Archive for the ‘Automotive’ Category

Professional Auto Repair or DIY?

Automotive | Posted by admin
Apr 30 2011

If you want to learn how to do something, you need look no further than the world wide web. Somewhere out there someone has posted a set of how to instructions or a video clip that can walk you through any sort of project or repair you can imagine. These are great tools to use when you’re trying to improve your home or fix your car. Before you take on a DIY car repair, you need to ask yourself if you have the skills and equipment necessary to do the job right or if you should take your vehicle to a professional.

The hard and fast rule is that anything that involves computers should be taken to a professional shop. Ditto anything that involves significant auto body repair . These jobs are going to require high end diagnostic equipment and specialized skills that even amateur mechanics don’t have.

After that, the rules aren’t as clear cut. You need to do an honest assessment of your skill level and knowledge of the inner workings of cars before you consider attempting brake repair or working on the engine. Most people can handle simple things like replacing spark plugs, changing a tail light or replacing an air filter. If you’re not sure you can handle a repair, take it to the shop. If you try the DIY approach and fail, the repair will likely end up costing a lot more.

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When I Knew it was Time to Buy Tires

Automotive | Posted by admin
Dec 10 2009

I knew that I had needed new tires for my truck for some time.  They always seemed a bit…flat, flatter than they should be.  I had two front tires with nails embedded in them, but the fact that I don’t really drive very much, kind of helped me to put it off.  But, once I really checked my tires, I realized that it was in fact, time to buy tires.  I looked at my truck’s tires each time I got into it, but I did not follow the recommendations to thoroughly inspect my tires once a month.

My under-inflated tires not only served to make them wear much faster, but affected my gas mileage too.  Although my truck was still very easy to handle, I did notice some alterations in the steering that most undoubtedly were the result of the tires not being properly inflated.  My truck never became unsafe, but for many people, this can cause some very serious consequences.   When I did have the new tires mounted, I also had the alignment checked, as I had found out on line, that just one day of driving in a vehicle that is out of alignment, can wear out the tires completely, just one day!

Some people will try to remove embedded items, which may or may not be a good idea.  I did pull on one of the nails, but heard the hiss of air.  I pushed it back in and drove very carefully to the nearest tire retail store.  When I looked at the sidewalls, I noticed that there were very worn areas, and that my tires were no longer snugly fitted to the rims.  I was nervous about getting new tires, because I had never made that purchase alone before, and was a bit nervous about my own knowledge.  But through some investigation online, I found that it is not that scary of an endeavor.  Now I do have new tires, and my mind is at ease, and my truck handles much, much better.

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The History of Pneumatic Tires

Automotive | Posted by admin
Oct 12 2009

Rubber tires came on scene in the middle of the 1800′s. They were not your standard discount tire of today, they were solid rubber not filled with air, and the rubber was the only thing that absorbed the shock of the roads, bore the weight of the vehicle and resisted damage through puncture–they could not be punctured as the had no air–and they could stand up to the abrasions and cuts that the road would sometimes cause. The light truck tires that are now filled with air are known as pneumatic tires. These came about in the early part of 1845.

At the time the solid rubber tires were preferred because of how durable they were. And so the pneumatic, or air-filled tires fell by the wayside. What brought the air-filled tire back into the public eye was not car or truck wheels, but bicycle wheels. By the end of the 1800′s, the bicycle was an extremely popular mode of transportation. During this time, John Boyd Dunlop, a veterinarian from Belfast, took out a patent for the air-filled tires for bicycles. The Michelin brothers, of the now famous tire manufacturing company, pioneered the use of pneumatic tires on vehicles and by 1895 the first car, driven by the brothers, was equipped with tires such as these, raced in the Paris-Bordeaux competition in France.

And although they did not win, they succeeded in creating an interest in their air-filled car tires. They created their first company in France, at a time that was perfectly coinciding with the solid rubber tires being banned, as they tended to wreak havoc on the roadways themselves. Again in Europe, the first steel belted radial tires were introduced to the public in 1948. These steel belts gave a bit more structure and strength to the pneumatic tires, making them more durable and extending the life of the tires. Now tires are such a common place item, but for a few hundred years, they were on the forefront of invention and creativity.

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Discount Tire Shops Have Good Rates on Quality Tires

Automotive | Posted by admin
Oct 01 2009

My friend Sue went with my to buy new car tires the other day and ended up making something of a revelation and also providing me with an interesting story while we waited for them to get installed at the discount tire shop. I have always enjoyed getting new tires because it gives me an extra solid sense of safety and stability. In addition, I always have the alignment checked and if I only buy two, which is commonly the case, I have them rotated.

All of that which I just mentioned seems to be fundamental to tire purchases. Sue’s revelation was much more interesting. As I was telling her that we were at my favorite discount tire sales shop she looked slightly confused before saying that this was a standard tire store that sold real tires. I asked her what she meant by that and she told me that discount tires were sold on the side of the road by various independent gas stations with shops attached. She said that she had a great deal of experience in this and knew what she was talking about because in the past she had stopped more than one of these places before she got her new job. She remembered with pride the first time she went into a real tire store and ordered her brand new tires. She concluded by insisting that this was no discount tire stand.

I chuckled a little at her distinction before telling her that while she may have walked into a tire store and purchased new tires for the first time, she also may have done so in a discount shop. I told her the difference between a discounted price and the used tires that she would purchase along the road. And while there are many quality used tires, it is best to buy them from an establishment that guarantees the quality of the product. I told her and then showed her that the tires that were sold in this shop were actually the best deals on the top name brands of tires, custom truck wheels and rims. I remember this story every time tire purchases are brought up.

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A Sports Car, Shrimp and an Ex-husband

Automotive | Posted by admin
Sep 28 2009

An ex-wife spent her first day packing her belongings into boxes, crates and suitcases. On the second day she called the movers to come and get her things and then called a sports car for sale company to treat and enjoy herself. On the third day, she sat down on the floor in what was her dining room, lit a few candles, put on some blues for background music, and feasted on a jar of caviar, a pound of shrimp and downed a bottle of Champagne.

When she finished, she went to every room and she took off the end caps of the curtain rods and deposited a couple of half eaten shrimp and a tad bit of caviar inside the hollow part, then replaced the end caps and then went to the kitchen to clean up and finally move out.

All was bliss for the first few days, for her ex-husband and his new girlfriend when they moved back into the house. But, slowly, the house began to smell. The ex-husband and new girlfriend tried everything to air the place out, but cleaning and mopping didn’t stop the smell. Vents were washed and checked for dead rodents, carpets were steamed cleaned, air fresheners were used everywhere, exterminators were called in to set off poison gas, and they even replaced the very expensive wool carpet. Nothing seems to work.

The ex-husbands friends stopped coming by, repairmen refused to work in the house, they couldn’t keep a maid, so finally, they themselves couldn’t take the stench any longer and decided to move. About a month later, even after cutting the price of the house almost in half, they still could not get anyone to buy the smelly house. Eventually, even the Realtors refused to sell their house. The ex-husband had to borrow a huge amount of money in order to purchase a new home for him and his new girlfriend.

The ex-wife, about a half-a-year later, called her ex-husband and asked how things were going with the sell of the house. He told her about how, for unknown reasons, he can’t find a buyer, she listened politely and told him that she misses her old home and would be willing to reduce her divorce settlement in exchange for getting the house back. The ex-husband jumped on the change to get rid of the smelly house and agreed on a price that was only 1/10th of what the house was worth.  The next day, the ex-husbands lawyers delivered the paperwork for her to sign.

A week later, the ex-husband and his new girlfriend stood smiling and relieved and they watched the moving company van take everything they own to their new house, including the curtain rods.

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Learning How to Change the Oil of Your Car

Automotive | Posted by admin
Sep 28 2009

I have never been one to partake in home automotive repair. The engines seem complicated to me and a bit scary to be truthful, there are so many moving parts that fingers may get caught up in.  My brother in law however, is a mechanic.  He can listen to the engine of a car and know immediately what may be wrong with it, no need for this man to take a look at small engine repair manuals,nor large engines ones either.  Although I’ve never seen him work on a bike, so motorcycle manuals may come in handy for him.

He has saved me a large amount of money over my years of owning a Chevy pick-up with more than two hundred thousand miles on the odometer, and while I do not think I’ll ever master this particular skill, I enjoy watching him work on the engine, and picking up little bits of information has it goes.  He has showed me recently how to change the my own oil.

While it is not pleasant to be under the body of a car draining out the old oil, it does serve to save money.  It’s all about do it yourself auto repair these days, and aside from saving money, when it is necessary to have a professional work on your car, you will be a bit more educated and less likely to be taken advantage of by crooked mechanic’s shops.

There are great deals out their to be found at places like Jiffy Lube, and sometimes it’s worth it just to pay someone else to take care of that dirty and greasy business, but there is something oddly satisfying about knowing that I can change my own oil.  And knowing for certain that I myself added quality oil and filters, just gives me a sense of well being.  It is the same feeling I got the first time I changed my own tire.  Let’s face it, to take off the lug nuts is no small feet for a girl with arms the size of toothpicks.

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Driving Home the Best

Automotive | Posted by admin
Aug 21 2008

When it comes to trucks, my best friend and I just have to agree to disagree. For years he’s been a stickler for American trucks and believes that they’re “Built Tough” and all that jazz. I personally prefer the foreign companies for any motorized vehicle, recently favoring the Tacoma for my needs. For both of us, though, it can be such a challenge to find high quality truck tires at a low price. The last time I had to get a tire replacement, it had been a while since I had set foot in a shop, and I was surprised by all of the unique styles and treads available. In the end, I chose cooper tire and thankfully, I haven’t had to get a replacement since. They have a long-lasting tread and wear well.

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Car Shows Make Retirement Great

Automotive | Posted by admin
May 09 2008

I love to go to car shows and now that I’m retired, I spend a good part of my time traveling around the country going from show to show. I love it because I get to see the country, visit with people that have the same interests as me and know that I don’t have to feel guilty for not working, since I worked my entire life up until now.

At the car shows I see some amazing cars. These cars are so unique. Some have 20 inch rim, others have chrome wheels and others have large rims. They also have custom paint jobs and a lot of little details that make them valuable and pretty.

Yep, retirement is great. I worked hard and for a number of years to be able to spend my golden years doing the things that I enjoy. I can’t believe that I didn’t retire earlier.

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22 Inch Rims and Tires Only Needed to Win

Automotive | Posted by admin
Apr 09 2008

I love working on cars. I also love entering my hotrods in car shows. I just put 22 inch rims and tires on my car. I painted it and I tinted the windows recently. I think these new changes will give it the edge to win.

Some guys from my car club have been fixing up their cars also. One friend got custom tires and that really made a big difference. He also spent a lot of time and money on the interior. It’s reupholstered too.

I have another friend with a Mini Cooper and to spruce up his ride he got Mini Cooper tires and chrome rims. He also painted it a deep maroon that glimmers when you look at it from certain angles.

I still think I’ll do better than them at the car show. If I don’t win I’ll have to make some new adjustments but I think the rims and tires are all that I needed.

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