First Automobile – Remember When?

Do you remember your first car?

Remember how proud you were of it? It might not have been the newest car on the block, but it was going to be the best.

You took it home and washed it, polished it and took the vacuum cleaner outside to make sure it was totally spotless, every week!

As a teenager, living at home, with brothers and sisters, the car is your space. Your friends judge you by your car and how smart it looks. Your car gives you the chance of privacy that you never get at home. The opportunity to take your girlfriend somewhere quiet, maybe, or just the chance to go off on your own and enjoy the sea view, maybe do a bit of fishing.

That was just the outside. Remember tweaking the engine, changing the brake fluid, and fitting a spoiler? Did you fit a nitrous oxide nitro kit to improve the performance of your automobile? Did you tell the insurance company that you had modified the engine? Of course you did.

Tags: Benzene, Brake Fluid, Brothers And Sisters, car, car repair, Catalysts, Chlorine, Coolant, exhaust catalyst, First Automobile, first car, gasoline, harmful emissions, home, hydraulic systems, Insurance Company, Leaks, Living At Home, nitric oxide, nitric oxide emissions, nitro kits, nitrous oxide, old cars, oxide, peole, Sea View, Spoiler, strange noise

Posted in Cars | No Comments »

Discount Car Audio

Sell Your Used Discount Car Audio Items Online

When you decide to sell your car after having a new audio system installed in it, some sellers decide to remove the system and put the factory version back into the car before selling it. When you do this, you can often sell the car faster. The question of what to do with the audio you took out can be left unanswered. One of the best things to do is to sell your items to people online as discount car audio. There are several options when it comes to how and where to sell your items online. Take a look at these options and get paid for that used audio equipment you no longer need.

Online Auctions

Tags: Amount Of Time, arenas, auction forum, car, Car Online, discount car, Discount Car Audio, Locals, music, Online, online auction, online auctions, People Online, Platforms, Sell Car, Sell Your Car, selling, Selling Car, speakers, sterio, Truth

Posted in Audio Video | No Comments »

3 American Performance Cars

Bear with me as I step back in time to formulate what I believe are three terrific American built performance cars: the Ford Mustang, the Dodge Challenger, and the Chevrolet Camaro. Currently, only the Mustang is in production with the Challenger coming back by 2009. GM hasn’t committed to building the Camaro just yet, but the company is likely to make a decision in favor of the car and its sibling, the Pontiac Firebird, by this summer. So, what is it about American performance cars that set them apart from the rest? In one word: muscle. Read on as I compare and contrast these three vehicles and share with you my feeble attempts to explain the culture behind the cars.

So, you think I forgot the Chevy Corvette and Dodge Viper when talking about performance cars? No, I did not. Both models are performance cars as well as race cars. On the other hand the Mustang, Challenger, and Camaro are mass produced performance cars with muscle. There is a difference in the way a typical race car handles, rides, and performs vs. a muscle car.

Tags: 'Cuda, America, Camaro, car, chevrolet camaro, Chevy Chevelle, chevy corvette, Corvette, Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, Dodge Viper, Ford Mustang, GM, Lyndon Johnson, muscle, Mustang, New York, Plymouth, Pontiac, pontiac firebird, pony cars, Read, U.S.

Posted in Cars | No Comments »

Car Audio Systems – A Brief Overview

When we hear the phrase car audio, we automatically assume that a person is taking about the sound system in their car or vehicle. The most common piece of audio equipment used in cars in the radio/CD player which in generic terms is known as the head unit. This is the item that is most commonly upgraded and as technology changes and moves forward this is the part of the cars sound system that also changes.

Up to a number of years ago most car audio systems were fitted with a cassette player but this then became a CD player. With technology ever expanding CD players now also have the capability of playing MP3, WMA, AAC, and there are even car stereos that are now going to be equipped with USB slots.

The majority of cars have a CD player and there are others that also include the option for a CD changer which can hold multiple disks. These CD changers can be housed in the car stereos head unit itself or stored in a separate unit which is normally stored in the trunk. Some car stereos now even support DVD players and LCD screens which have been designed to entertain children on long journeys.

Tags: audio, car, car audio, car audio systems, car stereos, generic terms, lcd screens, player, radio cd, system

Posted in Audio Video | No Comments »

Auto Repair: The Top Ten Mistakes Made By Your Mechanic

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.

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

Posted in Repairs | No Comments »

3 Advantages Of Hybrid Cars Over Conventional Cars

Due to the rising cost of fuel and the environmental damage it causes to our planet, many car owners or buyers are looking for an alternative way to save money. Let’s face it, fuel supply is finite and the prices of gas is only going to rise higher and higher. That is where a hybrid car has its advantages

Hybrid cars have been gaining in popularity in recent years. With lower cost of production and new hybrid car technology being developed, owning a hybrid car is becoming affordable to everyone.

Hybrid Cars Saves Gas

The obvious advantage of using hybrid cars is that it saves gas. Combining the cleaner energy of an electric motor with the long range capacity of a gasoline engine allows a hybrid car to save as much as 30 miles a gallon. One feature of hybrid cars is that the gasoline engine is shut off automatically when the car stops. This also helps in saving fuel. That is also the reason why hybrid cars are so quiet why it is stationary. The gasoline engine is automatically turned on when you step on the accelerator pedal.

Tags: car, car battery, car manufacturers, car tax, conventional gasoline, electric cars, ford, fuel, greenhouse emissions, greenhouse gas emissions, honda, hybrid, hybrid car battery, hybrid car technology, hybrid cars, President Bush, tax incentives for hybrid cars, toyota, toyota prius

Posted in Cars | No Comments »

Car Audio Mistakes

Choosing a new car audio system can be tricky business. Most people make many mistakes when choosing their car audio system. Below are the most frequent mistakes made my car owners in choosing a new system.

Many people just spend too much and in some cases go into debt. What can make this particular situation worse is that people go into debt for a system they realize they do not even like. First, figure out how much money there is available to spend. Then decide how much of the car audio system needs to be replaced. At this point plan a budget – how much can you afford to spend? Therefore you can locate system components in your price range. Deciding what is most important in the car audio system and plan to spend more on the important items. Going over budget is the first and most common mistake car audio system buyers make.

Tags: car, car audio, car audio system, car modifications, frequent mistakes, music, speaker installation, system, value of a car

Posted in Audio Video | No Comments »

Car Audio – What To Know Before You Buy Used Car Audio Systems

If you are looking for a car audio system and would love to save a little money when purchasing, you should consider buying a used system. Many people think you can only get quality sound from new equipment, but that is not true. You can find great packages that are sold directly from another consumer if you know what you are looking for. There are a few things to remember before making a purchase however. If you are considering buying a used system, think about these things before you throw down any cash.

The first thing to consider is what you need. You should always be aware of what your automobile can handle before purchasing a used system. When you go to a store to purchase new equipment, the salesperson usually assists you on knowing what you need. When you are purchasing from a consumer however, you may not be getting correct information. Since most consumers won’t offer a refund policy, you will need to know that the equipment will work on your car before buying it.

Tags: audio specialist, car, car audio, car audio system, car stereos, equipment, quality sound, salesperson, speakers, specific equipment, system

Posted in Audio Video | No Comments »

2 Way Car Alarms: Wave Of The Future

2 way car are alarms bringing automobile protection systems into the future.  A car alarm is now so much more than just a loud ringing noise when the vehicle is invaded.  A 2 way car alarm is now able notify you remotely via pager when the alarm is activated.  They also provid the ability to start and control the car from a distance.  These special alarms can do nearly everything short of driving the car for you!

The technology, often utilizing FM radio waves, is not endorsed by some law enforcement officials because of the fact that real-time notification of theft activity might turn some car owners into vigilantes.  It is seen as a trade-off in citizen safety to have the ability to try to intervene in a theft in progress.  However, the remote action options available with 2 way car alarms, including door locks and trunk release, have allowed some car owners to derail a theft from as much as 2,500 feet away.

Tags: 2 way car alarms, alarm, Best Car Alarms, car, Car Alarm Systems, car alarms, citizen safety, door locks, law enforcement officials, radio waves, way

Posted in Trucks and SUVS | No Comments »

Auto Repair: How Can They Screw Up An Oil Change?

“It’s all about beating the clock.” This quote comes from a wise old service manager, advising me on how to maximize my income as a flat-rate technician. If you have ever wondered why your car doesn’t get fixed correctly, or all your concerns weren’t addressed, you can blame, in part, the flat-rate pay structure.

Flat-rate simply means that your mechanic is paid a flat fee for a particular repair, regardless of how long the repair actually takes. In other words, if your car needs a water pump, which pays two hours of labor, and the mechanic completes the job in one hour, he gets paid for two.

In theory, this can work to your advantage. If the job takes longer, you still only pay the “predetermined” labor amount. In THEORY, not reality!

The flat-rate pay structure is designed to drive productivity. It’s very effective. The flat-rate pay system encourages technicians to work hard and fast, but it does not promote quality.

Tags: bay doors, breakneck speed, car, disastrous effects, Don, little pieces, pay, pay structure, technician

Posted in Repairs | No Comments »