Muscle Cars: How To Rebuild And Modify Your Muscle Car

by: Alex Baumm

After the World War II, muscle cars became an instant hit, as motorists and car buyers aimed to acquire vehicles that would showcase and show great power and speed. The term was basically a name description of what the car was to the industry.

Muscle cars were considered the instruments to bring back the glory and profitability of the global car industry. Muscle autos were hugely popular in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.

With the emergence of many other car brands and more superior car models, muscle cars are now nowhere in the map of global cars. However, there are still some of those vehicles that are in circulation within the market.

Those muscle autos are now considered novelty and collectors' items. If you happen to own one, it surely would be your interest to improve and revitalize the look and performance of your old car. Thus, you would certainly find ways on how you can rebuild and modify your muscle auto.

Here are some suggested procedures on how you can rebuild and revitalize the look and feel of your muscle autos. Take note that some auto detailing techniques may already be familiar to you, especially if you are into regular auto detailing.

1. Plan the restoration process ahead of time. Muscle cars are important and are sensitive cars. Any error or mistake on the rebuilding and auto detailing procedure could greatly harm and alter the overall appearance of the exterior of the car.

Thus, it would be advisable if you would do a research and ask experts on what to do right about your muscle auto. Make a simple list of things to do and do a checklist to serve as a guide as you do the rebuilding and modifying process.

2. Spend time and more effort rebuilding the body of the muscle cars. Pay particular attention to details. The overall body of the car should be given more care and proper treatment. Do you need to modify and do little changes at the engine and the overall system?

If you are not too familiar with it, just leave it to the experts. Just tell them what you want, what you aim and what you intend to do and let them do the rest.

3. Settle to do a major auto detailing. When the insides of the muscle autos are modified and improved, take time to do a major auto detailing process.

When you auto detail muscle cars, you aim to revamp and overhaul the total exterior and physical package of the vehicles. Repaint. Spend to repair damaged parts. Check the wheels. In no time, the muscle autos would look as awesome as new again.

4. To wrap things up, check the overall electrical system of the muscle autos. Pay attention to the electrical wirings responsible for the proper functioning of lights and horns. Make sure the battery is functioning well.

5. There is no need to change the overall physical appearance or the assembly of the body packaging, not unless you want to remodel your muscle autos. If you do so, your muscle cars would cease to be muscle cars and should be called through other names.

As your muscle cars take a new rejuvenation and look, always remember that muscle cars would not ever function like the modern powerful cars. During their time, muscle autos were the most powerful vehicles on the road.

About The Author

Alex Baumm. Find more tips at our car forum http://www.CarClubTalk.com

Leasing A Car: Is It For You?

by: Alex Baumm

So you want to buy a brand new car but just do not have much luck to accumulate the required amount of money for the investment. One major option is available for you.

You do not have to resort to buying a second-hand car that usually brings about much troubles and hassles. Leasing a car is definitely for you.

In case you are not too familiar with the usual arrangements of car leases, many car leasing companies are now operating to lease or rent cars to clients for a fixed term.

For example, you might enter into a leasing agreement to rent a car for a fixed one year term at a fixed price. That means, the car you would be driving would be rented for a year tenor.

At the end of the period, you would be required to return the car to the business and pay necessary expenses and charges for any damage or excess mileage found. A good and informative car forum would definitely help you learn about details of car lease.

Is car leasing for you? Of course, it is. The option is practically for everyone. During these interesting times when inflation is rising and financial credit markets are slumping, it is high time you tighten your belt a little.

You have to save a lot on costs and as much as possible refrain from excessive and unnecessary expenses. Because car purchases are practically very expensive, you might decide to stall your move to buy one.

You can save your money instead for a while or invest it to make it grow further. A car acquisition could definitely wait. But if you are really itching to drive your own car, you can initially resort to lease a car.

If you are leasing on an independent car leasing body, you can have the flexibility to choose which brand and model to favor. Because you are leasing the car for a specific period of time, expect that the cost would not be as significant as actually buying the car for your own.

It is logical that the longer the lease maturity is, the more costly the leasing charge is. However, experts and many car forum members advise that leasing on a longer term is more advantageous on the other hand.

Leasing a car can turn out to be a logical and wise move on how you could own your dream car. Here is how it could be. You should lease a car like for example a year. After a year or after the leasing contract, you could have the option to pay to own the car. Usually, car leasing companies allow clients to finally own up the leased car by paying for it. And because after a year, the car is not at all brand new, you would have the edge over haggling or bargaining. Think about it.

Payments to own a leased car is usually negotiable. That is because that is the best and most logical option for the company. Otherwise, it would be forced to repossess the car and sell it or put it in auction with a 'second-hand car' classification in the market, which would just lower the price tag.

Car lease also could help you avoid several necessary expenses for owning a car. Insurance, documentary papers and all other ownership documents are normally taken care of by the leasing the company.

Thus, getting into such a transaction is not just less costly but is also very much convenient if you would be taking the freedom from documentary measures into account.

About The Author

Alex Baumm. Find more tips at our car forum http://www.carclubtalk.com.

Defensive Driving Skills Or How To Survive On The Road: 7 Rules To Live By

by: Alex Baumm

It is true that driving is a very dangerous activity. Any trouble in driving would not only endanger his own life but also the life or lives of his passengers and other drivers and passengers at other cars in the road.

Through the decades, people have witnessed some of the most tragic accidents by road. It is in this regard that there is a need to further popularize defensive driving.

Defensive driving refers to a form of road driving training that is aimed at helping a driver take an important intellectual and safety approach that helps save brakes, fuel, tires and of course, lives.

Defensive driving skills are necessary to lower if not totally eliminate the risks of driving vehicles through the anticipation of dangerous driving situations even at the face of adverse conditions and inappropriate driving practices by others.

There are seven general rules that are generally observed when a driver is acquiring and practicing the skills to defensive driving. Here are those general rules.

1. Pick and purchase the right car.

Of course, the basic requirement before acquiring and using defensive driving skills is to make sure you are driving the right vehicle. No matter how cautious and safe you are as a driver, you would inevitably encounter challenges and road accidents if you are driving an unsafe and accident-prone car in the first place. So how could you select and purchase the right car? There are some basic tips on car purchase.

First, when purchasing cars, avoid bland and dark colors. Gray, tan and silver are bland colors that look like urban camouflage. Thus, other drivers would have a hard time taking distinct and immediate notice of the car.

Likewise, dark colors like black and red are very hard to see especially in dim light. Then, make sure the car's center of mass is low and the four-wheel drive system has a differential center balancing forces between rear and front. It would also help if you would avoid purchasing or driving cars with heavily tinted windows especially in the front.

2. Inspect the car thoroughly before driving.

Check all the components and parts of the car prior to driving. As an unwritten law, drivers should make it a habit to inspect the good quality and condition of tires, engines, lights, brakes and oil and water levels especially in preparation for a long trip.

Major car accidents usually happen because some components and parts of the car are not in good condition, most especially the brakes. Make it a must to have the car sent for a mechanical condition check with professionals at least once a year.

3. Focus on the road.

Defensive driving skills center well on focusing on the road. When driving, always scan the highway or road for any tell-tale signals from other vehicles like turn signals and brake light indicators form other cars.

Usually, vehicular accidents occur because drivers fail to take heed and recognize the light indications and warnings from other drivers. Moreover, it is also imperative for you to make sure your headlights or daytime running lamps are turned on while driving in a busy and rapid road to avoid other cars from crashing into your car.

4. Always assume the worst in other drivers.

It may be a little paranoid, but one of the distinct defensive driving skills is the ability to always assume that other drivers are the worst drivers. As such, do not rely heavily on light indicators from other cars, as drivers have the tendency to change minds on the last minute about taking a turn. Also, expect that other drivers at your back might not be able to see and interpret the stop signals and other tail light indications you may do.

Beware when you see drivers talking to their mobile phones while driving as they are more prone to accidents. Do not always assume that in intersections you will always have your right of way.

5. Keep an exit route.

When driving in the highway, always remain in the outer lane especially on freeways. That way, the need to cross the lane to get to the shoulder in cases of problems would be eliminated. Have space on either side of the vehicle.

6. Avoid danger.

Avoid driving at danger sites, like near large vehicles or cars that are defective. Visibly damaged cars should also be avoided as it can be safely assumed that their drivers are not skilled enough to drive safely.

7.Observe precaution when approaching or passing by vehicle break-down and crash scenes.

When being awed by such vehicular cases, stay focused on your own driving. If not, you may risk running at wandering animals or pedestrians. Worse, you may run across obstacles or other road accident-causing sites.

About The Author

Alex Baumm. Find more tips at our car forum http://www.CarClubTalk.com

Auto Loan: Tips On How To Save On Car Financing

by: Alex Baumm

Are you planning to purchase an auto at the soonest possible time? You might be looking at getting into an auto loan deal so that you would not have to fully carry the burden of purchasing a vehicle, which is almost always expensive these days.

Car financing is a strategy on how you could acquire a car on a pre-determined and arranged installment setting.

Usually, auto loan contracts last about five years on the average. However, there are some companies that allow more flexible terms. For example, you can opt to lower the tenor to about three to four years instead of five. Why would you do that? Basically, doing so would certainly help you save on costs.

As you know, the longer the loan gets, the more likely it would incur interest charges. That is one way on how you could save on costs when getting into an auto loan contract for auto purchase.

It would also help if you would do the usual practical process when purchasing a car. First, do the planning. In this stage, you should decide on what type, brand and model of auto you would purchase. In doing so, of course, you need to make a comparison based on price tags.

You could easily determine which car would fit your needs, your preferences, and most importantly, your spending capacity or your budget. After you have decided which type, brand and model to buy, you would now enter the phase wherein you would have to decide over the actual buying process.

Go to car dealerships when aiming to buy through auto loan schemes. You could actually generate a lot of savings simply by choosing the right and most practical car dealer. To do so, it would be imperative that you do an actual and practical comparison shop. Simply collect quotes and pricing schemes from four or more car financing businesses.

After you have collected information about price tags and regular financing dues, you could clearly compare and determine which dealer is offering the most reasonable price scheme. Of course, choosing to transact on the least expensive among them would equate and translate to significant savings.

When purchasing an auto through auto loan programs, you still have to shed out and pay in cash a fraction of the total vehicle price. Usually, 20% to 30% of total vehicle cost is asked by dealers as an amount of initial payment or what is commonly called in the financing business as down payment. The greater the down payment is, the lower your regular payment dues with interest become.

Whether taking an auto loan or not, of course, you would be able to realize a lot of savings if you would opt to purchase the less expensive autos. You should prepare and be responsible to pay more if you have chosen a premium or luxury car model or brand. Otherwise, you have a higher chance of making the total acquisition expense significantly lower.

These days, it is just practical and logical that any car buyer aim to acquire a vehicle at a huge discount.

About The Author

Alex Baumm, memeber of http://www.carclubtalk.com.

How To Find The Best Car Dealers In Your Area - Top 5 Tips

by: Alex Baumm

Buying a car would be made easier, more reasonable and more convenient if you would just prefer to buy from the best car dealers. However, because of the numerous car dealers currently operating in the market, it can be inevitable for consumers to feel a little pressure and confusion when finding and choosing one.

If you are planning to purchase a used car in the near future, you should start looking for the best and most reliable used car dealers in your area. As much as possible, make sure the dealer is operating within your area or community. Otherwise, the deal, no matter how good and attractive it is, would be rendered futile.

How could you possibly find and select the best dealer as you prepare to acquire the car of your choice? Here are some useful guidelines and suggestions.

1. To find a complete list of used car dealers in an area, it would be better if you would employ the use of yellow pages or a Craigslist, which is an online version of the yellow page. Contact details as well as office addresses are provided for your reference. Thus, you could easily contact the dealers if you are aiming to start negotiations for possible price adjustments.

2. Get quotes from four or more dealers. This is the process of comparison shopping. If you think it is a hassle, you can get quotes through the telephone or through online means. On their Websites, dealers usually disclose their terms and tenors for car financing and selling transactions. When doing such a comparison, you are instantly and more clearly determining which quotes from which dealers would be practical and reasonable for you.

3. It would also help if you would heed the advice and recommendations of experts, peers and colleagues. It is a common that people look at actual experiences of others. In this case, you can ask other people over practicality and effectiveness of a dealer. In so doing, you are instantly gaining information on whether a dealer you are eyeing is likely to be the best or not. Actual dealership experiences from real people you know would somehow give you further enlightenment regarding the planned transaction.

4. Check on the securities and exchange commission or the city/municipality registrar over the legality of the used car dealer. Of course, it is logical and wiser to conduct business with legal and duly recognized car dealers. Need it be emphasized? Unregistered car dealers might offer more attractive and irresistible packages, but in the end you should ask yourself, is the risk all worth it? Of course, it is not.

5. Check on the showroom and the car list of the car dealer. The best car dealers always have interesting and updated lineup of product offerings. If you are targeting to purchase a car model that is not displayed or available in the showroom, ask the dealer if ordering the car from the manufacturer would cost additional charges. If the used car dealer asks for further fees, drop it. The best car dealers would always conduct themselves appropriately and offer no additional charge for such a service.

About The Author

Alex Baumm. Find more tips at our car forum http://www.carclubtalk.com

How To Secure Cheap Car Insurance

by: Alex Baumm

There is definitely a need to have a new car insurance if you have just acquired a new vehicle. A car insurance is somehow more of a protection if ever the vehicle would be involved in several troubles in the future.

At the same time, you also should strive to find and secure a cheap car insurance policy. As you all know, paying premiums for new auto insurance policies is the usual source of problems regarding the car insurance industry nowadays. Many policy holders are finding it hard to cover for the costs of the new auto insurance they subscribe to.

It has always been a challenge to find and secure a cheap car insurance nowadays. The market is saturated with numerous firms providing financial protection, but alas, not too many are offering comprehensive programs at very reasonable costs.

However, experts give hope to car buyers and policy seekers by assuring that given proper procedure and initiatives, the effort to secure cheap car insurance is not impossible.

Here are some of the most practical tips any car buyer could observe.

1.You could secure a cheap car insurance by getting into a multi-policy with your current provider. For sure, you have a coverage for your health, your home or your life policy.

In your quest to find and buy cheap car insurance, always remember that you could realize a great and significant amount of discounts if you would buy a new policy from the same provider that provides you with your other policies.

It would be more advisable if you would inquire about any new car insurance offerings from your trusted firm as soon as possible.

2. Do a comparison shopping when finding for a cheap car insurance. As mentioned, there are numerous companies and policies available in the market.

By getting quotes from four or more policy providers, you could easily compare prices and premiums and at the same time determine which program offers the most reasonable, practical and comprehensive coverage according to your needs.

3. To be able to secure cheap car insurance in the future, it would be advisable if you would maintain a clean and good driving history. Do not speed drive or do any traffic or driving violation.

If you do, be aware that all your over speeding records are accumulated and compiled are being held as a reference to look at when evaluating your application for a cheap car insurance policy.

4. Solicit and consider recommendations and suggestions from peers and experts. You can always ask friends and other people who are more familiar to such services about any recommendations regarding the search and purchase of cheap car insurance.

5. As you finally buy a new policy, always intend to keep your responsibility. Aim to finalize and finish the buying transaction for the cheap auto insurance program. As always, as you buy a policy for your new car, be vigilant and extra careful in your choices and decisions.

About The Author

Alex Baumm. Find more tips at our car forum http://www.CarClubTalk.com

Car Purchase: Save Thousands Buying Your Next Car

by: Alex Baumm

A car purchase can be a really tedious and challenging task. That can because of the fact that there are numerous models and types of vehicles to choose from and the price tags really vary.

Furthermore, new car purchase transactions usually are more expensive, giving buyers more time for resentment. If you are to make a car purchase, you practically will aim to save thousands of dollars for the transaction. If you can help it, you surely will do.

It may sound really interesting and appealing but finally making the new car purchase is really never as easy activity. But doing so would be possible if you would observe the following guidelines designed to help car buyers make the most out of every car purchase.

1. Set a target price and budget range for your new car purchase and stick to it as much as possible. If you are making a car purchase on a full cash payment, be sure to check for any offered discounts. Such car purchase transactions usually generate huge savings because car firms and distributors always intend to provide huge discounts to entice buyers.

2. Prior to the buying activity, determine and decide what car model and vehicle type to acquire. If you can get in touch with experts or solicit advice and recommendations from peers, the better. Doing so would help you better negotiate a new car purchase.

3. Do a comparison shop for the car purchase. You surely have gotten in touch and received quotes from a car dealer. The best and most practical advice is to solicit and ask quotes from other car dealers. In the medical profession, it is like getting multiple second opinions.

Comparison shops for new car purchase transactions surely would help you determine and find out which car dealers are offering the best buys and which should better be ditched. You would easily determine where, with whom and how much you can make the transactions and at the same time generate thousands of dollars in savings.

4. Determine the running costs of the car you are eyeing. If you are buying in an installment basis, it would be advisable if you would take into consideration the monthly dues and responsibilities you would take. On top of that, give consideration to the usual expenses you may incur from operating the car. Is the car running on added gas mileage or is it fuel-efficient?

5. Decide whether you would purchase fuel-efficient cars such as hybrid cars or semi-electric autos. These cars for sure are priced on the premium, but the savings you could generate could reach up to thousands of dollars in the long term. You would definitely save a lot on gasoline consumption. Now that could more than offset the premiums on the actual tag price of the new car purchase.

6. You can trade in your old car so that you can generate significant amounts of discounts and savings. That is like selling your old car to help you shoulder the overall cost of your new car purchase. However, if you are trading an old car on your car purchase, just make sure you know exactly how your old car would be priced. You may not want to lower the valuation of your old car.

7. Do not easily believe claims by car dealers that they are offering the lowest and most practical car prices in the industry. Of course, they would do such claims just to be able to lure and persuade potential car buyers.

About The Author

Alex Baumm. Find more tips at our car forum http://www.CarClubTalk.com

Car Donation: Donate A Car And Save On Taxes

by: Alex Baumm

Do you have a used car that you do not drive anymore? That old vehicle may be filling up and using up so much space in your garage. No matter how you assess it, you cannot think of any other good use you can have for the old car. Did you know that you can make them more useful? Why not consider car donation?

For quite some time, car donation has been a good and widely adopted practice. There have been numerous car owners who face the problem of disposing their old cars. Selling can be a good option but doing so may incur additional and costly charges in the form of taxes.

You do not want your old auto to fill the junk shops do you? Through auto donation, you are helping charities and institutions get on and raise further funding for the humanitarian initiatives.

There are still other reasons why owners of old cars would rather do car donation these days. The government is offering hefty and attractive tax breaks for every car donation.

While it is true that you would not generate any income or revenue from donating your car to a charitable institution, some people still are not aware that auto donation is rewarded by the government through the appealing tax incentives given to donors.

If you decide to take a car donation initiative, you surely would be able to save on taxes. As you know, every car donation has specific and appropriate procedures. The most usual is that you fill out forms and provide basic documentary information and details to the charitable institution, which would be your car donation's beneficiary.

Those documents would not only facilitate voluntary surrender of ownership. Such documents also act as information source for the procedure of tax incentives to be provided to the donor.

Think about it. You are entering into a win-win situation when you decide to go to a car donation procedure. You are filling up a noble role of helping out other people in dire need, while at the same time you are helping yourself generate huge savings through the tax break package provided with the car donation transaction.

If you are planning to donate an old car, it is time you start the procedure by calling up different charitable institutions of your choice. There are numerous charities to choose from. You may choose by sticking to an advocacy, say assistance for cancer patients or funding aged care centers.

By communicating with such charities you would be instructed on the right an appropriate procedure on how to get on with your car donation.

What's more? Car donation is now made more convenient. You may not need to drive the old car to the charity. Personnel would be sent by the institution to pick up or tow the car.

All you have to do is to wait for those people, surrender your key and accomplish the necessary documentary papers. After that, you are all set to voluntarily transfer the ownership of your old car to the chosen charity.

About The Author

Alex Baumm. Find more tips at our car forum http://www.CarClubTalk.com

Car Auctions: Savvy Guide To Buying Cars At Auctions

by: Alex Baumm

Gone are the days when you just look at the hood and assess the physical appearance of a repossessed car when you are aiming to buy at a car auction. You need to make further research into important factors about the used car you are eying.

If you want to eliminate this need, you should opt to buy a brand new car. A car auction is not the suitable place to buy such cars. Expect to find old, second hand and repossessed cars at any car auction event.

You need to be savvy enough if you are aiming to buy a good and reliable used car. It is not enough that the car you are eyeing looks good or its tag price is significantly higher compared to other used cars. You should be careful because some used cars put on sale at car auctions may be relatively expensive, but does that not mean the status and quality of the car is A-ok.

Here is a list of comprehensive and effective guidelines that you may observe to make your purchase really worthwhile.

1. Bring with you a mechanical expert so that you would have access to first-hand expert opinion. Check the car thoroughly. The engine and the overall condition should be in good status. Almost all car auction organizers make sure the used cars for sale at the their events are in reliable, if not superior, condition.

2. Before bidding, make sure you look at the given history of the car. Used cars that previously had been involved in any accident should be dubious and should not be priced too much because such cars may not function well and may be involved again at possible car incidences in the future.

3. Do not bid too much for any car. Bidding is necessary and is a common occurrence in every car auction. If a car is already priced too much because bidders are competing with each other, let the winning bidder have it. If it becomes expensive, it may not be a good deal.

4. Check the pedals. A simple tip for you: for used cars, pedals are not usually replaced or changed. Thus, you can determine and have a hint of the original condition of the car by looking at the pedals.

The paint and the exterior of the car may have been modified and repaired thoroughly to make the car look extravagant and almost new. But the pedals would give out the car's deepest, darkest secrets. Likewise, check the steering wheel. There should be no clunking noise if you try to jiggle back and forth the car's steering wheel.

5. Look closely at the frame. A frame-damaged used car indicates that the car has been involved in a major accident in the past.

6. When checking the paint on the exterior, run a finger into the edges. If there are rough spots, it may be an indication that there has been a major repair possibly from a major collision or crash. The roughness comes from residues from masking tape used during the repainting.

Most of all, rely on your intuition. Your overall feel and impression on a used car would certainly be the best reading. As you prepare to go to a car auction, remember to bear in mind: You are there to find and make the best deal.

About The Author

Alex Baumm. Find more tips at our car forum http://www.CarClubTalk.com

Radar Detectors: How To Forget About Speeding Tickets

by: Alex Baumm

Every year, there are thousands of drivers who get to trouble because of numerous over speeding tickets they get when driving in the major roads and highways. For quite some time, people have been envisioning traffic police as law enforcers who are in hiding, waiting to possible speeding violators in the highway.

Through the years, some car owners have been heavily relying on the usefulness of devices called radar detectors. If you are a car owner and driver who is aiming to reduce or totally eliminate accumulation of over speeding ticket on the highways, there is definitely a need to invest in a radar detector.

What is a radar detector? To simplify the definition, a radar detector is radio transmission device that alarms a driver traffic police are around the area or are already chasing him. This way, the driver would always be tipped if there is a nearby officer, eliminating the incurrence of ticketing for over speeding.

The popularity of the radar detector has always been on the rise especially when several initial users testified for the advantages of using the devices.

There has been speculation that car insurance firms are working closely with the traffic police to gain favors. Though reports have not been compared, there are talks that insurance firms are providing the traffic police free radar guns, which are able to intercept and provide signals to radar detectors.

In case you have overlooked the situation and the possible gains insurers would have, be aware that when drivers accumulate more speed driving violations, they make auto insurance policies more expensive for them. Thus, in the end, the car insurance companies get to benefit the most from this setup.

There are inevitably doubts over the usefulness and advantages of the radar detector. However, analysts assure consumers and drivers that the car accessory and device is still very much useful in the general strategy to help improve driving discipline and possibly make the driver forget all about over speeding tickets.

However, here are several tips on how a radar detector is used as an advantageous tool to eliminate incurring of over speeding tickets.

1. There is a strategy to make radar detector be negligible to any of the police's radar gun or detector. That is to put the radar detector high on the car's windshield. Remember that the higher the radar detector is placed in your car, the more its ability becomes to escape or sniff out police signals.

2. A radar detector will always make corresponding sounds for different radar threats. It would be more advisable if you would learn and familiarize your self with those sounds so that the next time you encounter any detection from the traffic police, you would easily take heed and tip from the sound of the radar detector.

3. Always make sure to use your radar detector. Do not practice the idea to use the device only on long trips or on vacation travels.

4. Do not slow down when the detector alarms or indicates detection from a traffic police's radar gun. Slowing down would make the brake lights turn on and blink and would further catch the attention of the police. This will give them the perception and impression that you are admitting your guilt to over speeding. Drive as if nothing happened.

About The Author

Alex Baumm. Find more tips at our car forum http://www.CarClubTalk.com

Hybrid Cars: List Of Real Drawbacks To Owning A Hybrid Vehicle

by: Alex Baumm

As oil prices continue to increase amid depleting supplies and rapid growth in demand, all economies globally are feeling the setbacks of the need to curtail excessive consumption of fuel.

For quite some time, research and development has been actively finding ways on how problems regarding very high demand could finally be eliminated. With the advent of the hybrid car, car owners and users all over the world are now finding relief that indeed there is hope.

A hybrid car is a specially designed and manufactured vehicle that combines the power of the conventional gasoline engine and electricity. In the past, many have referred to hybrid vehicles as electric vehicles.

Technically, a hybrid car could not be classified as purely electric because only about 40% of the energy consumption of the vehicle is from electric sources, in the form of stored electricity in batteries.

Though the wide use of hybrid cars provide hope that in the future, when oil supplies finally and completely runs out, the transportation industry would not feel the drawback. Yes, for now, driving a hybrid auto could equate to a lot of savings on the part of the car owner.

At least, the overall consumption of oil could be significantly lowered. Research is still ongoing so that in the near future, further better versions of the modern hybrid auto could be developed and launched into the market.

However, just like many other predecessor technologies, there are actual setbacks to owning and using a hybrid car. Many people hope that in the coming months or years, people could finally realize a better and more effective hybrid car. Here are the most practical and obvious of those drawbacks.

1. Because the hybrid car technology is still a relatively new car technology, it is just logical that the vehicle is expensive. On the average, a hybrid car these days costs more than the regular and usual cars by around $2,000 to $5,000. That is just right and is expected with the high demand for the car as more consumers get excited about it and manufacturers continue to produce the vehicle models on a limited ability.

2. Any hybrid car needs to allot a significant amount of space for battery. Because the hybrid car needs batteries to keep it going and for the use of some if its functions, the overall weight of the car gets more and more.

3. There are several states in the United States and some other global governments globally that are charging more additional fees and other charges for acquisition and registration.

4. If the hybrid car gets into possible crashes and collisions in the future, there is a risk that the incident would be more tragic. A hybrid car typically and normally has high voltage wires within it.

5. A regular and even simple hybrid car is made of a very complicated car system. Thus, ordinary mechanics would not have the needed and required skills and knowledge to attend to any technical need for maintenance of any hybrid car.

6. Because hybrid cars are still not too rampant and ordinary, buying spare parts may be very hard, if not impossible. Further, costs of spare parts can be very expensive.

7. It is a common knowledge that hybrid cars run slower than regular car models.

About The Author

Alex Baumm. Find more tips at our car forum http://www.CarClubTalk.com

Auto Detailing: Making A Used Car Look Like New

by: Alex Baumm

Auto detailing is a strategy and activity to make any used car look like new. Throughout the years, the practice has transformed into an art itself. Through auto detailing, an old and used car is transformed to look as if it is a brand new car in an effort to win the admiration of car onlookers.

Auto detailing is important to car grooming. In turn, this is very significant especially if the car owner is intending to divest or put up the car for sale. The old or used car definitely would not be attractive to potential buyers no matter what model it is if the overall physical and exterior appearance is not very appealing.

Prior to any auto detailing activity, there is a need to fully evaluate the car. When taking the usual and effective procedures to auto detailing, you surely would be asked to take three auto detailing primers. First and foremost would be the paint evaluation.

The exterior of the used car is the first recognizable and seen part of the vehicle. Impressions are made and unmade just by mere looking at and evaluating the car's exterior. Thus, for auto detailing, the initial aim is always to groom the car through good spray painting.

The second auto detailing procedure would be wheel and tire evaluation. Wheels of old cars usually suffer from black stains caused by the accumulation of tar from brake dust. If the wheels do not receive usual and regular washing and the necessary waxing, chances are greater that you need to spend more effort to groom the car parts.

Third consideration would be the car interior. After you have taken care of the exterior concerns, auto detailing would lastly require you to take care of the insides.

Remember that the car interior is the general indication of how the car has been used and taken care of the user. That is why as much as possible auto detailing would always set it as a goal to make the interior look very superior and in good shape, just like the exterior.

Here are additional simple tips that would surely help make auto detailing a worthwhile and more effective practice.

1. During the auto detailing procedure, make sure the car is in a share, probably a cool garage or a roofed space. This is because majority of usual and effective auto detailing products like paint and wax do not work well when applied to hot surfaces. Thus, washing the car exterior under the sun is not as advisable as well.

2. When washing the car clean from the top first down to the bottom. The law of gravity would be self explanatory.

3. Do not wash or auto detail a car that has just been from the road. When using cold water when washing, remember that cold water can very much damage the car's hot parts, like the exhaust components, the brake rotors and the engine itself. Before auto detailing, let the hot car cool for about 20 minutes to half an hour.

4. Use detailing towel, brush or spray to wipe away excess wax on the car's exterior. It is inevitable that the wax would eventually form residue around the trim. Now you know how to remedy the situation.

As you carry on an auto detailing activity to make your car look new again, remember that through patience and determination, you can really make your car looking elegant and extravagant once again.

About The Author

Alex Baumm. Find more tips at our car forum http://www.CarClubTalk.com

Car Purchase: Top 5 Tips Or What You Need To Know Before To Buy A Car

by: Alex Baumm

For the purpose of mobility, there is a need to own a vehicle. Through the years and in almost all societies, owning and driving a car has somehow become a status symbol because it is quite logical that owning up such a vehicle is not always affordable.

These days, however, people have greater chances of buying a car because there are practically more options in transactions.

If you are aiming to purchase a car, it would be wise if you would take into consideration several factors. Initially, you need to decide whether you want to buy a new or a used car. If you have enough money to spend, of course, buying a new car is the most advisable and logical thing to do.

New cars are always on top quality and are guaranteed to deliver good and reliable performances. On the other hand, if your budget is quite limited, you can opt to purchase a second-hand car, which are available at car auctions or through used car dealers and brokers.

When buying such refurbished and reconditioned cars, it is imperative that you look at several considerations, particularly, the number of the car's previous owners, accident and mechanical history and maintenance requirements.

When purchasing a new car, it would surely be helpful if you would take note of the following advices and recommendations. These are considered the basic and important things and activities you should do before car purchase.

1. If you are aiming to find and secure the best and most reasonable deals when purchasing a car, it would be advisable if you would make the acquisition on the period from July to October and on the second half of December.

It is a know fact that cars are basically less costly on these periods. Annually, the periods also coincide with the usual periods car dealers usually launch and implement significant car purchase discounts. Discounts of a few percent surely would mean a lot of savings.

2. Do a comparison shop first. There are numerous used car dealers in the community and all of them are aiming to cut the throat of each other.

That is why you can be sure there is intense competition, which usually comes in the form of contests to lure more customers by lowering prices. Of course, dealers offering the best and most competitive prices win, and you should do business with them.

3. Always remember that cars that would be ordered from a car plant or facility must not cost more when compared to the prices of cars on the lot or the showroom. Many car buyers are fooled when dealers charge extra costs for cars that need to be ordered from plants.

Likewise, you should be wary about cars that need to be sourced or located by the dealer from another dealership. Usually, used car dealers implement additional, yet, unnecessary fees for such service.

4. It is illegal for car dealers to sell cars that lack price invoice sticker or MSRP. The price tags in the showroom should always be the actual price you would need to pay if you are making the purchase. No more, no less.

5. Lastly, it would be wise if you would do your own research of the car model or brand you are purchasing. Carmakers and marketers hire the best advertisers. So at times, do not fully believe ads for they have been developed and produced to awe and lure buyers.

About The Author

Alex Baumm. Find more tips at our car forum http://www.carclubtalk.com

Best Small Cars for 2008

by: Emeka Madusha

Small cars come in all shapes but limited sizes - how much variation can you get on a theme you might ask so here is our guide to the best that 2008 has to offer.

One of the most keenly received small cars has been the Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 Club. This was one of the leading cars of any class in 2007 and it continues to hold its own in the super-mini category. It is keenly priced but mixes this with a big-car feel that has enticed critics for many months.

Though classed as a super-mini this car comfortably sits four people and has so much space that it feels like a small family car - even the boot has plenty of space - but you wouldn't use it to take a family of four on holiday for two weeks. A nice little quirk is the removable floor that gives that little extra room.

A lot of thought has gone into this vehicle so that it hits all the right spots. The design is solid without being clunky and smart without being showy. It is also a joy to have well weighted controls surrounding the driver. The entire impression is one of a car whose designers have put real thought into its construction. A nice touch is the ease and room of adjustment in the driver's seating position, which is only added to by the placing of the controls around the steering column.

It has a keen suspension without being over savage and excellent fuel economy to accompany it, with the extras and standards being of exceptional quality for a small car.

At the bargain end of the market comes the Fiat 500 - it is far removed from its predecessors with the same name and carries all the qualities you would expect of a rejuvenated Fiat motor company.

At first impression you need to double-take that you are not looking at the original 50 year old styled automobile. This is no bad thing though - a company that is proud of its past and prepared to make use of its heritage in such a model is something to be welcomed. Unlike the Corsa this really is a super-mini - but perfect for what it has been designed for. Boot space is cramped but adequate for such a small car and you can't complain at the price.

The car is very short at just over 3.5 metres but handles better than you would expect due to the wheel placement as close to the corners as possible. The engine is responsive but you will not be buying this car for its power performance. With a 0-60 of just under 13 seconds and a top speed of 100mph it is certainly at the lower end of the market but its real strength lies in it fuel consumption - the Lounge version supplies up to 90 mpg on the open road.

This car would be ideal for urban use - it is small but still demonstrably a car rather than a Smart car and its superb fuel efficiency makes it a no-brainer for commuting and popping off down the shops. It also has the classic Italian styling of the early Fiat 500 but none of the obvious drawbacks associated with those fiats.

Generally, competition has never been tighter in the Super-mini market. Car manufacturers stopped treating this market with disdain a long time ago as it became apparent how demographics were changing society. So many people now live in or around cities and do not settle down to start families, that the small car market has really boomed over the past decade. Furthermore, concern for the environment and increasing fuel costs have concentrated buyers' minds on the economy of the vehicle they are buying whilst they are not keen on compromising on quality.

The two cars above are examples of this development. The Corsa is an outstanding car that has improved over the years and been embraced by the government as an equal brand leader. The Fiat 500 on the other hand has risen Phoenix-like from the ashes of the disaster that was Fiat in the 70s and 80s. A good sign is that they have embraced their old traditions whilst melding it with their current confidence. Two cars from completely different backgrounds - in much the same way as the eye of the Octopus and Human have come from two completely different evolutions but appear so similar, so these two cars symbolise the end product of differing evolution strands.

Both are good cars and demonstrate the health of the small car market admirably.

About The Author

Madusha Emeka is a Freelance Writer. He owns and manages http://www.six-bucks.net/reviews/

Buying Used Cars Online - Tips and Tactics

by: Hamm Morgan

The advent of the World Wide Web, or more popularly known as the Internet, has opened up opportunities unheard of before for both buyers and sellers. Never has the word global market meant exactly what it was supposed to be as the Internet literally cracked opened the world boundaries of every state on earth and in the process making everyone a potential buyer and seller.

Starting with the ubiquitous text messaging, the Internet is now growing by leaps and bounds were data uploading and downloading is almost a second nature. Buyers using this platform to sell their items are limited only in the most physical sense of marketing the product and even the stated restriction might not apply, with techno-geeks coming out with torrents of application which even enables very accurate 3-dimension rendering possible.

One sector which has yet to embrace wholly the Internet is the auto industry. At least not in a big way, although car makers all around the world are starting to tap into the huge potentials provided by the virtual reality as a marketing tool. Selling a car is a slightly trickier proposition as opposed to, say, selling books and magazine on line to faceless customers armed with only an internet connection and a credit card account.

There are of course portals which pioneers the way forward, hoping to tap into the global auto enthusiasts market as Amazon.com did for literature fan and lovers did. Among others is eBay Motors from the well-know barter trade online expert who started a site enabling users all over the world to post their items to trade - either for cash or other items.

Trying to achieve the same level of success in marketing of automobiles, however, has not been able tom achieved the same level of success with several constraints, the biggest of which the car buyers need to be up close and personal to the car of their choice. This is true even for the latest model. An online portal may just introduce the new model to the public, but there is simply no other substitute for them but to flock the showroom to see the actual car.

The one sector of the automobile which has found its niche in the new marketing tool, however, is the second hand market. Used cars sale techniques are normally the same all over the world, that is, potential buyers would have to search around for a particular model selling at a particular price which is agreeable to them. This is where the Internet\'s vast reach has been able to make a breakthrough.

Used car sellers now have the luxury of posting their used autos online instead of waiting for a potential customer to show up at their sites. The American affinity towards certain legendary models such as the Mustang or the Ford GT40, to name just two of the many superb models that had been produced by the number of car makes in the States, means that there is a market worth tapping.

Car enthusiasts looking for a specific model could simply tap into the vast online network to find the exact dream car, right down to the year of make, the engine displacement, how many miles it had gone through and, with some luck, complete with a picture of how it looks like. Ebay motors, for example, incorporate all these specifics in its portal, enabling potential customers to choose from a list of sellers all throughout the United States.

Of course, there is no telling if the auto on sale is actually what is represented on the computer screen, but once customers find what they are looking for, it is the a matter of proceeding to the showroom to view the actual car. Nothing beats the excitement of seeing a car in the flesh; being able to run our fingers through its flank, trying out its seats and imagining how it would drive even prior to turning the keys where a drive test is given, this would be the point of sale, which came courtesy of the internet.

The list of models available in the market could be quite extensive, from American car makers Buick, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GMC and Mercury to Japanese makes Honda, Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Toyota, or European makes, Volkswagen, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz, all of which has been around for quite some time, and offering a vast range of automobiles from vintage to the latest, fuel sipping hybrids.

About The Author

Hamm Morgan is a leading expert on the subject of used cars sales on the Internet.

Get more information regarding used cars for sale http://shoppingforproductsonline.com/car-shopper/used-cars-for-sale-finding-quality-used-autos-online.html

The Most Common Trailer Hitch Mistake

by: Jeff Mohr

Driving Without Your Ball Mount!

Go Ahead Hit Me…

Although I don't condone you drive around with your ball mount when you're not pulling a trailer (and some states are working on legislation to prevent this) there are two reasons why thousands of people do:

#1. It paints a nasty mental picture that states if you hit me you'll pay the price (and you will) ...
#2. People who tow know the strength of a receiver hitch.

On most vehicles the receiver hitch is tucked behind and below the bumper. If you get rear ended or you back into something, your cheesy plastic or chrome bumper and expensive sheet metal get smashed first before it hits the receiver hitch. But, if you leave your ball mount in, that added extension might be just enough to take a 2-3 mph direct hit without damage.

Today, the lightest tap from a vehicle can leave damage from $450 to over $2,000 damage. The average cost to repair a plastic bumper is $450 and the average cost to replace a plastic bumper is $900. And if you have a vehicle with a backup alarm you're looking at twice that amount.

There are over 12 million rear-end collisions in the USA every year – both reported and unreported and over 8 million plastic bumpers are replaced each year. The rear end collision accounts for 38% of all the dollars paid for automobile claims and you can't afford to make a claim any more. The typical insurance premium will increase 40% if a claim is made.

Why It’s Not A Good Idea

But, according to Jeff Mohr, CEO of Mohr Mfg and superbumper.com: "the major drawbacks for leaving your ball mount in are that it may be illegal in some states and it will impale anything you back into when you're parallel parking, (so that strategy could backfire on you and end up costing you money). Also, it's only 2 inches wide so it does not cover much area and, if it's hit it will bend your receiver hitch because there's no give while transferring all of the impact energy directly to the vehicle and occupants. And on unibody vehicles it will tear the floor pan because it doesn’t absorb any crash energy."

There are thousands of uninsured, distracted, inattentive drivers, drivers with poor judgment and lousy-stinking parallel parkers out there just trying to wreck your vehicle, cripple your family, steal your deductible and jeopardize your insurance. And, since you pull a trailer less than 1% of the time, it makes sense to use the other 99% to protect your rear.

The two most frequent vehicle accidents are getting hit while parked and the rear end collision. There are other products on the market today that can utilize the strength of your receiver hitch, are energy absorbing and will protect your family, vehicle and insurance better then the ugly old ball mount.

About The Author

Jeff Mohr is CEO of Mohr Mfg is an expert in rear end collisions. His company makes portable, energy absorbing, spare safety bumpers or "hitch steps" that install in seconds and protect your vehicle from rear-end collision damage, reduce whiplash injuries, shield your gas tank from under-ride and eliminate parking lot and parallel parking dents and dings. For additional information: http://www.superbumper.com

Dodge Intrepid Chrysler 300M Unsafe Steering Problems Failure Defects

by: John Stanley

Chrysler has clearly known about defective and 'dangerous' Steering design in Dodge Intrepid, Chrysler Intrepid, 300M, LHS, New Yorker, Concorde and Eagle Vision vehicles since 1993. Daimler Chrysler knows the entire 'design' is defective and will do everything in its power to avoid responsibility.

Chrysler has been under investigation by the NHTSA for more than 55,000 warranty claims for Steering problems with Dodge Intrepid, Chrysler Concord, 300M, LHS and Eagle Vision vehicles and 1,450 reports of steering control problems. Some including complete loss of steering control with 1993-1996 models, reported as of 1999 alone. These statistics do not include 1997 and second generation models (1998-2004) and does not include LH vehicles that may have been brought in for warranty service, where a Chrysler dealer claimed to be 'unable to duplicate' a steering related problem. Furthermore, this report also does not include consumers who may have experienced failures under 36,000 miles past the 3 year factory warranty period, (3 years/36,000 miles whichever comes first). We believe that Chrysler has actively concealed the defect from consumers while deliberately misleading the NHTSA about the defect resulting in the NHTSA closing this defect investigation. Chrysler has had nea rly 10 years to properly address and correct these common problems while Chrysler's patch attempts or attempts to put a 'band-aid' over this defective steering design have failed. The fact is that premature steering rack and pinion failures continue even with newer Intrepids, 300Ms, LHS' and Concordes (2000-2004). Over the years Chrysler has even issued internal Technical Service Bulletins to dealers that 'quietly' and 'delicately' address certain common Steering related problems. January 1, 1997 Chrysler implemented a running change improving the durability and heat tolerance of its inner tie rod bushings in attempt to deal with common steering problems. October 6, 2000 Chrysler also implemented a running change of the inner tie rod connecting bolts with a stronger bolt design, allowing for higher torque specifications in another attempt to deal with common steering problems. We feel that this is not nearly enough for what experts call a 'negligently designed and dangerous ly defective steering system'. We believe this design puts dan gerously high load forces on inner tie rod ends and connecting bolts when steering is turned and that the design of the steering system is not fully compatible with the front suspension system thereby causing or contributing to cause sudden, premature and unnecessary failure of its various assemblies and components. What we suspect tends to happen is that the connecting bolts tend to take the brunt of these forces and either shear off or the threads strip. As Chrysler attempted to put a 'bandaid' over this problem by increasing the strength of the connecting bolts and increased the bolt torque specifications, we suspect that with the increased bolt strength, and connecting strength, the forces then tends to be transferred to the rack and pinion assembly itself, which often prematurely wears out as a result of this design.

This is probably why the standard throughout the industry has been an end take off Rack and Pinion steering system. Chrysler did not to follow an industry standard which is far safer and much more reliable. Chrysler has a history of not following safer industry standards as it has done in the past with unsafe Gen3 Seatbelts, unsafe liftgate latches and lack of brake shift interlock on some vehicles. The location of the steering assembly, located in a high temperature area behind the engine, right above the transmission or 'transaxle' could also contribute to or accelerate these failures. The fact that in another bandaid attempt Chrysler revised the Inner Tie Rod Bushings to be more durable and heat tolerant could suggest this. It is alleged in a lawsuit where a mother and her child suffered brain damage due to the steering failure with an Intrepid, that Chrysler rejected a safer, more compatible end take off design proposed by TRW because an Audi had a center take off design and Chrysler wanted an alleged European feel for their LH Platform. However, Audi's had a more compatible suspension design, different steering positioning and geometry where they were not prone to premature and/or sudden failures as LH vehicles. The founder of this website, including many others have had accidents, some serious and could have been killed due to steering related problems. There have even been serious injuries and possible deaths while Chrysler continues to choose profits over putting lives at risk. Chrysler's view seems to be a cost-benefit ratio where it is cheaper to let these circumstances happen where a few people could become hurt or killed and Chrysler doesn't have to pay to redesign and replace all the defective parts. Many consumers have been left to pay an average of $1200 for replacement when beyond warranty. We believe many consumers have been lied to by Chrysler and its dealers through claiming not to have any prior knowledge of this defect and denying responsibility, thereby forcing consumers to live wit h the dangerous condition, sell the vehicle at a loss or incur the expensive of repairing the defects, especially when under warranty to reduce warranty costs and prevent defect liability. We believe Chrysler has pressured dealers to reduce warranty costs, even for common problems and defects where dealership technicians were reluctant to diagnose steering related problems unless the failure was urgent and obvious at the time to push consumers past Chrysler's 3 Year/36,000 mile warranty period. In these cases, a dealer would claim it was 'unable to duplicate' steering problems that were covered whenever possible. This would seem evident due to some consumer complaints stating dealers claimed they were 'unable to duplicate' problems that independent mechanics were able to find and diagnose, such as clunking and wandering. Common symptoms of steering problems with these vehicles are typically loose steering, excessive play in the Steering, vibration, wandering, pulling, steering out o f alignment, difficulty aligning, sudden changes in steering responsiveness, steering wheel doesn't return smoothly and/or properly after executing a turn, steering easier to turn in one direction, excessive tire wear or tires frequently out of balance, clunks, rattle over bumps, rubbing noises or binding. We have had reports of Steering problems developing in nearly brand new vehicles. The average report of Steering failure with these vehicles seems to be about 20,000-70,000 miles.

For More Information Visit http://www.dodgechryslersteeringproblems.com

About The Author

John Stanley, Founding member of http://www.daimlerchryslervehicleproblems.com

A former DaimlerChrysler / Chrysler customer who has owned several Chrysler vehicles and has extensively researched DaimlerChrysler's business practices and additionally has talked with thousands of consumers with similar experiences.

Dodge Chrysler 2.7L Engine Problems, Oil Sludge, Defects and Failure

by: John Stanley

From 1998-2000 2.7L Engines are prone to premature catastrophic engine failure due to a defectively designed Timing Chain Tensioner that Chrysler quietly redesigned. Unfortunately, many consumers have had to pay out of their own pockets for this while Chrysler avoids responsibility.

From 1998-2004 Dodge / Chrysler 2.7L Engines are prone to Oil Sludge often caused by internal coolant leakage that has to do with the design of the Water Pump that allows coolant to enter the Engine over time and cause oil sludge, experts at a well known remanufacturing company say. The second common cause of engine sludge is from poor oil circulation caused by oil passages that are too narrow causing the oil to wear down more rapidly unlike normal engines. Another contributing oil sludge factor is possibly due to an inadequately designed PCV system that can also accelerate engine oil breakdown, which Chrysler later made improvements to for the 2005 model year along with other changes knowledgeable sources state. Although Chrysler is aware and there is nothing consumers could have done to cause this, Chrysler still regularly blames consumers for 2.7L Engine Oil Sludge.

Chrysler is aware of certain problems and vulnerabilities the 2.7L Engine is prone to have and has quietly made various design changes over the years such as redesigning the Timing Chain Tensioner that was prone to premature failure in 2000, to making changes to try and prevent internal coolant leakage over time into the crankcase. For 2005, changes included improvements to the PCV system and for oil circulation, to even later increasing oil capacity by an extra quart in an attempt to make the engine more robust. Unfortunately, even with all of these modifications we have been informed of premature Dodge / Chrysler 2.7L Engine failures in 2006 Dodge, Chrysler vehicle models.

Chrysler refuses to cover prematurely failed engines even when under its own 3 Year / 36,000 mile warranty while blaming consumers for these problems. These problems are so common and so well known that extended warranty companies also decline to cover Chrysler 2.7L engines. In many cases consumers have changed or had their oil changed every 3,000 miles with name brand motor oil. Many consumers have been able to provide proof while Chrysler still refuses to cover failed 2.7L engines under warranty. It is a common misconception that sludge is caused by brand or type of motor oil since all motor oil sold must meet the same basic standards. However, if the oil was changed regularly then Chrysler might say 'it must be the brand or type of oil you used then'. If you can prove that you used a leading motor oil, 'where did you have it changed?'. Chrysler might then tell you they are not going to be able to cover it then because you changed your oil yourself or had it changed somewh ere else. In fact Federal Law (Magnuson-Moss Act) prohibits an automobile manufacturer to void a warranty or deny warranty claim based on using aftermarket tune up or maintenance parts, such as spark plugs or motor oil for example or 3rd party service, unless provided free of charge. There are other consumers who have followed the intervals recommended by Chrysler in their vehicle's owners manual that state oil changes up to every 7,500 miles are acceptable in normal conditions where they've changed their oil every 5,000-6,000 miles only to be told 'you didn't change your motor oil enough and your engine failed due to neglect'. In fact, Chrysler even currently recommends oil change intervals of every 6,000 miles for normal conditions in current owners manuals. When vehicles are purchased used from dealers and used car lots where consumers often believe they have no proof of regular oil changes prior to their ownership, Chrysler typically automatically refuses warranty claim s blaming the previous owner. When a consumer has proof or reg ular 3,000 mile oil changes performed by a dealer we've heard of Chrysler going as far as to blame the dealer's lube technician!

To find out more and how to fight this, visit http://www.dodgechryslerengineproblems.com

About The Author

John Stanley, Founding member of http://www.daimlerchryslervehicleproblems.com

A former DaimlerChrysler / Chrysler customer who has owned several Chrysler vehicles and has extensively researched DaimlerChrysler's business practices and additionally has talked with thousands of consumers with similar experiences.

1/6 Lorry Drivers Attacked – Haulage Safety Tips For Owner Operators

by: Luke Humble

With jobs for owner operators often hard to come by, lorry drivers and haulage workers may increasingly find themselves working the less popular anti-social hours involving overnight trouble. Not only do the darker conditions make crime more likely, but exhaustion is more likely to set in, and it’s very easy to make the kind of slip up that will add you to the growing pile of haulage crime victims.

And these haulage safety lapses are reflected in the statistics. Across Europe and central Asia between 2000 and 2005, 1 in 6 lorry drivers were attacked. Of those, 30% had been the victim of repeat assaults.

The main targets of the attacks were predictably the vehicle and expensive loads they were carrying (60%), but in over a third of the cases, the driver’s personal belongings were the target of the criminals (40%). Owner operators and haulage workers should never let their guard down in truck stops, where 42% of the attacks took place – and predictably a massive 66% of all attacks occurred either in the very early morning, or late at night when poor visibility combine to create the perfect conditions for crime to thrive.

While those who have been the victims of haulage crime will find these statistics reveal no surprises, those who have managed to avoid trouble on the roads with their loads should not panic. There are various haulage safety precautions that can be undertaken to protect both you and your load.

Haulage Safety Tips To Reduce Crime:

- It sounds obvious, but equipping your haulage vehicle with a quality alarm system is the best deterrent when leaving your vehicle for any length of time. The initial outlay will be dwarfed by the damages to your reputation if your find that your load is stolen at the truck stop!

- Installing tracking devices can help the police recover your missing loads if you are the victim of crime.

- For overnight stops, make sure you only use official truck parking locations – it simply isn’t worth the risk in going unofficial.

- Try not to get into a habit on your journeys – varying your routes, favoured truck stops and times can make it difficult for a hit on your cargo to be scheduled!

- Parking up ahead of the “Just in Time” delivery window – although representing good time keeping – can make you a sitting duck for crime, as it means you have to wait around.

- Keep your haulage vehicle locked at all times, and make sure your keys are secure. Obviously “with the vehicle” never constitutes ‘secure’.

- Every time you return to your haulage vehicle, give it a once over and look for any suspicious markings (e.g: cut curtain sides) which implicate your vehicle as a target for crime. If you have any doubts, let the police know.

- Resting and refueling your haulage vehicle should be undertaken at pre-authorised stops. If unavoidable, practice extra vigilance.

- Keep the contents of your truck to yourself – you really don’t want thieves and dangerous types knowing of the riches and valuables in your lorry!

- Never pick up hitch hikers

- When taking a break, park somewhere where your lorry will be visible from the rest stop or café you’re heading to

- Ensure your load documentation tally matches your consignment

- Double and triple check the delivery addresses before you set off

- Take an inventory of your load as it enters and leaves your vehicle. Greater vigilance is required when another party is helping out.

Finally, make sure that – if you’re using a freight exchange – you can trust the people you’re doing business with. Our freight exchange allows for people to rate their business partners, so you can ensure that your future colleagues are above board and have a good reputation, before taking on new jobs for owner operators.

These haulage safety tips, alongside the usual care and vigilance you would take at night anywhere, should ensure that both you and your load don’t join the growing statistic of haulage crime victims next time you take on a freight or owner operator job.

About The Author

Luke Humble is the Website Manager for Haulage Exchange (http://www.haulageexchange.co.uk); one of the UK’s largest and fastest growing independent freight exchanges. The exchanges are neutral, actively managed and with strict quality control to ensure smooth running.

EU Puts Up Fuel Consumption

by: Peter Towler

European legislators have taken a step which has angered Green campaigners and reversed the efforts of many environmentally aware motorists.

In a move which will force drivers in all member states to waste money and spew out more carbon dioxide, the European Union has injured it’s green credentials by ordering that vehicles will have to travel during the day with their lights on.

The ‘ludicrous’ European directive, to be introduced in 2011, has been condemned by campaigners who say the rules will make roads more dangerous for motorcycles and cause more deaths.

British Transport Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick, is opposed to the measure but the majority of EU states were in favour. A majority vote is all that was necessary. Mr. Fitzpatrick admitted that the new rules, which relate to all new vehicles, would lead to annual fuel consumption across the EU to rise by 5 per cent.

According to the Automobile Association, the average UK family car covering the average 8,770 miles a year would increase fuel costs by some £68 a year at today’s prices. That is based on 31 miles per gallon. But some gas guzzlers only do 13mpg, meaning an increase of up to £160 a year.

Big trucks with an average consumption of 8.1mpg would see costs soar by £260 a year. Needless to say, that will cause the cost of all goods to rise sharply. The government could reduce fuel tax so that the Directive has a neutral cost effect, but that is about as likely as Zimbabwe putting the next man on the moon.

Daytime running lights have been compulsory in Scandinavia since the late 1970’s – which is why Swedish Volvos always have their lights on.

According to a Dutch research study, some 5,500 deaths and 155,000 injuries could be prevented by implementation of the Directive.

Greg Knight, a UK Member of Parliament opposed to the measure said, “This idea was being pushed by the Scandinavians and it’s absolutely ludicrous that it should be imposed in a blanket fashion across Europe. The UK does not suffer from the short hours of daylight as in northern Europe, and places like Spain certainly don’t. All the green groups are worried about the environment – surely this will make it worse. There are also fears it will harm road safety.”

Stephen Ladyman, another UK MP, said “This directive will kill a lot of motorcyclists. They use daytime lights to make them easier to see, but if cars are using them as well, motorbikes will just blur into the background.”

Edmund King of the Automobile Association said, “Daytime running lights offer a significant safety advantage, particularly for pedestrians trying to spot moving cars through a line of parked vehicles. However, motorcyclists are very worried that other motorists will no longer be able to pick them out from other traffic.”

About The Author

Xlcr (Peter Towler) is the publisher of the blog title SaveFuel-SaveMoney at http://savefuel-savemoney.blog-it-here.com

7 Tips on Saving Fuel

by: Boon Kiat Chua

Oil price is soaring and it certainly looks like it will not be staying at a constant price for long. I remembered last year around June, the price per litre of Shell 98 was around $1.70 SGD and just recently when I was refilling fuel. It costs about $2.12 SGD per litre; an increase of almost $0.40 SGD per litre. Not to mention that the price is still rising. There are a few alternatives that we can do.

1. To stop driving - for those who have been driving, you will be saying it's crazy! Cars are just like your legs; they carries you around places. However, what we can do is to try walking, cycling or hopping on a bus for short trips.

2. To change to hybrid car - this is one viable option where you can adopt and yet some were saying that it takes much more fuel to produce a hybrid car.

3. To change the way we drive - this is possibly the immediate option that we can adopt. By changing your driving habits you can improve fuel economy and there are many tips which you can use to start saving dollars and not pennies. Changing your habits and you'll see a substantial savings at the pump — without the need for a new car.

Let us look at ways on how we can change our driving habits as well as tips on how we can save fuel. These tips not only help you to save fuel, but also help you to contribute your bit towards saving our planet.

Keep Your Tires Properly Inflated

Keeping the tires at the right pressure not only increase your safety while driving, it also promotes fuel efficiency. The PSI number at the side of your tires shows the maximum pressure of the tire and is not the proper inflation level for your car. Your vehicle manufacturer will list the recommended tire pressure in your owner's manual or a sticker on the doorjamb of the driver-side door. You will notice that if your tires are underinflated, you will experience the extra drag on your car and this translates to more fuel usage.

Follow the Recommended Maintenance

It is important to follow your car manufacturer's servicing recommendations. A vehicle that is well maintained means it will operate with greater efficiency. This not only improves your overall vehicle performance, but it will improve your fuel economy as well. Proper maintenance also means using the right octane gas and the recommended grade of motor oil. A fuel with a higher and inappropriate octane rating does not translate to more power. Using the recommended types for your vehicle will give you optimum fuel economy — and can translate to more saving for you.

Avoid carrying excess weight

Heavier vehicles require more energy to move, so carrying around excess weight will also affect your mileage. Keeping your boot or back seat clear of unnecessary items can reduce weight to your vehicle and increase fuel efficiency.

Drive smoothly

Aggressive driving can use as much as a third more fuel, so avoid accelerating or braking too hard and keep steering smoothly. The fewer heavy brakings and flooring of the accelerator, the more fuel you save. It is important to plan your trip and to avoid the rush when driving. Always give yourself extra time to get to your destination and drive in a "steady and smooth" manner. This not only gets you safely to your destination, it also helps you to save fuel.

Use the Highest Gear Possible

Changing to a higher gear to match the speed of the car is the way to go. Lowest gear yields greatest power but translates to an increase in fuel consumption. To improve your fuel economy, drive in the highest gear possible when you are cruising at a steady speed, such as on the highway.

Use Cruise Control

Using cruise control can improve your gas mileage by helping you maintain a steady speed, but only if you are driving on mostly flat roads. However, if you are in hilly terrain, you should turn off cruise. It will try to keep you up to the speed you've set and will use a lot of extra gas downshifting to lower gears to accomplish this.

Avoid excess idling

When a car is idling, it is using fuel. Turning the engine off during idle periods can help you avoid burning excess fuel. If you are waiting for your kid outside the school or waiting to pick up someone, it is more efficient to turn the engine off while you wait and then restart the car. You will save fuel.

With these tips, you will not only drastically improve your fuel efficiency and saving money but also doing your bit for our planet.

About The Author

Boon Kiat Chua likes information on health, weight loss, cancer, and anything interesting under the sun that is close to his heart. He compiled a blog where you can find a lot of health information as well as information on general interesting topics at The Wisdom Blog: http://wisdomnet.blogspot.com. Please feel free to use this article as long as you provide a clickable link to the above website

Car Wallpaper Enthusiasts

by: Brad Miller

Car Enthusiasts - Rev up your desktops

Take a look at any of your average desktops. They are usually pretty plain and bland. Usually, it still has the default theme and wallpaper and looks just like the million other or so desktops out there.

Now there are a couple of things that you can do to spruce up your desktop and make it a bit more exciting. You can easily look online and find some good quality sites that would provide you with quality wallpaper, and desktops. Some even have themes for you to utilize as well.

Some of the most stunning wallpaper photos and backgrounds out there have to be those related to cars. Those car wallpaper graphics are so stunning that they literally seem to make the car jump off the screen.

Being a car enthusiast myself, I always try to get the most updated car wallpaper that I can. I just enjoy the look and feel of a brand new exotic car on my desktop. I might not be able to financially afford it, but I can easily revel in its beauty on a daily basis. You too can enjoy this feeling.

There are all sorts of different car wallpapers that you can find. They have created some on exotic cars, muscle cars and my favorite vintage cars. Car wallpapers are usually not that hard to find, but quality car wallpaper is.

By doing a search on Google you can usually find what it is you are looking for, whether it's a Shelby Mustang or even a Citroen. Whatever it is, just type in the name and style of the car followed by wallpaper and you should be able to find the right car wallpaper.

Once you have found the right one, there should be some dimension options for you to select. These dimensions are based on your monitor size so choose wisely. If you choose the wrong one, you will have a pixilated version of the wallpaper that will not look very good. It will look very distorted.

It doesn't take much to change your wallpaper. Just a couple of clicks of the mouse and you are done. The easiest way to change your wallpaper on a windows based computer is to right click on your desktop and select properties. Next, select the desktop tab and click on the browse button. Now, you just need to find the image that you downloaded and select that as your desktop. Press ok, and you should have your exciting new car wallpaper staring back at you.

If you choose the right one, you should feel an instant sense of gratification. Sometimes I even use it as motivation. I take a look at the exotic car and I just imagine what it would like to own it and to drive it. I can practically smell the motor oil already.

If you want to look through a pretty good selection of quality car wallpapers or car photos, you can take a look here at: http://www.exoticcarsite.com

About The Author

Brad Miller is the owner of ExoticCarSite. You can find more information at http://ExoticCarSite.com.

What First Time Car Owners Must Remember

by: Charlie Angeles

The days when you had no other option but to hire an irport limo service company when you had to fetch or drive somebody to the airport are finally over—you are now a proud owner of a beautiful piece of automotive engineering miracle. Before you start shifting gears and channeling your inner Michael Schumacher however, remember that there are a variety of things--from automotive diagnostics to the real importance of getting car insurance-- you must know and remember.

First, always, always get car insurance. Not only is this a responsible and smart thing to do, in some countries, it is the lawful thing to do too as well. In the United States for example, failure to purchase an insurance policy for your car can lead to fines, license suspension and, in some cases, jail time. Now how are you supposed to enjoy being king of the road if you’re held up inside jail?

Remember too that when it comes to driving, safety always comes first. As a first time car owner, it is understandable that you would want to floor the pedal every chance you get. But remember that when you drive recklessly, you don’t just put yourself in danger, you risk the lives of the other people on the road with you too. So be careful on the road and try to suppress the urge to see if your Prius can roar like a Formula One car (just for the record, it can’t).

Also, regularly check your car’s safety devices and make sure they’re always working. Are your seat belts ok? Are the air bags functioning? And most especially, are your brakes working properly? Does your car slow down or stop the moment you step on the break pedals? If not, then better bring your vehicle to the shop for auto brake repair services now.

Another important thing you need to remember is that when it comes to cars, you must treat everything like a major problem. Things you shrug off and dismiss as “minor inconveniences” could snowball and cause major headaches for you. When you think your car is not running as smoothly as it did before or when a gallon of gas is now only good for a couple of miles, take it for an tune up before your engine gets any worse. A tune up (which can includes the adjusting the carburetor, replacing the air filter and inspecting the ignition system) will improve your car’s performance and efficiency.

When you are experiencing problems with your car’s performance but you or your mechanic is not sure what exactly is wrong, then better take your car to an automotive diagnostics center and let their specialists run tests on your vehicle and determine what is or isn’t wrong with it. This would give you more reliable and accurate information about your car and let you avoid paying for costly repairs and parts replacements that would later prove to be unnecessary and useless.

Owning your very first car comes with a tremendous feeling of pride, exhilaration and freedom. But it also comes with a trunk full of duties and responsibilities too.

Visit this site http://www.ridesmartsedan.com for more information about Phoenix airport transportation and Phoenix airport limo services.

About The Author

Charlie Angeles is affiliated with an airport limo service company that offers Phoenix airport limo services. Visit their site http://www.ridesmartsedan.com for more information about Phoenix airport transportation service.

Information on Car Loans for Poor Credit

by: Chris George

Many assume that it is impossible to attain an auto loan when you have a bad credit rating. This assumption is quite far from the truth. Though it may seem difficult to find an auto loan when you have a bad credit, it is definitely not impossible. In recent years, poor credit auto loan business has significantly grown. The reason being that there is a greater number of people with a bad credit history.

Bad-credit auto loans carry a higher risk to lenders. As a result, the lenders usually charge a higher interest rate to their borrowers. Lenders assess your credit ratings and match your requirements with the best suited auto loan package. Almost all lenders have online loan applications, which speeds up the process and makes it a lot simpler.

As previously mentioned, interest rates on bad credit auto loans are generally higher. This results in you paying a larger amount of interest. However, improving your credit rating can avoid lenders from charging you a higher interest rate on your bad-credit auto loan.

Here are some ways to improve your credit rating

* Attain a valid copy of your credit report.
* Keep all current accounts up to date. Do not fall behind on any payments and pay all your bills on time.
* Avoid taking multiple loans, especially at the same time.

Remember, a bad-credit auto loan can not only help you get new or used vehicles but it will also help you rebuild your credit history. The best way to gain insight into the best rates for bad-credit auto loans is by doing some comparison shopping; much like you would when searching for your desired used or new vehicle. When looking at auto loan offers, always compare the Annual Percentage Rate. This will help you determine the best loan for you and your budget.

About The Author

The article was produced by the writer of http://www.PoorCreditCarLoan.ca

Chris George has over 15 years of a vast experience in providing Automotive Special Finance services

Information About Used Car Loans

by: Chris George

Getting a used car loan is an option if you don't have the funds required to buy a new car. It is an easier option and way to realize your dream of having your own vehicle. The first step is to find out about lending options whether it is at a financing company or through online services to find affordable finance options. There are a few steps that you need to go through which include finding out the exact price of the vehicle, estimating the amount required and borrowing the amount that you are easily able to pay back in installments.

The need for a used car loan is specifically suited for individuals with bad credit and are deliberately formatted to favor such holders. If you have bad credit due to defaults, arrears, bankruptcy or a delinquent credit history you can still get the car that you need or desire. The options that are available to people with good credit are now also available to bad credit holders, whether it be secured or unsecured based on personal choice and ability.

The market for used car loan for bad credit holders has definitely gotten easier but you have to be very careful and make sure you arm yourself with a lot of research. Interest rates tend to be higher and that can affect the monthly repayments. Before making any decisions, applicants should put in a little bit of an effort and do some research and arm themselves with knowledge before making any further decisions. Applicants should compare quotes of used car loans that are offered by various lenders.

There are many available sources for research that you can utilize. If the method of applying for a loan seems lengthy or too complex, you can take advantage of brokers that do almost 90% of the work for you. Also customer call centers of the various lenders are just a phone call away. If you have bad credit or just can't afford a new car, consider the option of a used car auto loan.

About The Author

The article was produced by the writer of http://www.goodcreditbadcreditcarloan.ca

Chris George has over 15 years of a vast experience in providing Automotive Special Finance services.

Truck Tires Online

by: Chris Meagher

Truck tire bargains on the internet used to be limited to mainly auction websites. When one considers the number of rip-off merchants in one particular online auction site, it is not so surprising to find that tire buyers tend to stay away.

Choosing a truck tire seems relatively easy, however, it can be a bummer if you come up with the wrong type for your vehicle. Fitted and correct tires for two to three ton vehicles, including possible cargo, play an important part in safe and smooth travel. Therefore, you must be certain of the kind of tire you need to buy.

The Right Truck Tire

Due to the diverse sizes and models of trucks, along with tires to match, shopping for truck tires is not so simple as, say, candles. Prices vary, too, depending on the main use of your truck.

Here are some things to keep in mind before you go online.

Do not bother with super-low profile tires, for commercial vehicles. These tires are prone to damage from such things as driveway lips and kerbs. Buying this kind of tire will ultimately cost more in the long run.

Commercial trucks require a high-ply tire that will withstand a lot of weight. These run with high air pressure and are expensive when bought new. You can save on these by buying retreads.

With low-profile tires on a recreational truck, with little rubber on the side walls, lets you run a larger rim than normal.

For a truck that is used every day for both pleasure and work, radial tires have ply cords that are laid at right angles to the center line of the tread, making for a smooth ride. Radial tires are more forgiving on roadways that are paved or concreted. They offer excellent traction in wet conditions.

Truck tire size rating can be found on the side of your original tire. If better performance is needed, you can always upgrade, remembering - dont go over-board, always stay in the middle ground of what is suggested.

Truck tire speed rating is the speed range at which a truck tire can be used at different speed and load conditions. For example, most common designation uses "V" category for 240 km/h or 149mph speed range and "Z" speed rating for top speed. This ensures that you can safely drive the tire on the speed you choose.

Truck tire load rating index is the assigned numbers delegated to a tire that will tell you the safe load that can be used for a tire. Again use moderation when selecting this, but know first what kind of load you will be using with the tires. The higher the number the higher the load you can have (of course the more expensive it is).

If you are unfamiliar about your particular tires, go to the vehicles identification sticker (located in the vehicles door or glove box) or owners manual, for the information you need. In there you will find the speed, rim size and allowable payload intended for your truck tire and wheel.

Most online stores have the proper size index form where you can input your vehicle information. After feeding this info, the corresponding truck tire specifications will be given to you based on different types of brands.

More information about tires can be found at:

http://www.instantwhitewalls.com/cartires/index.html

About The Author

Chris Meagher has been a Netpreneur for 5 years. Producing diverse articles from Agriculture to Weddings. further reading to be found at : http://instantwhitewalls.com/cartires/