Auto Magazine

Road Trip Disasters: 5 Common Car Problems And How To Avoid Them

by Carsurfer Admin on 2014/01/08 in On the Road with Comments Off

Road trips are a lot of fun, but they can wind up stressful and costly if the vehicle you’re taking isn’t up to snuff. Make sure to have your car inspected for these five common issues before you embark on your journey, or you may find your trip cut short. Road trips are known for fun plot twists along the way, but a broken down car often makes things get a bit more melodramatic than anyone wants!

1. Coolant Leaks

If you ever notice drips under your car, get them checked out quickly. Lack of coolant can cause a vehicle to overheat astonishingly quickly. Without sufficient coolant, hot engine components burn oil, grind together, and can even fuse. The last thing you need is to be the car on the side of the highway, popping the hood and coughing through the smoke.

2. Flat Tires

A lot of things can go wrong with your tires before you notice, and unfortunately, when you do notice it’s usually because they’re beyond repair. Small nails can embed themselves in the tread, leaking air for weeks before you notice. Underinflated tires cause worse gas mileage. Bald tires reduce traction and make driving dangerous. Schedule a consultation or get tips from professionals like those at mcgeetire.com to ensure the only parts of your car that touch the road are road-worthy enough for a long trip.

3. Battery Failure

Car batteries are only rated to last around three or four years, but many people let them go for much longer without replacement. Any number of things can go wrong with a battery, and it’s better to replace it early than to go to get an early start for your day and find it dead. While you’re at it, check and clean the corrosion around the terminals to ensure proper conductivity.

4. Loose or Missing Gas Cap

A gas cap doesn’t seem that essential, but you’ll be surprised at how much it can affect your gas mileage. Whether you left it on the trunk after a fill, or it simply doesn’t fit snugly any more, it’s time to get a new one. Thankfully, a replacement gas cap is only a few dollars at any auto parts store, so you should have no trouble fixing this problem.

5. Faltering Spark Plugs

Every driver has likely heard of a spark plug before, but few people know where to find one or what happens when they fail. Misfiring spark plugs can cascade into dozens of different ailments for a car—from faltering engines to broken catalytic converters.

Once you’ve thoroughly checked out these features of your car, (and thrown in an emergency kit, just in case) you can hit the road a little more assured that you’ll have a memorable road trip—but for good reasons.

About Author: Rianne Hunter is a wife, mother of three, and lover of all things travel and transportation. She often writes about cars, fuel economy, and tires. Regarding tires in Tampa FL or Seattle WA (wherever you may be) she always recommends checking them before leaving on prolonged road trips.

How to Find The Best Car for Your Needs

by Carsurfer Admin on 2014/01/06 in Auto Buying Tips with Comments Off

Recently, you’ve been experiencing some troubles with your vehicle. On the other hand, maybe you’ve never had a car before, and you’re getting tired of the subway, cabs or biking. Whatever the case may be, following these tips can help you find the best car for your needs.

Determine Your Price Point

Before you can even begin to look at cars, you need to figure out how much overall money you are going to be able to spend on this vehicle. If you are buying a car outright, then you must calculate the total cost. When you’re planning to go into a leasing or financing agreement, you should figure out how much you can spend on the down payment and the monthly payments according to Mazda Miata in Kansas City.

Matching Your Financial Needs with a Dealership

Once you have determined the amount of money you’re able to spend on the vehicle, you’ll have to find a dealership with cars in that price range. Browsing on various websites will introduce you to the cars available. Conducting research about cars online is smart. By doing so, you do not have to take trips to a multitude of dealerships. Instead, you can go to one or two that have cars of interest to you.

Consider The Car Size

You will also need to decide if you want to have a larger car or a smaller car. By purchasing a larger vehicle, you’ll get more space, and this is great if you have a big family or go on a lot of vacations. However, you may have to pay more for the car itself, and the gas might also be more expensive. A mid-sized car might be the best option for you to ensure that all of the elements are accounted for.

Look to The Future

Remember, you don’t want to purchase a car only to find that it needs to be returned in a year. Think about your future needs. Are you planning to go on a long road trip soon? Do you think you will have a couple of kids in the next few years? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, you need to consider getting a car that is able to suit your soon-changing needs.

Finding the best car for you is not something that happens in a brief moment. You’ll need to put some dedication into the research to get it right.

Five Safety Tips Car Enthusiasts Should Remember during Their Next Project

by Carsurfer Admin on 2014/01/02 in Auto Collection with Comments Off

Repairing an aging classic car or improving the performance of a new car can be incredibly satisfying. The work does come with a number of hazards. Small mistakes or unexpected events can cause serious injuries. Anyone working on a car needs to be prepared and take steps to remain safe. There are five safety tips car enthusiasts should remember during their next project.

Use Proper Safety Equipment

Car enthusiasts should own a full range of safety equipment. Personal protection gear should include safety glasses and thick gloves to stop sparks or metal splinters from causing injuries. A respirator should be on hand when painting or working with strong solvents. A fire extinguisher rated for liquids, electrical fires and grease fires should be kept near the car while working.

Perform Electrical Work with Insulated Tools

Many car enthusiasts have been shocked by the car battery while performing basic electrical work. Something that can be very harmful is electricity from the ignition system. This can provide a shock of up to 40,000 volts. It is important to use insulated tools when working on the car. The shock can actually be transmitted through other pieces of metal in the engine like the distributor cap. Insulated tools will prevent shocks.

Always Use Jack Stands

A major safety hazard is working under an unstable car. Jack stands should always be placed under cars that are elevated. Wooden blocks or other items are not enough. The jack stands need to be attached to a structural part of the vehicle. The stands will support the full weight of the car if it suddenly drops or shifts. This can prevent serious injuries or fatalities when working under the vehicle.

Have a Dedicated Workspace

Working on a car in a shared home garage can be dangerous in many ways. Tools, sharp parts and chemicals can all cause injuries to family members who come into the area. Family items stored in the garage can get in the way of tools or cause a person to trip and fall. It is best to have a dedicated space when working on a car. One option is to rent a unit from a storage unit that is large enough to hold the car and extra tools. This will keep car enthusiasts and the family safe.

Use Ventilation Fans

Car enthusiasts regularly use chemicals, paints and solvents that release fumes into the air. These can accumulate quickly and could cause nausea, disorientation or even neurological damage. Some type of ventilation should always be used even when working with something as simple as gasoline. Ventilation fans will keep the air clean and breathable.

Failing in Your Efforts to Sell Your Car? 4 Tips to Help you Find a Buyer

by Carsurfer Admin on 2013/12/30 in Auto Selling with Comments Off

Has your car been on the market for a while? Are you getting sick of waiting for the phone to ring with an interested buyer on the other end? It may be time to kick things up a notch in order to find a buyer. There are several methods for getting the word out about your car, but with how many cars are for sale, and posted every day, you may need to be more creative in your efforts.

Post Your Vehicle on Craigslist.com

This is one of the main ways to sell a vehicle and it’s free to list. Make sure you put at least four pictures detailing the front, back, sides and inside of the vehicle. Leave a short descriptive paragraph with the history of the vehicle. You’ll want to post the vehicle according to Kelly Blue Book pricing, also look at the listings of other similar vehicles. One disadvantage of Craigslist is you’ll have to keep re-listing the ad nearly everyday to keep it relevant.

The site does have 20 million unique visitors each month. If you have posted on Craigslist in the past without luck, there might be a few things you can do so that your post gets noticed. Make sure it has a good title, something that mentions the car and perhaps the price. Within the post, make sure you include quality pictures of your car and the features (make sure the car is clean and looking it’s best when taking these pictures.) Include important information, but don’t overload. Make the information easy to read and make sure your contact information is prominent on the page.

Displaying Your Car in a Public Area

Have you ever seen cars parked in a certain parking lot with a for sale sign in the window? This is one way to get your vehicle noticed by many people. One danger here is vandalism and theft, so be smart if parking somewhere in public. The auto experts of Sawyers Chevrolet suggest that if you have a friend or family member that lives on a busy street, you could ask them if they would allow you to park the car in their driveway or in front of their house for a few days.

If you park the car on a busy street during the day for a few days, you’ll be sure to get some calls from interested buyers. Make sure you return it home at night. Put a for sale sign in the window with your phone number, price of vehicle, features and mileage. Make sure this information is legible, and reapply if it rains or snows.

List on AutoTrader.com

In May 2013 Autotrader stopped print versions and is now only online. This is a great place to sell your vehicle if it’s specialized or more valuable. AutoTrader.com receives 15 million visitors a month and boasts having the largest selection of vehicle listings. The ad listing here will cost from $20 for three weeks to $80 for unlimited time until sells plus getting 14 days featured. This investment is worth the money if you are eager to sell your car.

Resources for sellers and buyers also make this a great place to sell your vehicle. If you haven’t used this resource yet, this could be a great place to find a buyer as soon as possible.

Listing in Local Newspapers

There are still many people who read the classifieds, especially when looking to buy a car. Here you will pay from $10-$30 to list your vehicle and can even put in a photo. The ad will run continually with this amount of money for two weeks to a month. Generally this is a good way to attract serious buyers and avoid spammers and scams. One benefit to posting the car in a local paper is that you will find a local buyer, making it easier for you to meet up with them and show them the car, which could speed up the selling process.

These methods should help you find a direction suited to your needs and vehicle. There are advantages to each and you may use more than one. Of course you’ll want to make sure the price is low enough to attract buyers and still be content with the amount. Rest assured if the price is right, you’ll find a buyer with one of these methods.

Five Add-Ons that Will Make Your Car More Versatile

by Carsurfer Admin on 2013/12/27 in Auto Parts with Comments Off

Most people who own a car simply want to go to and from work and run errands. However, others demand more from their vehicle and want to use it more in their day-to-day lives. With this in mind, here are the top five car accessories that will make a vehicle more versatile.

Towing

Some people love to tow other cars or take their motorcycles to the desert or track. Without a trailer and towing hitch, this is impossible unless a person wants to lug his or her motorcycle in the back of a truck or van. Now, with trailer couplers one can connect their trailer to their car and be on their way.

Roof rack

For the weekend warrior, it is wise to buy a roof rack. With this versatile accessory, one can carry bikes, snowboards, skis or just about anything else on the roof. This is perfect for a person who wants to keep their car empty for passengers and not accessories. This is a great add-on and will surely add value to the car.

Performance suspension package

With this inexpensive accessory, a driver can navigate city streets and the highways with ease. This is a great add-on as most people will appreciate the increased handling and agility of a car. In fact, soccer moms who want to drive around safely or driving enthusiasts who want to drive their cars to the max will love this useful accessory.

Air intake

With an upgraded air intake system, a driver can enjoy more horsepower and better gas mileage. This is especially popular among racing enthusiast who want to get the most out of their investment. With this accessory, one can spend a few hundred dollars and increase the value of his or her vehicle quickly. What makes this an attractive solution is that a person with little mechanical knowledge or skills can get under the hood and install it without the help of a professional.

Lift kit

Some people, especially those living in the mountains or deserts, will appreciate a lift kit. For starters, it is easier to drive in certain areas with a vehicle that is higher off the ground. Furthermore, it is perfect for people who want to go off-roading and do not want to sustain any vehicle damage.
With these five add-ons, one can increase the versatility of their car and add resale value to the vehicle easily. Simply put, one should consider doing some of these simple upgrades.