Lighter, Stronger, Safer: New Metal Trends in the Automotive Industry

by Carsurfer Admin on 2018/03/12 in Auto Design with Comments Off on Lighter, Stronger, Safer: New Metal Trends in the Automotive Industry
steel car

For years, steel was undoubtedly one of the most popular metals used in the automotive industry. In 2014, trends in steel usage showed that automakers relied heavily on sheet metal companies.

According to estimates that were released by the World Steel Association, about 12% of steel sheet metal consumption was in the automotive sector. Unfortunately, demands for more efficient vehicles creates the need for the use of different metals. This has led to a change in the most recent metal trends in the automotive industry.

Steel Market Share Is Falling as Fuel Efficiency Becomes a Focus

Gasoline consumption per vehicle has declined in the recent years, however, the number of vehicles on the road is still increasing. In fact, even with fuel-efficient improvements in vehicles, gas consumption was at a record high in 2016 in the United States.

The gas that is consumed, the more harm it is doing to the environment. Since pollution and conservation are getting attention, new initiatives are being rolled out by the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA has recently announced that there will be a push for emissions reduction. Newer cars produced after 2025 are expected to get 54.4 miles to the gallon to comply with regulations.

The only way for automakers to release vehicles that come even close to the fuel efficiency targets that will be passed over the coming years is to use lighter weight materials like aluminum and plastic. The use of the lightweight aluminum alternatives has helped automakers design more efficient cars, but this has started to eat at the steel market share.

Safer Alternative in Collisions

Steel was often used as an alloy in the production of auto body parts because it is believed that the metals were less likely to crumble when involved in a collision. Steel is a great metal, but there are safer alternatives that can be used in the automotive sector.

Alternative metals that are able to absorb kinetic energy in a crash to reduce the incidence of injury for vehicle occupants. Some of these alternatives are other materials like aluminum and other alternatives are made of composite plastics. Each are being tested in crash tests through the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Aluminum is light in weight and extremely durable. This is a major reason why it’s estimated that aluminum usage in the production of vehicles is expected to go up by 20 percent between 2015 and 2025. The only major drawback is that aluminum is much more expensive. This leaves companies that produce steel and other sheet metals looking for a happy medium between lightweight durability and pricing.

How to Hire the Best Car Service Professionals for Your Car?

by Carsurfer Admin on 2018/03/05 in Auto Maintenance with Comments Off on How to Hire the Best Car Service Professionals for Your Car?
auto service professionals

Running and maintaining a car is an expensive affair in today’s scenario when fuel prices are high enough. However, the challenge heightens manifold when a car is not serviced well and shoots multiple troubles while on road. Investing in buying a car, does not end the story smoothly. In order to keep availing the benefits of a car, its best performance and for enjoying a smooth hassle free drive on road, getting your car serviced on a routine basis is essential.

Car Servicing Ensures a Lengthy Lifespan of your Car

When you buy a car, and if you go through the provided company manuals and guideline documents you will find the suggestion of routine servicing from the manufacturer for the optimum scale of performance. Since running a car means wear and tear of several parts, exposing your car to the external conditions of pollution, dust, bumpers, rough terrains etc, offering adequate maintenance and servicing to keep all the parts of your car in best condition also becomes essential. Right from the mechanical to the electrical parts of your car, everything becomes essential when it comes to going for regular servicing of your car, and you need to hire the best car mechanics and certified professionals to set your car perfectly on road.

  • However, to ensure that you get the best car service, it is necessary to get your car serviced by an authorized and expert mechanic.
  • Repairs, new installations, replacements of car parts etc while servicing must also be done in accordance with the manufacturer guidance.

Since a car as it gets older poses more problems, thus if taken care of from an initial stage through regular servicing and maintenance, it will serve a definite purpose of prevention over intervention in long run.

Boost in Performance Level

Routine servicing helps to boost the performance of any car. As a study, the drivers are said to experience at least 10 to 15% rise in performance scale after a maintenance service, in terms of fuel economy. The fuel consumption of a car increases with the wear out of parts, low level of maintenance, low engine oil, accumulation of dust inside valves, etc, but regular maintenance removes these hurdles. Apart from helping each of the car’s parts to perform in the best possible way, best car service also improves the fuel economy by lowering the fuel consumption. Thus, the overall picture demonstrates how investing for routine servicing can save you money in long run, from costly repairs, expensive fuel charging, harassment from the sudden breakdown of the car in the middle of the road, etc.

Safety Check

When you are out on the roads in your car, one of the major issues which need to be ensured is the safety parameter. A low maintained car can pose sudden problems with just any parts of the car, starting from tire bursting, to braking system malfunctioning to suspension disorder etc, threatening your safety. Sudden brake down of car may even lead to mishaps and accidents.

Car Servicing is a Safeguard

  • Servicing helps you avoid harassment and problems in the middle of the road with sudden malfunctioning of the car.
  • It even saves you from costly repairs, since you get to know repairing situations before it is too late.
  • Enhances the performance of your car and offers it a better lifespan.

Ownership comes with responsibility, and so does the ownership of a car. Like your own body, your house, office, and every other this, even your car requires routine and best possible servicing to perform well.

3 Tips for Having the Perfect Space to Work on Your Dream Car

by Carsurfer Admin on 2018/02/28 in Auto Care with Comments Off on 3 Tips for Having the Perfect Space to Work on Your Dream Car
auto garage

If you have recently purchased the classic car of your dreams, you may have incredible plans to restore it to mint condition. This type of restoration project can take many months to complete. While this will be a labor of love that you may enjoy thoroughly, there is one thing that you need to focus on before you get started with the work. You need to create the ideal space to work on your car restoration project.

The Right Square Footage

Working on an auto restoration project is not something that you want to do in a tight space. You may need to raise the car at certain times, and you may need to swing all doors wide open at other times. You may also need to use specialized equipment a few feet or more away from the vehicle to prepare parts for installation. The minimum amount of space that you may need for this type of project is a two-car garage, but it is best to work in an even larger space if possible.

A Comfortable, Functional Environment

Regardless of whether you plan to work in your garage or in a separate structure on your property, you need this space to be perfectly comfortable to spend hours in. This means that you should consider installing an HVAC system through a company like Aggressive Mechanical Contractors, Inc. for year-round climate control. You also should have adequate ventilation for your health and safety. Both natural and artificial light are essential, and you will need access to water and electricity to complete many of the smaller projects related to your dream car restoration work.

A Secure Space

Your old and perhaps beat up car may not have much value right now. However, as you make regular improvements to it, its value can skyrocket. In addition, you may have expensive parts, tools, and equipment in your home workshop. Because of this, you need a way to secure your workshop when you are not in it. This should extend beyond a simple door lock. Keep any blinds on the windows closed when you are not working on the vehicle. Use a garage door open with a secure entrance feature. Ask a locksmith to upgrade your door locks as well.

It may have taken you time to find the right classic car to begin restoring, and it will undoubtedly require a substantial personal investment to complete the restoration project. The environment that you choose to work on your car will affect your comfort level, your ability to move around freely and your ability to secure the vehicle. Focus on each of these factors to create the ideal auto workshop.

How To Be Safer When Driving At Night

by Carsurfer Admin on 2018/02/27 in On the Road with Comments Off on How To Be Safer When Driving At Night
night driving

Night time driving isn’t something that many people particularly enjoy, and if they had a choice, they would prefer to drive during daylight hours. However, sometimes there is no choice, and since it is estimated to be three times as dangerous to drive in the dark, it’s important to know how to drive safely at night.

Check Your Headlamps

Have you ever looked at your car with the headlamps on? It’s a good idea to do exactly that. Sometimes your headlamps will be pointed the wrong way, perhaps lower than that should be, and sometimes they can be shining in different directions. You might not notice this when you’re driving, but you’ll certainly notice the difference one you realign your lights. It will make the road ahead much clearer. Don’t just assume that because you have a new car, the headlamps will be perfect – they can be just as wrong as on an old car. You should always wipe them down with a soft cloth; they can get very mucky, and that can mean they shine more dimly than they should.

Dim The Dashboard

Most cars come with a switch that allows the lights on the dashboard to be dimmed, so you should use it when it comes to driving at night. Although it might seem to make sense that you would want your dashboard to be as bright as possible when it’s dark outside, it’s actually the opposite that’s true. Having a bright light almost in front of your face can be extremely distracting, and it can compromise how much you’re able to see in front of you. Dim the dashboard as much as you can – although you’ll still need to be able to see your instruments and dials so it may take some adjusting and experiment to get it right.

Make Yourself Seen

We’ve already discussed how important your headlamps are when you’re in a car, but what if you’re on a motorcycle? Of course, your headlamp is still essential, but you should also wear additional reflective clothing to ensure that you aren’t missed in the dark. Since a motorcycle is much smaller than a car or truck, it can easily get lost on the nighttime roads, which is why a reflective jacket, gloves, or even a glow in the dark helmet available from power sports and more can help to keep you safe. You can wear all black leathers during the daytime, but it would be crazy to do so at night, so dress appropriately, especially if you are driving on less well-lit roads.

Don’t Stare At Oncoming Lights

Sometimes people will have dazzling headlamps, and sometimes they will have their high beams on and forget to take them off again. Whatever the reason, don’t look at bright lights. You can look to the side, keeping them in your peripheral vision (don’t turn your head, of course, as this would be dangerous), but staring directly at them can leave your eyes unfocused and unable to see very well, which in turn can lead to an accident. If the car with bright lights is behind you, adjust your rear view mirror so that you angle the light away from you.

Car Search: How to Find the Perfect Vehicle at the Best Cost

by Carsurfer Admin on 2018/02/25 in Auto Buying Tips with Comments Off on Car Search: How to Find the Perfect Vehicle at the Best Cost
auto buying

When it’s time to buy a car, you want to get the right vehicle without spending a fortune. How do you determine which car is right for you and whether it’s a good deal? Start with these tips.

Assess Your Needs

A slick little sports car might be your dream car, but if you’ve got three kids in car seats, it’s probably not very practical. Consider what you need in a vehicle. How many passengers do you usually have, and do you use car seats? Do you need lots of cargo room? Is fuel economy important because of a lengthy commute? Figure out the things that you absolutely need in a vehicle, so you can look at vehicles that will actually fit those needs.

Determine Your Budget

Whether you’re paying cash or financing your car purchase, you need a budget. How much cash can you afford to spend? If you’re financing, you shouldn’t spend more than 20% of your monthly income on a car loan. Determine how much that is. Set your budget before you even start looking at vehicles so you aren’t swayed to spend more than you can afford by a more expensive vehicle.

Find Cars for Sale

You can start by looking online, but ultimately, at some point, you’ll need to visit a dealership. Test drives, sitting in the vehicle to see how it feels, and looking it over in person will give you a much better feel for how it runs and if it meets your needs than looking at photos online. A buy-here-pay-here lot such as AutoStart offers a lot of benefits, including financing if your credit isn’t perfect and the ability to find, finance, and drive your new car home all on the same day.

Consider Ownership Expenses

When comparing cars, the less expensive car might seem like the best deal. But consider the costs of ownership. Some vehicles cost more to insure. An older car might require more maintenance and repairs, which will increase the cost of ownership. Consider the cost of fuel consumption, whether you have a long daily commute or just take a family vacation across the country once a year. Depreciation will make the car lose value, meaning when you sell or trade it, you’ll get less than you’re paying for it. Consider all of these factors, along with cost, to determine the best value.

Finding the right car for you, at the ideal cost, may take some time. Figuring out what you need, what you’re looking for, and how much you can spend before you start your search can shorten the length of the search.

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