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
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
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.
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.
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
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.
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.
Wednesday, 6 October 2010
"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.
Wednesday, 29 September 2010
Different Types of Tires and the Affect on Your Car
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.
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
Texas Promotes Child Safety
Each year thousands of children die in road accidents for not using car seats or not wearing a seat belt. The state of Texas received a million dollars to promote travel insurance for infants to reduce the number of deaths .
Senator Judith Zaffirini's created the SB 61 law in 2009, that require that minors under eight years old have a car seat unless they are 4 feet 9 inches tall.
A study indicated that they are expecting to reduce the risk of deaths in children caused by vehicular accidents by up to 59%.
The state lawmaker stated that with the million dollars from federal funds, the state of Texas will hold a campaign that will offer training for the use of car seats, enforcement, education and the purchase of seats for low income families.
Automobilists that do not comply with these laws of buckling up their children while traveling in the vehicle, may receive fines from $25 and up to $250.
Senator Judith Zaffirini's created the SB 61 law in 2009, that require that minors under eight years old have a car seat unless they are 4 feet 9 inches tall.
A study indicated that they are expecting to reduce the risk of deaths in children caused by vehicular accidents by up to 59%.
The state lawmaker stated that with the million dollars from federal funds, the state of Texas will hold a campaign that will offer training for the use of car seats, enforcement, education and the purchase of seats for low income families.
Automobilists that do not comply with these laws of buckling up their children while traveling in the vehicle, may receive fines from $25 and up to $250.
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Roadside Safety Tips If Your Car Breaks Down
One of the most dangerous parts of having car trouble on the road is that when it happens, your attention immediately shifts from driving or traffic, to the problem, and that can lead to accidents. Thus, it’s good to keep some safety tips in mind if your car breaks down.
The first thing is to notice that something has gone wrong; your engine might be overheating, you’ve run out of oil, or maybe you have a flat tire. Whatever it is, accept the fact that something bad is happening so that you can get your car out of traffic as quickly and safely as you possibly can. Then, don’t panic, do your best to move in a safe manner to the lane that is closest to the shoulder, then ease onto the shoulder. If you can’t get the vehicle out of traffic, wait until no cars are coming and then try to get away from the car, because if it gets hit, you don’t want to be in it. Also, be aware of the other passengers in your car, do whatever you can to help them get out of the car and away from traffic as well.
If you are able to pull your car off the road, do so as far as is humanly possible from the road; many cars and people are struck alongside roadways because other drivers fail to see them in time. Next, get yourself and your passengers out of the car. Get the passengers to all exit the vehicle on the side that is the farthest from traffic, so that won’t be getting out next to speeding vehicles. Then, get all your passengers to get even farther off the road if possible. Being anywhere near a broken down vehicle on a roadway is a very dangerous place to be.
Then, call for help; whether it’s AAA, a local garage or whatever. Call the police if you have too. Call someone to come tow your vehicle to wherever it will be repaired. If it’s a flat, only change it next to the roadway if there is a lot of room between the car and the road. And if its possible, you might want to try turning the car around so that the flat tire is facing away from traffic so you won’t be working so close to the road.
If you have flares, use them. Better is if you have some red flags on a pole that you can put near your vehicle so that cars coming can see your car sooner. Also, put on your blinkers. In short, do whatever you can to alert other drivers to the fact that your car is broken down on the side of the road.
And then, just wait for someone to come help you.
The first thing is to notice that something has gone wrong; your engine might be overheating, you’ve run out of oil, or maybe you have a flat tire. Whatever it is, accept the fact that something bad is happening so that you can get your car out of traffic as quickly and safely as you possibly can. Then, don’t panic, do your best to move in a safe manner to the lane that is closest to the shoulder, then ease onto the shoulder. If you can’t get the vehicle out of traffic, wait until no cars are coming and then try to get away from the car, because if it gets hit, you don’t want to be in it. Also, be aware of the other passengers in your car, do whatever you can to help them get out of the car and away from traffic as well.
If you are able to pull your car off the road, do so as far as is humanly possible from the road; many cars and people are struck alongside roadways because other drivers fail to see them in time. Next, get yourself and your passengers out of the car. Get the passengers to all exit the vehicle on the side that is the farthest from traffic, so that won’t be getting out next to speeding vehicles. Then, get all your passengers to get even farther off the road if possible. Being anywhere near a broken down vehicle on a roadway is a very dangerous place to be.
Then, call for help; whether it’s AAA, a local garage or whatever. Call the police if you have too. Call someone to come tow your vehicle to wherever it will be repaired. If it’s a flat, only change it next to the roadway if there is a lot of room between the car and the road. And if its possible, you might want to try turning the car around so that the flat tire is facing away from traffic so you won’t be working so close to the road.
If you have flares, use them. Better is if you have some red flags on a pole that you can put near your vehicle so that cars coming can see your car sooner. Also, put on your blinkers. In short, do whatever you can to alert other drivers to the fact that your car is broken down on the side of the road.
And then, just wait for someone to come help you.
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