Tuesday, March 20, 2012

How Can You Tell If Your Car Has a Faulty Engine Speed Sensor?


Vehicle speed sensors are part and parcel of modern car technology these days. Every car and motorised vehicle will have one, though some will be more refined than others. Generally speaking the more expensive the car, the more refined the speed sensor. However, this extra refinement can come at a cost. Speed sensors have a habit of going wrong, and when they do they can cause all sorts of problems.

So what does a vehicle's sensor do? 
A vehicle's engine sensor or vehicle sensor as it is better known, sends information to a car's computer and tells it how fast the car's engine is spinning at any given moment. The speed sensor does this by recording how fast the crankshaft of a vehicle is spinning. Unfortunately speed sensors are not infallible and do go wrong from time to time.

What sort of problems can faulty engine sensors cause? 
A faulty vehicle speed sensor can cause a number of problems. The problem often is that these faults or symptoms can be very difficult to diagnose. Sensor faults can appear similar in many ways to other vehicle faults like a defective coil pack or a bad throttle position sensor. In fact the symptoms can often be identical. That's why it's probably always best to consult an expert. However, there are certain common symptoms that generally can be solely attributed or associated with a bad engine sensor:

Transmission revs higher before it changes gears
The car's transmission engages into overdrive late and sometimes will never go into that top gear
Brakes are sometimes harder than normal when coasting
Speedometer behaves erratically or sometimes does not work at all
The check engine light comes on intermittently and sporadically when accelerating
The overdrive on/off light blinks on and on for no apparent reason
How to test the robustness of a vehicle speed sensor 
If a car is experiencing any of the above symptoms, it is always best if you take your car into a local garage and ask them to run computer diagnostic tests on the vehicle to see if the speed sensor is functioning correctly. Common faults can often be incorrectly diagnosed as major problems when in fact they are just minor issues. Though some of the problems may seem to be transmission-related, it is generally better to take the vehicle to a garage that has complete computer diagnostic equipment before going to a specialty repair shop and carrying out unnecessary expensive repair work.

Friday, March 16, 2012

How To Lease A Car And Understand The Process


You think you've decided to lease, but you'd like to make sure you know HOW to lease a car! What exactly do I do after I see the newspaper ads that tell me what deal is available. At first, there may be a sense of overwhelm but leasing can be clearly made simple and understood. What exactly is the process of leasing? Leasing is not renting, but rather paying for the depreciated value of the automobile during the period that the leasing company allows you to drive it. All major manufacturers have a parent leasing company that seems invisible as they work side by side with the dealership. Most leases are for a period of 24, 36 or 48 months although some use an odd number like 39 months. This is referred to as the term. You are responsible for paying the depreciated value of the car along with an interest rate (they bought the car for you remember?). There is always a limit to the number of miles per year you can drive usually 12,000 (sometimes 10,000 or 15,000).

You think you've decided to lease but you'd like to make sure you know HOW to lease a car! Knowing how to lease a car means you'll need to know some leasing terms: cap cost, adjusted cap cost, terms, and money rate. I'll explain these below!

1) How do I know I'm getting a good deal?

Know this! The price, or MSRP of the car is negotiable in a lease, just like when you buy (although some salespeople may wish you didn't know this!). In leasing terms, the MSRP is called the Capital (Cap) Cost. Do your research and find the invoice price (there are many good sources online such as Edmunds.com) and always negotiate UP from the invoice, (not DOWN from the MSRP. After subtracting your trade in and any other negotiated money off the cap cost, your leased amount will be the adjusted cap cost.

2) What aspects of the lease can I control and which are fixed?

The leasing agent sets certain parameters that can't be negotiated. The residual is the amount the leasing agent determines the car will be worth when the lease is completed. The higher residual means less depreciation and therefore the less you'll pay when leasing. Anything over 50% residual is considered an excellent (Good for you!).

The money rate is the financing rate (interest rate). This is usually a number after a decimal point, like.00253 (to convert this to APR that is understandable, always multiply this figure by 2400..00253 X 2400 = 6.07%APR Rates should be competitive with new car interest rates.

3) What should I know before I walk into a dealership?

Definitely know your sticker price and invoice price. Know your terminology. If you know the details of leasing the salesman won't play games with you. Ask the money rate, residual and terms and negotiate as you would when buying a new car. There are excellent car lease calculators online that can ensure that your numbers add up to the same numbers you are getting from the salesman when you are given all the information.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Avoiding Car Theft


It is a sad fact that car theft happens on a daily basis. There are some cities where cars being stolen is more common than not, but are we to blame for these crimes? Sometimes, the answer to that question is yes. We are usually at fault for stolen vehicles for a number of reasons. Read on to find out how best to avoid car theft, because no one wants their car stolen.

The first thing to keep in mind is that carjacking is an incredibly lucrative business. There is a reason why there are so many Grand Theft Auto games and movies about car theft. While it is illegal, stealing vehicles makes the big bucks.

You should know to never leave your keys in your car, but some people have decided that this is okay, for some reason. Leaving your keys in your car is basically like handing them over to the criminal and telling him, "Enjoy!" A related scenario is leaving your car unlocked, or even hiding another set of car keys somewhere within your vehicle. These are among the worst things you can do, because you are practically waving a flag and telling people to steal your car.

If you think that any of those car security devices work, you should look into the facts. Items like the club steering wheel lock or the brake pedal lock are ineffective because professional thieves can take a saw to your steering wheel or brake pedal. Yes, this may take some time, but sometimes these crooks have all the time in the world to get their work done. Think about how much time you spend at work without going to your car. Using an audible car alarm is also a bad idea for several reasons. For one, you are contributing to noise pollution, and honestly, they do not work. All they do is make a lot of noise, but if you are in a building, you may not hear it until it is too late.

These next tips may be no-brainers, but sometimes we all need reminders. Be sure to park your car in a well-lit area and always lock it, even if you are parking at home. Do not ever leave your car running while you go into a building "really quick." Check your windows before leaving your car to make sure they are tightly shut. Never leave your valuables in plain sight, and better yet, do not leave them in the car at all.

Keep in mind that if you use your surroundings effectively, you can avoid car theft. Use your garage as it is meant to be used: to park your car inside it safely. If you do not have a garage, try pulling your car in as close to your house as you can. Making your car more difficult to steal will likely save you from unnecessary theft. Also consider parking a less desirable car behind your own to make it even more complicated for criminals to steal your car. If your vehicle is on a list of cars that thieves covet, you should definitely consider doing this. Be sure to keep your car insurance updated in case of theft.