Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Do New Car-Safety Features Live Up to the Hype?


Lane-departure warnings, automatic braking, extra cameras. Are all of these safety features as great as the commercials make them seem?

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Top 10 Most Expensive Car Crashes Ever


Get ready for the ultimate crash crying experience. You will see the worlds number 1 most expensive car crash ever. Featuring Ferrari, Bugatti, Pagani, Merecedes Benz, and other exotics that can make any of the owners cry for a very long time.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Basic Vehicle Maintenance Tips For Safety On The Road


While practicing safer driving techniques on the road is a key to road safety, proper care and maintenance of your vehicle also plays a crucial role in getting you safely to your destination. After all, proper maintenance may mean the difference between getting home safely or breaking down in the middle of nowhere. Here are some essential car maintenance tips for keeping you and your car safe and healthy.

Check The Oil

It may seem obvious, but the importance of checking the oil regularly cannot be stressed enough. Checking it and changing it often is probably the single most important thing you can do to keep your car's engine in good condition.

Check Your Lights

This is one of the easier maintenance tasks, as you'll often find someone, hopefully not a policeman, will tell you that one of your tail lights isn't working properly. Having working head and tail lights is absolutely crucial to your safety. Have them fixed as soon as possible whenever one isn't working and avoid driving with one light out, if at all possible.

Check Your Tires

Check the tire pressure, but also the alignment often. Invest in a tire pressure gauge. Keep the tire pressure as your vehicle owner's manual recommends. Tire pressure affects many aspects of your car, including the amount of fuel it uses, the handling and performance, as well as the comfort and smoothness of the ride. Rotate your tires after every other oil change. Proper tire rotation helps your tires to wear more evenly. Also, keep a check on the tread wear of your tires and get new tires when needed.

Check Your Transmission Fluid

Check your transmission fluid according to your vehicle owner's manual recommendations. Top it up if needed, but do not over fill, as overfilling can damage your transmission.

Check The Engine Coolant

If you don't have enough coolant, you run the risk of overheating your engine and damaging it. Keep the coolant level topped up, especially if you're going on a long trip during warmer months.

Check The Belts

There are numerous belts in your vehicle, including the ones involved with the running of your alternator, your air conditioning and other parts. Be sure to check the rubber and the belt when you are performing your regular, under the hood maintenance.

Check Battery Contacts

Make sure the contacts on your battery terminal are clean. Often dirt and grime can build up on them, affecting performance.

Pay Attention To Warnings

Any modern car includes warning lights for various parts of the vehicle should the onboard computer detect something isn't working properly. When you see one of these lights go on, don't ignore it. Check your vehicle owner's manual to confirm what you need to check if it isn't obvious.

Be sure to read your vehicle owner's manual, the manufacturer will give you many recommendations for proper care and maintenance of your vehicle and often provide you with a checklist and recommendations for when and how to perform maintenance. Also, get yourself a copy of your vehicle's auto repair manual. If you need to do a repair yourself, these manuals will walk you through step by step, making it possible for even the least mechanical people to repair their own vehicle. If you have no confidence to make your own repairs, don't hesitate to take it to a professional.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/701275

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Cars of the Future - 1948


A fun look back at the future of automobile design, as imagined in 1948.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Return of the Stick Shift


Manual transmissions may be making a comeback because of cost, fuel efficiency, and pure driving fun

Monday, July 16, 2012

Adaptive Headlights


Adaptive headlights help drivers see better on dark, curved roads. The headlights pivot in the direction of travel based on steering wheel movement and sometimes the vehicle's speed to illuminate the road ahead. 

Friday, July 13, 2012

Blind Spot Detection


Blind spot detection uses sensors to monitor the side of the vehicle for vehicles approaching blind spots. In many systems, a visual alert appears on or near the sideview mirrors if a vehicle is detected. An audible alert may activate if the driver signals a turn and there is a vehicle in the blind spot on the turning side. Some systems also may activate the brake or steering controls to keep the vehicle in its lane.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Collision Warning Systems at Consumer Reports Test Track


Vehicles are loaded with safety technology like electronic stability control and adaptive headlights. And now there are collision warning systems to warn the driver or even stop the car for you in the event of a crash.

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Safety Tips for Summer Driving Focus on the Road


Focus on the Road. Don't text or talk on your cell phone while driving -- even hands-free. If you need to make a call, check road or weather conditions or respond to a text, wait until you stop in safe place, such as a rest stop or parking lot. Don't program your mobile GPS while you are driving. Either have a passenger do it or stop in a safe place. Share the driving with other passengers to avoid fatigue. Rest -- driving while drowsy can be fatal. Even a 30 minute nap can help. Schedule your trip to allow for frequent breaks. Take time to pull over at rest stops to stretch your legs and focus your head. Stop for food or beverages. Avoid eating while driving. Don't fall into the trap of driving while angry -- aggressive driving kills.

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

How to Properly Wash Your Car to Maintain Its Value


It is recommended to wash your vehicle at least once a week to keep dirt and other pollutants from damaging the paint surface. Care needs to be exercised when washing your vehicle to prevent scratching the paint.

When you are preparing to wash your car you will need a bucket, car-sponge, chamois cloth and car-care wash and the use of a hose. Avoid using dishwashing liquid because it contains ingredients that are not suitable to wash your car.

It is always best to wash your car in the shade to avoid water spots from forming. This happens when a wet car quickly dries in the sun. Begin to hose the entire car before using the soapy sponge to remove dirt. This is important because the water will remove any loose dirt on the paint's surface that could otherwise scratch your car.

Wash from the roof of your car in a descending order. It does not matter what side you start from, be sure not to wash the rims and tires with the same cloth. This could cause cross-contamination and when you are finished washing the car body spray off the soap. Using a separate cloth wash the surface of the rim and in between the rim design. For the tires, use a scrubbing brush; which is a hard bristle brush made of synthetic material. This is great for getting off hard stains from your tires.

When you are spraying the tires; vigorously spray the inside of the wheel-well where dirt tends to cake. Continue spraying the underside of your vehicle as far as you can reach and be careful not to let water enter into the exhaust pipe. Believe it or not there was an instance of a guy putting the hose to his muffler to clean it because of the soot that had accumulated around the tip. It ended up costing him a new exhaust system.

It is now time to dry your vehicle. Use a micro-fiber cloth because it absorbs water pretty good. Start drying by clearing off the excess water in a top-to-bottom motion which resembles moving in a straight line. After every sweep, wring out the cloth and repeat until all excess water is removed. Dry using an up and down motion and gradually the moisture disappears from the surface. Open the trunk, the hood and all the doors to dry the inside and leave it open to air dry. Wash out the cloth and finish up by drying the windows. Now stand back and admire your freshly washed car.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7136246

Sunday, July 1, 2012

5 Ways To Drive Safe This Summer


Now that the summer months are here, you're probably driving more. It's important to understand that safety is still extremely important during summer months, even if road conditions are improving. To help you stay safe while driving this summer, here are 5 essential driving tips that you should consider before taking your next road trip:
1. Always make sure to check your fluids before embarking on a long road trip: One of the easiest way to ensure that you will have safe driving experiences this summer is to make sure that all the fluid levels in your vehicle are where they need to be. This means checking your oil and getting an oil change if needed, making sure you have plenty of windshield wiper fluid, and double-checking your brake fluid. It's easy to forget about your fluid levels-especially when you are busy planning a long road trip-but it's extremely important.
2. Check all of the lights on your vehicle to increase the chance of being seen: In the summer months, people tend to stay out later because the sun sets later in the day. Because of this fact, it's important to check all of the lights on your vehicle as a way to increase the chance of being seen at night. Visibility is significantly lower than during the day, and for that reason, you want to make sure that other drivers can see your car at night. Never go out driving at night if your headlights or brake lights are broken. It's an easy way to get in an accident.
3. Check the inner-workings of your car to make sure everything is working properly: The winter weather can wreak havoc on the nuts and bolts of your vehicle. It's important to take some time to check the status of the major components that help your vehicle run smoothly. If you are planning on taking your vehicle on a long trip, you should make sure that you have things like your engine, your belt, your battery, and your radiator looked at before leaving.
4. Make sure your tires are ready for the summer months: Checking the health of your tires is probably one of the most important things you should do before going on long drives in your car this summer. If your tires were damaged or worn-down during the winter months, it's important to have them fixed or replaced in time for the summer. People tend to drive more during the summer, and bad tires can cause a lot of unnecessary headaches. Get your tires checked and re-checked before leaving on a long summer road trip.
5. Make sure your vehicle is stocked with helpful items: In preparation for summer driving, you'll want to take out things like your snow shovel and ice scraper out of your trunk, and replace it with things like water, food, and repair kits. You never know what type of situation you'll have to deal with while driving this summer, so it's important to take time to be prepared. Making sure your car is stocked with any and all necessary items you can think of is just one way to ensure a safe driving experience this summer.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6260304