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Preparing Your Car for a Road Trip

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Heading out for a road trip? Never leave for a journey without having your car looked over.

Check regular maintenance. Make sure your car is not in need of any belts replaced, a tire rotation, or any other regular maintenance. If you are heading on a trip, you do not want one of these issues to flair up on the road. Your car should be in top condition for a trip, especially if it is over a long distance. You do not want anything to be wearing out or wearing down, or it could leave you stranded in a location that you are not familiar with, or far away from any auto repair shop.

Check the engine for problems. Besides going down the list of regular maintenance, you should also have the car looked over for any unusual problems. One driver ended up destroying his engine due to two problems he didn’t know existed. The car’s thermostat and water pump had both stopped working without his knowledge, so he unknowingly drove his car while it was overheating until the engine was destroyed. This problem may have been avoided if a mechanic had looked over the engine and found the issues.

Check the oil. The oil is one of the most common things that can cause a car trouble, either because it needs to be changed or because it is running low. This is probably because most cars start to burn or leak oil as they get older. Be sure to check the oil level and quality in your care before heading on a trip.

If you are concerned about the health of your car, or would simply like the peace of mind, you could also research auto shops along your route so that if you felt the need to have something checked or repaired, you would already know where to take your car. However, your best bet is always to take care of any repairs before you begin your trip, in hopes that your car will not need any repairs while you are traveling.

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The Basics on Engine Care

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Wondering how to keep your engine in top condition? Here are the basics on keeping your engine happy.

Change the oil. Keeping your car in good repair means changing the oil once a year or at least every 7,500 miles. Dirty oil will not allow your engine to run at its prime, wearing it down and reducing its efficiency. You should also be aware of the differences in oil. One of the biggest things to decide is if you are going to use synthetic oil or not. Be aware that whatever type of oil you begin to use, you should use it consistently. This is because synthetic oil not only runs through your engine but can clean it better than regular oil. However, switching to synthetic off of regular may actually cause the oil to come off of the parts of the engine, temporarily reducing its effectiveness. While some cars do not recommend synthetic oil, other cars do. One type is more expensive, but it may last you longer than other types, or may be better for your engine.

Give your car a check-up. Getting your car looked over every now and then is always a good idea, and you can remember to do it easily when you are getting your oil changed. This can make sure nothing goes wrong in your car, and that you catch any problems. Also be sure to look at the expected lifetime of the belts in your car, and it is also a good idea to check all of the car’s fluids, such as the coolant.

Upgrade your gasoline. This doesn’t mean that you have to pay for premium gasoline instead of regular unleaded, however. Different gas stations use a variety of additives to help with starting your car, getting cleaner emissions and better gas mileage. While it may cost a few pennies more per gallon, certain gasoline may give you better mileage in the long run. You can discover what gas stations give your car the best gas mileage by tracking the mileage for each one, and then comparing them.

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How to Get the Best Gas Mileage

Looking to get the biggest bang for your buck? There are several ways to get better gas mileage in your car. Here are a few suggestions on what you can do.

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Check the air in your tires. Keeping your tires properly filled is proven to improve your gas mileage, as you can eliminate any drag on your car. However, making sure that all of your tires are at the same number can also improve your gas mileage because you are preventing the car from pulling form one side or the other. Whenever you are heading for an hour-long drive or more, be sure to check the pressure in your tires, as unbalanced tired can significantly affect your gas mileage. Remember that over inflated tires will negatively affect your gas mileage just as much as low pressure.

Check your car’s alignment. If your car’s alignment is crooked, you are going to get seriously reduced gas mileage. Not only that, but you will be wearing down on your tires, meaning they will need to be replaced sooner. You should have your alignment checked every 25,000 miles, or whenever you get your car looked over before a long trip. You may be able to notice when your alignment is off, however, as your car will pull to one side, meaning you will need to turn the steering wheel a little crooked in order to drive straight.

Drive differently. Not accelerating as quickly, driving at the speed limit, and slowing down sufficiently for turns are all good ways to increase your gas mileage. To gauge how to change your driving, try to keep your car’s revolutions per minute under 2000 when driving around town. Keeping your engine from getting stressed out during your every day driving will not only extend the life of your car, but can also improve your gas mileage.

If you are trying to get the best mileage for the least amount of fuel for your car, keeping good habits with your tire pressure, alignment, and daily driving are some of the best ways to get the best fuel economy.w

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Preparing Your Car For Winter

When the weather starts to turn colder there are some things you should do to for your car to make sure it is ready for the winter. With the right preparation and maintenance you and your car can have a safer season.

One of the first things you should do is bring it in for maintenance. You should have all the fluids checked such as the oil, the brake fluid, the cooland, and the transmission fluid. It is also important to have your brakes checked. If there is the potential for a problem you want to take care of it before you are driving in the snow or sleet.

Tire, Tires, Tires. Have your tires checked and rotates if necessary. It is also a good time to look into getting snow tires. Since snow tires are designed specifically for driving in the snow they will perform much better than even all season tires. The rubber on snow tires is made for low temperatures, and the treads are much deeper so they grip better in the snow.

The interior of a vehicle is often neglected when it comes to winter preparation, but it can also be afftect by the snow and ice. There are floor mats that can be purchased that are made for winter weather. They are easier to clean that the cloth floor mats, and are also designed to keep all the melted snow, mud, and salty muck all together. You can also clean your interior windows to help to reduce the amount of steam that forms on the glass. Clean windows help with visibility as well.

The coolant system is one of the most important systems to keep up to date. When the weather turns harsh any of the parts could go if they are not in good shape. Have hoses checked for any signs of cracks, and have the pressure of the radiator checked.

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Marc Ecko’s Gurkha

If you love Hummers, you are about to feel like a small fry. Marc Ecko, founder of the Ecko line of clothing, has just taken the “conspicuous consumption” meter one step higher, by purchasing a customized Gurkha. And that is not suggesting that he purchased a share of the British Indian Army, either. This is a car, in the same way that a 200 pound bull mastiff is a dog. Technically true, but you might question what its owner is afraid of. To look at the hood of this vehicle is to finally understand the meaning of the term “overkill.” It can actually be armored to a level 3 NATO extent, which is apparently quite good at protecting soldiers (and executives) from…well, anything.

But on the inside, it is undeniably posh. Remember that this is an expensive piece of hardware. It isn’t being driven by a bunch of Army grunts. The vehicle features such features as bluetooth, all of the sound options you would expect in a luxury car, a PS3 in the back, dual laptop stations (side mounted), Wilton Wool luxury carpeting, Andrew Muirhead leather, and over 280 cubic interior feet of space. If you were going to live in a vehicle and did not require it to have a bathroom, this might be your best bet. Especially if you live in constant fear of drawing mortar fire.

But if the night vision and monitors are not enough to convince you that this is a very safe vehicle to drive, keep in mind that it is protected by a patented, three layer system of armor which has been rigorously tested against a wide range of different types of explosions. The Gurkha might be the first vehicle in the history of the world that will actually laugh at you if you shoot at it with anything smaller than a bazooka. Plus, it is easily serviced, as it’s mounted on a Ford F550 chassis.

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Basic Auto Safety Checks

How a car functions and operates takes a variety of systems. Some of the basic systems require minimal maintenance, which a visual inspection is sufficient.

To assure the safety of the driver and the passengers, there are routine maintenance tasks such as oil changes, change burnt out bulbs, or replacing worn out belts. Safety checks are important for assessing any possible future malfunctions with the vehicle that could possibly cause system failures.

Some basic safety inspection tests that individuals can do themselves (if comfortable) are some of the following:

Checking all fluid levels. Make sure the automobile is off at time of check. One of the most common is checking the engine oil level. Use the dipstick in the engine oil compartment, which typically has a yellow handle. Displayed on the stick will be two level markers, which indicate the upper and lower level. If it displays oil level in between markers that is acceptable. Below that mark would indicate a need to replenish the oil.

• A standardized list of basic fluids that should be periodically checked is: engine coolant, oil, transmission fluid, windshield wiper fluid, brake fluid, and power steering fluid. (If applicable)

Inspecting the condition of the automobiles tires. The tires are responsible for supporting the braking, traction and steering of a vehicle. Theyre also a shock absorber when encountering uneven terrain or bumps in the road. It is recommended to maintain a certain amount of tire pressure at all times. This is generally disclosed on the inside panel of the vehicle. Lastly, it is also necessary to have the tires rotated at certain time increments to get the most wear from them. The time increments generally depend on the vehicles use in driving conditions, and inflation.

Safety for your family is essential. If you have questions or concerns contact your local dealer for information.

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Finding Information on DUIs and Blood Alcohol Content

One of the things I have always wondered about when discussing driving under the influence is blood alcohol level or as some put it blood alcohol content.  Every time you read a news story or see a piece on the evening news about an arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence, they mention the level of alcohol detected.  It seems as if every state has its own levels on what is considered as being impaired.  I also wondered how it is detected and what exactly can affect the level of alcohol in the system.  One day I finally quit wondering and did some research online.  I did a search for some terms and ran across a great website called www.totaldui.com where I found a wealth of information.  Besides finding information on BAC, I was also able to learn about different state laws, find an attorney and (if I had one) get my case reviewed and evaluated by a DUI lawyer.

So here are some of the basics that I learned about blood alcohol content or BAC.  According to their website, the test, “measures the weight of alcohol in a certain volume of your blood, expressed as a percentage.”  Still confused?  Well it is pretty simple, the higher the percentage in your blood then the higher your probability of being impaired.  I also learned that most states consider .08 percent as the lowest level of legal intoxication.  You will usually get a field sobriety test by a police officer and if you fail that then you will get taken in to the station for a BAC test.  That test will usually be given by testing the blood, urine, breath or saliva.  Depending on many factors like your weight, how much food you have in your system, how many drinks you have consumed and your metabolism.  What I did learn was that there are many things involved and that can be argued about these tests.  Make sure to visit www.totaldui.com and speak to an attorney who specializes in these cases if you have any questions of your own.

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Car Recall Is It A Big Thing? How Should Your React?

How should you react to news that your car manufacturer has ordered recall of a model other than the on you drive? Should you worry? Or should you ignore the issue because the recall is related to some other model? Well, car manufacturers face a lot of competition and have developed technologies to ensure that production process is completely flawless.

An automobile traveling at a very high speed can cause a lot of damage if it goes out of control. An inherent manufacturing defect can have a disastrous effect on the manufacturer. The manufacturers will be liable to lawsuits for the damage incurred. Further, loss of reputation will be huge.

In such a scenario, the fact that manufacturer chose to recall a vehicle for urgent repairs is indeed big thing. You should not make the mistake of concluding that it has nothing to do with you because it is related to a different model. Most manufacturers follow a graded path and try to build and improve upon the previous models. In such a scenario, a complication seen in an old model can affect your automobile as well.

This does not mean you need to hit the panic button immediately. Rather, you need to adopt a sensible and logical approach. The smartest solution is to get in touch with your car’s manufacturer immediately. Secondly, you can use trustworthy mechanics to find out whether your vehicle is in good condition not.

Thirdly, you can make use of the internet to get in touch with other car owners to find out whether they have faced any problems with the maker or the model. If you find that the manufacturer is very friendly and is keen on helping you out, you can afford to relax as the problem, if it exists, will be taken care of without any hassles.

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