askthemercedesmechanic.com

With all the upgrades to passenger vehicles in recent years you’d think the number of injury accidents would be on the decline. Most vehicle manufacturers have included both active and passive safety features to their cars in an effort to make them safer. For example, Nissan offers pipe-style steel side-door guard beams to absorb the impact of a side collision and Isuzu offers head-curtain side-impact air bags. Many vehicles also offer active safety features in an effort to help drivers prevent accidents such as antilock braking systems, automatic dimming rearview mirrors, and tire pressure monitoring systems. It is the combination of all of these active and passive safety features that make vehicles considerably safer for occupants than they’ve been in the past. But do they make us better drivers? According to a study completed by Purdue University, the answer is no.

Published in the Journal of Risk Uncertainty, the study suggests that drivers of “safe” vehicles (eg. – vehicles that are loaded with the best passive and active safety features) are just as likely to get into accidents and sustain injuries as drivers who were driving “less safe” cars. How can that be? It actually has nothing to do with the cars or the safety features – it has to do with the way we drive.Researchers analyzed motor vehicle data from 1992 to 1997 in Washington State and found no marginal difference between the number of accidents or the level of injury to the drivers between the safer cars and those that weren’t considered as safe. Why? Fred Mannering, Ph.D. and the study’s author explains that people who know their car’s safety features reduce their risk of both accident or injury at a given speed will drive faster to return to the original level of risk.Sounds crazy? It’s not. The psychological phenomenon is also referred to as “risk homeostasis.” Psychologists analyzed a similar vehicle/road safety phenomenon in both Sweden and Iceland. When the Swedish changed to right hand traffic from left hand traffic in 1967, there was an immediate and significant reduction in the country’s traffic injury rates and fatalities (studies have shown that right hand traffic is indeed safer than left hand traffic).

However, within two years, the injury and fatality rates returned to their original levels. Why? The answer is in the perceived risk of the individual drivers. The change from left to right had an effect on how drivers drove. It increased their level of perceived risk and caused them to be more cautious while driving. The increased caution reduced the number of road crashes for almost two years. But people began to realize that the roads were less dangerous than they thought and because the risk of being injured in an accident had declined, they became less cautious in how they drove and the number of accidents began to climb back to the original number. When Iceland changed over to right hand traffic in 1968 it experienced a similar short term fluctuation in the rate of road crashes.So what does this all mean? It means that despite the upgrades in safety equipment in today’s cars and SUVs, it’s important that we, as drivers, do not rely on the safety systems of our vehicles (and those driven by other drivers) to keep us safe. First and foremost, the decisions made by the driver (to speed, to run a red light, to cut in and out of traffic lanes) impact whether or not he/she will be involved in an accident and every accident runs the risk of injury to the people involved.

It’s a beautiful summer day and it also happens to be a weekend, which leaves with a number of recreational options to entertain your self. Normally, the grind of past days of professional labor would tempt you to watch some goof films as a stress buster. But, the clear blue sky forces you to think otherwise and round up the guys in a jiffy for some real action in the form of surfing at the beach. Four friends rolling out towards the beach for some real fun so what’s missing here? It seems you forgot to do your homework and completely missed out on the most important tool to carry your surfboards.Big and bulky items like surfboards, bicycles, canoes and even skis cannot possibly be taken along in your vehicles if you don’t have a roof rack mounted on it. Although displaying the simplest of physical features in the form of bars acting as the perimeter of the space available to carry the load, these accessories have tremendous potential to offer a comfortable passage to users.To offer an enhanced accessibility to these accessories, the makers have created them in various sizes and designs to mount them on most kinds of vehicles. There are roof racks for small cars, medium cars, big cars, vans, SUVs and even buses. The apparent popularity of these accessories have made way for the introduction of a more specialized version of the luggage carrying equipments in the form of roof boxes. Roof boxes offer better safety and sophistication through an enclosure that may vary in size and design.

If you are looking to buy a used car, the most obvious place is a Used Car auction store. Even here there are options for you. You can either visit a dealer for auto auctions or the government. Both these places are great places to find a quality car at huge discounts, which are normally at around 90% of the retail cost.Make sure that the car is good condition and well within your budget. Try finding out the true value of the car in market, you will be surprised that you have found an unbelievable deal. There are numerous way of getting into used car auctions. While you may not be aware that newspaper listings aren’t the only way to do it, but there certainly are a lot of options to find out and attend auctions. To start off, you could use the newspaper, do a preview of the auction, spot out cars that you find interesting, research about the cars online and then go back to place your bid.Another place you can look at is the online listings where live auctions are conducted. That will give you a lot of insights that a newspaper listing might not give you. All this can be done within the comforts of your home. The kind of versatility and resources that an online auction offers you on your fingertips is something very unmatchable. And you can decide on your car and that too at your price. There are numerous advantages of an online used car auctions.1. In an online auction, you view and bid on cars without actually being there.
2. Not limited to any specific area
3. You can do your research while you bid.
4. Almost all vehicles on these auctions come with vehicle history reports, but you should cross check them before you take the step.Before you buy a car, always do thorough researches of the cars before you place your winning bid. Also remember from which area the car you are buying is sold. This will help you find out the delivery charges of the vehicle as well. Another thing is to check for the condition of the vehicle. This can be usually done by looking up at the preview of the cars that are up for sale. Though you cannot test drive them, you will at least eliminate cars with very obvious problems.Check for hidden charges if there are any. There are normally charges like a buyer’s premium in a used car auction. This is apart from the auction price. Also the fees vary from auction to auction. Make sure that you have all the details about the charges. Ensure that the fees include charges for transferring the legal title into your name. Also check at the used car auction ifa) The car has any outstanding finance on it.
b) Car is on the police stolen list.
c) Car has ever been an insurance ‘total loss’.
d) The car has had a number plate transfer.

Car warranty always seems to end up costing more money than we think that it should do, yet there are some real bargains to be found. By shopping around and using the internet, you could be paying considerably less for car warranty.For years it has seemed as though the only option when it came to car warranty was to buy policies from dealerships and other leading car retailers.Although car retailers specialize in buying and selling vehicles, there was little reason to suggest that they were the perfect place to buy warranties.The problem was that they often appeared to offer the only option available. There was a lack of choice, with many consumers being unaware that they might be able to purchase warranties elsewhere.

Given this focus on the big car retailers, combined with the lack of knowledge among car owners, it was little surprise that many of us ended up paying over the odds for warranty deals.The situation has slowly started to change. A big driving force has been that independent car warranty companies have started to wake up to the possibilities offered by the internet.Rather than selling policies to car retailers, they’ve started to target consumers directly. By cutting out the middleman they’ve been able to reduce prices, meaning that there are now some great deals available for car owners.

Over the coming months and years, we can expect to see increases in the amount spent on advertising by these specialist car warranty firms.As they increase their profile, it is to be hoped that more of us can benefit from cheaper car warranty deals.If you want to pick up a bargain then you’ll need to shop around online. Don’t settle for higher priced policies - put yourself in a position to make an informed decision.You may well find that you could be paying considerably less for car warranty.

Buying car warranty can be something of a minefield - many of us settle for a policy that is not the best on the market. With a little help, there’s no reason why you can’t find comprehensive car warranty at a great price.It sometimes seems as though the car warranty market is still catching up with the modern world. While many consumers have become used to saving money on items by shopping around and getting online discounts, few seem to be switched on to the possibilities of doing the same with car warranties.Independent car warranty companies are undoubtedly to blame for this approach. The big specialist warranty firms appear to have been slow to embrace the internet. Rather than making great strides to sell direct to the consumer, they appear to have settled on selling their policies to car retailers, who have largely acted as middlemen.

This approach has harmed the industry. One concern has been that this style of selling has led to increases in policy prices. In short, many car owners have been paying more for policies than they might otherwise have been.A further problem has been one of awareness. Since the leading car dealerships now dominate the market, many of us automatically look to them to sell us car warranties. Indeed, we may be unaware that there are other alternatives.This has added greater upward pressure to prices, with car retailers realising that car owners are not shopping around for better deals.If you’ve been buying warranties direct from car retailers then you may have been paying more than is really necessary.

A number of factors mean that this could all change. One key factor is that independent car warranty companies are now waking up to the power of the internet.By selling direct to consumers, they are able to sell policies at lower prices. They’re also making it easier for us to compare warranty products as a result.If you want to get the best warranty policy then you need to embrace these changes.Shopping for car warranty online will enable you to get lower prices and compare policies more easily.

Before purchasing extended warranty you need to think about your requirements.  Car warranty policies come in all shapes and sizes, with considerable variations in the prices that you will pay and in the standard of cover on offer.Many people assume that buying car warranty is simply a matter of nipping down to your local car dealership and purchasing the policy that is on offer.Unfortunately, it is exactly this approach that leads to so many car owners paying over the odds for car warranty. Car retailers don’t necessarily have the cheapest warranty deals, meaning that you could be paying substantially more than you need to.If you want to avoid paying too much for car warranties then it really is vital that you aim to shop around. It’s only by taking the time to compare policies that you can hope to get an idea of what prices are reasonable.There are a number of independent car warranty companies that are now able to sell direct to car owners online.This is great news because it makes the process of buying warranties much easier, as well as making it more straightforward to compare prices online.Comparison shouldn’t simply be about looking at the price tags though. As was mentioned above, policies can vary considerably.When you are carrying out an online comparison, you also need to think about what you want to get out of the warranty.Since there is a large amount of variation in policy terms and conditions, you need to make sure that you have a real feel for what you need included within your vehicle warranty.It’s only by having enough information available that you can hope to get a car warranty policy that’s right for your needs.

Car warranty policies vary considerably, both in terms of price and the standard of cover that is offered. If you’re thinking about taking out a new policy then there are some key points that you should look out for.Since policies do vary so much, it can sometimes be difficult knowing which warranty to go for and what should be covered.As a guide, you should expect that a good car warranty policy will cover the following areas:1. Catalytic Converters: Some poorer quality policies may not cover catalytic converters but you should look out for a policy that does if you want to guarantee peace of mind.2. Clutch Cover: Once again, this is something that is not covered by all policies. Clutch problems are relatively common so it’s important that you make sure that this is covered as part of your warranty agreement.3. In Car Entertainment Systems: If you’ve spent a lot of money upgrading the internal features of your vehicle then you would expect the warranty to cover them. An additional excess will apply to these items on many policies.4. No Claims Excess: Just as is the case with car insurance, it’s important to select a policy that doesn’t penalise you for problems encountered by other car owners.5. Replacement Vehicles: Having a policy that pays to have your car repaired is perfectly good, but you need to consider what would happen while your own vehicle is off the road. A replacement vehicle to cover any such periods is ideal.6. Overnight Accommodation: What about if you run into problems some distance from home? Having the option of overnight hotel accommodation is a real bonus.Each of the above should be covered on a good car warranty policy. Before you buy extended warranty, make sure that you know exactly what is being covered.Don’t forget to shop around too - a knowledgeable consumer is in a far better position to make an informed decision.

This is a niche market specialty vehicle for urban situations where parking is tight and expensive.Folks who want to make a green statement will find the 8-foot, 8-inch Smart ForTwo gets more attention than the increasingly common hybrids. This car is over three feet shorter than Mini-Cooper: those who call it a “golf cart” aren’t off by much.Want to turn heads? Just back your Smart car straight to the curb like a motorcycle instead of parallel parking. Two can fit into an ordinary parking space.With a surprisingly roomy interior (for 2), Smart cars are expected to appeal to urbanites in

For years now I have been an avid biker, scaling newer terrains every autumn on my ATB with equally enthusiastic friends to give way to my fascination for this adventurous sport. Having scraped the dust off the terrains that lay nearby, a yearning to tread on further grounds made itself known in my heart, which was smoothly obstructed by the distance factor. Riding the nearby hills was quite easy as we could simply ride out on our bikes, which obviously was not possible for the distant challenge. That’s when we heard of a roof rack and our potential benefactor for the journey.A roof rack is nothing but a set of bars fitted on to the roof of a car so people can carry their luggage for their trips. This product has existed for quite a long time now providing users with its infallible advantage on various kinds of occasions. The best thing is that it has been crafted in various kinds so it can be fitted into all kinds of vehicles. Our redemption however shaped up in the form of roof racks with bike carriers that were specifically introduced to carry bikes conveniently on them.The bike carriers on the roof rack are lockable so your bikes can be safely held tightly without any fear of them from falling over. Needless to say, these products were a God sent for bikers like us who want to embark on long trips on biking expeditions.Now, sidestepping away from the advantage of a roof rack in offering its valuable service to both bikers and travelers alike, an alternate version in the form of a roof box also shapes up to offer enhanced luggage stacking. With your luggage safely tucked within the enclosure of a roof box, you can be rest assured that your luggage won’t fall over during the ride.

There are a lot of different aspects to defensive driving techniques, but a key feature is to create and maintain space around your vehicle. After all, it’s difficult to come into contact with another vehicle, or some other object, if you constantly maintain adequate space around your vehicle.

Use the “Two-Second-Plus Rule”Use defensive driving techniques to create space around your vehicle. Never allow yourself to get “boxed in” by other vehicles. Adequate space creates enough reaction and braking time to help you avoid a collision.One of the key aspects of creating space is to follow the vehicle in front of you at a distance of at LEAST two seconds. You achieve this by watching as the vehicle ahead passes some object such as a sign on the side of the road, or a mark on the road surface-then count “one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two.” If you pass your chosen spot before reaching “two,” you’re too close and should slow down slightly, repeat the count and get the space you need!Avoid being tailgated, or having other vehicles encroach on your space. Employ your techniques by changing lanes, or adjusting your speed to enable tail gaters to pass. Even following at two seconds distance, you must be alert to respond quickly, but you should have enough margin under normal circumstances.Sometimes two seconds’ space may not be sufficient. Leave more space when you can when following a vehicle different to yours, such as a motorcycle or truck. Motorcycles can usually stop faster than you can in a car, and large trucks impede your vision, which can cause you not to see hazards until too late. You need to monitor this aspect of your techniques to take into account the characteristics of the vehicles near you. If in doubt, it’s better to allow a bit more space than normal.

Allow extra space when traveling on a loose, or slippery road surface as your stopping distance may be longer than normal. Be aware of the vehicles next to your vehicle in other lanes and try to adjust your speed to keep your vehicle “in the open”, with no vehicles on either side. Be very wary if you become surrounded by vehicles in a movingEven when you are stationary, such as at a red light, you need to leave adequate space between you and the vehicle in front. Leave enough room so you can escape if the car in front of you doesn’t move, or if you need to move away from danger approaching from behind. Make sure you can see the rear tires of the vehicle in front of you where they touch the road. This will give you sufficient room to negotiate around when necessary.When driving remember to use your defensive driving techniques to give yourself some space and avoid unwanted contact with other vehicles. Use your techniques to negotiate yourself into a space between packs, so you have clear lanes on both sides. (This is absolutely vital for motorcyclists!)