askthemercedesmechanic.com

If you try to overfill your gas tank by squeezing that extra bit of gas in after the pump has clicked off it could be going back into their tanks.

Let me explain.

The fuel pump at the gas station has a venting system which takes the fumes out of the air as you fill up you tank. If this did not happen you would get a face full of noxious fumes every time you fill up.

If you try to get more in after the pump has clicked off, it may suck some of the fuel into the venting system instead and back into their tank.

Also, when you put the gas in your tank it is coming from buried storage tanks and is colder than if it was stored above ground. What this means is that as the gas warms up to the temperature of the day it expands.

If you overfill you tank and then park your car up, the fuel may go into the cars fuel tank breather system and cause unknown damage or even leak from the breather onto the floor. Now along with the wasted fuel you also have a fire hazard. (Is you insurance up to date?)

For you pocket and you safety I recommend that you stop filling when the gas pump clicks.

If you are going away on holiday, or business, early in the morning and think it would be quicker to fill up the night before it may be wise to think again. There are many 24 hour gas stations.

As fuel is sold by volume it will be colder, early in the morning and as the day gets warmer it expands and you get less for your money.

It will only take minutes to fill up in the morning and gives you enough time to remember things you forgot to pack (where’s the kids?) before traveling to far.

If you are driving for a long distance it would be a good idea to use your cruise control as often as possible. A smoother speed will be more economical.

What about all the clutter in your car. It all adds weight and means more gas used. If you need to carry a full toolkit around in your trunk then it is time to think about replacing your car. Clear out the stuff you don’t need (Compact discs, half empty pop bottles, Kylie tapes, those old papers you were going to take to recycling). A tidy car makes you feel good too.

1. Support the vehicle properly – Don’t go cheap and use some homemade jack to raise your car up off the ground and don’t use the bottle jack that comes with your car to lift it up and then crawl under it. First use a good floor jack that can support at least 1 ½ tons. Once your car is in the air, use some good jack stands to keep it there. Never crawl under a raised automobile weighing several tons without the proper support. 2. Wear proper safety gear – This one seems obvious, but most mechanics just grab some air tools and go to work. Safety glasses are cheap and will save your eyes from falling debris. It only takes a little metal shaving to stick in your eye and cause a lot of damage. Mechanic’s gloves are also becoming very popular. They are thin enough to allow a mechanic to feel bolts and tools and they still provide protection. How many bloody knuckles have you gotten from smashing your hand on the engine block?3. Use the right tools – It is very tempting to just improvise with what you have on hand in your garage. Beg, borrow or purchase the right tools for your auto project. A good example, is not using a good torque wrench. You can easily damage an expensive cylinder head on your engine if they are not torqued properly. Also, use a good transmission jack. Transmissions are made of soft aluminum and can be easily damaged.4. Buy a good manual – This one will save you a lot of headaches, frustration and money. The old adage “when all else fails, read the instructions” definitely applies to the automotive shop and garage mechanic. Chiltons produces great manuals and will more than pay for itself5. Common sense is not that common – Use your brain too. It is all too common to see people working a gas tank on their car with a cigarette hanging in their mouth or working on a running engine with their neck tie hanging down over the fan blade.

This is generally because they have had very little experience on the road and are deemed as a higher risk to be in an accident. Due to this, insurance for the younger driver is often very expensive. However there are ways that even young motorists can make savings on their car insurance.

The biggest mistake that the majority of younger drivers make when choosing their first car is to choose one which suits their image and not their pocket. While they visualize themselves running around in the latest model of sports car, this type of car is in the high insurance bracket. One of the factors which are taken into account when it comes to insurance is the model and engine size of the car. By choosing something less flashy a younger motorist can shave pounds off their already high insurance premiums.

Another way in which the younger driver can help themselves is by taking advanced driving lessons. There are special courses that be taken which can go a long way to prove that you are able to handle a car and that your safety record is excellent. This can make up for the fact that you have very little experience and lack of the necessary no claims bonus, which can only be gotten by time spent driving sensibly and safely.

Installing the latest security features on your car can also help you to reduce the amount you are quoted for your premium. Simply installing an immobilizer or keeping your car in a garage instead of by the side of the road can help to reduce your premium.

Finally the biggest savings can be found online as buying online can attract around 10-15% in discounts. Shopping online for your insurance gives you the ability to search through many insurers and to get instant online quotes for the exact type of insurance you are looking for. There are also many companies that will deal with the younger driver in particular and very often this is the best bet for new motorists to make great savings on their car insurance.

The savings the younger driver can make will of course depend on the type of insurance that they choose to go for. Third party, fire and theft is by far the cheapest and depending on the age of the car this could be the best choice for the younger driver when it comes to getting cheaper car insurance.

While fully comprehensive will cover you for most eventualities, it is the most expensive type of insurance, so thought should be given to the level of cover you require before conducting an online search to determine how much you could save.

Although driving fast during extreme weathers is not really a good idea, there are times when circumstances would push us to test the limits of our very fast cars. If you happen to be one of those people who are always in a hurry to get somewhere even during bad weathers, you should make sure that your car is in top shape all the time. Always remember that very fast cars can be quite difficult to control during extreme conditions and if you are not prepared for these things, you could end up in a hospital a bed. To help you keep your very fast car in top shape, here are some things that you need to consider.Buy The Right TiresWhen it comes to very fast cars, changing tires regularly is a must. Never take the tires of your very fast car for granted or you will pay for your negligence dearly. Aside from changing tires regularly, you should make sure that you have the right type of tires for your car. According to experts, you need to use different types of tires to match with the season. For instance, during the summer, you need to install summer performance tires that provides good grip during warm weather. After the summer, you need to switch to another type of tires that are suitable for snow and ice. Always remember that summer performance tires perform really badly during the winter so you should never use them during this season. If you are not very familiar with these types of tires, go to your favorite tire dealer and ask about these types of tires.Check Your Engine PowerIf you are planning to drive very fast cars in extreme weather conditions, you better check the engine power first. Although powerful engine can be a lot of fun to have on very fast cars, they are not really very safe especially on slick roads. According to experts, high powered engines can make your very fast car skid on the ice causing you to lose control of the vehicle. This situation can be very dangerous especially if you are driving on the express lane. There have been a number of recorded cases of pile ups in the fast lane due to skidding vehicles so be very careful. You do not really want to risk hurting yourself and others. To help you control the power of your very fast car, look for a feature in the car that gives you more traction control.

We all have used batteries in the course of our everyday lives, whether consciously or unconsciously. With gadgets and technology, we often completely forget that batteries are everywhere. Until they stop working, that is! It’s a little different with larger high-powered batteries. They are used and recharged and require maintenance. With the coming of the electric vehicle as a viable driving alternative, the conversation must soon turn to the realities of the electric vehicle battery. Of immediate concern are capacity, size and weight.

Now this article has as its focus the size of electric vehicle batteries. For example, a standard vehicle battery is measured in inches (9 x 12 x 7). The car battery market is well established and at the present time, size is inextricably tied to capacity. The real issue is power for acceleration and maintaining speeds above 10-15 mph which require lots of amperage (Amps). So, in the case of electric cars, more capacity means more amps and more amps require more electric vehicle batteries. This is where size plays a part; it’s about the space needed for sufficient battery storage.

Size is not the only challenge with the use of electric vehicle batteries. With our existing technology, with size comes weight and this further complicates electric vehicle efficiency. Having a car full of batteries leaves little room for people, additional payloads and everyday shopping items. We’re already used to golf carts; now we’re seeing the two seater electric vehicles coming into its own in urban areas. We haven’t solved all the problems yet, but the process has finally begun – people are now considering driving electric vehicles, battery issues aside. Alternative lifestyle isn’t just for hippies anymore.

People are changing their opinions, with growing concern about environmental impact, economic sustainability and the rising cost of dependence on oil-based fuels. All these factors are playing their part in what could become a great national transformation. Hybrids are bridging the gap while an old industry reinvents itself. Eventually the electric vehicle battery issues will resolve themselves. Meanwhile, take a quiet stroll and think about what a quiet, peaceful ride in the fresh air would be like. You never know, we might even enjoy slowing down to stop and smell the roses. 

When you need to jack your car up to change a tire, it may not always be under ideal conditions. Regardless of whether you’re on the side of a highway or in the relative comfort of your own garage, the process of lifting a vehicle weighing thousands of pounds entails some risk. By following a few simple procedures, you can minimize any hazards to yourself and your vehicle.Know Your JackMost vehicles come equipped with a small scissor jack. This jack will be functional enough for an emergency tire-change on the roadside. Before you’re in an emergency situation, familiarize yourself with your specific jack and how it works.Secure the AreaWhen possible, ensure that vehicle is parked on a level surface. Make sure that the car is secure. The emergency brake should be firmly set. Vehicles with automatic transmissions should be in “park,” while ones with manual transmissions should be left in gear. Wedge bricks or blocks to the front and back of the tire on a diagonal from the tire to be lifted.Pick Your BattlegroundDetermine an appropriate place to set the jack. A common novice mistake is to set the jack under a bumper or body panel. These areas aren’t designed to hold the weight of the entire car; they can break under the strain and allow the car to fall. The jack must go under the vehicle’s frame, otherwise known as the chassis. Most cars are designed with a specific location for jack placement. When in doubt, check your owner’s manual.Keep it SteadyMake sure that the jack is placed on a stable, even surface. If the ground is rough or covered with gravel, place a broad, sturdy board underneath the jack. This is especially important with small, factory-provided tire jacks, which may very have narrow bases.Proceed with CautionCrank the jack up slowly. Although you may be in a hurry, take your time. Be careful to not have any part of your body underneath the car, so as not to be injured if the vehicle should fall. Once the car is lifted enough for the tire to clear the ground, push on it a bit to verify its stability on the jack.Lower the VehicleNow that the tire has been changed, bring the car back down just as you jacked it up: slowly and with care. Once again, no part of your body (or anyone else’s) should be underneath the vehicle. If there are other people present or assisting, have them step back away from the car and out of the way. Finally, remove the blocks from the chocked wheel.By working at an even pace and using common sense, you should be able to raise a vehicle, change its tire, and lower it again safely. Keep in mind that these instructions only apply to lift a car to change a tire, not to any kind of repair work that requires you to get underneath the car; for that, further precautions will be necessary.

It has been reported not only to be an electric car, but will only have three wheels. The car will tilt and slide around corners like a motorcycle. The company creating the design, Venture Vehicles, has said they aim to market the vehicle for 2009The steering of the car is the most important aspect, as the engineers had to combine the concept of a car with a motorbike. Carver, based in

There are vivid moments from the time you first saw your new bike up to the time you are learning your first rides on the bike with your family cheering you on.

From playing around, exercising or making new friends, bicycles always have been a part of our lives. However, don’t forget that aside from fond memories, we also have memories of getting hurt by bike accidents. Almost everybody who rode a bike has been involved in one form of bicycle accident or another.

Whether you are an adult bicycle enthusiast or you have young ones who are fond of riding bikes, the single most common protection for bike riders in case of accident is wearing a helmet. Elbow and knee pads are great also but head injuries and brain injuries are more serious injuries than broken bones or bruised skin. Thousands of children are treated each year for bicycle accidents. Also, it is reported that 36 percent of bicycle versus car accidents involved children who are under 14 years old.

Although there are helmets and protective gears to help you avoid sustaining serious injuries from bicycle accidents, it is still a better precaution to avoid getting hit by a car. There are simple ways in order to prevent or minimize your chances of getting hit by a car and having that bicycle ouch memories.

One way to prevent accident is to get a headlight or put reflectors on your bike. Even during the day, bicycles are less visible because of the small frame of the bike. Drivers of automobiles are more wary of other cars on the road. Reflectors and headlights will make you more visible to other motorists.

Another way is to have a horn and honk it. Honking your horn will notify pedestrians and cars of your presence. Also, do not drive fast, swerving everywhere. It is hard enough for cars to see you even when you are traveling alongside cars. It is more difficult to spot you if you just dart in and out of lanes.

In the end, always put in mind that you are invisible to traffic. So long as you think that everybody can’t see you and will bump you unintentionally, your defensive driving to avoid every possible instance of an accident could just save you and others from a lot of harm.

Although hybrid cars are the rage, and there are all kinds of alternative energy sources on the horizon, hybrids are cost prohibitive, usually ranging $3000 to $7000 more than the gas only version of that model. However, instead of changing fuel sources, some automotive companies have been using a new type of transmission to improve fuel economy, lower emissions, and actually make vehicles faster without adding to the sticker price.These companies are using a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and instead of having set gear ratios (or gears), it constantly varies the gear ratios, as well as engine performance, so that they both operate at their most efficient level in any driving scenario.  Because these key components of the power train are at their peak performance at all times, fuel economy is improved by 6-8% and carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by 10%.  Although these figures may not sound impressive, the gas savings increase the highway mileage of most vehicles by 4 to 6 mpg, which adds up pretty quickly at $3/gallon.The CVT’s potential for reducing emissions is also significant. As Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan Motor Company, said, achieving his goal of selling one million CVT equipped vehicles by the end of 2007 will have “the same effect in terms of reducing CO2 emissions as selling 200,000 hybrid electric vehicles.”  Since there is no shifting between fixed gears, there is no ‘shift shock’ or jerking sensation, which makes them exceptionally smooth to drive. CVTs also do well in hilly terrain since there is no ‘gear hunting’ or bogging down on a hill, followed by a loud, violent downshift, which also contributes to its superior acceleration.You may be wondering why this isn’t in every car if it is so great. Well, every year, more vehicles in the American market add CVTs as an option, though it has happened quietly, as many people are leery of new technology, especially in cars.  The CVT is actually quite old although it is new to American automobiles. The concept was developed by Leonardo DaVinci and was first patented in the late 1800’s for industrial applications. The CVT has been used in Asian and European vehicles since the 1950’s, but until recently CVTs could not handle the power that American drivers demand from their cars. However, CVTs have seen widespread use in snowmobiles and Formula 500 racing where they have a reputation for extending engine life and being much easier to rebuild than either a manual or automatic step transmission.So where can you test drive a CVT-equipped vehicle? Well you can go to dealerships selling Ford, Dodge, Audi, or Mini-Cooper, to name a few, although a Nissan dealership may be the best place to go. In order to hit their goal of one million CVT sales in 2007, they have installed CVTs in nearly every sedan in their lineup, including the best selling Altima, Maxima, and economical Versa (as a side note, Nissan has also made side curtain airbags standard in these models, improving safety and reducing insurance costs).  Although you may not have the budget for a hybrid vehicle or cannot wait for that miracle fuel to hit the market, you can take it easy on the environment, as well as your checkbook, by checking out a few cars with a CVT.

If you have been in a car accident with a newer car that was not totaled but received a significant amount of damage, you may be entitled to more money than you know about. Most insurance companies won’t tell you that you may be able to get a significant amount of money for a diminished value claim. Many people do not even know what diminished value means.Diminished value is the difference in value between a vehicle with an accident history, and the same vehicle without an accident history. Diminished value is the monetary difference between a car’s pre-accident value and its value after the accident – the automatic loss in value from a collision. Diminished value is very hard to prove, so many times you need to hire an attorney who handles diminished value claims, depending on what state you live in.Diminished value exists as a real concept in the insurance world and it is paid all throughout the country. Diminished value is the best-kept secret that your auto insurance company hopes you never learn. Diminished value is a reality, even in cases where repairs eliminate all visual evidence of damage. Diminished value is most pertinent in relation to late model cars that have low miles and have suffered structural damage. The amount of repair related diminished value is determined by the overall quality of the repairs.Diminished Value and InsuranceInsurance companies generally do not acknowledge the right to recover diminished value. Insurance companies would have you believe they are your advocates when in reality they are your adversaries. Insurance companies promise to restore your vehicle back to its pre-accident condition, but fail to define exactly what that means. Nowadays, a vehicle’s crash history is easy to track online, and a history of an accident can cost a vehicle owner thousands of dollars.Diminished Value and AccidentsThe fact that it has been involved in an accident and repaired causes your vehicle to have diminished value. It has been estimated that 55% of consumers would not buy a car that had been in an accident. Although your body shop does an excellent job and your vehicle looks as good as it did before the accident, having been in a collision it’s now much less desirable if you should decide to sell it now or down the road. If you list your car for sale in the newspaper for the Kelley Blue Book Value, the first thing a buyer will ask is “Was this car in an accident?” If your beautiful late model car sustained structural damage, or was repaired with cheap foreign parts, your buyer will likely not pap the same value for it as they would have before the auto accident.

In these days of soaring gas prices, it seems that everyone is looking to increase their gas mileage. In the past, those looking to drive the most fuel-efficient vehicle had just one option:  diesel trucks and cars. Diesel vehicles use significantly less fuel than cars that run on regular gas.  There is an option to diesel vehicles. Recently, hybrid vehicles have been appearing everywhere. No longer are they just slightly odd-looking compact cars. Hybrid technology can be found in everything from compact cars to SUVs. Are you better off with the old, diesel standby or do hybrid cars really offer more?Diesel vehiclesFor years, the gas-conscious consumer chose the diesel vehicle. These earlier diesels were generally noisier, dirtier and handled the road more poorly than their gas counterparts did. In fact, five states currently do not allow the sale of diesel vehicles due to strict emissions standards.However, this image of the diesel vehicle is very outdated. Modern diesel vehicles are much cleaner than their earlier counterparts are. Low-sulphur diesel fuel and new technology that helps trap emissions particles are making diesel engines cleaner than ever before. In addition, modern diesel vehicles handle nearly as well as their gas-powered cousins and are less noisy as well.Fuel efficiency is still paramount when it comes to driving a diesel vehicle. With their average nine miles per gallon increase over gas-powered vehicles, diesels are a viable option for the fuel-conscious consumer.Hybrid vehiclesHybrid vehicles are the newcomer to the mileage game. These vehicles run on a combination of gas and electric power, and they promise vastly increased gas mileage and lower emissions.While these vehicles deliver on the promise, there are a few shortcomings as well. The first and most glaring disappointment is that many drivers find that the advertised mileage and the actual mileage the car achieves are vastly different.For instance, the Toyota Prius advertises gas mileage of 55 miles per gallon, according to