Taking Good Care Of Your Precious Car

Maintenance is one of the most serious tasks as a car owner. It determines the performance and durability of the vehicle you drive. Checking your vehicle includes more than taking care of its external paint job and keeping it shiny.

This means taking care of all the parts, even under the hood. These are the ones that concern the performance of your vehicle. To have a good idea about the vehicle's routine maintenance is to go through the owner's manual. A little knowledge about mechanics may help you to maintain your vehicle. Some most important things to be checked regularly are the engine, electrical system, brake system and the tires.

The Engine

The engine is the one that makes the car move. Proper maintenance is a must to obtain a smooth run, less fuel consumption and extend the life of the engine. In this area it is necessary to check if there’s a leak in your engine, worn out fan belts, dirty spark plug and the air filter. You may also include checking the transmission fluid level, power steering fluid level and coolant level.

The Brakes

The life of the driver depends on the brake, it is necessary to check your brake system from the lines, brake fluid level, handbrake cables and the brake pads. While driving always check the pressure build by the brakes, because sometimes it is unexpected that brakes would fail while you’re on the road.

The Tires

The tire wears especially when the car is used every day. It is necessary to check the tire pressure and the thread of the tires, do not forget to also check the condition of the spare tire. Any foreign object from the road may puncture the tires such as nails and other pointed object so always check for those things.

The Electrical System

This would include the bulbs of the car’s headlight, parking lights, fuses, and the battery terminals and its connection. Sometimes the cars don’t run because the problem is not in the engine but in the electrical system. Be careful when checking especially the battery terminals because of some hazardous element such as acid deposits.

The screws and bolts must be checked if they are still in good condition or tightened well. Also check the wiper blades if the rubber blades need to be replaced to avoid damaging your windshield. Visiting your most trusted mechanic or any quality service station is not a bad idea, besides they have all the tools and expert mechanics to fix any car problem.

The car can be maintained while driving; a proper driving style may help to maintain the car. A poor driving style can wreck the car anytime like over revving the engine etc. No matter how much time and money you spend just to check your car’s engine and other parts everyday for maintenance, with a poor driving style this can be meaningless.


Author:

Alvin D. Agomaa - For free car classified listings visit Oz Free Cars For Sale

Finding Cheap Auto Parts

Running a car can be an expensive business these days, especially with the continually rising cost of petrol/gas. The last thing that most car owners need is the added expense of replacing worn out parts. The majority of people rely on their local auto shop to find the parts, and then fit them. There is a far cheaper way, and that is to source your own parts from an auto salvage yard.

Auto salvage yards, as their name suggests, specialise in salvaging autos, or more specifically auto parts. The way that they work is simple; they take junk cars and strip them down, keeping any parts that are still in working order. These parts are then sold to anyone who wants to buy them at a much lower price than a new part would be. You could find the part that you are looking for, and save yourself a lot of money. Of course, it would be ideal if you could fit the part on your car yourself, but just buying the part from an auto salvage yard can save you a considerable amount even if you have to pay a mechanic to fit it.

The key to buying from an auto salvage yard is to spend a lot of time looking for the part that you need. There may be a lot, or a little, but you should always shop around to find the best part for you. Some auto salvage yards will recondition parts, while others will simply sell them ‘as seen’. If you don’t know much about cars it is a good idea to take a friend with you who does. The last thing you want to do is to buy a part from an auto salvage yard and think that you have found a bargain, but then find that it isn’t the right part for your car or not in working order.

The other way that you can use an auto salvage yard is to actually sell them your scrap car. All cars eventually reach the end of their working life, but you may find that you might get a little money from a salvage yard for your rusting hulk. At the end of the day, that’s better than nothing. Be prepared to negotiate a price and don’t take the first offer that they make you.

About The Author
John Rivers is editor of Car Auction Plaza. Get information on finding the car of your dreams for the price of your dreams. http://www.carauctionplaza.info.

Motorcycle Vs. Car - Myth or Madness

Motorcycle riders often get an unjustified reputation as being reckless, risk takers, and that they generally disobey traffic laws. This perception is unfounded and there are many statistics that back up the fact that most motorcycle accidents are not the fault of the motorcycle rider, but that of another driver.

A major study conducted by the University of Southern California (USC) found that approximately three-fourths of motorcycle accidents involved a collision with another vehicle, usually a passenger automobile. It was also found that in the multiple vehicle accidents, the driver of the other vehicle violated the motorcycle right-of-way and caused the accident in two-thirds of those accidents. Further the study by USC found that the failure of motorists to detect and recognize motorcycles in traffic is the predominating cause of motorcycle accidents. The driver of the other vehicle involved in collision with the motorcycle did not see the motorcycle before the collision, or did not see the motorcycle until too late to avoid the collision.

These findings go to show that the motorcycle rider has unjustly received a bad reputation from the general public as well as from insurance companies that cover motorcycle riders. Motorcycles are inherently prone to accidents caused by other drivers because of their small size. Motorcycles easily fit into the blind spot of typical passenger automobiles. The truth is that most motorcycle riders are very good drivers and keep an eye out for motorists who do not see them. This awareness of other drivers however does not prevent all accidents.

When accidents such as these happen, the insurance company of the driver who is at fault will go to great lengths to keep from giving the motorcycle rider the money he or she deserves. Insurance companies will frequently rush the victim to make a quick settlement as a way to save money. Most people in the general public are not insurance experts and do not know if they are getting a bad deal from the insurance company or not. When a check is stuck in front of them it can be quite tempting to sign.

Taking the insurance companies first offer is usually a mistake. Other times the insurance company of the other driver will try to not pay at all for the accident and resulting injuries. They often try to make it appear that the motorcycle rider was at fault in the accident. It is not hard to convince a jury of this since motorcycle riders have this unjust reputation of being less than careful.

This is why it is critically important to have a qualified and competent lawyer on your side if you find yourself the victim of a motorcycle accident. A qualified lawyer will help make sure that you get the settlement that you deserve; a settlement that will cover your medical bills as well as paying for the damage to your motorcycle. Not having a lawyer to stand up for you will cost you more than just money, it will also cause you a great deal of headaches and heartache. Trying to fight an insurance company on your own, while at the same time dealing with physical injuries can be an overwhelming task.

A qualified lawyer is the only one who will be on your side in case of an accident. A lawyer works for you and only you. The insurance company works for their shareholders and will try very hard to keep from getting you the money that you deserve.

About The Author:
Landon Prescott writes on topics related to insurance and health.

For over 30 years the motorcycle lawyers at Michael H. Silvers, A Law Corporation, have successfully represented injured motorcycle riders with a 98.6% success rate. Motorcycle accident law is a very specialized area of law that requires the experience and expertise of a motorcycle lawyer, with a proven track record. Michael H. Silvers, A Law Corporation has 24 convenient locations in California. http://www.michaelhsilvers.com/.