All You Wanted to Know About Repairing the Dodge Computer

Ever wondered how to get the computer in your car fixed? If you ask around you will find that most people have the same doubt. Most car owners want to know whether they can get the computer repaired at an independent repair shop or do they have to go back to the dealer.

A car dealership is not often conveniently located so the search for a technician or a repair shop is intensified. In the case of a Dodge vehicle, it is difficult to find a repair shop or an independent technician with the high-tech scan tools such as the Starscan and the DRB III (Diagnostic Readout Box).

The DRB III is an electronic device which is used by Chrysler for its Dodge and Jeep brands to diagnose the vehicle's electronics and read out errors. The third edition of this scan tool was released in January 2011.

Similarly, the Starscan is a diagnostic tool developed by the DaimlerChrysler Corp. It interfaces with the electronic controls in all the DaimlerChrysler Corp vehicles during diagnosis.

So it is important that you locate a technician who has both the training and the equipment to repair your Dodge computer. In some cases, the technician has invested in these tools while working at a company dealership before setting up shop. This means that he or she has had adequate training as well as the equipment.

The next task would be to find such a technician who is most conveniently located near your residence or office. The easiest way to locate one would be to log on to the International Automotive Technician Network (iATN) membership directory to find a technician who has the scan tools to repair your Dodge computer.

Now, the answer to the question whether a car owner should go to a repair shop or to the dealer would depend on his or her financial status. The majority would try to save some money, if they can.

The dealerships' unique selling point is that they use factory trained mechanics and source parts from the company. But this could be an expensive proposition as dealerships normally charge by the 'book rate'.

So if the cost is a major issue, then the independent technician is the answer. On the flip side, though technicians do have the scan tools, they may not have the latest updates from the company. It is best to make use of the dealer's experience for more complicated repairs.

Sometimes, the problem with the Dodge computer could be something as ordinary as a disconnected wire behind the instrument panel. In some cases, if the engine runs and the transmission works, then, the issue could be the connection between the dash and the engine controller.

The check-engine light is another thing to watch out for. It glows when the Dodge computer is alerted of a malfunction; in most cases the emission systems. Check the car to see if the problem can be sorted out at home before you find a technician.

Thank you for reading this article. For loads of more information on the Dodge computer please visit our website.

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Limo Services - Taking Full Advantage of the Party

ByAce Abbey

When it comes to celebrating, limo services can come in handy. Instead of one member of the party taking on the responsibility of the designated driver, everyone gets to cut loose and have a little fun. If this is the plan for the evening, some preparations should be made in advance to ensure that everything goes smoothly and the evening turns out to be a full success.

Make All Directions Clear

Don't wait until the evening of the celebration to make all of the arrangements. The driver should know what the plans are before he or she arrives for your pickup. It can be awkward to try and make the arrangements after a few drinks and hours of a good time. Make a list of the locations you plan to frequent, how long you plan to be at each one, and what time the night's festivities will be over.

The driver should also know where to drop everyone off at the end of the evening. Consider having everyone picked up together at one location and dropped off together at one location. This saves the limo services time that you and your group will get to enjoy.

Pay in Advance

Paying in advance ensures that you aren't worried about the money spent during the evening. Don't forget about the driver's tip in addition to the limo services payment. Taking care of both expenses is more convenient and gives you a chance to relax. Most payments can be made by credit card over the phone. If everyone in the group is pooling their money in order to pay for the limo services, make sure that everyone gives their money to one person. This person can then make the payment to the limousine company.

Be Responsible

By arranging for limo services, you are taking the first step in being responsible. Instead of driving yourself or attempting to make other arrangements, you are setting up reliable transportation. While having the utmost fun is a key element to a night out celebrating with friends or family, be sure that maintain some level of awareness throughout the night.

If you are planning to enjoy the evening thoroughly, make sure that someone else is left in charge to handle any and all issues that may arise. This could include a delay in making it to a set location or an unintended problem that arises. There should be someone that will be able to answer any questions the driver may have.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the opportunity to have someone else be responsible for the evening's transportation. In order to get the most out of your time, make all special directions clear from the beginning, pay in advance, and put someone else in charge of all issues, problems, or questions.

Before you decide on limo services in New Orleans, talk to a company with a reputation for providing elegance and affordability. Talk to the transportation experts at www.nolalimo.com.

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Utility Vehicles - Comparisons For Aerial Lift Devices On Bucket Trucks

The trucks below are major players in the industry. The three we are comparing are from the same class of utility trucks. They are also at the same playing level with respect to diesel engines.

International 4700 - This utility truck in equipped with 210 horsepower and a Fuller 6-speed transmission. The motor is a DT466E diesel. These trucks from International check in at a heavy 34,000 GVW. The 4,700 pounds provides plenty of torque for operators that need such. However, the International is somewhat lacking in power. With the 34,000 GVW 210 hp seems rather light, comparatively speaking. Most owners of these trucks eventually get a power upgrade from their local diesel mechanic. Overall, the International brand holds value well and is one of the most reliable and long lasting vehicles for utility trucks.

Ford Cherry Picker Trucks - These trucks use the 7.3L Powerstroke Diesel and have 275 horsepower. Ford utilizes almost the exact same motor, but they have labeled theirs T444E. These 7.3L engines are available in applications above 60,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating. They have strong engines that power slightly lighter trucks than International brand. The main difference between these and the Internationals are the components that Ford did make. The strength of axels and the transmission is a major factor. At the end of the day, Ford is considered to have a better transmission.

Chevrolet Medium Duty Trucks - This utility truck has the Kodiak C5500 and comes with 6.6L diesel as well as an Allison 5-speed automatic transmission. These high-quality motors put out 242 horsepower and have a middle-of-the-road amount of torque. While the Kodiak C5500's are not as popular as the two previous, they still hold a solid market share in the bucket truck industry. The availability of cheap parts keeps these utility trucks in high demand, which makes the overall maintenance of your company's bucket trucks much more cost-efficient.

Now that you have read the un-biased and fast guide to the trucks that hold aerial lift devices, how do you know which utility truck is right for you? The simple answer is the one that gets you to the job site safely, reliably, and the most cost-efficient.

Once you figure out what kind of utility truck you are buying, you need to figure out who you'll be buying from. I am consistent with my suggestions about finding a quality dealer that you can trust. Making a buying mistake in this industry is normally a very expensive mistake, so don't hang yourself out to dry. Do your research and find a reputable utilty truck dealer before you buy anything.

This article is brought to you by Meredith Nunnally. Meredith works with the owners of Southwest Equipment to bring the most knowledge and up-to-date information about the bucket truck industry to paper. (or in this case, your computer screen)

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A Look At Car Tech And Infotainment Systems

Technology has become a huge part of our lives and many of us rely on our cell phones on a daily basis for a lot more than just placing simple phone calls. Smart phones allow us to post on Twitter, find directions, surf the net and keep in contact with all of our friends. The same internet and social media connectivity can be found in many of today's car infotainment systems. Most modern infotainment systems have integrated smart phone use with their car's infotainment system and allow the driver to control a myriad of functions from one command center.

Entertainment is at the forefront of today's infotainment systems. Let's face it now; just about everybody owns an iPod nowadays and consumers want the ability to bring their tunes along on the road. Most modern systems allow drivers to do just that by using USB compatibility.

One car company with a very intuitive and well designed system is Toyota. Their system is called Entune and has the ability to provide passengers with sport scores, news and navigation all via voice command. Entune is priced significantly higher than Ford's Sync system; costs is $1,050 which is significantly more than Ford's Sync.

Let's take a look at Ford's Sync system; a few changes have been made to SYNC for 2012. The newest addition to the Sync system on-demand NPR news. This feature allows the user to create playlists featuring their favorite NPR programs. Programs can also be accessed via category such as politics or news. SYNC is currently the most One of the affordable system on the market; pricing starts at just $295.

Another new feature added to SYNC is the ability to read incoming text messages out loud. This is a very revolutionary feature because it allows the user to stay connected without having to fumble for their phone and taking their eyes away from the road.

For 2012, Ford is making Applink available on 10 of its vehicles including the F-150, Expedition and Mustang Shelby GT-500. Applink allows the user to utilize smart phone apps such as Pandora internet radio and Stitcher radio by using voice commands. This enables the user to keep his or her hands on the wheel. There is also an app that allows the driver to receive incoming Tweets and Twitter status updates.

All of this technology is great but it's still important to focus on the road ahead at all times. For safety's sake; the focus should always be on driving. It will be interesting to see where technology will take us next.

Written by Jacqueline Star - Five Star Ford of Plano offers a large selection of cars in stock including the Ford F-150 Dallas and the new 2012 Ford Focus Dallas. We invite you to stop by our DFW dealership and take out one of our gorgeous cars out for a test drive. We are centrally located at 4400 West Plano Parkway, Plano, TX 75093 (972) 985-3600.

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A Tentative Guide to Using Xenon Bulbs

ByMarius Mario

In the modern context, the number of vehicles on the roads have increased to such a proportion that it is hard to discriminate between the population per single car and those owning more than one. Thereby, in order to reduce accidents and increase visibility, different car lighting parts including Xenon bulbs have come into fashion. The latter generally work under the premise that they pass their charge through a gaseous culture which is then converted into current for display. There are two major features of this form of illuminating technology that separates it from traditional forms including, (1) High definition visibility and (2) Durability.

High Visibility

One of the major premises in the use of Xenon Bulbs is that they are made to mimicry the normal mundane conditions. This explains why the technology has traversed across many high-profile fields including the automotive, scientific lab experimentation where they are used as spotlights and other sensitive transportation situations like over the seas. The other aspect of high definition illumination that comes with this technology lies in the filter. It can be controlled to minimize the opaqueness of the transfer material, vis-à-vis the screen of the lamp, when used on the front bonnet of a motor vehicle thus making every spot ahead of the driver quite well pronounced. In this way it can pick up the most hidden details in pitch darkness for it works around a contrast formula. It increases its power when conditions are such that the degree of darkness or fogginess is equal to the highest illumination potential of this kit.

Durability

When contrasted with traditional illumination kits, Xenon bulbs have become mandatory in the automotive industry. They not only operate under economical conditions, but they also showcase the greatest level of displacement in casting the highest degree of illumination for the user. One quality that makes them quite durable is the fact that they are not prone to blackening on the sides due to constant interference by mechanics.

It is true that many glass-made materials usually tend to shrink from giving their full potential, often losing their transparency when touched repeatedly, but these ones have a sharp point of brilliance and a low point of darkness. Thus even when cast in and out by technicians, the bulbs still remain as intact as when they were purchased.

Finally, it is essential to have a comparative scale on how the paraphernalia performs when compared to other similar devices. Firstly, the minimal volt count that comes with the product while still making it to produce wonderful work of brilliance. The same cannot be said of the other kinds of illumination devices that tend to be belabored by too much voltage and thus happen to fluctuate between a high degree of brilliance and vice versa. In a word, Xenon bulbs makes it possible to create up time in whatever one is doing in the way of lighting the way for the automobile in any setting in situations that are especially pitch dark. It is almost a quasi-daylight kit to have handy when driving in foggy conditions.

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Lighter Materials for Cars and Trucks Also Comes With Hazardous Safety Issues

One only has to take a look at the fuel prices these days to realize we need more fuel efficient cars in our own households. Indeed, I have one of those huge motor coaches and generally I use it so very little as opposed to previous years, strictly due to my adverse view on paying more at the pump. I guess in this case like many Americans I am voting with my dollar. High gasoline and diesel prices take a huge toll on our economy, so what's the solution?

Well, if you think hybrid vehicles is it, you'd be wrong, as those vehicles cost so much more due to the fact that they have dual systems, plus they are more complicated and often maintenance challenges too. Lighter materials seem to be one of the most obvious answers, lighter weight means less fuel to motivate down the highway. However, there are challenges too with all these new materials. For instance, many of the carbon composites give off toxic gases when they catch on fire, that's a scary thought - of course there are other challenges as well.

If the cars and trucks are too light, they will get blown around on the freeway and highway in strong winds, or have stability issues at higher speeds. For instance, consider a very lightweight car passing a truck which is blocking the wind, and all the suddenly now it is in the wind, or being blown by the wind which the truck was previously blocking.

What about trucks which are empty? Indeed, I live out in a desert area where it is quite windy, and often lightweight trucks which are empty get blown over on the freeway. I can recall a large truck full potato chips, it was a double, it blew over, and as a jackknifed it blocked all of the lanes of the freeway going one direction.

Now then, there may be a solution for that such as morphing boxes on the trailers. Let me explain how this might work; when the truck is empty the sides might fold into a triangle, or flat back onto themselves making the truck a flat bed, or even adjust to the side. For instance as an LTL - Less Than Load truck made its drop off they truck trailer body would adjust to the new shape based on the best possible aerodynamic shape to cover and haul the load inside. Indeed, I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Truck Tech. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

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Regional Oil Change Business - Consider a Franchise Development Agreement

Not everyone is able to get cheap money, but for those who are in the flow of large financial loans, the interest rates are incredibly low right now. Therefore it might be a good opportunity to start thinking about opening up a regional chain of stores. Of course, with all the disruptive technology on the Internet, it's hard to say what type of business to open at the retail level that wouldn't not be slammed as folks shift to buy their products and services online. Okay so, let's talk about this for second shall we?

The question might be which business to get into right. Well, there are franchise models which offer development agreements, regional franchise agreements, or even master franchises. In some cases if you open a franchised outlet you have to sign a ten-year agreement to open 10 additional stores, at the rate of one per year. Companies like Taco Bell, Great Clips, and other well-known franchise brands often require franchisees to do this if they want a larger regional area.

Oh that reminds me, there was a decent article in the Wall Street Journal today titled; "Multi-unit Operators Spur Growth of Sector," by Julie Bennett which is worth looking up online.

Now then, having been in the auto sector, it seems like automotive services are a good place to compete, because you don't have to worry about the disruptive technology of the Internet, in fact you might be able to use it to draw in additional customers, and get a leg up on the competition, as most industries are very slow to adapt to such new technologies - this is quite evident right now with mobile personal tech.

If someone were to open a chain of quick lubes in a region with lots of cars, they might be able to take the market by storm and the competition wouldn't know what hit them. This is because the recession has weekend many of the long-standing companies, and they wouldn't have the capital or have saved up money to respond to a fast mover, or large threat in their marketplace at this time. Meanwhile such a regional player could then pick up the weakened locations for a song.

Meanwhile, hybrid and electric technology isn't there yet, but as it comes forth with new battery tech one could be ready with these locations and capture those revolutionary technologies also. Perhaps, both a short-term "Blitz Plan"

2008-2010 Koenigsegg CCXR, Edition and Trevita

Typically, when someone mentions the word hybrid we think "Prius." When someone mentions the words "Ethanol Biofuel" We think Chevy flex fuel vehicles. I'll give you something different to think about the next time that you hear the EPA or Obama touting hybrids and biofuel, the first green supercar: The Koenigsegg CCXR.

The Koenigsegg CCXR is simply a hybrid engine version of the CCX that runs on biofuel. At the time of production it was Koenigsegg's top performing vehicle in terms of horsepower, 0-60 acceleration, top speed and even miles per gallon! Unlike other hybrid vehicles, the CCXR yields enhanced performance numbers over its unleaded siblings without changes in displacement or other compromises.

Production began on the CCXR in 2007, just one year after the introduction of the CCX. The only change on the CCXR is a slightly modified engine that can accept E85 or E100 ethanol fuel, along with regular unleaded gasoline. Koenigsegg made a few other minor tweaks such as modifying the fuel injectors, upgrading fuel lines, and most importantly, increasing the supercharger boost levels.

Although seemingly minor changes, the resulting improvements are staggering. The Rotex twin-supercharged 4.7 liter V8 pushes out 1,018 horsepower at 7,200 rpm and 740 lb-ft of torque at 6,100 rpm. That's Veyron Super Sport territory in HALF the cylinders and displacement. These are figures that only the Zenvo ST-1 has also been able to encroach upon in recent years with a similar platform. The additional power helps the Koenigsegg CCXR to go from 0-60 in 3.1 seconds and on to an estimated 250

Planning To Buy A New Car

When you are ready to buy a new car, there are a lot of choices you need to make before you drive that new car off the lot. Thinking carefully about your purchase decision will help you find the vehicle that suits you and your needs best. Making wise consumer choices helps save you a lot of money as well as a lot of hassle further on down the road. A carefully considered choice is also one that you are more likely to be satisfied with for the long term. To keep money in your pocket and to feel confident that you've made the right choice, think carefully about the car you want to buy. Here are a few important matters you should think about before you make your final purchase.

Everyone wants a car that looks great, but looks aren't everything. The way a car works is more important than how it looks; shopping for a vehicle that is built for safety and longevity instead of just for looks will bring you lasting satisfaction. The most important qualities of a car - safety, durability, reliability - are what you should choose to spend your money on. Once you find narrow down your selection to the vehicles that meet your basic needs, then you can make selections regarding other aspects, such as the color and appearance of the vehicle.

You might find it helpful to write down the qualities that are most important to you in a vehicle. To determine these qualities, think about what it is you will be using your vehicle for the most. Do you commute to work and drive around your neighborhood? Do you take frequent long-distance road trips? Do you have recreational equipment that you want to take with you? How many people will be traveling in your new vehicle? These are all important considerations to think about. What you will be doing with your new vehicle will influence which one you choose.

Once you have a good idea about the kind of vehicle you are looking for, you can begin the shopping process. Auto dealership lots will offer you a wide selection of vehicles to choose from. Some dealerships handle only new vehicles, some only sell used ones. Your available shopping budget may prohibit buying a new vehicle, but if a new vehicle is what you need, there are ways that you can get one. Many dealerships offer great deals throughout the year. Waiting a few weeks and watching your newspaper for sale advertisements is a good way to get the best deal on the car you want. From there, all you need to do is go to the lot and test drive the vehicles you are interested in. Pretty soon, you'll be driving off in your brand new car.

Making a wise decision about your next vehicle purchase requires a little planning on your part. However, taking time to think carefully about this important purchase will help you get what you really need. Your next car should give you all the features you need, as well as the ones you want. Careful, considered shopping will help keep you feeling satisfied with your new vehicle. You and your car are going to be together for a long time, so do the right thing and plan your car shopping trip with care.

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Preparing For Better Winter Driving

Preparing for winter driving should be on every driver's mind as soon as the air starts to turn chilly. Before you know it, familiar roads will be transformed under layers of ice and snow. Slush, sleet, and freezing rain make winter driving a formidable task; it's no wonder that so many people dread the coming of winter. To make sure that you and your vehicle are ready for the change of seasons, you can prepare a little winter car care kit that will keep you safe during this challenging driving time.

A winter kit should consist of a few basic supplies that will protect you against simple emergency situations as well as the routine challenges that come along with winter weather. You can make your winter kit as elaborate as you want. Some climates will require you to have a more extensive kit than others, though the basics will remain the same. Here are some things you can do to get yourself ready.

One of the best safety measures you can take with regards to winter driving is a good tune up and winterizing. Begin your preparations for winter driving by taking your care to a service center for a winterizing service. Once this has been completed, you can be more certain that you car's engine is up to the task of operating smoothly all winter. At the minimum, your winter care kit should include an ice scraper, brush, de-icer for locks, ice melter, gravel, a small shovel, a safety signal, and an emergency blanket. Depending on your climate, you might want to include tire chains in this kit, as well as instructions on how to use them. These will keep you safe in most winter driving situations. Let's look closer at a couple of these common tools.

Clearing ice and snow from your car is very important. To do this effectively, you'll need a few particular items. Ice scrapers are small handheld items made of plastic; at their most basic, an ice scraper is simply a wedge shaped scraper on a handle. These can be purchased for just a couple dollars at any corner store; in fact, because ice scrapers are so common, it's easy to find them on sale as soon as the weather starts to get cold. Make sure that the ice scraper you purchase is large enough for the vehicle you own. If you can't easily reach the center of your windshield with your hand, then you are going to need an ice scraper with a longer handle. These longer scrapers usually have brushes built into them. These multi-use tools are very convenient and won't cost much more than a basic scraper.

A lock de-icer will help you get into your car when the door lock is frozen shut. Many de-icers are compact and meant to be carried on your keychain for easy access. If you discover that your lock is frozen, a quick squirt of de-icer will clear the ice away and allow you to unlock your door. De-icer is also inexpensive and can be purchased at a department store or auto supply store.

Staying safe on the road in winter is a little more challenging than it is during other parts of the year. There are more risk factors at work in winter and the snow can hide dangers that you'd otherwise be able to see. With just a little preparation, you'll have all the tools you'll need to operate your car safely and efficiently all winter long.

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Car Safety Tips For Children

Driving with precious cargo in your vehicle can sometimes feel overwhelming when you start to think about all of the accidents that can happen with them on and off the road. This does not have to be so much to think about when you use the right precautions for driving with children and know what to be aware of. If you have children and drive with them often, consider reading this article to find out more on how to stay safe.

First and foremost, you should always have the proper seats for your children who require utilizing an infant seat, car seat or booster chair while riding in the car. These should be approved seats and always installed properly. You can generally find an organization in your local neighborhood that can check the seats for safety and to make sure that they have been installed correctly. Some police and fire stations also do this if you cannot find an organization near you. Once you have the right seat and know that it has been installed correctly, you will also want to make sure that the children are always in their seats at all times. It is good practice to never move the vehicle until all children are safely buckled up. Due to the age increase of children in car and booster sears, many of the older children can do this task by themselves. In this case, you will want to teach them how to properly buckle their seat belts.

Anytime that you are backing up and have blind spots, remember to look for children in and around those spots. Not being able to see a child can be very dangerous. There are programs such as "spot the tot" and you can get a brochure or sticker for your car to remind you to make sure that there are no children around the vehicle as you prepare to move from your parked spot. This can help to alleviate children, adults, and animals that might be in harm's way. Practicing a vehicle run around each time you start your car can help these types of situations from happening.

Another safety concern is leaving your children in the car at any time unsupervised. There are many dangers here and this is something that should always be avoided. You might forget that your child is in the car and leave them for an unreasonable amount of time. There are also dangerous things in your vehicle that your children might be able to get into and harm themselves or someone else. Some vehicles can be moved out of the parking positions without a key and this could cause serious harm and danger to your, your children, or anyone else that is around. Avoiding dangers of someone breaking into your vehicle to get to the child is also a good idea.

As you can see; leaving children unattended in a vehicle at any time is not a very good idea. Dangers can be anywhere at any time. Knowing what is around you and protecting your children in safety seats at all times can also help to keep them safer in your cars. Practice safety with your children and anyone who rides in your vehicle all of the time to alleviate accidents that you may have been able to prevent from the beginning.

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How To Safely Drive After A Hurricane

You may not ever think that you will be in a hurricane or in an area following a hurricane, but you just never know! You may want to prepare for this situation so that if you are ever in a hurricane, or driving following one, you will be safe and know what to do. Driving following a natural disaster such as this is not your normal situation and lots of factors come into play that you would never think of otherwise.

Not too long ago, Hurricane Irene with all its devastation crashed through the states in the east. This natural disaster left lots of damage and flooding at its passing. There were families all over the place struggling to survive without power and food and water. There was debris all over the neighborhoods. In this type of scenario, it is important to proceed with caution through your neighborhood and city as there are dangers lurking all around.

First of all, you don't want to start a car with a wet engine. If the car was in a flood or it gets into deep water, it shouldn't be turned on until it dries out or you can ruin your engine and be without transportation. It may be hard to resist the urge to start the car, but if you ruin the engine, you may be without a car for a really long period of time instead of just for a short time while the engine dries out.

If you can help it, don't drive into standing water. Normally, when you see a puddle and drive through it, it poses no risk but just makes a splash as you go through it. But following a hurricane, you never know what lies beneath the water. It can be deep holes and things that can pop or ruin your tires.

Sometimes when you see debris on the road it is just tree pieces or leaves and other harmless things. A storm like this can blow lots of leaves and such around. However, there can also be lots of dangerous debris in the debris piles as well such as nails and other things that can damage a car. You should always be prepared with an emergency kit in your car as well as a spare tire kit. Make sure every driver in your household knows how to change a flat tire just in case they ever need to and don't have help.

Be aware that when your brakes are wet they may not work as well as normal. You can lightly apply the brake pedal to try to dry the brakes and be more cautious with wet brakes. You will need to allow a much longer stopping distance than normal so that you give the brakes a chance to work even though they are wet.

You will not want to drive very fast in this type of situation. You will likely need to drive far under the speed limit and be extra cautious. People and animals are often scared and not themselves following a natural disaster and they can dart out in the road in front of you. You can also come upon debris and barricades in the road unexpectedly and all of a sudden.

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Choosing a Good Car Repair Company

ByAce Abbey

Getting your car fixed is akin to having dental work done - you don't necessarily want to go through it, but it has to be done. There are a variety of reasons one needs to get their car fixed, including body work caused by an accident, brake troubles or even engine problems. How you go about repairing those issues and who you choose to do the work is perhaps the most important aspect when it comes to needing some auto repairs. Looking for a few things when it comes to hiring someone to repair your car can help you choose the right person.

Perhaps the best way to decide who will perform your auto repairs is to get a referral from someone you trust. There's nothing like getting a first-hand account from someone who will give you an honest assessment of an experience he or she had when working with a company. If you trust that person's judgment, you could find yourself getting car repair work that is high-quality. To be safe, you can also contact the Better Business Bureau to see if the mechanic you are considering hiring has a good rating with them. If not, or if there's actually an unresolved complaint filed against them, you may want to hire an alternative.

You should also use your common sense when deciding which mechanic to hire for your repairs. If the mechanic doesn't sound too knowledgeable about what's going on with your car, that's a sign you don't want to ignore, because you won't get quality work. If the mechanic or his staff is rude and unprofessional, you can usually make the assumption that your business isn't appreciated with them. However, if the staff is knowledgeable, friendly and professional, there's a good chance you'll receive the kind of car repair you desire.

Generally, car dealerships have the most resources when it comes to repairing vehicles. Dealerships can often tackle and resolve problems that smaller, independent mechanics may not be able to. They may have access to special tools or parts needed to repair the car that the smaller mechanic may not have. They also have technicians that are exclusively trained to service the problems that happen with your type of car. However, you'll likely pay a premium for taking your car to a dealership. Dealerships are thirty percent more expensive than the independent mechanics and often offer warranties for their work.

Smaller, independent mechanics often charge less for their work. However, this doesn't mean that you won't get the expertise and high-quality work a car dealership will give you. Independent mechanics often have less overhead to pay than dealerships have, so they can afford to charge less for car repair. The bottom line is you need to trust your instincts and use common sense when it comes to finding someone to perform repairs on your car. If not, you may end up with low-quality work that costs you more than you can afford.

Car repair Chattanooga professionals can rely on comes from one of the oldest and most trusted names in auto garages. Drive in today at http://www.meineke-chattanooga.com/

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Do You Own One Of These 2012 Awesome Family Vehicles?

ByDick Clay

Consumer demands for the best family cars of 2012 are those that offer comfort, space, and are lifestyle friendly. The standard styles of family cars include sedans, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), crossovers (CUVs), and minivans.

The first thing a family should consider when choosing a family car is if it will accommodate the entire family. A family can then look at vehicles that fit their needs and lifestyles, especially with children who may become more involved with sports, hobbies, or recreational venues as they get older. The family cars need to be able to support easy entries and exits for children and adults, as well as the ease in setting up and removing infant, toddler, or young child car seats.

The best family cars of 2012 for families of five to eight are:

1) 2012 Toyota Highlander - It is a 7-passenger SUV that comes in a four -cylinder, hybrid, and V-6 models, all of which are automatic transmissions. It is a two-wheel drive car.

2) 2012 Kia Sorento LX - This SUV comfortably sits up to seven passengers comfortably. It is a four-cylinder vehicle with a 6-speed automatic transmission.

3) 2012 Honda Odyssey - A minivan that seats up to eight passengers comfortably. It comes with a V-6 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission.

4) 2012 Ford Explorer - An SUV that comfortably sits seven passengers. It's a four-cylinder vehicle with a 6-speed automatic transmission.

The best family cars of 2012 for families of four or less are mid-size sedans (4-door) and crossovers. These newer models offer more back seat leg space, a larger trunk, and cargo space. It also comes with up to 10 standard air bags for safety.

5) 2012 Toyota Camry - The new model has a roomier interior for easy installation of car seats, and comes with a split fold-down rear seat for extra cargo space.

6) 2012 Subaru Impreza - It is designed mainly for comfort with enough leg space in the back seat and room for car seats. More trunk room was added to this model to accommodate the many activities that families are involved in.

7) 2012 Volkswagen Passat - More space has been added to this model than earlier years' models, for comfortable back seat riding and all sizes of car seats. More trunk space was also added to meet the needs of active families. This model uses diesel.

8) 2012 Kia Soul - The back doors are higher, making entry and exit easier, as well as the ease of installing and removing car seats as children move through different growth stages. The back seats can also fold down for added cargo space.

9) 2012 Ford Edge - This is a crossover vehicle that has increased its head and leg space. The back seats can also fold down for added cargo space.

10) 2012 Chevrolet Equinox - This is a crossover vehicle that increased its back seat space and storage rom. The rear seat(s) slide forward for additional cargo space.

Car manufacturers have really focused on the needs of families in 2012, with the idea of making life and transportation easier and much more comfortable.

Richard Clay has been helping Austin, Texas choose insurance that fits their lifestyle for nearly 30 years. His specialties include car insurance, Austin, and motorcycle insurance, Austin. Our Licensed, Professional staff can help you 24 hours/day - 365 days/year. So Contact Us Today!

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Tips for Buying A Used Car From a Car Dealer

ByKaren Campese

Although new cars sales are beginning to rebound, they have suffered during this recession. People are keeping their cars longer or purchasing a used car instead. If you are looking to buy a used car from a car dealer, there are some ways to protect yourself, your investment and get the most for your money.

First, check the available inventory on the websites of local used car dealers and make a list of the vehicles you are interested in. Then check the history of problems, general reliability, repair records, recalls, etc. for each vehicle from places like consumer reports, J.D. Powers, or cars.com. Once you have narrowed your list of possibilities down, you can get an idea of the average sale price for each vehicle from the Kelly Blue Book, NADA guides, Edmunds or cars.com. This information will come in handy when you start negotiations.

Now you are ready to go to the dealerships and thoroughly inspect and test drive each vehicle on your list. When you inspect the vehicle, make sure everything works. That includes the lights, controls, heater, air conditioning, windows, doors, horn, radio, hood and trunk releases, etc. Check for fluid leaks and the not only the fluid levels, but whether any of the fluids are dirty. Check the condition of the tires and the body of the car for signs of rust or ripples. Ripples indicate that some repairs have been done.

You should test drive each vehicle on the highway and city streets. Make note of any unusual noises, shakes, vibrations, shifting problems. Check for soft brakes or for any pulling when they are applied.

Before visiting the dealerships you should prepare a list of questions to ask. You will want to know where the dealership got the car from and what maintenance has been done on it. If the vehicle has 100,000 miles or more, ask if the timing belt or chain has been replaced. If not, make replacing a condition of the sale. Ask to see those records and a copy of either the Carfax or AutoCheck report on the car. Those reports contain a wealth of information. They will tell you if the car has been in an accident, if it has had any title problems, how many owners it has had and its odometer history.

You will also want to know if the vehicle comes with any type of warrant. If it is a late model used car, it should come with the balance of the manufacturer's warranty. Many dealers will provide a 30 to 90 day warranty on older cars. However, you should read the fine print on it to determine what is actually covered. Beware of extended warranties as they are almost always a bad investment. Along these lines, you will also want to ask what their return policy is. Used car dealers are not required to let you return a car, but many have policies whereby they will work with you. In most states, the lemon law does not apply to used cars. You should also ask if you can take the vehicle to your mechanic to be inspected.

Once you have decided on the vehicle you want, you can start negotiations with the dealer. Many experts say a good starting point in this process is an offer of 15% off the asking price. Do not be afraid to ask the dealer what they can throw in to sweeten the deal, like new tires or flushing the radiator.

Once you have made the deal on your used car, you can dispose of your old one. An easy way to do that is to simply donate car to charity. The charity will pick up your car donation for free and you will get a tax deduction.

Karen Campese is the Co-founder and CEO of Cars4Charities, a not for profit car donation center. They have over 1,000 respected charities that you can donate car to. When you donate your car, you get a tax deduction and help a good cause.

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Are Certified Pre-Owner Cars Worth the Price?

ByKaren Campese

Buying a used car can be a complicated process because of all the options available. One of those options is a certified pre-owned car. These are cars that are under 5 years old with low mileage. There are 2 kinds of certified pre-owned cars; factory backed and dealer backed.

The factory backed or manufacturers certified pre-owner is the most popular because the car maker warranties it at no additional cost to the buyer. One big benefit of this is that the buyer can get a fairly new car, particularly a luxury car for less than the cost of a new car. The buyer also gets piece of mind because of the warranty.

Factory backed certified pre-owned vehicles are put through a rigorous inspection and all necessary repairs have been done. Due to this and the warranty, certified pre-owned cars are sold at a higher price than non-certified vehicles. On average a luxury certified vehicle will cost between $2000 and $3500 more. A non-luxury vehicle will cost $300 to $1750 more. Each manufacturer's program is slightly different, so doing some research is always a good idea.

A certified pre-owned dealer backed vehicle is very much different from a factory backed one. In this case, the dealer also conducts an in depth inspection of the car. This inspection may not be as extensive as the factory backed. Although the vehicle will have any remaining factory warranty, the dealer does require the buyer to purchase an extended warranty. The cost of a dealer backed certified pre-owned vehicle is usually less than a factory backed one.

In either case, a certified pre-owned vehicle is really designed for someone who is interested in owning a late model, low mileage car for less than the cost of a new one. It is also for someone who is not really knowledgeable about car repairs or who do not to bother with car repairs. In this instance, the extra cost involved in purchasing a certified pre-owned vehicle is worth it.

No matter what type of used car is purchased, the buyer still has to decide what to do with the older vehicle. Almost all buying guides indicate that using it as a trade in is not a benefit. There are also many negatives associated with selling the car to an individual. The biggest problem with that is the liability that is involved in the case where the new buyer does not title or register the car in their name. In this situation, the seller of the vehicle is liable for any tickets, accidents, etc. with respect to that vehicle.

A very good alternative to selling the vehicle privately is to donate car to charity. Most charities that have a car donation program are happy to accept a vehicle in virtually any condition. They will sell the donated car and use the proceeds to help further their charitable mission. In return, the donor is entitled to a tax deduction of the greater of $500 or the amount the charity sells the vehicle for. The charity also takes care of all the paperwork with respect to the title so the donordoes not have to worry about any repercussions.

Karen Campese is the Co-founder and CEO of Cars4Charities, a not for profit car donation center. They have over 1,000 respected charities that you can donate car to. When you donate your car, you get a tax deduction and help a good cause.

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Selling a Car Privately

ByKaren Campese

Selling your used car privately is not as easy as many people think it is. The process is quite involved and contains many steps. The first is advertising. You can advertise your used car for sale in places such as Craigslist, auto trader, your local paper, etc. The online ads can attack some very bizarre responses from scam artists and pranksters. The price for these advertisements varies.

Before placing the ad, you have to decide what phone number to include with it. If you put you cell phone number in the ad, you have to be careful that you do not go over your allotted monthly minutes. If you do, the extra charges can be quite high. You also have to realize that you will receive phone calls at odd hours of the day or night. In addition, you have to be flexible enough to be willing to show the vehicle at times that are convenient for the prospective buyer.

Another thing to consider when is whether or not you are going to allow a prospective buyer to test drive the car. If so, you will have to maintain the insurance, registration, etc. on the vehicle. You also have to decide if you accompany the person on the test drive or let them go alone. Letting someone test drive your used car alone is a little scary since you do not know whether this person is a car thief. You also do not know if the person has made the appointment to simple case your house to burglarize it later. This is a concern, especially if you are selling a high end vehicle.

Next, you have to negotiate a price with the prospective buyer. That can be just as stressful as trying to negotiate the price for a new car. Once you have finally settled on a purchase price, you have to decide what type form of payment you will accept. A bank check, money order or cash are good. Do not accept a personal check. You have no idea whether the check is good or that the buyer will not stop payment on it.

The next issue is the title. Once the title over to the new owner, most people think they are home free. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Often the new owner will not title or register the vehicle because they do not want to pay the sales tax or the title and registration fees. In this case, if the vehicle is involved in an accident, if tickets are issued or if the car is impounded, the authorities will assume you are still the owner and will come after you. Not only will you have to prove you are not the legal owner of the vehicle, it will have a negative impact on your credit score too!

A really good way to avoid all of the pitfalls of selling a used car privately is to simply donate car to charity. When you donate your car, the charity will sell the car and handle the title transfer. They will use the proceeds for their purposes and in exchange, you will get a tax deduction for the sale price of the car.

Karen Campese is the Co-founder and CEO of Cars4Charities, a not for profit car donation center. They have over 1,000 respected charities that you can donate car to. When you donate your car, you get a tax deduction and help a good cause.

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Maintenance Of Your Car At Two to Four Year Intervals

If you have a new car and you are interested in keeping it in great condition, you will want to know about the regular maintenance requirements to accomplish this. There are some things you may already know and some you may not be aware of. Keeping up with regular maintenance is a great idea and can save you a bundle of money in the long run. It saves you money because you can avoid some expensive repairs that are caused by not properly maintaining your vehicle. It can also save you a bundle of money when you decide to re-sell your car because your car will look much nicer and run much better and be free of problems and issues that may have occurred with improper maintenance, which will allow you to get a substantially higher price for the car when you sell it.

Aside from the regular maintenance you will do on your new auto such as changing the oil every 3,000 miles or every few months and checking and adjusting the air pressure in the tires at these intervals or more often as well, there are some other things you may want to do on about a 2-4 year interval schedule to keep up with your car. These may be things you might overlook since they aren't a part of the regular routine maintenance schedule, and two to four years can creep up on you and go by before you know it! Keeping up with these not so often repairs and maintenance checks and service can really make a difference in the efficiency of your car and keeping it in its best running condition.

The first thing you will want to do is to drain and then flush the cooling system of your car. This would require you to drain and get rid of the old antifreeze that is in the cooling system. Since antifreeze is a hazardous substance that needs to be disposed of properly, you may very well want to consider taking your car to the shop and have the mechanic do this one for you. This is important to keep the cooling system of your auto running well and keep it doing its job to not let your vehicle overheat.

Then next thing you can do is to change the automatic transmission fluid. There are various recommendations from the various manufacturers relating to the different models of cars for this one. Some makes and models will have a recommended interval of about every 36,000 miles for this one. You should also change the filter as well when you replace the fluid. This can help keep the fluid clean and clear and uncontaminated. This fluid is normally a pinkish color and will turn sort of brown when it gets dirty. When it is no longer pink, it is time to change it. There are some models that can go about 100,000 miles before this maintenance on the automatic transmission fluid is needed.

The drive belts and hoses need replacement on a vehicle about every two or three years. Even if you can't see anything wrong with them, they should be changed for optimum performance.

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Protect Your Automobiles by Choosing the Best Vehicle Service Contract

ByJarod Carmichael

When you're shopping to buy an automobile, there are many factors that you must consider. Not only do you need to research the quality of the vehicle, but it helps to find determine if the vehicle comes with a warranty, what it covers and for how long. Maintaining and repairing can be costly. That's why it's a good idea to research your options for a vehicle service contract to help cover car repair costs when your manufacturer's warranty expires.

There are a lot of vehicle service contract providers in market who claim to provide the best services at minimal costs. Unfortunately, if you choose an unreliable service contract provider, you may end up paying more for repair costs. These fraudulent service providers convince automobile owners that their vehicles are covered for specific repairs. However, if the auto owner doesn't read the details of their contract, they may find that they don't have the warranty coverage they thought they did when it's time to pay the bill at the auto shop.

In order to avoid this kind of experience, you need to choose the right vehicle service contract provider that not only provides you with an impeccable service, but relieves you of additional car repairing costs, too. Thanks to the Internet, finding a reliable and trustworthy vehicle service contract provider is much easy now. You can research and review various automobile service providers' sites and choose from the best available option. With all the information available online, you can view and check the package and plans that best suits your budget.

There are few genuine automobile service contract providers that give you a great customer experience. These vehicle service contract providers will discuss the details of their contracts upfront and put everything in writing so you know exactly what coverage you have based upon the plan you purchase. Exclusionary plans protect your vehicle under similar terms to the warranty provided by car manufacturers. Some provide Inclusionary plans that allow you to select a limited list of parts for coverage at a lower monthly fee. The best service providers offer excellent customer service and are available 24x7 in the event you have an emergency.

You don't need to worry anymore if the warranty on your vehicle is about to expire or has expired already. All you need to do is find the right vehicle contract service provider online. All the necessary information to make an informed decision will be available on the service providers' websites. However, you need to find a reliable service provider in order to enjoy all of the benefits. Today, maintaining your vehicle doesn't need to be a tedious job. By opting for this service, you can have your vehicle deliver the same speed and give you the same feeling as when you first drove it. With this service, you can fasten your seat belts without worrying about car repair costs and unnecessary maintenance issues.

Jarod Carmichael is the author of this article on vehicle service contract. Find more information, about car repair costs here

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Five Situations Where Car Shipping Saves You Money

ByJennifer Strong

Employing an experienced service provider might not be towards the top of the shortlist if you are trapped amid the present day financial meltdown. With no an occupation or if perhaps you're working less hrs than you would like, then giving out more money for any experienced provider feels pretty much counterproductive. Even if this might be the conventional state of mind with regards to matters, it's not necessarily continually the simple truth. In truth, typically persons can save a amazing amount of cash if they make the decision to employ the industry experts as an alternative to handling everything on their own. Just about the most stark instances of this is often witnessed in the realm of the motor car, in which it is not only impossible to survive devoid of one this day in age, but where one can generally save by having to pay out.

There are many ways to retain money while you're discussing the vehicle as well as the requirements that come coupled with it. Although some methods of conserving money when you are working with your motor vehicles tend to be genuine common sense, other stuff can be more hazy. Automobile shipping and delivery is, perhaps, essentially the most unknown. Sure, using the services of an automobile transport provider means that you will be opening your wallet to give funds over to yet another financial responsibility, but with regards to the situation that you just discover yourself to be in, doing so might actually save you a lot of bucks over time. You may be perplexed at this stage, therefore let's get deeper in the subject and talk about 5 uncomplicated ways in which hiring skilled vehicle shipping firms really can help you save a lot of money in the long run.

1. Choosing a Great new Vehicle:

In these troubling financial times, it's difficult to justify the purchase of anything as huge as a different car or truck. However, many individuals must make this type of investment simply because as a rule, you merely can never make do with no method of travel. While there are numerous car dealerships in any specific region, and those dealers are most likely offering some good promotions, it's still more cost-effective to get your new automobile on-line. Whether you opt for a second hand motor vehicle or a brand new one, by just shopping on-line you might be allowing yourself the opportunity to drill down down and discover the absolute most affordable price for the vehicle that you would like. Even when you add in the cost of car transport to get your motor vehicle from its location to your home, in the end you end up ahead, typically by thousands of dollars.

2. Relocating to a New Dwelling:

Everyone understands that moving to a new house is expensive, nonetheless it might be the least expensive option if you are unable to pay for the cost of residing in your present home. Whether you're moving on account of home foreclosure, to simply escape from beneath the excessive installments that a loan provider seems to have trapped you in, or simply to live nearer to family members or even in a cheaper place to reside in, you will have to take purposeful measures in order to spend less for the all round relocation. With gas rates so high, it's really a boon to be able to ship your current autos rather than driving all of them to your brand new home as well, especially if your brand-new residence is miles away. Therefore, auto transport can yet again save you the hundreds of dollars in petrol and maintenance expenses that you might have normally spent through the entire duration of an individual's move.

3. Trying to sell a used motor vehicle:

One of many ways that a number of people are in reality earning profits today is through trying to sell stuff that they will no longer require. A person can advertise just about anything on-line nowadays, such as cars or trucks. In case you have a car you no longer need, or one which is simply sitting in the garage and taking up storage space, then you may wish to think about selling it on the internet. There are a number of fine platforms for this type of transaction, such as craigslist and ebay along with other automobile reselling web pages that offer security and safety for you and your deal. While doing so, remember that you should employ professional auto transport corporations to really transport your car or truck to the new house too. Be sure you get motor vehicle transport quotations ahead of time however to ensure that when you have a purchaser, you are able to inform them simply how much you'll be charging these people to ship the vehicle they may be buying.

4. Satiating the Needs of Adolescents:

Should you have an adolescent at home, then you already know how much it will take to keep them nourished, dressed, and yes, delighted. And one of the largest things in every teen's every day life is their own car. Whether you are aiming to buy something online for the first vehicle for your teenager, or else you are considering relocating across the nation and you do not want your child operating their aged motor vehicle the entire way, ensure that you look at the services of a fine car or truck shipping corporation. Not only would they aid you in getting any car or truck to the location that you need it to be, but they will help you keep your teens joyful and on course towards a successful future. This may be particularly beneficial when you are thinking of a move to a different home; affairs will probably be troublesome and disorganized all on their own without you having to deal with the fallout of your adolescent losing his or her mode of transportation and thus, independence.

5. Helping Out Relatives:

One of the ways many human beings throughout the country are actually making an effort to cut costs and stay afloat is by supporting loved ones in a monetary manner. While sending cash is essentially the most popular approach to assisting relatives, you might also mail products which a person needs. One such good, as reviewed previously, is a vehicle. Because so many citizens can't live without transportation, it can be beneficial to send an unneeded auto to a family member who is able to really put it to use rather then having them buy one from another place. Sure, they can make monthly payments over time, but giving them access to a car or truck without delay might help save these people from on the spot financial damage when they're no longer able to make the journey to and from a job and school. As opposed to facing such unfortunate consequences, work with a vehicle shipping organization and mail these people your previous or unused vehicle. In the long run, you will realize it had been a very good step.

Whatever circumstance you feel yourself in these days, it is obvious that the financial circumstance of the planet together is less than pleasing. Consumers are striving everyday to make ends meet, always in search of an alternate way to reduce costs and lower his or her all round costs. While hiring vehicle shipping firms may cost a few hundred dollars, it is usually best if you investigate the services as a way of saving money or earning profits in the end. Think about these 5 ways that this service could put extra money in your pocketbook and you will find how incredibly useful auto transport might be.

Transportcompanies.com is the one stop motor vehicle transporting shop! Obtain 100% zero cost car or truck transport estimates from the highest scored car shipping companies in the whole industry in addition to every piece of information you need to effectively relocate your car or truck from one place to another with no hassle in any way.

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Off-Roading With An Automatic Transmission

Off-roading is a great way to spend a weekend, but it can also be dangerous. When off-roading you are driving your vehicle over rough terrains that aren't paved and have no lines. Driving on this type of trail can cause some damage to your vehicle that you would not experience in everyday driving situations. Manual transmissions have long been favored in off-road vehicles because of the control over the vehicle and speed without needing to apply the brakes very often. But it is possible to go off-roading in a vehicle that is equipped with an automatic transmission.

When driving off-road it is very easy to lose control of your vehicle when you're maneuvering up or down a steep incline. To maintain control in these driving situations it is best to keep a low steady speed while applying constant low pressure on either the gas or brake. When you're driving a vehicle with a manual transmission it is easy to downshift in order to gain control of your vehicle if it should happen to slide. In a vehicle with an automatic transmission you aren't capable of using this option so you should keep the vehicle in low gear and try not to accelerate too much when you're going up or down a steep hill in order to lessen the chances of your car sliding.

If you're accustomed to driving a manual transmission you are used to using both feet while driving. However, when driving a car with an automatic transmission you are only required to use one foot to control both your speed and your brake. But when off-roading this rule goes out the window, it is recommended that when climbing or coming down a steep hill you use both feet. Doing so will allow you better control of the vehicle. Do not apply too much pressure to either foot, instead apply slight pressure equally so that you are not braking or speeding up too fast.

Try to avoid using both pedals at the same time because this can damage to the vehicle and the transmission. Being able to successfully use both feet when off-roading to control your vehicle will allow you to make quick decisions and not hesitate when switching feet from pedal to pedal.

If you are planning to use an automatic transmission powered vehicle to go off-roading one of the first things you should do is to install a deeper transmission pan. Doing this will allow the transmission to draw fluid at steep angles. A stock transmission pan often causes the vehicle to have a difficult time drawing fluid on a steep incline because all of the fluid tends to relocate to either side of the pan. Installing a deeper transmission pan will also help keep your vehicle from locking up or slipping gears at a critical point in your climb or descent.

For those of you who thought off-roading in a Jeep with an automatic transmission was impossible, you should know by now that Jeeps are capable of anything whether automatic or manual. These are only tips to help keep your adventures safe and enjoyable no matter what type of transmission your vehicle is equipped with.

Deana "Dee" Marshall is a avid Jeep Off-Roader and loves all things Jeep. A great place to connect and learn more interesting things about Jeep off-roading, Jeep technical articles, and a great resource for all things Jeep is XtremeTerrain.com and the XtremeTerrain Blog. Happy Jeep Off-Roading! See you on the trails!

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The Multiple Advantages of Getting Your Car Wheel Rim Repaired Instead of Buying A New One

ByTim Kiv

Wheel and rim repair is becoming a common practice in the current world of business. People have come to realize nicked, scratched or even curb damaged can be repaired back to good condition if not new. This however requires an expert who can guarantee you safety. Broken or poorly repaired rims have broken down and caused terrible road accidents. Nevertheless if the work is done careful there are numerous car wheel rim repair benefits instead of buying a new one.

The cost of buying new rims is much higher than the cost of doing repair. According to the current economic status, the price of each and every product in the market has touched the sky. Rims and other body parts are no exceptional. Therefore it is advisable to have your old rims repaired rather than buying new ones.

Changing rims of some cars will affect their system, for instance; suspension and the braking system. This vehicle adversely changes their performance in a retrogressive manner. They are designed with these particular rims for their optimum performance. Finding the exact type is close to impossible.The ones that are in the market are a replica of the original ones. This leaves you with only one option and that is repair.

Buying new rims means that in one way or another you have to dispose the old ones. Method of disposing used rims is hectic and time consuming. This means that you have to find a special place to keep you worn out rims. This is expensive, takes a lot of space and some time come in hand with tire replacement.

Some cars have specific settings on camber in a bit to maximize handling and stability especially when negotiating corners. This depends mostly with the type of rims that are used. Replacing them with new one may change the settings and therefore affecting the stability of the vehicle. For this reason, maintaining old rims is an intelligent idea. New rims mean that more materials have to be bought in order to make them. This means that more environmental hazardous material has to be released in the process of making new rims. More energy is used to make new rims than it is used in repairing old ones. By this it means that you are trying to save energy that has of late been on crisis.

Some rims are set to specific camber to optimize handling and cornering. Changing the rim might adversely affect camber and therefore compromise safety. Instead of having them replace you can repair them and maintain the settings of your car.

Learn about the advantages of having your car wheel rim repair completed by knowledgeable professionals today! You can get motorcycle wheel rim repair completed quickly!

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Guide on How to Change Oil

ByAustin Jason Cooper

Changing the Oil on Your Own:

The main concern of any car owner is how to change the oil and how much does the oil change cost. Obviously it is the cheapest to do it by yourself, however unless you are a very experienced gearhead it might be a bit problematic. All in all it will be around $20, but make sure you know what you are doing, as you will need things like latex gloves, funnels, drains, wrenches and so on. For one thing you will be going under the car and probably spend another twenty minutes trying to pry of the oil filter. Even if you were successful with everything you have to dispose of the used oil and you cannot just chuck it into the sewer system. It needs to be taken to the nearest service station, where they accept old oil.

Other Ways of Changing Oil:

Most people choose the nearby garage, where the local mechanic can take care of you issues. If you are a regular, he will remember you and won't rip you off and will provide superb services including the oil change, which will cost you around $35 to $40. Another alternative is your car dealership, where you will be paying the most. They do make the finest maintenance for the price of $50 or so, however all of the repairs and changes are recorded, so whenever you have a claim of warranty, it will come in handy. The last method would be getting your oil changed with the specialized chain store like Midas or Aamco. They do a good work, charge approximately $25-$30 and have a bad habit of upselling.

How Often One Must Change Oil:

It heavily depends on the oil you use. If you have conventional oil than to be on the safe side oil must be changed every six months or 3000 miles, even though it might say that it should be changed every year or 8000 miles. With the synthetic oil you should not concern yourself, since this kind of oil is used in cars that have an automatic reminder of when to change the oil.

Oil Change Deals:

You will be able to find countless coupons online not only for just oil change but for transmissions and tires. Currently Firestone, Midas, Jiffi Blue, Pennzoil and many more chain stores have deals. You can find printable coupons of $5 to $10 off or the percentage deduction with those stores. Make sure to take advantage of them as soon as possible as they normally expire quite quickly.

For more information on how to do an oil change and how you can save on oil change coupons 2012, for the detailed information follow to AutoInsuranceMonitor.com

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How To Remove Odors From Your Car

ByEllen Langevitz

It's very unpleasant to sit in a car that has a bad odor, for the driver as well as the passenger. It's not difficult to remove odor from your car. There are many things you can do to keep your car smelling new and fresh all the time. Get into the habit of keeping your car clean and smelling fresh by following a few of the basic ideas below.

Do a thorough cleaning: If your car already has a foul smell, you'll have to first clean it completely and then follow up with upkeep. Remove everything from inside the car, including floor mats, car seat covers, and anything that is not attached to it. Check under the seats for trash, food, toys and other things that may have fallen between the cushions. Rotting food and trash is a major source of car odor. If you have kids, make sure to remove their car seats and clean them very thoroughly. Spilled food and drinks often get stuck in children's car seats and cause odors over time. Once all the trash is removed, shampoo and wipe the seats and surfaces with professional interior cleaner. Professional cleaners that are made for car interiors will work much better than regular cleaning products.
Vacuum and Steam Clean: Remove floor rugs and vacuum any part of the car that you can reach with a vacuum. Open up the cushions as much as you can to remove any hidden dirt inside the cracks. Dirt and other debris that remain inside the cushions for a long time can eventually cause mold and mildew, both of which are a cause of bad odors. After you have thoroughly vacuumed, you may want to steam clean the car for a really good cleaning. Steam cleaning will pick up all the dirt and dust that the vacuum may have left behind, and will leave the car smelling fresh and clean. You can finish by using a nice smelling carpet deodorizer on the floors.
Use Car Seat Covers: Using car seat covers is a great way of keeping dirt and stains from the seats of your car. They take the bulk of the food, drinks and anything else that may fall in your car, but they are much easier to clean. They can be removed easily, and almost all covers can be washed in the washing machine on gentle cycle. When you remove the car seat cover to clean it, you can see anything that fell in between the cushions. It will be a lot less than without the cover.

car seat covers not only protect your car but also give it a signature look. Go to http://www.thecarcover.com for car seat covers and other car accessories.

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A Backup Camera System And Other Advancements For Cars

When cars were first introduced in the market, seatbelts weren't even mandatory. It's hard to believe people didn't worry so much about safety in their cars. Nowadays, you will be given a ticket if someone in your vehicle isn't wearing a seatbelt. But it always takes awhile before luxury features soon become the norm in every car. There are currently features out right now that are offered to those who can afford it, but I hope some of them become mandatory soon, for our own sake.

Cruise control does more than just give your foot a break from a long drive. Coupled with sensors and the use of radar, cruise control also adjusts the throttle and brakes to keep a safe distance between you and the car in front of you when there are changes in traffic speed. Once any congestion has cleared up, the car will return to its original speed.

A wonderful feature that's been popping up on many luxury cars are blind spot and collision warnings. The car will immediately alert you of other cars or objects that are in your blind spot if you are trying to change lanes or to park. The system will either flash a light, cause the steering wheel or seat to vibrate, or sound an alarm to warn you. We all know how dangerous the blind spot can be and there would be far less accidents if everyone could afford this system in his or her car.

Similar to this system is a lane departure warning. Based on the car's speed and distance, the system will warn you of any danger when changing lanes. It can even determine if you are meandering between lanes, such as when you have fallen asleep at the wheel. Some can detect if you are falling asleep based on a change in posture and head position. It can then slow down the car.

A backup camera system is not new technology. It has been around for quite some time. However, when backup camera systems were first created, they were only available in more expensive cars. Now it is much easier and cheaper to create them and they are offered for just about every vehicle. However, a backup camera system is still not a mandatory feature already built into every vehicle.

Finally, there are occupant-sensitive airbags. Not every human is the same size or weight. Airbags can actually be very damaging to smaller and thinner adults. Sometimes the airbag does more damage than the crash itself. Occupant-sensitive airbags will deploy with the passenger in mind.

RearViewSafety.com is your source for commercial truck, trailer, and RV back up camera systems - we even do boats! Our vehicle backup camera technology has already helped thousands of autos reverse safely, including school buses, emergency vehicles, charter buses, cargo trucks, houseboats, and forklifts.

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Grow Your Service and Parts Business in 2012

What was the biggest problem in 2010? Not enough people to take care of the Customers! This is the single biggest problem I see today in Dealerships. In 2010, I've visited Dealerships from Kentucky to Virginia to Texas to Minnesota to Georgia to Wisconsin to Florida. All but one have the same problem in common - not enough people to "cuddle" the Customers. Since 2008, almost every business cut its staff. It made sense. The future was uncertain; businesses needed to remain profitable and the logical place to start was the single largest expense every non-manufacturing business has - Personnel Expense. Several positives came from this. Dealerships were able to get rid of outrageous guarantees, "dead weight" and they were forced to improve and streamline processes. But if Dealers want to thrive in the coming years now that the economy is well-past "rock bottom" (March, 2009), they have to be prepared to grow their Service & Parts business by being able to handle the business professionally and properly.

The problem seems to be that Dealers are now "addicted" to very high Net Profits and Net Profit to Gross Profit ratios. What I am talking about is adding straight commissioned Service Advisors and Technicians to the Staff, not overhead "fat". This will increase both Gross Profits and Net Profits. New Vehicle Sales will not "rebound" to previous levels for years; it's called "the New Normal". The "gold" is in Used, Service and Parts. Prepare for "the New-Normal" that we have been in and will be in for the next few years by staffing your Departments with the right number of Employees to take care of your current and prospective Customers. In the Service Department, to have enough time to take care of the Customers, your Service Advisors should NOT be handling more than 15 Customers a day on average (12 if you are a high-line Dealer). And if your Service Advisors have taken on the cashiering duties or warranty coding, the number of Customers they should handle should be less. Here's a simple exercise; for the month take the number of Customer Pay and Warranty Repair Orders and add them together. Add in the Internal Repair Orders IF your Service Advisors also write those. Then divide the R.O. totals by the number of Service Advisors. If you answer exceeds 325, you need more Advisors.

If you're thinking, "Our Advisors are currently able to handle our Customers, we don't need to add anyone else." think about this: As of 2009, the average Customer pay vehicle in most Service Departments had well over 70,000 miles on it; do you think it only needs an oil change? Couple that with the fact that your Service Advisors are seeing Customers maybe twice a year due to expanded maintenance requirements and improved product quality. That doesn't give them/you many chances to build a relationship or take good care of the Customer's vehicle. To do both, your Advisors need TIME! Your Service Advisors may be forced into "short-cutting" crucial steps when they handle too many Customers. Advisors will do what it takes to keep up with the day's work, but are they doing what it takes to increase your business and theirs when they don't have the time? Advisors write up the Customer, get the spending approval for the Customer's request and close out the ticket. Hopefully they personally deliver the vehicle back to the Customer through the Active Delivery process to RETAIN that Customer. But to grow your Service Business and to increase your Sales per Repair Order, they need to do more.

Below are 10 processes that could be falling by the wayside on a daily basis if you are shorthanded:
1. Taking a GOOD reservation prewriteup, including requesting mileage.

2. Reviewing the Customer's vehicle's history, looking for needed or previously missed maintenance and postponed repairs for presentation to the Customer.

3. Doing a GOOD Walk-Around with the Customer when the Customer arrives.

4. Presenting the appropriate Maintenance Menu after the Walk-Around.

5. Properly introducing the permission based Multipoint Inspection.

6. The Technicians doing a quality Multipoint Inspection, with digital photos.

7. The Advisors then contacting the Customer and asking for the sale on items found during the Technicians' Multipoint Inspection (if you think this is already happening, ask the Techs, not the Advisors).

8. Providing BEST, Better, good options to close more Sales.

9. Soliciting a good follow-up date on the unsold work, and recording same in an electronic reminder system such as Outlook, Google Calendar, etc.

10. Doing face-to face Active Deliveries where the Advisors set the next Service Appointment and request any other vehicles at home you could maintain for the Customer.

When any one of those processes is skipped, you are wasting your "Service Ups." When you have enough trained staff to follow the processes that are designed to take care of your Customers, everyone wins. My Service Drive Process works best when all of the steps are followed, and to do that, you need enough people. Your Customers are depending on your Dealership to take care of their vehicles. To do that your Advisors must look at the vehicle's mileage and vehicle's history; then recommend what it takes for a Customer's vehicle to be safe and worry free. By inviting the Customer to your Dealership, you have taken on the responsibility of taking care of the Customer's vehicle. That means selling recommended repairs and needed maintenance, not just accepting what the Customer came in for.

Not only do you need enough Service Advisors, you need enough Technicians with time to do the work the vehicles need. Your Technicians become more efficient when they are not bounced from one vehicle to another. Few things are more frustrating to a Technician than starting a job, then being told, "Wait a minute, could you to take a quick look at this vehicle," or "Could you knock out this waiter oil change before you finish that?" Running around in chaos to take care of Customers' vehicles willy-nilly because we have too few Technicians is inefficient and wastes your Tech's time. Your Technicians will NOT do a quality Multipoint Inspection until they know the Advisors are going to sell the work and they know they will get a chance to do the work on a vehicle that is already in their stall. Otherwise, it's all checkmarks or a rubber-stamped approach. If you say, you can't find any good people; try Craiglist.com, "the national electronic bulletin board." Every Dealership I have been in has had amazing results when they post an ad on Craigslist. Just last week, in Macclenny, Florida (where you ask? - right), the Service Department needed to add more Technicians. Within 24 hours of posting the ad, the Service Manager was interviewing and hired a GM Master Tech, with another GM and Ford Master Tech coming in the next day. There is no good excuse for not having the right amount of staff. The only way your Staff can handle your Customers properly is to have enough folks to "cuddle" your Customers. This then optimizes your Customer's visit, your facility, and dollars spent on training and advertising. Take care of your Customers and they'll take care of you by coming back and spending money vs. defecting to the 100s of options they all have that are closer to home or closer to work. For more ideas like this or information on Management Training & Development for Dealership Operations please contact Lloyd Schiller at lloydschiller.426

Is Your Dealership's Bandwidth Costing You Money?

No matter how many Dealerships I visit, I always learn something new. In April, I visited a Midwest High-Line Dealership. While on my visit, I encountered numerous problems using a NEW computer system in their NEW $42 million dollar facility! The problems were Complete Inability or Very Slow: to connect with the factory, download tech bulletins, download of software patches, open electronic parts catalogs, email digital pictures, open electronic time guides, on-line video training, etc.

After discussing this problem with the General Manager, the group IT Director visited with me and I explained the challenges I saw. I explained that these issues were costing approximately $25,000 per month in Service and Parts Gross Profit based on total lack of Efficiency. The Employees had been complaining about these issues, but nothing had been fixed at this point. The building was brand new and the computer system was brand new. I was shocked that the computers could be malfunctioning in such a short time. After investigation, the IT Director found that both the diagnosis and solution were simple.

According to the IT Director, the Dealership's Internet bandwidth demands had increased 400% in only 12 months time, and far exceeded their current supply! It was not the computers, but too little bandwidth. The solution would only cost them an additional $400 per month compared to the estimated $25,000 in lost Service & Parts Gross Profit. Here is this brand new Taj Mahal Dealership, and if it was suffering from a lack of bandwidth, then most other Dealerships in the United States probably have the same issues. There are VERY FEW functions in our business anymore that are provided strictly from the computer server or from paper manuals and forms. Almost everything we do these days is supplied through the Internet, transmitted through the Internet, is web-based, cloud-based, etc. So that YOUR Employees' productivity is maximized, I strongly recommend having someone measure your current bandwidth demand at peak Dealership hours and have your supply adjusted accordingly.

When determining the amount of bandwidth needed for your network to operate efficiently, you must consider how and when your system is utilized. High use of bandwidth slows a network to a crawl making it difficult or impossible for your Employees to do their work. All usage is not created equal - some may be authorized, other may be for personal usage, such as the huge bandwidth draw which results from streaming radio and TV to Employees' computers for their "entertainment"!

Some steps to take to make the most of what you have:

To understand where and when you are accessing the Internet, make a list of all the required applications necessary in running your business.

Monitor your bandwidth. If you don't own any monitoring software, download a free monitoring tool from the internet or get one for a nominal cost. These tools monitor your network and Internet traffic in real-time and will measure your download and upload speeds in graphical and numerical forms to assist you in determining why and when you're using bandwidth. There are free software programs available such as NetWorx found at http://www.softperfect.com that provide accurate accounts of the data which is flowing through your computer's network connection.

Print and review a traffic report for several days. These reports will show a graph including all peeks of bandwidth use. For example, you may not have problems with your bandwidth between 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., but from 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. may show spikes in utilization. This could be due to Employees browsing the Internet before, after or during "break" hours.

Enforce technology policies. Streaming live video and radio suck up the most bandwidth and slow the network down for everybody! Give your Employees what they need to perform their jobs adequately, but do not leave "everything open". If there is no need for streaming video or radio lock out those functions. Your Dealership's network policy should state that all of what Employees do on the computer may be monitored and recorded.

Ask your Employees about their Internet and computer experience. Determine if you need more bandwidth to better your Employees' performance. There are many options available. Before making a decision, speak to your provider and see what is available or speak to several venders for the best price.

Continually monitor your usage on a regular basis; if your see that your bandwidth needs to be increased, make the change. For a slightly higher monthly fee, this small change will make a huge difference your Employees' efficiency and happiness. Lloyd Schiller is president of Lloydschiller.com and LloydTV.com, he can be reached at lloydschiller.426

A Brief History of Windshield Wiper Blades

On June 18, 1903, Mary Anderson applied for a patent on her "window cleaning device."

This device closely resembled the windshield wipers of the early days of the automobile. It operated by the driver or passenger manipulating a lever or crank on the inside of the passenger compartment. A patent was granted on November 10, 1903, to Mary Anderson who tried to market the device to automotive companies but was unable to find anyone interested. She put the patent in a drawer and it expired.

Competition was almost immediate.

At about the same time, James Henry Apjohn patented a device in the United Kingdom in 1903 which moved a pair of brushes up and down on a vertical plate-glass windshield.

A lack of locations to use windshield wipers delayed interest.

Part of the problem with the earliest versions of windshield cleaning devices was the lack of windows on the cars of the day. For many cars, windshields were an option. In 1929, wraparound windows, available as an option, became a status symbol. But the problem of having to reach out the window with a squeegee was enough to spur on inventors long before enclosed cabin vehicles became standard.

A rainy location becomes a hot-bed of invention.

April of 1911 saw a patent registered for windshield wipers by Sloan & Lloyd Barnes, a patent agent of Liverpool, England, for Gladstone Adams of Whitley Bay. Claims of patents on the wiping device sprang up in the rainy United Kingdom by pianist Josef Hofmann and Mills Munitions, Birmingham, both claiming to have the first patent.

A car accident that bolstered the development of wiper technology.

The history of the windshield wiper received a major boost on a rainy night in 1917. John R. Oishei, who owned a theater in Buffalo, New York, was struck by a bicyclist while driving in his National Roadster. In spite of the fact that the injuries to the cyclist were not serious, Mr. Oishei became determined that this type of accident shouldn't happen again. He formed the Tri-Continental Corporation that introduced the first windshield wiper called the "Rain Rubber."

Again, competition creeps in like a vulture.

In 1919, William Folberth applied for a patent for the first motorized windshield wiper system. The patent was granted in 1922 for the vacuum powered wiper system. Vacuum is a by-product of the operation of the automotive engine and was tapped to power his design. Vacuum powered wipers were installed as standard equipment until approximately 1960. As the owner of the Folberth Auto Specialty Company of Cleveland, Ohio, a dispute arose between Folberth and the Tri-Continental Corporation.

An equitable settlement is reached concerning the vacuum powered wiper system.

As a means of settling the dispute, the Tri-Continental Corporation purchased the Cleveland company. Tri-Continental went on to become well known for their vacuum powered wiper systems. While they worked well to keep the windshield clean, they were known for not being fast and would slow down on acceleration of the vehicle.

The birth of TRICO.

Tri-Continental became known as TRICO and has become one of the world's leading producers of windshield wiper blades and refills. Another development of this company was the air-powered wiper systems for trucks, military vehicles and diesel powered boats.

A change comes in the late 1950's.

The late 1950's and 1960's saw the changeover to electric motor powered wipers. While an intermittent wash system was in use for vacuum powered systems, electric motors maintained their speed and allowed more versatility in various speeds and modes of operation and allowed for a larger wiper size and larger windshields.

The development of intermittent wipers.

Robert Kearnes, an engineering professor at Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, invented the modern intermittent wiper system which was offered for the first time on the 1969 Mercury line produced by the Ford Motor Company. Kearnes claims to have come up with the idea from the human eye lid action which sweeps across the surface intermittently.

Keeping the headlights clean and bright.

1970 was to see the introduction the most recent major advancement in wiper technology with the introduction of the headlight wiper by the Saab Automobile company. These have not seen a wide range of usage in the United States except on cars which come so equipped.

When Trey is not online, he's usually getting his hands greasy in his auto repair shop. In addition to his 12 years of experience working as a mechanic, Trey enjoys learning about computer programming. He is the creator of Size My Wipers, an interactive tool for helping people find the correct wiper size for their vehicles.

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Considering Buying A Car? Perhaps You Should Consider Buying A Former Rental

ByJennifer Calvin

Rental vehicles have to be reliable but of course, it simply makes sense that the only way a rental company is going to make money off these vehicles is by offering reliable vehicles. It is for that reason that most rental car companies don't hold onto their cars too long. Even if a car has been reliable and in good condition for the duration of the time they've been using it, most companies end up getting rid of these vehicles around 50,000-70,000 miles.

With the standard overall mileage of a modern vehicle being approximately 200,000 miles this leaves a lot of life left in those automobiles that a rental car company is going to be discarding and there are other reasons why these may be your most suitable option while shopping around for a used automobile. And some of them lie in the ways in which rental vehicles are babied.

Now a lot of people worry about the number of different drivers and the ways in which they may have beaten on a particular automobile but studies show that people tend to beat upon an unfamiliar vehicle a lot less frequently then they do on their own vehicle. For the most part this is because of the fact that they are more uncomfortable with a car that is not their own.

And in general rental car companies keep their vehicles well tuned and in service regularly. Because of the nature of the business and the need to offer secure and safe cars to renters most rental companies have a mechanic look most automobiles over weekly. Doing so helps to make sure that they are kept in the very best condition for as long as feasible. Of course the average vehicle owner does little by way of servicing their vehicle unless it's a required service or there is a problem.

If you are looking to pick up a dependable second hand vehicle you might not need to look any further than your local rental car agency. Most turn vehicles over on a pretty consistent basis and some will even get in touch with you when new cars become available. Knowing who owned your automobile and that they kept up on servicing it will help make sure you get many more miles out of that used vehicle. You'll likely pay a little more for a former rental vehicle than from one being sold privately by an individual however to obtain a reliable vehicle it is likely worth paying a bit more.

When you are traveling to Australia and are in need of a Car rental use the Australia car rental company that everyone relies on. Visit budget.com.au and start your reservation process today.

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The 2012 Ford Focus

Can a compact and affordable car still be fun to drive and sporty? definitely fits the bill. It's been redesigned and know offers a sportier appearance. Since it's introduction to the market back in the 90's, the Focus has always been a top seller for Ford. Let's take a look at the new 2012 version.

Let's take a closer look what's going on under the hood; the engine consists of four cylinders and is capable of 140 horsepower. One of the most exciting updates for is the addition of torque vectoring control; a feature that is generally found in cars that are much more expensive. The Focus is available as a comfortable sedan or a sporty hatchback.

One if the car's best features is it's excellent mileage. The Focus achieves up to 40 miles per gallon if you opt for the super fuel efficiency package. This package is recommended for anyone who wants the most bang for their buck when it comes to gas costs.

Drivers will also get to enjoy Ford's intuitive MyFord system. Everything is voice activated which means the driver can change the music selection while keeping hands on the steering wheel. The Titanium model comes with Parking Assist which allows the vehicle to park itself while you simply handle the brakes.

The cabin has been designed to be warm, inviting and stylish. Designers have included silver and aluminum trim for a contemporary appearance. Standard features include an adjustable steering wheel, compatibility with most MP3 players and a V-12 power outlet. The seats are comfortable and can be upgraded to premium leather at an additional cost.

Engineers have included a large array of safety features including air bags with chest protection technology, ESC and ABS. Ford Motors has conducted over 12,000 virtual and real-life tests on this auto for maximum safety. There is also a B-pillar in place which provides additional protection during side impact accidents.

appeals to a large demographic due to its versatility. Younger drivers can opt for the sport suspension package for improved handling and performance. Older drivers may choose to invest in the SFE package for better mileage. This car would be perfect for a college student, professional or just about anyone who wants a compact and affordable auto with a sporty edge. The 2012 Focus is now available for $18,300.

Written by Jacqueline Star - Jones Auto Center Ford Buckeye offers a large selection of vehicles for sale including Buick, GMC, Ford, Jeep and Dodge. We serve the cities of Casa Grande, Buckey and Wickenburg in AZ. Interested in pre-owned autos? Check out our Used Cars Buckeye dealership for excellent service.

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