Posts Tagged ‘Cars’
Auto Body Repair
July 12, 2010 | 
Author The costs of buying a new car verses paying for repairs run through your head. You are not the only one that has had to consider auto body repair. Over 220 million vehicles in 2003 on the road in the United States, and the trend is on a 5% increase per year. With an increasing population that percentage wise uses more and more cars per year, the need for auto body repair is going to rise. The more traffic on the road that there is, the more accidents are likely to occur because parking lots and roads will be more crowded.
Finding a professional auto body expert can be difficult. This difficulty combined with the costs of the damage cause people to go buy a new car just to avoid the hassle. However, buying a new car can be just as much, if not more, of a hassle. When you buy a new car there is paper work, research into which car you would like, and most of the time an increase in your debt.
Generally, you will have make payments on your new car for at least four to five years. With the economy down, and employment lowering, consider whether you will really be safe to make those payments for that long. The car payment may also get in the way of other opportunities. In a year or two, you may want to support a child through college, or leave work for retirement.
In some cases, people simply do not know what fixing a car is is, and that it is a viable option. Most vehicles are fine by repairing the metal panels in your car instead of buying new parts to replace them. Repair work includes repainting sections that have been damage to match the original paint color of the car, restoring framework, and repair to the electrical and mechanical systems of the car. It is important that if you choose to fix your car, that you find a professional mechanic to perform the task. Rebuilding a car takes education and skill. Make sure that your mechanic has had both formal classroom and on the job training. Specialists are highly skilled mechanics and are always improving their technique through experience.
Finding a professional expert will cost you more, but a new car would cost many times the amount that the repair would cost. In most cases, your car insurance will pay for Auto Body repair. Fixing a car is the most cost effective option in most cases. It is also a better option for those who love the car they have. However, there are many other things to consider besides cost effectiveness when deciding between auto body repair and a new car.
One example would be whether or not your family is growing out of the old car. You may have had a five person car that is filled with you, your spouse and three children. If you have another child on the way, it would be a good idea to consider going ahead and buying a new car. Perhaps your lifestyle has changed and instead of a minivan you need a truck. Maybe you can just do without a car.
Another concern may be the environment. If your old car was really old and produced tons of black fumes, a new car may help the environment. However, if it was a descent car auto body repair would be the more eco-friendly option. Instead of throwing a whole bunch of descent metal to rot somewhere in the environment, it would be used for as long as possible. If you are really concerned about the environment, you can even make sure that you select a shop that recycles what can be recycled from their projects.
Posted in Repairing, SUVs | 
Tags: Accidents, Auto Body Repair, Buying A New Car, Car Payment, Cars, Economy, Fixing A Car, Formal Classroom, Hassle, Mechanical Systems, Million Vehicles, Paint Color, Parking Lots, Population, Professional Auto, Professional Mechanic, Retirement, Skilled Mechanics, Training Specialists, Viable Option | 
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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 »