Auto Magazine

Five Ways to Know When Your Car Needs to Be Serviced

by Carsurfer Admin on 2014/01/16 in Auto Maintenance with Comments Off

Owning a car can be a great luxury, but being a vehicle owner also comes with a lot of financial responsibility. Not only must you handle expenses such as making a car payment, paying for car insurance, and keeping your gas tank full, but you must also deal with the cost of maintenance and repairs. It is important that you be familiar with some common signs that your car needs to be serviced. This way, you can have the issues resolved before they worsen and turn into an even larger and more expensive repair.

Vibrating Steering Wheel

If you notice a vibration in your steering wheel, especially upon accelerating to a certain speed, then you may have a problem with your vehicle’s alignment or wheels. This can be caused by hitting a pothole and throwing your car out of alignment or even bending a rim on one of your wheels. A diagnostic test can be run by a repair shop to determine whether either of these are the case.

Pulsating Upon Braking

When you depress your brake pedal, do you ever feel a pulsating sensation in your steering wheel or in the front end of your car? If so, then this may be a sign that you need new brake pads, rotors, or a new set of brakes entirely. Over time, rotors and brakes become unevenly worn and need to be replaced or repaired. Consider visiting a brake shop to have your car’s braking system inspected by a professional.

White Smoke Coming from Exhaust

While it is normal to see a small amount of smoke coming from your muffler, be on the lookout for large amounts of billowing white smoke. This could be a sign that your car has blown a head gasket. This is a problem that is best diagnosed by a repair shop specializing in head gasket repair in Calgary, such as Speedy Brake and Apollo Muffler.

Smell of Burning Rubber

Except in obvious situations, such as when you screech your tires by accelerating too quickly, you should never notice any strange odors coming from your car. If you smell any odors, such as that of burning rubber, you may have a worn belt in your engine such as a timing or serpentine belt. It is important to have these replaced as soon as signs of wear and tear arise, as failure to do so can result in more expensive repairs down the road.

Flickering Interior or Exterior Lights

If you notice the lights in or outside of your car dimming at seemingly random intervals, this may be a sign that your battery is on the verge of dying. Have it checked for a charge and replace it immediately if needed. The last thing you want is to be stranded somewhere with a car that will not start.

These are just a few common signs to watch out for. By doing so and by seeing a mechanic promptly upon noticing any of these signs, you can have your car repaired in no time and enjoy the peace of mind in having a reliable, safe vehicle.

Savannah Coulsen is a freelance writer. She lives in Long Beach. Savannah loves to read and write and she hopes to write a novel someday. Savannah also loves learning and is a self-proclaimed health guru. She always uses Speedy Brake and Apollo Muffler when she needs her car serviced.

5 Tips that Will Keep Your Car in Great Condition and Looking Like New for Years to Come

by Carsurfer Admin on 2014/01/15 in Auto Maintenance with Comments Off

It is less expensive to properly maintain your car than to repair it, but many people simply forgo maintaining their car because of the small expense or inconvenience. Simple regular maintenance items not only prevent unnecessary breakdowns and repairs, but extend your car’s life and level of performance. A well-maintained car also retains more resale value. Thus, here is a quick look at 5 maintenance tasks that will keep your car in great condition for years to come.

Perform Regular Oil and Filter Changes

This is the most important maintenance you can do for your car. Nothing destroys an engine quicker than neglecting oil levels or forgetting to perform regular oil changes. Check your owner’s manual or ask your mechanic for the proper oil change interval for your make and model. You should also ask your mechanic for the proper type of oil that you should be using in your vehicle. Providing proof of regular oil changes can add hundreds of dollars to a resale price.

Do a Yearly Cooling System Flush

Corrosion and deposits can build in the inside of your cooling system and cause huge problems. Flushing the cooling system and changing the coolant yearly helps prevent buildup of harmful deposits in your system. Mix coolant in equal parts with distilled water to keep your cooling system in great shape.

Change Transmission and Differential Fluids on Schedule

This is not a frequent service, but it is vitally important. Check your recommended service intervals and write it on the calendar, or have your mechanic remind you. If you do it yourself, be sure you use the gear oil and transmission fluid that is the proper viscosity and type for your system.

Keep Your Car Clean

Carports and garages only protect your car when it is inside. You still must wash and wax your car regularly to protect and maintain its finish. The outside obviously needs cleaning, but cleaning the undercarriage is just as important, especially in areas where the roads are salted in the winter. Everything you run over can stick under your car and cause corrosion. The inside needs regular maintenance too. A yearly detailing and steam cleaning of the inside can keep your car looking brand new for years to come.

Keep All Moving Parts Lubricated

When you change your oil, it’s also a good time to check your lubrication. Joints and moving parts all need regular grease and lube to ensure proper performance and prevent unnecessary wear and tear. Proper maintenance of joints and moving parts can potentially save you thousands of dollars in repairs.

Just like your body, your car needs regular care. Take care of it, and it will take care of you by not stranding you on the side of the road. A little TLC adds up to real money at resale.

Five Ways to Bring New Business into Your Local Garage

by Carsurfer Admin on 2014/01/13 in Auto Maintenance with Comments Off

If you are struggling to make ends meet at your garage, you may need to rethink your marketing approach. Good word of mouth can be effective, but oftentimes it is not enough to allow a garage to survive. This is especially true during these tough economic times. Here is a look at five ways you can get more business into your garage.

1. Use a Newspaper Ad

Newspaper ads are a great way to get new business into your garage. Although readership is down, you can feel confident that those reading the newspaper will see your ad. Many people skim the paper just to look at the ads. In addition, you can take advantage of the newspaper’s website to advertise to their online readers as well.

2. Use Social Media

Any local business that is not harnessing the power of social media is shooting itself in the foot. You need to create social media accounts on all the popular sites. Make sure to use Facebook and Twitter at a minimum. You should update your garage’s social media accounts daily, sending out information and promotions.

3. Promotional Materials

Giving out promotion materials to customers is one of the best ways to boost your business. Every time someone stops in the garage, make sure that they leave with a promotional item like a pen, T-shirt or Frisbee. You can find a nice selection of promotional items you can use for your garage.

4. Radio Ads

Radio ads are another good way to get new customers into your garage. It is hard for radio listeners to avoid the ads. They cannot fast forward through the commercials like they can with television ads. They also are much less likely to change the channel when the commercials come on thus making it more likely they will hear your ad.

5. Support a Local Charity

If you want to get a great boost in business, then you should consider supporting a local charity. When customers see that you are doing good in the community, they will think of you the next time they need some work done on their cars.

If you use these five tips, you will get a great increase in business in no time. There is no need to struggle to get by. Follow these tips to get new customers coming into your garage every day. As long as you put forth the effort to drum up business, there is no reason you can’t grow.

Fair Trade – 5 Things to Know if You Plan to Trade Your Car In

by Carsurfer Admin on 2014/01/11 in Auto Buying Tips with Comments Off

So you’re ready to trade your car in, and hoping to get a great deal? Well, if you don’t know a lot about cars (and even if you do) there are a few things you need to make sure you’re aware of before you walk into the dealership. If you’re not prepared from the beginning, you could get swindled and end up in a worse position than if you had just kept your old car. Preparation is the best tool when it comes to trading your car in, so consider these five tips before you go to the dealership.

Find out the Bluebook Value

Before you start negotiating, find the value of your vehicle. A Kelly bluebook bases the value of your car on the same make, model and year car in the marketplace and it’s the price you can expect to get from a dealer. This way, you will know if the dealer is being straightforward with you about the price when you go to trade it in. Unfortunately, many dealers know that the customer doesn’t really have a good idea of the price of their car, which allows them to swindle you out of a deal quickly. If they mention a price that is different than the price you got from Kelly Bluebook, make sure you ask where they are getting their information from and what that price is based on.

There are Many Types of Cars

What kind of vehicle do you want to buy? Look carefully at your lifestyle, work life and the types of vehicles available. A well-researched decision is one you can live with longer than a poorly researched decision. There are many types of vehicles manufactured: SUVs, sedans, wagons, minivans, hybrids, convertibles, luxury cars, crossovers, hatchbacks and more. Trading your car in could be a great time to make a change in type of car, especially if you are expecting a change in your lifestyle. Many expecting parents will come and trade their cars in for another car with better safety features. Evaluate how satisfied you have been with your car type and consider making a change—if the new car will fit your lifestyle and needs.

Find an Invoice Price

Find out the price you should pay for a particular year, make or model when it comes to the new car. Google the make and model car and add “invoice price” and the year. At places like Edmonds.com or True Car, you’ll get an invoice price, the price everybody else is paying and the MSRP, the Manufacturer’s suggested retail price. According to the auto professionals at a Dallas used cars dealership, you should get the invoice from multiple sites to really get a good idea of the price. Chances are you will find different prices on different sites, but by gathering several invoices you can find an average price depending on the make, model, and year of the car. So, make sure you check out more than one site.

Build a Car Online

Build a car online before ever discussing things with a dealer. It is a bad idea to go online and trade your car in, but doing everything else online except makes sense. This isn’t so much about researching online as it is about the following warning: The test drive is so important, you simply cannot order a car online. You must test-drive it. You could be in for a surprise if you don’t test drive a car before purchase.

Find a Good Dealer

Check out customer reviews. Our advice to you is that a good car dealer offers more than a car. They offer warranties, financing and a variety of vehicles. Some things a dealer offers are not worth the money, like extended warranties. They also add fees to the price after you have worked it out, so get a final price and a guaranty of no added fees.

The most important thing to remember when you are getting ready to trade your car in is that you don’t want to be naive. Unfortunately, at many dealerships, you can’t just take the dealer’s word for it, and some dealers will keep you from getting a deal if you aren’t careful and educated. Do the proper research before you go into the dealer and you will be able to get a fair trade.

How to Buy The Right Electric Car Charger?

by Carsurfer Admin on 2014/01/10 in Hybrid/Electric with Comments Off

It goes without saying that the obvious feature of a recharge is to suffuse the battery with charge when it has been drained and can no longer be used to power up an electric car. It is only natural and more sensible to install a system at your home that lets you recharge your electric car using 240 Volts as that is likely to make it more affordable. Essentially, when we buy any car that is electric, it can give you an impressive drive of 80 miles before the battery gets exhausted and this battery can be recharged in about 4 hours’ time.

The Electric vehicle service equipment as it is popularly known can be installed easily in your home. This charger is essentially a medium sized box that is required to be mounted onto the wall. It also boasts of a chord and a plug that enables the charging of the electric car batteries. Buying a car charger or an EVSE as it is popularly known can be a fairly expensive affair and therefore, it is important that you make the right decision as it is easily considered as an investment. Given below are some important tips that will guide you in the process of purchasing the right car battery charger.

Measure the length of the chord or the cable:

Ideally, the length of the chord that connects the charger and the electric car should be a minimum of 15 feet and can be a maximum of 25 feet. Under any usual circumstance, when we buy any car, it is a common practice to have it parked in the garage. Therefore, from the nearest power source available in your home where the charger box will be mounted, the length of the charging chord should be enough to travel all the way till the garage and into the charging socket. This may sound like a no brainer, but there are quite a few people who tend to purchase their car battery charger only to realize that the chord is not long enough to reach the car in the first place.

Refrain from buying fancy chargers:

As a rule of thumb, your car battery must fulfil one but the most important feature of charging the car battery effectively. Usually, you are likely to come across extremely fancy features that may sound incredibly stunning to you, thus tempting you to purchase them at the blink of an eye. You must refrain from getting lured into this. While there is nothing wrong in purchasing a charger that possess Bluetooth features or WiFi, you must realize that these chargers are likely to burn a hole in your pocket and if these features do happen to get damaged, then you may have to go the extra mile to get it repaired. Instead, use your smartphone or tablet that has been designed for this purpose and buy a battery charger that is simple and one dimensional.

The amperage capacity can make a difference:

The 30 amp level can be the yardstick by which you can charge your electric car. Therefore, when you buy the electric car charger it would be wise to look for this magic number as it can help you immensely in rapidly charging the car. If you have only recently purchased your electric car, you may not require the high power in the initial months; however, the rate at which an electric car charges completely is synonymous with this amperage and this is true for most of the electric cars that are purchased at any given point of time.

Author’s bio: Jonathan Cook is a freelance writer and encourages us to look carefully into the details before we buy any car. He has a formal degree in business management and his passion for cars led him to work at a dealership at a managerial position.