Little Vince
Little Vince
Archive for June, 2008
Breakdown Cover Is it Worth it?
Author:
I read in the newspapers last year that 1 in 4 people drive on
the UK roads without adequate protection for a breakdown. This
included not having a suitable spare tire, jack, or a basic tool
kit in case the worst were to happen.
But what is more
surprising is how many people take to the roads without adequate
breakdown cover. It’s not as though it is expensive, some
household breakdown cover names can still offer cover from ?29 a
year.
When you compare this to an average call out fee from a
breakdown truck of at least double that for one call out and in
some areas in the UK could be many times that, you wonder why
breakdown cover isn’t an automatic purchase. The truth is many
of us don’t see the need until we actually breakdown, suffered
the costs, the inconvenience and possible the safety risk of
being stranded somewhere.
If you have ever been burgled it is probably very unlikely you
would not risk not having home contents insurance ever again,
the same rules apply to breakdown cover. Another argument is
that modern cars are more reliable these days. That is true but
when you consider that most call outs are due to flat tyres and
flat batteries, which are pretty much the same on every car,
that argument becomes weaker.
Also modern cars are harder to work on with electronics
replacing mechanical parts, needing specialist equipment. This
year I do not expect to have an accident with my modern car but
I would not risk driving without motor insurance, I also do not
expect to breakdown either, but I will be covered just in case.
My final comment is safety. If you are going to breakdown, it
could be at anyplace at anytime of day or night. Being stranded
on a lonely road by yourself at night is not the most enjoyable
experience, knowing you will be attended within the hour can be
worth more than money.
Before you take to the road make sure at least you have the
resources to get home; correct spare tire, jack, a small tool
kit, and at least consider how important Breakdown Cover can be.
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One of the problems a car typically encounters is overheating,
and most likely, it’s one of the major causes of annoyance among
drivers. Your Mazda no matter how finely built, is not exempted
from having these problems.
Sooner or later, some of your mazda
parts and auto parts, especially those in the cooling system may
need repair or replacement. However, changing or replacing them
too often could be prevented by having a highly efficient
replacement
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The hoses, gaskets, radiator cap are among those that are
subject to abuse and overuse. It is only right to give your car
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da Parts and Car Parts is your most comprehensive online
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Mazda auxiliary fan switch, Mazda radiator, Mazda radiator hose,
Mazda thermostat, Mazda water pump, and Mazda radiator cap.
What are the indications of a faulty cooling system? If you
notice leaks, hoses are possibly broken. This is alarming since
the coolant can escape and so the system can no longer cool the
engine. This in effect, can damage the engine’s performance. If
the water pump cannot turn, something might be wrong with the
fan belt. It could be broken or severely damaged. If this
happens the coolant won’t be able to circulate around the engine
and hence, the engine overheats.
Leaking coolant can also indicate water pump failure. This is
further manifested by a screeching sound and a pungent coolant
odor. Meanwhile, if the head gasket is damaged, you will see
white smoke coming out from the exhaust. This happens when the
head gasket was not able to seal coolant passages, allowing it
to enter the cylinder where it is turned into vapor as the
engine burns the air and fuel mixture.
Overheating could also be caused by a faulty radiator cap.
Getting a top quality Mazda radiator cap and all other cooling
system auto parts from a trusted Mazda parts and auto parts
dealer is a way to ensure your cooling system’s proper
functioning and as well as your safety and driving satisfaction.
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Braking: a way of life
Author:
A long time ago, automobiles were in their infancy and there was no way to stop a moving automobile. Then brakes came along. Brakes were devices that slowed or stopped a moving vehicle and prevented it from moving again.
Early braking devices consisted of curved wooden blocks designed to bear against the steel tires. This was manipulated using a single leverage system from the driver’s seat. This “brake shoe” was the normal way of braking, either a horse-drawn vehicle or even a steam locomotive. Different designs, using levers, rods and pivots, were used to operate them.
By the end of the 20th century, the Michelin brothers began the movement, shifting away from the old way of braking. As automobiles shifted to pneumatic rubber wheels, new ideas of braking were needed, as “brake shoes” were no longer apt for the situation.
A new method (which has two kinds), in which attempted to apply the force of friction to the axle or to a drum on the axle or even to the transmission shaft, was used. This braking system was activated when the driver pushed a pedal down or operated a lever. Continuously applying pressure until it was heavy enough caused the bands to contract more slightly around the drum, giving it more greater retardation.
One instrument used a wooden block inside a flexible contracting metal band, which, when pressed together, would tighten around the drum. This causes friction between the drum, which is then connected to the wheel, then to the wooden blocks on one end, and eventually slowed down the vehicles’ forward progress.
The other used an inner wheel or brake drum which had an added external contracting meant to wrap around the drum, slowing down or preventing the vehicle from moving forward. But this meant that the drum had to be constantly replaced, leading to poor friction quality.
Past forward to the 21st century. Newer braking systems, which used hydraulic fluids and the like to stop a vehicle became in vogue. One such system used a vacuum. The vacuum became a tool, in which it operated a brake booster. Modern cars, such as your Volkswagen, uses this method in its VW brake parts.
Another method to stop moving vehicles meant using disc brakes. Friction is applied on the discs, courtesy of brake pads mounted on brake calipers. Your VW brake parts are equipped with brake calipers that would apply the necessary amount of friction on the discs to slow or stop the car.
So start giving attention to the way your car behaves, especially when you step on the brakes. Any squealing noise, leaking or pulling coming from your VW brake parts can be a potential disaster waiting to happen. If these happen, take your Volkswagen to the nearest dealership and have the brakes inspected and even replaced. Your life and your loved ones depend on that little piece of machinery.
.About the Author
Best Time To Buy A Car?
Author:
When’s the Best Time To Buy A Car?
We’ll probably have to agree to disagree, but I don’t
necessarily think it’s at the “end of the month” is the answer
to the “when’s the best time to buy a car” question any more.
Don’t get me wrong, when you’re buying a car at retail (
a new or used one), going on the last day of the month when the
shop is trying to reach it’s quota may be in your best interests.
I remember buying a used Honda Accord once.
I showed up on the last day of the month and the last day of the
quarter. It was also just a few hours before closing time.
I didn’t realize it until the salesman started sweating and
complaining about it as if I was some kind of car buying shark!
I’m not sure I got any kind of super deal, but at least the
salesman acted as if I had some kind of leverage and that I was
using some kind of “insider knowledge” that dictated the best
time to buy a car.
You can see their point though.
Near month end and quarter’s end, the number crunchers are hard
at work bewailing the lack of sales.
So the sales manager is trying to rouse the sales people into
greater productivity so they can all get their bonus.
But I repeat the question. Is waiting till the last day of the
month in the last few hours of the day the ABSOLUTE best time to
buy a car?
Nowadays I’d say NO.
Why is that?
Because I don’t believe in buying a car at RETAIL at all if I
can help it!
Call me cheap, but I’d like to buy perfectly serviceable, BUT
DIRT CHEAP cars sold at rock bottom… up to 90% off in some
cases.
So now my answer to when the best time to buy a car is… “At
Auction!”
Whether it’s a government auction from the local sheriff who’s
seized cars from drug dealers, an IRS auction, government
vehicles that have 50,000 more miles but are forced to be sold
by local policy, bank repossessions, or a car dealer’s auction
where some auto insider has to go with you, I’m convinced that
the best time to buy a car is always at an auto auction!
Click here for
lists of auto auctions…
Here are my reasons…
Let’s take an auction from the finance company of a major
manufacturer..
1. You’ve got a nearly new car. The previous driver took the
“depreciation hit”.
2. You’re probably going to get a new warranty for at least 3
months - or save enough to purchase your own “extended warranty”
if you are worried the car will fall apart on you.
3. You’re going to probably get excellent “new car” financing
rates on a used car just to get it off the lot.
Why all the goodies?
The company may have already completely written off the previous
transaction as a “complete loss”.
If so, they consider whatever they can get from you to be 100%
profit!
Let’s take a government auction… either from a drug dealer or
an IRS seizure.
Why might these opportunities be the best time to buy a
car?
Remember the drug enforcement officers and the IRS have NO COST
BASIS in the car.
They’re in the same position as the finance company that’s
written off their loss.
Like the finance company, the government agency selling items at
auction have 100% to gain.
It’s “found money” to them whether they make $1,000 or $10,000.
Sure they’d like as much as possible on any given day, but
they’ll take the money and run.
So the best time to buy a car for these agencies is “any time
they have an auction” as long as the car is something you can
use or something you can quickly sell at a profit.
This isn’t brain surgery.
It’s just basic economics.
The answer to the question “when’s the best time to buy a car”
is simple economics.
1. Do you prefer to buy at RETAIL or WHOLESALE?
In other words, do you want to pay what the average person pays,
including years of interest and face the risk of massive
depreciation and being “upside down” on your loan (this is when
you buy a new car that depreciates so fast when you go to trade
it in, the car has no trade in value)?
Or do you want to buy a car at wholesale prices, like a dealer,
and save thousands on not only the purchase price, but thousands
of dollars in interest payments if you get a loan?
2. If you prefer to buy at retail, then by all means the best
time to buy a car is at the end of the month in the closing
hours of the day (and preferably the quarter).
3. If you prefer to buy at wholesale instead of retail, then the
best time to buy a car is at auction.
Let’s say it together…
When’s the
To Buy A Car? At Auction!
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About the author:
Everywhere I read, I read that ethanol is the next fuel to save us from a fossil fuel dependant, over heated, polluted future.
This emphasis seems to be the case particularly in the USA.
That’s understandable when you consider that the USA is the one great industrial nation that until recently never really embraced diesel engines like Europe. So you can understand their infatuation with ethanol - but that does not make it the right or the only choice.
In September Renault demonstrated its new hydrogen fuel cell powered 207 cabriolet, 28 bhp electric motor, 81 mph and an operating range of 218 miles, producing nothing but water as its sole emission. This month it was BMW with their new hydrogen power 7 series. They already have 3 fuel stations up and running in Germany with more planed. In October another manufacturer announced their hybrid system which converts braking energy not into electricity, but into compressed gas which is then used to help acceleration.
So clearly there are other options - however all of this is rather misses the point. None of these technologies help the power generation industry, nor do they meet the needs of the merchant navy, road hauliers or railway companies, all of whom, at least outside the USA, run on diesel.
Ethanol is a fuel which is complicated to make and thus easy to regulate, it continues to be cost effective only because of the massive government subsidies that it receives, it singularly fails to encourage the use of more fuel efficient diesel engines which simply delays the inevitable.
Which brings us neatly to the next point. The majority of ethanol in the USA is produced from corn - a food crop, a crop which requires good soil if it is to be grown in quantity. Do we face a future where we choose between fuel and food?
As all owners of a betmax video machine can testify, it is not always the best product that wins through. In the 80’s Sony’s betmax technology finally lost out to VHS, not because VHS was better but because it was better supported. With luminaries such as Bill Gates investing upwards of $84 million in ethanol production and distribution it is almost bound to be a success, if not an exclusive one.
In the US led fossil fuel replacement debate ethanol is clearly gaining ground steadily. However the world at large needs a diesel replacement, and the USA will sooner or later have to grasp the concept of fuel economy.
The only contender in this space is biodiesel, a clean fuel that can been made from crops like Jatropha, grown on the most marginal ground not suitable for food crops, and easily manufactured in plants small enough to fit into most peoples back yards.
What is certain is that whichever way this debate goes there is sure to be a rise in demand for a good, dependable supply of hardy, high yield crops whether for food or fuel production. Undoubtedly good news for Monsanto with their GM seeds.
.About the Author
Books on motorcycle parts.
Author:
Books on motorcycle parts.
Motorcycle parts have always been and always are a topic, which
every motorcycle owner has to be very familiar with to avoid
those jerks.
The following books are recommended
1?The man and his machines By Mike Seate. Jesse James is based
on the Discovery Channel TV show, Monster Garage
2?the broken Center line ?How to be a highway patrol officer and
enjoy it by Ralph W.
3?From house calls to high tech?By Doris Griffin
4?How to restore your motorcycle by Mark Zimmerman
5?How to custom paint motorcycle by Joann Bortles
6?Motorcycle design and technology by G.Cocco
7?How to restore your Harley Davidson by Bruce Palmer
8?101 sportbike performance projects by Evans Brasfield
9?Motorcycle tuning by John Robinson .Now is in the second
edition and thoroughly updated. John Robinson, the Technical
Editor of Performance Bikes’, explains how various stages of
engine tune are reached, and describes typical development work
with enough theory to devise a practical development programme
The phenomena described are all known to work - the trick is
making them all work together.
10?Harley-Davidson motorcycle by Allan Girdler.
Synopsis for the Harley-Davidson motorcycle book The Milwaukee
Marvel takes center stage in this colorful work written by one
of the motorcycle industry’s best-selling authors. This colorful
volume not only tells the history of Harley-Davidson
motorcycles, it also features the motorcycles that made the
company an American legend. Feature bikes include early singles
and twins, Flatheads, Knuckleheads, Panheads, Shovelheads,
Evolution bikes, and Twin Cam 88s. This edition is updated to
include the 2003 Anniversary edition, the 2004 Sportster, the
new V-Rod, and much more. Motor Books Company publishes it. Also
called MBI publishing company. For motorcycle parts information,
where to find the best information, learn the secrets on where
and how to buy visit our site www.motorcycle-parts-home.com Also
visit our sister sites www.about-truck-accessories.com
www.carstereosforyou.com
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BMW 7 Series
Author:
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The fourth-generation 7 Series is the most successful prestige
luxury performance sedan in BMW’s history. It is a highly
prestigious luxury sedan offering generous space and comfort for
the driver and passengers.
All BMW 7 Series now feature BMW’s
two-stage Adaptive Brakelights: Whenever the driver applies the
brakes harder than usual, the larger brake light area warns
motorists following behind. The optional CD changer is now MP3
CD-capable. The standard BMW Assist telematics service includes
Bluetooth hands-free phone capability.
Virtually everything in the cabin is controlled through a single
mouse-like interface called iDrive. BMW’s controversial system
controls the heater, the radio, the navigation system. Amazing
technology sets the BMW 7 series apart from its competitors.
Silent, hidden fans and heating elements cool or warm your rear
end or your soft drink; microchips can detect a skidding tire or
apply the brakes full force just in case you were distracted by
a phone call; power sunshades keep the sun off your rear
passengers as adaptive headlights turn with the car.
BMW’s iDrive interface system is standard on all 7 Series
models, and can operate virtually everything in the car, from
stereo to climate controls to telephone to navigation, with a
single mouse-like control. Standard safety features include dual
frontal airbags, driver and front-passenger side-impact airbags,
and BMW’s Head Protection System, which amounts to a
full-length, tube-shaped curtain on both sides of the cabin for
front and rear head protection in a side impact. Also standard
is BMW’s Active Knee Protection, unique inflatable airbags that
protect front passengers’ knees. Its Anti-lock brakes, traction
control and electronic stability control help drivers maintain
control and avoid accidents
The BMW 7 Series offers that Sheer Driving Pleasure so typical
of BMW. Being the e most successful 7 Series ever, Partstrain
offers a variety of BMW Performance products and Replacement
parts to suit the most demanding needs of its customers
worldwide.
Its online catalog at
http://www.partstrain.com/ShopByVehicle/BMW is regularly updated
so you always get the latest information on optimum quality low
priced BMW auto replacement parts, performance parts and
accessories. Motoring comfort, driving dynamics and generous
space inside redefines the new BMW series. Featuring more
powerful and fuel efficient engines, innovative assistance
systems, a wide range of safety features, as well as a superior
standard of equipment, the new BMW series of today need no less
than superior BMW replacement parts like those from Partstrain
when the need arises.
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Best Fitting Motorcycle Boots
Author:
Our feet need comfortable apparel to protect them the same way
that other body parts need to be protected. But how are we to
know it?
Compared to fabric foot apparel, leather motorcycle boots
provide greater amount of protection to the feet.
Leather uppers
repel unwanted debris. Composition soles give more traction. It
also prevents burns, abrasions and it gives maximum protection
to the sole, ankle and the entire feet. Composition soles
provide much more traction than smooth leather.
Just imagine yourself having a quick slide down. Even if you are
wearing sports shoes, chances are you will slide down the
asphalt and meet an accident. It pays to wear the right foot
apparel like the sturdy and stylish motorcycle boots. To avoid
snagging of your foot on the motorcycle while trying to reach
the ground, use slip-on or zippered boots. On the other hand, to
avoid dirt, sand, pebbles, stinging insects and smoke, use high
motorcycle boots.
Motorcycle boots come in different styles and sizes. Motorcycle
boots nowadays, come with special features like protection pads,
close-fitting buckles, zipper flaps and oil-resistant soles.
Other boots have breathable waterproof membranes to keep the
feet dry. Popular brands include AGV, Alpinestars, Fieldsheer,
Gaerne, SIDI (Acerbis USA), Bates Fastlane, and Motoline. Aside
from this line-up of trusted brands, you can also try Red Wing
or Frey’s Wellington. They may not appear too flashy however,
they are very much suited for conservative riding plus the fact
that they come in different widths will not give you the trouble
of finding your size. Aside from Wellington, Wesco is also a
good choice if you are searching for a wide variety of width,
height, lining, shape, shank, toe and sole.
If you want your boots to be unique and personalized, you can
get in touch with West Coast Shoe Company or Dayton Shoe Company
to order custom motorcycle boots. These way your choice, size
will never be a bother. Aside from the size and fit, you can
choose your chose of design. That’s the advantage of going
personalized. Your choice, your shoes - it is a pair of boots
that surely fits!
Riding confidently without sacrificing comfort and style is hard
to achieve if you have no idea how to get it. Choices are ample.
You just need to be aware of their existences otherwise you will
lose your chance to seize them.
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