To fully answer the question, one has to consider the alternative to wearing a seat belt. It’s a simple matter of physics. In a crash, the unbelted occupants of a car will continue to travel at the speed the car was traveling at the point of impact. Even in a low speed crash, the bodies traveling forward and striking objects in front can do a tremendous amount of damage. A small woman who weighs 130 pounds, with the combined weight of her developing baby, striking the steering wheel or dashboard at 25 mph will experience a crash force of almost 3,000 pounds. That is going to do far more damage to your unborn baby than the seat belt.

Future mothers should also consider the possibility that, if unbelted, they could be ejected from the vehicle; striking the roadway with a tremendous amount of force and then, face the possibility of being struck by another vehicle. No matter how bad the crash, vehicle occupants are always better off restrained within the vehicle.

FamilyDoctor.org, the official website of the AAFP, offers the following advice:

How should I wear my seat belt?

The seat belt should be a 3-point restraint. That means it should have a lap strap and a shoulder strap. Lap and shoulder belts keep you from being thrown from the car during an accident. The shoulder strap also keeps the pressure of your body off of the baby after a crash.

Be sure to wear your seat belt correctly. The lap strap should go under your belly, across your hips and as high as possible on your thighs. The shoulder strap should go between your breasts and off to the side of your belly. Seat belt straps should never go directly across your stomach. The seat belt should fit snugly. If possible, adjust the height of the shoulder strap so that it fits you correctly.

What about air bags?

Most experts agree that air bags are safe and can protect pregnant women from head injury. The air bags in your car should not be turned off when you are pregnant. To be safe, you should move the seat back as far as possible and tilt the seat to get some distance between your belly and the steering wheel or dashboard.

Air bags are not a substitute for a seat belt, so always wear your seat belt even if your car has air bags.

Where should I sit if I’m a passenger?

Where a mother sits has not been shown to affect the safety of an unborn baby in a crash. However, if you are not driving, you should sit in the back seat. Injuries from car crashes tend to be less serious in people who are sitting in the back seat. It is still important to wear a seat belt.

What should I do if I am in a car crash?

You should get treatment right away, even if you think you are not hurt. Most injuries to the baby happen within a few hours after a crash. Your doctor needs to check you and your baby as soon as possible after a crash, especially if you are more than 6 months pregnant.

This article originally appeared in the National Safety Commission Alerts.

Dave Herron works for the National Safety Commission as a driver safety educator and trainer. He contributes to the weekly Driver Safety Alerts and develops driver safety courses for www.lowestpricetrafficschool.com.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/should-pregnant-women-wear-seat-belts-1730040.html

One of the biggest problems which hybrid owners have is not getting the mileage which they believe they should or would. Some hybrids claiming that they will get 50 mpg are only getting 30 mpg. Drivers are frustrated as they attempt to actually relearn how to drive a car. This includes learning how to “pulse and glide,” which helps balance the car’s use of electric and gas when in speeds ranging from 30 to 40 mph. A combination of fancy pedal work and watching arrows on the dashboard, make many drivers feel like they are learning how to drive manual or worse. The other factor that comes into play is how fast one likes to accelerate. Although many of the new hybrids are getting great acceleration performance, punching the gas on a hybrid also reduces one’s mileage performance. If one wants to get great gas mileage on a hybrid, then they have to learn how to drive with more overall patience. There has to be less hard breaking and careful attention to pressure on the gas pedal to get the most out of one’s hybrid.

Complaints of hybrids performing badly in certain weather conditions have also changed some owners’ opinions about their environmentally friendly vehicle. Apparently, the car battery used in hybrids needs some warming up. In full hybrids (or hybrids which can operate completely in either electric or gas mode without needing the other), this problem appears to have worked out to near nonexistence. For mild hybrids, which cannot have the electric or gas components work independently from one another, there have been cases of the hybrid performing poorly or much under expectations in cold weather. Too much heat has been known to wear down on a hybrid’s battery as well, but this is being counteracted with thermal protection systems.

Stalling has also made Toyota have to contact Prius owners. Apparently, stalling or unexpected shutdowns of the engine may affect some drivers due to a software problem. The stalling sounds like a frightening prospect, but Toyota took precautions by inviting owners of that specific Prius to head to dealerships for a free repair. The news was also minimal in affecting opinion about the Prius since only a small number of drivers ever had to submit any complaints.

Some people have been known to complain about one of the strange side-effects of driving a hybrid: the silence. Because of the efficiency of the engine, the engine can drop to near silence when idling. Many say that although motorcycles and some models of regular cars are too loud, at least you can hear them. The silence of the hybrid poses a problem for the deaf and for children who are often too wrapped up in playing to pay attention to cars to begin with. It is no wonder that makers are already considering ways to put the noise pollution back into hybrids to ensure that pedestrians are not the victims of new technology.

For many, it is no surprise that hybrids have been plagued with various glitches. The fact that many non-hybrid vehicles have had their share of recalls despite years of engineers working on them does not make hybrid owners feel better. Consumers who are willing to take the chance with a hybrid purchase are already wondering if their car will be obsolete in a couple years like a laptop computer. There is some comfort, however, that the glitches have not been as numerous as some expected and that the benefits are beginning to outweigh the negatives.
For the best in car care products for your car go to http://www.CarCareCompany.com

I highly recommend that you take the vehicle to a mechanic to give it an inspection before you buy. It will be money well spent. Finding a mechanic that is  familiar with this particular brand of car is very important. The mechanic will be able to tell if  things are broken, in need of replacement, and generally what type of care the owner took of the car.

I can’t stress enough the importance of finding a mechanic that knows this particular brand of car for they will know what problem areas this model may have and be able to educate you as  what to watch for in the future, and how to  properly address car care issues that may crop up. If the owner has a problem with this, you know it is time to walk away and find another car for sale. Anyone who is honest will not have a problem with this request.
Another key issue to look out for when buying from a private party is whether or not the vehicle has a lien on it. If this is the case  someone else actually has claim to the title due to money still being owed on the vehicle. If you buy a vehicle unknowingly that still has an open lien you may have to pay off the loan to obtain the title.  Here is a situation that would not come up if the vehicle was purchased at a dealer since they are required by law to ensure there are no encumbrances on vehicles they sell.
Be sure that you are dealing with the actual owner of the vehicle. Check their name against the title of the vehicle as well as their driver’s license. Another thing to ask for are any Maintenance records and repair bills. This is were the type of care the car has had so far during it’s life is vitally important. This is extremely important for high end vehicles such as Mercedes, BMW, and Lexus where the value of the vehicle is substantially tied to its maintenance record. With these high end cars especially you want whoever was dealing with the care of that vehicle to be a proper certified dealer or mechanic and not uncle Jake who took a few night school automotive care care classes.
Remember you are always at risk when buying a vehicle from a private individual. From personal experience I have found it is not a good idea to buy that used vehicle from a personal friend, or relative.  If things turn out bad with that car even though you don’t think so it will be in the back of your mind every time you see that friend or relative.

Another risk that you take when buying from an individual is no matter what they tell you about how they cared for that car you are taking the risk that you could be buying from someone who has rebuilt a wrecked car, replaced an engine or transmission, or even rolled back the odometer.
With the recent hurricanes on the Gulf Coast another issue to watch out for is flood damage. Always pull out those retractable seat belts and see if there is any mud on the end of them if you suspect this to be an issue. Individuals can get away with selling you a flood damaged vehicle where dealers are liable for doing so.
You have to make the decision on whether or not the risks are worth the gain of saving a little money.
Get car care products to keep your car looking new from http://www.carcarecompany.com

I am talking about detailing clay. Detailing clay is used for removing what’s known as bonded contaminants from your paintwork.

You might find that after washing your car, although it looks all clean and shiny, it actually feels kind of rough or bobbly to the touch. The next time you wash your car, once it is dry, try running your hand gently over the paintwork. Does it feel a bit rough to the touch? Those are the contaminents left behind after the washing process that have bonded to your car’s paintwork. They could come from anywhere and include things such as break dust and other airborne contaminents encountered while driving, tree sap or bird droppings etc.

Detailing clay has been developed to remove the above contaminants from your car’s bodywork to leave it as smooth as glass. In fact, you can also use detailing clay on your glass work and wheels. One word of caution though, use a different one for each, the last thing you want is for the brake dust that has been removed from your wheels and transferred to the clay to then scratch your paintwork.

So how do you go about using detailing clay?

Well, just to re-iterate, a detailing clay is all about removing dirt that ordinary washing leaves behind. It should leave you with a smooth to the touch finish that can then be polished, waxed and sealed. Simply waxing your car straight after waxing will simply wax over those hard to remove contaminents.

If you are new to using detailing clay, you need to ensure that you start off with a gentle one, as they are available in different grades depending on how stubbord the contaminents are on your paintwork. The least aggressive clays should be adequate enough for most people. Only move onto a more agressive grade if you have demonstrated your current clay is not up to the task.

The detailing clay works by simply pulling off the dirt particles which are then held onto by the clay. It is important to note here that you use detailing clay along with a suitable lubricant. It is also necessary to knead the clay to move the contaminents that have been removed from your car from the surface of the clay. If you don’t do this, or you don’t use enough lubricant then you could cause marring on the surface of your paintwork. If after properly kneading the clay you can no longer see a clean surface to use then the clay should be discarded and a new piece used.

Examples of lubricants that you may want to consider can be found by manufacturers such as Meguiars, Clearkote and Pinnacle, and there are others.

You should constantly knead the clay while you are using it to ensure that it remains soft and warm. When it goes cold, it may become brittle and it will not be effective in lifting off the contaminents from the paintwork. This could also leave surface marring.

Work on small areas of the car body at a time, say one panel at a time. Wet the surface thoroughly with your lubricant and then gently work the clay over the surface. Use only light finger pressure. Don’t press on too hard. Let the clay do the work.

Don’t use the clay on dry panels, if the lubricant dries before you get to a bit, spray on some more. Once you are happy that the surface is smooth, wipe off any clay left behind with a soft cloth.

Finally remember that the claying process will also remove any previously applied layers of wax, so you should always follow the claying process with polishing, waxing and sealing.

You will find a number of manufacturers now starting to produce detailing clays of different types along with their corresponding lubricant sprays. You will find a few of these on the Car Care Shop website.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/what-is-car-detailing-clay-for-1686505.html

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The day that you hand over your vehicle(s), it is important to take detailed pictures of its exterior after washing and cleaning the vehicle, so previous damage is easy to see by anyone who views the photos.  This should include pictures of the front, back, sides, roof and other aspects of the vehicle.  This protects you as well as the auto transport carrier.  If damage does occur then you can show how it was not there before; it also protects the vehicle transport company from unscrupulous customers that might try to blame them for damage that they did themselves.

When working with vehicle mover such as TnT Car Transport, it is also advantageous to consider any special needs that your car(s), truck(s) or van(s) may have.  You might have a car with low ground clearance, over-width dimensions or high roof height, for example.  Mechanical conditions are also important to mention to the vehicle transporter, especially if the car, truck or van isn’t driving properly.  The condition shouldn’t affect their ability to move the vehicle, as thousands of vehicles that do not run are transported everyday on car carriers.  It’s possible to hire a company to move a vehicle that has mechanical issues, but they need to know ahead of time in order to decide if they can take the job or not.

Hiring a vehicle transport company can be very beneficial, especially if you are prepared.

For more resources regarding Vehicle Transport or even about Auto Transport Carrier and especially about TnT Car Transport please review these pages.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/tips-before-working-with-vehicle-transpot-companies-1568647.html

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I always remember taking a tour of an east coast tannery that specialized in leather interiors for some of the world’s finest luxury cars. Everything from Lexus to Lincoln interiors were made there.  In all, there were 38 steps that the hides went through from softening them by tumbling  in Cyprus barrels with a caustic soda mix for 24 hours, to the final spraying on of the colorant.

The interesting thing I felt was how the hide was so softened and processed that it came out looking like a piece of manila paper, that then had to have an embosser put a texture back into it before it was colored and then cut up into the appropriate patterns.

Well enough of that, as you can see it is pretty durable to put up with all that, so lets start with keeping it clean. Dirt is very hard on your car interior, it comes in the form of everything from dirt from your clothes and sand from the beach to caraway seeds from your local fast food restaurant.

So lets start by vacuuming the seats. If the front seats recline, recline them and vacuum them, for down in the back edge of the seat cushion where the back rest covers you will find the most dirt. You might even find some lost change that was hidden in there too.

You see, dirt is one of the most abrasive things when it comes to wearing on leather. This is especially true if you have pleats in the seats, for down in these areas as your behind moves around the dirt just grinds away and wears the seams out. For good car care you should really try to do this every time you wash your car. If you are in there doing the carpets, do the seats also.

Once that is done you want to clean the leather. Here is where you want to find a good quality automotive leather cleaner. Many leather soaps such as saddle soap will have too much of a drying out effect on your leather interior and this is something you don’t want. Using a nice soft sponge and very little water make a good bit of lather. Carefully wiping the foam on and not getting the leather overly wet.

Now with a soft light colored terry towel wipe the upholstery off. If you see a lot of dirt on the towel repeat the process. Next you will want to wipe off the seats with another clean towel and make sure they are dry.

Next it is time for a good leather conditioner. There are many good brands, you mainly want to stay away from anything that has silicone or petroleum in them. Stick with the natural stuff. I prefer to apply these products on a nice warm sunny day. You can apply them with a sponge, a cloth, or my favorite, your bare hands and work it into the leather.

Once you have several good coats of the conditioner applied, close the windows on the car and let the sun heat it up. Here is where the heat will cause the pores of the leather to expand and just drink up that conditioner.

After a few hours in the sun take another towel and wipe down the interior and you should be ready to go. You might hold off on that light colored golfing outfit until the conditioner is completely absorbed and dried on the leather. Try to do this step at least twice a year.

As I said good car care is keeping your leather interior looking nice. It will look better and last much longer if you just take a little time to take care of it.

One of the biggest concerns often talked about when it comes to hybrid vehicles has to do with those personnel responding to accidents involving a hybrid. Many traditional looking cars such as the Honda Accord and Ford Escape are being built with hybrid engines and rescuers might experience some difficulty at the scene of an accident identifying one as such. The reason the identification is crucial is that as compared to conventional gas powered cars, hybrid vehicles have a tremendous amount of electricity coursing through them and thus could cause injury to rescuers and further injury to drivers already hurt by the crash. Many people believe that the solution to this problem is for automakers to affix a label on the driver’s side visor stating that it is a hybrid vehicle, equip with all the features that this kind of car entails.

New hybrids are bursting onto the market at an increasing rate and therefore all first responders need to be taught about ways in which hybrid cars differ from more traditional non-hybrid models. Lack of education could result in safety measures being compromised and injuries taking place. To use the battery in a hybrid to illustrate the point, in some hybrid models the battery carries with it a charge of up to 500 volts and is powered both by gasoline and electricity. Compare this with the voltage of a typical non-hybrid car, which is in the area of 12 volts. First responders need to be taught where the battery is located in a hybrid car and how to cut the cables without risking being electrocuted by the high voltage that the battery puts out. This is particularly important when machinery such as the Jaws of Life is required to physically remove a passenger in imminent danger from a car. It cannot be emphasized enough, without proper training, more serious injury, and even death, could result.

This problem is being addressed by manufacturers of hybrids with Honda and Toyota going to the front of the line on safety procedures. Hybrid cars are being suited with color codes so first responders can easily comprehend the flow of electricity in the car. Honda hybrids use the color bright orange to designate the high-voltage power line which helps reduce safety risks for rescuers responding to calls.

Concerns about hybrid hazards have led Honda and Toyota to create their own individual safety guides for rescue personnel. Every fire department in the United States received a copy of these guides to be made available for their staff to educate themselves. Toyota has just completed new guides for its latest hybrid vehicles, the Highlander and Lexus. These guides can easily be read online by any member of the public, whether they are emergency workers or not.

In South Florida, with its many canals, many people have expressed concerns about the hybrid hazards involved in water submersion, as these kinds of accidents are common in this area of the state. Manufacturers of hybrid vehicles say that the only thing emergency personnel need to keep in mind in regard to safety issues is to remember to make sure the car’s ignition is turned off once it is out of the water.

Speaking of the car being turned off, that is another issue for hot debate when it comes to talk of hybrid hazards. Hybrid cars are made differently than traditional gas powered vehicles in that it is not always easy to tell if they are off or still running. Most traditional cars one need only feel the hood of the car to make a correct determination but hybrids can be tricky- a hybrid can appear to be turned off when in actual fact it is in silent electric mode and very able to plow over an unsuspecting person if any movement or pressure is applied to the accelerator. One possible solution to this serious hazard put forth by the fire department in Texas is to place chocks under the wheels if it is not known whether the car’s ignition is still on or not.

Denis Foley is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Mt. Vernon, OH with his partner Carol and their three dogs. Get car care products for your car from http://www.carcarecompany.com

• Step one: Look at your hood’s underside and determine if your emblem is permanently bolted on or if it is in fact a sticker. If you see nuts and bolts you are out of luck as far as removing it yourself.

• Step two: Wash the area around the emblem using warm soapy water to prevent any scratches that can occur during removal.

• Step three: Loosen up the sticker glue by applying heat with something like a hair dryer. Apply this heat until the emblem becomes pretty warm to your touch.

• Step four: While continuing to keep it fairly warm, use a spray or tar remover to liberally clean on and around your emblem.

• Step five: Using a plastic spatula or the like, begin to loosen up the glue bonds.

• Step six: Remove the emblems from the car completely. Doing this as a slow motion will help the glue pull away much easier and leave less residue to scrub away later.

• Step seven: Lastly you want to remove any left over glue goo with a goo removal product and a lot of elbow grease.

As you can see, if your  BMW emblem happens to be a sticker, removing it is a fast and simple process.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/how-to-remove-your-bmw-emblem-from-your-car-1681887.html

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One excuse that is widely used since, September 11th of 2001 is that there could be a terrorist around any corner. Because of this fact the government has given increased funding so that many local municipalities have increased their patrols to watch out for suspicious activity and suspicious vehicles. Another reason is that for many departments traffic tickets are an easy source of generate revenue. This works out great for local law enforcement, for it cannot be said that it is politically motivated like some tax issues are.

Some small towns take in most of their government budget through speeding tickets and other traffic citations. Now this I am sure you realize has been going on for quite some time. I grew up in a small town that got 47% of their revenue from speeding tickets; the second biggest in the state. These kinds of tactics bring “The Dukes of Hazard” to mind, yet I grew up in a north eastern Ohio town far away from Hazard county.

Even if you are the type of person who hasn’t received a ticket in years you are at far greater risk now than ever before to be stopped with the increased patrols and lower tolerances of the officers enforcing traffic laws.

If you drive a company vehicle this can affect your livelihood since many insurance companies that provide insurance for company vehicles have strict limitations on how many points you accumulate before they remove you from coverage.

Suppose you are a parent of a teenage male who just started driving, I don’t have to tell you that insurance coverage is already expensive just to insure him to drive. Add one speeding ticket or other moving violation to his record and an increase by as much as 50% could follow him for as long as the violation is on his record.

What really makes matters worse, is that even if he is a perfect driver he will not receive any consideration from insurance companies until he turns 23, this has been deemed the magic age at which they stop automatically figuring him a risk.

What you can do if you do get a ticket is to check to see if you can take traffic school to remove the points. On the internet you will find many companies that offer this service.

The old reliable method of repairing these dents is to get a couple estimates from local body shops, which results in sticker-shock over the exorbitant cost of these repairs.  The body shop method of repairing even small dents involves sanding the painted surface, filling the dent with body filler, sanding everything down, priming, painting and clearcoating.  That’s a lot of high-priced materials and paints and it’s very time-consuming.

But paintless dent repair is an alternative to the old tried-and-true methods.  It uses virtually no materials and it is less time consuming, so it is less costly.  Often the paintless dent repair technician can perform the repairs in your driveway without the vehicle spending any time in the shop so you don’t even need to drop it off and find alternative transportation for a few days.

The methods of paintless dent repair are quite simple, which is why it’s less costly.  The technician must gain access to the backside of the dent.  If there is a dent in the hood, he needs to access the underside of the hood by possibly removing part of the underhood insulation blanket.  If there is a dent in a fender, he needs to access the backside through the wheel well.  If there is a dent in the door, he needs to roll down the window on the door to gain access to the backside of the dent.  From the backside of the dent the technician uses plastic-tipped punches to gently but firmly push on the dent in order to work the metal back into a smooth surface, flush with the surrounding sheet metal.

Once the dent is repaired, the technician re-assembles any parts that he’s removed and the job is complete.  Your vehicle is immediately back on the road and looking good as new.

Mark Carpenter is co-owner of Dings Plus Paintless Dent Removal in San Jose, CA. For more information or to learn more about the benefits of paintless dent removal for your automobile or truck, please visit: http://www.dingsplus.com.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/paintless-dent-repair-1735564.html

In many cases the exterior paint is unaffected by this paintless dent removal method.  Paint has a certain level of flexibility which allowed it to flex in when the dent was made and to flex right back out after the dent is removed.  There is no cracking or chipping of the paint.  If the paint’s appearance is slightly affected by the dent removal process, the technician simply lightly wet-sands the area and buffs the clearcoat back to a shine which matches the pre-existing finish.

Paintless dent removal methods are very time-effective and are relatively inexpensive for the car owner.  The car’s appearance is improved and its re-sale value retained or increased.  The technician can often perform the repairs quickly and inexpensively, typically as the car owner simply waits, or it can even be done in the car owner’s driveway.  There is very little, if any, paint to apply or cure and body filler is not required, eliminating the need for curing and sanding.  The traditional dent repair process performed by a body shop is much more time-consuming and expensive, since it includes the application of various plastic body fillers and requires re-painting the damaged area to match and blend with the existing paint and finish.

Mark Carpenter is co-owner of Dings Plus Paintless Dent Removal in San Jose, CA. For more information or to learn more about the benefits of paintless dent removal for your automobile or truck, please visit: http://www.dingsplus.com.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/paintless-dent-removal-1735562.html

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The Ford Falcon produced a wide variety of car models – two-door and four-door sedan/saloon cars, two-door and four-door station wagons/estates. The Falcon also came as convertible and as two-door hardtop cars during those times.

First Generation (1960 – 1963)

Considered as a small car by the American standards, the first generation Ford Falcon came with a 90 hp and a 144 CID straight-6 single carburetor powered engine. It was already released with a two-door coupe and convertible. Two-door hardtop car model also came into existence in the later years. A three-door station wagon, four-door sedan and five-door station wagon were the other body style models that were released in the first generation of the Ford Falcon during the four years. The engine types that were used are the 2.4 L I6 engine that came along with 170 cu in I6 and 260 cu in V8. The fuel economy that was provided was also comparatively good from among all the other American cars during that time. The six cylinder engine was the source behind producing such good fuel mileage rate to the Ford Falcon cars.

Second Generation (1964 – 1965)

The first generation Falcon underwent a major redesign and was launched with much modern-style and squared-off design in the second generation. Though the similar body styles were still maintained, the engines were little enhanced which came with 200 CID to 302 CID Windsor V8 and 144CID, 170 CID Thrift power I6 engines. Mustang and Falcon both had similar features like the stiffer suspension and a louder exhaust along with 260 V8 engine, but Mustang outdid in several fields from where the Falcon could never recover.

Third Generation (1966 – 1970)

Another major redesign was made in 1966 to re-launch the Falcon model with a new look. A long-hood and short-deck design was introduced in the Ford Mustang model. Different body sheet metal was used in the design and the two types – two-door hardtop and convertible, were removed in this generation of the models. Slowly and steadily, even the sales started declining and the Station Wagon and the Ranchero models started moving to the higher platform.

Other car models of the Ford Motor Company that were released along were the Ford Econoline, Ford Ranchero, Mercury Comet and Ford Mustang.

Ford Falcon cars were also released in the Argentina and Australia. In Argentina, these cars were in production from 1962 to 1991, whereas in Australia, the Falcons are still used till the current day starting from its launching in the year 1960. Ford Motor Company maintained the same body style throughout all the model cars it produced.

More Ford Falcon information and Ford Falcon pictures.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/generations-of-the-humble-ford-falcon-1603692.html

2. One of the most important car maintenance practices is the oil change. To maintain an automobile, the oil should be changed once every 3,000 miles. Quintessential to a successful oil change is having an Oil Wrench that takes the oil filter off and allows the oil to be changed expediently. Without an oil wrench, an auto owner may be forced to take their car to an auto shop and overpay for a simple oil change.

3. Often when dealing with parts of the engine, or the hard-to-reach spots under the hood, proper tools are required. A 3/8-inch Socket Set can allow an automobile owner to loosen and subsequently tighten a wide variety of bolts. Different extensions allow the auto owner to obtain the best angles for torque and therefore make auto jobs quite a bit easier.

4. When changing oil, having a funnel, some rags, and a bucket is very helpful. Once again, the oil change is one of the most important maintenances for a car, and it can be done easily by anyone. However, many people do not have the proper tools or knowledge for a successful oil change. Having a funnel can also be useful when refilling any other fluids in one’s car. The funnel serves to make sure that fluids do not get over filled, which can lead to significant problems.

5. Finally, every auto owner should have a pair of solid vice grips. Some times a part will just not come loose. Other times, a car part may not seem to be tight enough despite one’s best efforts. Vice grips can hold a wide variety of car parts and allow the user to obtain more leverage for either tightening or loosening a part. When encountering a part that will simply not come loose, many auto owners will give up and take their car to a shop. Having vice grips can help one to avoid this problem. more information about aoutomotive click here

Unfortunately, there is no car in existence that doesn’t require constant maintenance. However, with the right tools, anyone can fix minor problems and maintain his or her automobile without the assistance of an auto mechanic. The right tools can lead to a longer last vehicle, and large cost savings.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/5-automotive-tools-every-auto-owner-needs-1654022.html

Engine oil leaks can cause the car serious engine damage when they are not detected early. An engine oil leak normally seeps out of the car via the engine. The user of the leaking vehicle or his mechanic should therefore first establish the exact area of the engine oil leak. Most of the time engine oil leaks are caused by neglect on the part of the user. The user/mechanic can check underneath the engine with a bright torch.

Engine oil is usually easy to identify due to its distinct odor which smells like burnt oil. If the oil leaking from underneath the car is black in color, the user should know that that it is an oil leak and not likely to be the other fluids of the car. Possible areas to examine for the engine oil leaks include the oil filter compartment, cork gaskets, and the oil pan plugs. Once you know the possible areas to look at for the oil leak, the job of repairing the leak becomes easy.

Engine oil leaks are the common types of car leaks, but are also easy to fix once they are detected early. The mechanic or the person inspecting the car should also check on the other fluids of the car because most of these fluids determine the area from which much of the oil is seeping out from. Some of the other car fluids include; transmission fluid, power steering fluid among others.  The mechanic should make sure they have detected the exact area of the leak in order to prevent further car problems. If the wrong area of the car is repaired, this may cause further unnecessary costs for the owner.

Gaskets are the most common parts of the engine which are replaced. These gaskets come at an expensive price. Wrong diagnosis on the problem the car has may cost the owner high prices in repair. Replacement of a faulty part of the engine is important as this will ensure that the engine performs efficiently and lasts longer. A good number of cases involving engine oil leaks are usually easy to fix once the problem has been detected.

Do you have young drivers and need to find really cheap insurance? Get great tips on how to find affordable insurance coverage for teens.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/how-to-identify-engine-oil-leaks-1650079.html

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Ever have a classic car that you are working on and go into a modern day auto parts store knowing what you want and then try to ask if they have the part?

Here is how it goes, you walk in and let’s say for example you have been working on a 1966 Citroen DS19 and you want a set of  Champion L87YC spark plugs? You go to the counter and there sits a 19 year old. His hands are poised over the key pad of the  store  computer. You ask him: “Do you sell Champion Spark Plugs”? He answers: “Yes we do”

You now ask:” Great, would you have 4, Champion L87YC in stock”? To this the store clerk answers: “What kind of car is that for”?  To this you answer” What difference does it make I gave you the part number” Now the clerk gets a very strange look on his face and tells you that unless he knows the make and model of the car he will not be able to look it up.

Now here is where it really gets funny in this particular case. You finally tell the clerk that the spark plug that you have given him the part number for is used on a 1966 Citroen DS19. He next asks : “How do you spell that”? With your blood pressure slowly rising you spell out C-I-T-R-O-E-N. He then asks: “who makes that, Pontiac, or Oldsmobile”?

At this point you hold your tongue and politely explain that, that is the name of the car company, and would you please just look up and see if you have any Champion L87YC plugs in stock?  To this he answers that he has never heard of that car and unless he can find a listing for it on his computer he can’t find the plugs for me.

Remember if you can, back in the old days when you went into an auto parts store and 4 guys sat behind the counter on bar stools and each had a set of parts catalogs clamped into a 7 foot long binder in front of him. If you knew the part number for the part you needed he might take a quick glance at a catalog and then get off his stool walk back to the shelves in the back of the store and emerge with your part. It was pretty easy stuff, with very little anxiety.

Now, I was thinking that I need a bottle of Armour-all. No particular one of my cars in mind to use it on. Think it would be safe to say I could get it at my local auto parts store without too many questions?

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There are several other things that you can do to make sure your car runs for a long time. With proper care, any car can be kept in good condition both in the way it looks and runs. The first thing is to make sure you choose your vehicle wisely. You will want to do research on the make and model of the vehicle you want to buy. The internet is a great source for finding out about if the car is prone to any problems or how reliable down the road it is.

You also have to make sure you keep your vehicle clean and covered up when not in use. Your paint job does more than make your car look good it also protects the parts of the car underneath. You have to make sure that you fight rust to keep your car looking good. If you are in an area that has a snowy climate then you should make sure you wash your car often. The salt used on the roads to melt the snow and ice can be detrimental to your cars paint job. You should wash your car regularly during the winter months and wait until the temperature is above freezing. As long as it is below freezing the salt stays in the ice and won’t harm your car. If you park in a heated garage the melting snow allows the salt to attack and corrode your paint finish.

To keep your car running in top shape, you should follow the maintenance guide in your owner’s manual. Use this as a guide for when you should have your car serviced, and you might want to keep a notebook in your glove box to write down when you have serviced, or replaced a component, so you can refer back to it when needed.

You will also want to be aware and on the lookout for new noises or anything that doesn’t seem quite right. To keep your car running well and as long as possible you should make sure that you fix problems as they come up and anticipate component failure by following the manufacturer’s maintenance instructions. Even though it might seem like an unimportant thing at the time, little things add up overtime.

Your car is a major investment and you want it looking and running at its best for the longest period of time possible. That is why it is important to keep it maintained properly and covered when not in use. It is recommended you use a custom car cover that is specifically made for your make and model of vehicle. It will help protect your car from the sun, rain, snow and other outdoor elements to keep it looking new.

Jack Labens works for Empire Covers, a leading provider of car covers, truck covers, car mats, and other vehicle covers and accessories. Empire Covers can be found online at: EmpireCovers.com or at their blog, EmpireCovers-Blog.com. Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/using-a-car-cover-to-protect-the-exterior-and-looks-of-your-car-1617585.html

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A few months ago my friend, as well as my sisters boyfriend (yea I know… kill him right? haha) had a battery light lite up on his center counsil. Crap was the first thing he said, then we talked about how we are going to solve this prius battery problem.

What did we do to his prius instead of paying $5,000 for a new battery?

Well first we decided that we needed to talk to a pro and set out around our hometown looking for a shop that could help us fix this battery. Wrong place to look I guess since every single shop turned us away! WOW, I guess we needed to go right to the dealership. We left for the hour long drive to the nearest toyota dealership, and arrived there only to be told it was going to cost $5,000 to fix this prius battery problem!!! What now?

What do you do if you don’t have $5k to fix this problem!?

We started searching online for some kind of way to solve this problem for less then $5k and we FINALLY found a way to rebuild our battery for $400 dollars! That’s not a typo! $400! We used a guide that walked us through rebuilding the prius battery by ourself! They gave us all of the suppliers for new cells, and all of that good stuff! I loved it, and not only that we fixed the battery for such a cheap price.

Find the guide download here:  http://www.squidoo.com/Fix_Prius_Battery

Find the guide download here: http://www.squidoo.com/Fix_Prius_Battery

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/toyota-prius-battery-lifespan-1572069.html

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The 911 Turbo (type 997) has a few improvements. It has an output of 480 bhp at 6,000 rpm, a 3.6 litre engine, a rated torque of 620 Nm and a maximum torque available between 1,950 and 5,000 rpm. All these numbers are translated into driving
performance, as the 911 Turbo with six-speed manual transmission only needs 3.9 seconds to get from zero to 100 km/h. The coupe reaches 200 km/h in 12.8 seconds. Despite these performance statistics, Porsche developers succeeded to keep the average consumption to 12.8 liters per100 km.

For those who need even more speed, the 911 Turbo offers the optionally Tiptronic S automatic transmission. This way, it can reach 100 km/h from a standing start in just 3.7 seconds and 200 km/h in a mere 12.2 seconds. Both manual and automatic transmissions have a top speed of 310 km/k. Available for the first time, the optional
“Sport Chrono Package Turbo” enhances the vehicle’s flexibility even further.

The Porsche 911 Turbo features a redesigned all-wheel drive with an electronically controlled multi-disc clutch. The result will be the transfer of the available power to the road. That’s because, depending on the driving conditions, this system will determine the optimal torque distribution to ensure the best-possible drive.  Also, Porsche Traction Management (PTM) ensures variable power distribution to the two
driven axles. This means that on the road the 911Turbo will prove outstanding traction in the rain or snow, high agility on narrow country roads and optimal active safety even at high speeds.

The new 911 Turbo’s driving performance is duly tempered by its brake system, which comprises monobloc fixed-caliper disc brakes with six pistons at the front axle and four at the rear. The diameter of the internally ventilated and perforated brake discs at the front and rear wheels is 350 millimeters. An optimized ceramic brake system that Porsche offers is Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB). This high-tech system reduces with 17 kilograms the standard brake system and provides an
excellent fading stability.

The major bodywork change of the 911 Turbo is the modified front end with its distinctive, tautly drawn cooling air inlets. Combined with the standard oval bi-xenon headlights, it will define the new unmistakable image. From the rear perspective too, the Turbo will seem more powerful. This is due first and foremost to its tail end, 22 millimeters wider than that of the previous model, to which the redesigned wing spoiler element has been aligned.

Secondly, the lateral air inlets behind the doors have been redrawn and now they offer a more efficient supply of cooling air to the charge-air intercoolers.

The basic price for the 911 Turbo is 115,000 Euros. In the USA, from July 8, 2006, the vehicle will be available at $122,000 (not including taxes).

Porsche 550 Spyder – A Brief History

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/porsche-911-turbo-valuable-information-for-the-enthusiast-1546009.html

There are some aspects of insurance coverage that all RVers should carry despite unique characteristics that affect the type of policy you have, such as where you live and the type of RV you have.

As with your auto insurance, it’s vital to have adequate liability coverage for your RV. In case of an accident, liability coverage protects you and the people who may be riding in your RV. As it relates to RV coverage, it can also do much more. Because you may be living in your RV, it’s possible that people may be injured while in the vehicle.

Much like homeowner’s insurance, coverage for vacation liability protects you in case someone is hurt in or around your RV while using the vehicle’s electrical equipment or is injured by a fall. Comprehensive and collision coverage is something you must have. A RV is an automobile like any other on the road in that they are often involved in accidents.

You could spend thousands of dollars on repairs or replacement when you consider the size and price of most RVs. You want to be sure your insurance policy provides for you if your RV is involved in an accident or stolen.

The value of your RV will determine the type of policy you want, and there are 3 general types. The 3 kinds of coverage will be explained later. If you plan to live in your RV permanently, having full-timer’s insurance is necessary. You may not be covered under traditional RV policies if an incident occurs while your RV is being used as a full-time residence.

Under full-timer’s insurance, you can cover the cost of your medical payments and you may also cover items you keep in storage and personal items that are lost or stolen. You especially need this coverage if you do not have another primary residence.

It’s important to have 3 basic coverage items despite the other aspects of your RV insurance policy that you pick and choose. Liability coverage, comprehensive and collision coverage and full-timer’s coverage are all necessary minimum requirements to protect you and your RV. With these types of coverage, you’re protected against some of the most common mishaps so that you can enjoy your free time.

If you need to have RV Insurance, be sure to get the right plan. Please visit http://rvinsurance.life-labs.org to find the best ones.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/do-you-know-the-basics-of-rv-insurance-1515100.html

If your car has a problem with vehicle air conditioning, it could come down to a number of various reasons and it includes the following: your compressor does not function properly, a condenser that is clogged, system leak or perhaps a low level of coolant in the AC system. An expert technician could go over the entire vehicle air conditioning system and after the problem has been known, you will be given a price and you could decide from there whether you want to pursue with the repairs or not.

If the AC in your car would break down, it might cause you quite an expensive charge if you are going to have a car air conditioning repair. Normally, if there is not enough coolant this would mean that there is a leak that must be checked down. In most cases, this could be fixed but then it would just depend on the damage. If it would have a lot of fluid and it is just a compressor that needs to be changed this is going to be fixed easily. Once you will encounter such issues, you must need to take it to proper mechanic for diagnosis and also it should have a vehicle AC expert that has the proper tools. It may seem expensive to have a car air conditioning repair but you see your vehicle get benefits from it eventually. It would surely be a hassle on the driver’s part if the AC is busted since extreme heat could be really exhausting plus this could be dangerous since your attention will be divided, it will be more on the heat. You need to have it fixed the soonest time possible. It is a bad practice to just ignore the AC issues you have in your car as this might lead to bigger problems in the future. If you want to check the best repair shops in town, you could just make a research online or perhaps ask around since first-hand information would be of great help. It is advisable to choose companies that have other car related services so that whenever other car issues will come up, you can just contact one company.

At Last! For people who want quality car air-conditioning repair solution, help is only a mouse-click away!
http://www.lvvservices.com/aircon.htm
Check out the quality car service by a reputable company here!
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Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/car-airconditioning-repair-practical-tips-1508288.html

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If you are planning on storing your classic or customize car you will want an indoor cover made specifically for the make and model of car you have. You will want an indoor cover that is light weight and has a soft lining to protect your investment. A custom fit cover will give you maximum protection against dirt and dust that could scratch your pride and joy.

A cover that is specifically made for your type of car is a lot easier to use. It will also conform to the body of your vehicle to give you maximum protection. A custom fit cover will keep your vehicle looking sharp for years to come. Another benefit of choosing a custom cover over a universal fit cover is that most custom ones come with manufacturer’s warranty that cover the car cover for several years.

A car cover not only has to cover your car it also needs to be the right type to protect your car. If you are parking your car outside you need to make sure that you get a car cover that is water proof and UV protected. An indoor cover’s main purpose is to protect it from dust, dirt and keep moisture out.

Corrosion to your car’s paint finish is caused over time by rain and moisture. Acid rain is a major cause of corrosion and damage to a car’s finish. Acid rain contains sulfur and nitrogen oxides that can be very acidic and destroy a car’s paint finish if a car cover is not used.

An outdoor car cover with high water resistance should be used on your car if you live where it rains frequently. You should use a marine grade or highly water resistant car cover in you live in a coastal area. The salty ocean air can do major damage to your car if it is left out in the elements without a cover. You will want a cover with the highest UV protection if you live in a hot sunny climate.

To get the maximum protection from a custom car cover you will want to make sure your vehicle is clean before putting the cover on. It needs to fit snuggly and conform to your vehicles body. Most high quality car covers have a bottom locking system that will help keep the cover securely in place.

You can find car covers in a variety of materials and styles to fit your specific car. The type you choose will depend on different things; including where you live, how often the cover is used and whether it is for indoor or outdoor use. You can shop around on many reliable online stores to find the car cover that will fit your exact needs.

Jack Labens works for Empire Covers, a leading provider of car covers, truck covers, boat covers, and other vehicle covers and accessories. Empire Covers can be found online at: EmpireCovers.com or at their blog EmpireCovers-Blog.com .Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/all-car-covers-are-not-created-equal-1518514.html

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Alloys can be a great idea for this time of year as they are lighter and often seen as more attractive than steel wheel trims.  The lightweight nature can lead to better steering and can even improve other features, such as acceleration.  The chances of brake failure can increase in more difficult driving conditions as found in winter, but alloy wheels can help prevent this risk through improved heat dissipation.

Other options to consider at this time of year are new tyres and standard tyre checks.  Expert tyre centres located in Hereford even offer a free winter tyre check so you can rest assured your tyres are as safe as possible.  If there are any problems with the tyres you currently use on your vehicle, there are a variety of options to improve this, including: Wintrac Xtreme, Wintrac 4 Xtreme and Snowtrac 2.  These can work to achieve a variety of benefits, from improving grip on wet surfaces to self cleaning properties and all round winter tyres.

Specialist winter tyres are designed to cope with the most testing of conditions, come in a number of different sizes and are far quieter on the roads than they used to be.  So for new tyres, performance tests and general tyre advice and maintenance, including alloys Gloucester, there are specialists based in Hereford who are there to help.

Sarah Edwards, Content Writer for Creare Web Design Specialists

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/information-on-winter-tyres-and-alloys-gloucester-and-hereford-1503463.html

So what is xenon? Xenon is a rare gas that is similar to argon and krypton. Since this gas create such a high heat, it must be encased in a crystal bulb in order to produce light. It does not require the use of a filament. What happens is an igniter excites the xenon which is in the bulb, thus creating a spark in two electrodes and forming an electrical arc between the two. Then, the ionized gas produces a plasma charge which in turn creates the intense light. Though the initial charge is somewhat high, maintaining the light requires a very low energy level. When it comes to being environmentally friendly xenon headlights prove to make any car greener.

There are two different types of xenon headlights. Upgraded bulbs are bulbs that are 90% brighter than standard halogens and are super easy to install. High intensity xenon headlights, or HID xenon bulbs produce a light that is 300% brighter than a typical halogen bulb. These however, should be installed by a professional electrician. These type of xenon headlights are a little more pricey and may cost up to $200.

Because of the high heat they produce, one should use caution when dealing with xenon light bulbs. When operating, the pressure inside of an HID bulb is at an extremely high heat, reaching as high as 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit. To remove it from its assembly may cause an explosion. Likewise, an HID bulb should always be positioned in a horizontal manner to prevent overheating. Servicing your headlights should not be done in wet weather do to the high voltages which could cause electrical burns, shock, or electrocution. The ballasts get extremely hot so one should avoid touching them. The oil that is on your dingers could cause the bulb to crack or break. Handle these lights by wearing gloves or make sure your hands are cleaned with alcohol before contact.

Click here to order your new Xenon Headlights and drive the roads with a cooler, greener, and costlier ride in the long run.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/xenon-headlights-the-blue-behind-you-1499886.html

Used sports cars can be bargains, particularly older models from less glamorous manufacturers. Fiat sports cars from the 1970s, for instance, can often be found in running condition for under a few thousand dollars. Any sports club car membership will undoubtedly boast scores of stories detailing great bargains found from individual owners on classic sports cars that are more coveted by collectors, too.

If you are looking for a truly affordable sports car and are not intimidated by the prospect of the necessary maintenance issues inherent in older models, you should certainly seek out a used sports car.

There are a variety of ways to find affordable sports cars. The traditional method of looking through your local classified newspaper advertisements on a regular basis can still yield amazing values. Sellers are motivated to part with their sports cars for a variety of reasons and sometimes their needs can be immediate. This will encourage them to sell the car at prices sometimes well beneath market value. Bargain hunting via classified advertisements is a great way to stumble upon a real bargain sports car.

Mechanics can be a great source of bargain cars, too. Often, customers will leave a sports car for work at an auto shop. Once repairs are completed, they will be unable to afford the repair bill and may be forced to default the car to the shop. Mechanics acquire liens on the vehicles and are able to offer them for sale. Mechanics are experts in repairing vehicles and are primarily interested in maintaining cars—not in selling them. A mechanic holding an abandoned vehicle still lacks payment for the work performed, too. As such, these cars can often be purchased at bargain rates. As an additional benefit, buying from a mechanic may indicate the car has had any known problems already repaired. At the very least, you will have a great source of information about the car’s mechanical status—a benefit frequently missing from other bargain sources.

Internet auctions also provide an outlet for sports car bargain-hunters. The auction market is always tricky—sometimes a car may actually sell for far more than one would think it was actually worth. In other cases, there may be a window of opportunity to snag a used sports car at an amazing price. Poorly timed auctions or auctions that do not feature a highly sought after made or model of car can result in very low prices.

Of course the bargain shopper needs to enter the market well informed. Many seemingly great deals can really be busts for a buyer if they are not sufficiently educated. However, affordable sports cars are out there on the market—one need only find them.

Classified advertisements, repair shops and internet auctions are all great opportunities to find a sports car at a bargain price. One need not resign themselves to the prospect of paying top dollar for a sports car. We at Car Care Company feel that by choosing less popular models, or simply by hunting out great deals, a prospective buyer can save literally thousands of dollars on their sports car purchase.

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The sales people that are trying to sell you a car are out there to make money. They want to be able to sell you something so that they are able to collect on the commission.  They make their living on a profit that they get from a commission on each vehicle sold.  This is why they are so persistent and try their best to get you to spend more money.

If you are not up to fighting off the sales people, you should try and find a different way of buying a car. You can go online and find great bargains that will fit your needs. You will be able to go online and find the different types of new cars that you can choose from.  You will be able to get all the information that you want and see the prices that are attached to them as well. This is so great because you will not have to leave your home to shop. You can find everything that you want and so much more when you can shop for a car online.

Some people are not sure about ordering online and want to stay with the more traditional way. There is nothing wrong with this method either. You can shop for your new car however you want to.  It is your money and your time so make them both count.

All you have to do is find something that you want.  Once you know what you are looking for, you simply go to the dealership and tell them what you want.  If you are not happy with the price, you can try to get them to knock some off the ticket. You will find that most of the time when you look serious when you go into a dealership, the sales people will see that you are there to get a good deal.  There is nothing wrong with putting off this vibe.

If you are starting to get bothered by a sales clerk and they will not go away, you may have to leave. Car Care Company is here to tell you  there is nothing wrong with leaving a dealership that you do not feel comfortable in.   You deserve to have a great buying experience and you will not want to sacrifice your satisfaction because of the sales person. You have the right to walk away and find another dealership that you feel confident in.

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One fear many of us have is finding out next Spring that mice spent a fun season in our pride and joy.
Here is a possible solution to keep those critters out of our classic cars during the off season.

To begin with you want to keep it stored in an area that is as tight as possible with no open doors, or any other open areas if at all possible.

Second clean and vacuum your car out very thoroughly. Any possible remnants of food or the like has got to be out of there. You don’t want anything in that car that those critters will find even remotely interesting. Keeping the general area that you are storing the classic in also must be kept clean and free of food or potential nesting material.

Now here is where many people make the mistake and put warfarin based rodent killing bait traps around the area where the car is stored. Well if you know how these products work, you know that once the mouse eats the stuff he is going to be looking for a place to expire. This place could very well be in your car, and this is the last thing you want.

Nope you want to keep the mice out of your car, but do it in a way that does not harm or make the car smell like your grandma’s wool sweater closet either. peppermint, and not moth balls is the answer. Go to your local health food store and pick up some peppermint oil. Now get some cotton balls and soak them in the oil and put some in your engine compartment, passenger compartment, and trunk area.

The peppermint makes for a pleasant odor for us humans, but a smell that mice and critters really can’t
stand. It’s a win win situation.

Next Spring when you get your classic car ready for the driving season you won’t have the unpleasant feeling of knowing mice spent Christmas and New Years in your beautiful classic. Car Care Company feels that peppermint oil might just be the answer to your classic car mice problems.

All chrome accessories should be removed and polished to a high shine. Chrome is not difficult to polish. You can use just about anything on the market to polish chrome.
You also need to make sure that you straighten out any dents in the bumpers. This can be done by knocking them out from the back with a soft hammer. If the bumper is too far gone, you may want to replace it.

Remember that your goal is to get the car to look exactly as it did when it rolled off the original assembly line. You may have to do some shopping for a chrome bumper to match the make, model and year of your car. It will be well worth the effort, however, as this is one thing that people tend to notice about cars.

Make sure that all of the fine details on the chrome bumper measure up to factory specifications. The polished and completed chrome bumpers can be put aside in plastic until it is time to reassemble the car.

Other accessories include rear view mirrors and side mirrors. Again, make sure that they are the right mirrors for the right car. In most cases, the mirrors can be polished and continue in their use. If painted, they should be repainted with the same paint as the color of the car. If they are plastic, just clean them. If the mirror glass is cracked or rusty, have it replaced.

The tail lights may be cracked or not in good working order. Rewiring the tail lights to work should be no problem, but getting the actual tail light of a 1956 Chevy may take some effort. In some cases, the frame of the tail light can be salvaged and just the glass or plastic replaced. This is more cost effective and easier than hunting around for a matching tail light.

The grill on the front of the car must also be taken off and cleaned. Chances are it is made of chrome so it will be polished to a high shine just like all of the other parts.

Tires will have to be replaced. You want as close to the same make and model of the year that the car was built. Find out what type of tires were used for your car and get them matched as close as possible.

If you still have the original hubcaps, you are sitting pretty. Another chrome part, these can be polished up and made to really sparkle. Resist all urges to get “new and improved” hubcaps for the tires. Remember, you are restoring the vehicle, not “pimping your ride.”

Chances are that you do not have all of the original hubcaps for the car. Hubcaps are the most common objects that are either stolen from the car or lost when the car runs over a large pothole. Again, find out what type of hubcaps were used for your car and look for them.

Quick Tip:
Try your best to restore your car to its original condition by using authentic parts. If this is not possible, Car Care Company suggests to use parts that are very similar and than only the most discerning eye can detect.

Because the entire weight of your car rides on your tires proper inflation is vital for the best ride quality and safety of your car.

If your tires are not inflated properly they can not do their job correctly. for example if they are over inflated the tread will wear prematurely. If your tires are under inflated this can cause excessive heat to build up and can result in tire failure.

2)  Tire Rotation, Tire rotation and car care go hand in hand for if you are looking to extend the life of your tires this is one of the most important things you can do. Tire rotation will also  translate into both money saved and time saved in the long run.
During this procedure each tire  and wheel is removed from the car and placed at a different position. This causes the tires to not only wear more evenly, but also helps them to last longer.

You can check the tire care section of your owners manual for the mileage intervals for this procedure, but if no such information is available a good rule of thumb to follow is to rotate your tires every 6, to 8,000 miles. If you have a full size spare tire it can be included in this rotation process.

3) Balancing  Tires. For the owner who is really up on their car care, balancing  tires is very important. This is a means by affixing small weights around the rim of the tire the tire mounting specialist is able to compensate for areas of the wheel weighing more then other areas.

Without this being done your tires will potentially have excessive vibration, and eccentric tread wear. This will also lead to increased stress on the front, and rear-end suspension parts and potentially cause them to wear prematurely.

4) Wheel Alignment. Other factors that enter into your car care and the general increase in the life span of your tires is wheel alignment, or  the adjustment of your vehicles front and rear suspension parts. By properly aligning these parts you will help ensure that your vehicle handles correctly, and help to increase the performance and life of your tires.

Car Care… Its not just checking your oil and keeping your windshield clean, its a lot of things. As the cost of vehicles and vehicle maintenance rises, and especially in this economy, people realize how important it is to keep their cars running longer and lasting longer. You owe it to yourself and your car. Next to purchasing a home, a new car is probably the biggest investment you will make…take care of it through proper car care.

There are a few things that one should do in order to get the best price when selling online however. First, you must detail the car so that it appears as close to perfect as possible and you should be up front about any flaws. This will circumvent any headaches later.

Don’t go cheap on your auction description and pictures. It is far better to take many pictures and put them up as a slide show than to put one picture and say email for more. Many people will not go through the trouble of requesting more photos.

From experience Car Care Company suggests that you take pictures of the following:

Start at the driver’s side and take a shot at an angle shooting toward the headlight but showing the entire driver’s side in the photo then move around the vehicle taking the side, rear, passenger, and then straight on front. Be sure to take close ups of any damage or flaws and point them out in your text as well. Next, take good pictures of the interior including the seats, floor mats and under the floor mats, the headliner, and the dashboard featuring the odometer to verify the mileage.

Next, you want to take pictures of the engine compartment which is why it is crucial that it has been detailed as well. One little trick we suggest to do that we haven’t seen many do is to also take the dipstick out and take a close up of the oil to show that is fresh and clean.

Lastly, this is something we learned from a shopper on one of our auctions. People want to see the underside of the car as well to be sure there is no rust or other damage so be sure to take pics of the underneath as well as the fender wells.

Be sure to answer any email requests promptly and courteously and include your phone number so people can call with questions.

Following  these guidelines Car Care Company feels you should get the most for your car.

Begin by putting the interior back together such as the seats. Make sure that everything is secure before doing anything else as you do not want to have to remove these again.

Then you can continue by putting on the doors. After that, put on the hood, hard top and trunk. After this is completed, add the chrome as well as any exterior accessories.

Finally, when the car is completely put back together, start it up. If everything has been done correctly, it should start up with no problem.

Chances are that you will notice something that is not quite right in the car after you have reassembled it. No one is perfect and after each job you may have regrets on “things you would have done differently.” Realize that you are not a professional restorer and that this is your first job. Take any mistakes in stride and vow not to make them again on your next project.

If you have gotten to this point, and your car works great as well is looking good on the road, you have successfully completed your first restoration project, congratulations!

Those who have completed their first restoration are often discouraged when someone has to make a crack about something that they did wrong. Again, take any criticism in stride and learn from any mistakes that you made. If you followed the instructions of these articles, you started on a vehicle that was inexpensive and in decent shape to begin with. This was a first project for you, and with each restoration project, you will get better.

It is more important that you enjoyed working on the project and completing it than it being “perfect.” While some people enjoy competing in certain shows for prizes with their perfectly restored cars, others just enjoy being able to say that they did this themselves.

Remember, Car Care Company feels you should be proud of your accomplishment. You took an old car and got it to run and look good when driving on the road. Not everyone can do that. Now that you have learned how to perform this extensive restoration work, you can continue to work to improve your craft.

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You can be sure if a really effective gas saving device does come onto the market it will be in the news, online, and people will be talking about it. In the mean time do what you can to save yourself as much money as you can. It can prevent you from being as stressed out when you see that gas gauge towards empty.

A very effective method you may want to incorporate into your gas saving efforts is hypermiling. It means you will be able to change some of your behaviors, get your vehicle in top operating shape, and maximize fuel efficiency. You will also be able to monitor your progress without any gadgets.

This is a proven way for you to save money without buying any type of product at all. In addition, it will help you to have a vehicle that last longer. You won’t be needing a new one any time soon when it is well maintained. It will also help to reduce the risk of vehicle related accidents.

How often do you change the oil on your vehicle? This should be a standard practice every 3,000 miles or every 3 months. Which every one you get to first is what you go with. Most places that change your oil will put a sticker on the inside of the windshield. It will tell you the date and the mileage so you can easily view that information.

Having the right amount of air in your tires will help to reduce the amount of fuel you use as well. You need to check your owner’s manual to see how much pounds of pressure you should have in each of them. Too much or too little isn’t safe either so always keep a close eye on this.

Get your vehicle a tune up every six months to a year as well depending on how many miles you put on it. At this time they can do a complete inspection for you. Don’t wait until something is really wrong with your vehicle before you get it looked at.

A leaking fuel injector, clogged air filter, or an old oxygen sensor won’t prevent your vehicle from operating. However, it will increase the amount of fuel you have to use in order to get around. It is more cost effective to repair or replace these items in order to save you money in the long run.

By maintaining a constant speed you will use less fuel in you vehicle. It is when you accelerate and slow down all the time that you end up using more of it. If that is your style of driving then you can modify it. Stop speeding to get places on time and plan better so you can leave earlier.

Instead of rushing to pass the cars in front of you set your cruise control. This way you can stay at a constant speed. You also want to leave enough room between you and the car in front of you. This will require less breaking and so your car won’t use as much fuel to get back into motion again.

Making changes to your regular routine is also a big part of hypermiling. Think about carpooling to work and for your children’s activities whenever possible. This will reduce the amount of trips you make per week in your vehicle.

You also need to schedule errands and other outings so you aren’t covering the same ground over and over again. Plan when you will go to the grocery store and everything you need for a one or two week period. This way you won’t be having to go back and forth for select ingredients to complete your meals.

Hypermiling has become quite popular as a method for saving money on gas. It doesn’t require buying any type of device and most of the options are extremely affordable or cost nothing at all. An oil change generally runs about $30 which is no big deal. Other vehicle repairs are going to cost more but you still need to get them taken care of.

It is great if you can do the work on your own as you will only have to pay for the cost of the parts. When a mechanic does it for you there is also the cost of labor included. The sooner you get such repairs done though the faster you can start saving money on your gas expenses. It will also help you get more life out of your vehicle.

These strategies are definitely worth looking into to see how you can benefit from them. Since they are supported by the United States government, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Public Safety that makes them very credible too in the eyes of the consumer.

Hypermiling has proven to be much more valuable for those interested in saving money on gas than various types of devices and products on the market. If you want to see how they can work for you get a tank of gas. Keep track of the mileage and how many gallons of fuel you put in.
When you are out of gas determine how many miles you went on that tank of gas. When you divide that amount by the number of gallons you purchased you get the amount of miles per gallon.

Now Implement one or two of the hypermiling strategies before you fill up the second time. Keep track of your miles per gallon using that same formula. Car Care Company knows You
will see some differences and hopefully that will encourage you to continue with these methods. You can also consider implementing a couple more of them to give yourself even better gas mileage.

While these testimonials may be real, they often don’t show the entire story. For example someone may start their testimonial letter out by saying they got an addition 5 miles per gallon from their car as soon as they started using the product. That is a legitimate claim they have made. Yet the company doesn’t include all of the information that was provided, just the part that really gets the attention of the reader.

That letter may have gone on to say how they have gotten their car repaired and tuned up. It can also contain information on how they are driving differently. Those additional factors are likely a big part of what is allowing them to get an additional 5 miles per gallon.

So it isn’t just that they started using a particular gas saving device and it make that huge impact for them. There is no way for a consumer to know the rest of the story from what is written. There is nothing you can do about this marketing method either.

Since they aren’t lying about what the consumer said they can’t be fined or face any repercussions. There is no law that says they have to print the entire testimonial. They just have to be from real people and be in the same words as what was originally written by the person.

So they can begin with the beginning, middle, or end of a particular testimonial. They take the pieces they want and leave the rest of it. Therefore we caution you to not put too much credibility behind the testimonials that are offered for such products.

There may be some truth to them but remember that they only publish what they want you to see in regards to their product. All those letters they get that are complaints never will be part of their advertising either. Those people may get a refund or nothing at all.

You may be able to find the discontent though with various gas saving products by reading information online. People are very willing to share their experiences in such areas with others so that they won’t fall into the same trap. This can save you money so pay attention to the information that can be accessed with any search engine.

You also need to understand that what may work well for one vehicle isn’t right for another. It is the same concept that applies to products such as medications and even diet pills. There are plenty of people who claim to get results but for the majority of the population they aren’t effective enough to make a difference.

This is due to the fact that each vehicle has significant variables. Even the same exact make, model, and year of a vehicle may have different gas mileage associated with it. Car care Company feels that the way in which the car is cared for and the driving habits of those who use it also have to be taken into consideration.

You may have the image of being squeezed into a seat that is too small and not enough room for your groceries. Yet most of these fuel efficient cars are roomier than you might think. It can be helpful to take your entire family to look for one. This way you can see just how good of a fit it would end up being.

This is a smart move as you may have a child or two that use car seats. They do take up more room but you want to find out for sure how everyone is going to fit. Saving money on gas isn’t going to be something you care about too much if everyone in the car is complaining about not enough space each time they get into it.

The Ford Focus gets the top billing when it comes to fuel efficient cars. This is also a very affordable car to buy either new or used. They come with two or four doors so you can decide which model is best for you. It should get you between 28-30 miles per gallon on the highway and 24 in town.

The Honda Fit is similar with a hatch back as well as two or four doors. It does get better gas mileage though at a rate of 34 miles per gallon on the highway and 28 in town. It isn’t as comfortable overall as the Ford Focus though so that is why it doesn’t get top billing.

Honda also comes in at #3 with the Civic. This is a car they have had around for quite some time. It has always been very fuel efficient but more people are interested in it now than before due to the high fuel prices. It offers up to 36 miles per gallon on the highway and 25 in town.

The most expensive fuel efficient vehicle out there is the Mercedes Benz. These are very stylish vehicles and often driven by those who want to let their prestige shine. This is an extremely well built vehicle that is also extremely fast. Most people only dream of owning such a fabulous car though as they are out of the price range for most of us. They do offer 32 miles per gallon on the highway about 25 in town.

Completing the top five is the mini Cooper. This is likely the most fun you will have with a fuel efficient car. They offer plenty of room inside and a great style with the exterior. They are more common with women than with men though as they tend to be labeled as cute.

If you weren’t impressed with the power it offered in the past, you should look at the newer models. BMW has been listening to consumers and the Mini Cooper now features more power than ever before. In addition to being fuel efficient it is also very environmentally friendly.

When you see that it gets 37 miles to the gallon on the highway and 28 in town you will definitely be impressed! They have a decent price too so you won’t find it to be too unreasonable to fit into your budget. The money you save on gas for it can go towards paying your payment on it each month!

Spots 6 and 7 in the top 10 fuel efficient vehicles are both by Nissan. First you have the Nissan Altima which is a medium sized vehicle. It has a nice rounded design along the back side which makes it look more expensive than it really is. The fuel savings won’t be as high as with some of the other vehicles we have talked about.

Yet if comfort is very important to you then this could be the one to choose. You will be able to get 31 miles per gallon on the highway and 32 in town. This is a 4-cylinder vehicle that has enough power to keep even a picky car owner very satisfied.

Next is the Nissan Sentra which offers just about the same miles per gallon as the sister Altima does. The main difference is that his sedan is an automatic while just about all of the other fuel efficiency vehicles including the Altima are manual.

Watch out for bigger and better things on the horizon from Toyota in the area of fuel efficient vehicles as well. They are very proud to be filling up the last three slots on the top ten countdown. The fact that they have more vehicles on this list than any other manufacturer means they really are dedicated to helping both the environment and consumers.

The Toyota Camry has always been well loved by consumers as it is a well designed vehicle. It is comfortable and it handles extremely well. This was one of the top selling models for years before gas prices became so difficult to fit into the budget.

This particular vehicle is also available as a hybrid but there is a long waiting list to get your hands on one right now. The regular model offers about the same miles per gallon both on the highway and in town with a number of about 34. However, the hybrid will give you about 44 miles per gallon which is significantly higher.

The Toyota Corolla is a smaller model than the Camry but still a very good vehicle. It is less expensive as well so if you are looking to get something to work well in your budget this could be it. If you haven’t been impressed with the body style though keep an eye out for the new design in 2009.

The Toyota Corolla is available in both manual and automatic transmissions which is nice for consumers. Which one you choose won’t make too much of a difference as far as your fuel mileage is concerned though. You should be able to get 35 miles per gallon on the highway and 26 miles per gallon in town.

You will be amazed at the gas savings you will get with the number ten on the list. It is the Toyota Prius which can get 48 miles per gallon on the highway and 45 on the highway. Many consumers don’t like the style of this vehicle though. They feel the back end looks smashed or like it wasn’t finished. The square look can make the entire vehicle look odd.

Yet if you really want something that is going to save you money at the pump, Car Care Company feels this fuel efficient vehicle can certainly do so. It does have a futuristic look to it that many people just aren’t ready for yet. While they agree it handles nice and is roomy, it can be hard to commit to a vehicle you aren’t going to want to see in your driveway each morning.

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Begin by taking apart the engine parts and cleaning them. All of the mechanical parts and wires that are under the hood, or, in the case of a Volkswagen Beetle, in the trunk, must be taken out and cleaned.The engine has to be rebuilt. All of the components that make the engine run, such as the starter, alternator, radiator, carburetor and distributor, should be rebuilt to the way they were when the car originally left the factory.

You want to use the same parts that were used to make the engine. This means you will have to do a lot of digging for the exact parts for the make and model of your car. All of the parts that you use should be new and in working order. It will probably take some time to get all of the parts and then you have to rebuild the engine.

The other mechanical parts will have to be taken apart and cleaned. Some parts may be easy to clean and repair and have a longer lasting life. Make sure that you check the belts, gears, any worn bearings, oil pump and the transmission. All of the moving parts should be cleaned thoroughly and restored to the specifications of the manufacturer in order to properly restore the car.

If you are an auto mechanic, this part of the restoration process will be time consuming, but not difficult. You probably know how to take apart an engine and rebuild a transmission, if you have been certified. If you do not have vast mechanical skills, however, this will be a very difficult, but a crucial part of the project. Mechanical car parts are not cheap and to spend money on them only to not have it work, can be frustrating and expensive.

In addition to getting the engine in good working order, you want it to look as clean as possible. During the course of most car shows, the hood is opened and people take a look at the engine. You not only want the engine to work, but you want it to shine as well.

Chemicals to clean the grease and oil that accumulates in the engine and chassis can be toxic and give off fumes. Make sure that you wear protective clothing, gloves and a mask when you are working on cleaning these items. You also want to make sure you dispose of any hazardous material in the proper manner, and that is not up against your neighbor’s fence.

When you take the car to the first show, you want the interior of the car to sparkle as well as the exterior. Make sure that you not only get the engine in good working order, but that it is extremely clean inside. Some people polish the chrome parts of the rebuilt engine that are normally painted black and leave them in their natural chrome state to get them to sparkle.

Remember Car Care Company knows that working on the mechanical aspect of the job, although messy, is just as important as the body of the car. Although you may feel that “no one sees it,” if you want to restore a vintage automobile the right way, you will take just as good care of the engine and mechanical components as you will the exterior of the car.

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The body of the car is probably made of metal. You will need to take it apart, one piece at a time, and remove any rust. chances are that you are going to have to strip the paint off and repaint the body panels.

Take this one step at a time. You can remove the hood of the car, the roof, the trunk and the doors to make it easier. Cover the interior with plastic. Clean everything thoroughly and remove all rust from the interior as well as the exterior.

If the car you are restoring is earlier then the mid sixties there is a good chance it has a frame. It is very important, at this step, to inspect the frame of the car to make sure that it is straight. If the frame is damaged, it is more cost efficient to replace the part that is damaged than to try to straighten it out, unless you have a body shop. Much of what you decide to replace or repair will depend on your skills and equipment at your disposal. If you are replacing certain panels of the car, this will require welding them back together.

All though Sandblasting is the easiest way to remove the exterior paint as well as rust, it can also be quite destructive to the thinner and more delicate parts of the body. If you can at all afford it Car Care Company highly suggests you take the car to a specialist that does a process call “Soda Blasting” This process is much more delicate and will not hurt or distort your body panels like Sand- blasting can. Once this is done you will be down to bare metal and can truly see what you have as you begin to repair your car’s body panels for painting.

Once you have the car completely stripped of paint, it must be sanded and smoothed. Again, you will be inspecting for dents as they will be very apparent when the car is repainted. The sanding and smoothing of the car is time consuming, but is necessary for the body of the car to look like it just came off the showroom floor.

Car Care Company must reinforce that the process of prepping the car for painting is not one that is done overnight, but can potentially be accomplished in a weekend. When all of the metal painted parts of the car have been removed of rust, paint and any dents or “dings,” and the surface has been buffed smooth, it is time to spray primer on the car.

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One thing you will notice is that they all have claims that they can provide you with better gas
mileage than you get right now. Some of them claim to be FDA approved and such but that isn’t the case. It does make you wonder though why they are able to place such items on the shelves when the FDA denies approving such products. Some of these are products you pour into your gas
tank when you fuel up at the pump. You simply put the contents into your tank first and then continue to fuel up as you normally would.

Since it does take up some room it will reduce the amount of gas you have to put into it but not improve your overall miles per gallon that you will burn while operating your vehicle.
There are a variety of ingredients added to your gas when you pour such an additive into your gas tank. They include tin, magnesium, and platinum which these marketers will tell you is good for removing compounds that settle into the bottom of your gas tank.

Never use a fuel additive that contains acetone as it can damage plastic parts in your fuel system by
dissolving them. Some individuals claim that a small amount of acetone won’t harm your fuel system but it can be hard to gauge when you have gone over that amount. Also, it really hasn’t been proven to help cut back on the cost of gas so that is quite a risk to be taking.

In general, these additive products won’t harm your vehicle but generally aren’t necessary to add. Such gas saving products are marketed in a way to give you the impression that you are getting something your gas tank needs to be more efficient. That is the key selling point and many consumers take the bait. They go out and buy several bottles of this additive and keep it in their vehicle. Each time they approach the pump to fill up they dump a bottle of it in there thinking they are doing the right thing. However, doing so really isn’t necessary.

This is because gasoline has ingredients in it that will naturally do the same thing without you adding
anything. Even though these fuel additives are very reasonably priced they still seem to be a waste of money as they haven’t been proven to be effective. The gas you have to pay for to move your vehicle is already taking care of the same concerns so why pay for something you don’t need?

Those that are offered for the oil generally come already mixed in the oil for your car. You just add
it like you would any other brand or type of oil. It is important that you always use the right grade of
motor oil in order to get the most fuel mileage from your vehicle. You can find this information in your
owners’ manual as well as on the internet.

The understanding of gas savings behind these oils is that the lower viscosity that is present the less
friction will be created. However, you can really do severe damage to your vehicle if you are using
something other than what it requires. You may end up needing to replace your entire engine before it is all said and done.

Some testing has shown changing the viscosity of the oil doesn’t seem to affect the operations of certain vehicles. As a consumer though you have to ask yourself if you are willing to take the chance that such a product may damage your vehicle. Most people will agree it isn’t something they want to risk being on the losing side of.

There doesn’t seem to be a good reason to take that risk either. There hasn’t been any substantial
evidence to suggest oil additives are going to increase your gas mileage. Yet these are very
popular products that people continue to buy and place into their vehicle.

Oil and gas additives aren’t very expensive and you can generally buy them at any location that sells
automotive products. Most auto parts, or even discount stores offer oil, filters, and these various additives so you can get all the supplies you need for the maintenance of your vehicle at one time.

You may be tempted to buy such products that you see on the shelves while you are buying the other items you need. However, you need to be careful about what you put into your vehicle. Car Care Company would like to remind you that through the use of these products you could end up doing more damage than good. One way to find out any possible negative information on a particular product is to go online and type the word:scam after the product you are trying to find information on. You might be surprised.

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The upholstery may be salvageable. Reupholstering a car seat can take quite a bit of work and should be done correctly. You are going to need the same type of material that was used in the original upholstery, such as vinyl, leather or fabric. In many cases, you will need vinyl.

Chances are that the padding under the seat will also need to be replaced. Padding and vinyl can be purchased at any fabric store where you can also get tools that can be used in the reupholstering project.

If you need vinyl cords, you can purchase them online or in a store that specializes in upholstery products. After you have removed the upholstery and padding, you should clean the seat, remove any rust and check the springs. If the springs are rusty or rotted, they should be replaced.

Once you have taken the seat apart, cleaned the metal of any rust and replaced any springs that were bad, you can then begin to replace the padding as well as the vinyl. There are many different methods when it comes to upholstering car seats. This is normally done with small nails that are covered up by cording.

Unlike furniture upholstering, which uses ordinate studs, car seat upholstering is sleek, and less elaborate. The most important aspect to remember is that you will have to make sure that the material is taut over the frame of the seat before beginning to affix it to the seat.

The seats should be set aside and the floor inspected for any rust. Rust can often be cleared away with the use of an abrasive wheel on a drill, provided that it is not too bad and has not rotted through the floor. If the floor has been rotted through, you will need to replace it. This involves basically taking the entire car apart and putting it back together. In most cases, complete floor repair is not worth the effort. In the previous chapter, you read about things to look for prior to starting the hobby.

Once the floor has been cleaned, the new carpet can be installed. This is not difficult and carpet remnants can be picked up relatively inexpensively, however, you will want to match the original carpet with the new carpet as close as possible.

Also in the interior of the car, you need to take a look at the dashboard and steering wheel. Take a look under the dashboard and see what is working and what is not. Chances are that many of the electronic items are shot. These will have to be cleaned and rewired.

If the parts on the dashboard have seen better days and are in dire need of replacement, you are going to have to find replacement parts for your make, model and year of car. You can begin by perusing catalogs or looking online.

It cannot be stressed enough the importance of belonging to a club when you are starting this hobby. Club members will be eager to help you try to find places to get parts. Chances are that
you are going to need to replace a lot of parts on the car, if you want to do a proper job. You are best to have as many options open to you when it comes to finding part replacement.

Take the dashboard apart and clean everything thoroughly. In some cases, the plastic covering the dashboard may be cracked. Depending on the age of the car, this may be glass. This is relatively simple to fix. Plastic and glass can be cut to measure for the dashboard at a glass company or a hardware store. Make sure that you replace the cover of the dashboard with what was used in the original car.

All instruments on the dashboard should be cleaned and any rust removed. If an instrument is beyond repair, you have no choice but to find a replacement part. Remember, in order for your restoration to be authentic, you need to use the same parts that were used in the original car. If you cannot get the exact same part, you can use a similar model from the same time period.

Make sure you also check out the carpeting in the trunk and the interior of the glove compartment. The entire interior of the car should be spotlessly clean, as if it came out of the showroom. The interior of the restoration is just as important as the exterior so complete this task with care and efficiency.

If you are working on this project during the evenings or on the weekends, this may take a month to get it right. Do not lose patience and make sure that you take your time in making the interior sparkle. Do not put the seats back into the car until you are close to completing the restoration project. Cover them with plastic and put them in a safe place.

Quick Tip:

Upholstery is not an easy craft to just “take up.” If the upholstery on the car is in halfway decent condition and is not ripped, try cleaning it with an upholstery cleaning solution. There are even companies that provide this service. Car care Company still feels it is a good idea, however, to remove the covering and inspect the padding and springs of the seat, especially if the car is over 25 years old. It will be easier, however, to recover the seat with the older upholstery and more authentic, than to buy new fabric or vinyl and start from scratch.

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Interesting to note is that the very first hybrid vehicle to burst onto the U.S. market came about in 1999 with the production of the Honda Insight. This first hybrid model was powered electrically and could get 70 mpg on the highway and 61 mpg in the city. Following closely on the heels of that model was the debut of the Toyota Prius in 2000. This hybrid car was capable of reaching getting 45 mpg on the highway and 52 mpg within city limits. In 2002 the Honda Civic Hybrid took shape, to much success. This vehicle could go 51 mpg on the open highway and 46 mpg in the city. There were more hybrid vehicles to come. The first full-size pickup hybrids made their appearance in 2004. These were the Dodge Ram and the Chevy Silverado. As well 2004 saw the first SUV hybrid hit the streets in the form of the Ford Escape.

Hybrid cars are powered by two sources- gasoline and electric, and contain smaller, more fuel-efficient engines than their non-hybrid counterparts. They are also equipped with a battery for longer life. Energy efficiency is made possible in hybrids due to the use of lighter materials to build the automobiles. The lighter parts are made possible when less numbers of cylinders are used and engines are operated at a load of maximum capacity.

When cars are equipped with large engines this makes them automatically heavier while the opposite is true for smaller engines. When a car has a heavy engine it is burdensome and it requires a great deal more energy to drive up hills and also to accelerate to higher speeds. The harder a car has to work, the more energy is used up, much the same way people are when it comes to work and tasks such as shoveling snow or doing housework. More difficult tasks require more energy than lighter tasks.

Non-hybrid cars with large engines also have heavier internal machinery, such as pistons. More time and energy are needed for them to make the trip both up and down in the cylinder, which expends an extra amount of energy. Speaking of cylinders, in a non-hybrid car there are generally more cylinders therefore more fuel is used to fire the engine.

This is also the case even if the car is stationary. Another thing about cylinders is that in cars with heavier engines the displacement of the cylinders is greater making it necessary for more fuel to be required by each individual cylinder. This exerts a lot of energy output, which is not a good thing. Perhaps this explains why hybrid cars are becoming more and more attractive to drivers.

To optimize mileage and energy output in a hybrid car you can observe three special driving tips- slow down, keep your car at a constant speed and try to avoid sudden, abrupt stops. Did you know that the aerodynamic drag on a vehicle increases tremendously the faster speeds you drive? It does. Learn to drive at a slower speed and you will increase your mileage, and save on energy at the same time.

Accelerating and then slowing down constantly wastes energy needlessly. Try to get into the habit of maintaining a constant, steady speed and you will use your hybrid’s fuel much more efficiently. Not stopping or braking suddenly is the last important tip. Sometimes this cannot be avoided but try not to make a habit of it.

In a hybrid vehicle the electric motor works much like a generator, energy is lost when the car is in the process of slowing down. Through tests of our own, Car Care Company has found that more energy can be saved if the car is given more of a recovery time when slowing down and stopping. When you stop suddenly and abruptly the strain is on your brakes to do much of the work and in this way, precious energy is lost.

Some of the more popular cars that are restored are those from the 1950s and 1960s. These cars have withstood the test of time and are very popular among collectors. Others are considered “antique” cars. Any old car can be restored, but few people are willing to put a lot of money into a car that will not have any value after the restoration process.
The most common cars that are being restored by private individuals today include the following groups:

Muscle Cars

Muscle cars describe high performance cars with a V8 engine that were made in the United States between 1964 and 1975. They were never referred to “muscle cars” back in their day. They were simply called “cars” or “supercars.” They were extremely fast and often used for illegal drag racing on street. Most of the people who owned muscle cars were young men.
There are over 75 different types of Muscle Cars that were made in the United States during this era. Just about ever car manufacturer made a muscle car. They came in mid sized, compact and what was called “pony car” versions.
Some of the most popular Muscle Cars that are sought after today include:
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Pontiac GTO
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Ford Torino
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Plymouth Duster
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Ford Fairlane
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Ford Mustang
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Chevy Nova
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AMC Hornet
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Dodge Dart
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Dodge Charger
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Mercury Cyclone
This is just a brief list. Muscle cars are prized by collectors and these cars from the late 1960s and 1970s are often displayed in collector car shows across the country.

Antique Cars

Antiques are usually classified as items that are over 100 years old. Some people will tell you that antiques can be as little as 50 years old. The definition varies depending upon who is trying
to sell you what.

Antique cars are not the same as classic cars or vintage cars. Antique cars usually refer to those made pre WWII. The Ford Model T is a classic example of an Antique car.
Very few people try to restore an antique car in their own garage. Antique cars are collected by people who generally have a lot of money and space to store them. They are highly coveted by the wealthy.

Antique cars usually parade in special shows. They do not run fast on the roads and usually have a special “antiques” license in order to be allowed on the road. They are often put on display, but not used for practical purposes. In other words, you probably won’t take the old Model T down to the store to get a gallon of milk.

Cars that were part of the pre WWI era often had hand cranks to get them to start. These have been replaced by modern transmissions and engines. There are very few true antique cars around today and those that remain are extremely valuable. If you are fortunate to be able to get your hands on a pre WWII car, do not let it be your first do it yourself car restoration project.
If restored properly, an antique car can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars to a collector.

Classic Cars

We often see examples of restored classic cars when we go to outdoor auto shows in the summer. People are eager to show off their fully restored classic cars to the general public. Those who restore classic cars often belong to the Classic Car Club of America.

Original rules of the Classic Car Club of America was that the car had to be made between 1925 and 1948. However, the rules are not strictly followed. When it comes to car restoration of “classic cars,” generally anything over 25 years old is considered a classic.

Depending upon the group that you join, you may or may not be able to exhibit your 1970s muscle car. Many of the classic car clubs exhibit only the cars from the 1950s and early 1960s. These cars, often referred to as ‘Yank Tanks” by those abroad, are roughly the size of a small boat. They are popular among collectors and, if properly restored, driveable.
According to the true Classic Car collectors, a classic car has to have the following qualities in order for it to be deemed a true classic:
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Has to be built within the time period
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Has to be high priced and a luxury automobile at the time it was built
Those who are strict classic car enthusiasts will maintain that by 1948, classic cars had virtually stopped existing. Mass production of cars was well on its way by this time and were affordable by just about everyone. Except for a very few the days of the luxury, classic cars ended shortly before the 1950s.

Vintage Cars

According to the Classic Car Club of America, Vintage Cars are those that were built before 1930 and after the end of WWI. Cars built before WWI are considered “Veteran Cars.”

Most people today refer to “vintage cars” as an older car. Cars from the 1950s, 1960s and even the 1970s are commonly referred to as “Vintage cars.” These are the cars that are most popular with those who seek to restore cars on their own.

The cars from the 1950s are especially popular with collectors and restoration experts and are shown in exhibitions across the country.
No matter what type of car you are planning on restoring, you should take the following tips to avoid a lot of heartache:
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Make sure that you pay less than $500 for the car. For your first job, you do not want to sink a lot of money into the project.
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Check the car out thoroughly before agreeing to the deal
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Once restored, register the car with the Antique Car Association for a special license plate if it has been made prior to 1948.
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Make sure that you have a safe and warm place to store the car when you are not working on it.
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Make sure that you have a temperature controlled place to store the car during the winter months after it has been restored.

Car care Company has found that restoring any type of car, whether it is a Muscles car, Classic, Antique, Vintage, or that 74 Pontiac Ventura the basic knowledge is the same. As the parts for the older cars get harder to find and more expensive, the home restorer will probably want to start with the newer example to restore were the parts aren’t as hard to find or expensive.

In addition to mechanical tools, such as a lug wrench set, you will also need body work equipment and protective safety gear and clothing for yourself.
Some of the items you should have on hand before beginning your project include the following:
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Rubber gloves
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Face mask
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Eye goggles
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Abrasive pads
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Electric drill
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Electric sander with different heads for sanding and buffing (My favorite is the Porter Cable Polisher.)
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Glazing putty
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Car tape (masking tape is fine)
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Magnetic cloths
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Power paint sprayer
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Wax
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Primer
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Paint

Car Care Company wants you to know that it is very important to protect yourself and the environment. Be sure to wear protective gear like gloves, goggles, and a respirator when you are sanding and painting, or cleaning out a section that may have animal nesting material in it.

Always remember to dispose of any hazardous material by the proper means and don’t contribute to polluting our environment.

There is a difference between automobile restoration and simple rebuilding. A rebuilt car can contain any type of part. True restoration, consists of getting as much authenticity into the automobile as possible, right down to the hub caps. The car will only retain the value if it is restored back to its original condition, not rebuilt into a different car. While “pimping” a car may be popular at the moment, a restored car is supposed to take us back in time, not remind us of the present.

The process of car restoration encompasses not  just the parts of the car that can be seen by others, but also the mechanical components should also be restored to their original condition. Vintage car restoration is an art form unto itself. It takes people years to restore classic, vintage cars properly.

Vintage automobile restoration involves the process of disassembling the entire car, cleaning and either replacing or repairing the original parts and then reassembling the vehicle. In order for the car to maintain its original value, it must be restored with all of the proper parts. In most cases, the engine must be completely rebuilt.
A person who wants to restore a vintage automobile should have extensive knowledge about cars. Mechanical knowledge is as important as doing body work to the car. In most automotive shops, body work and mechanical work are two different trades. Someone who wants to restore vintage cars has to know both aspects of car repair.

In addition, a car restoration includes the interior of the car. It is usually more desirable to repair the upholstery, if at all possible. Naturally, you will not be able to get a replacement seat for a 1955 Chevy, but you can recover the seats in materials that mirror those used for a 1955 Chevy.

A car that is merely replaced with look alike parts has not been properly restored. A vintage car can be worth quite a bit of money to a collector if it has been carefully restored to its original condition. This usually means that you will have to do quite a bit of searching to find parts and paint for your car.

Speaking of paint, you will want to use the original paint, if possible, to repaint the car. There are many different places where you can purchase the original car paint, or one as close as possible. We will be discussing places to purchase parts and accessories in a future article.

You need to have patience, time, space to work and money in which to buy parts and materials. Most important of all, you must have a love for cars. If you love old cars and do not want to see them put to rest in the junk yard, this is your opportunity to give them a new lease on life. Although it can be costly, the restoration can be done over a period of time to accommodate your budget. You will need a place to work on the car and storage for the automobile when it is not in use.

There are business that practice the art of vintage car restoration. They can generally restore a vintage auto in much less time than you will be able. Those who collect automobiles or do not have the time or inclination to work on the projects often send their cars to such businesses.

Money can also be made by learning how to restore vintage automobiles. Once you have successfully completed one restoration project, you may find you miss your hobby. It is common for people who restore automobiles to continue with this hobby throughout their lifetime. As they can only use so many cars, they often sell those they no longer want and can potentially make a profit if the market for this car goes up. But remember if you have a restoration house do the work the chance of reselling it at a profit are quite slim.

Restoring a vintage car back to it’s original glory is an art form unto itself. If you plan on doing it in your spare time and on weekends it can take quite awhile, but is well worth it. Car Care Company would like you to realize it takes a certain mindset to take on the challenge and expense of such a project. In future articles we will go into depth on  the many areas of classic car restoration.

For a long time, high performance was ruled by sports cars. Manufacturers used their sports car line to showcase new developments and design elements. Today, however, it appears many of these great qualities can be easily adapted to other car types.

The lighter construction of today’s cars, coupled with improvements in technology, has allowed family sedans to perform almost on par with sports cars. In fact, many of today’s “standard” offerings outperform the higher end sports cars of only a few years ago. Even SUV and trucks boast technology and performance that were unthinkable only a short while ago.

The automobile has evolved to a point where virtually any type of car can capture sports car technology. Regular production cars handle better than ever before and the only performance advantages to sports cars can only be realized under extreme driving conditions few will ever encounter. A sports car may hug a hair pin turn at high speeds, for instance, better than the family sedan, but one must wonder how often any family will be trying to set speed records on mountain roads.

While today’s regular production models can steal some of the sports cars’ thunder, they can also offer some unique advantages over their smaller counterparts. Sports cars are notorious for their small size. Although this helps in handling and speed, it makes longer drives less comfortable while making every day use less practical. Larger cars have a utilitarian advantage that sports cars simply cannot match.

It was once sensible to trade some comfort for superior performance, but with modern standard autos now performing so well, the tradeoff seems less and less sensible. This seems apparent when one looks at the kind of cars people are buying: larger vehicles with greater seating capacity.

Additionally, the limited utility of sports cars makes them increasingly rare due to economic considerations. Few families today can afford to purchase and maintain a hobby car. By and large, people expect to use the vehicles they purchase on an every day basis. The old days of having a little convertible in the garage to use for occasional bursts of summer fun no longer seems like an economically feasible diversion for most people.

Originally, sports cars were designed specifically with rallies and contests in mind. Auto producers tested their design and mechanical skills against one another as they sought out ways to increase automobile performance. Later, sports cars became popular for mainstream drivers who were seeking greater performance from their vehicles. Lately, however, regular production cars have evolved and now come with the higher performance parts and construction once reserved for sports cars.

This may spell the eventual end for traditional sports cars, although producers are sure to maintain a small fleet of developmental performance cars with which to test new ideas. In the end, we may see a return to the sports cars of yesterday—cars designed specifically and almost exclusively to test new ideas, as opposed to popular cars for the larger public.

Each year car care company has noticed the presence of sports cars on the roads to be ever dwindling. This is a trend that is most likely to continue as the gap between performance is narrowed between more practical alternatives and sports cars.
The true sports car will certainly never completely disappear, but will most likely become less visible to the public.

Design and size must be considered when deciding the hybrid car that is right for you. Take into consideration the number of passengers that you will normally be carrying in your vehicle. Also think of the types and sizes of objects you will typically be transporting. What about storage space? Currently, hybrid cars come in a wide variety of designs and sizes.

If you are looking for a smaller automobile, there is are two-passenger hybrids on the market. Need something for the family? Hybrid makers have also developed a compact sedan that can accompany up to five passengers. Sport utility vehicle (SUV) lovers also have a choice of this popular car. Manufacturers have created a larger hybrid designed for those in need of more passenger and storage space.

When purchasing any automobile, the cost plays a major role. When choosing to buy a hybrid car, you must realize that it will come with a hefty price tag; a higher cost is one of the only drawbacks to this automobile. The average hybrid and sport utility vehicle range from approximately $20,000 to $50,000 for standard models. If you would like extra features, the price will increase.

At $20,000, the hybrid costs almost $5,000 more than your average non-hybrid vehicle. However, the hybrid owners save on fuel in the long run. Hybrid owners have also been given government take breaks for the past few years. So, while the initial purchase may be a large one, in the end, buying a hybrid is quite beneficial.

Whether we want to admit it or not, appearance does matter, even when choosing an automobile. While hybrids may be created differently, many have the looks and styles of traditional vehicles. However, if you would like something a bit extraordinary, hybrid manufacturers have developed a range of futuristic models, all available in an assortment of colors. For those who want a standard automobile look, compacts, sedans, and sport utility vehicles are also offered. The hybrid makers offer a wide variety of accessories for an added personal touch to your new hybrid automobile.

The gas mileage of any automobile should be checked for accuracy before purchase. Gas mileage is especially an important factor when deciding on the right hybrid to buy. Hybrids are known for their excellent fuel efficiency. Mileage is an average 8-10 percent higher on a standard hybrid vehicle. The amount of money that is saved in gasoline will usually pay back the extra money that was spent in the initial purchase of the car.

Many car buyers wonder if hybrids have automatic transmissions. The answer is yes. However, the automatic transmission in the hybrid vehicle enables manual gear changes when desired. When in drive, the hybrid operates as a standard automatic, but allows the driver to utilize an included shift lever to manually change the gears. The hybrid automatic has all the advantages of a manual transmission, including better engine speed control, with use of a clutch pedal.

Hybrid cars also have traction control systems. In these systems, when your car accelerates from a stop, traction control works to guarantee the greatest possible contact between your tires and the road surface. Traction control systems are especially ideal on icy or wet roads, where traction may be decreased.

As you finalize the hybrid purchasing process, here are some other things that Car Care Company would like you to take into consideration. If you know of a new hybrid vehicle that will soon debut, it is best to order this car through a local dealership. When dealing with a salesperson, you must always have confidence in his knowledge of the hybrid. You should not commit to a purchase until you have confidence in your salesperson, and feel they are someone you can trust. Such a large purchase should never be taken lightly.

The first thing that you should do is get an idea of what kind of vehicle you want and try to narrow it down to a couple of different models to make your research easier. Once you have done this you can start watching your local classifieds and see what kind of prices they are bringing there.
Many times you can find great deals in your local classifieds and depending on the seller’s situation you may be able to get a vehicle at a price well below retail.

Sometimes people get a big eye opener when they try to trade their car and want to get more than the dealer will give them, which in many cases is still a bargain.
You can also do some checking online at sites like Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, and NADA.

One of Car Care’s favorite methods is to use eBay. With eBay you can open a free account and then you can go to eBay Motors and pick out vehicles that are being auctioned and put them in a watch list. You can do this not only to buy a vehicle, but also to get a good idea what you should get if you sell yours. Online Auctions like this can be a great way to find good deals. You get to check out the vehicles, which usually have pictures and shop right from the comfort of your own home.

Try to find auctions with no reserve, these types of auctions don’t have a minimum price before they will sell and you may well be able to buy a vehicle at a great discount. Another recommendation we have to make is that you use the system known as CARFAX. The information they offer is crucial in that they have information on all major repairs done on vehicles through information compiled from insurance claims and repair facilities.

Public Car Auctions are held in many areas and you don’t have to be a dealer to attend. Many times these auctions have cars that have been repossessed from local banks and credit unions that have no desire to keep them. You can also check with local rental car companies that may be reducing last year’s fleet.
Some suggest going to dealer auctions, but it has been Car Care Company’s experience that in many cases the vehicles end up going higher than they should.

Among those innovators to remember are Alexander Winton, Zora Arkus-Duntov, and John DeLorean. Each made a lasting impression on the sports car scene.

Alexander Winton

Alexander Winton was the first truly successful automotive magnate in the United States. His cars participated and excelled in virtually every major racing and touring event of the late 1890s and early 1900s. Winton cars were perceived as the model of American automotive engineering.

Winton’s success and belief in his vehicles led him to accept a challenge from an upstart from Detroit named Henry Ford. In a much-ballyhooed 1901 contest, Ford and Winton squared off in a one-on-one race.

Winton’s Sweepstakes race car suffered from mechanical problems during the contest and his two-cylinder, 28 horsepower racer finished a distant second to Ford, who found his career revitalized after the publicized victory.

Despite often being remembered as the man who lost to Ford, Alexander Winton was a true American sports car pioneer and laid the groundwork for many manufacturers who followed in his footsteps.

Zora Arkus-Duntov

After World War II, American manufacturers began to produce readily available sports cars, in contrast to the limited production, high-dollar versions from earlier in history. After Ford made a splash with the Thunderbird sports car, Chevrolet sought to capture its share of the growing market with the 1955 introduction of the Corvette.

The Corvette, whose distinctive appearance was brought to light by famous designer Harley Earl, was a beautiful package containing a ho-hum engine and drive train. The car had a two-speed automatic transmission and a standard Chevy 6 cylinder engine. Sales stagnated.

A Russian emigre and Chevrolet designer named Zora Arkus-Duntov took the reigns of the Corvette project after its second lackluster year. He redesigned the new Chevy V8 to fit in the Corvette and replaced the automatic transmission with a sportier 3-speed manual tranny. His design changes vaulted the Corvette to fame and admiration.

Arkus-Duntov continued his affiliation with Corvette, ushering it into its heyday as the most respected and admired American sports car.

John DeLorean

A brash young auto executive at Pontiac named John DeLorean had an idea. He could take the under performing Pontiac Tempest, make a few minor exterior alterations, outfit it with a big and powerful V8 engine and upgrade some of the other components. His revitalization effort turned the lowly Tempest into the Pontiac GTO—the car that sparked the muscle car era in America.

DeLorean’s efforts to build better and more interesting sports cars continued as he opened his own auto company. He introduced the stainless steel DMC-12 sports car later popularized in the Back to the Future movies. The innovative vehicle was never a hot-seller but was an inspiration for countless future designs from other automakers.

The controversial DeLorean was plotting an economy-priced plastic sports car that was never released. He passed away while the vehicle idea was still in its infancy.

At Car Care Company we have a love for all cars, but especially sports cars, for many of their designs and technical innovations started with them and later moved to the more mass produced lines. It’s important to remember these cars did not materialize from thin air. There were men behind the cars who brought them to the limelight. Three of the great innovators—Winton, Arkus-Dontav, and DeLorean deserve to be as remembered as any sports car to ever hit the road.

Wow, it’s hard to believe the baby you were watching take its first steps is already driving, We know how it blows ones mind how fast time has gone by and how the baby you could hold in one hand is now 6 feet tall and over 200 pounds! At this point one of your big concerns for your child is safety.

Even though your son is a safe driver, it is sometimes other people on the road you have to be worried about. Bearing that in mind, we like to go for a more protective vehicle for a first car. Like most parents you probably know of another parent who has lost their child in a vehicle crash with possibly a small car so this is always on the mind .

Car Care Company’s suggestion is to go with a larger vehicle. We are not telling you to buy them a Hummer or even a Suburban but stay away from the tiny little imports if safety is an issue. In addition, don’t even consider a two seater, the insurance will eat you alive!

There are a lot of studies about SUV’s rolling over but we can tell you as from being involved in the automotive industry for a long time, It really doesn’t happen as often as you might think. You don’t have to pay an arm and a leg to get a vehicle like this either.  A nice one can easily be found for less than $5,000. This is especially true with today’s economy with everyone getting rid of their larger vehicle it turns into a good market for you.

As long as you stay away from 4 wheel drive and keep the collision deductible high your insurance will be fairly reasonable as well. It may surprise you but getting a teenage male insured with a small car like a Neon for example is more expensive then insuring the same young person in a two wheel drive 6 cylinder SUV.

In general you should follow a few guidelines. Never buy a two seater, stay away from 4 wheel drive vehicles, and don’t buy vehicles with eight cylinder engines. All of the factors we mentioned here will drive up insurance costs.

Some of the cars that Car Care Company considers to be safer are Volvos, Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable, and even possibly the Toyota Camry after 1993. We personally prefer SUVs and recommend models such as Jeep Cherokee, Ford Explorer, and the Chevrolet Blazer.

Do your homework prior to that 16th birthday and Car Care feels you will be better prepared and also get better sleep at night.

One thing people don’t realize that is easy, is to keep your windows up. The friction or drag caused by keeping your windows down uses more gas than air conditioning in most cases.

At the same time, use your air conditioner sparingly. The AC compressor drags down your engine and will have a big negative affect on your gas mileage.

Avoid jackrabbit starts and stops; this is one of the biggest culprits of poor fuel economy. Accelerate normally and don’t ride bumpers.

Keep your car tuned up and running properly. A vehicle that is misfiring and not in optimal running condition will burn a lot more fuel. You also want to keep your tires inflated at the proper pressure, if not this will hurt your fuel economy. Several vehicles today, like some Nissan models for example, have inflation sensors that warn you when the air pressure is getting low. Be sure not to over inflate though, this will hurt your gas mileage as well.

Don’t keep your vehicle loaded down with unnecessary items that weigh it down, and increase wind drag. Those of us at Car Care Company with trucks and vans are particularly guilty of this in many cases. If you aren’t using stuff then remove it from your vehicle.

Don’t leave your engine running when you are just sitting still. If you run into a convenience store resist the urge to leave your vehicle running. If you get stuck in traffic and it isn’t moving turn your car off until it starts to move again.
Don’t run the highest priced gas in your vehicle. Most vehicles today are built to use regular unleaded gasoline. Be sure to check your owner’s manual but chances are if you are spending money on the high dollar gas you are just wasting your money.

If you work outside the home and have a fair distance to drive, do what some of us workers at Car Care Company have done and get together with other co-workers and have a car pool so that you can all share the cost and cut down on the wear and tear on your individual vehicles.

If you live close to the destination you want to go to, the corner store for example, walk or bike instead of hopping in the car. It will save gas and help your level of fitness at the same time.

Car Care Company wants to see you save as much as you can on gasoline, so we hope that these few suggestions have been helpful during these difficult times with the world economy.

Generally pinstripes are used to accent or highlight the lines of the vehicle and in most cases two colors will be used to achieve this with one complimenting the actual body color of the vehicle and another to call attention to the stripe itself. As with any application one may be placing on their vehicle you want to be doubly sure that the surface to which the pinstripe is to be applied is perfectly clean. Be sure to use some kind of surface prep product that will remove any dirt and oils.

If you are striping a long vehicle like a truck or van it is probably best to go with a mechanical pinstripe machine as it will keep the width consistent all the way down. If you are looking for a layered look using many different colors you will probably want to go with stencil tape because it will allow you to place multiple stripes and colors without having to stop and wait for each layer to dry.

Pinstriping a vehicle free hand requires a steady hand, a good eye and plenty of experience but will usually give the best results. Just like having your vehicle painted, if you choose this method choose someone who can show you pictures of  jobs they have done. The really good artists will have a photo album and be proud to show the  work they have done for previous customers. When this method is used and performed by the  experienced professional it is sometimes difficult to tell that striping tape was not used and that it was actually painted by hand.

Pinstriping can be that extra little touch that will make your car stand out from others, and we at Car Care Company think this is the reason why so many car dealers are big believers in pinstripes. They improve the look of the car and draw one’s eye to it which results in a sale. You can use the same methods to draw attention to your car.

You might be familiar with this situation. You are driving your car at night in the city and you notice the halos that surround street light as you look at them through your windshield. You start to think that this could be the start of cataracts, but just last week you had an eye exam and they gave you a clean bill of health for all those “getting old” ailments.

OK what could it be? Yep, it’s that pesky fog build up on the inside of your windshield and you just cleaned it off last month. What is causing this stuff to keep coming back? Remember how I said this was not a problem in the old days? Well back then they didn’t have vinyl dashboards and windshields that are the size of football fields. In fact they had steel topped dashboards with a little hint of vinyl padding on the frontal edge.

You see, these great big vinyl dash boards are loaded with plasticizers to keep them flexible. When the vehicle is parked in the sun these low molecular weight plasticizers gas off and condense onto your windshield. It’s sort of like a vaporizer.

As the UV and heat radiation drys out, these plasticizers then combine with the road dirt and grime that your AC and heating system bring into the equation and you end up with a pretty nasty and difficult to remove haze or fog on the inside of your windshield.

What to do? You have to keep that glass clean. This can be done by using a good quality glass cleaner. Now for wiping the cleaner off, your best bet is to stay away from the paper towels you have under the kitchen sink and move over to what the pros use and here I am going to mention 2 good items I have personal experience with.

Made by Stoner Products, the Cobra Waffle Weave Microfiber Glass Towel works extremely well with it’s absorbent and durabile, yet super soft composition it is one of the best on the market.

Let’s not forget those stubborn corners of your windshield. Here is where my personal favorite product shines. Stoner’s Glass Reach tool.

This is a tool with a 14 inch long handle and a triangular shaped swivel head that lets you get into the stubborn tight corners of your windshield and rear window for that matter. Now rubbing with a light to medium pressure and these products should help get your windshield clean.

If you still have a persistent haze or fog left you can come back with some Isopropyl alcohol and wipe this on the surface to break up the film and then come back with your window cleaner and towel to finish the job.

Clean your windshield often, and hope this car care tip helps.

1).You want to turn off your car’s engine as soon as possible if you suspect a coolant leak. This will prevent any further damage, and keep your engine from overheating.

2).Taking great care, open the hood of your car so you can see the engine compartment. Once you open the hood try to determine where the leak is coming from.  This can usually be found by looking for steam and wetness.

3). If you don’t have any of these items handy then go down to your local auto parts store and purchase 1 gallon of antifreeze and the correct radiator replacement hose. (Remember that radiator hoses are unique and specific to your particular make of car so you want to get the proper one.)

4). The next step with this car care procedure is to let the engine cool down for at least 30 minutes.
The system can be very warm and you could burn yourself badly if you don’t wait for things to cool off.

5).Responsible Car Care also involves respect for your environment and this includes pets and animals. So to honor this you want to get a large pan or bucket and put it under the hose to catch any coolant that may leak when you change the hose. The other thing you want to do is to make sure house pets or animals are not around, for the coolant will taste sweet to them yet is also very poisonous, so take precautions.

6). If the hose has a hose clamp you want to use a proper screw driver to loosen and remove it. Some hose clamps are spring loaded clips that may require a pair of plyers to squeeze them for removal.

7).Removal of the hose from the radiator and the engine or water pump may require some twisting and pulling. If this does not work you may need to use a utility knife and carefully cut the hose off paying careful attention not to disturb other hoses or wires and by all means not to cut yourself.

8).Good car care practices also means checking other items to see if they need replacement too. Remove the old hose clamps from the old hose and examine them. Replace them if they appear worn out or damaged in any way. Make sure to get the proper size if they need replacement.

9).If there is any corrosion on the surface where the hose connects to the engine or radiator be sure to use a scotch brite pad or even some sand paper to clean off and remove it.

10).Next spray a little lubricant such as silicone spray on the inside ends of the hose to enable  it to slide on easier. Install the hose clamps and tighten them.

11).Now fill the cooling system with a 50/50 mix of distilled water and antifreeze.

12).Next you will need to get all the air out of the cooling system, this is better known as “burping”.
To do this you want to start the engine up and run it with the radiator cap off. Watch the temperature gauge to see it move up in temperature. Now feel the lower and then the upper radiator hose. Once they are both warm and you can squeeze them and they give resistance the radiator should have proper circulation and the air should be out of it. Top up the radiator with the 50/50 mix.

13).At this point you want to inspect the rest of the hoses for leaks and tighten the clamps on the hose you just replaced if you see any dampness.

14). Replace  the radiator cap, and take the car for a short drive to make sure the engine reaches operating temperature. When your are done let the engine cool off for a good hour or so and check the coolant level. Top up and check again for any leaks.

Some additional tips are:

Always dispose of the used coolant in a proper manner. Never pour down the drain or into the gutter. Ask at your local auto parts store where to dispose of coolant, often times they have a tank at their location for such a purpose.

Always try to wear some type of safety glasses for eye protection.

If you have some gloves to protect your hands from heat this is always helpful too.

Well let’s get to it. Open your car or truck’s glove box and root around for that owner’s manual. You know it’s in there and hopefully you have looked at it once or twice before. Look up air filter in the index and it should tell you where it is and maybe even have a picture of what it looks like.

Well if you lost that owner’s manual, or you never had one in the first place, just open the hood.  The primary latch should be somewhere under the dash on the driver’s side of the car. Pull it and then move to the front of the car and stab your hand under the frontal edge of the hood and find the secondary latch. Once you found that, trip it and open up the hood.

Some cars and trucks have hoods that stay up by themselves when you open them, but many smaller  vehicles have a prop that you might have to hunt around for to see where it clips into a holder, and then pop it out of it’s holder and find the suitable hole or slot in the bottom side of the hood for it to stick into.  Now you won’t have to use that broom handle to hold up your hood.

OK, now it is time to find that air filter. In the old days when cars had carburetors, it was easy to find the air filter since it sat on top of the engine. All modern cars built in the last 12 to 15 years have fuel injection so the air filter  will be mounted remotely under the hood often in a corner.

It will usually appear as a square, rectangular, or round plastic box with spring clips or screw fasteners around the outer edge. There will be a large diameter hose that leaves it and goes to the center or side or back of the engine.
Carefully release the clips and remove the top of the air filter box. In it you will find usually a paper pleated element. Lift out and remove the filter, and go get another one at your local auto parts.

Here is where it will be helpful if you have that owner’s manual so you can look up the year make, model and engine size of your car. If you don’t have this info I suggest you take the old element along to the auto parts store and tell them the year, make  and model of the car (information I would hope you know, if not look at your cars registration it will be on that piece of paper, and we all know you must have that in your car). They should hopefully know the rest and get you your filter.

To replace it just make sure the area of the inside of the air filter box is clean and free of any debris that could get ingested into the engine of your car. This is a typical area for leaves and if your car is parked outside don’t be surprised if you find small animal nesting material either.

Clean the area out, put the new filter in facing the way the old one came out and close up the cover and re fasten the cover back on.

Remember to check the filter during every oil change or every 3,000 miles. This is cheap car care that can save you a bundle.

Many exotics are legendary. One of the  world’s fastest cars, the McLaren F1, for instance is a well-known exotic. Although only around one hundred F1s were produced and the manufacturer is not a household name, the McLarens are coveted sports cars. Other exotics are also highly sought after and are often among the sports car world’s most impressive status symbols.

It is easy to be seduced by the allure of owning an exotic sports car. These vehicles are often considered the pinnacle of design and are incredibly tempting cars. When the opportunity to invest in an exotic presents itself, many sports car enthusiasts have a hard time resisting the urge to purchase the vehicle.

We at Car Care Company feel one should, seek to evaluate the vehicle with a level of objectivity. There are three factors a prospective buyer must consider when evaluating an exotic sports car for purchase.

Expense

Even if one can afford the asking price of an exotic, they need to be aware of the probable subsequent expenses and be sure their financial situation allows for quality ownership of the vehicle. Maintenance and repair is certain to be expensive compared to non-exotic vehicles and a buyer should attempt to discover what kind of costs he or she is likely to experience in order to keep the car in running order.

Parts, obviously, are in short supply—if they are available at all. Often the owners of exotic sports cars will need to have some parts custom-fabricated during their ownership of the vehicle. This is especially true of older exotics, some of which have been orphaned after their original manufacturer ceased to exist. This can be a painstaking and extremely expensive venture and one should make sure they are ready to add to their investment as time passes.

One cannot simply take their exotic sports car to the corner mechanic and hope that all repairs and maintenance are appropriately conducted. Specialized mechanical and car care  help will be necessary and this can involve great expense when one is not located near a suitable expert.

Too often a sports car buff will purchase an exotic, being quite able to afford the initial investment but being unprepared to handle additional future expenses. An accurate understanding of expenses and a realistic examination of one’s own resources are certainly in order.

Reliability

Even though an exotic sports car may represent the ultimate in performance, it does not follow that the vehicle will be eminently reliable. High-performance sports cars can be quite delicate and may necessitate regular tinkering and adjustment to stay in operating order. Exotic sports cars are known for being spectacular performers when running well but the flipside of this phenomenon is that they are potentially among the most temperamental vehicles one may encounter.

If a buyer plans to operate their exotic regularly, it is essential to know about its level of reliability. This factor not only adds to the expenses mentioned earlier in some cases, it also can create a frustrating relationship between car and driver when an expensive investment fails to operate according to plan.

Drivability

For those planning on using their exotic sports car regularly, it is important to understand that performance and drivability do not always go hand in hand. Some exotic sports cars can be “too much car” for some drivers. A certain level of skill is necessary to operate these sports cars safely and comfortably.

Additionally, the pursuit of optimal performance has often required manufacturers to look past considerations of comfort and regular usability. If one plans to do more than display their exotic purchase and hopes to drive it regularly, they must understand whether they can successfully use the vehicle comfortably and safely.

When considering the purchase of an exotic sports car, we at Car Care Company feel one must look past the romance and excitement of owning a legendary vehicle. One must also focus their attentions on very real concerns regarding expense, reliability and drivability before investing in an exotic sports car.

Shopping for a new car is one of the things that most people hate, I know a couple of people that like it but they are very strange  individuals. I mean who wants to spend a perfectly good Saturday arguing with some guy in a pair of white pants, a plaid shirt and tie, asking: “what would it take to get you to buy this car today”?

The way to avoid the majority of the conflict in the first place is to do your homework first. If you have access to the internet and since you are reading this I assume you do, there is no excuse for not being well prepared in advance. You can go to sites like Edmunds and Kelly Blue Book to get the actual invoice costs on vehicles and with a little digging you can find out what their dealer holdback and carryover allowances are as well as find all the current rebates and cash incentives. If you don’t do this you are setting yourself up to get taken.

Don’t fall in love with a particular car and buy into the lie that it is the only one. That is the beauty of buying a new car, if the dealer you are trying to buy from doesn’t want to give you the deal you want you can go down the road and find another car exactly like you want and get the deal you want. Remember it is a buyers market on most cars and there are some large inventories with most brands.

Depending on what time of the year you are trying to buy you can buy a new car for invoice if you know what you are doing and stick to your guns. Now some vehicles you won’t be able to do this on. If you just have to have the hot new model, expect to pay for it but generally most dealers will take a deal if they are making anything at all on it. Each car on their lost is costing them money every month it sits there.

As I alluded to earlier don’t be shoved around. Tell the salesperson what you are willing to do and if you are like me and want to avoid the back and forth game then tell them you are not going to play their back and forth game, they have one shot they can do what you want or you will go elsewhere. They need to sell a car more than you need to buy one, I promise. You can be firm without being a jerk; you just want to be in control. The control starts the moment you arrive at the dealer, if you are approached tell them you want to look by yourself and you will come get them when you have found something you like.
Dealerships train salespeople to control the prospect so if you turn it around on them at the start then the ball is in your court.

If you are looking at the average new vehicle you should be able to get it for no more than about a 3% profit. I bought my 2008 Subaru Legacy Outback for about $600 profit and got a $1500 rebate off that taking it below the dealer cost. So be prepared and you too can get a good deal from some of these Car Care tips.

When you are buying insurance for your vehicle pay attention to the deductibles as the amounts you choose drastically affects the rate. We recommend that you go with a low deductible for comprehensive just due to the fact that if you have someone run into you in a parking lot and leave you don’t want to be on the hook for the bill.

When calculating how high to go on your collision insurance you should consider the value of the car as well as what limit may be set by the lender if you have the car financed. Car Care Company suggests setting this as high as possible. For example: keeping it at $1,000 is a good amount because if someone hits into you, you can turn around and require them to pay it. If your vehicle is worth less than $3,000 you could drop the collision altogether because the money you save over a couple of years could replace the vehicle.

Stay away from sports cars and four-wheel drive vehicles. Both of these vehicle classifications are substantially higher than others especially if you are under 25 years old!

If your vehicle doesn’t have an anti-theft device have one installed. The cost for installing a system can be as little as $100 and insurance companies give big discounts for anti-theft devices.

Don’t make frivolous claims! This may sound like common sense just like keeping a clean driving record but you would be surprised how many people make claims for petty things. If you have an issue that will cost you less than $300 or $400 pay it out of pocket. Many companies will reward you for staying claim free.

Don’t exaggerate the value of your car. The more expensive you say your vehicle is the higher the insurance rate will be. Just give the amount needed to replace it and update this figure annually.
Pay your insurance premiums annually instead of monthly or even quarterly if at all possible. This will save you quite a bit in the long run since the companies charge substantial interest rates for carrying the balance.

Another suggestion that Car Care Company would like to make is to shop around for your car insurance on the internet, you will be surprised how much you can save by doing this. By doing it yourself you are saving the company the expense of a live person. Good luck and stay safe.

There are nearly 500,000 ASE certified automotive professionals in the industry now with ASE testing and certifying technicians in all of the major areas of auto repair and service. You can find ASE certified technicians as well as parts specialists across the United States in shops from independent garages to huge multi-line dealerships.

The beauty of the ASE certification is that it is certifying the individual technician’s ability not the repair facility in which they are employed. It doesn’t really matter if a repair facility has a good reputation if there are unqualified technicians working there. ASE-certified technicians prove their technical competence to themselves, to their employers and to their customers. The fact that ASE certification is voluntary for the most part further eliminates slackers as only those who are self motivated seek out the certification.

Twice a year in May and November ASE tests over 100,000 technicians around the country. To become ASE certified one must pass at least one exam and have verified work experience of at least two years. The tests, developed by industry experts with oversight from ASE’s in-house pros, are administered by ACT, the same group known for its college entrance exams.

There are exams covering all major areas of auto repair. There are eight tests for auto technicians alone: engine repair, engine performance, electrical/electronic systems, brakes, heating and air conditioning, suspension and steering, manual drive train and axles, and automatic transmissions. (There are also exams for collision repair technicians, damage estimators, parts specialists and others.)

Another reason why Car Care Company endorses ASE certification is because it requires on going dedication because to maintain ASE status the technician must re-test every five years to maintain their certification. which again weeds out the lazy and uninitiated individual.

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• Real World Automotive Advice (geardiary.com)

Additionally, most sports car owners want full-featured coverage for their prized possessions. Although insuring a high-end sports care will never be price competitive with insuring a traditional family sedan, there are a few things sports car owners can investigate in order to save on their insurance bills. Following these four tips, for instance, can help a sports car owner keep his or her insurance premiums lower without forcing any compromise in coverage levels.

Initially, one should check to see if any organizational memberships might reduce your insurance rate. Often, membership in national organizations can reduce your costs. Educators, government employees, labor union members and others are often eligible for discount rates but never get them because they don’t realize it. Always ask your agent if there are any group memberships that can bring your cost down.

Specifically, membership in a sports car club can have a favorable impact of the size of your premium. Insurance companies often offer a reduced premium rate to particular groups of sports car owners in hopes of securing a large volume of customers.

Second, one should always conduct price comparisons. It doesn’t take long to call other insurance providers and determine their rates to insure your sports car. You may find an unexpected bargain from an unlikely source, so it always pays to fully investigate your options.

There are services available that will compare rates between multiple insurance providers; these can be a great place to start your price shopping. However, you may benefit from placing direct calls to various agents representing different insurers. Often, an agent, armed with the unique information you can provide, may be able to come up with a cost-saving insurance plan for your sports car.

Third, you may benefit by bringing multiple policies to the same agent. Many insurance companies can reduce the cost of your sports car’s insurance if you are also using them for health, life, homeowners or renter’s insurance. Simply having all of your vehicles insured by the same agent can reduce your premium costs.

You can often save a considerable sum by keeping as much of your insurance business as possible “under one roof.” The savings may not be directly applied to your sports car automobile insurance. Instead you may find cost savings applied to another policy as a byproduct of bringing all of your business to the same agent.

Finally, ask your agent about special programs or courses that can reduce your insurance premium costs without sacrificing appropriate coverage. For instance, some companies offer discounts for those willing to take online mini-courses on defensive driving. If a student is driving a car, there may be reduced premiums offered for good grades. Some companies will offer to reduce your rate after a specified length of time if you remain accident-free. Any program of this sort might be a helpful means of decreasing the cost of your sports car insurance coverage.

It is essential to carry adequate insurance for your sports car. Skimping on coverage can hold your costs down, but may leave you inadequately protected. Alternatively, smart insurance shopping and an exploration of cost-saving options may allow you to afford sufficient coverage for your sports car at a rate far lower than you might have expected.

Remember, a good car care practice is knowing to ask for group specials, comparison shop, consider taking all of your business to one agent, and inquiring about special programs that might be a good fit, you can conceivably save a surprising sum on your sports car insurance coverage. We here at Car Care Company want you to find the best insurance rates and coverage for you sports car and hope this information is helpful.

One of the biggest concerns often talked about when it comes to hybrid vehicles has to do with those personnel responding to accidents involving a hybrid. Many traditional looking cars such as the Honda Accord and Ford Escape are being built with hybrid engines and rescuers might experience some difficulty at the scene of an accident identifying one as such.

The reason the identification is crucial is that as compared to conventional gas powered cars, hybrid vehicles have a tremendous amount of electricity coursing through them and thus could cause injury to rescuers and further injury to drivers already hurt by the crash. Many people believe that the solution to this problem is for automakers to affix a label on the driver’s side visor stating that it is a hybrid vehicle, equiped with all the features that this kind of car entails.

New hybrids are bursting onto the market at an increasing rate and therefore all first responders (including the police, fire department and paramedics) need to be taught about ways in which hybrid cars differ from more traditional non-hybrid models. Lack of education could result in safety measures being compromised and injuries (life threatening or otherwise) taking place.

To use the battery in a hybrid to illustrate the point, in some hybrid models the battery carries with it a charge of up to 500 volts and is powered both by gasoline and electricity. Compare this with the voltage of a typical non-hybrid car, which is in the area of 12 volts. First responders need to be taught where the battery is located in a hybrid car and how to cut the cables without risking being electrocuted by the high voltage that the battery puts out.

This is particularly important when machinery such as the Jaws of Life is required to physically remove a passenger in imminent danger from a car. It cannot be emphasized enough, without proper training, more serious injury, and even death, could result.

This problem is being addressed by manufacturers of hybrids with Honda and Toyota going to the front of the line on safety procedures. Hybrid cars are being suited with color codes so first responders can easily comprehend the flow of electricity in the car. Honda hybrids use the color bright orange to designate the high-voltage power line which helps reduce safety risks for rescuers responding to calls.

Concerns about hybrid hazards have led Honda and Toyota to create their own individual safety guides for rescue personnel. Every fire department in the United States received a copy of these guides to be made available for their staff to educate themselves. Toyota has just completed new guides for its latest hybrid vehicles, the Highlander and Lexus. These guides can easily be read online by any member of the public, whether they are emergency workers or not.

In South Florida, with its many canals, many people have expressed concerns about the hybrid hazards involved in water submersion, as these kinds of accidents are common in this area of the state. Manufacturers of hybrid vehicles say that the only thing emergency personnel need to keep in mind in regard to safety issues is to remember to make sure the car’s ignition is turned off once it is out of the water.

Speaking of the car being turned off, that is another issue for hot debate when it comes to talk of hybrid hazards. Hybrid cars are made differently than traditional gas powered vehicles in that it is not always easy to tell if they are off or still running.

With Most traditional cars one need only feel the hood of the car to make a correct determination but hybrids can be tricky – a hybrid can appear to be turned off when it is actually in silent electric mode and very able to plow over an unsuspecting person if any movement or pressure is applied to the accelerator.

In researching the writing of this post Car Care Company was not able to come up with anyone stating what we feel is the obvious, and that is to put several prominent kill switches for everything in the car that would break the grounding portion of all electrical circuits. They would be placed in standardized locations that all fire and rescue personnel could be trained for and know exactly where to look when they respond to the scene.

Of the many reasons for this, probably the biggest is the ever rising cost of new cars which have become too expensive for many people to afford. Plus the cost of maintaining these new cars is always on the rise and often time neglected. This is why finding a used car that has been properly cared for is not as easy as you might think.

Ever notice how that $60,000 Cadillac will only bring maybe $12,000 toward a trade in in about 4 years time? Well if you haven’t that is the case. So if you can  hold back your desire to own a brand new car you will find that that you will be able to save a ton of money.  The biggest depreciation in vehicles is during the first two years. You can drive a two year old Cadillac for the price of a new Toyota.

Check things out to make sure the pre owned vehicle you want has all the safety features that you are looking for. Most vehicles over the last few years have  aggressively been adding the latest safety features.
You definitely want to have the basics like dual airbags and anti-lock brakes not only because of safety but because it will save you on your car insurance. Some vehicles even have side and rear airbags.

It is usually not hard to find  a good quality two year old pre owned vehicle with less than 35,000 miles on it that has been properly cared for. It  will look  brand new  and probably have many more features than you could afford on a brand new car. Remember the example I gave you with the Cadillac and the Toyota?

When buying a used car pay close attention to how the interior has been cared for. I have found that people who take good care of the interior of their car as well as keeping the exterior protected also take good care of the vehicle mechanically. If you run across a vehicle with torn seats, stained carpets and cracked plastic on the top of the dash board, this is one you want to pass on.

Always take a good look what type of care has been taken of the tires. You are not only looking for worn tread but also uneven tread wear which can indicate a possible  alignment problem. When you road test the vehicle try to get the vehicle on a good flat non-crowned road. Now take your hands off the wheel for a second and see if the vehicle drifts. If the vehicle does drift, or there is excessive play in the steering you could be  looking at some expensive front end repairs. Open the trunk and make sure that there is a spare and that it is also in  good condition.

Watch out for serious body damage and paint work. The type of care that has been given to the outside of the car is usually pretty easy to spot on a nice sunny day. If body panels don’t line up properly there is a good chance it has had parts replaced. You also want to take it  to your mechanic. Have him check the vehicle over mechanically and in doing so check the  fluids, lights, belts, charging system, and AC. You probably should also have him put it on a lift and check the underneath of the vehicle for any frame damage repair. Do your home work and get a nice looking car and save a lot of money at the same time.

Good luck.

First off, don’t go buying a car on impulse, do some research and always be thinking about the type of care and condition the car is that you are looking at. Know what type of car you are looking for, and never forget, second only to your house this could be the biggest purchase you have ever made. Spend time doing some research first and have an idea of what you want to begin with. You should have it down to at least a certain category of vehicle and preferably down to maybe three or four models.

I would even go so far as to rent a similar car for a day to see if this type is really what you are looking for. Check the approximate values at sites like kbb.com, or www.edmunds.com/used-cars  so you have at least some idea of what the vehicle should sell for. Edmunds has some really nice video road tests of cars, plus some comparison road tests so you can see how your choice stacks up against some of it’s competition on the market.

Now remember, and this is important. Daytime is when you go shopping for a used car. You do not want to be looking at a used car under some dim artificial lights. You want clear sunny weather so you can see any blemishes and what type of care has been given to this pre-owned car. I have seen many cars that looked good in the rain only to reveal faded paint and blemishes in the sunlight.

Being that there is no used car factories you may have to make some compromises. But never ever compromise on safety. The other thing that you do not want is a long list of items that you are going to have to take care of yourself.

Always make sure to take the car for a test drive. If the dealer will allow it take the car overnight. You also want to have your mechanic, or find a good mechanic and pay them to look the car over. If they do not like what they see pass on it. Remember no matter how attached you may be to this one, if they do not like what  kind of care has been given to this car, then walk away, for there will be other cars out there for you.

Safety should be a very big concern when buying a good used car. Buy a vehicle that is new enough to include airbags and if possible anti-lock brakes as well.

Even though it has been a couple of years now you still have to remember that those flood damaged Hurricane Katrina cars still show up from time to time in used car lots. There are many dishonest dealers who will buy flood damaged vehicles and have them detailed and cleaned up to look like they have been properly cared for and sell them as perfect. A flood damaged vehicle will be loaded with anything from engine and transmission problems to problems in the electrical system and more. One area that is often overlooked by these crooks is the seat belt retainer cover. If you pull the seat belt all the way out you may find evidence of mildew or even mud!

Always try to find a dealer who uses the new Carfax system which reports any major problems that that particular vehicle may have had. They just need to put the VIN number in, and Carfax will spit out a full report on that very car. It is a great back up for information when used. As you will find most any modern car can be a good car as long as it has been properly maintained and taken care of.

At Car Care Company you will soon find the products and tips you need to keep your car in showroom shape all the time. Check back soon, as we are building this site as fast as we can.

Thanks and see ya soon.