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How to Find Out Whether Your Car Turn Signal Socket Is SRCK?

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Are you wondering about upgrading your vehicle’s brake lights, turn signal lights, or the parking lights, and replacing them with the LED bulbs? If the answer is yes, then the first thing you need to figure out is to know the socket type in your car.

Generally, there are two basic types of bulb sockets that exist in any car, namely, SRCK and standard. The major difference between a standard and SRCK type is the position of the contacts at the ground. Though both of the sockets look alike, there is a significant difference in the placement of the ground contacts.

The identification of the socket type is extremely crucial for the proper functioning of the entire setup. Each type supports only a distinctive kind of LED bulb. For example, if a normal standard LED bulb is inserted into a SRCK type, then the LEDs wouldn’t function properly. Moreover, the LEDs might also blow the fuse which protects the lighting circuit. The only way to figure out which type of socket has been fitted into your car is to test it properly.

Read below to discover the different ways of testing the type of bulb socket that is provided in your car.

  • Switch on the lights and connect the test light with the 12 volt positive of the battery.
  • Once the battery is connected, probe the contacts in the different sections of the socket.
  • As the tester illuminates, the ground of the socket is indicated.
  • Every opening has two distinctive ground terminals which need to be identified separately.
  • Grounds, in all standard socket types, always lie on the opposite side. If the ground is indicated on the opposite sides, your car bulb socket is of the standard type.
  • However, if the ground terminals are indicated on the same side and are connected, then the socket is a SRCK type.

There are no set of rules which can reason out the type of the openings fitted in a car. The only way to find out is to test it in the above listed manner. Once you have found the type of bulb opening fitted in your car, you can easily shop for the complete Non-polar SRCK/Regular compatible LED bulbs to light up your car, both in terms of looks and utility. If you buy the LED bulbs without having the knowledge about your bulb socket types, you might end up damaging the entire lighting setup in your car as the protective fuse may blow.

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Source by Eric Wu

The Side Effects Of Using HHO For Fuel

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Hybrid hydrogen oxygen gas HHO is used to get you down the road while stretching the fuel budget. These fuel cells can be easily homemade and installed. These little HHO bangers effectively assist in combustion and give you more bang for your buck. There are beneficial side effects of using a homemade fuel cell. I wanted to list and explain some of them, but first I wanted to explain the right way to use HHO, and yes HHO is made from water.

You might be thinking the more HHO the better

Not necessarily so… You want to keep your HHO less than 4% fuel mixture. How do you do that? You use a good set of plans. You have to know your cells HHO output. A good set of plans will spell it out. Unfortunately a free set won’t. Anything over 4% and your getting too much combustion. Aim your HHO at the intake before the air filter. This will let the filter atomize the gas better and let the HHO do it’s job. It’s job is to make the gasoline combustion cycle more efficient and save you cash.

The cash burner called a catalytic converter

Our current engines are so inefficient that we literally burn our cash. The EPA would have a heart attack if you got rid of your catalytic converter, and for a good reason. A large amount of our fuel is unused. Without a catalytic converter you’d be pouring gas onto the street right out of your muffler. The catalytic converter cooks all the unused fuel to improve emissions. Here’s how HHO nips that in the bud. The more efficient combustion while using HHO means less unused fuel. So much less that you don’t need your catalytic converter, and your HHO emissions turn into water. This alone improves MPG and cleans emissions, but this isn’t the only benefit it gets better.

HHO disolves carbon build up

Have you ever picked up a bottle of fuel additive? You’d see the before and after picture of carbon buildup. Those little $6 bottles recommended for every 3,000 miles. Well, HHO naturally removes carbon buildup, and this is achieved for the price of water. Removing carbon buildup alone makes an engine more efficient and run cooler. A more efficient cooler running engine adds horsepower and lasts longer. As soon as you add HHO into your air intake you’ll immediately notice a smoother running engine.

The benefits of using HHO

So the side effects of HHO are good additions to any engine. Not only do you improve your MPG, you’ll reduce your harmful emissions and gain horse power. Sounds like a no brainer. These kits are completely reversible and you can turn your cell on and off. The components to fabricate an HHO cell wont break the bank, and will quickly pay for itself. Go green and save some cash, the Earth your wallet and the EPA will thank you not to mention the IRS rebates.

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Source by Brandon Mchale

Repairing Automotive Paint Damage Caused by Bird Poop in 5 Minutes

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Every time you take your car out of the garage it’s exposed to potential paint damage hazards. Some of the most common issues are acid rain, insects, battery acid and road stones. There is another hazard that’s particularly messy and harmful, and that’s bird poop.

Bird poop is essentially an acid. It can have a pH level between 3.5 and 4.5. That means it will burn delicate surfaces unless it’s removed relatively quickly. On car paint, in particular clear coat finishes, bird droppings burn the surface, causing a permanent etch mark.

It’s not at all uncommon for a large dropping to cause paint damage that’s 2 mils deep, or more. To understand what that means to your car’s clear coat, good laser printer paper is about 2 mils thick. More importantly, a quality clear coat finish is typically 4 to 6 mils. That means a heavy-duty bird bomb won’t leave a lot of clear coat in the area that needs to be repaired. The good news is that paint etching from hard water spots and bird droppings is an easy repair you can make at home. Most repairs like this take less than 5 minutes.

Fixing Bird Poop Paint Damage

The only way to repair the paint damage caused by a bird is to polish the affected area with a fine cut rubbing compound. The basic procedure is to use the compound to cut away the damage and re-polish the surface so it looks new again. This is exactly the step taken by professionals and the factory when they remove painting defects. Your only concern is over-polishing. Be careful that you don’t over do it and polish all the way through the top coat.

The best car polish to use is one that’s formulated for removing paint scratches or restoring oxidized paint. The product I highly recommend is Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound. It’s available in most auto parts stores, and it works great by hand or with an electric car polisher.

If the damage covers an area larger than about 1 square inch, a polishing compound alone might not do the trick. For larger areas of damage you can make the repair faster and easier by first removing the damaged paint with 2000 or 3000 grit wet sanding paper, then re-polish the area with the compound. This may sound severe, but it’s not. It’s a safe procedure used by paint and body shop professionals.

Preventing Bird Damage

Although it’s difficult to avoid being splattered with bird waste, it’s not at all difficult to prevent the damage. The sooner you remove the mess, the less likely it will be that your paint will be damaged. Conversely, the longer the mess remains on your vehicle’s paint the more damage it will create.

If you live in an area where you are prone to getting pooped on, I highly recommend keeping a small bottle of car detailing spray and a microfiber cloth or two in your vehicle. It will come in handy for all kinds of spills and emergency cleanups. The Meguiar’s Quik Detailer product is very inexpensive and easy to find. When you need to clean up a bird mess, simply give the bird droppings a few shots of the spray, allow it to soak for a moment or two, then wipe it away.

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Source by David Bynon

Why Car and Wheel Adverts Draw Us In

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Everybody finds a creative advert impressive. Often people will believe that after viewing the advert, that the car advertised is their ideal dream car. Sometimes these adverts will showcase a car beautiful car with stunning wheels. So what it is that draws people to want these cars?

The sound of a revving engine creates interest in a particular car. The low bass sound that the engine makes gets people interested. This is what guys want from a hatchback road warrior. It appeals to their inner beast that warns people that they are powerful and strong men. On the other hand, most people prefer a quieter engine. So certain cars are designed so that the engine simply hums and makes little sound while driving. This is appealing to most drivers, especially those that drive long distances and often.

Cars such as hatchbacks are known for their agility and speediness. They can go through traffic like an unbelievable little bee. That’s what people want when travelling. No obstructions and no setbacks. In the adverts they show exactly how quickly these cars can drive through places.

Lighting is also important when it comes to introducing a new product. As we move forward with the times we notice that almost every car has slick LED head lights. It’s important to introduce this as a separate factor to ensure you know the personality of the car. You are technically looking at its eyes.

On the same subject as lighting good lighting is used to showcase the car and emphasise its wheels. This allows us to see the smaller details we may not have noticed before. As the light travels over the car we are given a view of the wheels, design, and curves of the car. Beauty is everything nowadays and if a beautiful engine does not have a beautiful body people won’t desire it. Not often will they show the interior of an engine because that’s usually what drivers want to see in person when they visit the dealership.

Car manufacturers go through a lengthy process to choose the right wheel design for their new cars so they find the best and most reliable wheel and tyre suppliers to complement the design and function of their cars. The right type of wheels give the car a distinctive look that appeals to most drivers.

The cherry on top is to know that with the beauty of the car comes the speed and strength. With the right aerodynamic and unique design, it can appeal to many car lovers. The advert displays all the aspects of the car to create a desire for it.

Keep in mind that although the cars may look stunning on a screen you still have to see it live and test it yourself. It’s important that you are able to handle it while driving and experience it for yourself.

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Source by Morne Lourens

Your Car Trade-In Pay-Off – Understanding How It Works!

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It’s very easy to get confused about how the pay-off is handled in a car deal. Almost everyone who trades a car into a car dealer on a new purchase has a pay-off on their trade.

The pay-off is how much you owe the lender for your trade. It in no way reflects how much your trade-in is worth, and most often the pay-off is higher than your trade-in’s actual value.

When you buy a vehicle this is how the numbers break down:

Selling price of the new vehicle

+ Any Add-ons like extended warranty, protection package, etc.

+ Sales tax, title, documentation and registration fees

– Trade-in allowance

– Cash down and rebates

+ Pay-off on trade

_____________________

= Total Amount Due

Now adding the pay-off back on to the “Amount Due” tends to throw a lot of people for a loop! They have a hard time understanding why the pay-off has to be added back on once the dealer agrees to a trade-in figure.

You must remember, the loan on the trade-in is yours — not the car dealers — and it must be paid off so the dealer can get a clear title to the trade-in. In essence, the car dealer is buying the trade-in from you, and you can’t sell it to him if there is an outstanding balance owed on it. So the pay-off gets added on to your “Amount Due,” and then the dealer takes that money and pays off the loan. The lending institution in return sends the car dealer a clear title and everyone is happy.

Remember, the pay-off is your responsibility not the car dealer’s. The dealer is actually doing you a service by simplifying the way you pay off your vehicle. It also allows the dealer to control the process so they don’t get stuck with a trade-in that has a lien and an outstanding loan on it.

Now having said that, remember that most car dealers are honest and do business in a legitimate way, and they will pay off your outstanding loan promptly, or as soon as they get the funds on the car deal. It’s to their benefit to pay it off right away so they can then sell the car. If they don’t have a clear title for the vehicle they can’t legally sell it.

However, there have been occasions when a car dealer waits to make the pay-off, or in rare cases doesn’t pay it off at all. This is illegal and can get a dealer in a lot of trouble, but sometimes they are having cash flow problems or, in very rare cases you come up against a crook.

If the car dealer doesn’t pay-off you loan within a reasonable amount of time (one to three weeks) the lender is going to be looking for you to make a payment when it comes due. I have even seen cases where the customer didn’t know for several months that the pay-off hadn’t been made, and it was actually causing late payment entries on their credit report.

Remember . . . I said this was a rare occurrence, so don’t panic if you have a trade-in with a pay-off. There are steps you can take to protect yourself. If you trade a car with a pay-off get a written statement from the dealership signed by either the Sales Manager or the Finance Manager stating that they will in fact pay off your trade-in, and by what date. The statement should include the following information:

  • The date of the document
  • The amount of the pay-off
  • By what date will the pay-off be made by
  • How long the pay-off amount is good for (because the amount changes as interest accrues)
  • The year, make, model, mileage and serial number of the car being paid off
  • The name and mailing address of the lending institution
  • The name of the person at the lending institution who verified the pay-off amount
  • The signature of either the Sales Manager or the Finance Manager

Any reputable dealership should be happy to accommodate your request for this form. In fact, a professional dealership will have such a form as a routine part of their paperwork.

This way if anything goes awry you have something in writing to protect yourself, and to prove the car dealer agreed to make the pay-off. As I said before, most dealers are honest, but it’s always a good business practice to protect yourself.

If a dealer refuses to give you a written statement on the pay-off you should not complete the deal. To me this would be a big red flag! Go do business with another car dealer who will accommodate your request. There are too many honest car dealers out there for you to waste your time with a questionable one.

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Source by Tony Iorio

How To Install Car Seat Covers

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Seat covers should snug fit the seat with no sagging ends. Though it requires a very few instruction to follow, the process of installation is very important. There are a few important instructions to follow when attempting to install car seat covers, though the installation method will vary depending on the type and style of seat covers you have.

In the case of universal bucket seats, firstly take off headrest and place seat cover over the top of seat and pull it down over the seat. Then place bottom of seat cover nicely over seat bottom. After that, fit base of cover snugly over seat. Later, fasten elastic under seat with supplied “S” hooks. At last, tie the supplied cord in position to ensure that the seat cover is held in correct shape. Check the seat cover is perfectly fitting the seat. After all the processes are over, re-install the headrest.

Installation of custom fit seat covers requires more steps than any other car seat covers. Firstly, remove any guards or shields covering original material that may obstruct seat cover installation. Install bottom of seat cover first. Tie three strings provided to bottom seat cover flap and attach to loops on the flap and fasten them under the seat to springs or to another opposing loop on the seat cover. Next place the seat cover backrest on the seat backrest Tie strings or straps to loops on the seat cover backrest. Then feed the strings or straps between the bottom and backrest of the seat and fasten them to corresponding loops on the top or sides of the seat cover. Make sure that seat covers are fitting correctly. Then, make small holes in the seat cover fabric to accommodate headrests and hardware. After all the processes are over, re-insert headrests and hardware.

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Source by Thomas Morva

A Car Dolly Model Comparison: Master Tow and Demco Versus Stehl

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Have you ever wanted to tow your car for some distance? Perhaps you have an RV and are planning to take a cross-country trip or maybe you are moving to another state. If so it might be a good idea to check out the options available when it comes to car tow dollies. You can rent them of course but if you are planning on using one with any regularity you may want to buy one instead since a rental has the potential to get quite expensive if used for long distances of repeatedly.

There are a few different companies you may want to look into if you decide you would like to purchase a car tow dolly. We’ll talk briefly about a few of them here.

Master Tow is one company in the United States that builds and sells car dollies. There are actually two Master Tow car dolly models on the market: Model 77T and Model 80THD. There are a number of options and accessories available for Master Tow dollies including things like LED tail lights, spare tires and winches.

A step above the previously mentioned car dollies in both features and price is the Demco KarKaddy SS. This dolly is specifically made with RV owners in mind and is designed to be easy to store without taking up a lot of extra space. When not in use it can be folded into a more compact rectangular shape which cuts it’s length almost in half. You can also get a range of options with the KarKaddy SS such as a light bar and a tongue mounted toolbox.

The last dolly we’ll discuss here is the Stehl ST80TD. The Stehl dolly is more similar to the Master Tow car dolly models than it is to the deluxe Demco model. It could be the most affordable model listed here and is available from the factory with a durable powder coated paint finish and a one year warranty.

Before you decide on a model you’ll probably want to figure out how much money you expect to save by not renting a car dolly. If you will save a lot then perhaps the deluxe KarKaddy SS is a good choice despite it’s higher price. You also may want to factor in what type of vehicle you will be towing since it may be more suited to one of these models than it is to any of the others.

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Source by Vin Hale

4 Holiday Marketing Ideas for Automotive Dealerships

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The weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are hugely important to annual sales in many industries, including automotive sales. Potential customers are out shopping in stronger numbers than the rest of the year, giving car dealerships a larger audience to market to. Holiday shopping crowds are also in “buying mode”, ready to purchase items not only for friends and family, but often for themselves as well. Shoppers with extra available holiday capital are more easily persuaded to treat themselves to a new car than they are during other times of the year. Whether customers’ new car purchases are a special indulgence just for them or a perfect gift for the whole family, the holiday shopping season is a ripe opportunity for automotive dealerships to boost sales.

In order to capitalize on the holiday shopping season, your auto dealership needs to have a solid marketing plan! Thanksgiving and Christmas offer plenty of fun, fresh ways to promote vehicles and special offers, so get creative. The more unique your marketing strategies are, the more successful they are likely to be.

These four holiday marketing ideas are great ways to kickstart your auto dealership’s season of holiday sales.

1) Get festive! Show your dealership’s holiday spirit by making your show floor and lot bright, inviting and festive. Nothing draws the eye like bright Christmas decorations. Buy a 20′ Douglas Fir, place it in the center of your outdoor lot and decorate it with bright white lights, tinsel and decorations. Hang fresh garlands, red bows and lights from building eaves and light poles. Serve hot chocolate on the show floor. Unless you have a talented person already on staff who is willing and able to completely deck out the rest of your dealership’s exterior and interior, hire a decorator to come and do so. Show potential customers your dealership is in the holiday spirit and make your show floor irresistible with holiday cheer.

2) Offer a “12 days of Christmas” holiday sale. Everyone loves a great deal – so why not package 12 fantastic vehicle deals into a Christmas-themed event? Rather than having an unrelated string of holiday sales events, run a 12 Days of Christmas sale, with easy day offering a different type of sale. Start on smaller incentives and older vehicle models and work your way up to the “twelfth day of Christmas” with larger deals, ending with a grand finale!

3) Be creative with holiday-themed direct mail. Christmas is no time to send out the same old stock postcard mailers. Send your direct mail list a little holiday cheer with authentic-looking Christmas cards or present-shaped cards, complete with bow. Throw in some “dealership cash” to send an extra merry message.

4) Run a social media contest. Offer a contest for a significant % off, or a door prize giveaway (if your applicant pool is large enough for it). Ask people to connect with you in a specific way: have them finish the phrase “all I want for Christmas” in a photo, tweet or video, then ask them to post their response either on your dealership’s Facebook wall or tweet it to you using a specific hashtag. Whatever your contest entails, be sure to create a specific landing page on your website (or Facebook event) that outlines the details of the contest – link to this from your social media accounts.

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Source by Marjorie Steele

Car Hire – How to Select the Best Car Rental Company

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When you are on holiday, the best way to explore the city or countryside is by car. This allows you the freedom to visit places that you want at your own convenience and time. But to make this experience pleasant, it is important that you get a car hire from the best rental company. You must focus on getting the best bargain and also the right vehicle for your travel.

Here are some tips that will steer you in making the right car rental selection:

Getting the best bargain for your money applies to a car hire too. Go through advertisements or online websites and pick out three to five car rental firms. Make a comparison between the costs and the services offered by these companies before making your final selection. Remember to read the fine print; most often, companies will quote a figure with hidden charges. So make sure that the amount quoted is inclusive of all charges to avoid nasty surprises later on.

Instead of just relying on the information available on a company’s website, make sure that you give a call to the customer service executive before finalizing the deal. This way, you will be able to gather more details regarding the cost, services offered, model and make of vehicle and also availability of special offers and discounts. A phone call will be able to clarify all your doubts and queries; the customer service provided will also give you a clue regarding the car hire company.

It is also important to clarify before-hand the charges that will be incurred for extra services. Some car rental companies can charge through the roof for drop-off services if the destination differs from your pick up point. Make sure that you discuss these before the contract is signed. Other services that will usually be charged extra include roadside assistance. This is an important service especially if you have elderly people travelling with you. So find out about the costs before-hand and sign the deal accordingly.

Enquire about the insurance policy offered by the car hire company. Usually, your personal insurance is more than enough to cover the rental car too. But it is important that you talk with your insurance agent regarding this before paying the heavy insurance fees levied by the rental firm. Keeping these tips in mind will help you book the right vehicle for your trip which fits exactly within your budget.

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Source by Rizvana Abdul