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Mistakes In Choosing Car Battery Suppliers

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When owning a car, replacements must be done in order to maintain its performance and efficiency. So, some of the most common car items individuals need to replace are tires, oil and lube as well as battery. But, the most important car item you need to maintain regularly is the battery. This is important since a dead battery can affect car performance or worse it can damage electrical wiring. And, the best option is to purchase one from reliable battery suppliers. But, there are cases when individuals make mistakes in choosing suppliers. Below are some of the following.

Not checking their battery selections

One of the main mistakes that individuals make when choosing car battery suppliers is they do not check battery selections they offer. As of now, there are numerous battery brands individuals can choose from. Apart from that, there are also different sizes and voltage output. Sadly, some individuals neglect these factors when searching for battery suppliers which can certainly affect the performance of vehicles. Thus, before purchasing, you need to make sure that you look for suppliers that offer a wide range of selections.

Forgetting to evaluate expertise

The next mistake that individuals make with regard to choosing suppliers of car batteries is they forget to evaluate their expertise. As mentioned above, there are numerous types of car batteries to choose from. This is because some vehicles demand higher voltage to allow it to function properly. Therefore, if you are a new car owner, you need to make sure that you are properly guided. Thus, you need to ensure that you look for suppliers who have the right skills and knowledge to help you.

Neglecting car battery related services

Some individuals also neglect car battery related services when looking for battery suppliers. When it comes to car batteries, individuals only need to remove the old and replace it with new batteries. However, there are some cases when this simple task may turn into a disaster. This is commonly experience since some individuals neglect battery related services offered by suppliers. To avoid this, you need to look for suppliers who can provide you with the best services to ensure that battery replacement and installation can be done properly.

Not asking about warranties

Finally, individuals also sometimes forget to ask about warranties. Warranties are important to ensure that your investments are secured since suppliers can replace factory damaged products. Unfortunately, some individuals do not ask for warranties. As a result, they may end up purchasing a new one because they bought it from small shops.

Knowing all these mistakes will allow individuals to find the right battery supplier that can help them make their vehicles safer and more functional.

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Source by Maynard Fahey

Ease the Parking Problems With These Tips and Tricks

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Cities, be it large or small for that matter feature multifaceted spatial structures. With the city size increasing, the complexity also increases and is the key reason for disruption. Moreover, these days people realize the value of traveling abroad and to other places conveniently in a car. The efficiency of transport system results in plaguing cities with traffic congestion. The main problem is the parking issue.

The problems of parking happen due to the fact that there is lack of space. A big menace in the huge cities is owing to illegal parking and this is hindering businesses and resulting in heavy congestion. Parking is a crucial matter to be considered, when you are driving a personal vehicle, looking for parking space is your responsibility.

Here are a few helpful tips

· Check if your car doors are locked and switch-off the air conditioner and head lights. In case you walk away keeping the headlights on, the battery is certain to drain off and on returning, your car will have a starting problem. At the same time, look for parking areas that are brightly lit to ensure safety of your car. Avoid the narrow lanes and even if you plan parking under a tree, you should remember that the tree must be small and should be capable of withstanding wind or storm.

· Airport parking is a gamble. While you travel in a car and want to catch a flight, your mind is blocked with the thought of finding parking place until your return and you will be wondering if the belongings will be safe in the right place. In such cases, airport parking is the one for you. The facilities are available at the airport and they provide customer service amenities, thereby permitting travelers to fly and park peacefully. There are off-site places available adjacent to the terminals and is referred to as MDW. You may consider booking this parking space online even when you are on a flight or in a rental car.

· The airport services assure parking spot and offer affordable long and short-term parking, secured surveillance 24 hour lots, luggage assistance, discounted rates, free shuttle services and leaving the key behind to pick up on arrival is also facilitated. If you are a frequent flyer, use regularly the parking lots so that the program provides points to be of use in the future visits. The airport parking program allows enjoying free parking for a day on accumulation of ten points. The points can be collected and used for several days.

· Parking overnight on the CTA or Metra train stations and the nearby suburbs is also a good solution. They do charge for every 24 hours such as $1.50. This can be paid using the mobile app and if you require regular overnight parking consider buying a parking pass for a month. It works out to be cheaper.

Note: Park your vehicle allocated to a parking permit in a specific area, otherwise there is a fine of 250$. Also remember to keep in your car the vehicle permit.

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Source by Karen K Williams

How to Find Unadvertised Discounts on New Cars

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In order to make money, dealerships aim to earn the most money possible on each car sale. However, other factors influence dealer pricing and can lead to unbeatable discount prices for new car buyers. Learn how to take advantage of unadvertised deals such as; factory to dealer incentives, dealership overstock clearance sales, and below invoice sale prices.

MSRP vs. Invoice Price

The MSRP or Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price is just that, a suggestion. The invoice price is what dealerships pay the manufacturer for a new vehicle. When shopping for a new car you should aim to pay less than MSRP. The closer you pay to the invoice price, the better the deal. Paying below car invoice prices will maximize your savings.

Factory to Dealer Incentives

Auto makers often provide factory to dealer incentives, to entice dealers to sell more of a specific model. Factory to dealer incentives allow dealers to pay less than invoice price for the new vehicle. Dealers are not obligated to advertise or pass along these discounts to consumers. Some may keep the extra profits, while other dealers may be willing to pass along some of the savings to consumers.

If you want to take advantage of factory to dealer incentives you’ll need to negotiate. Since dealer incentives are offered to all dealerships within a region, making dealers compete for your business will encourage them to drop their price below dealer cost.

Dealership Overstock Clearance

Dealers must pay to keep vehicles in stock. If a certain model is overstocked the dealer will be paying extra and earning little on sales. Often overstocked dealers are willing to sell new vehicles at or below dealer cost just to make room for higher demand vehicles.

The longer a specific vehicle has been on the lot, the more likely the dealer will be to drop the price. Shopping for outgoing models or at year end is a great time to take advantage of these kinds of discounts.

Meeting Sales Goals

Both car dealerships and salespeople strive to meet monthly sales goals. Meeting goals can mean cash bonuses to the salesperson, or increased factory to dealer incentives to the dealership. Either way, it’s an incentive to move inventory.

Shopping at the end of the month is a great way to take advantage of dealers struggling to reach target sales. If losing a few thousand on one vehicle means a large bonus, the dealer is likely to take the loss to gain more profit.

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Source by Anne Harbour

Do I Need a Car Battery Jump Starter or a Super Capacitor?

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The car battery jump starter of today is an amazing appliance. In addition to having the power to start a car with a dead battery, many of these devices have additional features. These extra features can change a jump starter into a true survival tool.

Some of the extra features found on car battery jump starters are:

1. A light attachment. You might have to use the jump starter in the dark. If the light source is LED, then the power consumption is low. If you have other extra features, you may be using the jump starter for something besides getting a car started.

2. An inverter or AC power source. The energy in a jump starter is DC (Direct Current) energy. Our home appliances are AC (Alternating Current). European AC is 50 cycle and North America is 60 cycle. These are not compatible. Check the owner’s manual for the type of AC produced.

3. DC power outlet. Cell Phones and computers may need recharging if power is out.

4. Air compressor attachment. The emergency problem may not be a dead battery, but rather a tire that needs inflating or inflating an air mattress on a camping trip.

5. Polarity warning alarm. If you try to connect the battery improperly, a warning will sound.

6. Full Charge indicator. There are several kinds of displays, from a red-green light, to gauges or a digital display to tell that the unit is fully charged.

7. Jump start through a cigarette lighter rather than under the hood. These devices take longer to get a charge into the battery, but raising the hood may not always be an option. Some devices have the ability to recharge the unit through the cigarette lighter with DC power.

8. A carrying handle. Handling a device in less than ideal conditions could be a big obstacle.

9. Recharge Time. Depending on the technology used, the recharge to full power can vary between devices.

10. A two stage recharger. This allows the battery to be continuously plugged in when not in use. The unit will stop charging when it is fully charged

These extra features can have a negative effect on the amount of power a the jump starter can produce. Compact size is an important attribute for the jump starter. Extra features take up some space at the expense of the battery size.

The individual unit should have a chart about how long and how much continuous amperage is provided. That will help define the value as an emergency device. Most jump starters are sold based upon cranking amperage and not continuous amperage. In an emergency situation, continuous amperage may be more important than cranking amperage. Short term limited electrical power for an essential medical device, a cell phone or computer network can be lifesaving.

Future versions of the car battery jump starter will reflect new technologies that will improve the product dramatically. Rapid technological change is going to have the same effect on these products as it has on other electrical devices. Energy storage is a rapidly evolving technology, and the type of battery storage in most of the current devices on the market will soon be obsolete. Most of the present models rely on the environmentally unfriendly lead-acid battery technology.

Newer battery technologies are beginning to find their way into jump starters. These new technologies are expensive at the present time because they have not achieved the manufacturing scale required to bring about lower prices.

Most of the new battery technologies use rare earth metals. Many of these metals are mined in either difficult or politically unfriendly locations. This not true of the rapidly evolving super capacitors. New words like Graphene and nano technology are destined to become a part of our everyday vocabulary. The main ingredient of these super capacitors is environmentally friendly carbon. These new technologies will replace the battery in many applications in the very near future.

The word capacitor is not exactly a household word. The capacitor of today is an extremely short term energy storage device. The devices are commonly used on electric motors and flash cameras to give a fraction of a second burst of energy to get the motor running or create the flash. The capacitor of tomorrow may replace the battery for electrical storage.

Two different technologies will revolutionize energy storage. The term Ultra Capacitor is used instead of Super Capacitor in the nano technology developmernt, but the concept is the same. This technology holds the promise of environmentally friendly energy storage on a much larger scale than today’s batteries.

Graphene is a new environmentally friendly material that is also allowing the ordinary capacator to invade the battery space in the form of a super capacitor. This new material is a very promising technology in many industries, and especially in electrical storage. In the car battery jump starter market, it also holds the promise of improving the performance of traditional devices by several orders of magnitude.

Neither nano technology or Graphene based super capacitors require the rare earth materials needed by many new battery technologies. In moving into the battery space, a super capacitor has several performance advantages over batteries. They can be charged and discharged many more times than a battery. A super capacitor can also be recharged in a fraction of the time it takes to charge a conventional battery. The amount of energy that can be stored in a super capacitor hasn’t yet reached the level of the battery. The simple physics of a super capacitor suggests a huge storage advantage is possible compared to current battery technology.

The effect on the car battery jump starter will be amazing. Newer devices will be able to store much more energy and discharge it much more quickly than today’s devices. The value as a short term emergency energy source will be exponentially greater because of additional storage, discharge and recharge capabilities.

This raises the question should I buy the present technology when I know these new technologies are just over the horizon?

In an emergency situation, the technology must be immediately available. A consumer must accept that electricity storage technology is just in its infancy. A purchaser of a jump starter will see the device become obsolete very quickly.

Just as with other electronic devices, a strong consumer market can be the engine that makes these devices into a robust market segment and encourage constant product innovation. A car battery jump starter is a durable good, which means it lasts more than one year. Just as with other appliances, a secondary market will absorb the older devices. The life cycle of technology pricing is that new and innovative products cost more. The initial purchasers of these new products are providing needed capital to create mass production capabilities that will bring prices down quickly so the latest technology can be enjoyed by more consumers. It will also encourage the research and development needed for rapid product improvements.

About all that can be said is get ready for amazing improvements similar to other electronic devices. The energy storage technological advances are not slowing down, The pace of technological change in general is accelerating. It will take some imagination to picture how these advances will affect the market segment of car battery jump starters.

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Source by Wayne W Mardis

How To Inspect A Used Car

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When purchasing a used car, there is always a possibility that the vehicle was not well maintained by the previous owner or that it has serious damage caused by a collision or flooding. As a general tip, always have a trusted third-party mechanic check the used car before purchasing it. However, it's always smart to know how to inspect the vehicle yourself. In this article, we provide a walkthrough of how to go about inspecting a used car.

Check the Exterior Bodywork

One of the most important things to look for in the bodywork is rust. Surface blisters are usually harmless and can be easily treated, but rust from inside panels poses a serious problem. A small spot of rust on the paintwork may be a sign of advanced corrosion underneath. To check, press the area with your thumb or tap it. If it cracks or is brittle, this is a sure sign that this car has advanced rusting.

Also keep an eye out for rust that may be hiding below the front and rear bumpers, along the sides and at the bottom of the doors. If you see rust on the inner wings, bulkhead and chassis, do not buy this used car. Also be sure to check for rust underneath the vehicle. Having the car repaired because of rust can be very expensive and in the end may cost even more than the price of the car!

Check the Odometer

Remember that a healthy average annual mileage is approximately 10,000km. When checking the odometer, see if the numbers are out of line. If this is the case, the odometer might have been tampered with. Dishonest sellers may manipulate odometers to show a different mileage. Check the general condition of the car and if it agrees with the mileage shown on the odometer. Signs of high mileage include worn-out brake pedals and carpet and a slumped driver's seat.

Also be wary if the odometer shows very low mileage. Low mileage is not always a good thing as it may mean the car has been rarely used or may have been only driven on short trips. This style of driving without any long distance may cause engine troubles in the future.

Check the Engine

Check out the general condition of the engine. If the engine is dirty, it suggests that the car has not been well maintained. If the colour of the oil is dark black it may mean that the car has not had a regular oil change. Also check that the end of the dipstick does not have a beige-coloured, think liquid at the end. This liquid may signal head gasket leakage.

Listen to the engine when you start it. If you hear rattling and knocking noises, immediately reject this vehicle!

Check the Transmission

For manual transmission, check that the clutch and all gears are operating smoothly. The clutch should not be too stiff when stepped on and the gear should transition easily from low to high, high to low. For automatic transition, see the transition dipstick for correct fluid level. Also try to smell the dipstick. If it smells burnt, do not purchase the car.

Check the Suspension

When taking the car for a test drive, listen for rattling noises when passing through rough roads. A noisy and bouncy ride suggests worn-out shock absorbers. You may also check the shock absorbers by pushing down on the vehicle enough to let it bounce back. It should rebound just once. More than once means the shock absorbers need replacing, which can be costly.

Check the Steering and Brakes

Check that the steering is not heavy and that the car does not steer towards one side. If the vehicle is heavily steering towards the left or right, wheel alignment or replacement of worn-out tyres is needed.

When applying the brakes, the car should not swerve or shake and there should be no screeching sounds. Also check that the brake gives good resistance and does not sink all the way to the floor when stepped on.

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Source by Tom Jerrat

If Your Steering Is Loose When Driving You Need to Fix It Immediately

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A loose steering wheel can be hazardous for not only the driver and passengers but everybody else on the road as well.

Quickly learn how to fix a loose steering wheel before taking your car out on the road again.

You need to understand that the steering wheel of your vehicle controls the movement and direction of your car and is definitely considered to be one of the most crucial parts. The wheel and column are a component of a complex steering system that receives guidance straight from the driver. By controlling the steering wheel column, the driver controls the entire vehicle and all of its components. That is why it is crucial that this entire system responds to the driver in order to assure a safe, smooth and worry-free ride.

Even though there are 2 types of steering wheels the majority of vehicles have tilt steering columns and that is where we will focus our quick fix instructions on.

To begin with you need to park your vehicle on a flat surface away from traffic. Make sure to pull up your parking brake and remove your keys. Pop open the hood and use some pliers to disconnect the wires from the battery.

Take off the piece that covers the center of the wheel by means of a screwdriver or other sharp flat headed tool. Do this carefully so you will not damage or break the center-piece. You should be able to see the center bolt and you will need to loosen it with a wrench so that you can take it out it completely.

Fasten a steering wheel puller to the wheel itself making sure to pay attention to the manual’s instructions for your specific vehicle and the puller tool model as well. You should now be able to remove the whole wheel and lock plate.

Find the retaining ring after you have removed the wheel and then take a pair of regular pliers to remove it.

Unscrew the screws that hold the turn signal assembly on the wheel. The total number of screws may vary with each make and model of vehicle which can range from 4-6 screws. Place the screws in a safe area away from where you are working so that you will not lose them.

Find the column bracket that connects the column to the dashboard of your car. Take a screwdriver and unbolt the 2 large bolts at the bottom of the bracket. You do not have to remove completely, just enough to see and remove the wires. After that insert your keys into ignition hole and turn it to the on position.

Release the lock cylinder by taking out the 2 screws and then remove the whole cylinder from the car. Then unbolt the 3 large torque bolts from the column of the steering wheel.

Pull off the housing, then the parts of the bearing and finally depress a retainer for the spring with a screwdriver tool. Take a moment to turn the retainer clockwise about a quarter turn.

Remove the spring assembly from the bottom of the steering shaft by taking a pair of pliers and removing the 2 pivot pins. You should be able to see the pivots inside the actual tilt column.

Pull the arm of the tilt column to adjust the column and then move it upward.

The next step would be to tilt the column upwards and to the right again. You will need to pull the housing off again then bearing a metal spring clip and turning it clockwise until you cannot turn it any further.

After this has been completed follow all the aforementioned steps backwards to replace all the components back into their original positions.

These are the basic steps you need to perform when your steering is loose. Remember that a loose steering wheel can affect the safety of your ride so you need to fix that loose steering wheel as soon as you possibly can.

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Source by Tony Tracy

How To Overcome Distraction & Live In Reality

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Overcoming distraction is about knowing how to focus on two things at the same time, but exactly what those two things are not commonly understood or practiced.

Many of us go about our business in a state of sensual, mental or emotional distraction. An egregious example is seen in people walking around while phoning, texting or game playing – then walking into walls, falling into water fountains or wrapping their car around a tree. It would be funny if it weren’t pathetic – like in the slapstick comedies of early film.

Distraction is a primary technique of hypnosis. When you’re distracted you become open to the suggestion of the hypnotist or whomever or whatever is distracting you. A person standing on the corner looking up will cause many passersby to also look up. This is the power of suggestion.

To be distracted is to lose yourself – to lose your soul so to speak. Why? Because distraction is a departure or moving away from your center of being – which is your only true reference point as you interface with the world. Virtually all mistakes and misperception happens when in an incorrectly focused state of mind. You make the wrong decision every time.

Take, for example, the distraction of excitement. A stock technique of the high-pressure salesperson is to excite you about his product or service. Once excited you’re virtually sold because excitement distracts you from your reference point of truth or reality.

When you get home and the excitement wears off, you scratch your head wondering why you bought or paid so much for that used car, time-share, “free” vacation or service you really didn’t want or need. – Which is why many states require a 3-day cooling off period before a contract becomes binding. That the government has to protect us from ourselves reveals how little we understand about ourselves. How lacking in self-awareness we are.

The key to living in distraction-free reality is to cultivate a little distance from the person, place or thing you’re relating to in a given situation. See, hear and respond both with your eyes and ears and your higher awareness. That’s what we mean by “two things at the same time.” It’s relating with both a personal faculty – sense, thought or feeling, and your impersonal faculty – which is your awareness or knowing faculty, at the same time. One is necessary to check and empower the other.

Again, we’re not talking about two personal things at the same time – like eating and reading; we’re talking about one personal thing and one impersonal thing – like eating and awareness of eating. Distraction is trying to concentrate on two or more personal things at the same time, and that’s the cause of distraction, misperception, error, and diminished performance.

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Source by William F McLaughlin

How To Get Out Of A Car Lease Without (Too Much) Regret!

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You’ve loved your leased car but the payments are steeper than you thought to manage. Or maybe you’ve just been transferred overseas. Or, maybe you just decided you really just don’t like driving this car as much as you thought you would! You know that getting into the lease was pretty easy but getting out maybe be a bit more difficult.

It’s true that getting out of a car lease is not as easy as paying a penalty fee (like you might if you wanted to end a cell phone agreement) and giving back the car. Those payments that you make every month were calculated on a legal binding agreement and breaking that agreement will be costly. However, the closer you are to the end of the lease, the less it will cost to end it. Find your lease agreement and read ALL the fine print on the back to find out how your leasing company will charge you. The fees will likely be heavy and it may cost up to thousands of dollars to rid yourself of your agreement.

Often the best option is to transfer a lease to someone else. It might seem easy to just let a friend or family member take the car and make the payments but you must transfer the agreement legally to be able to be free and clear of all liability in the event the car was in an accident.

There are companies that work with matching up individuals who want to take over a lease with those that need to get out of a car lease. You can list your lease online and see if someone else would like to take over the agreement. Of course they will have to meet the requirements of your leasing agent such as a good credit record.

There are some other options such as selling the vehicle and using the proceeds to pay off the lease. There is also a way to negotiate an early buyout. You might want to buy your car and own it outright sooner than the end of the agreement. If you are near the end of your lease agreement, sometimes you will be allowed to trade into a new lease through the same leasing company.

Everyone’s situation is different and sometimes after weighing all the considerations, holding onto the car and continue in the agreement may be the best decision.

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Source by Mitchell E. Davis