20th
February
2008
In order for you to get the best coverage for your vehicle, it’s best to shop around before you make a decision. Just like you shop for a vehicle, you should do the same for auto insurance. This is important because you need to know what kind of budget you’re lookingTo start off, you will have to know what coverage you’ll need to get for your vehicle. In the
United States, it is mandatory that you have liability insurance, if nothing else. Liability insurance is used when the coverage is required to pay for damage from an auto accident. No one can escape getting this insurance coverage. Otherwise, you’d be facing a lawsuit, for sure.There are other parts of insurance coverage you can get, but are not mandatory like liability insurance:Collision – This is insurance coverage that is used to pay for your vehicle if it has to be repaired or replaced in the event of a car accident. Depending on how your coverage is set up, you may have to pay a deductible prior to this coverage kicking in.Comprehensive – This is insurance coverage that is used to pay for damages or loss due to anything other than a car accident. This can be in the form of a theft, fire or a collision with a deer. As with collision insurance, a deductible can apply.A deductible is what you as the insured, has to pay according to the insurance policy. You as the insured choose the amount of the deductible. The deductible is then included with your collision and/or comprehensive insurance coverage. If you have a lower priced deductible, then expect to pay more for your insurance premiums.You should research the insurance companies that you’re thinking about getting coverage with. In addition to getting the best premium for your money, you will want to know whether or not they use credit scores as a factor. If they do, it may mean the difference between a higher premium or no premium at all. Contact the insurance companies that interest you and get quotes. You can also get insurance quotes online by filling in some information.When you have enough information, start calling the companies in question. Get more information for each one to see which deal would be the best for you. Write down the information and do some comparisons. Ask about discounts. Some, if not all auto insurance companies offer discounts on seat belt drivers and people who don’t smoke.When you settle on an auto insurance policy, make sure you understand the lingo that goes with it. You should know how your policy works because you will need to know what you have in the event you need to use it. If there are any gray areas, consult with your auto insurance provider.God forbid, if you have to file an auto insurance claim, make sure you know what to do. Your auto insurance provider should be contacted, regardless of who is at fault. They will be able to tell you what to do from there.
posted in Insurance |
20th
February
2008
Imagine strapping yourself into your car and instead of going forward you begin to lift upward. The experience is sort of like you imagined how a flying saucer would take off when you were a kid, but you’re no alien and this is for real.Flying Cars, Are You for Real?When Doctor Paul Moller founded the Moller Institute in 1983, the idea of a flying car remained in the world of fantasy and Sci-fi enthusiasts. Today Dr. Moller’s dream of commuter transportation using the sky has moved from the imagination to the first stages of reality. Today the Moller Institute through Freedom Motors (formed by Moller) has produced the MX-400, a futuristic looking sky-car that can take off vertically and get speeds of 350 mph. Its engine is light weight, producing less emissions than conventional motors, but has a drawback—it only get 15 miles per gallon.Flying Cars become CompetitiveThe Moller Sky Car is not the only flying car in production. Flying cars or Personal Air Vehicles (PAV) are personal vehicles that maneuver both on the road and in the sky. Besides the Moller Sky Car there are at least four other PAV’s under development. The Transition by Terrafugia Inc, the Haynes Aero Skyblazer by Haynes Aero, the FSC-1 by LaBiche Aerospace, the Magic Dragon , by StrongMobile, and the Moller M400 Skycar by Moller International are changing the face of the vehicular transportation industry.This change moves the concept and potential that has long been held only by the military to “car manufacturers.” The implication of these projects are many and may very well complicate the transportation industry, city planning, and aviation for years to come.Flying VerticallyNot all future flying cars use Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) technology, but it sure has made the ones that do stand out amongst the crowd. This innovation allows the PAV to lift off instead of take off, making it more like a heli-car than a flying car.VTOL has been in use by the US Military for some time, most notably in the form of the harrier jet. What’s remarkable is that both the Moller Sky Car and the X-Hawk use this same technology in their “for driveway vehicles.” There are some drawbacks to VTOL, like the price, but the advantages of VTOL technology in flying cars are obvious—no runways needed. It reminds one of that now famous line Doc Brown says to Marty at the end of Back to the Future: “Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.”The Future is in the SkyEver since society moved into motorized travel, the sky has been the final frontier of personal travel. It is only natural that as technology advances, car designs will develop that incorporate and amalgamate the ideas and dreams held within us.With the increasing movement towards creating the next generation of vehicles, the sky is the most likely target. From Moller to LaBiche Aerospace, intense energy has begun to be put into lifting the everyday person into the sky. Whether future flying cars will be used for commuting or recreation, the possibilities are endless. With profound implications for society and the environment, the flying car’s effects are just beginning to be felt.
posted in Future Fuels |
20th
February
2008
With gasoline prices setting new records for all-time highs, everyone’s looking to get better mileage and save money at the pumps. 1. Buy a hybridEasier said than done, buying a hybrid car is a big initial investment. But with mileage as high as 50 miles to the gallon, a hybrid can save you thousands every year.2. Pump up your tiresA car with under-inflated tires uses approximately 6 percent more gas than a car with filled tires. If you don’t know the proper tire pressure for your car, check for a label in your car that displays this information - usually along the edge of the driver side door or inside the gas cap cover. If not there, check the car’s user guide.3. Get a regular oil changeClean oil will reduce the friction between the moving parts in your engine, meaning your car will run more efficiently and you can reduce your fuel consumption by 3 percent.4. Drive slowerThe magic number for maximum fuel efficiency is 55 miles per hour. For every 5 miles over, it will cost you approximately an extra 3 percent per gallon.5. Avoid fast stops and startsYou can conserve a fair amount of gas by avoiding fast stops and starts. Instead of screeching to a stop at traffic lights and then speeding away, come to a slow and steady stop. You should slow down and speed up as gradually and smoothly as possible.6. Replace the air filterLike a clogged lint trap, a dirty air filter will reduce your car’s efficiency and increase your fuel consumption. Have your air filter checked when you get your oil changed, or replace it yourself. It’s a cheap and easy fix most people can do; check your car manual for instructions.7. Clear out that junkIf you’ve got mountain bikes on your roof and a trunk full of junk, you could be spending a fortune on unnecessary fuel consumption. For every 100 pounds of cargo that a car carries, the gas mileage is reduced by about 2 percent!8. Use your vents, not your air conditionerMost car owners know that running the air conditioner can cost a lot in gas, but open windows can increase your drag, also resulting in additional gasoline usage. Your best option is to use your vents to get fresh air circulating and keep you cool in moderate weather. Save the air conditioner for the more intense heat.For the most part, saving money on your gasoline expense is common sense and relatively simple to accomplish.
posted in Future Fuels |
20th
February
2008
Hydrogen on demand is a nice concept only if we can supply the energy to make it happen in the first place and make it cost effective. The only by-product of hydrogen on demand is water.Hydrogen-On-Demand is a home made system that can be assembled by simple and cheap products found in any hardware store. This Hydrogen on demand device produces hydrogen from tap water. This is the type of system one would need to make any car run on hydrogen and still have the factory performance, and do the work it could do on gasoline. The technology is a hydrogen-from-water generating process that helps solve many of the hydrogen creation and storage problems faced today and in the fast approaching “hydrogen economy”.Stanley Meyers patented method of producing hydrogen on demand is the means of running the engine on hydrogen using water. The Hydrogen on Demand system releases the hydrogen stored in the chemical bonds of sodium borohydride solutions by passing the liquid through a chamber containing a proprietary catalyst. Many inventors claim to have produced electrolysis units to use the charge created by a cars alternator to split a tank of water into hydrogen and oxygen whilst the car is being driven. These are systems or devices such as water for gas that offer the safest and most economical solution.The system produces Hydrogen when we need it, rather than producing it in an expensive and polluting factory, then delivering it in huge trucks and storing it unsafely in high-pressure gas tanks. Due to the hydrogen being delivered via water vapor, engine heat is reduced, even as the hydrogen creates more power via increased yield of the fuel. While the engine runs cooler, it’s also vibrating less, and smoothing out, as the hydrogen being added tends to round out the combustion.All of this equates, obviously, to longer life of parts on the automobile, and therefore, converting to a hydrogen/fuel mixture for running the engine is indeed an ounce of prevention worth the weight of the car. What happens when you draw hydrogen gas from water is that water actually converts, one of it’s oxygen molecules into a hydrogen molecule. Having hydrogen and air mix together is actually better for the combustion in the engine anyway.Hydrogen on-demand is going to be what catapults hydrogen from being a great concept to a great reality. With the ever increasing prices of gas and diesel fuel, this has got to be the way forward to help the environment and make cars more economical.
posted in Future Fuels |
20th
February
2008
There have been many tips circulating around and recently, I have written several ways to increase gas mileage. Some people have asked me some questions. So, I think I should write out some of the main concerns here.1) Will inflating the tires make it difficult to drive and is it dangerous?
Yes, it is indeed true that over-inflating the tires will affect the handling of the car. Therefore, you shouldn’t inflate the tires too much and you should test drive before really drive on the main roads. Besides, over-inflating the tires may lessen the life of the tires, so remember to check your tires frequently.2) Can I really increase the gas mileage by 20%?
Many people have asked me this. I will confidently say yes, you can increase your car’s gas mileage by 15-20% if you follow all the steps I have provided. Besides, remember to service your cars, clean the air filter et cetera. These will also helps to increase gas mileage. If you want better or more noticeable effect, you may try some products that increase gas mileage such as special synthetic motor oil or even modify your car engine to increase the efficiency of the engine, however, this may cost some money.3) How long does it take to see the effect?
Duh… You will see the effect instantly if you do everything today. Lol, I’m stunned to see this question.
posted in Driving Tips |
20th
February
2008
When buying a used car you only have the word of the seller when it comes to the background history. Well, this is not entirely true if you take advantage of an online vehicle history checker. This check can reveal any hidden skeletons in the closet of the car.Thousands of vehicles are stolen each year and some of these do turn up for sale as used cars. If you were to buy a second hand car that had been stolen then you would lose the money you paid for it as the vehicle would be returned to its owner. The same goes when it comes to cars that have a loan attached to them. Sellers will put up a car for sale while still owing money on it and this means that you would either have to pay off the outstanding finance for the vehicle or the return the car to the lender. An online vehicle history checker can reveal to the potential buyer whether the car has been in an accident. If the accident has caused the vehicle to suffer extensive damage then the insurance company will write it off. However the car could then go on to be repaired and of course the buyer never knows unless they take a data check. In some cases this could be dangerous and of course makes the small fee charged for the check well worth it. If the vehicle has been written off then the check will make you aware of the reason and the extent of the damage. It will also tell you if the car was a total loss.Sometimes for reasons which are quite ethical the number plate can be changed. The online vehicle history checker will tell you how many times the number plate has changed and for what reason. Sometimes the number plate change can be to hide something in the cars past such as if it was written-off.You can also check the mileage on the car. The data check will reveal if the mileage on the actual clock is what is listed in the car data check or if it has been tampered with. When selling a used vehicle altering the mileage on the clock is one popular way of boosting the chances of selling the car. The vehicle’s identification number (VIN) is needed when using an online car data checker. The seller should never stop you from looking for this number and it can generally be found behind the windscreen, on the chassis and bodywork of the car. Along with these numbers matching they should also match the number on the paperwork that comes with the car. When checking these over be sure to look for any changes that might mean the numbers have been tampered with.Finally another advantage of using an online vehicle history checker is finding out the true value of the car in question. The data check will give you an estimate as to how much the vehicle is worth which will tell you whether the bargain you thought you were getting is an actual bargain.
posted in General Information |
20th
February
2008
While the majority of individuals are totally honest and the vehicle they are selling is what they claim it is. However there are those who also “con” those looking for a bargain. They do this be selling a car that can have had the mileage altered, has been stolen or the vehicle could have a loan attached to it. If you want to be sure of what you are buying then an online car data checker could be the answer.An online vehicle data checker used with a specialist website will give you a great deal of information regarding the car you are thinking of buying. It will be able to tell you how many miles the vehicle has actual done so you can compare it against the mileage on the clock. You will find out the color of the car at present and also any other colors it has been in the past, how big the engine should be and how many doors the vehicle has. It can also tell you how many times the car has exchanged hands and this can be a lot more than the one careful owner which the seller claims.More importantly is the safety aspect of the vehicle and an online car data checker can also help here. The check will be able to reveal if the vehicle has been involved in an accident and whether it was deemed a write off. If the car was written off you are able to find out exactly how much damage was sustained and for what reason the vehicle was written-off. Sometimes an insurance company will believe the car is too badly damaged to be repaired while other times particularly if the vehicle is old then it might not be worth the cost of repairs. While repairing and selling a car that has been written-off is wrong for any reason, if the vehicle was deemed unfit to be repaired you could be taking your life into your hands by taking it back on the road. On some occasions it has even been found that two cars are welded together to make one. An online car data checker can also tell the potential buyer if the vehicle has been reported as being as stolen. If this is the case then the car would have to be returned to its rightful owner which means that you would lose out. Another factor you have to watch out for when buying a used vehicle is that it does not come with a loan attached to it. Some individuals will try to pass on a used car that still has the balance of a loan and if this is the case then the vehicle would not rightfully be yours. Using a specialist website and the online car data checker you can not only save yourself a great deal of money in the long term but also search for and buy your used vehicle with peace of mind that you can fully check its history beforehand.
posted in General Information |
20th
February
2008
Whether you are thinking of buying a used car with a dealership or privately, you can benefit by gaining a lot of information about the history of the vehicle if you get a car data check. This check is essential when buying privately as while there are many honest individuals selling online, there are also those who are less ethical.A car data check can reveal if the vehicle has an outstanding loan on it. If the car does have finance that is still outstanding on it then the seller does not have the right to pass it on. It has been revealed that around a quarter of all cars checked online using a data check have been sold with an outstanding loan attached to it. If you were to buy a vehicle this way then you would either have to pay off the loan or give up the car.Sometimes cars that have been seen as being too badly damaged after an accident are written off by the insurance company. However four out of 100 cars then go on to be repaired and sold. The majority of these are repaired and are safe to be on the road however the remainder are not which means you could be sold what essentially could be a death-trap. A vehicle data check can now even reveal the extent of the damage that occurred to the car if it was written off.A car data check can also reveal if the vehicle you are considering buying has been reported as being stolen. Sometimes stolen cars will be sold on as having one careful owner and if you should be unfortunate to fall prey to a dishonest seller then the vehicle will have to be given back to the rightful owner at your expense. A check will also be able to tell you if the registration plate has been changed and if so how many times. In the majority of cases this is nothing to be alarmed about but occasionally this trick has been used to hide the dubious past of the car. If the car is found the have had plate changes then the reasons for doing so will be shown, this can reveal if the vehicle was deemed a write-off and then repaired to be sold.Some sellers will “clock” the vehicle’s mileage. This means they will alter the true mileage to show the car has done a lot less miles than it really has. If the mileage has been altered then this should be considered a red flag and there might be other problems relating to the car. One of the things that are used to make the car data check is the vehicle identification number. This will reveal if the vehicle is the make and model the seller is saying it is. It will also tell you how many owners the vehicle has had in the past. The colors and any previous colors the car has been will also be revealed.
posted in Useful Tips |
20th
February
2008
Hybrid vehicles are growing in popularity with consumers because they want the best value for their money. In regard to hybrid vehicles, they can offer that with fuel costs. You may pay more for the vehicle itself, but the good gas mileage factor is an attractive feature. There are some things, however, to consider before you purchase one:When you’re looking to purchase a hybrid vehicle, one thing to look at is the size. Hybrid vehicles use to be very small, but auto manufacturers have expanded their size selection with hybrid vehicles. When you’re looking at the size of the vehicle, keep in mind how many people you may be transporting and if you’ll have a lot of miscellaneous loads, such as groceries, gifts, etc.There are some hybrids that only seat two. This is ideal for a single person who doesn’t have any obligations, as far as children are concerned. There is room to put some things in the trunk. There are compact sedans that seat five; the downside to this is the trunks are smaller due to the battery storage. There are also SUV hybrids that are two and four wheel drives. The Ford Escape and Saturn VUE fit in this category. There is an SUV hybrid that seats seven people. So far,
Toyota is the only car manufacturer that has it (Highlander Hybrid).The lowest starting price for hybrid vehicles can be approximately $19,000. On the high end, the highest price for a hybrid vehicle can be close to $55,000 - $60,000. Because of the specialty functions of the hybrid, they will cost more than a regular vehicle. You’ll have to figure in at least several thousand dollars more. These figures listed represent base model prices. Like with a regular vehicle, if you want additional features, you have to add that to the base cost.The gas mileage is one of the main reasons why people are now switching to hybrid vehicles. With hybrid vehicles, the EPA estimates are usually higher than the regular vehicles. Hybrid vehicles that have manual transmission offer slightly more mileage than those with automatic transmission. At lower speed levels, hybrid vehicles such as the Toyota Prius can operate with just the battery.Appearance should be an important factor on what type of hybrid vehicle to purchase. Some of the vehicles look similar, but if you want to stand out, you’ll want to purchase one that looks different from the rest. There are some hybrid vehicles that look like they come from another planet. Some people like them, some people don’t. There are some hybrid vehicles that look like regular vehicles. The distinction is the symbol or marking on the vehicle.The real test will be when you take it on a sample ride. You’ll get to drive it for a few minutes to see how it feels. In addition to the above facts, it may be advantageous for you to consider at least looking at one of these. These hybrid vehicles won’t let you down, especially if you’re looking for quality and cost.
posted in Future Fuels |
20th
February
2008
Well wonder no more, as I am about to reveal to you 5 easy steps to achieve and excellent shine and polish for your auto.Step 1 -
Wash
Washing removes loose surface dirt and loose contaminants that have not yet bonded to the surface.Because most people wash their car more than any other procedure, it’s important to use a car wash solution that is specifically formulated for vehicle paint. Whatever you do make sure you do not use any common household dishwashing or other detergents, as no only will these dull your paint work, they ar exteremly hard on other components of your vehicle such as rubbers, metals, vinyls and plastics.Step 2 - ChamoisFor a perfect dry, wipe off excess water with a chamois leather (synthetic or real) this will eliminate any water marks that may occur from water dripping down doors or from decals.Step 3 - Apply PolishThe critial thing to do here is apply a good quality polish. I recommend MyHotRod Show Winning Shine, which is also a paint protection. The product gives an outstanding shine, but by far the best thing about it is that it is easy to apply and easy to buff up. There is nothing worse than having applied polish to a whole vehicle and then start buffing and find that it is like glue to come off!The best way to apply your polish is with a microfiber applicator pad, you should do one panel at a time and apply the polish in small circular motions. The other thing to remember with polish is that less is more - the more you cake on, the more you have to take off!Step 4 - BuffOnce the polish has dried to a cloudy residue, use a soft microfiber buffing cloth in a side to side motion, frequently turning the cloth to avoid polish build up. Give special attention to areas around plastic trim, decals and lights as these frequently harbor small spots of polish and are easy to miss.Step 5 - Sit Back and AdmireThat’s it all done - now you should take time to sit back relax and admire your hard work and get ready to accept all the compliments for your as new looking shiny car!
posted in Auto Repair |