5 Tips On How To Buy A Fuel Efficient Car

With the global economy on the downswing, there has been a sporadic rise in fuel prices over the last couple of years. According to industry experts, this trend seems to show no signs of abating and will continue, given the increasing demand for fuel. Hence, if you are planning on investing in a new car, it would make perfect sense to settle for a vehicle that consumes less fuel and delivers more mileage. Buying a fuel efficient car would prove to be a cost effective investment in the long run as it would help you conserve a lot of money in fuel costs. In this article, we have mentioned 5 tips that will help you make an informed choice in buying a fuel efficient car.

1. The size and engine - Take a moment to consider your daily travel requirements. Is the car meant for personal use or does your family also avail of it? If they do, then you should take into account the number of co-passengers that would be traveling along with you daily. In this regard, you should figure out the ideal boot space you need from your prospective car. You should also consider whether it would be a viable vehicle for making a short or long commute. All these factors would collectively determine the size of your car and its engine.

2. The model and make - Most of us have our own favorite car brands. However, it is best not to be biased by our individual predilections and stress on the utility and cost factor instead. Also consider how often you would require the use of special features such as two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. In this case always opt for the former as two-wheel drive vehicles are more fuel-efficient.

3. Mileage and fuel consumption - This is the most important aspect in your purchasing decision - the fuel efficiency of the car. Check the fuel consumption label on the car. Compare the cars of your choice on the basis of their fuel consumption and hone in on the one with the lowest consumption levels.

4. Take a test drive - After selecting the most suitable car for your requirements, be sure to check it out first hand. Most car dealers allow you to take a test drive before actually making the purchase. Take the car out for a spin to get a better understanding of its reliability. If it is a used car, ensure to have it inspected by a mechanic to determine its level of maintenance and fuel efficiency.

5. Drive carefully and efficiently - Even though you might have a fuel efficient car, at the end of the day it all depends on the way you drive it. Keep abreast of driving tips and tricks that would help you conserve fuel and save on the maintenance of your car.

In addition to conserving fuel and cutting down on your gas expenditure, buying a fuel efficient car is also a very environmentally friendly proposition. When you buy a fuel efficient car, you would do your bit for the environment while saving on your budget.

Leather vs Cloth Seats - It's a Personal Preference

Leather vs cloth seats is a choice each driver must make when purchasing their next vehicle. The choice of the interior comes down to cow versus manufactured cloth and can sometimes be a difficult choice.

This is because each offers benefits and pit falls.

Some of the benefits of leather...

Leather offers a soft, supple feeling while driving down the road. It is a comfy fit for your bottom.

Additionally since leather is a more expensive choice, it is often a sign of prestige and luxury. For those whose car is a reflection on their being or their status, leather offers a sense of class to the driver.

The additional cost of leather upholstery you pay up front can be a benefit when it is time to sell your vehicle.

Typically, leather brings a greater resale value.

Oh! And there is nothing better than the distinct rich aroma of new leather interior in a car, truck or SUV.

Yippee! Rawhide!

The downside of leather...

It requires more maintenance to keep the leather conditioned and supple. If leather seats are your choice, you should regularly clean them and put a leather conditioner on the interior so that the leather does not crack.

Another drawback is the comfort. In extreme heat, the seats can be almost too hot to handle. The opposite is also true, in extreme cold weather the seats take quite a bit of time to warm up. So with leather, prepare to have your buns toasted or frozen depending on the weather.

Also because leather seats may be slippery, take caution when entering so that you don't find yourself under the dashboard!

Now, let's take a look at the benefits of cloth...

First, there is the affordability factor. Cloth seats will cost you less than leather and will yield a slightly lower resale value than its counterpart - leather.

With cloth, you can avoid some of the haphazard while trying to enter the car. Because cloth is a more breathable choice, it typically stays the same temperature year around. No burnt or frozen buns with cloth. As well, you have a better chance of entering the car and remaining on the seat as you round corners.

Now, the pitfalls of cloth...

Your cloth seats may not earn you the same respect you would get with leather seats. If you are looking to impress, leather would be a much better choice.

Cloth tends to get dirty easier and absorb stains more easily. Likewise odors can be easily locked into the fibers of the cloth. Smells such as pets or smoking tend to make themselves comfortable in cloth interiors. This can negatively affect your resale value as well.

Now that we have discussed some of the aspects regarding leather vs cloth seats, it is best to look at your own personal situation. Consider the use of the car, the mileage you travel each month and the ability to maintain the car's interior. The final decision is yours.

Writing About New Cars

It seems like whenever you search any major auto show from any site, there are generally always wonderful pictorials along with articles regarding the new auto models that happen to be coming out and about on the internet. People wish to read these kinds of content online. In fact, these good articles can be quite commonly found, and generally rank way up there on the top sites and current news. Okay, let's take a second to discuss this topic and improve how we can get an article to the top.

If you need to create stellar content concerning a brand-new car style, then there are a number of things that need to be in your current articles. These are exactly the stuff people are trying to find, and I'm not simply talking in regards to commenting on the nice drink holder inside the center console in the new hybrid fancy car. Yes, that is certainly important. But the fact that the car can go from 0 to 60 in a couple seconds in a very high-performance car is certainly more desirable than the ability to place their Frappuccino anywhere in the car.

So of course, by most means you'll want to mention that, but besides that, everyone is also considering other issues. Things such as acceleration, rate, horsepower, functionality, and handling... but most importantly they're considering fuel overall economy. You have to have all those key elements in the article you select, especially just about any new auto model part. Further, you will definitely have to shell out a little extra time with your current wording and phrasing, plus the description. You may use lots of time involving adjectives for you to adequately illustrate what it seems like to sit inside car, hear the electric motor, and travel it all-around. People would definitely like to know beforehand.

You will need to remember everyone is buying cars as they are an extension of their unique personality. You'll want to describe the automobile as if you would your very own significant other along with their uniqueness. People would like to know about your "feel" in the car. When you discuss the many features, and the many key things, and you invest time and thought into your work... That's how you write the informational content on brand-new car types.

If anyone posts articles that happen to be done using this method online, you will definitely just know that they get a great deal of traffic, a great deal of interest, a great deal of high evaluations, and you may notice inward links... besides, isn't that the true objective of an online content composer? Indeed, I'm hoping you will picture this, with no over-hyping straight into each motor vehicle article that you may decide to type up in the future.

Nightmare on the Highway - What to Do When You Have a Flat and There's No Spare in the Trunk

Here's a scary thought- your car has a flat tire and you find there's no spare in the trunk. Well, this isn't all that unusual because guess what a lot of automakers did while we were sleeping - they eliminated the spare tire to reduce car weight and improve fuel usage! In addition, some automakers have been quietly substituting "run flat" tires for regular tires. The run flat tires are supposed to be good for driving when flat for about 50 miles at 50 miles per hour. Only thing wrong with that is driving those 50 miles normally destroys your tire, necessitating buying a new tire. And what if it's very late at night and there are no open service stations within those 50 miles.

Situations like this underline the need to carry your own emergency auto repair kit, in case auto road service is too far away or you are nowhere near an open service station. Ideally, you should carry a car battery jump starter with an air compressor, as well as a tube of tire sealant, at least 3 hazard signs and a tire gauge.

If you have no spare tire, you need to re-inflate or fix your existing tire wherever you are.

Safety First

Put on your flashing lights and if you have emergency hazard signs, put one about 25 feet back from your car, and as far out towards the middle of the road to mark the outer edge of your car. The second should be back around 100 feet and closer to the edge of the road. The third should be back around 200 feet back at the edge of the highway.

Conventional wisdom is that you only need to put out your hazard warning signs if one of your left side tires is flat and you are kneeling down in the actual roadway to begin to repair the flat tire. Absolutely wrong!Even though you are on the other side of the car from the road, you can be seriously injured and even killed by a rear end collision by a driver who didn't notice your car. As a further precaution get your passengers out of the car and safely away from the roadway.

Start the Actual Tire Repair

Take off the tire's valve cap and start to re-inflate your flat tire with your car battery jump starter system with a built-in air compressor. Inflate the tire a bit. Stop, look and listen. Does it go flat again fairly quickly? Do you hear it hissing? If so, the odds are pretty good that you have a puncture. If you have a puncture, and not a huge one, there is another handy item in your kit - your tire sealant. This temporarily repairs flats in tubeless tires caused by punctures up to a quarter-inch. Inflate your tire up to its normal pressure - use your tire gauge to make certain. It may take running the car for a short distance to "spread" the goo properly inside the tire. If so, pull over at the first safe spot and check the air pressure. If you need to, top up the tire. Once you get back on the road, or home again, it would be a good idea to have a competent service station take a look at the tire that went flat.

Finding Cheap Bike Racks Isn't Easy

Bike racks are a necessity if you want to go anywhere with your bike. Unfortunately these items do not come cheaply. In fact many people find them to be a bit out of their price range. Of course there are some ways that you can find cheaper rakes but you need to be careful because quality is just as important as cost.

Where to look for bike racks

The most logical place to start your search for cheap bike racks would be your local bike store. The problem with this is that their items are often expensive. You can try waiting until they have a sale or you could browse other options. One of these options is going to your car part store. A bike rack is an accessory that these stores will sell. If you do not want to go down this route then you can always look for these items online.

A car bike rack can be very expensive

If you are looking at a quality car bike rake then you will find that they do cost a fair bit. However, the price will vary depending on such things like brand and type. Certain bike racks and carriers will be cheaper than others. One of the cheaper types is a roof mounted carrier. Other factors that will make the carrier more expensive will be the number of bikes it can carry and what it is made of. These items are made to carry anywhere from one to three bikes.

Places to look for a cheap bike rack

It is possible to find a cheap bike rack if you know where to look. One of the best places to find a deal on these items is auction sites and classified ads. There is one major problem that can be faced when using these methods. This is that the item will most likely be second hand. This does not mean that you will not be able to get new items using these methods but it is not guaranteed. Online stores are probably your best option for new, cheap racks. Many online stores have sales or lower prices in an attempt to get more customers. If you do go with the online stores then it is best that you read all the terms particularly the amount you may have to pay for shipping. There is no point in going with the online store if the price you pay for shipping makes the item the same price as another store.

The quality of your bicycle carrier

When looking at cheap goods you have to think about quality. Many cheaper items sacrifice quality to reduce their costs. This can be very bad as it can negatively affect your bike. One of the problems that come from poor quality items is rust which affects the structural integrity of the whole item. Additionally poor quality could affect your car as the means of connection may be faulty or incorrect.

It can be harder than you think to find a cheap bike rack. The reason for this is that most good quality racks will cost a fair bit. When looking at your bike rack you will want to make sure that the quality is good as well as the price.

What to Do When Your Car Radio Has No Power

One of the worst things that can happen if you're on a long drive is your car radio not turning on. Believe it or not this happens to a lot of people for a number of reasons. There are a few easy things you can do in order to check what the problem is and fix it. Some of these steps will require additional tools or special knowledge.

Check your car radio connections

Almost all car radios come with faces that detach for security. However, this security measure can over time cause a number of problems. The most important is that the connections on the face will wear and not longer connect properly. This should be the first thing to look at if your car radio does not turn on when you want it too.

Cleaning your car audio connections

If you find that the connections on your radio's face are still fine the problem may be that they are dirty. While you might think a bit of dirt can harm the connection it does cause major problems. Dirt build up can create a film thin film on the connection which disrupts the flow of the current needed to power the radio.

When in doubt reset

If you find that the connections for you radio are working perfectly then try resetting the unit. The position of the reset button will vary depending on the unit. It is best to check your manual best you start looking for the reset button. While you are looking at the manual you may find that there are other operational instructions which could also be leading to this problem. It is best to note that not all car radios come with a reset button so this may not be an option you can follow.

Look at how much power the radio is getting

If your car radio is not turning on at all then it may not be receiving any power from your car's electrics. For this method you will need to have either a power probe or a test light. These tools will tell you if there is any current getting to the radio. It is important that you check the radio fuse before you do any other testing. The radio fuse is in the car's fuse box but you need to check you manual to find out which one it is. The problem may just be a blown fuse which simply needs to be replaced.

When all else fails

If you have done all you can but cannot find the problem then you do have a final option. When all else fails it's time to take your car to a radio specialist. These people will be able to find out what is wrong and fix it. With this solution you will be able to find out if there is a fault with your radio unit that cannot be fixed.

If you find that your car radio is not longer working then you can do something about it. By checking certain aspects you will be able to determine what the problem is. If you are not able to then you should consider going to a professional.

Are Run Flat Tyres a Good or Bad Choice?

Some leading manufacturers are developing the adaption of using run flat tyres in the line up of their vehicles. This allows some advantages for the owner of the vehicle but like anything it comes with certain disadvantages. The main purpose for this added feature is the ability to drive a short amount of distance after suffering a puncture in the tyre to make it to a service station.

Doesn't this sound great? You could be driving down the road, following a vehicle, when something falls off the vehicle in front of you and with no time to react. PPUUUUFFF! You don't have time to change a tire or really don't want to be out on this busy commute road attempting to fix your problem with motorist wheezing by.

So sure there are advantages to running these tyres. Like being able to continue along for a short amount to time until you can get to a safe service station to make repairs before a blow out happens. It is much easier to keep clean and have someone else do the work while you wait the short amount of time to get back on the road and on schedule. Even better, maybe you're a person that needs the cargo room in the trunk of your car where usually the spare tyre is stored. With these special tyres there shouldn't be any need to carry a spare along with you. This would allow you to use that most precious cargo room to your personal use.

As stated before, with everything there are certain disadvantages. To start with, what if you are on a trip or commute where the nearest service station is not as near as you would wish? These tyres will keep you running for a short amount of time, but like any tyre they will eventually breakdown causing you the need to replace the entire tyre. This could become costly if you have too many flats. Worst yet if you run too long on a flat tyre you could easily damage the rim and have the need to replace this costly feature that wouldn't need to be done otherwise. This could all be prevented as long as you keep the spare tyre in the vehicle and change it out if you have a long distance to go after an incident. Wouldn't that defeat the whole purpose of using these tyres? If you kept the spare and used it to prevent damage you would lose that extra cargo space, still have to change the tyre, and be right where you were before purchasing these tyres.

So as long as you have many service stations along your route or at least get a punctured tyre close to one, run flat tyres would be a good purchase for you. Otherwise, the wait for better technology with these tyres may be worthwhile.

How Can I Find Cheap Car Tyres?

In today's economic climate, consumers are trying to find ways to save money. Along with the increased cost of gasoline, proper vehicle maintenance is becoming more expensive every day. Consumers can save a substantial amount of money by finding ways to buy cheap tyres. Below are some of them.

Salvage yards

There are many cars, trucks and SUV's that have been wrecked and sent to the salvage yards. Most still have very good parts on them and are sold as used. This includes selling their used tyres. With such a big selection of vehicles, the chances of finding used cheap ones that will fit a specific automobile is high. The best thing about buying used tyres at salvage yards is that they are usually very cheap.

The treads can be checked to see if they pass inspection by sticking a penny or a nickel in the indenture between them. If the head is not showing, the tyres should pass. Also, to help make sure that the tyres have not dry-rotted, check the inspection on the front windshield. If it is not very old, the tyres should be okay.

Service stations

Many service stations repair and change vehicle tyres. At times, customers ask for their tyres to be changed off even if they still have plenty of tread on them and they could still pass the state inspection. Some of these stations keep the used tyres. Asking them if they have any for sale may provide a cheap alternative to buying new ones. Service stations have to pay to dispose of any tyres that they do not want to keep so they very well might sell them.

Department discount stores

Some of the large department discount stores carry automobile supplies. Many of them sell these supplies considerably less than regular auto shops. Tyres can be bought usually at 20 to 30 percent discount.

Tyre discount stores

Tyre discount stores usually offer wider selections when trying to find inexpensive tyres. They buy in bulk and can sell them cheaper than department discount stores. These stores can also be found online. They may offer extra incentives for buying them online, such as free shipping.

Auto tyre shops

Every so often, these specialty stores will offer sales that are really good buys. Tyres can be bought rather cheaply. Some have even advertised that if a customer buys one tyre, the second tyre will be free. Other sales can include cheap prices for tyres that are going to be discontinued and not sold in the future by them.

There are many places that consumers can look to buy really cheap tyres. After only a few minutes of searching, real bargains can be found.

Amazing Methods For Dealing With An Engine Oil Spill

Should you be scratching your head stressing and wondering where the stain below your car is coming from you may question exactly how you're going to handle an engine oil spill similar to this. You realize that you have to do something about it, since if you do not the situation can get even worse, the surface of your garage will probably become extremely messy or you may come across mechanical issues with your automobile. Nobody likes to cope with an engine oil spill but you initially have to get to the bottom of the problem before you do anything else.

Keep in mind that any engine oil spill isn't normal and it shouldn't be merely "one of those things." Inside the engine there are generally two different states to the transmission and circulation of engine oil - non-pressurized and pressurized. If the engine is working the pressurized oil is much more likely to leak from a weak area.

Be sure that your engine is as clean as you possibly can and use a great degreaser to completely clean it off prior to starting. You cannot hope to find the real source of your engine oil spill unless you do.

Some of the first areas you should examine include the area where you put oil into the motor itself. Sometimes it can be as simple as a loosely fitted cap, or even a seal that is not functioning.

A different place to look at could be the oil filter. It's near the pump and so an area of intense pressure. Occasionally the filter wasn't swapped out correctly and in some cases the old gasket could have been left in position when a new one was put on. This isn't going to function in the long-term and must be solved.

On the bottom of the motor will be the plug. This is where you drain oil when it needs to be changed and it's entirely possible that it was not refitted effectively.

A bigger potential problem is a failure of the cylinder head gasket. This is located where the cylinder head encounters the valve cover. At times bolts may become a little loose and you need to ratchet these to see if they're tight. Nevertheless, the gasket on its own can get older and become brittle as well.

Working with an engine oil spill may also indicate lots of cleaning work. Concrete is quite porous and can draw in any oil that drops from above. That's why people often have a tendency to purchase special absorbent oil mats to place under their cars, if they are parked overnight in the garage. This way leaks - whether new or old - aren't a problem for the condition of the floor.