Check Out a Hybrid Car Today!

With the new movement to "go green" the popularity of hybrids is spiking. Investing in a hybrid car is a smart decision for many reasons.

Hybrid cars are definitely the way to go as far as environmental friendliness. Combine the fact that the tires on these cars are made with a special rubber that reduces friction on the road and the cars themselves are built more aerodynamically, hybrids waste a lot less fuel. This makes hybrid cars emit much less pollution.

Hybrid cars may be a little more expensive on the forefront, but in the long run they can actually save you money. With gas prices not exactly being low these days, filling up less definitely helps the wallet. These cars are designed with smaller, more efficient engines to make the car waste less gas by shutting down the engine when the car is stopped. The electric motor gets powered automatically by utilizing the energy to charge the batteries that is typically lost through braking.

You should definitely check out a hybrid car today!

For more information, check out: http://www.learnmechanic.com/why-buying-a-hybrid-car-makes-you-feel-better.html

Clean Out Your Car and Improve Safety!

Life gets busy and we forget to clean out our cars because you never know if you'll need that empty bottle or soccer cleats, but the truth is we just need to do it. Extra debris lying around the car can in some instances be fatal. Add in environmental factors and other drivers and sometimes you will need to slam on the brakes, so eliminating the excess that could potential fly around in your car and prevent injury is important.

Make sure the area around the drivers seat is especially clear. That empty bottle I mentioned earlier? It can get stuck under the brake or gas pedal and cause a much bigger problem than little Johnny getting thirsty and needing a water bottle in case you can find a water fountain.

That little bobble head garfield is really cute on the dashboard, but he needs to be secured down and in an area that he won't impair your vision. He may be talented kitty, but he can't prevent car accidents from occurring.

Even though your vehicle is built to protect you as much as it can from the dangers of the road, sometimes these dangers are just plain unavoidable. But you can help eliminate any extra dangers such as ensuring that your car is free of any unnecessary clutter.

Get a History Check on Used Vehicles

When purchasing a used vehicle you should definitely get a vehicle history check. All cars made after 1980 have these history reports that will tell you everything you want to know about the vehicle in question from who owned the car to when the vehicle was serviced.

What does this mean you need to do? Just ask! You can either search online or call to see if the vehicle dealer you are looking to work with offers free vehicle history reports. Different dealerships may have different policies about this reports, so it doesn't hurt to do a little bit of research first. Some dealers may offer free history checks but don't just hand them out, you need to request them.

To make the process easier on yourself and the dealer find a car you are interested before asking for a history report. Don't waste your or the dealer's time on a car you don't actually have any intention of purchasing. Get all the info you need and get the vehicle of your dreams!


Read more: How to Get an Absolutely Free Vehicle History Check at eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_7349839_absolutely-vehicle-history-check.html#ixzz13arEHbt3

Will Your Car Be the New Smart Phone?

A week long series by CNN on smartphones and their effects on society makes us ask ourselves, will your car become your next smartphone?

The notion really makes sense looking at new technology evolving for automobiles. Electronic companies are developing ways to enable talking and texting through the dashboard of your car. Eventually you will be able to surf the web and update facebook through voice commands while driving. Talk about multi-tasking!

Now the big question is whether or not this technology will make for safer roadways. On the one hand, this may reduce drivers from using their actual mobile phone while driving. Usage of phones while driving provides many dangers including not having both hands on the wheel. On the other hand, will people realistically embrace the new hands-free technology? Some may argue that even hand-free surfing the web and texting while driving is a huge distraction.

For more information, check out http://11thr.com/blog/?p=1332.

Get Quality Brake Parts to Ensure Vehicle Safety

During a Sprint Cup Series race at a short track like Martinsville Speedway, tempers often flare and leave drivers and crew members alike seeing red. But it's not always because of the beating and banging going on at the track; sometimes it is the reflection of the bright red glow emitted from overworked brake rotors.

This process is a normal one. Brake components generate heat (energy), which is used to stop the vehicle. This heat is responsible for that red glow that's ever so apparent during racing action.

And although your home vehicle may not be under the same extreme racing conditions as a NASCAR stock car, your rotors are still exposed to the same process, which takes a toll on the life of your brakes.

Quality brake parts are designed to generate and dissipate heat very quickly, the keys to both long life for your parts, and safe braking. However, when it's time for a brake repair, quality parts are not always used as replacements.

Some automotive repair facilities advertise bargain brake jobs in an effort to lure customers into their place of business. When your brakes are repaired here, the majority of the times, replacement brake parts are used. Quality, professional grade products are often sacrificed to perform these brake jobs, directly affecting vehicle safety. In the case of brake repairs, you get what you pay for. Quality and safety come at a cost.

And although some brake components are required to meet federal safety standards, items like rotors, drums, brake pads and shoes are not. These components have a direct affect on the stopping distance of the vehicle, the noise created while braking, and how long the brakes will wear.

To ensure safety, have your brake system inspected annually. And when it comes time for repair, insist on professional grade products, which meet or exceed original equipment performance.

"Drive Safely Work Week" Kicks Off to Combat Distracted Driving

As the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety’s (NETS) “Drive Safely Work Week” kicks off nationwide today, safety organizations and employers are encouraging organizations to draft, maintain and enforce distracted driving (DWD) policies. With a goal of protecting employees and other drivers by reducing preventable accidents, CellControl CEO Chuck Cox emphasizes that Drive Safely Work Week is “a great time to draft and implement a distracted driving policy. Having such a policy is an important first step in improving driver safety.”

Driver safety is a big problem. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that traffic accidents are a leading cause of workplace death and injury, costing almost $100 billion annually in lost productivity and medical expenses. Because phone-related distracted driving is a leading cause of such accidents, Kathy Trahan, President/CEO of the Safety Council of the Louisiana Capital Area (http://www.safetylca.org), notes “driver safety is critical for our membership. For the CEO/CIOs, corporate safety directors or fleet managers that want to maintain safe operating environments, distracted driving safety policies and enforcement solutions should be priority components of their safety strategy.”

National fleet safety advocacy groups and public/private corporations are working this week to protect drivers in the communities, states and regions that they serve. Baron Davis, President of Safety Alert (http://www.safetyalert.com) agrees on the importance of safety and the prevention of distracted driving. “Our Louisiana-based organization serves fleet partners across the country and monitors thousands of drivers to promote and advocate safe driving. Mobile phone distractions are a large and growing problem, and technology solutions like CellControl are important and save lives.”

“The CellControl distracted driving solution has been developed for corporations and government agencies, large or small, that provide mobile communication devices to their employees. Mobile devices are important and mission-critical productivity tools, but endangering lives and property due to out-of-policy usage must and can be prevented,” added Cox.

As part of this week’s focus, CellControl is hosting online web demos to educate business and community leaders on the dangers, realities and costs of distracted driving (DWD). To schedule a complimentary web demo on the real costs of distracted driving or obtain additional information, call 1-888-896-9753 (1-225-215-0079 outside USA) or visitwww.cellcontrol.com.

CellControl, based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, provides the most accurate, secure and reliable solution for distracted driving caused by cellular phones and other mobile devices, such as laptops and handhelds. Instead of using GPS to determine vehicle movement, a technology approach with several weaknesses, CellControl directly integrates the vehicle’s onboard diagnostics computer with the mobile phone/device to stop texting, e-mailing, web browsing and phone usage while operating a vehicle. Additional vehicle performance data, such as speed, mileage, and idle time, are also provided.

Different Types of Tires and the Affect on Your Car

When you go to the automotive store you will see a wide variety of tires available. You will find big tires, small tires, tires for winter, tires for summer, and tires that can help you save money. Fortunately, you don not need to be an automotive expert to determine what types of tires are best for your vehicle(s).

There are many types of tires available on today's market. One of the newcomers is the environmentally friendly tire. These "green" tires provide less rolling resistance, which in turn helps improve fuel economy. Some tests on these eco-friendly tires have shown that owners will get 2,600 gallons of free gas (or the driving equivalent of 65,000 thousand miles). This is possible due to the composition of the tires as well as the dual tread zone which allows better traction in the center of the tire for wet weather along with improved edges on the tire to perform better in dry conditions. These changes add to the comfort of the ride, the life span of the tire tread, and overall investment in the cost of the tire.

If you do the bulk of traveling in the summer and it is primarily the all-American road trip, then you want to have tires that are designed with warm weather usage in mind. These tires are often referred to as ultra-high performance or max-performance tires and are a step up from the standard all purpose tires. They are available in 15-22 inch wheel sizes and are noted for their performance on wet or dry roads, as well as the smoothness of the ride. These tires are also great for high speeds and, depending on the brand, have topped out at as much as 186 miles per hour. Interestingly, these tires have also been shown to be fuel efficient, getting 3-4% better mileage than standard all-season tires.

If you live in area known for severe winter storms, ice and snow, then having winter/snow tires is a must. These tires are designed to provide you with extra traction, better braking and easier handling so that you can drive on the snow without fear of sliding. The tires are made with special rubber compounds and tread designs that make cold weather travel safer. In fact, test have shown that vehicles of the same length and size with winter tires going at a speed of 15 mph will stop half a car length faster than a identical vehicle without the snow tires.
An all-season tire, while good for everyday usage, is not recommended for winter driving and is only adequate in any type of weather. If you will be driving in moderate to severe snow, you will want to invest in a set of winter tires. In addition, the all-season is recommended for areas with minimal rain or little to snow.

Whether you are looking for all-season tires, winter wheels, summer tires, or green tires your area automotive store will be glad to help you find the best wheels for your ride.