Top 10 Common Car Problems

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It is hard to make this kind of list since the things that go wrong on the car are endless. This is not written with pessimism, but as many drivers have experienced even on new cars a thing or two can go wrong.Not to mention the older ones, an old car is a like an aging man, the older he get’s the more grumpy he becomes.

Here’s a list with the top 10 car problems from our point of view. Not only are they problems of mechanical nature, they are usually problems that drive you nuts:

1. Flat tire most common car problem but the most easy to fix. Often happens at the least convenient time. Having the right equipment and knowledge to help yourself is crucial.

2. Dead battery: how many of us made that face of despair when we put the key into the ignition and… Nothing or a short click. Especially during winter months. An easy problem to fix, but best preventing it on time by changing the old battery.

3. Ignition problems: the car will crank but won’t start. The problem can be solved on your own in a couple of minutes or it can take days and a tone of money. The list of probable causes is pretty long.

4. Various leaks: oil leaks, coolant leaks, break fluid leaks etc. In most cases (if the leak is not severe) they don’t cause big problems while driving. The moment you see them, get it fixed, it only get’s worse over time.

5. Electric and electronics problems: these kind of problems manifest themselves as if the car is possessed by an evil ghost. Various glitches, signal lamps warning about nothing, endless diagnostics and car mechanics going out of their mind are just some of the symptoms.

6. Sensor problems: a car problem that has the most fancy name.These are the eyes of the ecu unit. Since exposed to dirt, moisture, cold, heat etc. Cause the most of the electronics problems.

7. Bad serpentine belt: it makes that squeaky noise that gives you a bad chill down the spine. Nothing serious, if the car is properly maintained you won’t hear of it. Otherwise, it can make a lot of problems.

8. Car bulb failure (headlights, taillights): when your vision from the car during night driving decreases it’s either time to check your eyesight or the signalization. The headlight bulbs are easy to spot when they burn out, the tail lights can go on not working for months (unless you have the proper dash warning). Make a check of the signalization from time to time.

9. Cracked windscreen: you get in a second, but you usually look at it for months. When the crack happens, fix it right away or else your putting yourself and the your passengers at risk.

10. Body scratches and minor dents: looks like a little acne on an otherwise beautiful face. You look at it and say: ” wow what a beautiful face, but look at the acne….”. Can be solved with a few tricks and perhaps minor body repair.

Learn this list and you will know what car problems you can have on the road or at home.

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Source by Sibin S. S.

Short History of BMW

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BMW has come a long way since its inception as an aircraft engine manufacturer to one of the most popular family, luxury and sports car manufacturers today.

The company began in 1913 as the Rapp-Motorenwerke firm, making aircraft engines, before merging with the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke factory, located nearby on the outskirts of Munich, in 1922. The letters BMW stand for Bayerische Motoren Werke.

In its early days, BMW mainly manufactured aircraft engines and occasionally motorcycle engines. In fact, the BMW badge was designed to resemble an aircraft propeller, and it wasn’t until 1929 that the firm became automobile manufacturers after purchasing the Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach factory which produced Austin Sevens.

Developing the style of car manufactured over time, in 1936 BMW started to produce the 328 sports car which went on to enjoy incredible success. In 1999, the BMW 328 was nominated as car of the century.

For the three years leading up to World War II, BMW manufactured aircraft engines, motorcycles and cars. During the war, the company focused on aircraft engines and ceased making cars altogether. In 1948, motorcycle manufacturing started again but it was not until 1952 that BMW began building cars once more. The launch of the BMW 501 luxury car was not a big hit, however, and the company did not make a profit as a result and so the company brought the design and manufacturing rights to the Isetta – a micro-car, cheap to manufacture – and began selling these.

BMW’s luck changed during the next decade and the 1960s brought considerable success for the firm. The BMW 1500, a four-cylinder sports car, was introduced in 1961 followed shortly afterward by the BMW 2002, a two-door car that stayed in production until 1976 and was the predecessor of the BMW 3 Series.

The ’70s saw BMW continue to build their reputation for creating original and sought-after cars, as this decade saw the launch of the 3, 5 and 7 Series. Between 1970 and 1993, BMW increased its output fourfold and turnover by an incredible 1700%.

Between 1994 and 2000, BMW had ownership of the British Rover Group but the venture was not successful and the company soon got rid of Rover. However, BMW retained the rights to Mini and has enjoyed – and continues to enjoy – considerable achievement with this business.

Today, BMW is seen as an innovative manufacturer and has a reputation for excellence, both for its design and quality of cars.

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Source by Chris D Taylor

Investing 20,000 Dollars For a Quick Return – 3 Ideas

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To set the scene, lets say you have a spare $20,000 and you want to invest it in some way where you get a quick return. There are many ways to invest such money and one of the most interesting one’s is investing it in a market you already know. The stock market is too slow and short cycle investments are a much better option, so lets explore a few ideas here now.

1) Maybe you have a good eye for used cars. Your first step would be to familiarize yourself with the local used car market and get interested in a few particular models. The simplest way to establish the accurate intrinsic value of a particular model is to do a comparison value assessment. This simply means you go on line or buy a tabloid with listings of that particular model and ascertain what would be a real price, for a clean neat vehicle at that price range. Once you have that comparison figure, it becomes a simple matter of assessing the vehicles on sale in your area where the asking price is much lower than it should be.

People sell for their own reasons, often price, or getting the best possible price is not on top of the priority list. This type of mis-pricing is typical and normal in any market. Finding a bargain and re-selling it for a profit is one way to get a return on $20,000

2) You could buy and sub divide a cheap but large block of land. Typically, this type of transaction is quite lucrative because, if you successfully split the land, you now have 2 blocks worth $30,000 for an outlay of $20,000 that is a 50% mark up. Also, this type of transaction can be purchased with finance, so you could potentially buy 10 such blocks with a small deposit on each. Many people have made a lot of money doing this and getting skilled at researching your target land and ascertaining whether it can be split is a valuable skill to have.

3) You could import a container load of widgets from China and wholesale the products in your town. You can get anything from Chinese manufacturers. One example might be electric “Vespa” style scooters. At last look, they were selling them for around $400 usd per unit, so you could sell these at a healthy mark up and still be cheap enough for enthusiastic buying of your import. There is a few important things to learn about importing, but once you understand it, you are set to profit.

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Source by Martin Thomas

Identifying The Four Major Types Of Loans

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Although it may be a given for many people these days, it is still important to know something about loans when you are thinking about applying for one. In fact, most people already have one type of loan or another. There are many different kinds of loans offered by banks, credit unions, private lenders, and other financial institutions. Each loan may be subject to the specific requirements of the institution offering it and many loans are actually tailored to the particular applicant. All of this aside, there are four major types of loans that are used by consumers. Each type has a different object or focus attached.

The first major type of loan is the personal loan. These are the loans that you would obtain from a bank or credit union as an individual. At the same time, there is some overlap between personal and small business since the purposes of each may often coincide. For example, you may need a personal loan to fund a new small business opportunity. A personal loan may simply be a loan that you receive in order to pay for a necessary expenditure like replacing a major appliance, paying bills, or getting a vehicle. Personal loans are also used to consolidate debt.

A second type of loan is the home or mortgage loan. This is the category of loans relating to new home purchasing, but may also deal with using your existing home mortgage as a form of collateral to get a loan for other purposes. Like other types of loans, these loans have specific requirements and qualifications organized by the lender, which must be met by loan applicant. Home loans are long-term expenses. You need to keep this in mind and plan accordingly and take other expenses that will be included so you have a clear idea of your payments. Now a mortgage loan may also include those who already have homes but want to take a loan out on the mortgage or house, using this as collateral to secure the desired amount. There are specific requirements involved in these situations as well and there is risk involved since you are putting up your home as collateral.

The third major type of loan is the automotive loan. This is a narrower category since it deals exclusively with the purchase of vehicles. Everyone needs a car or some other means of transportation in today’s world. More importantly, they need something that is reliable and will get them where they need to go. Cars-even used cars-are expensive and most of us do not have the money to go and buy one outright. Therefore, auto loans are required to purchase a vehicle. Automobile dealerships typically provide financing options for auto loans via participating lenders. Again, there will be requirements that you must meet like credit rating or income level to qualify for the loan. Different lenders have different policies regarding auto loans so you will have to investigate them individually to find out if you are eligible.

The fourth major type or category of loan is the education or student loan. This category includes both students who have gone from high school to college or university as well as adult professionals who have chosen to pursue further educational opportunities to increase their marketability in their chosen profession. Since education and training can have a direct effect upon financial success, many banks, credit unions, and government-sponsored financial aid programs are growing in numbers to provide opportunities for those seeking educational finance assistance.

These four types of loans are a part of our everyday lives. At some point, most of us will receive one or more of these loans if we hope to have a car, a house, an education, or take care of personal matters beyond our current financial ability to resolve. It can pay to have a better understanding of these different loans so we can make the best decisions when a loan becomes necessary.

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Source by Joseph Kenny

Disadvantages of Electric Cars

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With all the current emphasis on going “green” and protecting the environment, it is no wonder that the electric car has come center focus. Especially now with soaring gas prices, consumers want to know their options. Traditional gas powered vehicles have long been the focus of those concerned with environmental issues, and so invariably inventors and car manufacturers look to improve the technologies available on the electric car.

If you are considering the purchase of an electric car, you need to be realistic about their benefits. They’ve come a long way recently but they still have some significant disadvantages, and there are still limitations to their use and wide spread availability. Here are some disadvantages you may want to consider when evaluating if an electric car is feasible for your transportation needs:

1. Electric cars are expensive to own. If you’ve checked into the price of an electric car, you know they are not “low end”. It’s not so much the price of the car as it is the price of the batteries which they run on. If you’ve purchased batteries you know how the costs can add up quickly, and the batteries used in electric cars are lithium-ion, which are expensive. Also keep in mind that eventually the battery packs will need to be replaced, as they have a life of approximately 3 to 4 years.

2. The batteries will need to be recharged. A second disadvantage to an electric car is that the batteries will need to be recharged. This will require advanced planning because you’ll have to allow adequate time for the batteries to be fully charged. Now this might not sound like that big of a problem but if you are thinking of purchasing an electric car then you will need to make an honest assessment of how much you will use your vehicle. An extended or unplanned trip could be problematic if you haven’t had time to fully recharge the batteries.

3. Limits on driving distance. If you drive long distances, an electric car might not suit your needs, so you will need to consider how far you plan on driving your car. Most of the electric cars have limits on how many miles they can go before needing a recharge. Electric car maker ZAP recently announced that their electric car could travel up to 100 miles per single charge, but many people drive more miles than that round trip on a daily commute to work. This is definitely a limitation for those who intend to use the vehicle for getting to and from their place of employment. You certainly would not want to run out of batteries if you got stuck in a rush hour traffic jam.

4. Lack of power. Another disadvantage to the electric car is the lack of power, specifically quick pickup. If you do a lot of interstate driving there are going to be times when you will need to accelerate quickly to merge into traffic.

Electric cars have come a long way in recent years but still have to overcome a few more obstacles before becoming widely embraced as a solution for many consumers.

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Source by G. Crandall

Avoiding Hemorrhoids – Advice for Truck Drivers

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Look up causes of Hemorrhoids and the term sedentary occupation will invariably be among the list, and probably high on the list. So it comes as no revelation that the Health Insurance Axis, a company that seems to cater to the insurance needs of Truck Drivers, lists hemorrhoids among the key ailments for that occupation. While not your typical office environment, the cab of most large trucks leaves little room to maneuver. Plus, the side to side motions, and the bumps and castling from uneven road surfaces, puts pressure to the anal area increasing the potential for hemorrhoids to develop.

Such a high incident of the disease among Professional Truck Drivers begs the answer to a number of questions. How and why are they impacted with a high rate of hemorrhoids? Is avoiding and preventing the hemorrhoids possible? If not, what might be a sound, treatment?

How and Why Impacted

Look at almost any list of causes of hemorrhoids and you will see “sedentary occupations” which are normally associated with office work. But, consider that a truck driver’s office is the cab of his vehicle, where he is always assuming a sitting position. That coupled with the fact that the job demands that truckers be very schedule conscious which leaves little opportunity to follow healthy bathroom habits and a good exercise routine.

Is Avoiding Hemorrhoids Possible

In my last article on this subject, I referenced a medical opinion, that when it comes to hemorrhoids or piles, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. So what can a truck driver do to avoid and thereby prevent this problem? According to Joy Seeman’s, Staff  Writer for the Hemorrhoids Information Center, article “Truck Drivers and Hemorrhoids” drinking water daily will help prevent hemorrhoids.

Another website, “ExpertHealthAdvice.com” concurs with the suggestion to drink more water. In addition, they add a diet that is richer in high fiber foods, such as more bran, fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. And, conversely, they suggest avoiding refined or processed foods, because they do not pass through the colon easily, and can result in the need to strain during bowel movements.

One additional thing a truck driver should consider is to change their bowel habit. In other words, don’t wait until the urge is strong. This, according to ExpertHealthAdvice.com, gives the stool time to harden, resulting the need to strain during the bowel movement.

A Sound Treatment Plan

The Hemorrhoid Information Center states that hemorrhoids is one of the three most researched health conditions on the internet. This has lead to an avalanche of products and professed treatments being peddled on the world wide web. For this reason, most of the writing on this condition strongly suggest getting an exam from your Physician. Why? Simply to rule out other possible problems, such as rectal cancer, and a condition known as “annal fissures” which is a tear in the lining of the anus or anal canal.

Another suggestion was for the patient to get an exam called a sigmoidoscopy which permits the doctor to exam half the colon for abnormalities.

Personally, I hope that is not the case. Any trucker that has to endure a sigmoidoscope exam will think someone is trying to drive his 18 wheeler up his backside. Other than that, the exam is a good idea.

If the exam reveals that one is only dealing with a mild case, perhaps the suggestion from the “WEBMd” will suffice. Their suggestion is “Most hemorrhoids can be treated with simple changes in diet and bowel habits. Most do not require surgery or other treatment unless they are very large and painful. If that is the case, do what your doctor suggest.

Conclusion

While they may not think it to be so, Professional Truck Drivers, have a sedentary job. A job that restricts movement or walking, and unlike the typical office environment, one that results in the body being shaken and tossed about during the road trip. This combined effect, increases the potential for developing hemorrhoids.

While there are things the truck driver can do to prevent them, if they do occur, the first step should be to see a doctor for an exam. If the hemorrhoids are not serious, a change in diet, including more water daily and an exercise routine, while not easy for a trucker, is the suggested treatment. For more serious cases, follow your Doctor’s advice.

Warren Robinson

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Source by Warren C Robinson

Flipping Cars: Tips to Estimate If the Buy Is Flip Worthy

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Uneducated buyers who are Flipping Cars witness prices that simply spiral out of control in the end. To avoid the mess, you need to know what to look for before finalizing a deal at the auto auction.

Inspection and Diagnosis of Repair Costs

Flipping cars would not be a good bargain if you buy a car that requires a lot of repair. You want to put a limit to spending huge dollars on repairs. If you should know how to limit your repair costs for flipping, you should know how to diagnose problems with the prospective car.

You need expert car knowledge to make the best buy, otherwise you might have to go by the word of the seller or hire a mechanic every time you purchase a lot. Do not be afraid to walk away if the seller rushes you through the inspection.

Once you have located a car you want to bid on, read the descriptions for the car provided by the seller. You want to know about the mileage, extra features in the car, and of course the service history and warranty. You should also find out why the seller is selling the car away.

When you put your car for end sale, it should run well, smoothly, and it should feel right. If you are buying, a car that requires a bit of servicing, you should estimate if the buy is flip worthy. Ensure you read the contract and paper work carefully.

Gut instincts mostly speak right. If you think something is not right about a vehicle, just drop the idea of buying it.

Verify Insured Title Checks for

• Salvage reported for total loss due to theft or damage beyond repair

• Car refurbished with new or used parts

• Damage due to fire, flood or other mechanical damage

Verify Problem Checks for

• Frame damage that weakens the structure and look of the vehicle

• Specific part in the vehicle that has been malfunctioning or replaced several times during the warranty period

• Reported salvage without clear indication of the extent of damage

• Vehicle that has been filed for flood insurance claim

Verify Odometer Tampering for

• Probable roll back of odometer by comparing it with service reports of the past.

• Broken odometer that does not document distance driven

• Reported mileage is more than what the odometer can actually document.

Verify Past Usage of the Car for

• Collisions and unreported accidents

• Ownership, probably stolen from actual owner

• Has been used as a cab, fleet, or a police agency

Regardless of what you do, ensure that the car you buy has a market – a prospective buyer.

Some auctions do not permit pre-sale inspection or test driving, specifically in lot purchases. Post sale inspections enable buyers to back out of the sale. Reconditioning to some degree is required for almost all vehicles. It is good if you are perceptive about car repairs and diagnosis if you are in to flipping cars.

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Source by Sharmela Mukuntha Krishnan

Importance of Amplifiers

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Today there are many categories of amplifiers used for multifarious purposes. In simple terms an amplifier picks up a weak signal and converts it into a strong one. It is widely used in several devices to boost electrical signals. Radios, televisions and telephones are a few examples to point out in this regard. There are innumerable other applications of amplifiers and it is not easy to enumerate all of them. Some of the common types of amplifiers are used in electronic gadgets and audio systems. These are also used in musical instruments and guitars. Apart from the above many other types of amplifiers like vacuum tube or valve, transistor, operational and fully differential amplifiers are also used for specific purposes. Video amplifiers are of diverse types. Oscilloscope vertical type and distributed type are the two commonly used ones in this context. Again there are microwave amplifiers which are categorized as traveling wave tube amplifiers and Kly strons. Then there are subwoofer amplifiers. They are nothing but amplifiers that are used on subwoofers which are usually found in cars and radios. Subwoofer amplifier use power to amplify low frequency sound waves. A lot of studies and research were undertaken to develop the science of amplification in the past decades and this device have become integral parts of many systems. Several branches of science and technology are making use of the device.

The application of electronic device are therefore boundless. Various technologies are adopted to put the principles to their optimum use. Consumers today are more familiar with audio amplifiers. There is therefore a general perception that all amplifiers are audio oriented. It is part and parcel of any audio system. Amplifiers are utilized to enhance or regulate the audio contents. In the early stages of its usage, the purpose was to control the volume of sound. But in the course of time, technology developed and the role of amplifier became more elaborate. Amplifier is now made use of not only to enhance the volume of sound but also to add clarity to the contents. Both vocal and instrumental outputs are regulated to offer comfortable noise level without diluting the contents. A listener can give accent to vocal contents in a programme or alternatively to the background music from instruments by adjusting amplifiers.

The importance of this one is now paramount. It is essential for shoppers to understand the significance of the device in a given application. But many of the shoppers may not be conversant with the physics or theory behind its practical applications. In the case of this, irrespective of the category the best source to gather valuable information is the internet. Exclusive websites devoted to these are to be pointed out in this context. Visitors to such websites will have the privilege to learn about various products and services available in the market. Highly subjective reviews about latest introductions are provided for the guidance of the consumers. Such reviews will help the shoppers to identify the right product. Online dealers offer competitive rates for latest products like hifi amplifiers, car amplifiers, and integrated amplifiers from among large collections of sophisticated products. At a time when people find little time to search extensively and to resort to shop hopping, exclusive websites are really helpful.

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Source by Fredrick Joy

Secrets To Keeping Your Car Looking Like New For 10 Years

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Most personal finance experts would agree that keeping your vehicle for up to 10 years is a good economical decision. The economics of keeping a vehicle that long are overwhelmingly convincing. So why is it so rare to find someone who owns the same car that long? After all, today most cars will keep working long after a couple hundred thousand miles. So, why do people keep buying a new car when there is nothing wrong with the one they have? Peer pressure? Maybe it looks out of date? This might be true, especially when the new edition undergoes major styling changes. Maybe it is because people start worrying about the likelihood of a major mechanical problem.

We have found that if you can keep it looking new through a proven strategy it will be much more difficult to make that new car purchase. So what can be done to slow down the aging process? How can a car be used on a regular basis and not age. There is no one particular activity, but rather several things that contribute to a common goal. The following is a list of ways to keep the appearance of your car looking like new.

1. By far, the number one way to keep your vehicle looking like new is to KEEP IT IN THE GARAGE AT NIGHT. Most people think the damage results from the grueling midday heat and dust that bake the dirt into the paint and plastic, however, the most destructive time is at night, when the cool moisture condensates on the surface of the car. This is the source of the problem. We live in a basin here in Los Angeles which is packed with automobiles moving about all day. The exhaust, pollution and road grime, rise up into the atmosphere during the hot days and are suspended there until the cool sea air moves in and captures the pollution in the moisture that will condensate on the car. That morning dew sitting on the horizontal surfaces of the vehicle is a sulfur /acidy toxic cocktail of all the junk in our air. It eats into the paint, the trim around the doors, yellows headlights and destroys the rubber parts. No test lab can recreate that! The moisture is not horribly bad, but if this process is done every night for 5 to 8 years, it will take its toll on the exterior.

2. Keep the vehicle under an overhang at night. The next best thing to a garage would be to keep the vehicle from getting dew on it at night. Reread the reason in the paragraph above. The next best long term protection is the overhang. (Car covers are helpful when the vehicle will sit at the airport for 2 weeks or in your driveway for a week. As a daily defense, it is a good idea, but with time it is a hassle as well as too dirty to put on the car. )

3. Regular waxing. Regular waxing is every 3 to 4 months or every 5,000 miles. So by the time your vehicle has 20,000 miles on it, it should have 4 coats of wax. Waxing gives the car a micro thin layer of protection from the elements. As the vehicle gets older, the attention to the exterior should increase. Occasionally, the paint should be polished to restore clarity to the surface. Polishing the paint every 1 1/2 years or ever 15,000 miles will increase the life of the wax, and maintain the paint in top condition.

4. Regular washes on the exterior will keep the vehicle free of dust and contaminants. The longer dirt and dust sit on the paint, the more likely it will start to adhere to the surface.

5. Paint protection film by 3M is the best way to keep the paint rock chip free. By applying this film to the bumper and hood, it will defend the original vehicle paint from damage. This film is removable and does not have any long term effect to the paint. Conceivably, this film could be removed in 10 years after installation, and the paint would look like the day it came off the assembly line. Truly the best long term solution for the everyday driver.

6. Window tint. Protect the interior from fading and drying out with a lifetime warranty film. During the day, the vehicles interior is vulnerable to the harmful effects of the suns UV Rays. Window tint blocks out 100% of the ultraviolet rays. It also reduces the internal heat and cuts down on glare. With regular interior detailing and window tint, the interior will look like the day it was installed. Also, window tint improves the comfort of the passenger and drivers.

7. Biannual cleaning of the motor will ensure proper visibility of fluid levels. It can improve preventative maintenance inspection and keeps the motor running cooler. Furthermore, mechanics respect a clean motor and are more likely to clean up after themselves.

8. Periodic removal of small door dings and dents. The cost of keeping your doors “ding” free is really reasonable and the process of Paintless Dent Removal is non invasive. It is impossible to keep a daily driver from eventually getting a door ding, but the good news is that they can be messaged out and restored to its original position. No painting or bondo is necessary and the vehicle maintains its original factory paint.

9. Deep cleaning Detail. Every 1.5 to 2 years the vehicle should get a complete detail. Most people will wait until the vehicle is so bad, something has to be done. For a potted plant, that is the equivalence of waiting until the leaves are turning brown before it gets watered.

10. Achieving a like new vehicle after 10 years will require preemptive or preventive care. Scheduled detailing appointments over a 1 year time period will help to keep the vehicle on track. The paint job cannot remind you it needs waxing. So do not wait until you notice the car getting a little shabby before you act. Lastly, the mechanical part of the vehicle is just as important. We strongly recommend the adherence to all schedule mechanical maintenance.

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Source by Bill DeBever

Part One of the Early History of Subwoofers – 1950’s-1970’s

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Anyone who is a car audio fan or who has come by it in passing will know what a subwoofer is. Subwoofers are used to generate that intense and deep feeling of bass, which is normally out of the range of most average speakers. Subwoofers are used not only in car audio, but in home stereos too to give ultimate bass within a small area, such as a room or car.

Although subwoofers may seem simple enough, there are in fact not quite as simple as they seem. Over the years, they have been researched, tested and developed in order to get the best sound out of them as possible. However, like any product there are varying degrees of quality of subwoofers as well as types, which are suited to different requirements and situations.

The first company to introduce decent subwoofers was Acoustic Research (AR), who in 1954 introduced the AR-1W – a system that could extend its bass to 20hz without any help from equalization and was literally a woofer efficiently closed in an enclosure. The AR-1W was unsurpassed in design for years, and in fact is still very influential upon modern subwoofer design by its use of the acoustic suspension principle. The AR-1W was a compact subwoofer that could be easily fitted onto a bookshelf in pairs, unlike the monstrously sized enclosed loudspeakers which had been previously on the market.

Dr Harry Olsen was also a major contributor to the design of audio systems that we have today. In the 1930’s/40’s, he was the first to assert that speakers are in need of a back as well as a front, as otherwise sound waves from the back will interfere with the front ones. He also designed the passive radiator, which was design meant to be a substitute for the vent – a system that had a great number of faults at the time. The vent design needed a large duct in order to avoid wind noises, which often meant the duct was larger than the vent itself. Olsen, instead used a diaphragm with suspension whose mass was equal to that of the air column in the vent, thus it was much smaller and much more efficient than the other design.

Jensen’s James Novak, a highly gifted research engineer and mathematician, was to come up with the bass reflex design. Through his knowledge as a mathematician and experience as an engineer, he was able to create and synthesize ideas for what today is known as the closed, vented and passive speaker systems.

Although considered an essential component today, bass extension was still a relative luxury in the 1950’s and 1970’s. The film businesses were the main guys interested in bass extension, which was first used commercially for the 1977 big hit, Star Wars.

Of the last century, these master engineers and mathematicians have been probably the most influential on the excellent acoustics available in car audio systems and home stereos today.

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Source by Marie Coles