Posts Tagged ‘auto’
Auto Repair: The Top Ten Mistakes Made By Your Mechanic
April 26, 2010 | 
Author Number One:
Not confirming the concern. Confirming a repair concern is a basic diagnostic principle frequently overlooked. To fix a problem, the first thing one must do is recognize it.
Number Two:
Insufficient Road Testing. The importance of a thorough road test (even for an oil change) is well documented in automotive training manuals. Yet, many technicians consider driving the vehicle into the shop good enough.
Number Three:
Misdiagnosing. For the above reasons and a multitude of others, your vehicle is misdiagnosed more often than not. Mechanics will spend hours chasing the wrong problem, wasting your time and money.
Number Four:
Throwing parts at a problem. To compensate for lack of skills, mechanics often just throw parts at the problem in the hope of getting lucky. It’s common to hear mechanics say I replaced this, this, this, and that, and the problem’s still not fixed. This goes right back to mistake number one: confirm the problem with diagnostics, then proceed.
Number Five:
Not addressing primary concerns first. Technicians often spend an inordinate amount of time looking for easy sells that will fatten their paychecks. There’s nothing wrong with this provided there’s no charge for the inspection, it doesn’t conflict with your time, and the upsell suggestions are valid (they’re frequently not). However, this type of free inspection and the subsequent upselling too often overshadows the primary concern. So…what’s wrong with my car?
Number Six:
Overconfidence. Too often unqualified technicians get in over their heads. Rather than defer to a more experienced technician or facility, they often keep going and do more harm. How’s it go…The road to hell is paved with good intentions?
Number Seven:
Taking shortcuts. In the ongoing effort to beat the clock, technicians will create a host of problems: breaking parts, snapping bolts, short circuiting sensitive electronics. Refer to Auto Repair: How Can They Screw Up an Oil Change for a great discussion.
Number Eight:
Poor Repairs. Whether through incompetence or laziness, mechanics frequently don’t do repairs correctly. It’s often sloppy work. Forgotten bolts, parts not lined up correctly, or components not re-installed properly are common. It gets worse with computer repairs: incorrect software programming, coding, and resynchronization protocols are just a few.
Number Nine:
Not confirming repairs. After a repair is complete, it’s important to re-check to ensure that the problem is indeed fixed. Too often parts are thrown in and the car is pulled out only to pull in another victim.
Number Ten:
Making a mess. If the above nine mistakes weren’t bad enough, there are now greasy fingerprints on the hood and steering wheel, and two big greasy boot marks on the carpet.
Posted in Repairs | 
Tags: auto, automotive training, car, common, concern, guide, help, info, Insufficient Road, maintenance, Number, price, prices, problem, repair, road to hell, sensitive electronics, software, tune-up, unqualified technicians, upselling, vehicle | 
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3 Considerations When Looking For Used Car Auto Loans
If you have made the decision to purchase a used car, no doubt it is a decision that will save you a great deal of money. Once you decide on a used car that you want, you may then want to start looking at the used car auto loans that are available to you. If you want to get a good loan for your used car, you will need to consider your financing carefully and weight all of your options. Many times, excited buyers get so excited about purchasing their car that they forget to look over the used car auto loans carefully. The following are considerations to keep in mind you are going to purchase a used car with used car auto loans.
Get Financing First
Whenever you are going to purchase a used car, you want to make sure that you qualify for used car auto loans before you go through the final details of purchasing a car. It is important that you make sure that you are approved for the financing you need before you show up at a dealership ready to buy. If you do not have the money up front when you go to a dealership, you may not be able to get a great deal. But if you have the money with you, many times you can get a better deal on your used car.
Check the Financing Contract
Before you decide to sign on any used car auto loans, you should be sure that you have read the entire contract, including all of the fine print. Many times, there are qualifications that you are not aware of or penalties for paying the loan off early. Often, these lenders may include terms that allow them to raise the interest rate if you miss even one payment. If you take the time to read the used car auto loans contract before you sign it, you will not have any unwelcome surprises coming your way in the future.
Beware of Feeling Uncomfortable
When you are dealing with used car auto loans, you should listen to any bad feelings that you may get. If you feel uncomfortable with the terms or the interest rate, you should probably forget that loan and go on looking for used car auto loans that you can feel comfortable with.
If you keep these considerations in mind when getting used car auto loans to purchase a used vehicle, you will be able to purchase your car with peace of mind. Just taking time to get your financing in the beginning and checking out the terms can save you many problems in the long run. Remember that you can never be too careful when you are dealing with used car auto loans.
Posted in Trucks and SUVs | Tags: auto, auto loans, bad feelings, car, car auto loans, car check, financing, purchasing a car, unwelcome surprises, used car auto loans | No Comments »
1,000 Bhp Exotic Cars – Three To Choose From
If you love sheer power, and you want a car that produces 1,000 bhp, you now have three to choose from – and that is without going to the tuners like Ruf ofr Callaway, who will get this much power from engines that are currently in the 500- 700 bhp range. The tjree in the 1000 bhp club are the Bugatti Veyron 16.4, the Bristol Fighter T, and the Koenigsegg CCXR. Theoretically, these are all good for 250 mph in theory, but not in practice.
First on the scene was the Bugatti Veyron 16.4, the world’s fastest and most powerful exotic car, with a top speed of 248 mph.
Engineering masterpiece
The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is quite an engineering masterpiece, with a W-16 8.0 liter cylinder engine mid-mounted driving through a seven-speed semi-automatic gearbox to all four wheels – four-wheel drive is definitely a good idea with this amount of power. Not only is it immensely fast, but with four-wheel drives it is very stable. It has ceramic brake discs and an air brake to help you slow down from over 125 mph.
A very surprising addition to the 1,000 bhp plus club is the Bristol Fighter T, which has an engine developing 1,012 bhp, just 11 more than the Bugatti! This is a front-engine, rear-drive car designed for high-speed touring.
To be precise, the V-10 engine in the Fighter T whacks out 1,012 bhp at 5,600 rpm. Bristol says that the top speed of the car is around 270 mph, but it has a limiter at 225 mph, which is just 4,.500 rpm in top! Not many will be made, making this a really exotic car.
Acceleration is not as good as you might expect – or maybe it is just modesty at Bristol Cars – at ‘under 3.5 seconds’ whereas the Bugatti Veyron is well under 3 seconds. The difference is largely academic – like the top speeds – but a mid-engined four-wheel drive car will accelerate more quickly than a front-engined rear-drive car. The Bristol Fighter just doesn’t have enough weight on the rear wheels to get under 3 seconds.
Twin turbo V-10
How did they get this huge amount of power? Well, like the other Bristol Fighters, the T has a tuned Chrysler V-10 engine of 8 liters. For the Fighter T they have added a pair of water-cooled turbochargers to almost double power so they could exceed that magic 1,000 bhp figure, getting 1,012 bhp at 5,600 rpm, with 1,036 lb ft (1,400 Nm) of torque at 4,500 rpm. That is quite a high speed for maximum torque, but the engine still produces a massive 800 lb ft (1,080 Nm) of torque from 3,000 rpm, upward.
The Bristol Fighter S has a top speed of over 200 mph, partly owing to good aerodynamics, but The Fighter T is an absolute stormer with a power-to-weight ratio of about 600 bhp per ton and a top speed of well, you name it!
Koenigsegg CCXR runs on ethanol
Now, along comes Koenigsegg with the Koenigsegg CCXR, based on the CCX supercar, but now this version is able to run on ethanol biofuel – E85. Because ethanol has an octane rating of over 100 RON – like racing fuel in the 30s – it gives more power than gasoline, as Saab has demonstrated.
In the Koenigsegg CCXR, power is up from 806 bhp – more than enough for almost everyone – to 1,018 bhp! Peak torque is an incredible 780 lb ft (1,060 Nm) at 6,100 rpm. That’s 25% more power.
With ethanol, power increases of 15-25% can be obtained for any engine so long as it is optimised with high compression ratio and other changes. In other words, don’t just pull up at a gas station, put ethanol in your tank and get 20% more power. It doesn’t work unless the engine is designed to run on it.
But that is not so difficult to do, and with George Bush trying to get more ethanol used in the USA, expect more to follow this route. After all, almost everyone loves power, even if they drive a car that is not very fast.
Posted in Trucks and SUVs | Tags: auto, automatic gearbox, automotive, bhp, Bristol, bristol cars, bristol fighter, bugatti veyron, car, Cars, fast cars, George Bush, power, sport and recreation, supercars, USA, wheel drive car | No Comments »
6 Simple Steps To Avoiding Expensive Car Repairs
Quite often, a visit to the car repair shop can be even more painful than a visit to your dentist. Perhaps physical pain it’s involved, but some car repairs can leave your wallet feeling pretty empty and you with a bad taste in your mouth. The best way to avoid costly repairs is to take preventative steps that will keep your car in the best condition possible.
The first thing to do is to follow the maintenance schedule as outlined in your owner’s manual. The best one is always that recommended by the manufacturer and if you fail to follow those guidelines, your warranty may be voided for future repairs. Always be sure to change fluids, filters and spark plugs as the car’s manufacturer recommends.
Upgrade your motor oil to a high performance synthetic oil, which can help to prevent certain problems and can also improve your car’s performance.
Always be sure that your tires are properly inflated. This is especially important because tires with too little air, or too much, can result in excessive wear and may cause a blow out. It is often recommended that tire pressure be checked during every visit to the gas pump. While this may seem like a lot, you won’t be sorry that you have kept your tires in the best shape possible. For reasons of both safety and the expense of new tires, this exercise is well worth it.
If you notice unusual noises on your car, check with your owner’s manual for information. Quite often, noises are perfectly normal and there is no need for concern. Your owner’s manual will let you know whether or not a visit to the car repair shop is necessary.
If you do have to take your car in for repairs, be sure that you are dealing with a reputable company. Check with the local Better Business Bureau and ask your family or friends for recommendations.
When it comes time to begin the repairs, get an estimate in writing. A quality repair shop will be able to provide this information and should also be able to assure you that the repairs will not exceed 10% of a specific dollar amount as outlined in the estimate.
The aforementioned steps will help to keep your car running smoothly and may also keep some extra bucks in your wallet. With the cost of gasoline prices these days, a few extra dollars can go along way.
Posted in Repairs | Tags: auto, automotive, better business bureau, buying, car, car repair shop, Cars, costly repairs, preventative steps, quality repair, repair, Repairs, shopping, value, vehicle, vehicles, visit | No Comments »