D. Rivers On Tuesday, September 14, 2010

By Hamza Ejaz

Auto accessories are important for the beauty and functionality of your cars. They not only endow your vehicle with style but also help to add function to it. Also, auto accessories help you to maintain your car. Some of these accessories are useful to improve the performance of the vehicles. There are a number of auto accessories that you can find in the regular stores as well as online shops. These include interiors as well as exterior accessories such as lights, floor mats, carpets, car seat covers, car covers, exterior mirrors, wheel covers, windshield wiper blades, air bags sound systems etc.

Different auto accessories have different functions. Some of them are useful to improve the look of your car while other help to keep it clean. Floor mats and carpets help you keep your car clean and save it from general wear and tear. Seat covers are also important to help protect the original covers of the seats and adding style to the interior of your car. You can find scores of different materials, colors and designs in car seats and get the one which complement your car. Sound systems are imperative for the ones who cannot do without music. You can go for hi-fi DVD systems which can turn your car into a theatre.

Air bags are important to give you protection in the face of jerks or deadly accidents. Pet barrier is another accessory which is useful in terms of safety. It is used to keep animals in the back of the car in a safe manner. You can also go for cargo liners that are useful for providing safety to the trunk of the vehicle. In the same way, exterior mirrors are useful to provide you with better driving experience.

It is entirely up to you as to which auto accessories you wish to get. However, there are some essential ones such as car floor mats, seat covers, air bags etc. which you must get in order to add function to your car. Lights and wheel covers can help you to beautify your vehicle while car covers are important to maintain your car in the long run. The choice of auto accessories also depends on your own budget. if you can afford, you can get as many accessories as you like while if you cannot spare much money for these accessories you can simply settle for the basic ones.

Here you will find an overview of Chevrolet El Camino Parts and Chevrolet Equinox Parts

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D. Rivers On

By Darrell Heimer

Coolant that's used in today's modern engines usually contains a combination of water and antifreeze.

As its name indicates, antifreeze aids in the prevention of water freezing in a cooling system of a vehicle.

Automobiles in colder climates are frequently open to the elements of temperatures far below the freezing point of water-32 degrees Fahrenheit- so the purpose of "antifreeze" is very vital.

If water by itself was used in a cooling system during very cold temperatures, it would turn to ice quickly.

It's essential to remember that water expands, like ice cubes do in a freezer.

Water, which is the only known matter in the environment that does this, cold temperatures tend to make all other natural substances get smaller.

Water can expand so much in an engine block with such force that internal damage can occur, such as cracking. Should this happen, there is no other choice but to replace the complete engine block.

Vehicles that are poorly maintained, with the proper anti freeze ratio, most generally experience this problem.

As a result, you can see why it's so important that your water to antifreeze ratio be checked, especially in the case of you having added water to the system, antifreeze by itself lowers the freezing point of the mixture, the more antifreeze, the lower the freezing point.

As a general rule, no more than 70 percent of the total liquid volume in the cooling system should consist of antifreeze.

If any more than 70 percent is added to the cooling system, the mixture's ability to remove heat from the engine will be reduced greatly, possibly causing engine damage.

Temperatures of 32 degree Fahrenheit will freeze water!

On the other hand, water - antifreeze mixture will not freeze until a much lower temperature.

Adequate temperature protection is normally reached with a 50 - 50 ratio for most vehicles.

Vehicles operated in colder climates may require more antifreeze, while those in warmer climates may require less antifreeze.

When in doubt always refer to your owner's manual or your local service technician for proper water - antifreeze mixtures.

For those that would like to check it yourself, there are antifreeze testers available at your favorite retail outlet.

With approximately 30 years served in the maintenance of various vehicles, I have been exposed to many problems due to the neglect of proper antifreeze maintenance. When having your vehicle serviced make sure to have the antifreeze checked at the time you are there.

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D. Rivers On Saturday, September 11, 2010


By Susanne Bernard

The weak economy has caused families to shrink household budgets, looking for ways to save money. Proper maintenance of a car - especially one that is paid for - is a guarantee that will not only save money, but will also keep your family safe on the road. Preventive maintenance can reduce the overall depreciation of your car; provide better performance; and avoid costly repairs to major vehicle components. An ounce of prevention is a cure for major breakdowns when you least expect it.

Advantages of preventive maintenance

There are many advantages to performing preventive car maintenance on a regular basis, peace of mind not being the least of these. An encounter with car trouble usually occurs at the most inopportune time. This unexpected interruption can be avoided with basic maintenance or a complete overhaul check-up. Take your vehicle to a certified auto mechanic who will do more than a visual inspection. The potential hidden dangers require a diagnostic assessment with the latest automotive technology. Also, preventive maintenance allows you the time to plan for repairs. A breakdown on the highway leads to the additional cost of having your vehicle towed to a service station.

Types of preventive maintenance

The primary component of your vehicle is the engine. Therefore, you should have your engine checked on a regular basis. Problems with the engine have a direct link to how well your car performs. If the engine does not crank, the car is useless. Regular oil changes help to improve the engine's performance. An oil change costs approximately $30; a new engine could cost $3,000. Checking the brake system is also important because it is one of the most often used components. Grinding, squealing, or pulsating brakes should be checked as soon as possible. Also, do not forget to flush. Old fluids can lead to your vehicle running poorly. Flushing the transmission, brake, and cooling system fluids are essential maintenance techniques. Follow the manufacturer's guidelines for mileage and/or time intervals for fluid changes.

Do not stall if a repair is needed

Have your car repaired as soon as possible if you notice a problem, or the mechanic discovers a problem with your vehicle during the inspection. This will prevent major damages and having to sacrifice your child's college tuition for the repair bill. Warning lights are there for a reason, so pay close attention to the safety features on your car.

The importance of properly maintaining your vehicle cannot be overly stressed. Preventive maintenance, with the help of a trusted mechanic, keeps your vehicle running properly, and will save you time and money.

Safe travels!

Susanne Bernard is a writer who specializes in writing articles and blog posts for small to mid-sized businesses. She can be reached through http://www.FYIMediaServices.com or by email, sbernard@fyimediaservices.com

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D. Rivers On


By Tony Tracy




Valuable tips on how to polish aluminum wheels on your car, van, SUV, truck or even your motorcycle or streetbike.

Having the proper tools and knowing the proper procedures on how to polish alloy wheels is essential in doing it right the first time.

The polishing procedure is quite similar to polishing any type of object for the initial time. The coarseness of the surface of the object will help you decide what sandpaper grit you need for your alloy wheels.

Once you begin this process you will quickly realize that a lot of time needs to be invested as well as plenty of perseverance and attention to detail to make sure the job is done right the first time around. Jumping ahead or taking shortcuts will definitely cause unnecessary headaches later on so make sure you pay attention and learn how to polish wheels correctly.

Let us begin with the proper materials that you will need to polish your wheels:

1) Firstly, you will need to purchase sandpaper grits ranging from 400 to 2,000 depending on how badly damaged or eroded your aluminum wheels are. You can easily purchase these at your local hardware store for a cheap price.

As an additional option, you can also buy a sanding block which may help you in the initial few steps but is not completely necessary. You can easily substitute the sanding block with the highest grit sandpaper at 2,000. This will require a lot of manual labour and elbow grease on your part but it will definitely be worth it.

2) Secondly, find some medium to large sized plastic bowls, or buckets, to hold water for when you are performing wet sanding. Since they will most likely be really dirty after you are done, it is best that you do not use your favourite salad or food bowl.

3) Thirdly, you will need a good quality polishing agent to buff up your alloy or aluminum wheel to get that newly bought shine. There are many brands on the market today so choose the one that you are most familiar with.

4) Fourthly, it is also good to include soap and water which should be used to clean the wheels between each step of the polishing procedure. Even though not many people will include this step, it helps to make sure that you do no obtain dirt scratches in the latter steps where you will be using the higher grit sandpaper.

5) Lastly, have some soft non-abrasive or microfiber towels or cloths handy for applying the polish and the finishing touches to your alloy wheels.

Now we're ready to start the process on how to polish wheels properly:

1) Firstly, let us begin with your aluminum wheels. There are many types of damages that can happen to them. This ranges from scraping them along the edge of a sidewalk when parallel parking to erosion from salting on the roads in cities that have harsh winter weather.

2) Start the polishing process by using the lowest number grit sandpaper which should be 400. You will notice that after a short while of sanding, particles of the wheel should be evident as it starts to come off.

3) After you have completed the initial light sanding with the lower grit, take your soap and water and thoroughly wash the wheel making sure that it is clean and free of debris before beginning the next step of sanding with a higher grit of 600.

4) After this step, you can wash the wheel again and move on to the next highest grit of 800.

5) Repeat the same process for the next few steps until you get to the highest grit sandpaper you have which should be 2,000. At this point in time you should see that the surface of the metal will begin to look shinier. Do a visual inspection to make sure that the surface is smooth and there aren't any uneven dips or bumps. If you do find any, simply pick up the same grit of sandpaper that you just used and correct those faulty areas.

6) Once you have gone through all the various grits of sandpaper you should notice that you have a very even and consistent surface on the surface of your wheels. Since you have been sanding it, it will not look nice and shiny yet but it should look smooth. It is very important to go over the entire wheel again to look for flaws because if you missed any, when it is completely polished, imperfections will be magnified and easily identified.

7) When you have completed all your sanding and inspection of the surface, to make sure it is all smooth and devoid of flaws, take your soap and water and wash your wheels again. This time you will want to wash it good to make sure you have removed all of the dirt, oil and particles. Then take your microfibre or non-abrasive towel and begin to apply the polish. Do this a little bit at a time as you will want to rub it into the wheel until it starts to change to a greyish black color. Wait until it dries and then buff it off with another separate clean towel. If you would like it to be shinier you can repeat this process by adding another coat of polish.

If you have truly followed these steps and learned how to polish wheels correctly, the finished piece should result in a flawless like-new shine when exposed to sunlight. At that point in time you can sit back and enjoy all the hard work you put into learning how to polish aluminum wheels. Even though it is a lot of hard work, if you follow all the steps and complete the process carefully, you will be rewarded with magnificent wheels that look much cleaner and shinier than the ones you began with. Now take this new found knowledge on how to polish alloy wheels and show it off to your friends and family!

Visit Used Tires Wheels for more information.





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