Automotive News

Are you one of those people who think “it could never happen to me” when it comes to breaking down and being stranded in the middle of nowhere during your self-drive holiday?

Maybe you are lucky enough for it not to have happened to you, however you can definitely increase your odds against it happening by taking a few precautions and carrying out a little car care.

Car care isn’t just about taking your car to the garage for its regular service or for fixing up the little dents, bumps, and scratches with ultra-modern technology such as paintless dent removal. It’s about taking care whilst travelling.

For instance, did you realise that the higher you load your roof rack, the more fuel you will use? Car care involves taking this into consideration by packing the luggage on your roof rack as low as possible. Wrapping this same luggage in plastic sheets – which reduces the fuel consumption even more – is a perfect example.

Another aspect of care is checking the pressure needed for your tyres under heavy loads, which you can find listed in your car handbook. Bear in mind, however, that the figure printed will be for cold tyres. In warmer weather, you will need to adjust it according, in order not to end up with a reading that is misleadingly high.

Also when travelling in hot weather in your car care should be taken to ensure the tyres are in good condition as warmer weather just makes any existing damage worse.

Among other things, vehicle care encompasses checking the handbrake. If it requires a lot of effort to pull it up enough to stop your car rolling backwards on a hill, then you might need to get an authorised person to check the cable or rear callipers.

Cooling reservoirs that haven’t been checked can also be included in car checks, as if your cooling fan doesn’t work, you won’t be going very far at all! You can check to see if there’s anything wrong by letting your car run idle for 5-10 minutes (once it has reached normal temperature), after which time the cooling fan should kick in.

Not only referring to physical aspects, auto care also extends to things like sneezing. Did you know that you lose up to 100 metres’ vision when you sneeze, whilst travelling at 112 km per hour?

Care to reduce the elements that might make you sneeze involves vacuuming floor mats and coverings regularly, especially during the summer. Since pollen grains filter in through the vents and windows, keeping them closed as much as possible will help reduce their presence inside your car.

Sunglasses also form a part of carcare. Because the windscreen acts as an additional filter, photochromic lenses (the type that dim automatically in bright sunlight) change more gradually inside a car, making driving through tunnels dangerous.

Ultimately, carcare isn’t something you should do just because you are going on holidays or taking a long trip. It’s something you should do on a regular basis.

By carrying out just a little care you can ensure that your driving experience always remains the pleasure it ought to be.

Did you know that according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 400 deaths and 10,000 injuries occur in the United States of America because of blowouts or tire failures?

Well, it is not surprising if you and many others may unaware of these figures. Most people are not aware the numbers are so high. In fact, in spite of the rising number of accidents due to improper tire maintainenance, there are many drivers who do not care enough to maintain their tires and that ultimately leads to even more such mishaps.

The Importance of Maintaining Your Tires

The tires if a car are much like our feet, the most neglected part of our body. Unless they show signs of damage, we hardly ever look after the. But failing to look after a car’s tires, which happen to be one of the most important components of a car, can cause serious accidents. After all, they are the ones that keep the car running on the road.

If your car happens to run at a speed of around, say 40 to 60 miles and hour, and you end up with a tire failure, you are definitely headed for some serious injuries. But if you take the necessary steps to keep your tire well maintained, you can prevent the ones in the car from serious accidents. Not only that, your car will give you much better performance if your tires are in shape.

How do Blowouts or Tire Failures Occur?

There are two possible ways for this to happen. Either your tires are overloaded or it is under-inflated. Thus, neither too much nor too little of air is good fro your car tires. Both of them generate unnatural amounts of heat and stress your car out.

How does the Weather and Climate Affect the Tires?

Unknown to most individuals, changing weather and temperature conditions affects the car tires drastically. Especially in warmer seasons like spring and summer, the temperature tends to influence the speed of air loss from tires. In other months car tires lose pressure of around one to two pounds, whereas in summer the figure increases.

Checking your Tire Pressure

So it is a smart option to check your tire pressure each time you land up at the gas station to refuel your tank. Once a month check ups are a must, as are before embarking on long journeys on the road. Every auto repair shop has someone to check the pressure for a meager amount, so you do not need to get your hands dirty.

What to do if you have a Blowout?

The most important thing is to stay calm and not hit the breaks right off. This is what people generally tend to do which causes the car veer off and puts you in greater danger. You should slowly brake and gain control of the car to direct it to a location off the road where you can replace the tire.

Basic Tips to Avoid Accidents caused by Tire Failures

The primary thing to do is take acre of your car’s tires. Regular check ups and examining the pressure level are a must. Taking care of your care will keep you and your family safe.

Car Rental Issues – How to Take Care of Your Rented Car

Are you renting a car? One thing you should remember when you’re renting a car is this: you don’t own it. This means, you have to take extra care for it. Unless you want to pay extra fees for damage.

I am a mom with three kids. When we take out of the town trips, my husband and I like to rent an SUV. More often than not, however, a car + kids = mess. How do I take care of my rented car so I don’t incur damage fees? Here are some tips:

1.Seat Covers

The first thing I do when my family and I are about to take a trip in a rented car is to get old blankets to cover the seats. With my kids in tow, I’m almost 100% sure there will be spills along the way. So, better be safe than sorry.

2.Drive Safely

This point cannot be stressed emphatically enough. If you like to swerve and speed with your car, don’t do NOT do the same with a rented car. You don’t want to return it with scratches and bumps.

3.Clean Up

After using, clean up! Pick up the empty water bottles and vacuum the seats and floor to get rid of crumbs. You can even go the extra mile and give the car a bath!

These three tips will save you from paying extra fees for car damage when you rent a car. Hope this helps you in your car rental issues! Good luck!

Seeing a cloud of steam from your engine compartment, a temperature gauge suddenly reading higher than normal or a puddle of coolant under your car is a sure sign that you’ve neglected your vehicle’s coolant system. Don’t let it happen! A quick visit to your local service center or tire store will help ensure your coolant system is healthy and working properly, and also help you avoid expensive repair bills down the road.

The Heart of Your Vehicle

Think of your coolant system as the heart of your vehicle. It pumps vital fluid through your radiator, cooling system and engine block to prevent it from freezing in severe winter weather or overheating at high operating temperatures. Whether you call it coolant or antifreeze, the fluid is usually a half-and-half mixture of water and glycol ethylene or propylene. Properly mixed and maintained, it can provide freeze protection down to minus 34 degrees and boil-over protection up to plus 265 degrees. Chemical inhibitors also help protect the cast iron, steel, aluminum, copper, brass and other metals in the coolant system and engine block from rust and corrosion. Additional additives help lubricate seals and water pumps. Depending on the brand, your fluid might be orange, green or red. Always use the type recommended in your owner’s manual because the vehicle’s coolant system was designed and tested using that type of coolant.

Check Fluid Often

Checking your fluid level only takes a few moments, so do it regularly. The radiator reverse tank is the place to look. If the radiator cap is properly sealed, hot fluid expands into the tank when the engine is hot. It’s then vacuumed back into the radiator when the engine is cold. Two level indicators or decals usually appear on the side of the tank. Look at either the hot or cold level indicator or decal depending on the temperature of your engine. If the level is slightly low, it’s usually safe to add a few ounces of plain water to bring the fluid level back up to the appropriate mark.

If less than one quart of fluid is needed, carefully inspect the system for leaking hoses or radiator leaks. Then add a half-and-half mixture of water and the type of antifreeze recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. Also check the color and condition of the fluid. It should appear clear and have the consistency of lemonade or orangeade. If it looks brownish, dirty or has flecks of rust floating in it, it might be time to have the system flushed and filled.

Flush and Fill

Check your owner manual for the recommended coolant system service interval. To help avoid corrosion, clogs or worse, most recommend having the coolant flushed and changed every 40,000 – 50,000 miles. Visit a reputable service center or tire store to have it done. Most engine coolants are toxic and also pick up heavy-metal contamination during use. A reputable service center or tire discount store knows how to dispose of it safely. Many also have ASE Certified Technicians who will complete a professional coolant system maintenance check that includes inspecting all hoses, belts, the radiator, radiator cap and water pump to ensure the overall health of you coolant system.

No one wants their engine to overheat, see a puddle of coolant under their car or discover an ocean of antifreeze washing over the passenger compartment floor. And nothing can ruin a family outing more quickly than an unexpected warning light or temperature gauge suddenly reading higher than normal.

So, check your fluid level and condition regularly. Have your coolant system inspected, flushed and filled based on the recommendation in your vehicle’s owner manual. If you spot any warning signs that things aren’t right, have an ASE Certified Technician conduct a professional coolant system maintenance check. It’s the easiest and simplest way to avoid expensive repair bills down the road.

The Problem With Health Care Reform – I Want Auto Insurance For My Body

Let’s get something clarified right up front – the debate is not about reforming health care. We have some of the best doctors, hospitals and medications available in the world today. This is all about reforming the way health care is financed and the way health care insurance is handled. This series of articles is just some ideas I want to share.

Health insurance has come to be known by something else entirely. By its very basic definition, insurance covers the unexpected, the accident, the catastrophic. Health insurance coverage at its root has come to represent something entirely different and what we have learned to expect a LOT more from it. It is now a blanket to cover EVERYTHING with the insured contributing a co-payment for everything from removing a splinter to an organ transplant. 

How did we get here? 

Why do I need to pay an expensive monthly premium plus a co-payment for just routine checkups or for the sniffles? I’ll pay myself when I need to go to the doctor. 

Think about it. If you’re a relatively healthy individual, eat right most of the time, get some regular exercise, why pay hundreds per month (thousands per year!) for insurance if you go to the doctor four times a year at an average cost of $150 per visit???

All I want is coverage in case I get really sick, in case of an accident or if something unforeseen or catastrophic happens to me. 

Insurance!

Let me do a comparison. It may seem far-fetched but stick with me…

Car Insurance versus Health Insurance

Let’s compare…

Car insurance covers loss…unexpected expenses due to an accident or damage caused by a storm or other covered event. It does not cover routine maintenance, gas, repairs or any other regular, expected expenses.

In every state in the US, automobile insurance is mandatory. You must have coverage. But what kind of coverage? In most locations, it may be called many things: ‘no-fault’, ‘minimum’ or ‘liability’ or ‘proof of financial liability’. The best way to describe this type of insurance coverage is that it does not really ‘insure the insured’ but provides a layer of financial liability for the other party involved in an accident. If the insured is found ‘at fault’ or in other words, the accident was their fault, then the insurance pays for the injured party’s repairs and injuries. It does not cover any loss for the insured.

Now, there are additional coverage that can be purchased. Collision, comprehensive and uninsured motorist insurance coverage covers the insured, regardless of cause, liability or who is at fault. This costs a great deal more than basic coverage.

Now, do you file an insurance claim for a tune-up? Filling up your gas tank? Replacing a flat tire? Hardly. That is NOT the intent of auto insurance. YOU pay for the expenses of operating and maintaining your vehicle.

Why not approach health insurance this way? Everyone pays a premium for a catastrophic health insurance policy that will cover the expenses of unforeseen expenses and most expenses related to expensive medical procedures that exceed ( for argument sakes) $5,000 in a year. 

After $5,000, a minimum of 80% but additional coverage(s) can be added to cover 100%. All other expenses would be paid out of pocket by the individual.

In Part 2, I’ll throw out thoughts about the cost and who pays what…

Auto Repair and Care Experts Present – How Can You Clean Your Car During the Winter?

Well, there is nothing more exciting than to see your neighbor buddy going green at the sight of your brand new car. Oh, just imagine how your baby on four wheels would flash and wink at the dumbfounded passer-by in the hood. But say, if your beautiful car sits with the mud dripping down its otherwise glossy surface, and the tires look like they could do with a thorough wash, no one would waste their time in looking at it even for once.

Your car is your play toy, your pride that draws eyes wherever it goes. So treat it with some care. If it is beautiful, keep it that way. What you can do here is give your car a good wash with some cool tools that you can get at a very decent price. People just think that they know all about car detailing. But they really know nothing about the black from the white in this case. If you own up to the fact that you do not have any idea, just ask someone else to help you who can. But make sure that you tell him precisely what you want. It is your car, and if it turns out to be a bad one because of a poor decision on your part, you will be stuck with it.

So what does car detailing mean? There are simple steps that even a toddler can follow:

oWashing

First spray the care with water. This will help to loosen up the dirt and mud on the car so that cleaning them away becomes easier. Then divide your work into parts: the top, the hood, the trunk and the right and left side of the car, and set to work accordingly. Starting with the top, you should move to the trunk and hood, finally ending up by cleaning the right and left sides of the car. Spray with water again and re-rinse. Just make sure that you don’t rub so hard that your car paint gets scratched.

oPolishing

This work should be done on a small portion at a time. You have to ooze out a little amount of the polish onto a towel and then rub it on the car in slow, small circular motions. Go in the similar way: from the top to the trunk and the hood, finally finish it off with the either sides of the car. Remember, the polish should be allowed to sit on the car surface for at least five to ten minutes. You have to remove the excess by pressing a towel on it gently.

oWaxing

Use a soft terry cloth for this work. Wax should be applied to a small portion of the car at a time. You must apply it just way you smear the polish. But here, you have to wait until the wax has dried off to get a slight haze. You can re-wash the car again, depending on what you want.

Your car will be gleaming clean and bright after you have followed these steps religiously. Once you wash down the dirt and grime, you car will be an eye catcher for sure!

Sports Car Appeal and Care With a Custom Car Cover

Sports cars have an appeal that is based on looks and performance. They are fun to drive and give you a feeling of freedom. A sports car is a major investment and to keep it looking new you have to make sure that it is washed regularly. A custom car cover will protect your pride and joy when not in use.

People have been attracted to and fascinated with them since they were first designed. Different people like them for different reasons, including the sleek sexy design or the powerful engines under the hood. Some people like the sound of the high powered engines and the distinctive noises they have. Even people who say they would never own one will stop and turn to look at one of these sporty powerful machines when they pass by.

The automobile got off to a sluggish start, but quickly became a very useful mode of transportation. The first cars were built for functionality and were used to transport people and heavy loads. As the technology improved there were people who started experimenting with vehicle engines to make them go faster and be more powerful.

Eventually the car turned into a vehicle that could be powerful and beautiful to look at. This started our obsession with racing cars and sports cars. With advancements in technology happening quickly, a small number of builders, designers and drivers started to push the automobile to its limits on race tracks.

This led to big powerful engines and our need to go faster and faster also led to the age of the modern sports car. This also led to vehicles being designed with aerodynamics in mind and were made out of stronger materials. After WWII a new breed was emerging. Instead of the high priced models of the past that only the wealthy could afford, there were now options for the average person.

The sports car became affordable and also had additional comforts and functionality added for everyday drivers. This led to automakers into designing powerful cars that were also appealing to the eye. The modern sports car is made with beauty, performance and safety in mind.

Today you will find a variety of sports cars to choose from. When buying a sports car many drivers use the brand name and its reputation to guide their decision, such as Lotus, Ferrari or Porsche. Nowadays, you will hear the terms, exotic car and sports used to describe these pricey vehicles. The difference between the two is that an exotic sports car has a limited production number which is usually less than 8,000, such as a Lamborghini. On the other hand, cars are mass produced and a manufacturer may produce hundreds of thousands of the car model.

To protect your vehicle from the elements and prying eyes it is recommended that you use a car cover to protect it when not in use. This will keep your pride and joy looking sharp for years to come.

There have been an increasing number of us now choosing to take our cars when visiting mainland Europe on self-drive holidays. Over 3 million Britons a year choose to travel to mainland Europe by car.

But whilst it might be more comfortable to drive a familiar vehicle, rather than shelling out for car hire, sorting out the car insurance for such a trip can be a long and costly process.

Current EU legislation means that all British drivers who hold valid car insurance are covered for third-party damage, such cover is not usually comprehensive, and can often lead to difficulties should the tourist be responsible for the accident.

Drivers are advised to check their current car insurance policies before taking their vehicle abroad. Most insurers will now offer options for extending your insurance for a set area – such as zones in Europe.

It is also advisable to acquire a Green Card – an internationally recognised document that provides proof of third-party insurance – however this does not constitute cheap car insurance, and should not be relied upon solely for proof of cover.

Using the Green Card alongside your own car insurance documentation helps to assist you in terms of cost, for both medical and car repairs, should you run into difficulties abroad.

Ensuring you have the correct documentation before embarking on such trips is very important. By carrying the documentation for your car registration and your insurance policy in the vehicle during your travels, you have some backup should there be any problems during your trip.

Before travelling you must also take some time to research rules and regulations of the country you are travelling to. By having knowledge of the rules, valid car insurance and have your car serviced shortly before your trip, you can help make things easier for yourself should you run into difficulties during your holiday.

Auto Repair and Care Experts Present – How to Verify an Auto Repair Estimate

You may know nothing about auto repairs but this does not mean that you can be easily scammed by mechanics and technicians who may only after your money. Even if you may not know what an alternator is, you can still be able to tell if you are given a fair estimate or not. Here are some tips on how to achieve this:

oFind out what repairs should be made to your car. Let the mechanic do his own diagnosis of the problem.

oIf some parts have to be replaced, then learn the cost of replacing these parts. If the parts needed are original equipment / parts made by the car manufacturer, then you have to make sure that you do not pay more than the manufacturer’s recommended price. Take note that you can save money by using used parts instead since they have a wider price range.

oMake sure that you understand what the mechanic plans to do to your car. If you only want a routine maintenance job, that is what you should get. You do not need to deal with tire rotation or oil changes when they are not necessary.

oWhen you get the bill make sure to check it out. Miscellaneous items may be used to cover the rags that have been used on your engine or fees for hazardous waste but they can also be used to add a few extra dollars to the total charge.

oIf there is something in the bill that you do not understand – whether it is in small print or illegible hand writing or techno terms and services that you do not know existed – then ask questions and clear things up.

The best way to avoid being scammed or cheated out of your well earned money is to make sure that you are dealing with an honest and good mechanic. Ask your family or friends if they have any recommendations. And if you have an eligible candidate, do a background check by checking with the Better Business Bureau to see if there are any complaints filed against this mechanic or auto repair shop.

Many of us use vehicle covers today, especially during the winter. Car covers are a great product. Protecting your car, SUV, truck or recreational vehicle will prevent fading and scratching and protect from environmental conditions such as snow and ice. They are also a great way to maintain a clean finish. Naturally what is not settling on the finish is settling on the cover itself therefore periodically cleaning to promote their own longevity is a good idea. Some environmental conditions require extra care as well.

There are a few ways to go about cleaning a standard car cover. You can either machine or hand wash the cover. Always check the product label to ensure proper precautions are made. If you decide the use a machine, you will need the large capacity commercial type found at a Laundromat depending on the size of your particular cover. Use a delicate detergent such as Woolite and be sure the cycle setting is delicate.

For hand washing you should wash it with diluted Woolite type soap. It is best to do this while the cover is on the vehicle. You can go about it just like you were washing the car itself. Us a large sponge and circular motion. Rinsing entirely and thoroughly. For tough stains you may try a little simple green to break down sap or bird droppings.For drying, you can leave the cover on the vehicle or line dry. Air drying is best but you can use a dryer but do not use a heat setting or the cover will shrink.

For the EZ Roll Up Covers, cleaning care is a bit different as you cannot put this type in the dryer at all. I would recommend taking the cover with you to a car wash. If the vehicle is not clean, be sure to clean it before applying the EZ Roll Up Cover. Once the vehicle is dry you can cover it as you normally would. At this point you can use the high pressure washer to clean the cover while it is on your vehicle. You can then roll it up, take it home and put it back on the vehicle to dry.

Remember, regular care of your cover will ensure it does it’s job for a long time. Spring is upon us and it is time to refresh your cover before the sun comes out. Keeping it clean is important for longevity. For more information on vehicle covers, please visit http://www.elitecarcoversonline.com.

Elin RayProduct Specialist