Monthly Archives: March 2010

Author : Jim Brown

Does your ride look old or dull? Do your friends roll on tricked out cars? A major look enhancer for your car can be modifying the rims Car rims are like hair on people Changing that hairstyle can usually be a subtle change but can enhance your over all look By principle changing your car rims may make your ride look sporty but that’s all there is to it the look But this can cause losses on power and on your pockets

Choosing the Right Diameter Size

Initially everyone wants their ride to stand out from the rest, shoving an almost impossible to steer rims under that fender Some would go as big as 20 inch rims for that Asian compact car, but would that be all worth all the hassle, all the trouble it can cause for not being able to steer well?

Aftermarket rims come in all sizes starting from 13 inches to a whooping 26 inches all suited for compacts, muscle, Asian Utility, and Sports Utility Vehicles Now for all serious racers or budding racers to be, it is a must to know that to the bigger the rim diameter the heavier it becomes which translates to a loss in precious horsepower But for those who opt for form over function the bigger the rims the lower the car looks When the rims are bigger in diameter the tire size becomes thinner and the wheel becomes heavier The thinner the rubber the more expensive it can get

Is Having a Custom Rim Worth All That?

Having a custom ride starts with the rims and this could turn your ride into a chick magnet But would this be all worth it? Installing custom rims could alter your ride’s handling and gauge readings

The car’s speedometer can be affected if you change the diameter of the rims and the tires especially if it is bigger or smaller than what it had on from the factory Having larger wheels can trick the car’s gauges to think that the car is going slower since there is lesser wheel revolution per kilometer or mile covered With this set-up the driver might get speeding tickets and a wrong reading on the odometer

Bigger rims can make the driver cause an under steer in order that the tires and the fenders don’t come in contact with each other This as well prevents damaging the paint Another thing to be extra careful about if you are driving a vehicle with wheels having large diameter rims are potholes, street gutters and street furniture A wheel that has thin rubber tires means that the rims are closer to the ground and may come in contact with street furniture and potholes that could damage your rims permanently

James Brown writes about AutoAnything.com promo code, tirerack.com coupon code and bikebandit.com coupon code

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Author : Tom Sample

Tired of the same old boring routine at your everyday job? For a change of pace consider becoming a semi tractor-trailer driver With a national shortage of drivers, this career is one that comes with its own brand of job security insurance

Earning a license to drive the big rigs is not that difficult of a task The demand for over the road drivers remains high and the pay for operating a tractor-trailer is high The benefits can be incredible, too, making this career a solid choice

What are the requirements? To operate in interstate commerce, a driver must be at least 21 years of age and pass a rigid physical examination once every 2 years Drivers are further required to submit to testing for drug and alcohol use, including unannounced random testing Drivers of trucks with a weight rating of over 26,000 pounds must obtain a Commercial Driver’s License, also referred to as a CDL, by passing a rigorous test of their knowledge of safety regulations and display the ability to drive one of the large vehicles Drug and alcohol convictions or combinations of various serious driving violations can draw temporary or even permanent loss of driving privileges

Because of the large demand for freight to be moved, the job outlook for a professional over the road driver is very good Currently the federal government has estimated that there is a shortage of around 80,000 over the road drivers Trucking companies throughout the United States are beginning to offer drivers better incentives and higher pay in order to fill this massive shortage

Another incentive that companies are striving to fulfill is lowering the amount of time that the drivers spend out on the road away from their families Traditionally over the road drivers would spend weeks away from home, not so anymore Many companies are striving to ensure that their drivers are home for the weekend This is accomplished by having the drivers perform a relay type run where one driver picks up where another leaves off This has made the job more inviting to drivers that would otherwise turn it down

Over the road drivers generally make around $35,000 a year, but pay rates can vary with the type of driving and years of experience In order to fill the shortage of drivers many companies expect to raise the pay rate for many of the current drivers and start new drivers out at a higher rate Good companies also offer their drivers’ benefits

An online search of the Internet can produce many different schools for those wishing to learn more about becoming an over the road driver These schools offer to teach students what they need to know to obtain their CDL in as little as four to five weeks Many of the schools offer job placement so that their students can start to work right away and several of these companies will reimburse the students the cost of their tuition

Good pay mixed with bright job outlook makes for an exciting ever-changing career Being an over the road tractor-trailer can be a thrilling job for anyone that is tired of the same old daily routine that now fills their days

#1 Resource

Big rig driving.</a

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Author : David Maillie

Tire pressure and condition is one of the most overlooked safety aspects on our cars Most people just assume their tires are fine and that they will be safe because they look okay – the tires are not flat Rarely do we ever see someone get out a tire pressure gauge and check their tire pressure or place their hands on the tire and feel for roundness and irregularities What most people don’t know is that proper tire pressure will improve your gas mileage, make your brakes and suspension system last longer, and it will improve your gas mileage According to AAA, it is ideal to have your tires pressure and condition checked for safety every time you fill up your gas tank and prior to any long drives or vacations

Before checking your tire pressure you should check your tires condition Your tires are what holds you to the road and if there are any irregular wear patterns, bubbles and cracks, etc your safety can be greatly compromised Look over all your tires Place the palm of your hand on the tire and feel it is it round? This may sound obvious, but you can quickly find early signs of cupping (which can indicate bad struts), irregular wear (could be improperly balanced wheels), cracks, and deep wear that would make your tires unsafe

Take out a penny and make sure Lincolns head is buried in the tread If it isn’t that means you need to replace your tires Every time I go to the local grocery store half of the cars I see have bald or nearly bald tires and tires in bad condition This can cause hydroplaning and very unsafe conditions if the roads were wet from a recent rain If you notice anything irregular take your car to a service station Have your tire condition checked and have your tires replaced as necessary as your safety may be compromised by worn tires or another tire condition (Walmart’s service stations will check your tires for free)

To properly check your tires pressure you must use a tire pressure gauge Going by look or feel isn’t good enough Just because the tire doesn’t look flat doesn’t mean you didn’t over or under inflate it Your car or trucks owners manual will tell you the recommended tire pressure for your tires Check all four tires and your spare You wouldn’t believe the number of people that assume their spare is fine and haven’t checked it in 3 or more years Some don’t even know if they have a spare or tire changing tools Some people don’t even know where to look for their spare tire or how to change a tire

Most tire pressure gauges have an indicator that will be pushed out by the amount of pressure in your tire More expensive ones are digital Both are rudimentary and easy to use If you find you are under inflated most gas stations have an air pump Fill and check again to ensure proper pressure Always replace the caps when you are done This keeps the elements out and corrosion can and does cause leaks If you have too much pressure then let some out by pressing a key or screwdriver into the release valve and then check it again If your tires have too much pressure it can cause them to prematurely wear in the middle and reduce the actual area of the tire that meets the road and can reduce your safety

There you have it, how to properly check your tires condition and pressure for safety By having safe tires you are increasing both your safety and the safety of those around you

David Maillie is an alumni of Cornell University and specializes in automotive safety products and information. He holds numerous patents and awards for his patented headlight cleaner and restorer. For more information please visit: MDWholesale.com

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Author : Andy West

Your pickup truck is used for everything from recreation to serious hauling A bed mat is one of the best accessories you can get to protect your truck from damage during all that heavy use If you’re like most truck owners, you have a pickup because you haul home improvement supplies, grills, and don’t forget how many times friends have asked you to move furniture or pick up a delivery for them! But everything you toss in the bed of your truck has the potential to either be damaged or cause damage, even when your truck is simply sitting on the curb in the elements, rain and snow can do a number on your pickup’s bed

There are plenty of reasons to invest in a high quality bed mat for your truck, all of them a convincing argument for spending the extra money:

Preventing extra abrasion: Whether you’re hauling logs for the fireplace, lumber for that weekend project or mulch for the flowerbeds, the abrasion you’ll get when you put materials in your truck bed can seriously scratch the paint Loads like gravel can cause deep grooving and overall dulling of the finish that can lead to damage to the finish and ruin the look of the truck bed This extra abrasion also leads to other problems that a good truck mat can protect against such as rust

Extreme weather: is an enemy of any vehicle, but in a pickup bed rain and snow can collect and pool Over time this slowly eats away at the paint in your truck bed, which can lead to bubbling of the paint and premature rusting of the underlying metal Any rust at all in the bed of a pickup truck can lead to a quick 25% decrease in resale value —not something you want when you’re ready to sell or trade in your vehicle

Decreasing cargo slide: is another great reason to have a good rubber bed mat Hauling furniture, company cargo, great flea market finds or anything else requires gentle handling It doesn’t matter how smooth the ride is if everything in the bed of your truck is sliding from side to side as you round the turns A rubber bed mat does double duty as a shock absorber and a skid-resistant matting material so everything stays in place You’ll be protecting both your truck bed and the cargo you’re hauling from damage

Protection from spills: If you have to put something messy in the bed of your truck, a bed mat will save you a lot of clean up time and protect your paint finish from possible chemical damage You can simply hose off the rubber mat or, if it is damaged, remove and replace it You don’t have that option if you damage the actual finish of your pickup bed! Being safe is much better than being sorry

Twice the dent protection: that’s what you’ll get with a bed mat over a spray-on bed liner Lots of people are surprised to hear this, but rubber truck bed mats are thicker and have more shock absorption than spray-on liners, so they offer superior dent protection for the bed of your truck, which means you’ll be preserving the look and value of your truck at a minimal cost

With five solid reasons to invest in a high quality bed mat for your pickup truck, your next step should be to shop around and compare features There are contoured and universal styles as well as a variety of thicknesses Just don’t neglect to get one if you want to get the best use out of your pickup and protect your truck at the same time

Truck Customizers offers an array of products aimed at customizing your truck for all the harsh elements. The durable bed mat and truck liners are both stylish and useful. For more information please visit TruckCustomizers.com.

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Author : Tom Sample

There’s just something about hitting the open road that appeals to many For some, the allure is so strong they make it their careers And, with plenty of good reasons beyond the fun, too Trucking is a fantastic career choice and even a great personal business for just about anyone to get involved in

Truck drivers will cite a number of reasons as to what drove them to the career choice These include:

* Pay Good, reliable truck drivers are hard to find Inasmuch, trucking companies tend to pay top dollar for their drivers’ time and expertise This is especially so for drivers who are willing to tackle the long hauls The money that can be had is incredible and oftentimes more than many college graduates make

* Benefits Many big trucking companies offer major benefits to their drivers Benefits can include medical, dental, life insurance, vision and even retirement With benefits packages rivaling Fortune 500 companies, drivers get very good compensation for their efforts

* Bonuses Depending on the company worked for, the loads carried and the distance traveled, bonuses might fit in the equation as well These can be attached to delivery time tables, safety records or simply for longevity with a company

* Freedom Many companies provide truckers their choice of flexible schedules designed to offer the most choice possible to retain the best drivers Truckers can work local runs, long distance runs and even just cross region runs The choices are many

Getting into trucking isn’t for everyone, however, and it’s not a career that can be jumped into in a single day The career requires specialized training and licensing Big rigs are not little cars, they take some expertise and know how to run and operate They’re serious machines that deserve a healthy level of respect from their drivers to ensure safe and proper operation

For those wishing to enter the field, there are plenty of schools available to help teach the rules of the road and how best to properly handle rigs These schools are generally short-term ventures that come with job placement assistance Once the courses are completed, the drivers will, however, have to pass state licensing tests, as well

Schools for truck drivers include the basics of the rigs, how to take care of them and, of course, how to drive them The classes include hands-on training, too, ensuring drivers released from the academies fully understand how to operate the machines that will be in their charge

For those who decide to go into trucking, the field is a fantastic one that offers lots of choices Licensed drivers can work for others, start their own businesses, or even perform occasional hauls with rental trucks to pick up extra money when it’s desired The choices offered by the field are many and the benefits and pay scales are nothing to sneeze at either

Hitting the open road in a big rig isn’t for everyone, but for those who enjoy the lifestyle and the freedom offered, nothing compares Getting into the field requires some specialized training, but all in all, the investment in time and money is well worth the rewards Starting down the road to a trucking career isn’t difficult either

#1 Resource

Big rig driving.</a

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Author : John Bisnar

In 1997, Andrea Alvarez was driving her 1993 Nissan Pathfinder on a highway in Broward County, Florida When Alvarez inadvertently veered off the road into the center median, she steered to re-enter the roadway, but lost control and rolled over onto the driver’s side During the accident, Alvarez suffered a life altering injury-her left arm was amputated at the elbow

The Alvarezes filed suit against Nissan, alleging that a design defect caused the Nissan Pathfinder to be unreasonably dangerous and that Nissan’s failed in its duty to use reasonable care in the design, manufacture, assembly, distribution, and/or sale of its vehicle Nissan, it was alleged, was also negligent in that it failed to give proper warnings to car buyers concerning the vehicle’s dangerous susceptibility to “rollovers ”

The Alvarezes presented expert testimony, including various tests that supported their contention that the Pathfinder was unreasonably dangerous Nissan countered, presenting its own expert witnesses and evidence that the vehicle did not have a design defect The automaker insisted that Alvarez caused the accident by incorrectly steering the Pathfinder, saying that no SUV can be designed so that it does not overturn just from steering

Alvaraz’s attorneys insisted that vehicles should and can be designed not to overturn solely based on a driver’s steering while on a flat, level, paved roadway Nissan claimed that the Pathfinder’s wheels were off the road when Alvaraz turned over The plaintiff maintained that she tipped over while on the road and that all four tires were in contact with the road when she turned over

“Nissan”s own engineers contradicted the automakers assertion,” noted nationally recognized auto defects attorney, John Bisnar “A paper presented at a conference by Japanese Nissan engineers in the 1970s included an experimental safety project that stated the Nissan vehicle ‘has over-turning immunity ‘ The paper proved that Nissan was aware that a vehicle could be designed so it wouldn’t roll over based on how it was driven ”

Plaintiffs’ experts, including an engineer and a test-driver, proved that the 1993 Pathfinder could roll over based on how it was driven They presented their own rollover tests Going a step further, they modified the SUV with a wider track and a lowered center of gravity, which during tests, revealed that the SUV did not roll over

Although the jury found there was no design defect, it did find that Nissan was negligent in its “failure to warn,” which does not require a finding of design defect The trial court agreed with the Alvarezes In addition, the jury found that Andrea Alvarez was comparatively negligent and assigned her 49 percent fault and Nissan 51% fault Alvarez was awarded damages of $3,057,000 and her husband was awarded $415,000 The trial court entered a Final Judgment in accordance with the jury verdict

“How many serious, life-altering injuries must the motoring public endure before a car maker finally decides to adequately warn its publics about the dangers of its SUVs?” exclaimed Brian Chase of the nationally recognized auto defects law firm of Bisnar Chase “The Alvarezes’ action in taking Nissan to court is an example of our justice system at work The jury’s award is America’s message to Nissan that their failure to act was not acceptable Hopefully, this lawsuit will help convince Nissan to properly warn customers about the potential risks in driving rollover-prone SUVs

We extend our deepest sympathies to Andrea Alvarez for all the pain and injuries she has suffered We wish her well

Case details courtesy of Rominger Legal Research

and

Justice for all files

John Bisnar is a partner at Newport Beach Personal Injury Law Firm Bisnar Chase. The Bisnar Chase law firm has dedicated their practice to victims of serious injuries due to defective products, negligence and malpractice.

Visit the main website at http://www.bestattorney.com or call 888-265-0161

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Author : E. S. Lorence

Those considering purchasing a hybrid car may be a little concerned about what’s under the hood Hybrid cars have battery-powered motors Since a battery-powered motor is not something that typically comes to mind when people think about what’s under the hood of a car, it’s a good idea to get a good understanding of the hybrid-car battery-pack Below are a few facts about it

Battery packs in hybrid cars do not need to be replaced

Made to last over the lifetime of the vehicle, a hybrid car’s warranty covers the battery for a time period that lasts between eight and ten years In terms of mileage, a battery pack is expected to last between 150, 000 and 200,000 miles, and it probably lasts longer than that

Battery toxicity is a concern, but not a major concern

Hybrid cars use NiMH batteries, not the rechargeable nickel cadmium Nickel cadmium batteries are usually detrimental to the environment, but the NiMH batteries that are used in hybrid cars are fully recyclable

Hybrid batteries contain hundreds of cells

Hundreds of cells means that hybrid cars have a lot of complexity going on underneath their hoods, and complexity does usually mean expensive, but with the generous warranty car manufacturers are giving on these cars, there is little involved in purchasing a hybrid

The numbers of battery failures in hybrids have been really low

When I say low, I mean really low If failure happens, it’s probably before the cars even get off the lot Toyota has even said that some of its original Prius models have packs that have gone over 300,000 miles

The cost of replacing hybrid batteries isn’t even an issue

It isn’t an issue because the battery packs in hybrid cars are built to last The Department of Energy looked into hybrid vehicles, but stopped its test when the capacity was “just like new” after 160,000 miles So no one really seems to know for sure what it costs to replace the battery pack in a hybrid car

The battery packs in hybrid cars are evolving

If we look further into the future, the next generation of hybrid batteries is in the works The goal: To discover a technology that gives lots of power, lasts for the hybrid car’s lifetime, and costs less to make

If the battery pack in your hybrid car does run out, there is a solution

Toyota has put out some advice on what to do if your hybrid battery should run out after the warranty has ended The advice is to recondition the battery The solution works well because if something goes wrong, the problem lies within only one of the 28 modules that the battery is made up of So if you simply replace the problematic module with one that matches the chemistry of the other 27 modules, your hybrid car’s battery should be in good shape You can find a match by getting a battery pack from another car that has a similar mileage and age

E. S. Lorence is a free lance writer, author, and Internet entrepreneur based in Alpharetta, GA.
He is also a premier resident expert at-THOUGHTSEARCH.COM

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Author : Jackie De Burca

In the world of fleet management in the UK there are reviews and changes afoot The government has committed to electric vehicles for example so over time this will have implications on the costs of running a fleet as well as choices for motor fleet insurance Current issues are the deep analysis regarding fuel usage and the choice of funding options, the challenges of going green, the demands for continuous cost cutting, health and safety issues to name some Recent surveys have shown that 30% of companies are carrying out reviews of their company car policies

Regarding green fleets the trend is on the up and up with research showing that large organisations are taking the lead in this Entities with 10,000 staff are the ones who have drafted environmentally friendly policies whereas on the other end of the scale companies with 250 staff or less show only a 40% take up of these embracing the green issues And when it came to investigating industry sectors it is the financial sector which gets the gold stars for their pro-active green policies

As part of being greener and also with its own financial implications is C02 It has been found that many fleets have put a cap on emissions while many more are doing so There are incentives on offer by organisations to opt for hybrid cars to attain lower emissions It is evident that there is an increased commitment to monitoring C02 emissions and some companies are providing diesel only vehicles

Adding in health and safety issues to the changing environment, having been prompted by new legislation to assess the risks when employees use their own cars, it seems that many companies have come to the conclusion that drivers would be more protected in company vehicles so this in turn is leading to a trend of cash allowance schemes being withdrawn

The survey shows a trend in levels of workers where the cash option is still available Status car drivers are going for this option, which can come to figures from £10,000 to £28,000 54% of board members accepted this option However at junior management level only 32% of this group chose it and this amounted to around £4,500

Overall we are seeing a fleet manager’s job become even more challenging than before It is a balancing act of going greener, enforcing the best health and safety practices while continuously having the target of further cost cutting

In order to embrace these changes, which will be inescapable in the not too distant future, it is recommended to do a 3 year plan as a minimum This plan can take into account the phasing in of electric vehicles at a rate which is acceptable to the overall performance and financial implications for your fleet It is estimated taking into account batteries and their running costs that even still running the electric vehicles should reduce the fleet running costs by 20% On top of this there are motor fleet insurance options which favour those who are opting for green vehicles and therefore offering good fleet insurance packages

It is also said that the government will offer subsidies between £2000-£5000 on each electric vehicle

Jackie de Burca writes about the aspects under review by companies regarding their fleets especially the move towards green fleets. Electric vehicles should be worked into a medium to long term fleet strategy which will in turn affect fleet running costs and motor fleet insurance. http://www.cover4fleetinsurance.co.uk/motor-fleet-insurance.html

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