Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Simple Tips On How to Protect Car Paint

One of the main attractions of the auto - is its color. Some people like bright colors, while others choose darker shades and colors that are usually easier to keep clean. Irrespective of what motives make people choose this or that color, most car owners want to preserve this color.

Car paint is prone to fading over time and therefore you need to give your auto a good care to preserve its initial beauty and color. Let's discuss what factors lead to paint fading and what should you do to decrease the impact of these factors.

The main enemy of car paint is the sunlight. An auto that is constantly exposed to ultraviolet rays will soon lose the initial brightness of its color. To eliminate sun damage, it is recommended parking the auto in the shade.

A few more natural factors that lead to car paint fading are sea salt, pollution in the air, insects and acids in the bird dropping. Of course, the color of your car will not fade overnight, but if you want to extend the life of your vehicle, you need to learn a few car maintenance secrets.

These simple tips will help keep your auto polished and sparkling.
  • Wash your car regularly. Regularly - is not less than every two weeks. Sometimes it is recommended doing this more frequently. For example, if the climate in your area may cause damage to the car paint. When washing the auto, it is necessary choosing the right washing and polishing agents. Also make sure you use a soft duster.
  • Wax your auto. When waxing the auto you give it an additional coat of protection. However, do not get too obsessed with waxing.
  • Buy car paint protection film. A quality paint protection film can last up to five years. It will give your auto a glossy finish and prevent the appearance of scratches.
If you decide to purchase protective film, it is recommended getting professional advice, because choosing the right film is sometimes difficult. Paint protection film should be easy to clean give a decent protection from scratches and other damages. Quality paint protectors are reliable enough to endure the hardest weather and climate conditions. On the top of that, many are resistant to oils, alkalis and acids. Thus, by covering your vehicle with paint protector, you will prevent car paint fading, appearance of numerous damages and avoid a number of worries.
By giving your auto a good care and covering it with a quality paint protection film, you will preserve the initial beauty and color of your auto. This, in turn, will help extend the life of your auto and keep its value.

Friday, February 28, 2014

How to Go About Budgeting for a New Vehicle and Financing It Too

Buying a new vehicle is a big financial commitment and not a decision which should be entered into lightly. If, like most of us, you are unable to buy a new vehicle cash, you're going to have to consider car finance in order to complete your purchase. Financing a vehicle is often associated with unnecessary problems and a fair amount of stress, too.

But financing your vehicle needn't be fraught with uncertainty, confusion, or indecision. By acquainting yourself with the appropriate information you'll find that the process of purchasing a new or used vehicle can be an exciting process. whether you enjoy the process or not hinges on whether or not you're comfortable with your knowledge of the process.

So, what should you know before you finance a car?

The first and most important question you need to ask yourself is: Can I afford to purchase a vehicle? As important as it is to have your own set of wheels, overcommitting yourself to repayments you cannot afford will only end in disaster. At best, you'll be able to scrape by and you'll manage to purchase the vehicle. At worst you stand a chance of having the vehicle being repossessed and destroying your credit rating.

To figure out how much you can afford on a monthly basis use the following simple formula:

Income - Expenses = Surplus

Once you've determined what your monthly surplus is you'll have a pretty good idea of how much you can afford on a monthly basis, but don't get too excited just yet. Your surplus cash is not the final amount you can spend on a vehicle. You also need to factor in how much insurance you're going to have to pay on a monthly basis (all financed vehicles need insurance) and you're also going to have to factor in the monthly running costs of the vehicle, ie. How much petrol will I need? Does the vehicle require any additional maintenance to keep it on the road? Don't forget that you still need to save on a monthly basis - life happens to all of us so it's best to stay prepared.

How to go about financing your vehicle:

There are a number of options available to someone looking to obtain finance. You can either:
  • Apply for finance online
  • Use one of the bank's pre-approved finance facilities
  • Apply for finance at a dealer
  • Each of the options outlined above offer their own benefits, however, using an online application will make the process as simple as possible.
Stay tuned for our next article which will cover everything you will need when financing a car.

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Four Things You Should Do When Your Car Is Stuck in the Snow

Four Things You Should Do When Your Car is Stuck in the Snow

If you've ever been out driving during a winter storm, there's no doubt that your car has gotten stuck in the snow or ice. Do you wish you'd known how you could have done a better job at freeing the car from the icy trap? Instead of panicking while the tires spun in place as you pressed on the accelerator, wouldn't it have been nice to know that there was a better, more effective way to approach the situation?

If you knew that there was a quicker method for getting your car moving again, wouldn't you have taken the steps to do so?

The next time your car gets stuck in the snow or the ice, there are just a few things you'll need to remember. Unless it's a situation where your car can only be rescued from the snow by a tow truck, you'll want to take note of the steps I'll talk about below.

If I had remembered these things when I drove into a patch of icy snow recently, my car would have been stuck for much less than the three hours it was. And, as I'll discuss, the only things I would have needed were a shovel, some rock salt, and a traction mat.
So your car is stuck in the snow. What do you do?

Don't Panic

First, be careful not to cause the situation to get worse. Panicking will make you want to keep your foot down on the gas and turn the steering wheel frantically, in hopes that the car will magically break loose. It won't. Stepping on the pedal while the tires spin in place will only pack the snow down even harder, making it even more slippery, and your car more stuck.

The second you feel your tires start to spin, lift your foot off the gas. And remember to do the four things below. Your car will become unstuck much faster.
Read below to find out what do.

1. Rock the Car

This is an approach you would try if you aren't in possession of the tools we'll discuss below. To rock your car, simply alternate between reversing the vehicle and putting it in drive. Think of it like a swing set, where your legs kick back and forth to gain motion. Apply the same physics here.
The momentum you'll build by rocking your car can help your tires gain traction again, because it can clear a pathway out of the spot you're in. If you still get nowhere, though, you can try to steer your wheel hard either way, and then rock the car again. (Just be careful not to do it too much, because rocking your car can be bad for the transmission.) If this doesn't work, however, try taking the steps below.

2. Spade Shovel

Having a spade shovel will come in handy when you need to move the snow and ice that are surrounding your car's tires. In the winter, you should always have a good compact spade shovel in your car.

With the shovel, dig out the snow that's in front of the drive tires to clear a path. (Remember that the drive tires are the ones that need to get traction; the other tires are secondary.) If the snow in front of the tires is packed down tightly, use the shovel's edge to chop that snow and get it out of the way. Try to remove as much of it from around the wheels as you can. If you can't get traction with that approach, the next step will help you make progress.

3. Rock Salt

Now that you have shoveled out a path in front of the tires, take a gravelly material, like rock salt, and pour it as closely to the bottom of the tires as you can. (Substitutes for rock salt may include kitty litter, sand, or gravel.) This approach will provide the tire treads with the friction they'll need to get their first grip on the ground.

Next, pour a generous amount of rock salt over the path you've made with the shovel. Get back in the car and try driving forward while going easy on the pedal. If you are with someone who is willing to push the car from behind, allow them to help.

If the car still can't get moving, the next idea could be a solution.

4. Traction Mats

If your car moves a few feet onto the pathway you've made, but ends up getting stuck again, a nice addition to the tools you've already tried would be a pair of snow traction mats. With these in hand, just place their back edges between your car's drive tires and the snow. Make sure to also align the mats with each tire line.

Like with the rock salt you spread, the mats will enable your car to get the traction it needs to move out of the snow. When you start your car again, drive it slowly onto the traction mat. As the tires force the bottom of the mats into the ice or snow, the traction they gain will increase, and your car will be freed.
Nobody likes it when their car gets stuck in the snow. But during the winter, this happens. So always make sure to have tools in your car like the ones we talked about. By doing this, you can be sure that you'll be prepared for any situation that snowy or icy weather throws your way. You'll also be able to come to the aid of other drivers around you who get stuck in the snow.

So What Are Mobility Scooters?

Mobility scooters could be described as a battery-powered wheelchair, it is used not only by people with physical disability but it is also used by persons with whole-body disabling conditions such as arthritis or even those who suffer from obesity and other medical conditions that may restrict mobility.
The steering column is located at the middle front of the scooter. It has forward or reverse controls and speed controls as the basic functions. These are controlled through thumb paddles, switches, or paddle controls, whichever is more convenient for the rider, so there should not be any problem in maneuvering it. Originally, this type of scooter has only three wheels, but now it is also available with four to five wheels. The actual design of this vehicle depends on the model and the manufacturer.
There are two types of mobility scooters. First is the more common front-wheel drive which can only be used indoors and it has a maximum weight capacity of 250 pounds while the second one is rear-wheel drive and is also used outdoors. It has a maximum capacity of 350 pounds. For some manufacturers, they also offer heavy duty rear-wheel drive scooters that are capable of carrying up to 500 pounds.

In UK, this vehicle is classified as either Class II or Class III Invalid Carriage. Class II invalid carriages are limited to 4 mph and it is only used on footways while a Class III invalid carriage may be ran up the speed of 8 mph for road or highway use. In addition, it should have an additional 4 mph speed limiter for footway use. There are several requirements in driving a Class III invalid carriage such as tax disc, minimum age requirement in which the person who drives it should be fourteen years old or above and he or she should be able to at least read a car's registration number from a distance of 12.3metres or 40 feet.

Convenience is a must, especially for those who have physical disabilities as they do not have the ability to go from one place to another easily. The ingenious design makes this kind of scooter easy to control and steer. It is very useful as well for people who have limited hand motion. Some of these vehicles have wide basket in front for storage. Other great features include armrests that flip up to make it easy for the rider to get on and off the scooter. The person who uses this vehicle does not have to exert extra effort to navigate or should be able to swivel the seat effortlessly compared to using a manual wheelchair. Users / drivers do not need to spend more as this is generally more affordable compared to powered wheelchairs. That is why more reputable medical establishments recommend this vehicle than any other type of wheelchair.

Mobility scooters can be used by non-disabled persons as well. However, it is only limited to specific instances such as demonstrating how the vehicle is used before it is sold, training a disabled user how to use the scooter, and transporting the vehicle to or from a maintenance or repair shop.

Advantages Of Opting For A Car Hire

Transportation - this is one of the most essential needs of individuals these days, to be able to go to their work easily or to schools or malls safely. Surely, transportation has also been a huge game-changer in the lives of individuals, giving them better opportunities of enjoying better benefit for their lifestyle. So, to experience a wonderful trip anywhere you wish to go, purchasing a car can be the ideal option.

However, almost all individuals know that purchasing a car is a huge investment and taking into consideration some other factors such as amenities and commodities, all of these should be addressed to determine whether buying a car is worth it. So, in case that you do not have enough finances to buy a new or used car, there is still one good and efficient option - Car hire.

Car hire services can surely provide you with amazing features for your trips. Individuals can also experience other benefits from opting for this solution.

Improve transportation ventures for businesses - In case that you are just starting your own business, opting for a car hire can be essential. This can help businesses have a good vehicle that can reflect their company. Moreover, business trips would be a lot easier since owners can choose large vehicles for their employees.

Provide better options for family travel - Car hire services can also help families have better trips since individuals can find the most suitable vehicle for their family. With this option, individuals can also make sure that their travels can become more exciting.

Help you find the ideal car for your trip - May it be long trips to a tropical paradise or even an adventurous trip to the mountains, individuals can easily find the ideal car they need in any terrain by opting for a car hire. As of today, reliable car hire providers present different types of vehicles according to your needs.

Make your travel more comfortable - Since you have the opportunity to find the best car for your trip, individuals are rest assured that they can choose the car that can provide them with comfort during their travel. With this, individuals can enjoy viewing wonderful sceneries that can make their trips more memorable.

Improved safety on the road - Individuals are also sure that the vehicles they will hire are properly maintained. In addition, reliable car hire providers also feature car insurance to make your travel more efficient and safer.

With these advantages, travelling can become more exciting and fun for everyone, giving them more chances of making their trips better and safer.