Pros and Cons of Using Alloy Wheels

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Almost same as ordinary wheels, alloy wheels add to the look of automobiles. They are made of aluminium or magnesium alloys and this is what makes them strong, durable, lighter than normal wheels and very stylish. These wheels are manufactured by forging or casting of these metal alloys.

Advantages of Using Alloy Wheels:

• Alloy wheels are light weight and are therefore used in sports cars. These are either made of forged aluminium alloy or magnesium alloy. Cast aluminium alloy is not used in these cases as they are heavier than their counterparts. Though the former variants are light and stylish, they pinch the pocket slightly as they offer the best of services.

• Since these wheels are light, they provide better road grip on any type of terrain. It also impresses on the mileage front and the balancing of the vehicle as it reduces the stress on the car making its life long.

• These wheels also make the cars look extremely stylish. A car can have the finest colour and the best make, but if the wheels look like old steel, the look is marred. Alloy wheels impart style and class to a car making it look class apart.

Disadvantages of Using Alloy Wheels:

• Due to continuous use of these wheels, they may be damaged and that is why the wheels need to be repaired. There are several reasons why the alloy wheels need repairing. When we drive the car very fast, we often hit stones that result in scratches, when we graze through a hard surface the wheels can get damaged.

• Often due to carelessly parking the car, the wheels may be damaged. These scratches make the wheels look ugly and discoloured. They can get dented at times and also become deformed. In these cases, the wheels need to get repaired.

Repairing Alloy Wheels:

• To be able to repair alloy wheels, it is important to understand the extent of the damage caused. Many a times, the wheels gather a lot or dirt and dust on them and that is why they look dull. These types of damages require proper cleaning. With the use of proper cleaning agents, the wheels can be restored their original shine. There are some damaged wheels that have scratches and dents. These need to be refurbished so that they do not hinder in the running of the car. There are several garages where these wheels can be properly repaired by fixing and patching the damaged parts.

• It is always a good option to repair the alloy wheels than to replace them. Replacing these wheels can cost a great deal of money. However, if the damaged wheels are in a position to be fixed and refurbished, they should be patched to good health. This will save a lot of money, yet make the car look as good as new. You can make a survey of the places that repair and fix these wheels before seeking their services. These places also clean the wheels making them look as good as new.

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Source by Anamika Swami

What is a Way to Get Rid of Used Tires Cheap?

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Used tires create big problems for landfills. Because of the materials they are made out of, which are intended to be very durable, they do not decompose. They also take up a lot of space, but 75 percent of the space is ‘void space,’ or useless space. Tires tend to pop to the surface because they fill with methane gas, and this causes even more problems for the landfill company. Tires in landfills are such a menace that 38 states have passed legislation banning used tires from entering the landfills, and this creates quite a problem for people who need to get rid of them. If you have some tires that you need to dispose of, consider these options.

Tire Recycling

Tire recycling is a good option for tires that have no life left in them. Recycled tires can be turned into other useful products. For instance, shredded tires can be used as substrate for playgrounds in lieu of woodchips or gravel, which can cause injury. Steel mills can burn tires in order to replace the carbon lost in steel manufacturing. Whole tires can be used as barriers or for erosion control. Tires can even be stamped and cut to make certain types of clothing, such as rubber sandals.

One problem with tire recycling is that it is not always cheap. You will sometimes have to pay to recycle tires, and if you are looking for a cheap way to get rid of your unwanted tires, you are going to be disappointed. However, before you rule out this option, talk to your local recycling center to see what options in your area are available.

Sell Your Used Tires

Believe it or not, you might be able to sell your used tires. If they are in usable shape, but simply need a patch, a junkyard might be willing to buy them from you in order to repair and then resell them. In fact, you can actually make quite a bit of money selling used tires to the right junkyard if you shop around to find one that will pay a decent price. Some people have used this to bring in a secondary income for their families, placing ads in the local papers collecting other people’s used tires for free, and then reselling them to a local junkyard.

What do you need to know if you want to pursue this option? Start by visiting area junkyards and telling them about the tires that you have. Be sure to be completely honest about the condition, as this will dictate the price. See what they will offer, and then try to negotiate a better price. In general, used tires should bring in 25 to 50 percent of the actual retail value of a similar used tire. If you are not happy with the price, shop around until you find a better one.

You can also check with local repair shops that sell used tires. These places will likely only take the tires if they are in good shape, but most repair shops know how to repair flat tires and make them usable again. Before you begin negotiating a price, visit the shop to find out what they typically sell a similar sized used tire for, and use that number as your negotiating point.

Whatever you do with your used tires, do not throw them in the garbage bin. This is against the law in many states, and is very hazardous for the environment. Take some time to research your options and find a safe, affordable way to dispose of the tires that will not add them to the landfill.

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Source by Amy Nutt

Brake Pedal Goes Down Further Than Normal

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When you press the car brake pedal you will notice that it goes down further than it used to be, there are two possible reasons that causes this kind of problem. Its either the fluid is very low or the shoe lining is worn.

To check which one of the two is the possible reason that causes the pedal to goes down further than it used to, is to first check if the brake have sufficient fluid in it, open the hood of the car and check the level of the fluid on the fluid reservoir, usually it is located on top of the brake master cylinder. As you may not know, when the fluid level is low the brake pedal will travel further before it will stop because the lower the fluid level the lower the pedal will travel. Just simply add the required amount of fluid to correct the problem, however the reason why the fluid level is low is another problem that needs to find out.

If for instance the fluid is at a normal level then the cause of having a pedal that goes down than it used to be is that the car brake shoe lining is worn, usually the rear brake is consisting of a drum brake system, that consist of a shoes. When the pedal is press the shoes also press against the inside of a drum. If the brake shoe lining is worn, the pedal will have to be press down further than it used to before the shoe lining touches the inside of a drum. To correct this kind of problem you have no choice but to bring the car to a reputable shop that specialized in brake works, not unless you know how to replace the worn shoe lining.

When replacing the brake shoe lining, consider also to machined the drums before installing a new lining.

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Source by Allan V.

Solar Powered Battery Chargers and How They Work Today

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As the name suggests, solar powered chargers depend on solar energy to both charge and to supply electricity to devices. These are used for charging lead acid or Ni-Cd batteries to a maximum of 48V and 400 Ah capacity and are generally portable. Its portability makes it a favorite choice amongst people for use as a battery charger as it can be easily carried to charge your car wherever it may be.

There is a variety of solar powered battery chargers in the market today, used for charging various electrical items like:

  1. The portable designs which are popularly used for charging different types of mobile phones, iPods and other portable audio equipment. These chargers are connected to your cell phone using the help of a USB cable.
  2. Solar battery chargers used for cars come in a fold out model which you just have to place on your automobile dashboard, and plug it into the cigar lighter. This way, the charger will keep topping up the car battery, even when the car is not in use.
  3. Solar battery chargers are also found in torches that work with an additional charging mechanism like a kinetic charging system.

How solar battery chargers work

Solar powered battery chargers usually work with the help of intelligent charge controllers. Here, a series of solar cell array plates are separately installed on a roof top, and are collectively connected to a battery bank.

These chargers are not only used for recharging purposes, but can also be connected to the mains supply chargers to help save on energy costs during the day. Now you understand the set up of a solar battery charger, you will definitely wonder how these solar chargers actually work at generating electricity from sunlight.

Basically, free electrons that carry negative charges create movement in an electrical current. These free electrons are entangled in an orbit surrounding the atom nucleus made of protons and neutrons. This is the fundamental aspect that occurs in the atoms of everything in the universe.

Silicon is the material used in solar cells. In solar panels, these electrons are knocked loose from its orbit by the energy found in photons from sunlight This photon’s ability in disentangling electrons from its orbit is called photoelectric effect.

Positive and negative side

By adding impurities like Boron and Phosphorus, an imbalance is created between the positively and negatively charged particles in silicon, which in turn helps creates an electrical field. The electrons are pushed towards the front of the solar cell to create a negatively charged side while the protons are left behind on the other side of the cell to create a positive charge.

These two sides are then connected to an external load like the terminals of a solar battery charger to create electricity. As a single solar cell can only produce about one or two watts of energy, multiple cells are combined in a solar charger to produce sufficient energy to charge a battery.

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Source by Guy Starbuck

When Should You Reassess Your Auto Insurance Policy?

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As one of the most purchased types of insurance, many auto insurance holders do not realize that the premium they pay is not a permanently set price. Insurance companies factor in a number of variables when deciding the price of a policy. Over time, these factors can change for an individual driver which can affect the price of the policy. Experts recommend that consumers reassess their auto insurance policy each year or if there has been a sudden change in their personal situation that will affect the price they pay as well as their coverage. If you have auto insurance, below are a number of situations where it would be wise to reassess your policy:

1. Vehicle Type: The type of vehicle you drive will affect the price you pay for insurance. For instance, the cost of car insurance for an expensive and high performance sports car will be much higher than for a traditional family car that is used to do local errands and such. It is important to inform your insurance provider if you get a new vehicle. The history, make, model, and year of the vehicle will all affect premiums. As well, if you buy a fuel efficient car such as a hybrid, you should be able to get a discount on your car insurance.

2. Driving History: If you have a history of traffic violations, speeding tickets, and accidents, you will be assessed as a high risk driver and pay more for your policy. However, if you clean up your record and maintain a good driving record, after a specific number of years, the penalties will be removed from your record. If you have restored your driving record, you should contact your insurance provider and inquire about paying a lower rate.

3. Personal Life Changes: Statistics are used to determine the price of a policy. Because research has shown that married people with children tend to have lower incidents of accidents because they drive more carefully, if you have recently married, you should check with your insurance provider to see if you can get a better rate. As well, you should contact your insurance company if you get a divorce or your spouse dies.

4. Where You Live: The location of a driver will affect the price they pay for their insurance. For instance, more densely populated places that have a high crime rate will be assessed as a high risk so people living in these areas will pay higher premiums than people living in more rural and low crime areas. If you have recently moved from a city to a rural area, or even to a quieter and less populated residential community, you should contact your insurance company to see about getting a discount. As well, if the security factors have changed such as you now park your car in a garage at night instead of on the street, or you have recently installed anti-theft devices, you should contact your insurance provider.

Insurance companies rely heavily on research and statistical data to set their policy rates. Because car insurance is something we all must have in order to drive, it is always beneficial to take steps to reduce costs. As well, it is important that we all have the proper coverage. To reduce costs and avoid financial hardship, people should reassess their policy at least once a year.

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Source by Adriana N.

Why Do Alternators Fail?

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Every car charging system consists of at least a battery and an alternator. The alternator generates the electricity needed for the electrical components in the car to run. This is by charging the battery. When it comes to the alternators, they have a reputation of being strong and rugged. But they still break you may wonder. Well, yes they do, and if you are interested to know the reasons then you are reading the perfect article.

The primary reasons for alternator breakdowns are excessive heat, overwork, and overload. This is why you should be very careful when jump starting a car. Simply, you may accidentally cross the jumper cables, which is not tolerable by the alternator. Furthermore, if the battery cables are disconnected while the engine is running, the alternator won’t like it either, and may collapse.

Before deciding to dislocate the alternator, and taking it to a service shop to test it, you may consider buying a voltmeter for fewer than five dollars, drive the car for a day or two while constantly monitoring the voltage reading. So long the meter reads above 12 volts then the alternator is doing what it is supposed to do. Now it may drop during idle, buts that normal, just make sure that it is reading well above 12 when driving.

On a concluding point, alternators can also partially fail, where the converter of AC (alternating current) to DC (direct current) fails. Now the reason I said partially is because each alternator has more than one converter or diode, and in case one fails the rest would still work, however the overall result may not be sufficient to keep the voltage efficient at idle and low speeds. For more information about selling your car, check out the Why Do Alternators Fail

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Source by Khalid Mustaffa

Industry Use of the Word "Carwash" Versus "Car Wash" Considered

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There seems to be a bit of a discrepancy in the car washing sector as to where the carwashes the term “carwash” or “car wash” is most appropriate, that is to say is it all one-word or is it two-words. Okay so, since, I’ve been in the industry myself for nearly 30-years prior to retirement, I’d like to discuss this with you for a moment, and give you my take on this controversy.

Interestingly enough, the term “Carwash” has been used since the industry started, but many people use “car wash” online, and when they talk, so over the years, it seems to be either/or both. Unfortunately, using “car wash” also confuses those who are adamant about proper English, because it confuses the noun with the action to wash a car.

Nevertheless, I can say this, I was instrumental in my career of modifying the English Language to use the term “car wash” as a verb and as a noun, and looking back, I rather like it that way. Now then, during most of my career I was on the mobile side of the industry.

No one in the mobile car washing industry uses the word “carwash” to describe their businesses, and most everyone in the traditional location based carwashes uses “carwash” to describe their operations. That’s why I used the term way I did, although I bet you could find a half a dozen English Majors or professors in any given school who wouldn’t agree with my take on this or the realities of a changing and evolving industry.

So, that’s why I think I might disagree with English Teachers, I’ve changed the term over the years, and I like my way better, besides if you search the word online the search engines seem to pull up businesses, and doesn’t seem to pull up very many car washing “action” type websites. The world has changed, so it’s time that all the editors, English Teachers, and public get used to it, and change or get run over by the onslaught of actual users of the language, and look out now, because here comes China with more English speaking folks as a second language than the number of people in the US. India is next, so we are all going to have to deal with that.

When reading about this word in Wikipedia, it immediately announces that both uses of the word are common, and seems to indicate either are perfectly acceptable. I tend to agree with that, and would submit to you that when discussing mobile businesses, you always should use two-words to describe it, and when talking about a fixed site location, you should generally or mostly use the one-worded version, which most in the industry would agree. Indeed, I hope this clears things up for you, please consider all this and think on it.

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Source by Lance Winslow

The Definition of Luxury Cars

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Luxury cars are those vehicles which provide luxury with pleasant or advantageous features beyond strict necessity at an increased expense. Here the term “luxury” describes the greater equipment, good performance, construction accuracy, enormous comfort with creative design and technological innovation or features which create the brand image, status or prestige-or any other flexible feature.

Targeting a particular socio-economic class, the automobile manufactures make specific models of vehicles that get associated with social status of that class. Thus, in collusion with the car-buying public, these automobile manufactures distinguish among their product lines. Regarding the luxury vehicles, high price is the most common factor; moreover the styling, engineering, and even public opinion about the cars highest and lowest status association with them also matters a lot.

In the history of automobile industry, it is seemed that every time due to the assumed superiority of the design and engineering of these particular cars, these group of car marques and models become expensive to purchase. These cars are designed by aiming at wealthy buyers and that’s why these automobiles generically are termed as luxury cars. Moreover, the term luxury car was also used for unique vehicles created during an era when luxury was a personal consideration and thus, coachwork was customized depending on an owner’s likes and dislikes. Even though there is significant literature about precise marques, but there is a lack of systematic and scholarly work which describe the luxury car trend itself.

In today’s era, luxury cars include vehicles such as sedan, coupe, hatchback, station wagon with convertible body styles, as well as minivans, crossovers, or sport utility vehicles which are available in any size, from small to large with various price range.

This widely used term luxury is broad and extremely variable. It is a more conditional, perceptual and subjective attribute and therefore, different people may understand it differently. Thus, the definition of a luxury car to some… may be ordinary to some others.

These cars likely to offer a higher degree of comfort level than their typical counterparts, regular facilities such as real leather upholstery and sophisticated woodgrain-look dashboards. In Comparison to the normal vehicles, these cars have conventionally emphasized in comfort and safety aspect of the vehicles. These contemporary cars also provide higher performance with better handling. Luxury vehicles are considered as status symbols for rich people with prominent use.

In earlier period, the people who are rich and high class could only afford luxury cars. But these days, even the people who are not rich enough can also enjoy the comfort of these cars. The car hiring services have made it easy for them. Limo is one of the very popular hired car these days. People hire limousines for wedding, graduation party, to pick up guest from the airport etc. If you want to book a luxury car for your tour or party, then you will find a lot of car hiring services available these days which will offer you the kind of luxury you want depending on your preference.

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Source by Radhika Verma

A Secret Credit Score Your Car Dealer Won’t Tell You About

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You’re ready to buy a new car.

You’ve done all your homework.

You know your three FICO credit scores.

You determine that your highest FICO credit score is from Equifax (also known as your BEACON score).

So, you find a car dealer who uses your highest score (which increases your opportunity to get approved at a good rate).

You get to the dealership and ignore all the salespeople by going directly to the finance director’s office.

But as the finance director reviews your credit file in front of you…you can’t help but think something is wrong.

Sure enough…the dealer says your Equifax/BEACON score isn’t high enough for their lowest interest rate.

How can this be? You just checked your FICO credit scores through http://www.myfico.com/12 a few hours ago. It’s possible–although unlikely–the information on your credit report has changed and that your scores have decreased since you last checked them. Remember, your credit scores are dynamic and will change whenever information on your credit reports changes.

Your credit reports can change several times each month as new information is added or updated by your lenders. But more than likely, your scores wouldn’t change in this situation (especially if there were only a few hours between when you checked your scores and when the dealership reviewed your credit reports).

So, if your credit reports didn’t change, why is the finance director staring at your scores with such a discouraging face?

Car Dealers Can Use “Different” FICO Scores Than The Ones You See

The car dealer is probably using what is known as the FICO Auto Industry Option score instead of a traditional FICO credit score. You see, car dealers not only get to select the credit reporting agency they receive FICO credit scores from…they also get to decide if they will use a traditional FICO credit score or a variation of a FICO score called an Auto Industry Option score.

What’s the difference between these two types of scores?

Not a whole lot to most people…but there’s enough variation to make the majority of auto lenders use the Auto Industry Option score. The real difference between the two scores is that the Auto Industry Option score pays a lot more attention to how you handled previous auto credit.

– Have you made late payments on a current or previous auto loan or lease?
– Have you ever settled an auto loan or lease for less than you owed?
– Have you had a car repossessed?
– Have you had an auto account sent to collections?
– Did you include your car loan or lease in your bankruptcy?

Those actions will affect your Auto Industry Option score more than they’ll affect your traditional FICO score. Bottom line, if you handled your previous auto credit perfectly, you should have a high FICO Auto Industry Option score–that’s a good thing.

But what if you’ve had a few bumps in the auto credit road in the past? You guessed it…your Auto Industry Option score will be lower. You’ll be perceived as a greater credit risk and the auto lender may either deny you or use your lower score to justify charging you a higher interest rate.

You see, auto lenders are different than other types of lenders. And I’m not talking about their slimy ways, leisure suits, short ties, manly hairy chests, or gold bling.

A lot of other lenders look at your whole credit picture to determine whether or not to give you a loan. But many auto lenders care about only one thing…how you handled your past AUTO credit. That’s what a FICO Auto Industry Option Score gives car dealers–a way to pinpoint how you’ve handled what matters to them the most.

So, even if everything else on your credit reports went down the toilet after your bankruptcy, if you didn’t include your auto loan in your bankruptcy and never defaulted or missed a car payment, your Auto Industry scores will probably be better than your traditional FICO scores!

What a Former Auto Finance Director Revealed to Me

I recently spoke with a former finance director, and this is what she told me…

“So many people I have helped couldn’t believe their scores were so high with the FICO Auto Industry Option score. They had included all their credit card debt and their mortgage in their bankruptcy, but they reaffirmed their auto loan. What’s good about the auto score is that it truly helps the auto lender concentrate on what is important–how the customer handles his/her auto loans.

By our dealership having the auto enhanced FICO, it helped 30% or more of our customers get better rates.”

I don’t believe I’m going to say this, but I think I may actually have found something good to say about car dealers! Well, some of them, anyway…

As you can see, the FICO auto scores can work in your favor, if they are used correctly.

OK, I just wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I only said good things about car dealers.

So, in the interest of fair and balanced reporting, here’s how to protect yourself against slimy car dealers that can use your FICO Auto Industry Option
scores against you…

A Dirty Trick Car Dealers Can Play with Your FICO Scores

Let’s imagine your Equifax/Beacon FICO score is 585. Not too good. With a score that low, if you do get approved for a car loan, you’ll probably wind up with a high interest rate and high monthly payment.

So you go to a dealership and talk with the finance director and tell him your Equifax FICO score is 585. The finance director then reviews your FICO Auto Industry Option score. And, unknown to you, this score is actually higher than the Equifax/Beacon FICO score you pulled.

With this higher score, you’ll get approved at a better rate…right?

Not necessarily!

Here’s what unscrupulous car dealers can do. They won’t tell you that your auto score is higher than your traditional score!

They figure they have a sucker sitting in front of them. So they’ll try to get you financed at a higher rate based on the lower FICO score (thus making more profit for themselves).

How Some Car Dealers “Play the Spread” to Get You to Pay More

Now check this out…

It’s possible that a car dealer has the ability to pull your traditional FICO scores AND your FICO auto scores. That means they’ll have six scores on you. It’s a guarantee that some of those scores are going to be higher than the others. So which ones will they use when trying to get you financed?

It depends.

Are you familiar with the term “spread”? It’s how car dealers make money when they finance you. If they can quote you a higher interest rate than you deserve–then they stand to make a nice chunk of change from the bank that finances you.

The only way to make a killer “spread” is to make you think that you have lower scores.

So, what can you do?

Don’t despair…I can help you.

How to Use Your FICO Scores to Your Advantage when Buying a Car

Fortunately, you don’t have to fall for their dirty tricks. Now that you know all about FICO Auto Industry Option scores, you can protect yourself. Here’s what I suggest…

1. When you first walk into the finance director’s office, don’t tell him what your FICO scores are. Wait until he reviews the scores himself. Then ask him what your scores are.

2. If the scores he reviewed are higher than the ones you have, don’t say anything and just go by his scores.

3. However, if your scores are higher, then pull them out and show him. If he has a choice in the type of scores he can use, there’s a possibility that he’ll be able to use your highest score. And, it will let him know that he doesn’t have a fool sitting in front of him. He can’t take advantage of you!

How do you find out what your FICO Auto Industry Option scores are before you walk into a car dealership?

You can’t.

Sorry. They’re not for sale–at any price. Only lenders have access to them.

FICO would like to sell them…but there just isn’t enough demand. I mean seriously, up until you read this article, had you ever heard of the FICO Auto Industry Option score?

Exactly.

Remember, we were just given access to purchase all three of our traditional FICO credit scores on June 11, 2003 at 8:00 a.m. (I actually got misty that day…what a geek I am.)

Only a very small percentage of the population even knows they have three FICO credit scores…let alone three Auto Industry Option scores.

So How Can You Use This Information to Help You Get Your Next New Car Financed at the Best Interest Rate

1. First, get your three credit reports. If you handled your previous auto credit well–your FICO Auto Industry Option scores will be higher than your traditional FICO scores. So expect more from the lender.

2. You can also ask the lender to show you their tier levels. Tiers are basically charts lenders use that have different interest rates based on your scores. You want to see which tier your fall in. To see an example of an auto lender’s tier schedule, click here.

3. If they won’t show you…at least have them break it down verbally for you. (Personally, I like to see it with my own eyes, as I never believe a word that comes out of most car dealers’ mouths.)

4. If you’ve handled your auto credit poorly…then you should simply try to find an auto lender that uses just the traditional FICO credit scores. When you find a lender that uses a traditional FICO credit score, you’ll have your best chance to get the lowest interest rate.

5. Start by calling dealerships and asking the finance director if they use a traditional FICO credit score to make their lending decision or if they use the FICO Auto Industry Option score.

These steps will get you headed in the right direction. This won’t be easy, as a lot of car dealers use the FICO Auto Industry Option score.

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Source by Stephen Snyder

How to Prevent Your Headlight Bulbs From Blowing Too Frequently

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If you find your headlight bulbs are blowing on a regular basis, then there could be several reasons why it is happening and by identifying what the cause of the problem is, you will save yourself the cost off continually buying replacement bulbs, and the hassle of needing to constantly change them.

Are You Using Your Headlight Bulbs For Long Periods?

The typical expected lifespan of a standard halogen headlight bulb is around 350 to 400 hours, so if you are driving a lot during the long winter nights or even if you keep your headlights on during the day it is possible that your bulbs could only last 2 to 3 months.

Its important to note that if you have fitted upgrade xenon bulbs they will normally last only around 200 hours, because they have been in effect tweaked to improve their light output. For drivers who do use their headlight bulbs for long periods you can reduce the amount of time between changes by fitting long life headlight bulbs.

These tougher car bulbs contain heavy duty reinforced components and so last normally three times longer than standard halogen bulbs, whilst still offering the same lighting performance as normal halogen bulbs.

Are You Touching The Glass Bulb When You Change Them?

If you touch the glass section of the headlight bulb with bare hands, the natural oils within your skin will leave a small residue of grease behind. Once the halogen bulb is illuminated this oil patch will create a hotspot within the bulb and lead to it failing early. Therefore it is a good idea to wear latex gloves when installing new halogen bulbs.

Are The Bulbs Getting Wet Or Suffering Excess Vibration?

Whilst most of the major bulb manufacturers used toughened glass in the construction of their headlight bulbs, they are still vulnerable to the effects of thermal shock. This means that if they come into contact with water that has leaked into the headlight unit, then it is very likely that the bulb will be damaged. It is also important to ensure the bulb is securely installed as otherwise the extra jolts and bumps it will be subjected to can damage the filament

Is The Car’s Electrical System Working Correctly?

When installing the bulbs make sure that the electrical connectors from the lights power lead are firmly joined to the metal connectors on the base of the headlight bulbs, otherwise it is easy to get a short circuit and blow the bulb.

It is also important to check that the alternator is not overcharging the battery and delivering more voltage than the bulb is designed for. Typically the maximum voltage of a bulb is around 13.2 volts.

Are You Buying Good Quality Headlight Bulbs?

Whilst cheaper car bulbs may seem like a good idea, they normally lack the high quality and precision components used by the leading manufactures like Osram and Philips, and will not last as long. High quality bulbs will be marked with the E1 mark, which indicates they have undergone the most rigorous testing and quality standards.

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Source by Ethan Melandri