You Must Check Your Car’s Battery
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
The battery in your car is an essential component when it comes to the ignition system. In addition to this, the battery also provides electrical currents to other components that are necessary to the proper functioning of your vehicle. Periodically, it is necessary to check your car’s battery. Here, you will discover the steps on how to do this, as well as some important considerations that should be made when it comes to this part of your vehicle.
One of the most common problems when it comes to car batteries is the accumulation of corrosion around the terminals. This is evident by a substance that looks almost like powder. If you identify this on your car’s battery, you should clean it off immediately. One of the easiest and most effective measures for doing so is by pouring a little Coca-Cola on the terminals and scrubbing them with a wire brush. It is best to do this when the battery terminals are disconnected from the battery posts.
The next thing that you will want to look for when it comes to checking your battery is whether or not this component is maintenance free. If it is not maintenance free, you will need to check the water levels in the battery. Normally, there will be approximately two lids on top of the battery that can be lifted by using a flat tip screwdriver. Once these lids are removed, you will see little tubes that hold water, as well as a fill line. It is important that you take some water and fill all of these tubes in the battery.
You will want to check to ensure that all the wires running to and from the battery are properly covered and protected. If a bare wire hits the wrong thing under the hood, it can turn into many different types of electrical complications.
f you find that your battery tends to gather a lot of corrosion, simply place a small amount of petroleum jelly on the battery terminals.
If you experience corrosion, you can clean away this substance with baking soda and a wire brush, instead of using Coca-Cola
If, for any reason, you need to disconnect the battery terminals, it is absolutely necessary to remove the negative first. When replacing the terminals, attach the positive terminal prior to the negative terminal.
Clear the Road for Emergency Vehicles
There are a couple of emergency vehicles for which motorists should always be on the alert. A police car and an ambulance are the most commonly known; however, there are wreckers and rescue vehicles that also aid in emergencies such as the person whose car broke down in the road and have you stuck in traffic. These heroes need to be able to maneuver their way through traffic so the problem can be eliminated and you can be on your way. For those new drivers who skipped this section in the drivers handbook, here is how you should clear the road for an emergency vehicle to pass.
Top 10 Tips for test driving a new car
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
- Allow at least half an hour and drive on all kinds of road.
- Make sure you can get in and out of the car easily.
- Be sure you can adjust the seat and steering wheel/column so you're comfortable.
- Check you can see the instruments clearly and reach the controls easily.
- See if there's good all–round vision without blind spots. Try reversing into a parking space to check you have good visibility to the rear.
- Take your children with you to see if they're comfortable in the back of the car.
- Try your child seats to check they fit.
- Make sure there's enough space for shopping bags, luggage, etc, and check you can fold the rear seats easily.
- Check the boot's sill is low enough for you to lift heavy items in and out. Will you be able to unload shopping and luggage easily from the back?
- Find out if it's easy to take out and re–fit removable seats – ask the owner's permission before you do this.
Test Drive Tips of Buying a New Car
Whether you're buying privately or from a dealer, make it a priority to take a test drive, long before you start talking money.
A test drive is vital – it's your way of making sure you're comfortable, that you'll enjoy driving the car and that it's right for your needs.
Franchised dealers may even be prepared to let you test drive a new car for an extended time. Don't be shy to ask. After all, you're about to spend thousands of pounds.
If you're buying a second–hand car, the test drive is even more important. It's your main opportunity to make sure everything's in good working order – unless you've arranged for an engineer to look over the car for you.
Car Insurance
Make sure you are insured to carry out the test drive. Dealers will have cover specifically for this purpose but there is a high risk that you might not be covered if you test drive a car being sold by a private vendor.
Check your own car insurance – you are looking for the words on the policy that says you can 'drive another car with the owner's permission'. This is known as DOC or Driving Other Cars cover. Not all insurers include this so it really is important to check. Also, you should be aware that such cover is usually third party only. You can also check with the vendor to see whether they have extended their cover temporarily to 'any driver' so that they are covered while you test drive their car.
Talk to your insurer if you are unsure. Also, for a small additional premium they may offer you comprehensive cover over a short period of time so that you can test drive cars you are thinking of buying.
Engine & Suspension
Make sure the engine's cold before you start – feel the bonnet. If the car's warm, the seller could be trying to hide a starting problem. Check for signs of excessive smoke when you start the car and when you're driving. The engine should be quiet and pull smoothly. Make sure there are no unusual rattles or clonks from the suspension.
Steering & Brakes
The steering should be responsive. You should feel no vibration or 'free play'. The brakes should give you confidence and should stop the car in a straight line.
Clutch & gears
Check you can get the car into all gears smoothly without crunching. If the clutch doesn't start biting until the pedal has nearly reached the top, the clutch could be worn and may need to be changed.
For more information on what to look for during and after the test drive, see our DIY inspection.
Take your time
It's vital to take your time on a test drive. Take at least half an hour, even if you feel the seller breathing down your neck. Remember: you're about to lay out a lot of cash on a car you'll spend a lot of time driving.
You should aim to test drive two or three cars to get a feel for what you like and what you don't.
Family
Take your children with you if they're going to travel with you regularly. It's better to hear their objections before you buy a car, rather than every time you take them out.
Seating
If a car has removable seats, ask if you can take them out to see how easy it is. Seats can be heavy and awkward to carry. If it takes two people to do it, you might not want to go ahead with the purchase.
If you use child seats take them with you and make sure they'll fit as not all seats will fit properly in all cars.
Make sure you can adjust the seat and/or the steering so you've got a comfortable driving position. If you suffer from back pain, this is particularly important – think about hiring the same model for an extended test drive to be sure.
The 8 commandments of motoring
2. Drive with consultation and overhaul as possible to arrange as fast. Good driving conditions requirements continuous planning and correct decisions, those in enterprise to be taken with consultation. It is not born a place for the halfhearted maneuvers doubts or uncertainty. It is not safe completely it should not be tried. To overhaul always the road should leave clearly for the approach at or after vehicles in a minimum at time too. Consultation uncertainty eliminates. If Safe, go!
3. And know the abilities of your vehicle develop car of senses. Car of senses is the ability, around the best from the vehicle without idiots or a vibration. Before strange vehicle will fast the driver should accustom itself on its controls, Beschleunigungs-und of delay values abilities and characteristics. Never more expect from them, than they are able, to give vehicles like drivers, have their borders. Drivers and vehicle must mixture, in order to guarantee, skillful driving.
4. Give correct signals. Employment at the horn and headlight thoughtfully. Use only the signals by the regulation permissible. Ambiguous signal is misleading and dangerous. The use horn is much neglected of some exaggerated a form of signaling and by others. It should as a person would aggressively use its voice, neither nor roughly. Flashing lights is an efficient form of signaling in the night and on fast roads. Give good signals to good time.
5. Concentrate the whole time, in order to avoid accidents. Concentration is the principal item of the good trip. It is a priority task, but often more neglect in. Complete concentration will ensure that each detail is considered. It is often the smallest detail, that the reference to happen what. If it misses, an accident, or at least an unpleasant experience, May result. Concentration helps observation.
6. Think before actively. The driver makes good progress, and with so few waiving apparent or efforts, so smooth those toward the Uneingeweihten appears he as reaction to situations automatically. Nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is that by the continuous concentration and thought, he has itself its trip to a fine art. Each danger and driving enterprise present problems represent, to be solved can by thinking. Fürsorgliche driver is valid the appropriate functions of the system, leads for each operation and maneuver in much time and therefore always is at the correct place to the correct time. Thinking and avoidance of accidents.
7. Practice and hold back, if necessary. Over back to follow a vehicle at a safe distance up to Straßen-und is traffic conditions permits it for outdated. This becomes request the submission of restraint above all, if in a rush. Overhauling or maneuver may be never tried, it is, it can with 100 per cent of security. Accidents are caused thereby because a situation became wrongly judged. If you have doubts, to wait.
8. Corner with security. Drive around the curve require the application of the principles for the curve technology and a thorough knowledge of the forces, those on the vehicle. The most frequent errors are the input too fast or acceleration before the Ausfah
Driving with a cell phone dials disaster
Monday, September 15, 2008
A study released in February 1997 by the New England Journal of Medicine might make you put some distance between yourself and drivers busy talking on their cell phones. University of Toronto researchers discovered: Cell phone users were four to five times more likely to have crashes than non-users. Cell phone units that allow the hands to be free offer no safety advantage over hand-held units. The main factor in most motor vehicle collisions is driver inattentiveness.