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Potholes are just one of the many regular hazards people deal with as they drive their daily routes. Most will try to avoid potholes as much as possible, but will eventually end up hitting a large hole that is simply unavoidable. While some only try to avoid potholes because of the jarring bump that occurs, others realize the serious issues that can come from hitting a pothole. It is important to understand pothole damage and your wheel alignment, as potholes can cause serious problems that will require repairs.

The Problem with Potholes

Potholes are an incredible nuisance and annoyance, but can actually do some serious damage to your vehicle. The problems are all caused by the way the pothole forces your vehicle to move, as only one of the four tires of your vehicle is going to dip into the pothole at any given time. While your car wants to completely shift to the side that the pothole has been hit, the front (or back) tire that is not in the pothole stops it from doing so. This means that the parts that focus on the alignment of the tire that goes into the pothole will bend and shift to compensate.

This shift and bend can cause a myriad of problems for your vehicle, all of them stemming from the wheel alignment of your vehicle. When your tires and the various parts that keep them aligned move, they become off and misaligned. A small wheel alignment issue may not be noticeable for a long time; save for the shaking that you will feel as you drive. Eventually, serious issues will rise from that initial misalignment.

Pulling

If the pothole damage that your vehicle sustains manages to damage or shift the caster, your wheel alignment will be off in terms of steering. If you feel your vehicle pull from one side to the other as you drive, the casters are off. This can make driving and steering somewhat difficult, as you must constantly correct for the way that your vehicle shifts on the road.

Tires

Issues with wheel alignment can cause uneven wear and tear on your tires, as the jolt of a pothole can mess with the cambers of the alignment system. When the camber is damaged, the wheel will tilt to one side or the other. The uneven wearing of the tires results, and the suspension of your vehicle will suffer.

Toeing

The toe is the third part of the wheel alignment system of your vehicle. When you hit a pothole, the toe of your vehicle can turned in (positive toe) or turned out (negative toe). This can cause the same uneven tire wear as camber issues, and can also cause the steering issues caused when the caster is off.

The initial issues caused by pothole damage and your wheel alignments are small – you’ll notice a shift in driving and steering and may notice some shaking. The tire wear and the suspension wear take time to surface, but will result in the need for part replacement.

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Source by Ron Haugen

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Car magnets advertising is a very affordable way to get your name out there to the general public. Just think–you are driving down the road and thousands of people are seeing your brand over and over again!

But what are some of the drawbacks of magnetic car advertising? And how do you get that sign done, anyhow?

First off, the pros of magnetic advertising are numerous. It is relatively low-cost, it gets your name in front of a large group of people, and it travels wherever you travel!

This kind of display advertising is especially beneficial for local or regional service businesses, such as home organization consultants or property management companies.

But think before you delve into this form of display advertising. There are some definite cons.

For one, are you reaching your target market by displaying a magnetic sign? Just driving down the road you may not. When you have a niche or affinity market, this option may not be the best idea, unless you plan on spending a lot of time parked in lots where your affinity market is also hanging out.

Additionally, magnetic signs can fall off your car. This happened to me! And if your body is fiberglass, it won’t work.

You might want to consider vinyl advertising, instead, if you are worried about either one.

So, now that you know the good, the bad, and the ugly about car magnet advertising, how do you go about getting a sign?

Google car magnet advertising or some variation of the phrase. You will find many companies who do an excellent job. Some do only one or two color, others offer full color. Some companies have stock designs you personalize, others have an online design program.

Be sure to check what technical considerations are needed for your sign. Most websites list that under an FAQ section or a section devoted specifically to that. If you have any questions about it, don’t be afraid to call and talk to their technical department. They can guide you step by step what you need.

If you want to have a sign done locally, look at your local copy or sign shop. Copy shops often have reasonable prices, although they don’t seem to be as competitive as online shops.

Consider going with full color designs as opposed to one or two color. Color sells, especially in this Internet age we live in.

Make sure you use your brand consistently. What does this mean? Be sure your logo is the same as your business card as your magnetic sign as your website. Then when a prospect goes to your website after seeing your sign, they will immediately recognize that they’re at the right site.

You want to have one strong marketing message. Don’t list too many products or services. Keep it simple. Remember, white space is good! In design, less is more.

In other words, if you clutter up your sign with too many images and words, you will only confuse your prospect and you will not see any results.

Make sure the fonts are readable. Make your phone number and/or website stand out by putting it in another color.

By designing and purchasing a car magnet, your advertising will reach new heights and your brand will sizzle!

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Source by Dana Susan Beasley

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A reliable and trustworthy towing contractor will always give the best roadside help to people who have met a sudden breakdown. They will also help people stuck in the middle of the road with nowhere to go. It is one of the most respected profession as people who are working in this industry give the best help during an emergency.

Towing services are legal. However, there are few people who make use of unethical practices to cheat the customers. This end up into a horrible experience and customers lose faith in people who are working in the same industry.

Towing Scams

There are different kinds of cars present in the road i.e. small cars or heavy trucks used to carry loads. It is also a fact that accidents can happen anytime and you will need a reliable company who can take you out of this mess. Have a look at the few most obvious scams which you may experience:-

• A false company will park your vehicle in an unknown place and they won’t give it to you unless you pay inflated charges.

• Few of the towing companies also have a contract with the auto body shops which will charge you more if you get your vehicle repaired from them. This is one of the most obvious scams which most of the people meet. You should have the right to choose your own auto repair shop.

• Unauthorized towing companies make use of fake documents to get business from innocent people. They give you an assurance that they will tow your vehicle to a place safely. However, it is not always true.

It is a very easy task to find a reliable company. Be very careful while making a choice. Here are the following tips you should always keep in mind when you are looking for a towing company:-

#1

Check all the documents i.e. insurance coverage, license along with supporting documents that will make sure that the company is honest.

#2

Read the details of the contract before signing up with them. It should include the price details and services which they are offering. Signing a contract means you have less chance of a scam.

#3

Your towing contractor should follow all the rules and regulations. Furthermore, they should also charge an affordable price for the services. Keep all these tips in mind to choose the most reliable professional for the task.

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Source by Animesh Kumar Sarkar

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When you drive, your car’s engine produces a considerable amount of heat. And it is the radiator’s job to eliminate this excess heat so that your vehicle can operate smoothly and safely. It is the main component to your vehicle’s cooling system, and without it, your engine would overheat and cause damage to other auto parts every time you drive.

Coolant

The radiator doesn’t manage the heat levels in your engine all alone; the heat exchange process is coupled with the utilization of a well-known, heat-absorbing liquid called coolant. Coolant must be replaced in your radiator on a routine basis in order to maintain a properly-functioning radiator and engine. Coolant is also known as anti-freeze, because it also prevents the engine from freezing up in cold weather.

How They Operate

A radiator is typically made from aluminum because it is a terrific heat-dissipating metal and low in weight. But it can be made from steel and other metals as well. Radiators work by sending coolant through the inner components of the engine to absorb heat; and once enough heat is absorbed, the coolant travels back to the radiator to be cooled down, and the cycle continues as you drive.

A Little History

Before coolant was used, water was poured into radiators. But as automotive and aeronautics industries grew in technology, engines became too powerful for just water. It would boil too quickly and damage other components of the vehicle. Commercial coolant use was introduced shortly after the Second World War, and is now a readily-available product on the market. It can withstand much higher boiling points, making it effective and economical.

Common Repairs

The most common issues with radiators are leaks. Coolant leaks can cause poor performance, overheating engines, and sludge inside the radiator. All this can damage many other areas of the car. A frequent cause for coolant leaks is broken coolant tubing. Annual car maintenance and inspection can catch small problems like this early on, before they turn into costly repairs.

Another common radiator issue are damaged fan belts. If a fan belt is defective, it will not allow the coolant to be pumped all throughout the engine block, so it is necessary to repair these as soon as possible. In minor cases, a coolant leak is caused by loose tubing. A mechanic can simply tighten the radiator hose clamps so the leak is stopped. In more serious cases, the best repair option is replacement.

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Source by Sarahbeth Kluzinski

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Only about 52 countries of the world drive on left side of the road, this driving system is introduced by Great Britain. From total of 193 sovereign states only 52 drive on left side of the road or say Right Hand Steering mounted vehicles. This makes about 1/4th. Of the total world driving with Right-Hand Drive vehicles. More investigations show that there is no special reason, whereas the countries including United States of America claim it to be safer.

Some readers might be wondering how to convert a right hand side steering to a left hand side. This is obviously not so simple and the risks and costs involved should be taken into proper consideration. But why there is a demand for such a method and why such users do do not buy Right-Hand drive or Left-Hand Drive vehicles in the first hand to comply with their country traffic rules. Results show that customers who cannot afford a new car goes for a second-hand and when they look for a second hand high quality vehicle with less mileage and high specs their eyes turn towards Japan.

Japan is the largest market for exporting high quality used cars, but Japan has a traffic system equivalent with United Kingdom and drive on left side of the road. Therefore the customers who wish Japanese domestic vehicles have to either drive a Right-Hand Drive vehicle or do the conversion of steering if there are some strict rules about imports of Right-Hand Drive used vehicles. Some countries have totally banned the imports of Right-Hand Drive vehicles which have transferred the attention of used vehicles exporters to provide a Left-Hand Drive conversion. One such exporter is Nexuss International Co.Ltd. Of Japan known as Nexusscars. They are striving to provide every support to the global importers of used cars from Japan.

The steering conversion process is technical and is not limited to mechanicals but electrical also. The vehicles having center-locking, electric windows and power-assisted steering have to be reinstated after the conversion so as the driver does not feel any different from original. In the conversion process first the dashboard, door trims and steering kit have to be removed including foot pedals. The empty spaces from the pedals on the floor have to be fixed taking full care not to burn any electrics. Then Brakes master cylinder, Aircon, heater and power steering cables should be fixed in the opposite side. The important factor is to install the new electrics and new rubber parts and cables including foot pedals.

The airbags are very sensitive therefore extra care has to be taken while taking off the steering bracket and re-fixing it. Lastly the full checks to make sure that all the electrics are functioning properly after the new dashboard is fixed and the new steering bracket is welded properly to the passenger side. Once all the functions are tested the door trims have to be fixed and the job is nearly over. In Japan there are speed road testers which will tell electronically about the drive; this saves the risks on the road. After the test proves OK your converted Left-Hand Drive car is ready for a safe drive.

There are few garages in Japan who provides this extra ordinary service under qualified mechanics. The prices for steering conversion can vary and depend on the type of vehicle but please always have a second opinion about the prices and expertise of such jobs. Have a save drive-bon voyage.

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Source by Lilaa Ivanova

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Customers are lining up to agree that the Kid Trax Fire Truck is the new burning hot item for kids. Viewed by elves, on over a million wish list at the North Pole.

It has a 12v battery that ensures you maximum run time to assure long-term life of the battery, charge for 24 hours on initial charge. Once battery is completely charged, it will put out power for 10 hours of endless fun between charges.

Safety is always a concern when it comes to fire fighting. That is why customers are thrilled with he twin rear-wheel drive motors and durable MaxTrax wheels with a traction strip to avoid slippage, parental speed control, sturdy grab bars, and the indestructible frame maintain your little hero’s safety.

When your child lights up the real working and flashing emergency lights, the Kid Trax Fire Truck magically comes to life. Kids adore the light-up dashboard and side mirrors with reflective surfaces, it ultimately has imaginations racing like a wildfire.

Customers are impressed by the multiple speeds in the Kid Trax red fire engine. It has a low-speed at 2.5 mph and a high-speed at 5.0 mph, with a reverse speed at 2.5 mph. Plus, there is a parent lock out speed control for safety.

The Kid Trax Fire Truck will more than get the attention desired when your little hotshots speak through the megaphone. Kids love calling out to those in need of rescue while on their electric ride on fire truck.

Customers agree that the Kid Trax red fire engine electric ride-on is not be complete without its real working water feature The 1-liter capacity super-spray hose can inevitably put any fire out. Your little heroes will enjoy staying cool when it is hot outside with the active water play

Sound effects blare when your junior fire marshal twists the diesel engine ignition to begin rescuing in the Kid Trax Fire Truck. Caution when you hear the emergency sirens, main sirens, and the real air horn warning you to move aside. Built into the steering wheel, buttons are easy to access.

Kids love the must-have rescue tools. The blow molded shovel and axe can easily be removed from the Kid Trax Fire Truck. They can either stash them on the fire engine or play with them while off duty.

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Source by Melissa Gannion

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Owning your own car is not just a luxury, but it is a necessity that most people must have, including those people with bad or damaged credit. You need your car in order to get to work, go shopping, and to take your kids to school. However, there are many people out there with credit scores that keep them from getting the financing that they need in order to buy the car that they need. If your credit score is below 500, you have what is known as horrible credit, and traditional financing options that are available to you are scarce or even non-existent. The good news is that while you need to work on rebuilding or repairing your credit file, there are lenders who will take a chance on you with damaged credit, even for those borrowers whose credit scores are below 500.

Less Worry About FICO Score

These lenders worry less about your FICO score and look more at what really matters to them – your ability to repay them when they loan you the money to buy a car. These types of bad credit car loan servicers are accustomed to dealing with those who have bad credit, and in their eyes, the car itself stands as collateral for the loan. This means that the lender looks at factors like your length of time at our current job and the amount of pay that you receive for doing that job. They also take into consideration your other income, or income that other people in your home receive. For this reason, it is always best to include the income that your spouse brings into the home when you apply for your car loan for bad credit.

Interest Rates To Expect With Bad Credit Car Loans

Be prepared for a bit of a surprise when the lender informs you about the interest rates that you will pay on a bad credit car loan. Because you have had negligent credit in the past, the lender will likely assess a higher rate of interest than he would for a borrower with good credit, and this is done to offset his risks. You can reduce the rate of interest that you will pay in one of two ways. First of all, you can apply a down payment to the purchase price of the car that you want to finance under the bad credit car loan.

Any type of down payment that you can produce will help lower your rate of interest, so even if you pay only 10% or even less down on the car, you will get a lower rate of interest and that, in turn, will cause the loan to cost less and have the bonus benefit of making your monthly payments smaller. Secondly, you can apply for the bad credit car loan with the help of a cosigner who has good credit. Having a cosigner can significantly reduce the amount of interest that you are charged on your loan.

Bad Credit Car Loans Can Improve Credit Score

Once you have been approved for your bad credit car loan, become a good steward of the credit that has been extended to you by making timely monthly payments. Many people that take out these types of bad credit car loans find that they are able to improve their credit scores, which can have the ripple effect of reducing the interest that you are charged on subsequent loans in the future, and opening the door for you to obtain other types of credit.

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Source by Jess Peterson

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This article highlights the problem of LPG, which is being alleviated by increasing availability. It talks about the drawbacks of the availability issue and also details solutions, giving situations and recommendations for converting to LPG.

Currently up-take of LPG amongst consumers is quite low, with about 120,000 LPG cars out of a total of about 26 million cars on our roads. This figure is however, always increasing.

A reason for the low up-take could be a lack of availability of LPG, which in some areas is poor. With only about one tenth of the UK’s service stations stocking LPG, it can be difficult to fill up your car in some areas but this is also ever expanding with more and more LPG stations popping up over the country. There are currently on-going campaigns to make LPG more widely available and easily accessible, which should help LPG reach you and your area.

Obviously, in order to be truly cost efficient you’ll need to have an LPG station near you but if your nearest LPG station is miles away then there are also the environmental benefits to consider as these alone are part of the attractiveness of LPG. With LPG stations opening daily, LPG is becoming an extremely attractive and cost effective option for many drivers, especially high mileage and fuel thirsty cars.

Although the major car manufacturers are not producing LPG cars, you can easily modify a petrol engine to run on LPG.

Check out the availability of LPG near you at http://www.fuelture.com/wrapper/Find-LPG-stations-in-your-area/

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Source by Daniel Muir

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So you’re interested in drifting and want to start competing. Well before you can begin to compete you need to have a car that can compete.

This can be a problem. If you where anything like me when I started out, you don’t have the cash to build a Formula D level slide machine. So what do you do? Well, do what I did; build a drift car on a budget!

The first step is finding a good platform to start with. This can be a challenge with all the different cars that are used in the drifting world. But I have a few solid rules that you can follow that will help make your decision a lot easier.

First, you will want something driftable. By saying driftable, I’m talking about how it needs to have the essential characteristics of a drift car. You will NEED to find a car that has rear wheel drive (RWD), and a manual transmission. Don’t go out and find something with a automatic transmission or for some reason front wheel drive (FWD) and say “I can just do a tranny swap” or “I can do a RWD conversion”. DON’T! This is NOT WORTH THE EFFORT, PERIOD! The purpose is to build a drift car for as cheap as possible and as quick as possible so that you can be on the track drifting as soon as possible.

Second, you want it to be cheap. I set a budget of $1000. I know plenty of people that found a car for less but they got lucky. I set my budget of $1000 for a running driving car that I could build into something that would be competitive. Along with the price of the car being cheap, you want parts to be cheap. You want a vehicle that has a strong aftermarket following and an abundance of spare parts that are easy to find and cheap.

And third, you will want a vehicle you aren’t in love with. In the world of drifting, you will make mistakes, you will have accidents, and you will crash. Therefore you want something that you will be willing to take to the edge and past in order to improve your skills. Too many times I’ve seen people that are afraid to push themselves and there car because they’re afraid of crashing. To be able to learn and improve you can’t be thinking about crashing, you need to be thinking about how you can better your technique. You can’t be afraid of crashing, it’s inevitable so deal with it.

I chose a 1992 Nissan 240sx for several reasons. They’re cheap, they have a huge aftermarket following, parts from other Nissans are bolt-on upgrades, and the 2.4L DOHC (KA24DE) engine is tough and loaded with torque.

Cars I would recommend are the Nissan 240sx S13 and S14, Mazda Miata MX-5 (any year), Toyota Supra (I recommend the older body style of the early 90s), Mazda Rx7, and the Toyota Cressida. Or if your into domestics you can go with the Ford Mustang, or any other cheap abundant RWD car.

Up next “Drift Car On A Budget: Part 2, The Essential Mods”.

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Source by Chip Szalewski

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Because they look cool right! The performance benefits of custom wheels should be your answer. In the 1950s and 1960s race car drivers developed lighter magnesium wheels to reduce weight and enhance performance in all form of racing. They were called Mags by the racers, a term still widely used today. However, most magnesium wheels were far to fragile for daily street use. Plus magnesium oxidizes very quickly and require frequent polishing. Magnesium wheels used in modern race cars are often forged to make them stronger and reduce weight. As a result contemporary forged magnesium custom wheels are very expensive. The oxidization problem is the reason you don’t see contemporary custom wheels made of magnesium.

Fortunately for the custom wheel market today manufacturers developed light weight aluminum alloy wheels that provide the strength needed and come in numerous finish options while reducing wheel weight. Trendy wheel finishes include chrome and polished aluminum, plus painted aluminum alloy come in hyper-silver, silver, white, black, gray and Anthracite. While many of us choose aftermarket custom wheels for their good looks, there are many important performance benefits resulting from reducing a wheels weight compared to factory steel wheels.

The additional strength of a custom alloy wheels can notably reduce tire deflection and tire rollover while cornering. You also get increased brake cooling with custom alloy wheels because aluminum alloy is a great conductor of heat. The large mass of the aluminum wheels help dissipate heat from the brakes. The open design of 5 spoke and 6 spoke custom wheels allow more air flow over the brakes cooling them as you drive in city traffic.

One of the most significant factors affecting a car, truck or SUV road holding ability is the reduced weight of custom aluminum alloy wheels over factory steel wheels. By reducing weight, custom wheels provide improved acceleration and braking. You must also be careful not to exceed the design weight of the original wheels and have the reverse effect by adding larger wheels and tires or aluminum alloy wheels that are gravity cast. Gravity cast aluminum alloy custom wheels are cheaper but heavier and prone to bending. Look for aluminum wheels that are either low pressure cast or forged, they cost more but will reduced weight and adds strength.

Keep in mind that sizing up or adding larger wheels and tires will actually add weight. So plus sizing should be done the proper way. By using a larger diameter wheel with a lower profile tire it’s possible to properly maintain the overall original diameter of your wheel and tire. It’s important to keep your new custom wheels within 3 percent of the original equipment. Differences larger than 3 percent can cause problems with transmission shift points which can decrease fuel mileage. It can also confuse braking system computers, reduce ride comfort and cornering capability. Go for wider rather than taller wheel – tire diameters, the results is a larger contact patch and a sportier look.

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Source by Steven Farber