A Beginner’s Guide to Accessorizing Your Car

by Carsurfer Admin on 2013/10/14 in Auto Parts with Comments Off on A Beginner’s Guide to Accessorizing Your Car

Accessorizing a car is much more an art form than the general public knows. Subtle touches enhance a vehicle’s appearance, performance, and comfort, while the wrong accessories installed incorrectly make a car look cheap and can be dangerous to drive on the road.

These "over-the-top" modifications might look cool in automotive magazines, but they seldom live up to expectations. Use this quick guide to get the most from your automotive accessorizing and ensure that you enjoy your vehicle accessories the way you expect to.

Installing Interior Accessories

Today’s automobiles are remarkably well-thought out when it comes to the interior ergonomics. Still, you may find yourself needing a few extras that aren’t included in the factory options such as can be found at www.GMCAccessoriesKansasCity.com. A minimalist approach concerning the interior of your car ensures that it doesn’t become cluttered up with contraptions.

Some Useful items might include a cell phone holder or charging station, rear-seat entertainment system for those long family road trips, as well as decorative or protective seat covers. These are all remarkably easy to install in most cars, and so make excellent choices for a beginner to modify their automobile.

Customizing the Appearance of Your Car

Appearance packages for today’s cars include window tinting, aerodynamic bumper kits, and spoilers. Enthusiasts may install these items themselves, but for the beginner, it is best to hire the services of a qualified automotive customization shop. Bear in mind that body kits for cars are often unpainted when shipped from the factory, and a misaligned spoiler mounted on the deck lid looks silly and requires welding to repair. In these cases, going to the professionals for installation is usually best.

Building Horsepower and Improving Gas Mileage

There are a good number of items on the market today that purport to increase a vehicle’s horsepower and fuel economy, but unfortunately, many of these simply don’t work. There are some that work well, though. Superchargers and cold-air induction kits work very well, but are costly and difficult to install. If you’re unfamiliar with engine repair, it’s best to let a mechanic you trust perform this work for you.

Mild customization and accessorizing of your vehicle doesn’t have to be a particularly expensive undertaking, nor does it have to be overwhelmingly difficult. Be careful when you begin a project, though, that you have the requisite tools and experience to finish the project. If you don’t, than going with a professional installation will guarantee the results you expect!

The Benefits of Tonneau Covers

by Carsurfer Admin on 2013/10/10 in Auto Parts with Comments Off on The Benefits of Tonneau Covers

Tonneau covers are used to protect pickup truck beds, what typically cover the lip of the entire bed from front to back and from side to side. They also serve to conceal what is in the bed and protect these items from prying eyes, changing weather conditions and damage by animals. Tonneau covers are available in a variety of sizes to fit any sized pickup truck bed. They are sold as aftermarket parts, available directly from suppliers or parts providers.

Kinds of Tonneau Covers

A tonneau cover can be made from various materials to yield a soft touch finish or a hard shell feel. The most common kind are the soft tonneau covers that are made of water-resistant cloth or vinyl and stretch across the top of the entire truck bed. These covers are usually supported by snaps. You can also purchase a roll up tonneau cover that is secured by velcro or snaps. When not in use it rolls up and sits at the top of the truck bed near the cab. 

Some shoppers prefer a hard shell tonneau cover, constructed of plastic or fiberglass, one that can be lifted up by its hinges to access the truck bed. Such covers are paintable too with colors chosen to match or complement the truck’s finish.

Tonneau Cover Protection

Security is one of the most important reasons why pickup truck owners purchase a tonneau cover. However, that does not mean that such covers provide absolute protection against thieves. Instead, a tonneau cover hides what truck owners do not want people to see. A hard shell cover with a lock offers the best protection considering when they’re outfitted with stainless steel locks.

Weather conditions are a concern for truck owners as expensive equipment, tools and supplies can take a beating. The hot sun can discolor virtually anything while cold weather and its ice, snow and hail can damage equipment. Moisture of any kind can be destructive, what tonneau covers are able to thwart.

Soft v. Hard Tonneau Covers

On full-size pickup trucks, soft tonneau covers typically range from $225 to $325, with those prices established for the length of the bed and the closing mechanism used. Some covers offer a no-drill and no modification installation using quick release tabs and a seal and pull design.

Hard shell tonneau covers start out at just above $500 for a full-size truck bed and can cost as much as $1,500 for those with a rolling covering design. A rolling cover tonneau cover uses double wall aluminum panels that can also support several hundred pounds of weight on top of the cover. These elaborate covers features stop and lock points every foot, allowing for partial or full opening. The locks automatically close when the tailgate is closed, a cargo management system that is both stylish and secure.

Additional Benefit and Considerations

Buyers of tonneau covers will soon realize an additional benefit: such covers help pickup trucks get better gas mileage. When installed and completely closed, wind drag is reduced across the truck’s bed, what can cause the truck to "fight" to maintain its speed. With less resistance felt, the engine does not have to work as hard to achieve the same performance. The result is a more efficiently running truck, one that consumes less gasoline.

Owners of pickup trucks with odd sized beds such as the Dodge Rampage, the Volkswagen Type II pickup and the Morris Minor can have their trucks outfitted with a tonneau cover as well. The odd sizes of these box lengths (63.7 inches in the Dodge Rampage and Plymouth Scamp) means that customized covers should be ordered. A number of manufacturers provide this service to ensure that a secure and pleasant looking fit is achieved.

Car Repairs – Don’t Break the Bank to Fix Your Car

by Carsurfer Admin on 2013/10/08 in Auto Maintenance with Comments Off on Car Repairs – Don’t Break the Bank to Fix Your Car

There is nothing more frustrating than discovering that all of suddenly your car needs repairs. Sometimes car repairs can come at the most unexpected time and can put a huge financial dent in our pockets. Whether it’s needing new brakes, tires or a battery; car parts and repair services can be quite expensive. However, there is no need to worry if you find yourself in this type of situation. There are there a variety of things you can do make sure you don’t go in the red trying to fix your car.

Order parts from the internet

Believe it or not, you can order your own car parts from major internet sites and save close to fity and sixty percent versus buying them from a typical retail auto repair shop. In fact, auto repair shops, dealerships and other independent mechanics order their parts online and will subsequently charge high mark-up prices to unaware consumers. There are a plethora of online auto part stores that are more than willing to recommend to you the most affordable and highest quality auto parts.

Short-term loans

Car repair services can potentially cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Sometimes, the income we bring in simply won’t cut it because we have other major expenses to worry about like rent, utilities, mortgage, food, etc. Look into taking out a short-term payday loan to help with getting your car fixed immediately. Experts at Power Finance of Texas suggest  that a short term loan is the best route when you have unavoidable car repairs that need to be taken care of as soon as possible.

Find an independent mechanic

Many big-box retailers and large chain auto repair shops can be quite expensive, charging an upwards of $80 to $100 an hour just for labor. Find a reputable, independent car mechanic through using sites like Craigslist and Angie’s List. Whether you need to install a new battery, get your oil changed or install new tires; independent mechanics can perform these same services out of their own garages and small shops.

Do it yourself

Although not a commonly used option, some people are opting to fix their cars themselves. Again, its very easy to order most car parts from off the internet. Many people have installed their own brakes, changed their own tires or even changed their own oil. However, this option isn’t recommended for those who don’t have experience doing such.

Unexpected car repairs can seem like a financial drain, but they don’t have to be. Just do your research to find the cheapest yet highest quality car parts and work with affordable mechanics who will offer you the best deals.

Keep on Trucking: Road Sharing Tips for Car Drivers

by Carsurfer Admin on 2013/10/02 in On the Road with Comments Off on Keep on Trucking: Road Sharing Tips for Car Drivers

For better or for worse, cars and trucks share the road. For the most part this arrangement works out without incident, but at other times the confluence of large and smaller vehicles can prove deadly, usually for the driver of the car and his passengers. Indeed, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 78 percent of all fatalities involving wrecks between trucks and cars involve the occupants in the passenger vehicle. 

Keeping everyone safe on the road begins with you. For car drivers, there are several things to keep in mind including the much quicker maneuverability of passenger vehicles and the very long stopping distances of the big trucks. 

Big Truck Blind Spots

Don’t expect that the truck driver will see your every move. In fact, you are often in one of his blind zones and in danger of causing a wreck if the trucker must stop or maneuver quickly. That blind zone is all around the truck — front, back and on the sides. 

A good rule of thumb when following a truck is as follows: if you are behind the truck and you can see his side mirrors, then he can see you. If not, you need to provide enough distance to show up in his mirrors.

Provide Ample Turning Room

Trucks need plenty of room to make turns and will often sweep left before turning right. The mistake that you make is not anticipating this types of moves and attempting to squeeze by on the right.

Never pass a truck on the right — always pass on the left. Pay attention to the driver’s signals and respond accordingly. 

Cutting Off Is Deadly

You may know full well that trucks are lumbering giants. And that is why it is so easy to move over and pull in in front of a truck, especially if you are attempting to fill some empty space between the truck and the vehicle in front of that truck.

Closing the gap between your vehicle and the truck is very dangerous. Trucks and buses for that matter take much longer to stop and if you cause the driver of a much larger vehicle to suddenly hit the brakes, the consequences could prove deadly. No amount of rear padding on any passenger vehicle is sufficient to absorb the impact of tens of thousands of pounds of weight bearing down on your vehicle.

Pay Attention, Always

A distracted driver is a dangerous driver, one that can cause an accident. Hang up the cell phone, never text and drive, and let someone else play with the audio system or set the navigation system coordinates before you start your trip. 

When your full attention is not on the road, you may find yourself doing things that you might not otherwise do such as slip over to the next lane, fail to judge the space between you and the car in front of you, or misjudge the speed of the 18-wheeler that is bearing down on you.

Drive Safe and Sober

You can increase the chances that you will be in a mishap or come through an accident the worse for it by not abiding by several considerations at all times. For starters, always buckle up and insist on the same for each of your passengers. Children should be placed in booster seats with babies and toddlers riding in car seats.

Never drive under the influence either through illicit drugs, prescription medicines or alcohol. Your ability to react properly under these conditions has been severely compromised. Add that to the slower stopping and maneuverability of a big truck and you have a recipe for disaster in the making.

Staying Safe

Of course, if you notice that a truck driver is acting irresponsibly, note the truck’s license plate number and the phone number that is typically listed on the back of the truck. Contact that number and describe what you have seen and never take matters into your own hands. Notify the police if you cannot get through to the trucking company.

The Power of Negotiation – Saving Cash on Your Car

by Carsurfer Admin on 2013/07/19 in Auto Buying Tips with Comments Off on The Power of Negotiation – Saving Cash on Your Car

Cars are expensive. That applies to everything from basic maintenance to buying one from a dealership. However, you can cut those costs quite a bit if you are able to negotiate. Negotiation is something of a dying art these days, as most buyers don’t have the patience or knowledge to haggle. However, for those who master these skills, considerable savings await. What should you know? Here’s a quick look.

Auto Buying

Perhaps the most important area where you need to develop negotiation skills is in the arena of buying a new car. Whether you’re after the latest model, are working with a used car dealer, or buying from a private seller, the following tips will help.

Be Informed – Information is the key to negotiation in the automotive industry. If you’re not informed, you have nothing to stand on. If you’re considering buying another vehicle, you’ll need to know several things, including what the same or comparable vehicles are selling for at other dealerships. Once you’ve decided on a particular vehicle model, take some time and shop around. Find out what it’s going for from different dealers, and what incentives are being offered.

Armed with the information above, head down to your chosen dealership and negotiate the best deal for you. Let the salesperson know that the car is available for less and where. Most of the time they’ll be happy to meet or even beat their competitors.

You Have the Power – One thing that most buyers forget when dealing with car lots is that they’re the ones in control, not the salespeople. You can exercise that control in a number of ways, and showing the salesperson that you know you have the power in the exchange will help you command a lower price. For instance, don’t be afraid to walk away from a deal. The moment the salesperson sees you’re serious about it, the price will come down.

There’s Always Wiggle Room – Don’t be fooled by “final price” notices or salespeople who tell you that they simply can’t offer less than the sticker price. There is always wiggle room in the world of auto sales. Sticker price is nowhere near what the dealership actually paid for the car, so don’t be afraid to negotiate the price lower. If necessary, tell the salesperson you’re going somewhere else. Always remember – the sticker price is NOT the final price of the car, and there’s always room to knock it down.

Don’t Use Dealer Financing – Dealer financing seems like the most convenient, expedient option when buying a new car, and that’s what the dealership is counting on. Don’t fall for it. You’ll pay more in interest with dealer financing than if you got your own funding, and you’ll find that it’s common practice for dealerships to add interest points just to pad their profits (and this is legal). Get your own loan from a credit union or your local bank and you’ll save big without having to negotiate at all.

Auto Service

While you might not be able to negotiate the price of all automotive services, there are a few tips that can help. For instance, considering bringing your own oil to your service provider – most will discount the price because of this. If you have several vehicles, consider asking about a group/volume discount for your services. If you can guarantee that you’ll bring all of your vehicles to the shop for servicing, most of the time they can offer at least some discount. Finally, shop around for the best deal on the service you need, and then find out if the service provider you prefer will price match.

Don Elfrink is the owner and operator of AutoMatStore.com, that sells custom auto mats throughout the nation. Before AutoMatStore, Elfrink was the operator of an automotive production site. AutoMatStore focuses on logo, carpeted, molded and all weather floor mats.

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