Monthly Archives: March 2010

Author : Cheow Yu Yuan

sized chrome rims for your car, if you do have a good car audio system, all of those mentioned above are useless To enjoy a good experience with your car, a good car audio system is a must to have

As you know that having a poor car audio system will definitely spoil the experience when you are driving your favourite toy Although the investment for a good system is steep, it is definitely worth to have for the marvellous experience that you are going to enjoy However, not all expensive system performs well if they are not installed properly Therefore, be sure to hand it to a professional if you are not proficient enough to do a good job

How do we determine whether an audio system is good or great? The answer is that only you can decide as it must first exceed your expectations If you find that the new system that you are testing is way much better than your current system, then that one is definitely better

The type of car you drive also play an important role in what kind of car audio system you should build As most of what hear inside a car is a recording of the original artist in a given environment, the music are played in a totally different environment with us being placed in awkward listening positions relative to the placement of the speakers This will give us a poor listening experience A great audio system is created with the understanding of acoustics, basic electronics and the different products that are to be used

To prevent you from getting a poor listening experience due to different environments, you should compare your audio system and experience it live in as many different environments as possible One of the best ways to compare is to visit car audio conventions As you move from exhibit to exhibit, you can notice the difference in sound characteristics of each system By doing so, you will be able to find some systems that you prefer over others Once you have found your favourite, as for the specs from the promoters

There are many benefits in getting aftermarket speakers Firstly, they have a larger frequency response which means that there is more music coming through your speakers Secondly they have more power handling capabilities and are able to increase your car audio system bass

Lastly, other than getting the right speakers, you need to have good amplifiers Weak amplifiers damage good car audio speakers With a good amplifier, it can help eliminate distortion and improve the sound clarity tremendously One way to test whether an amplifier is good, you can turn the stereo system above half volume and if the sound is not distorted, you can consider getting it

A good car audio system is something to show for It can bring satisfaction to you, and to those who will witness it

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Author : Steve Tarini

It gets very confusing listening to everyone who has an opinion on how often to change motor oil In most cases people give their opinion based on rumors and old wives tales This isn’t exactly science, but for the most part it’s true

The 3,000 mile oil change recommendation is finally being pushed out of the spotlight because consumers are demanding more Most car manufacturer’s are now recommending 5,000–7,500 miles between changes So why do the quick lubes keep putting that sticker in your window reminding you to come back in 3,000 miles?

If this wasn’t confusing enough have you ever talked to a new BMW, Audi or VW owner? Most if not all cars made in Germany recommend a 10,000 mile interval and some BMW’s are as high as 15,000 miles When you speak to an owner of one of these German made cars they act like it’s no big deal In fact some of the dealers servicing these cars are charging over $80 00 for an oil change Did you ever wonder why the Germans get to go nearly double the miles as anyone driving an American made car? I personally know several BMW and VW owners that rave about the simplicity of longer drain intervals

Did you know that most Europeans are on a 1 year oil change? The high quality synthetic oils used in Europe are capable of 20,000-25,000 mile intervals and recent articles in trade publications indicate they want to take these intervals to 30,000 miles Getting a hold of some these oils here in the United States has been difficult?

Well to some degree you can if you know where to look In fact rumors are starting to circulate that two major oil suppliers to Europe have let some of their “super synthetics” into the United States Now these oils are not cheap, some estimates have indicated that these oils cost as much as $12 00/qt A hefty price to pay for quality, but look at all the benefits, cleaner running engines, reduces operating temperatures, increases fuel mileage and of course extends the drain intervals

There is one company in the United States that sells a very high quality synthetic oil through a network of Independent Distributors With published drain intervals of 25,000 miles these oils are becoming more and more popular all the time You can use qualified synthetic lubricants in your vehicle without fear of voiding your warranty

Drain interval recommendations are simply that–recommendations These interval recommendations are not required to keep your warranty valid Oil manufacturers should be determining the length of your oil change interval without fear of voiding your warranty

We hope that this clears up all the half truths floating around out there about drain intervals Wouldn’t it be easier if the U S just agreed on one or two grades of motor oils that exceeded all the specs required by the different car manufacturers It’s way too confusing listening to all the advice out there being given from car dealers, quick lubes, mechanics and just about anyone else who thinks they understand oil The easiest thing to do would be to adopt one or two specs that specifically deal with drain intervals and eliminate the guesses and opinions

Accredited Author and Synthetic Lubricants Specialist Steve Tarini has been involved with Amsoil since 1996 and is an expert in the field of extended drain intervals. Amsoil Synthetic Lubricants have been the undisputed leader in extended drain motor oils since 1972 and even coined the phrase ‘Extended Drain Intervals’. Amsoil’s 25,000 miles drain intervals are unmatched in the industry.

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Author : James Todman

There are many different types of car tyres The one you choose will depend on factors such as the make of car, driving style, where you live, the time of year and how your car is used

For instance if you spend a lot of your working day driving up and down the motorways, you will need a hard wearing tyre that doesn’t create a lot of noise If you live in the countryside a tyre that provides better grip on muddy roads would be more suitable

This article identifies five different types of car tyres and highlights some of the differences between them:

1) Standard/ All Season Tyre

Your car was probably driven out of the factory on all season tyres It is an average tyre that is suitable for all year round use It works equally well in the wet and the dry

The tread block pattern is designed not to be noisy when used on standard roads but enables adequate water dispersion to provide grip in wet conditions

The rubber used is a harder compound to extend the tyre’s life This can comprise on handling and cornering but for the majority of drivers it is not noticeable

2) Performance Tyre

Also known as summer tyres, performance tyres are designed for provide excellent grip in the dry Often used on fast cars or for a driver whose style requires increased handling performance They can be used all year round if you live in a region with a warm climate and little rain

A soft rubber compound is used which decreases the lifespan of the tyre but provides enhanced grip

It is important that the car tyres are kept in excellent condition Driving in the wet is hard enough with these tyres but if there is any sign of wear it is virtually impossible to get good grip

3) Winter Tyre

Winter car tyres are designed to cope with the poor weather and difficult driving conditions that the winter season brings They can handle snow and ice Winter tyres can have small metal studs embedded into the tread for extra grip in extreme conditions

The tread block pattern on winter car tyres is larger and more pronounced than on standard tyres This improves grip but also increases the tyres’ operating noise

These tyres cannot be used all year round because in dry conditions they wear out extremely quickly and damage the road surface

4) All Terrain Tyre

All terrain tyres provide good grip on loose surfaces such as dirt and sand Often used by off road vehicles, they can be used on standard roads but are very noisy

Like the winter tyre the tread block pattern is large to improve grip The tyre’s sidewalls are stiffer to cope with uneven surfaces and unexpected potholes

Mud tyres are an extreme type of all terrain tyres, designed to be used in mud and dirt They have very large tread block patterns that are only suitable for driving on that type of terrain

5) Run Flat Tyres

Run flat tyres are a relatively new concept but are now becoming more common on new cars They are designed to minimise the loss of handling that occurs after a puncture

The car tyre can operate without air to enable the vehicle to continue to be driven However this is only suitable for a short distance and at a reduced speed, until the tyre can be safely changed

For further advice consult a car tyre specialist who will provide you with impartial advice on the best tyres for your vehicle

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Author : Mark Robinson

No one wants to ride a messy car If you want to keep your car clean then you have to do some tasks that will maintain its neat appearance You can always make your car look brand new Here are some tips that may come in handy the next time you clean the interior of your car First, you should always make it a point to have clean seat covers If you do not have seat covers then it is highly recommended that you get one It is going to be difficult to manage a car’s interior without seat covers because if something spills directly on to the seats without seat cover, it would be very difficult to clean When you have seat covers, there will be protection for the actual seat Simply wash your seat covers every month and you will keep your car smelling fresh and brand new all the time

Second, consider getting floor mats for your car Floor mats or car mats are essential to protect the flooring of your car Without floor mats, any one who rides your car will dirty it with their shoes All the dirt from the outside will go directly to the floor of your car You certainly do not want this to happen to your car every time someone rides it If you are lazy to clean floor mats then you should get the plastic floor mats All you have to do is remove them from your car and hose them down If you want your floor mats to be more presentable then get the carpeted ones Although they are harder to clean, they generally look better inside

Third, consider buying an air freshener There are a lot of great air fresheners out there If you want to make sure that you car will smell fresh constantly then you should certainly purchase an air freshener that is attachable to the air conditioner or the vent The spray air fresheners are also okay although their scent does not last long enough You can use the spray air fresheners from time to time but if you want a perpetually fresh smelling car then the standard attachable air fresheners would be great

Fourth, you have to keep your air conditioner conditioned This means that you have to check your air conditioner as often as possible Is there some pungent smell coming out of it? Should you have it cleaned already? Most air conditioners have to be cleaned every six months so you might want to have your air conditioner checked if it is starting to smell a little bit off already

Finally, you have to make sure that you vacuum the whole car so that any dirt particles or unwanted matter is sucked out of the vehicle This will keep your car bacteria free and it will certainly make your car smelling much fresher than normal Keep your car fresh all the time and you will certainly enjoy riding it and even having passengers on it

Mark Robinson writes for http://auto-loans.guidefin.com. Visit his website for information about auto loans.

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Author : Amy Nutt

Driving at any time of the year can be dangerous, but it is especially important to be careful driving in the winter Winter driving can bring the hazards of snow, ice, freezing rain, sleet, blackouts, whiteouts, and much more If your car breaks down at any other time of year, you’ve still got a good chance of being able to take care of it yourself However, in the winter, the days are shorter, the weather is colder and it is not at all comfortable to break down in a snowstorm! There are also more ways to break down in the winter; not only can your car run out of gas, but it can also get stuck in the snow

If you are starting to panic, just relax; there are some things you can do to prepare for car emergencies Here the top ten items to keep in your car in case of an emergency:

Snow shovel – You never know when you’ll get stuck in the snow, and you also never know if a good Samaritan will be around when you get stuck Even in the summertime, cars can get stuck in the mud, and a shovel would still help in that situation

Candle – Even though a candle may be a lot smaller than a car, it can still keep you and your car warm in the winter if you happen to break down or get stuck in a snow bank

Blanket – If you ever break down in the winter, a blanket or sleeping bag is a very good thing to have!

Spare tire – Always a handy item to have when something happens to one of your car’s tires

Tools – It is important to carry the right kind of tools in your car to help you in case of an emergency Tools such as a jack, ratchet, lighter

Air Compressor – Many stores now sell mini compressors that are just for this purpose A lot of perfectly good tires start to lose air after a while and an air compressor is a quick fix when you are stuck on the side of the road!

Flashlight – This one is pretty self explanatory You never know when something will happen, and if you happen to break down after dark, a flashlight quickly turns into a lifesaver Without a flashlight, all the tools in the world will not help you in the dark!

Food – This one may sound strange, but the truth is, people get hungry, and if you are stuck in the middle of nowhere, some granola bars and bottles of water are a big help!

Cell phone – Nowadays, car emergencies are not as bad as they used to be, because of cell phones As long as you have good service in the area you happen to be in, you will be just fine

First Aid Kit – This is perhaps the most important thing to carry in your car — especially if you have children You never know what is going to happen, and even the slightest accident can cause some injuries to you and your loved ones that can be easily remedied by a well-stocked first aid kit

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Author : Alexander West

The Porsche Cayman is a two-seater model with the engine being mounted where its rear seats would be fitted The location of the engine means that it is relatively difficult to reach, although the oil is added from an oil filler located at the boot At least they thought of that

When it comes to carrying luggage, the Porsche Cayman has ample space under its long tailgate This model has kept the Porsche tradition of being fairly small, making it a very practical car in terms of parking and driving in traffic It is not practical if you have a family Keeping in line with the Porsche family, the Cayman is equipped with a movable rear spoiler that deploys over 120 km/h

The Porsche Cayman has a 3 4-litre engine that uses a combination of the 911′s cylinder barrels and the Boxster’s crankshaft Although it is not necessary to know car mechanics to drive a car, it is useful to know something about cars A cylinder barrel is what the pistons move within and the size of this cylinder barrel determines the cc of the engine The other end of the piston is connected to the crank shaft This is worth knowing because these are expensive items to fix While the 911′s engine has a capacity of between 3 6 and 3 8 litres, that of the Boxster is 3 2 litres Oddly enough, the engines of the present models are cooled by water yet they continue to give quite a breathy whine like that produced by huge air-cooling fans

Given that the Porsche Cayman is made through a combination of the other models, it has a relatively few number of unique spare parts, which is good In a nutshell, the Porsche Cayman may be described as a Boxster that has a roof, making it more stiff This has its advantages since the setting of the suspension can be more taut and sporty, resulting in a better driving experience

The Porsche Cayman can go from a standing start to 100 km/h within 5 3 seconds and has a maximum speed of 275 km/h While this is a fairly low speed compared to other models, it results in better fuel efficiency Although it can work well with the Porsche Active Suspension Management [PASM], the Porsche Cayman can work just as well without it, which is not the same for the 911 This is particularly due to a firm and rarely turbulent ride With the PASM, this car will be lower by 10 mm and the damping may be stiffer

Alex West is a luxury car enthusiast. You can find out more about Porsche motor cars at Click Here

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Author : Dominic Donaldson

When people talk about merchandising, the first things that pop to mind are tee shirts and scarves for football fans, and tee shirts and pin badges for music fans Merchandising is a way of showing an appreciation for something that brings pleasure, whether that is a band, a team or the unabated genius behind mechanical engineering Merchandising for car lovers has become just about as big a business as selling Man United scarves to Japanese footie fans, and it is not just big names that think their wares are worth promoting Here we take a look at what is on offer across the board from the iconic and stylish Ferrari wear to the four by four country classics of Land Rover gear Who buys what and why, and which type exactly are you?

It is well known that Land Rover owners are country people that work the land, ride or horses and walk big dogs in muddy woodland for fourteen hours a day They also wear wellingtons by Hunters and a wax jacket that weighs the same as a small house As if Today’s typical Land Rover owner is not some offshoot of the English gentry lost in the backwaters of the Hampshire countryside; today’s owners are just as likely to be living in a town centre as a quiet hamlet and indeed just as likely to have a countryside retreat where without a four by four, reaching civilisation may well take a week or two

The Land Rover Gear available as merchandise does reflect this social cross section in it’s offerings The wares are nicely designed, neat and stylish There is nothing brash about the clothing or the trinkets on offer and the most perplexing item on offer is a Land Rover scented candle This product can neither be used in a car nor offered to a male Land Rover driver without causing a confused look I think its inclusion is to reflect the family aspect that this make of vehicle and the market appeals to The muted tones and mix of comfortable clothing for both men and women go hand in hand with novelty teddies and some really quite tasteful Land Rover accessories

Ferrari on the other hand target a whole different market and the way this is reflected in it’s merchandise is undeniably obvious Following a theme, I could attest that Ferrari drivers are all overly rich single men that are too busy working in a really important job to find themselves a woman and start a family Just as the former stereotypical rant was not really the case, nor is this one Looking at the merchandise on offer, it could be deduced that Ferrari owners are indeed part of a family unit too Toys, jigsaws and colouring books are lined up neatly beside ladies leather wallets and the standard fare of men’s apparel It should be noted that the presence of a scented candle emblazoned with a Ferrari logo was present, maybe this is an industry standard for pleasing female drivers, or the only gift to truly appease a lady who has forgotten what her man looks like because he’s always out in his car

Although the items were are pretty much on par with one another, the brash nature of Ferrari red with the stark black prancing pony splashed over every item seemed to detract from its supposed stylish persona Land Rover on the other hand, with it’s more understated offerings, seem less like novelty items and much more likely to be worn in a serious and stylish way by those that are proud of their vehicles

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the motoring industry.
Find out more about Land Rover Gear and the merchandise available for 4X4 enthusiasts from The Gear Shop.

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Author : Art Gib

If you have a family, then you know how important safety options are on a vehicle With new advances that have been made in science and technology, the newest batch of cars, trucks, minivans and SUVs are safer than ever Each new model seems to feature more safety options, many of which come standard When shopping at car dealerships in Utah County, ask your salesman about standard and available safety options put in place to keep you and your family safe and sound while on the road

Adaptive Headlights: Adaptive headlights are a great way to extend the illumination in front of your car Instead of the old school headlights of the past, these headlights use infrared technology to brighten the road In addition, they follow the direction of the vehicle, making it easier to see around bends in the road

Rearview Camera: Rearview cameras are great for those less than confident while backing up their vehicle They are also great for those who worry about children and pets while backing out of the driveway These cameras project an image on your dash using a camera mounted on the back of the car You have a perfect shot of what’s directly behind to help you keep others safe

Emergency Brake Assist: This safety feature is invaluable to those prone to panicking while driving Emergency brake assist can sense the difference between a regular stop and a panic stop, and adjust the pressure placed on the brake for a smoother a shorter stopping distance

Cruise Control: While cruise control on its own is not a new safety feature, new cruise control is Not only can this new cruise control maintain your preferred speed, it can also go as far as to keep you at a safe distance from other cars, as well as tighten seatbelts if it senses any type of collision The car practically drives itself

Today’s safety features are designed with the American family in mind If you want your family to be safe while in their vehicle, check out car dealerships in Utah County and speak to a dealer or salesman about the available options before you make a decision on which vehicle to choose You’ll hope that you’ll never have to employ many of the safety features, but in the event of a collision or accident, you’ll be glad you did the research and chose a safe vehicle for you and your family

Brent Brown (http://www.brentbrownauto.com) is one of several car dealerships in Utah County. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

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