bad experience at a car dealership and it is interesting to look at some of the things they will do to try to make a sale I can remember hearing about someone having the keys to their car thrown on the roof of the dealership so they couldn’t leave, granted that was a while ago

Most dealerships have rigid sales systems that they follow to ensure that they get the highest profits and close as many sales as they possibly can One of the main components of the system is the salesman In case you didn’t know it, the reason these salespeople will fight for an hour over $100 is because they typically receive 20-35% of it as commission for making the sale! This is also the reason why YOU must be educated and look out for yourself because the salesman is definitely looking out for themselves

Dealerships spend thousands of dollars on training systems to teach salespeople all the closing techniques and “tricks” to turn shoppers into buyers and increase profits There is a multi-million dollar industry in training automotive sales people These companies usually come to the dealership and teach salespeople through audio, videos, and seminars and many guarantee results to the dealership so they are confident in their methods

One thing that many dealers are trying to do now to get past the old image of the car salesman is to have the salesperson present themselves as a “trusted advisor” You need to always remember that almost all dealers still pay their salespeople by commission with the exception of Saturn, and even those that pay a flat rate usually pay bonuses for more sales so they still have something to gain to get the sale Don’t trust the car salesman, that would be like letting the fox in the henhouse!

Another key part of the system is the advertising I am sure you see tons of advertising in your area from car dealers They usually dominate local Sunday papers and the visions of the screaming car dealer on TV will stay with us forever It is quite obvious that these businesses make a lot of money; otherwise they could not spend so much on advertising One of the tricks that they still use that is amazing to me is the old bait and switch That’s where they will have an ad in the paper with a car at a super low price and then in tiny print it they list a stock number and says only one available at this price You go to the dealer and it has already been sold Don’t get taken by this

Hopefully this has helped you to see some of the tactics used by auto dealers

Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. For great car care products for your car go to http://www.stopwaxing.com

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Author : Janet Jones

Checking the smoke that pours out from the exhaust pipe of a used car is necessary as it tells you if the car has a problem or not Clear smoke is often an indication of a sound engine while black or blue smoke is an indication that the used car you want to purchase has a problem

You can get used cars from places like Japan or Europe Used cars imported into the country are known to be far cheaper than those bought within, especially for popular car brands

In spite of the fact that there are several used car auctions around, not all of them are trustworthy Used car auctions organized by government agencies are often genuine You can get a used car by patronizing police auction sales for used cars

As a certified used car owner, you get to enjoy almost all the same privileges as a new car owner A new car owner gets perk such as free maintenance, oil changes and lower loan rates; a certified used car owner also gets the same perks as the new car owner because of the extended warranty

Banks as well as government agencies tend to organize auctions for used cars Banks auction cars that have been repossessed from people who are unable to pay back the loan on their cars Keeping an open ear about auctions being organized by reputable bodies can open door ways to the used car of your dreams

It is a normal inclination on the part of human beings to target something that goes easy on their pockets Going for cheap cars that are second hand in nature is a cost effective way of getting a car You need to be aware that most used car dealers often put a little percentage of the original cost of the car on its current cost to make profit

You can get excellent used car deals from dealerships Used cars can be bought at auctions that are organized by reputable bodies You can also purchase used cars online as long as you know where to search

Don’t settle for second best even with a second hand car; always search long and hard to find the right car before you make a choice

This wonderful author gives revealing information about second hand cars , or even used trucks on the website –> http://www.usedcarsclassroom.com/

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Author : Sam Read

Car servicing is something that every auto owner has to indulge in at least some time of the year The best method to service your car is to go to your car service station and have the servicing done methodically; according to your car maker Consider this You car is up and running smoothly but the mileage figures show that you need to have it serviced Certainly, this is the right thing to do but have you wondered what actually goes in to make you pay that servicing bill every 6 months?

Servicing your car is a simple DIY job that you can learn quickly and easily save some good money

If you have never serviced your car before personally, here’s your resource

Servicing Basics

Car servicing essentially means inspecting the car thoroughly for any damaged components, and replacing some parts periodically that wear out over time The parts that require inspection are the tire pressures, the brake fluid levels, air filters, oil filters, spark plugs, wheel balancing and alignment, battery fluid levels, etc

If you review carefully it is certainly possible to do all this by yourself, as below

You will need a complete car tool kit as provided by your car maker when you purchased the vehicle This will usually consist of all the spanners that you might need

The correct grade engine oil Engine oil needs to be replaced every 5000 miles (This figure will change as per the car type and make Check your car manual for your car ) The type and grade of oil required for your car can be found in your car manual

To get started, a typical car servicing will involve the following steps

– Hosting your car up to check the underbody This can be done on a ramp or using a jack A quick inspection of the underbody will let you know if there is any damage

– When you are done with this, you will now need to replace the engine oil Always remember that the engine oil should never be checked or replaced while the engine is running To proceed, you will need to unscrew a bolt that is just below the engine oil chamber and drain the oil in to a pan When all the oil has been drained you will need to screw the nut back in tightly You can also change the oil filter and it is usually just adjacent to the oil chamber Use the correct type and size as specified for your car

– You can lower the car now and fill the new engine oil Be sure that you do not pour excess oil over the dipstick mark as this is going to be very difficult to drain off Wait patiently for the oil levels to settle

– The other things you will need to check include the spark plugs Spark plugs need to be cleaned periodically Unscrew the spark plugs from the engine and clean them with a soft cloth You will need to shine the plug contact points using sandpaper Fit them back in, and now check out the air filter Cleaning the air filter is easy and you can use your vacuum cleaner to do the job

– You will also need to check out the suspension Bump the car and observe how long it takes to settle Ideally this will take no more than 3 bumps Also check out for any spills, or leaks coming out of the shock absorbers

– Now you will need to check out levels of brake fluids and top them up if necessary Also, inspect the brake shoe condition by removing the wheel and inspecting the braking unit If worn out, you can easily change them on your own

With this done you are completed with the major servicing part of the car The remaining things include oiling your doors and the hinges, checking if your lights are working, testing if your seatbelts are working, and measuring the tire pressures (front and rear)

This might seem a long list to do but if you observe a typical car servicing process you will understand the nuances within no time An easy way to proceed is by creating a check list for the different things will need to do This way you can be sure of not missing out on any parts that need to be serviced

Completely servicing your car will need a few hours but you will end up saving a lot of money Besides, it’s fun too and a lot of learning

This article was written by Sam Read. You can read other great articles at http://www.joompop.com/how-to-paint-a-car.htmlhow to paint a car

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Author : Gregg Hall

Hybrid car has become immensely popular after Honda Motors and Toyota Motor Corporation introduced these cars in the US market in 2000 The US Government offers incentives to those willing to buy hybrid car and many corporations are willing to provide free parking Why have these hybrid cars become so popular?

You need to know some facts about the hybrid car as to why it has become so popular However one must understand the meaning of hybrid Hybrid means that something additional has been mixed with the original A hybrid car has a gas engine as well as an electric motor which runs on batteries These batteries get automatically charged when the vehicle is running There is thus no extra effort required to charge the batteries separately

Almost all the hybrids primarily use gas engine, but is also fitted with an electric motor, which is activated when more power is needed Anyone of them or both of them can be used to run the car When the car stops the gasoline engine also stops automatically As soon as the gas pedal is pressed again the engine comes back to life immediately During the off condition of the engine, essentials such as lights, radio, etc are kept on with the help of battery The off state being extremely silent can deceive the driver as well as the parking attendant Fortunately, lighting indication is provided to show the idle condition of the engine

There are numerous direct and indirect advantages of hybrid cars The most talked about advantage of hybrid cars is its fuel economy and a higher mileage Secondly, the hybrid cars use less fuel and are environmental friendly because there are less pollutants being emitted into the atmosphere Hybrid cars are lightweight because they are made of aluminum and plastic

The manufacturers have taken care of the safety measures of the hybrid cars by providing specialized shaped panels to the body of the car, which provides strength to withstand impact of any kind The main advantage of the hybrid car is that it reduces the overall cost of running a car and keeps the atmosphere clean and healthy for everyone of us

You will be wiser about the hybrid car provided you knew the facts you needed to know about the Hybrid Car These are the reasons sufficient for you to decide in favor of hybrid cars and discharge your responsibility of being a responsible citizen besides saving substantially on your monthly fuel bill

Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. Get patented car care products at http://www.stopwaxing.com

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Author : Gregg Hall

Tire manufacture is a complex process which also involves the extraction of latex from the rubber tree The latex that oozes out of the tree are collected and sent to the tire manufacturing companies directly Here it is processed and black sheets of rubber are produced Tire manufacturing is a process which has several components in it that are said to be constructed in a drum called the Tire Building Machine (TBM) This is the only major equipment in manufacturing a tire The machine can be manually operated However nowadays all the tires are manufactured through automated process

The inner liner is the first component in tire manufacture It can with stand high pressure and does not allow the air to be escaped from the inner layer of the tire Next comes the body ply This is a three layer component of tire The first layer is a sheet of rubber the second is a fabric layer and then again a rubber layer It is said that this is the component that gives the tire a rigid strength that is able to carry the immense weight of the large trucks and buses The next component is the side wall that gives good environmental resistance to the tires

Beads are the steel lining in the tire It is an important part in the tire as it gives the tensile strength to the tire This still lining is coated with brass to avoid corrosion The next component is the tread that gives a good grip to the tire The thread is the depressions in the tire that will hold the tire on the ground in case of braking Cushion gum is an extra component used in some tire manufacturing which seals the tear of the rubber by the steel lining in side the tire

All these components are built one by one in side a tire building machine Several other chemical components are mixed with them to get the needed strength in the tire The tire that results as a result of the tire building machine is known as the green tire This tire then undergoes curing process which will give the final product Vulcanization is an important process in tire manufacturing In this process the rubber is hardened to get the required strength and elasticity This occurs naturally in this process when the raw rubber and molecular sulfur is mixed each other It will close the pores in the rubber

Gregg Hall is an author living on the Treasure Coast of Florida. Now that you know more about tires be sure that you have quality tires for your car by going to http://www.Nsearch.com

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Author : Chris Jensen

The red transmission fluid bleeds out them like blood from a hospital patient It is terrifying for many technicians Have you experienced this? You call your local mechanic with a story of your check engine light on and your vehicle won’t go over 30 mph without screaming at you That’s your transmission

Chances are your mechanic shuddered and said better call the tranny shop Don’t fret though people, transmission repair is a simple and easy thing There’s this wonderful thing in your glovebox called your owners manual Pull that bad boy out, dust it off, and get ready to read There’s knowledge in there and power that can save you thousands of dollars

Every vehicle has a designated maintenance schedule that you are supposed to follow but almost no one ever does It’s fast and simple and a lot times can save you money Most vehicles 10 years or older require your to change the transmission fluid every 12- 24000 miles thats maybe once every year or two Compared to the every 3000 miles your engine needs it’s a very long time That’s why it’s important to check your transmission fluid every time you change your engine oil

To check your transmission fluid you need to have your car running and in either park or neutral depending on the make Again open your magical owners manuel and check to see what it says The fluid should be between the hashes The fluid should also be red in color and not smell burnt at all There also should not be any metal or other contaminates in the fluid If by chance you do find some horrible smell or some shinny chunks of metal in the fluid it’s time to call your friendly neighborhood transmission shop

Check to make sure that they are BBB, ATRA certified, and that they have a clean nice shop area Call and ask them if they offer a free diagnostic or road-test Make an appointment don’t just show up How would you like it if your friends just showed up at your house and wanted you to make them dinner or something Same basic idea

Drop your car off if you can that way they have lots of time to look into things You may be asked if it’s ok if they drop your transmission pan Tell them yes this is the only way they can get a look inside your transmission there’s probably a minimal fee for it so don’t worry about it You should get a call in a couple hours after that and they will let you know what’s happening

Good luck, from there you are on your own!

Chris Jensen is a contributing author of Jetfly Blog. For more related articles and views visit Jetfly Automotive Blog now. Also, for the best up-to-date related online products, check out Jetfly Automobile Collectibles Shop for todays current online deals.

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Author : Gregg Hall

When you buy a new vehicle you have every right to get one that is perfect and totally free of any imperfections You don’t want to pay top dollar for a brand new car that has mechanical problems or problems with the interior, body, or finish Before you sign the final papers and take delivery of the car you want to be sure that you thoroughly inspect the car including road testing it Take down notes of any imperfections and insist that they be taken care of before you sign anything Some dealers will let you take the car overnight, if they will take advantage of it as it can give you the time to really check it out more than a 5 minute test drive and walk around at the dealership

Another thing that is really helpful is to have someone else, other than the salesman, look it over with you They may see something you don’t Don’t let the dealer tell you “Don’t worry Go ahead and sign and we’ll fix it later ” Your signature is binding, there word isn’t Mechanical issues are usually just a matter of a minor adjustment, or they may have a factory flaw that is covered by the factory and will be repaired Paint and upholstery on the other hand are items that most dealers are not very good at repairing and they will try to make you believe that a flaw is normal, it isn’t

Once you have driven the car off the lot with a signed contract anything and everything will be assumed to be your fault, so you have to be sure that it is perfect before you leave

NEVER take final delivery of a car at night There are many flaws that can be hidden when not in direct sunlight It is well worth the time to take off from work and see the vehicle in the daylight so you aren’t surprised by scratches or swirls in the paint you couldn’t see

These are some of the things you want to inspect:

Make sure that the serial number on the car matches what is on the paperwork Check the odometer or mileage reading If it has more than 300 miles make them tell you why If they can’t give you a reasonable answer, get another car Sometimes they trade cars from other dealers and this could explain it, but make them show you the paperwork proving it

Check the body and paint thoroughly Look inside the hood, trunk, and gas filler compartment This is an area that is overlooked for overspray If there was a minor flaw they fixed they may try to pass it off without disclosing it New cars that have been partially repainted will not match later on as aging will make the colors different

Be sure everything is lined up properly The doors, hood, trunk, and windows should all be perfectly lined up and there should be a good seal around the windows with no wind noise Check the upholstery for any stains or tears and be sure all the mechanical and electronic devices are in proper working order

Be sure to have the salesperson take the time to go over all the equipment with you and be sure you know how to operate it and also check all the lights to be sure they are working Also be sure to check all the fluid levels and be sure they are topped off

When you take the car for the test drive be sure to test the alignment by briefly releasing the steering wheel and note whether it pulls to the left or right Also, test the brakes under light and heavy braking There should be absolutely no shudder at all, if there is it needs to be corrected

If you follow these suggestions it should prevent you from having a bad experience when picking up a new car

Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. Protect your new car’s finish with quality car care products from http://www.carcarewizards.com

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