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Not persuasive enough? Consider your possible liability in the event of an accident…

Your vehicle collides with Mrs. Baker’s vehicle. Mrs. Baker is a fourth grade teacher at the local elementary school and is now facing $80,000 in medical bills, $65,000 in lost wages and is requesting $200,000 for pain and suffering. That’s a $345,000 claim that, unless you have adequate coverage for, you will be pulling out of your pocket. Certainly in this case, as the too familiar adage wisely states, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

So, you know you need auto insurance. While it’s not sinfully delicious or nearly as enjoyable as turtle cheesecake, lack of adequate coverage will definitely leave you with a bellyache in the event of an automobile accident. It is possible to find insurance you can afford.

Remember! Your car insurance rate is based on your insurance risk assessment. If an insurance company determines you are a high-risk driver, your monthly cost will be higher than that of the average driver. You CAN remedy this! Let’s take a look at a few things you can do to reduce your auto insurance risk which, in turn, could lessen your auto insurance cost…

1) Purchase home/renter’s insurance from the same carrier as your auto insurance. Some insurance companies offer multi-policy discounts.

2) Always obey traffic laws, specifically the speed limit. Insurance companies take note of your driving record. More speeding tickets = higher risk driver = increased auto insurance cost.

3) Study hard. Insurance companies often reward students with good grades with a student discount.

4) Purchase a vehicle that receives notability for low damageability and increased passenger safety.

5) When given the option, purchase additional safety features for your vehicle. (Air bags, antilock brakes, etc.)

6) Take a driver safety course. A defensive driving class could possibly reduce your insurance rate. If not, it would at least make you more aware of the importance of being a defensive driver.

Other things to keep in mind…

1) To the insurance company, plain and simple, you are a set of risks. Anything you can do to decrease your “risk factor” might affect your cost of coverage.

2) Always ask for discounts. Many insurance companies offer deals for safe drivers. If you’re considered less of a risk, they’ll likely reward you.

3) Always comparison shop. You can always find a bargain if you know where to look. Insurance is such a commodity. Comparison sites like HometownQuotes () can help you shop for affordable insurance.

You can always eat too much cheesecake. You may get tired of Harry, Hermione and Ron. And that tube of Dior mascara will eventually get clumpy. Your auto insurance, however, is one purchase that you should never regret or feel guilty about. It will only cushion you in the end. Are you covered?

*Please note that this article is not a professional consultation. This article is for general information only. Always seek specific information from a licensed insurance professional.*

The Exterior:

A buyer will usually look at the exterior first. They have already made the decision that the style and color is acceptable, now they want to look further. During this period they will be assessing if there is anything wrong with the paint, the body, major scratches and so on. Take the time to wash the vehicle if weather permitting. The worst thing you can do is hide your well-maintained car under an inch of road dirt. You know you have road dirt when you see finger smears on the trunk and doors, and the always comical “wash me” on the back. How about a nice coat of wax? This would give your vehicle that showroom look and help buff out small scratches. Check the tires for air and shine the rims. “What really attracts my attention is a set of polished rims. It’s stylish and tells me that the owner takes good care of the vehicle”. “You can buy foam sprays for the rubber and rims at any Automotive Retailer that make them look wet and shiny”. If the exterior passes inspection then the buyer will move onto the interior.

The Interior:

“No one wants to open the door and see potato chips ground into the carpet”. A few dollars for the vacuum at the car wash is simple and easy. “The suction is usually better than a home vacuum and while cleaning you may just find enough loose change for a Tim Horton’s coffee”. “I like a wet look to my dashboards so I frequently use a treatment to the vinyl”. But be careful not to put too much treatment on the steering wheel, Sean warns, as this can make it quite slippery and dangerous for driving. Is there a story there for some other time? For a quick clean a damp cloth can do wonders for wiping the dust off the dashboard and all components. Remove any fuel receipts, ice scrapers, and other items that take up real estate in the interior. Give your inside a total overhaul of clutter. Clean out all compartments and most of all the glove box. “If you are like me you will use your glove box as a temporary garbage bin” Sean states. “It sounds funny to remind people to empty out compartments and glove boxes but being in the industry I have seen many interesting items inside vehicles for sale”. The trunk needs attention too during your cleaning. Ensure the spare is accessible and ready for use.

The Engine:

An engine shampoo would do wonders if you feel it is required but for some this may be un-chartered water. “Shampooing an engine can be intimidating. Most do it your-selfers will spray the engine using a $10 bottle of engine shampoo, let it soak and then hose off. Some say it is good to wipe off the major parts of the engine and either air dry or use an air hose”. It is best to follow the instructions that come with the engine shampoo or get it done professionally if you prefer.

Now that the vehicle is photo ready, think about the location. “A nice landscape is ideal but most people don’t have access to a beach with a windsurfer in the background. Ideally try to get as much of the vehicle in the photo to minimize background noise”. Sean explains background noise as visual objects that take the viewer away from the vehicle. For photos Sean has always liked the front 45-degree shot from a height just above the bumper. “What we try to do is get a low shot on an angle of the front as the first shot. This to me is classy and also stylish”. “I really enjoy seeing vehicles posted on our site where the photo taker has put effort into their photos”. “I can’t stress enough how a clean vehicle with a really good photo can make a difference”. If you find that you are not able to get your vehicle ready for sale then seek out local professionals. Most retailers are about $100 for a detailed clean of a family sedan sized vehicle with engine shampoos extra.

European car makers were among the largest importers of diesel engine cars and remain so today. Mercedes and Volkswagen were the largest of the importers and the success they have been experiencing has not gone unseen. There was a large dip in the number of these cars over a decade ago, but the diesel is reemerging as an efficient, cost-effective, and super reliable means of powering any car and not just a truck. Diesel engines have been implemented in sports cars, luxury vehicles, and even small cars such as Honda Civics and Chevrolet’s Geo.

Chrysler has been trying diesel engines within its Jeep division and has seen great results, along with Ford who has been dabbling into pushing diesels into the smaller caliber vehicles such as the Taurus and Focus. What makes the new diesel engine system so attractive is the combination of a much improved fuel mileage, higher torque output, and an extremely reliable engine. Also, with the cost of diesel fuel often being cheaper than regular unleaded, it would cost less to fill up. As mentioned earlier, diesel engines are much more reliable than most gasoline engines. However a well taken care of diesel engine will often run for hundreds of thousands of miles longer than a gasoline engine.

Within five or ten years, the number of vehicles using diesel engines will likely jump a great deal and dominate a good portion of the automotive market. Asian automakers including Isuzu, Toyota, and Nissan are upping their investments in the North American auto industry, and the overseas car industry has been experimenting and implementing diesel engines longer than the United States. As the number of these imported cars increase, so will the likelihood of these automobiles running on diesel fuel.

Remember the next time you’re thinking about purchasing a car to keep this article in mind. Diesel if just like gasoline prices, they can either go up or down, you’ll never know. Whether you like it or not, diesel fuel is the future of the automotive industry.

There are many characteristics worth considering when purchasing a Hybrid Car, they have low emissions, are fuel efficient, and the battery actually recharges itself whilst you are driving therefore eliminating the need to plug into a wall socket like you would with a pure Electric Car.

There are also other considerations that must be taken into account when purchasing your HEV.

1. As a Prospective buyer you should have some level of understanding regarding the language that is used in relation to buying hybrid cars. According to the California Air Resources Board, Ultra Low-Emission Vehicle is a car with 50 percent cleaner emission, compared with that of a new 2001 model car.

A Super Ultra Low-Emission Vehicle emits 90% cleaner emissions than that of an average new 2002 model car. You will however have heard of cars that produce zero-emission but these are purely electric cars, and not hybrid cars, and at present pure electrical cars are impractical to produce.

2. You should also consider what you would use your HEV for. Hybrid cars are best used on short distance journeys in your local area if you were to use them on Highways or long journeys you would not be expected to get much Fuel reduction.

3. The other consideration is the cost, Hybrid Cars are usually more expensive than normal vehicles but this is due to the fact that at present there is only small numbers in production compared to Petrol cars and also they are more mechanically more complex. But these are only minor concerns considering what you will be saving on fuel.

The Federal State is at present encouraging people to buy HEV’s due to the long term benefits of limiting fuel usage. There are also several tax deductions for new buyers of hybrid cars, and several cities are also offering free parking as an additional incentive for low-emissions vehicles.

Therefore it is safe to say that the people, who buy hybrid cars, are the people who are buying the vehicles of the future.

Driving appropriately also includes around town driving. Stop and go traffic can ruin your mileage and breaking hard and accelerating hard maneuvers will kill your gas mileage. Most stop lights are timed to turn green for cars moving at the speed limit. Speeding can put you out of sync with the lights leaving you breaking, idling, and accelerating from the lights.

Shifting gears appropriately. The higher the gear the less fuel you use. If you have a standard transmission car shifting at a lower RPM will keep your mileage were you want it to be.

Keeping your car properly maintained can be equally as important as good driving habits.

Check you tires. Proper tire pressure is very important. Rotating tires will also insure proper tire wear. Make sure you car is properly aligned and goes straight down the road. If it isn’t your gas mileage is suffering and you may have front end parts that are in need of replacement.

Make sure your air filter is clean. A dirty air filter can cut your fuel economy by 10 % or more. A clean air filter can also protects your engine and can prolong its life.

My last tip is to not carry heavy unnecessary items in your vehicle. Unused bike racks, ski boxes/racks, and other utility racks can add wind resistance to your

The key is efficiency, which brings us to other items that aren’t as difficult to obtain, like octane. A simplified explanation follows. The higher the octane, the more efficient the combustion. The slower the burn, to a certain point, the higher the octane. Water vapor slows the burn and increases octane. On a foggy day there is a higher percentage of water vapor in the air, increasing horsepower. The horsepower increase on a foggy day is due to increased efficiency which is due in a round about way to the octane increase. When octane is increased, the timing can be advanced, which contributes to an earlier spark and the opportunity for a longer burn.

Computerized cars, after 1996, have OBDll, and later, compliant computers. Computers, if matched to the right system, will due all the changes. You don’t have to advance and retard the timing or reject the carburetor for different altitudes and conditions because the computer does that for you. With the right system you don’t have to do anything to the computer. The computer sensors monitor the exhaust and lean the mixture if the engine is running cool enough. 60% to 80% of the fuel that goes into the engine is used to cool internal parts. Water is about 200 times more efficient at cooling than gasoline or diesel.

I was watching a NASCAR race and one of the commentators made the statement that “all the horsepower is in the camshaft and cylinder head(s).” That statement, in the way it was worded, in not correct. A large percentage of the horsepower is in the camshaft and cylinder head(s), but not all. There’s a reason the fuel they burn is rated at 99 octane. The slower the burn, the more complete the combustion.

A engine has to “breathe” to be efficient. Like the human body, if the airways are fouled or restricted, the human body and the engine aren’t capable of reaching maximum efficiency. Water vapor steam cleans internal engine parts. It breaks carbon off the valves and pistons and flushes it out the exhaust while cleaning the exhaust system in the process. If water vapor is introduced at the right place in the intake system, it cleans the passages, mixes with the fuel and increases octane. Higher efficiency results in more HP and better fuel economy.

Going back to hydrogen, there is a hydrogen producing system that’s as close to free energy as you can get. It seems to make sense to use what’s already available, as opposed to wasting it and expending other energy to produce more. A high priced, high tech vehicle isn’t necessary. But, to make everything work at the optimum, you need to have all the information and not just one piece of the puzzle.

Cars that are stopped and found to have no insurance are impounded and if the owner fails to pay the necessary fees and fines to have it released are either crushed or sometimes auctioned. Surprisingly some of these cars are high end luxury and sports models. It is thought that the owners of these, faced with very high premiums decide to risk driving without insurance, reasoning it is cheaper to risk being caught and pay the fine than pay thousands each year to be insured. Now however if they are stopped they will lose their car as it is so much easier for the police to seize it. The police hope that this new deterrent will be enough to convince these owners that insurance is absolutely mandatory.

Five London boroughs are trying the scheme now and it should be extended to cover the whole capital by the end of 2008. Other forces are following suit with North, South and West Yorkshire forces joining Humberside in a crackdown on this type of offence. The days of the uninsured driver look to be numbered, which has got to be a good thing for all motorists as a collision with an uninsured driver costs the innocent party though no fault of his own.

1. Consider Resale Value When Buying. Buy a car that will hold its value. Resale value is based on many factors, including desirability and reliability. Some makes, such as Toyota, Honda, Mercedes and Lexus, always hold their value well. Use a good used car-pricing site such Kelley Blue Book, to research the resale history of models in which you are interested. Some options, such as air conditioning or a sunroof, will improve your car’s resale value; consider buying them even if they aren’t on your personal must-have list.

2. Maintain and Retain. Follow the maintenance schedule recommended by your owner’s manual. Keep receipts for all maintenance and repair work, no matter how minor. A stack of receipts underscores the fact that your car has been well taken care of. Savvy used car buyers will be willing to pay extra for a car with a fully documented service history. Also, fix everything in your car as soon as it breaks. If you’re going to keep your car as long as possible, you have to want to keep it as long as possible. Don’t ignore seemingly unimportant problems like broken trim bits, torn upholstery, or electrical glitches. Little annoyances tend to add up and can begin to erode your love affair with your old car. When making repairs, ask for quality parts. Discuss your options with your mechanic or parts store clerk.

3. Don’t Damage the Goods. If your car has been in a collision, any kind of damage can affect your car’s resale value. If your car was is in a major collision, it could get reported to Carfax. In any event, if your car is damaged, use an experienced repair shop with a good reputation and insist on using factory (also known as OEM, for Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts. Save all receipts and be up front and honest about any collision repair work when it comes time to sell or trade. Being evasive about collision repair may lead the buyer to believe that the damage was more extensive than you are letting on.

4. Don’t customize. Spending money on your car can actually decrease its value. If you do have your car customized, stick to non-intrusive upgrades such as new wheels or an upgraded stereo that won’t require extensive re-wiring or cutting up the dashboard. Before all of this, your first priority should be to fix anything that’s broken or damaged for example dints in the bodywork or broken stereo equipment.

5. Keep it clean. The better your car appears to be kept up, the more it will be worth, and most people associate cleanliness with care. Washing and waxing your car on a regular basis is a much easier way to keep it looking good than paying for an expensive detail job when the time comes to sell. You can also have your car detailed; something most car dealerships do before reselling used cars, which gives the car a new car look and smell. Detailing is an investment well worth the cost.