It seems there are more distractions while driving today than ever before. Drivers now compete with cell phones, CD and DVD players, the radio, GPS system and children. It’s becoming harder and harder to get from Point A to Point B safely. Luckily, many new vehicles already come equipped with many handy safety features to aid drivers. If your vehicledoesn’t have these devices installed, you can easily install them yourself. Think about the distractions or safety concerns you have when you get into your vehicle, then find the gadgets that will be most beneficial to the safety of your family.
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Anti-Sleep Driving Alarm
This quirky device is best for those who drive long distances. Perhaps over-the-road truckers might strap this on to avoid fatal accidents. The device is worn on the head, and will alert you with beeps if the angle of your head tilts more than 30 degrees. Not exactly something you need to strap on to drive the kids to school in the morning, but it could be a lifesaver for many.
Safety Rear-View Camera
We’ve all been in a situation where we almost backed into a pole, a shopping cart or a tree. Sometimes we’re not paying enough attention or sometimes these items pop up in a blind spot. A safety rear-view camera gives you a real-time screen image of the scene behind your car. It will automatically turn on when your vehicle is in reverse, and then go back to a regular mirror when you shift into drive. Install this device onto any rear-view mirror to avoid silly mistakes while backing up. Not only does this type of safety equipment save lives, it also saves money on car insurance, compare rates and see the difference.
Baby Monitor
Many families have baby monitors for the nursery, where you can quickly check on your snoozing baby with audio, video or both. The same technology is now available for your vehicle. No more twisting and turning to see what your baby is doing while driving. Backseat car baby monitors come with a video camera and a screen so you can easily see your baby without risking your family’s safety.
Hands-Free Phone
With the increasing awareness of the dangers of talking on a cell phone or texting while driving, this device could save millions of people from unnecessary accidents. A hands-free speakerphone works on voice commands, allowing you to keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel. Basic kits are inexpensive and plug into your car’s cigarette lighter.
Ice Warning Gauge
When the weather is cold and the roads are snow-covered and icy, sometimes it’s hard to tell just how slick it is. A digital thermometer installed near the base of the car can give an accurate reading of the temperature on the road. As temperatures creep near or below freezing, drivers will know to slow down and watch for ice.
Windshield Defroster
It can take up to 15 minutes or longer to clear the frost from your windshield on frigid mornings. Sometimes you forget to warm up the car or are running late. Now you can mount a small heater to the dashboard that will defrost the windshield in seconds. You can drive away safely with full visibility.
For an automobile, waiting at the mechanicis like any one of us waiting at the doctor’s office. You can arrive on time, sign your name and fill out the paperwork, but hours and hours could go by before you even have a chance to see the doctor, and then it’s only for a few minutes while you get results to a test you’ve already completed.
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Your car knows your pain, except it must wait for days and days out in the elements, solitary in a crowded parking lot with other disgruntled cars, no idea of when help will come.
Don’t do that to your car. There are plenty of simple things you can do at home in your own garage that the mechanic will charge you an arm and a leg for, if it gets fixed at all. All it takes is the right automotive equipment. Then you won’t have to wait at the doctor’s office to fix that arm and leg you lost.
• Perhaps the easiest thing you can do to skip the biannual mechanic visit is to get a tire changer. Don’t worry about making that appointment to switch the winter tires to the summer tires, just keep them on hand and do it yourself. You may even open a new obsession and get yourself a set of mud tires, snow tires, rain tires…
• The single thing we send our cars to the mechanic for is a simple oil change. It could take 15 minutes if done by the right person, but that’s after the car waits in line for a long, long time.
And besides, changing oil is something everyone should know how to do. Now it’s even easier with the advent of at-home car lifts, efficient tools that will help you reach the hard-to-get-at places on your auto without breaking your knees or back.
They come in a variety of styles, including the strongest and most durable 4 post design. It’s so strong that you can trust parking another car underneath the lifted car. And hey, you just doubled your available parking space.
• If you’ve got it in mind to put together your own little workshop so you can skip the mechanic for the rest of your days, take heed of these few items that will separate the vets from the newbies: a shop heater (cold fingers make for clumsy work), a battery tester and charger (don’t be late for work!), and a solid wet/dry vac (because a messy shop means a messy job).
Now go, become the mechanic you always wanted your real mechanic to be.
Buying a new car is a big decision. You have to decide what make of car you want, what style of car, whether to buy used or new, and where to buy it from. Some of those decisions may be dictated by circumstances – a family of four is hardly likely to pick up a two seater, for example, but the other decisions may take a lot of thought. The question of used or new is one such issue.
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Crushing the Stereotype
The idea of a used car salesman being a greedy, dishonest man trying to pass off a dangerous old banger as a good deal is an outdated one. Modern used cars, especially late model ones, are safe, reliable, and usually good value.
If you’re on a tight budget, but able to pay for the car up front, rather than taking out finance, then buying a used car can be a good idea. Cars depreciate very quickly during their first couple of years of ownership, so picking up a car that’s a few years old, but still in good shape can be a good way to cut costs. You can buy a nicer car than you’d normally be able to afford, or you can get a car with many more extras than you’d normally go for.
When you buy a used car, don’t forget to check out the total cost of ownership. The cost of a Volvo service might not be expensive, but if you pick up a low cost used car with a more aggressive service plan you might be in for a big surprise.
Why Buy New?
When you buy a used car, you may miss out on some of the latest and greatest gadgets. This may not be a problem for you, but if you’re the kind of person that likes to show off 3D sat-nav, anti-crash technology, and other technical innovations, you probably won’t find those on a used car.
Another issue with buying used is that finance options are fewer, and often more expensive. If you’re able to pay in cash, or borrow over a short period, then this may not be a problem for you, but it’s something to consider if you’re on a very tight budget.
Finally, buying a brand new car offers an amazing sense of satisfaction and pride. Some people feel just as good about buying a new car – especially if they buy it outright, instead of on finance, but new just feels better. How important that feeling of pride is depends on whether your car is your pride and joy, or just a tool you use to get places.
Protecting Yourself
It’s best to buy from a dealer that offers a certified pre-owned scheme, that way you know that the dealer will service a Volvo, repair any problems, and look after your car for the warranty period. You also don’t have to worry about any risk of the car having been stolen or involved in an accident. It’s still a good idea to get a history check done when you buy any vehicle, but the risk is far lower with a dealer than with a private seller.
Written by Amy Fowler on behalf of Main Dealer Discount, experts in helping you to service a Volvo at a fraction of the usual cost of a Volvo service.
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Many people do not think about a car’s security system before making a purchase, but they certainly do after it’s been stolen. Thieves primarily steal cars to resell the parts and metal through shady avenues. They also pilfer valuables left in cars by unsuspecting families, potentially causing great damage in the process.
The standard vehicle comes with basic security features, but experienced thieves can get around these measures easily. However, there are several models coming out in 2012 with a little more to offer. These three theft-proof vehicles cover a variety of price ranges, and each is designed with a focus on keeping the car and its contents safe.
The Ford Focus
Most cars with an emphasis on security are in the higher price-range, but Ford has been stepping up its security in the last few years. The 2012 Ford Focus combines affordability with a security system unmatched in similarly-priced competitors. The Focus can detect approaching objects and will issue a warning beep if someone gets too close. Should the object continue to advance, a full alarm will be triggered.
This sophisticated system prevents annoying car alarm mishaps, while still protecting the vehicle from real threats. The car also uses infrared-seeking technology to detect any thieves who manage to circumvent the other systems. Combined with the standard remote access and panic features, the Ford Focus is a bargain for the security-minded.
The Cadillac Escalade
Escalades are consistently one of the most stolen vehicles in America. The same features that make them so popular with their owners, such as space, comfort, style and privacy, also make them ideal targets for thieves. To combat this, the 2012 Cadillac Escalade comes loaded with new security features. Physical break-ins are halted by shock-sensors in every window, and the ignition system is now triply encrypted to prevent any sort of hot wiring.
The vehicle can also sense when it is being inclined to be towed, setting off an alarm in the process. Even thieves who continue attempting to tow the vehicle off will find that a robust steering column lock will thwart their best efforts. These innovations ensure that the 2012 Cadillac Escapade is the most secure vehicle that is also widely-available to everyday citizens.
The Audi A8 L Security
With security in the name, it’s easy to tell what Audi is emphasizing with this exclusive model. The A8 L sedan features enough armor to handle multiple gunshots and even deflect small explosions with no harm to its passengers. The A8 L has everything from a two-way communication system to an emergency exit and fresh oxygen tanks.
The heavy materials used to create such an impregnable tank of a car are carried by the awe-inspiring W12 engine. Combined with rigorous anti-theft measures and a luxurious interior, the A8 L is everything customers have come to expect from the Audi brand, packed with all the latest features. It may seem like something out of a James Bond movie, but the A8 L is very real, and available to anyone willing to pay for its protection.
Car theft is a very real possibility, especially in urban areas. Manufacturers recognize these potential risks, but only a few go above and beyond the regular line of defenses. Deterring theft, rather than responding to it, saves consumers thousands of dollars and hours of wrangling with insurance companies and police. For this reason, anyone in an area with a high theft risk should consider one of these three most secure vehicles when purchasing a new car in 2012.
Peter Brady is a security analyst who also contributes content for Security Systems, a great place to research and get comparison quotes for new home security systems.
If you are in need of a vacation but are limited by your budget, a road trip might be the perfect solution for you. Road trips are a frugal way to get out of town and enjoy some time away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life–and you can go anywhere you want to go when you want to go there. If a road trip sounds like a fun getaway to you, read on. Here are 10 ideas that will make your road trip more affordable.
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Plan a Route
Planning a route ahead of time will save you time and money–two valuable resources when it comes to taking a vacation. Think about where you want to go and map out your tentative route. If you know where you’re going, you’ll spend less on gas and you’ll be able to create a small vacation budget to help keep you on track.
Drive a Fuel Efficient Car
SUV’s and other large vehicles offer more space to stretch out and still hold all of your belongings, but driving one means you’ll be spending exorbitant amounts on gas. Instead of driving a large gas guzzler, choose a fuel efficient car that’ll take you as far as you want to go for less. If you really want to drive cheap, consider renting a motorcycle. The cost is usually cheap. Just remember to get motorcycle insurance quotes before making any final decisions.
Prepare Your Vehicle
Before you start your road tripping adventures, take your car to a mechanic and have it checked over and prepped for your long journey. Have your oil changed, check tire pressure, and fill-up on essential fluids. A little tune-up will reduce your chances of an expensive breakdown or flat tire, and your car will run better, too.
The More, the Merrier
Instead of taking a road trip by yourself or with only one other person, consider asking another friend or two to come along. You can split the cost of gas, and the more people you have the less you’re share will be.
Drive Straight Through
Driving straight through to your destination can save you from spending an expensive evening or two in a hotel. If other passengers in your car can drive, take turns driving and sleeping. The money you save by doing this can be better spent once you reach one of your destinations.
Set-Up Camp
If sleeping in the car while someone else drives doesn’t appeal to you, stop and set-up camp when it’s time to get some rest. Camping costs little or nothing, and it’s much more adventurous than staying in a stuffy hotel.
Look for Hotel Deals Online
While planning your road trip, look for hotel coupons and discounts online if you’re planning on staying in hotels along the way. There are an endless number of deals to be found there–and once you find what you’re looking for, call ahead and mention that you have a coupon. You’ll be able to stay somewhere comfortable when you stop and you’ll spend considerably less when you do.
Pack a Cooler
Eating out while traveling can cost a small fortune–you can save a lot of money by taking along your own food in place of dining at expensive restaurants. Fill your cooler with things like sandwiches, fruit, cheese, yogurt, and your favorite drinks. When you start to run low, do your re-stocking at a grocery store that you find along the way. You can also pack a bag with non-perishable snacks and goodies like trail mix, potato chips, granola bars, and anything else that you like to eat.
Keep an Eye Out for Deals
You may want to treat yourself once in a while– after all, you are on vacation. If you want to eat out, shop, or visit an attraction, look for coupons or deals that will help you keep your costs down. You can find coupons online beforehand for shops, restaurants and popular attractions–or you can keep an eye out for them along the way.
Choose Budget-Friendly Destinations
One of the best ways to road trip for less is to choose budget-friendly destinations. For example, if you’re on a tight budget, don’t drive to Vegas. Spend time in the great outdoors, visit national parks, check out local museums, and enjoy the scenery along the way.
Nothing quite beats driving on the open road, but that feeling of freedom can quickly become one of panic and frustration if you end up getting lost. That’s why millions of car owners across the globe use a personal navigation device and GPS to get them from A to B. GPS devices have been on the market for over ten years now, with the most popular manufacturers being the Garmin and TomTom standalone products. However, in recent years the industry has seen car manufacturers themselves actually start to include a GPS as part of the dashboard set-up.
In Dashboard GPS Devices
One such car brand to do this is Honda, and owners of their popular Accord and Civic models can opt to pay for the added extra of the Honda Navigation System to be factory-installed – the benefit being that they no longer need to pay for a standalone GPS. However, there is a caveat to that cost-saving benefit, because Honda customers who have the in-dash GPS will need to update the mapping software on the product every year if they want any road changes to be kept current on the device.
Honda Navigation System Updates
Paying for a Honda Navigation System Update can cost anything up to $200 US Dollars for the North American version. This might sound like a lot, but research shows that using a GPS can actually save a car driver money in the long-run because the device will route the user the most cost and fuel-efficient route – and the Honda Navi even comes with Traffic Alerts meaning the car driver can avoid traffic jams – and the associated fuel costs that come with those type of hold-ups. The cost savings are based on figures taken from the Department of Transport in 2010 so please see their website should you want more details.
Honda Navigation System Updates come packaged in DVD format, meaning the Accord or Civic owner will have to wait for a new disc to arrive in the post. Once it does, the installation process can take anything up to two hours – but typically you would be looking at a install time frame of less than 40 minutes providing your GPS device and disc-tray is in good clean working order.
Tips on Installing New Map Updates
If you decide to buy and install the new Honda Navigation DVD (and the new 2012 version has just been released) then you should ensure that you do not turn off the car’s ignition or the GPS unit during the software install as this can damage the software update and mean your new directions and routes will not work properly once you re-start the vehicle.
More Information on the Honda Navigation DVD
For more information on Honda Map Updates visit www.HondaNavigationDVD.net which is the web’s leading independent resource on all things to do with the in-dash Honda GPS devices. It includes links to the best deals, plus more comprehensive information on how you can update your Honda Navi with the latest maps, points of interest, and business addresses.
I’d like to give all you prospective holidaymakers out there a little word of warning – taking your entire family on holiday in a tiny car and driving a couple hundred miles to get there is not a good idea. I’m sure that quite a few of you are planning on taking Christmas breaks within the UK this year, instead of jetting overseas, but though you may save money by taking your own car for the trip, you’ll be left without any sanity and a massive headache. Trust me… I know.
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A few years ago my family and I decided to go on holiday to Edinburgh. We lived in the East Midlands at the time, and to save money my dad thought it would be a doddle to drive all 300 miles up there.
He had it all planned out – we’d set off in the evening and get there for 3am, let ourselves into our rather posh self-catering apartment and sleep until mid-morning, when we’d wake up, cook some pancakes and go tour some attractions. Sounds lovely, right?
The car we had then was a Citroën Picasso, which you might think is a pretty big car, but once you’ve stuffed five people into it, plus five suitcases and a couple of black bin bags full of assorted stuff (we ran out of suitcases), it’s not so spacious. It becomes just a bit like Tetris really. So there we were, dad driving, mum in the front passenger seat and, sardined into the back seat, my two sisters and I. Of course, I got the dreaded, uncomfy middle seat.
About halfway through the journey the car started making this weird whining noise, like it was saying ‘Nooooooo!’ My dad just confidently shrugged it off and expertly stated that it must be a loose sprocket or something like that. He seemed very confident about it until he was pulling onto the hard shoulder when the car actually began to scream like a banshee.
He got out the car and rummaged around under the bonnet for a while, making vague ‘Hrmm’ and ‘Ah-hah!’ noises, assuming he’d figured out the issue, but then when he got back in and turned the key the engine just gurgled. He tried a couple more times, but we knew that car wasn’t going for anyone.
It took an hour for roadside assistance to turn up, by which time we were all at each other’s throats. We were towed to the nearest garage and had to get rooms at an old B&B that despite suffering from a bad case of damp, charged a bomb per night, which ate up a fair amount of our Edinburgh money; however the car wasn’t fixed by morning. In the end, my mum, sisters and I used the rest of the money to take the train up to Edinburgh and spent the rest of the week moping about the apartment with nothing to do, since we’d spent all of our money. My dad turned up with the car eventually, but he brought a foul mood and despondent temperament with him.
And the moral of that story? Hire a car! Just do it, please, if only for my sake. It won’t cost as much as you think, and you can at least get one that’s big enough to fit everything into it. Better yet, since they’re regularly maintained you won’t have to worry about it screaming at you all the way down the motorway, using up all of your holiday money and ruining your vacation.
Dani Butlerson is a writer for the webteam at Northgate Vehicle Hire, specialists in commercial van hire and leasing solutions.
Europe is a great place to go on a road trip. Europe has many
interesting and diverse countries spread over a relatively small area.
Taking a road trip there is far different than taking one in the United
States. Each European country is very distinct and you can usually tell
you are in a different country as soon as you drive over the border.
This is because European countries tend to have very unique architecture
from each other.
Many people going on a road trip in Europe buy a used
car to make traveling easier. It can be fun to take trains and local
transportation but it might also be time consuming and inconvenient.
Renting cars can turn quite expensive because the rental companies
charge a per kilometer fee, which can really add up.
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Some of the most popular road trips in Europe include driving through
Austria and Switzerland. The Alps are an imposing sight and the scenery
is peaceful and serene.
The cities in this region are small and compact.Cities in Europe in general are not as widespread as cities in North America because there is simply not enough space for this.
Driving through Austria and Switzerland is a rewarding trip and many people
drive further north and stop in Munich, Germany. This is a lovely
Bavarian city, famous for its Octoberfest beer festival. Mad King
Ludwig’s castle, on which the Disney castle is modeled, is located in
this area. The Romantic Road is a gently meandering road that features
many medieval castles and towns.
Another popular trip for travelers is driving to Paris and then on to
the Mediterranean coast in Spain. Paris truly lives up to its reputation
and is one of the most romantic cities in the world. There is so much to
see and do in France. Known for its wine growing and excellent cheeses,
this region has many gastronomic delights. Driving to Spain affords
travelers the option to stop in Luxembourg. The music is part of the culture around this area!
This tiny municipality is its own country and quite picturesque. Spain is known for its bullfights and the famous Pamplona running of the bulls. This event is not for thefaint of heart and tourists who attempt to take part in this event havebeen known to get injured. Barcelona offers the unique architecture ofGaudi. A great example of his eccentric style is the Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona.
Many tourists love to take trips to Greece because it is such a historic
country. It is amazing to stand on the site where the first Olympic
Games were held over a thousand years ago. Athens has many sights and
the museums are packed with ancient artifacts. There are many islands
off the shores of Greece that can be visited by taking ferries and
hydrofoils.
Greece is a very religious country and there are several
small shrines beside the hilly roadways leading into Athens. Some of the
islands feature homes that are whitewashed and this gives the villages a
very picturesque appearance. Mykonos is known for its white houses and
is a very popular tourist destination. Traveling Europe by car is fairly
uncomplicated and the roads tend to be very fast and well maintained.
This article is a guest post by Louis Rix, Marketing Director at Netcars.com.
The plastic bumper on my car got ran into when I want to fix it. What type of substance do auto body technician sport over scratches and plastic. I know body filler would not stand the plastic so what should I use. Or is there a way to repair plastic like I’m talking about?
Technician one –
There is a product called plastic filler. It’s basically like a body filler for metal accepted design for plastic. The stuff is a little harder to work with them just body filler but it is the same concept. If you want more information on it you should search for an auto body repair shop website.
You’re going to need some of that party and sandpaper primer in the work. Just like any basic auto body repair. Hopefully that helps you it’s somewhat hard to explain without actually seeing it.
Me being a woman I do not know too much about fixing cars. I’ve been driving my car now for around a year and I haven’t had to fix anything so I’ve been happy. But when I go to use my turn signal it’s a fast rapid blinking pace. What does that mean when your turn signal is rapidly blinking? Is this something I can fix myself or do I have to take it to a mechanic?
Technician one –
This is most commonly a burned-out bulb. When the light burns out it was short on the electrical system and it causes electrical system the blink at a rapid pace. Help will let you know that something is out on your lighting system. This commonly design like this to let drivers know that their turn signal their out or gone.
