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How to Properly Test Drive a Car
2008-05-05 10:49:00
When you have finally picked out the car you want, it is time for the all important test drive. If the seller will not let you drive the car before you buy it, walk away. They are hiding something otherwise. Make it very clear that you want plenty of time behind the wheel before you buy it. If you can't fully test it more than just one trip around the block, it is time to walk away. What
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Parallel Parking Mistakes During the Road Test
2008-04-11 20:27:00
Parallel parking is one of the hardest, if not the hardest, skill to master for the driving test. It involves backing up, coordination, understanding the proper use of side mirrors, and precise distance estimation. When these don't join together well, a bad parking comes up, which sometimes lead to a bad test result. One tiny mistake is not signaling before beginning to park. Before any parallel
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Tips For Painting Your Motorcycle
2008-03-25 22:53:00
Here are some instructions to help you paint your motorcycle yourself and save a bunch of money by doing so. Materials Needed ReducerPlastic FillerFlowable PuttyPrimer and HardenersEpoxy SealerBase Color PaintClear Coat/Hardener80,120,400,600,1500,2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper Homemade Paint Booth To create a homemade paint booth in your garage or shed, here's what you need to do. First, put
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Top 5 Cheap(ish) Fast Cars!
2008-03-17 10:57:00
This article will bring together 5 fast road cars that YOU could own... It isn't a definitive list, but a group of fast cars from all kinds of different classes that won't require a lottery win. This is only a handful of similar cars so don't forget to shop around. Ford Mustang - Believe it or not the mustang first arrived in 1964, making a cameo appearance in Goldfinger. More recently in 1994
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Dynamometer History - A Timeline of Innovation
2008-03-07 21:11:00
Dynamometers have been a part of performance measurement since the days when the presence of horsepower was usually accompanied by four hooves and a tail. This versatile tool is applied around the world, as companies like Taylor Dynamometer build on past innovations with new breakthroughs in data gathering and system control technology. 1828 Gaspard de Prony invented the de Prony Brake, one
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Pursuing a Motorcycle Accident Claim
2008-03-03 17:48:00
You can ride safer by following these quick tips on motorcycle safety: Always assume that you and your motorcycle are totally invisible to other drivers.Leave plenty of space in front and back and to the sides from all other vehicles.Beware of motorists turning left in front of you at intersections.Never drink or take drugs and try to ride a motorcycle.Avoid riding at night, especially late
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Diagnosing a high performance modified engine is a hard work and it is plen
2008-02-24 22:05:00
A very common way to diagnose and tune-up a modified or racing engine is by looking the spark plug firing tips because its appearance can reveal if your engine has a problem that need correcting. But you need to be aware that the same spark plug firing tips appearance can have different root causes: A) Mixture or timing misadjustment or other possible mechanical troubles. B) High performance
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Motorcycles for 16 Year Olds
2008-02-19 22:44:00
Motorcycles are great vehicles to get you around town. They have low insurance costs, they are cheap to operate, and they can get you to places quicker because of their smaller size. However, motorcycles are not for everybody and can be dangerous or deadly in the hands of a wrong person. When a 16 year old has recently acquired his driving permit, there are many things to learn and many
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Auto repair shop true stories
2008-02-14 17:43:00
This next customer had a common complaint of the a/c not blowing cold air. They took their Chevy cavalier into a local auto repair shop and asked for an estimate to repair the a/c. The auto repair shop provided a whopper of an estimate for replacing almost every component in the a/c system. The shop wanted to replace the a/c compressor and almost all of the parts that attached to the compressor.
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Self Diagnose Your Car And The Check Engine Light
2008-02-07 16:04:00
Even for the most mechanically inclined, determining exactly what is going on with your car behind the check engine light can be very complicated. Some people are willing to hunt out the problem through trial and error while others will be quick to drive their car to the mechanic to get the diagnostic test run and then take the car home to resolve the issue themselves. Either way, this can be a
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Your Air Filtration Tools Guide
2008-01-28 12:36:00
The air filtration tools are really necessary when you are facing any respiratory problems. With this article you are sure to get all the information on air filtration tools. The air filtration systems are used to clean air by removal of pollutants, dust, bacteria, pollen or simply anything that is floating through the air. it is possible to get clean air and so many health problems and diseases
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Taking Care Of Your Car's Transmission
2008-01-19 13:15:00
In order to maintain you car in a good shape, to offer you the safety as well the performances it was designed for in the first place, taking care of your vehicle's transmission is a vital thing you should take care of. Modern cars have very complex drive trains, and the transmission being one of the most important elements of it, repairing it because of the in-proper use can be very costly. The
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5 Tips on Car Maintenance
2008-01-09 17:37:00
When it comes to your car, it deserves nothing short of the best. Every car community expert will tell you that maintenance is one of the key things that will keep your car going for a long time to come. Here are some handy tips to help in the upkeep of your car. 1. Oil checking Your car runs on oil and hence while you need to refill oil every now and then, you also need to make sure that the
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Alloy Wheel Repair - Save Your Wheels Today!
2007-12-27 18:02:00
It is a common misconception that alloy wheel repair is almost next to impossible. Most people believe that it can be a complete waste of effort and money. However, alloy's can actually be repaired to a great extent. Alloy wheel repair is in fact a well studied operation. Alloy wheels can make quite an impact to the overall look of a car. Further, it can make a big difference to the functioning
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Motorcycle Carburetor Theory
2007-12-18 09:58:00
Motorcycle carburetors look very complex, but with a little theory, you can tune your bike for maximum performance. All carburetors work under the basic principle of atmospheric pressure. Atmospheric pressure is a powerful force which exerts pressure on everything. It varies slightly but is generally considered to be 15 pounds per square inch (PSI). This means that atmospheric pressure is
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Car Audio Component Speakers - Available In Many Standard Sizes
2007-12-11 22:00:00
Since the automobile was created, there have been many inventors looking to improve their cars with their own work. The car-audio systems are just the same in that hobbyists have constructed a dizzying array of systems from car audio component speakers to systems requiring vans to carry. When planning a new car stereo car audio system, you have to begin with the car stereo. Models can be found
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Classic Cars in Cuba
2007-12-05 22:53:00
Havana is a potent mixture of the old and the new. Modern office buildings punctuate the skyline alongside deteriorating Eastern European residential towers. Ancient vehicles, some with more rust than paint, share the road with newer, shinier models, while horse-drawn carts mingle with motorcycles. Flea markets display Cuba holiday mementos - wooden models of cars built in the 1950s, which are
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Car Warranty - The Basics
2007-11-28 12:42:00
Extended car warranties always sound like a product that car owners should have in place, but few of us completely understand what they entail. The concept behind warranties is not as complicated as many of us think. Those who have bought a new car from a dealership in recent years are likely to be familiar with the basic idea behind a warranty agreement. A brand new car is usually covered by
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The safety of your children in the car
2007-11-22 22:47:00
Anyone with children knows that car safety is important. They are so little and cars are so big, they have to be taught safety by example as well as enforcing safety rules. Contrary to popular belief, children actually listen when their parents talk to them. The only kids who refuse to listen are kids who have never been expected to.VisibilityChildren should know basic car and road safety. Explain to your kids that being the size they are makes them hard to see from the drivers seat of a vehicle. Put them in the drivers seat of your car and ask them to look around them, show them why it is hard to see them rather than just tell them.Show them how important it is by making sure drivers have given you eye contact prior to crossing in front or behind them of them. Be sure to talk your way through it, so your child is aware that you use your rules to keep you safe too. The more a young child sees you following your own safety rules, the more apt they will be to pick them up insti...
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Using an Aerosol and Make Your Car Interior Look New Again
2007-11-19 20:02:00
Remember when you bought the car that you are driving today. If it was a new car, the outside shined and sparkled like a new diamond ring. Every time you opened the door, that new car smell swirls around your nose. You could see your reflection in the chrome (or chrome plated plastic) and glass from the dashboard and instrument panel. The carpet and seat cushions were clean and spotless. There were no scuff marks on the inside door panels, or on any of the upholstery. You were so proud and protective, that you no one was allowed to drink or eat anything inside your car. You would park, what seemed like miles away from the front of the stores, to avoid possible damage to the outside of your car from other cars or stray shopping carts. Even if it was not a new car, it was probably cleaned and polished to make it look like it was new. So you still are able to experience that feeling of owning a new car. But a few years have gone by since you bought your car. Now hopefully you have been...
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Help in choosing custom trailer
2007-11-15 20:40:00
Cargo trailers are all the rage these days as we have an increasingly mobile lifestyle. Many people use cargo trailers to haul everything from animals to jet skis. There are many cargo trailers on the market, but if you?re like many people you?ll want to look at custom trailers.Custom trailers are a wonderful way to personalize your investment! You will be able to design nearly every aspect of your cargo trailer so that it becomes perfect for you. There are many companies that offer custom trailers, so you?re sure to find one that meets your needs.The first thing you?ll need to do is figure out which type of custom trailers you?re interested in. There are general cargo, ATV and motorcycles, Auto Haulers, Economy models and more! Think about the vision you have for getting a custom trailer.Do you plan on transporting a vehicle? You will need an Auto Hauler. Are you planning on transporting just a few things here and there? You will be fine with an economy model.It is importa...
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Bumpers 101 - For Style and Safety
2007-11-11 10:08:00
Vehicles play a very important role in our lives. They take us to our destinations and they transport goods for us. Because of their tasks, vehicle like people also need caring and pampering. Without those, they will easily wear out and would eventually be useless already. Vehicles need proper protection and maintenance. Taking them out in the road where thousand other cars, man-made barriers and excavations pose dangers, our vehicles must be ready for any unexpected threats to our safety.Anti-lock brakes, airbags, and seatbelts are some of the most common performance parts and accessories for safety. Manufactured cars all have these basic features. But there are some vehicles that double the safety features with installed bumpers.With a variety of bumpers equipped in a vehicle, the most common would be the front and rear bumpers . There are well- designed and well-crafted bumpers out in the automotive market that could add up or jazz up the look and style of your vehicles. However...
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Radar Detectors - Could One Have Saved Me?
2007-11-06 20:31:00
by Profitweaver I remember it well! I was on a fast stretch of road, but keeping to the limit for that stretch. I came towards a village, where the speed limit dropped by 20mph. Obviously I slowed down, and continued to slow. The road curved round to the left and went downhill. All this within about 100 yards of the slow down sign. And guess who was waiting for me at the bottom of the bend? Yes, you guessed it, the boys in blue. I was fined for being 4mph over the limit! Grr. It didn't seem right then, and it doesn't seem right now either. So was there anything I could have done to avoid this in justice?Radar detectors are extremely effective for warning drivers that they are approaching a speed detection device that uses a radar system. The speed is calculated using the difference between the transmit frequency and receive frequency (also known as the Doppler shift). They are essentially microwave radio receivers, and as such, it is important that the detector you want can identi...

Anti-Lock Braking and its importance
2007-11-02 18:28:00
By Dennis James The ABS (Anti -Lock Braking) in one of the most important elements of a modern vehicle?s braking system. It works by a specialized computer activating the brake pumps so that during a powerful deceleration the wheels will not lock-up and you will be able to steer the car under such a circumstance. The situation was different before this system?s introduction. When you used to press powerfully the brake pedal, the system was fully activated permanently and the wheels blocked. This resulted in very numerous crashes, and a popular method among drivers to avoid brake lock-up was to pump the brakes.With the introduction of ABS however these problems were solved, because the electronics does everything. An ABS fitted braking system will pump the brakes up to 15 times per second. You have to admit that no driver could match this performance.You might ask yourself how ABS works.Each wheel is fitted with sensors. They scan continuously the movement of each wheel and when they ...

Octane Boosters and the Truth Behind Them
2007-10-29 15:21:00
By Drew ShiellyOctane numbers are something we see every day and probably take for granted. We all know this is a rating means to measure a fuels resistance to pre-ignition, but how does that apply in a practical sense. Let's first assume you have a car that runs well on 91 octane. What could you gain by altering the fuel you fill up with. By going down to 87 octane you will achieve better mileage, but could risk detonation depending on your cars engine. By going up to 93 octane you might allow your car to advance the timing gaining horsepower. Due to lower BTUs per gallon you will give up a few miles per gallon. So right off you can see that it is a balancing act.Looking closer at this, you notice that the extra horsepower comes from the ability of the car to advance timing and not the fuel itself. Higher octane fuel has less BTUs, but still nets power due to the timing advance and higher boost it can achieve. In modern vehicles with knock sensors the timing is constantly...
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Hybrid Electric Vehicles - Pros and Cons
2007-10-18 21:37:00
By Levi QuinnIn the past few years, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) have been getting a lot of press, both good and bad. As with any new technology-that is, any technology newly offered to the public-there are proponents and opponents to the wide use of HEVs. Pros and cons are bandied about freely, and it can be difficult for the average person to weed out any useful information. Here is a brief, simple synopsis of the advantages and disadvantages of HEVs.The most obvious benefit of HEVs is lowered environmental impact. A vehicle that's powered solely by electricity produces absolutely no emissions. Admittedly, a hybrid vehicle does emit some carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, but only from the gasoline-driven engine. If your vehicle is powered by electricity 50% of the time, it will reduce harmful exhaust emissions by 50%.Hybrid vehicles are quieter, and cause less noise pollution-an important consideration in urban areas. The engine only runs when the vehicle is being...
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Best Car Donation Tips To Save You Money On Your Taxes
2007-10-14 14:40:00
By Helen HeckerIn the United States it's possible to donate a vehicle (usually a car, but it can be a boat or any other form of transportation) to certain charities, and in return be able to claim a tax deduction on your personal income tax return. A car donation may be accepted on the condition that the vehicle doesn't have to run but should be in towing condition. A charitable car donation may be worth more than a trade-in.The new rules allow the donor to deduct only the amount the charity receives for the vehicle. Charities usually provide you with a release of liability when they take your vehicle, and after the car sells, they send you a tax-deduction form that explains how much they received for your car. There have been car donors who needed a new vehicle and they ended up buying donated and repaired vehicles.You may have an old vehicle sitting on your property or on the street that you don't use very often. Make sure you have the title in hand if you call in your donation...
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Fuel Additives And Effects On Fuel
2007-10-08 22:37:00
By Drew ShiellyWe tested a common additive, Torco, to see if it could add performance to your vehicle or increase mileage. Before discussing this product, lets first address key differences between a racing fuel and pump fuel. The one everyone thinks of is octane. Under the US octane rating system AKI (Anti-Knock Index) pump fuel is graded as (RON+MON)/2. Meaning if a fuel had a RON (Research Octane Number) of 96, and a MON ( Motor Octane Number) of 90 its AKI would be 93. Race fuels can be graded on any of the standards AKI, MON, RON. So what is octane and why is it important for performance? Octane is what gives gasoline its ability to resist pre-ignition. As displacement, compression, boost, RPM, go up it becomes harder to keep the fuel mixture from igniting prematurely.If under load or high heat, you experience knock with 87 octane, stepping up to 91 octane is logical step for both performance and longevity. If you experience no knock or timing pull at 91 there is no benefit to ...
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5 Simple Tips to Improve Your Car Detailing
2007-10-01 12:46:00
By Chad HervigDid you know that, apart from a house and the expense of raising children, an automotive is the most expensive item the vast majority of us will ever buy? Why then do we find it acceptable to neglect these expensive purchases? C'mon folks, let's get out there in the sunshine and give our cars a good cleaning! They love it, I know they do.I used to run a pickup and delivery car wash business, and I quickly realized the importance of the following five tips that I'm going to share with you. Some may sound simple, but you'd amazed at how many of my friends and neighbors I see washing their cars the hard way.I'm going to assume that everyone knows to spray your car down with water thoroughly before employing these steps. It dislodges the loose dirt and dust that would otherwise be swirled around with your mitt, and it also effectively cools the surface temperature of your car a bit before washing, which makes cleaning easier.?1 - Clean the Tires First.I never con...
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Night Driving With Ease and HID
2007-09-21 23:53:00
By Dylan TurnerrWant to throw out your car?s headlamps for their lousy performance? You better reach out for an HID conversion kit. Rid you night driving stress and see far much beyond the dashboard.What is HID?If you?ve ever wondered about the bluish lights from the headlamps of other cars, you have seen HID lamps at work. It is no big secret, really. These High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps use mercury vapor, metal halide, or low or high pressure sodium. HID headlamps are more efficient and much brighter. They also draw less energy from a car?s battery.The bluish green lamps are emitted by earlier Mercury vapor lamps. Today, the lights are whiter. Sodium lamps have yellow light, but high pressure sodium headlamps give off whiter illumination and the metal halide lamps produce light that is more natural.The halogen-tungsten with sealed beams that you are using is fading out with the bold invasion of HID. These hit the scene in 1991 with the BMW 7-series. The North American market...
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