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Can You Afford Car Insurance? Doesn't Matter – It's the Law!

munlytobako — Thu, 03 May 2007 19:36:12 CDT

Okay… so you’re looking into trading in that old bucket of bolts and upgrading to a later or even a brand new model! You’ve done your homework. You have your Kelly Blue Book right there at your side. You’re prepared to fend off the dealer’s ups. You know what you can afford and, more importantly, what you should pay for your next car.
Oops! Forgot all about insurance. Didn’t even factor that in. Now what?Hmmm… do I obtain minimum coverage?.. full coverage??... uninsured motorist’s… underinsured motorist’s???... and what’s it all going to cost me?Well, let’s see! You know your personal driving record will affect your premium. Have you had an accident? How long ago was it? Was it your fault? Were you cited? Do you have speeding tickets? How about any other moving violations?How will your vehicle pre-choice fare in the insurance premium wars? Yes, the car you purchase will definitely influence the premium you pay.
If you haven’t purchased a car OR insurance in a while, here’s something I’ll bet you didn’t’ know.
HOW’S YOUR CREDIT RATING? Uh-huh! If your credit rating sucks, so will your insurance premium.
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Mazda MX3: Shining Through the Dark Ages

munlytobako — Thu, 03 May 2007 19:33:00 CDT

If there are the Dark Ages in the journey through history, there also are some gloomy years and periods in the automobile world. The late 1980s and 1990s was considered to be the Dark Ages for most sports coupes. And yet, beneath the gloom, there was one that stood out and had brought the line on forward. The Mazda MX3 was the chosen one. Amidst the dark sales and gloomy market for sports coupes, the Mazda MX3 continued to move forward and reaped in success. Despite the gloomy period, the Mazda MX3 soared and this period became known as its golden years.
The Mazda MX3 has the capacity to take in a maximum of four passengers. It made its public debut in 1992. It lived for a couple of years. The last year for production was in 1998, thus making the Mazda MX3 a six-year-old wonder. The design and construction of this sports coupe was based on the Mazda Familia platform that was known as the EC platform. Perhaps what made the Mazda MX3 a spectacle was its departure from the classic styling of the 1980s which was boxy and quite conservative. This vehicle sported instead smooth fluid lines that showed and exuded modernity and a higher sense of excellent and comfortable driving.
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The History of Hyundai

HighPerformanceCars — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 22:19:28 CDT

If you live in North America, you likely are now very familiar with the Hyundai line of vehicles. Back in 1986, the first Hyundai was introduced to the market – an Excel – and the company’s line up has changed dramatically since that time. Hyundai produces much more than cars; in fact, by the end of the last century Hyundai became one of the largest companies in the world. Let’s take a look at this Korean based multinational corporation and the company behind Hyundai vehicles.

It was back in 1946, just one year removed from Imperial Japan’s occupation of the Korean peninsula, that a new company was birthed in what is now known as South Korea. Hyundai Motor Industrial Company was founded by Chung Ju-yung, a child of northern Korean peasant farmers, and in 1947 Ju-yung launched a second company, Hyundai Civil Industries. Self educated, Ju-yung transformed the entire Korean economy with the tight control he exerted over his Hyundai companies.

The first Hyundai business was tasked with building automobiles while the second Hyundai company concentrated on construction. Indeed, much of modern South Korea’s infrastructure was built by Hyundai in the period after the cessation of the Korean War in 1953 and on through the 1970s. Dams, an expressway, a shipbuilding yard, and a nuclear power plant were all built by Hyundai Civil Industries, while Hyundai Motors produced cars made primarily from Japanese components. Hyundai’s influence stretched far beyond the Korean peninsula as the company won contracts to build an expressway in Thailand and a major port in Saudi Arabia. Clearly, Hyundai dominated the Korean market and quickly became a major player on the international scene.

By the 1970s Hyundai began to build vessels as well as shipyards and by 1986 Hyundai produced its first vehicle made entirely from Korean components. From the 1980s forward Hyundai added additional specialties including the building of semiconductors and magnetic levitation trains.

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Sit and Spin: Rotating Your Own Tires?

HighPerformanceCars — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 22:17:37 CDT

Can you rotate your own tires? The answer is yes, but it’s really the wrong question to be asking in the first place. A better question is: Should you rotate your own tires? The answer in this case is probably not.

Rotating your vehicle’s tires is a breeze if you have the right tools. Unfortunately the right tools for rotating your own tires consist of a lift, a powerful compressor, and the air tools to go along with it. You could make do with a tire iron or even the right size of socket wrench, but it’s the lift that is the real sticking point. Even the most dedicated of do-it-yourselfers rarely has a hoist in their garage. If nothing else, the cost of the equipment and installation can prove prohibitive. If you could afford to put in a lift, you could probably afford to have your tires professionally rotated every single day for the next year

With that said, if you’re still set on rotating your own tires here is the procedure to use.

Get your jack, spare tire and tire iron out of the trunk.Starting with the front left tire, place the jack in the indentation provided and illustrated in your vehicle’s owners manual. If you can’t find it, keep looking. Placing the jack anywhere else can result in costly body damage.Jack up the car.

Remove the wheel (and tire.)Put the spare on and make sure it is secure. Halfway measures just won’t do. If the nuts are even slightly loose the weight of the car once it is off the jack can bend or even snap the bolts.Lower the jack.

Take the tire you have just removed to the position where you are rotating it to. This will either be the left rear position, or the right rear position. Check with your manufacturer to see what they recommend.Jack the car up again, once again making sure that the jack is in the indentation provided.

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Preventing Head On Collisions

HighPerformanceCars — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 22:17:07 CDT

Head On Collisions can be prevented. Be aware while driving. The fatal flaw of all head on collisions is that the driver was not aware of either the speed of the approaching car and misjudged or did not see the car until it was too late. A head on collision is more apt to result in a fatality than any other type of collision.

Faulty driving maneuvers that might cause a driver to cross the centerline include: Bad passing judgment; Driving around a curve too fast for conditions; Left turns directly into the path of on-coming vehicle; Wide right turns; Failure to interpret pavement markings; Over correcting from a right wheel dropping off the pavement.
Traffic studies show that bad judgment and lack of control cause most of these collisions. Remember that someone, who has bad judgment even if you are doing everything right, can hit you. Like they say, when you number is up, your life is over.
Often there are conditions or obstructions that might cause a driver to cross the center line, these can include: Obstructions in other lanes (road conditions); Loss of control of vehicle (driver condition); Faulty driving maneuvers (driver condition); Cannot see the center line (weather or light conditions); Tire blowouts (vehicle condition); Impaired driving (driver condition); Construction barriers; Pedestrians or cyclists; Another vehicle parking or leaving the curb; or even Debris in the road.

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OMC Stern Drive Thermostat Kit

HighPerformanceCars — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 22:16:26 CDT

Introduction:The OMC outboards are water vehicle and are available in two stroke and four-stroke category. The propeller system provided with these omc outboards is designed to give you that the best performance for all the applications. For a special application, you may select a specific propeller. You need various accessories to maintain and run stern drive smoothly and stern drive thermostat kit is one of them.

Horsepower requirement of Motor OMC Outboards:By US law (US coast guard regulation) a boat up to 20 feet in length should carry a plate mentioning the maximum horsepower rating of the vehicle. These motor OMC out boards are available in different horsepower ratings. Outboards are available in two stroke and four stroke engines. Depending upon the engine rating, the other specifications including horsepower of the vehicle are provided in the brochure. Most of outboards manufacturers power rate the engine in accordance with the NMMA procedure using international council on marine industry associates (ICOMIA) standards 28/83.

OMC Stern Drive Thermostat Kits:Thermostat kit is one of the essential parts of the OMC stern drive and proper repair or replacement is required whenever a fault is noticed in any of the parts of the kits. These thermostat kits are being supplied by various manufacturers and usually contain gaskets, O- ring, thermostat and set for 160 degree.

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Land Rover Introduces CO2 Offset Programme At Auto Show

HighPerformanceCars — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 22:14:38 CDT

Emissions from factories and from automobiles have started to take its toll on our earth and on our environment. Just look around and you would feel the heat of the surroundings. Try going to the top of a building and you surely would find the rest of the metro engulfed in smog and dirty air.

If this kind of situation is not remedied as soon as possible, our environment would become dirtier and more and more unclean as each minute passes. And that is why one of the popular auto brands in the automotive world – Land Rover – has already taken a big and significant leap towards finding the right ways to further prevent destruction of the environment and lessening the good quality of air.

The brand calls it the CO2 Offset Program and this program is out to find solutions and answers to all the problems that the climate and the environment are suffering from. Through this Land Rover program, both customers and the company would be able to contribute towards the kind of environment that we had decades ago. And stores that offer Land Rover driveshaft and axle parts and other Land Rover items would also be able to help out in such a campaign in their own ways. This program is so huge that it has been called as the largest and the most comprehensive campaign on the environment that has been done by an automaker in the United Kingdom.

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Insurance Auto Auctions Drives Record Returns for Its Customers

HighPerformanceCars — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 22:13:54 CDT

Westchester, Ill. Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc., a leading provider of automotive salvage and claims processing services in the United States, today announced record vehicle returns during the second quarter.

IAA's dual bidding strategy has continued to drive more buyers to the Company's auctions than ever before, resulting in increased bidding activity and higher vehicle returns for its insurance company suppliers.

"Combining the feedback we have been receiving from our customers with our internal data, we believe our vehicle returns were the highest in the industry during the quarter, which we feel is a direct result of our dual bidding platform and improved levels of customer service," said Tom O'Brien, CEO. "On average, our returns have increased more than $300 per unit compared to 2003, providing a significantly better return for our insurance company suppliers. Our live auctions, most of which feature Run & Drive(R) auction lanes, are supplemented with our state-of-the-art Internet bidding capability, giving our growing customer base the flexibility to see and bid on our vehicles up close or through the Internet from anywhere in the world in a real-time setting. Enthusiastic buyer support of our auction model is clearly evident from the increase in buyer participation we have experienced, both at live auctions and via the Internet. By encouraging more buyers to come on to our bidding platform than ever before, we believe that during the quarter we were able to generate more bidding activity and the highest vehicle returns in the industry."

Commenting further on the Company's recent operating performance, O'Brien said, "We haven't missed a beat throughout the organization since the close of the Kelso & Company acquisition in late May. The transaction has allowed us to focus even more of our time and energy on improving our operations and service levels to our customers, translating into much higher returns for our suppliers and higher profits for IAA. The Company generated revenues of $71.9 million in the second quarter, compared with $60.0 million in the same quarter of 2004. Gross profit margins improved to 26% in the second quarter, up from 22% in the same quarter of last year. We also continued to strategically expand during the quarter, specifically in Jacksonville, Altoona and Charleston, providing IAA with a greater geographic reach to meet the needs of our current and potential customers. Going forward we will continue to target new strategic opportunities that will further increase our buyer base and maintain our momentum of generating significantly higher returns."

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How to Determine the Best Cold Air Intake for You and Your Vehicle

HighPerformanceCars — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 22:12:34 CDT

How to choose a good cold air intake
Come on, admit it, if you want a significant boost in your vehicle’s performance, a cold air intake is a quick, easy and a low cost solution. Why, you might ask? Cold air intake routes “intake plumbing” away from hot under hooded areas, and deliver air through a free-flowing air filter and smooth intake passages. The result? Cooler, denser air is delivered in greater quantities at higher velocities to your throttle body. Denser air (and more of it) equals power.

What to look for out there in the market.
1. Customized Fits.
There are several manufacturers who produce quality, custom fitted cold air intake systems for vehicles. Some of these manufacturers are Volant, K&N, Airaid, Injen, and many more. If you own a vehicle, there’s a good possibility that one of these companies provide an intake for you. The benefits of buying a fitted intake system are pretty obvious; it was built to fit your car perfectly, and has been fine-tuned to perform best in the small space it has been provided under your hood. In order to produce the perfect intake system, most intake manufacturers create and test dozens of prototype systems with various pipe lengths and diameters. When developing an intake system, these manufacturers also take into account where the performance gains will occur.

For example, you wouldn’t want an intake system that gains 10 horsepower right before the redline, but has no gains in the midrange. An ideal intake system will increase the output of the vehicle where it needs it most in the engine’s “sweet spot”. For many vehicles, gains in the mid-range (3000-5000 rpm) would be most ideal.

2. The Universal Approach.
Ever see these intake systems? They’re all over eBay, and even on some websites out there. They claim to be a fitted model, but really could be turned in another direction or slightly moved and it fits your neighbors minivan. With a universal approach, you lose the opportunity of tried and tested benefits and power gains in different vehicles. The universal intake system will still provide gains and may even sound good, but you may, in some cases, be spending your money foolishly just to save a few dollars.

3. The Do-It-Yourself Intake.
It’s true! There are people out there who do it, and some do it well. To build your own intake system, which is not very hard and can take anywhere from 1-4 hours to construct, one will need: PVC piping, plumbing tools and some good glue. Since the mandrel bent pipes you see in intakes systems can be done with out a mandrel bending machine, the bend in plumbing tubes and PVC provide a slight bend in your custom intake. Now, I don’t want to say this will not work and that you shouldn’t do it. I have read and seen some college students who have pulled it off well, and actually provide a slight kick in horsepower and sound. But, unless you well family with the sections of your vehicle under the hood, just buy an intakes system, it will prove to be your smartest decision.

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How To Avoid All The Car Dealer Scams And Find The New Car Buying Secrets

HighPerformanceCars — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 22:10:34 CDT

As your life changes, your transportation needs change. When you were single that two door sport coupe was perfect for you and your girlfriend. But now you are married and your baby just turned 4, so it is time for a new vehicle. Or, perhaps the vehicle you had is just on its last leg and is headed for the garbage heap. It happens to everyone, so we all must eventually become acquainted with the techniques of shopping for a car. It can be a daunting task.

We know that retailers get their vehicles at wholesale so that they can sell for a profit. We know that they often try to slip in extras that we may not need in order to boost up the price, and they are also offering their salespeople special incentives to make money. The trick to car buying is to somehow come out, as a consumer, with a little bit better deal than if we just walked in and paid whatever the salesperson wants us to pay. There is a little room for bargaining, and we all need to learn how to use that room.

Smart consumers take the time to learn the tricks of vehicle buying and selling, so that they are prepared for the onslaught of the talented car dealer. They speak their own language, so you need to tap into that lingo, learn it for yourself, and use it to talk the salesperson into a better deal for you and your family. Where can you go to learn that language? Is it better just to try and find a good friend to go with you, someone who knows a lot about cars?

While it often helps sometimes simply to bring a strong willed friend with you to the car dealership, here is a guide that you can read beforehand and bring along with you as well, it's kind of like the armor you put on before heading into the arena.
Our guide will help you to learn how to spot scams from salespersons, what the best time of the year is to purchase a vehicle, how to get a good buying price, how to finance your automobile, and how to negotiate the opening price. Reading through this guide will give you the tools necessary to talk confidently about your purchase with the salespeople at the car dealership, and give you a better chance of getting a car that will meet your needs without crashing your budget.

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Environmental Rules for Mobile Auto Detailing

HighPerformanceCars — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 22:10:04 CDT

Most states have environmental rules, which affect the method of operations for mobile auto detailing. Some operators will not follow these guidelines or even bother to get a business license at all. This is a problematic situation for the small time operator in that it is only a matter of time before they get caught or fined for no business license or worse polluting the storm drains. There is an EPA set of rules and regulations which govern these sets of standards called the NPDES.

The NPDES-Best Management Practices have to do with the Federal Clean Water Act of 1972. In California for instance, the California Water Code and requirements handed down to cities from county agencies without mandated funds from state or federal agencies are to protect our nations water supplies. In California, a company has to meet waste water run-off requirements of the California Water Code, namely (13.260-13.267.5), which states:

"No water may be discharged into a storm drain without a permit from one of the five regional boards."

When this was first enacted a local car wash owner who was upset we were taking all his business complained to the Regional Water Quality Control Board and we had to visit with our State’s Representative to get into compliance before any actual permits were available. At the time we were the only company in California that operated a mobile car wash that has attained such permission and exemption of California Water Code: (13.263.1-13.267.5).

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Dodge: Awesome and Invigorated!

HighPerformanceCars — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 22:08:27 CDT

If you are a car fan you know that part of the fun of following the market is examining new models as they enter the showroom. There is just something special about a new car: the smell, the look, the price tag! For some 17 million American drivers a new car is in their future, while many others opt for the used car market. Some of the cars on the market today are hot, hot, hot! Let’s take a look at several new and future offerings from Dodge.

Thanks in part to new ownership [Daimler Benz purchased the Chrysler Corporation in 1998] a fresh infusion of great looking Dodge models have hit a showroom near you. Additional models are soon to appear and the makeover that Dodge has been receiving is nothing less than astounding. Here are some of my favorites:

Magnum - Who said that a station wagon should resemble a family hauler? The Magnum sure doesn’t. With an intimidating grille and a rakish exterior, the Magnum is a true man pleaser while also giving women a bit extra room in the back to haul stuff. Throw in a Hemi and the Magnum truly rocks!

Charger – Okay, so the new Charger has four doors. Well, you can’t have everything. You can have macho looks, a powerful engine, and a car that is certain to compete with anything that Japan or Germany throws its way. Word has it that DaimlerChrysler is considering a coupe version. Now, wouldn’t that be cool!

Caliber - Bye, bye Neon. The Neon served Dodge well, but it isn’t in the same caliber as the Caliber. Pun intended. To be introduced in Spring 2006 as a 2007 model, the Caliber will have three engine choices: 1.8, 2.0, and 2.4 I4s, a continuously available transaxle, and all wheel drive. In addition, 2.0L diesel engines will be available outside of the North American market – why not here? – as DaimlerChrysler sets to introduce the Dodge name into new markets.

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Do You Know What Your Body Shop Business Is Worth?

HighPerformanceCars — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 22:07:47 CDT

Many smaller body shop owners have asked, “How do I appraise my body shop?” In the last month I have been asked to do two appraisals on body shops. The first appraisal was to assist in partnership dissolution; the second appraisal was for marriage dissolution. (That is what the attorneys call a divorce.) Would you like to know how to appraise the value of a body shop business?

Before we begin, I would like to make one comment. Whenever a CPA has done an appraisal of a body shop, I find that their opinion of value is much greater than the actual value the market place will pay. This is not because the CPA’s do not know what they are doing because they do; it is just that the market place places a much higher risk on buying a body shop than the accountants do. The following is an excerpt from one of those appraisals.

THE THREE WAYS TO APPRAISE A BUSINESS
1. The ASSET VALUATION METHOD. This method is basically used when a body shop does less than $400,000 a year in gross income and the seller is making wages, but no real profit above what he would be paid if working for another. On this size business, a buyer is willing to pay for the assets of the business but little or nothing for goodwill. The equipment is usually worth between $50,000 and $100,000, depending on how many frame machines the business owns and how nice a spray booth the business owns.

I have seen some specialized shops sell for more than the above number because they have a truck spray booth or another business attached to the main business. Examples of attached business might be an auto repair shop or towing operation. Also the location, size and real estate rental amount will influence the value of any business, to some degree.

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Checking Your Transmission Fluid

HighPerformanceCars — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 22:06:41 CDT

Checking your transmission fluid level can save you costly repairs to your transmission. Most cars should have their transmission fluid levels checked with the engine warm.

Transmission fluid should be checked at the transmission fluid dipstick. If you cannot locate this dipstick, consult your owner's manual. Withdraw the dipstick, wipe it clean with a lint free rag, re-insert it and examine the fluid level. It should be within the range specified on the stick and the color should be red, not brown. If the fluid is brown, check your owner's manual for the correct procedure as you may need to replace the fluid. Some cars require the fluid be replaced every 30,000 to 50,000 miles, others never.

If the fluid is simply low, then it is time to add more fluid. Make sure that you use the correct fluid for your car, as using the wrong kind of fluid can destroy your transmission. Also be careful when handling transmission fluid, as it is extremely toxic. Consult the fluid container for poison control guidelines.

To add transmission fluid to your car, use the transmission fluid fill tube. If you cannot locate the transmission fluid fill tube, consult your owner's manual. Add a very small amount at a time in order to allow the fluid to percolate down into the car, and then recheck the fluid level. Take care not to overfill the transmission as this can cause damage. When the fluid level is acceptable again, store any leftover transmission fluid in a safe place and enjoy your automobile.

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Cat And Mouse with Anti Laser Detectors

HighPerformanceCars — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 22:06:11 CDT

Anti-Laser Detectors are what drivers use to warn of oncoming police hunting for speeders.

Original laser detectors had short ranges less than .25 miles. The laser detector becomes less accurate as the distance increases since the light path widens from a pencil width beam to over 3 feet in diameter.

Light pulses from police laser detectors aren't detectible with standard radar detecting equipment, so driver detection of police lasers was developed fast. The original laser detector's limitations were almost like starting over in the 1950's with similar radar detector limitations.

Laser detector guns, just like original radar detectors, may not be used in moving vehicles. That may be an archaic limitation, but laser detectors have increased detection response by operating in the 90 GHz range, much higher than Super-Wide Ka-Band radar detectors.

Two industries spawned:Police radar and laser detection guns verified speeding drivers.Driver "anti" radar and laser detection devices warned of nearby police detection use.

Industry needed to advance.

As police obtained more sophisticated speed detection devices, so too did the anti-detection market develop.

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Buying a Secondhand Car

HighPerformanceCars — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 22:05:11 CDT

So you want a new car, but you don't want to buy it new. Fair play, especially if you are looking for an expensive car, or just a car that you want to use on a regular basis. Obviouslly you don't want to shell out for a new car and end up overusing it, or crashing it. So here is a guide on buying the best second hand car:

Looks
The over all look of a used car is a very accurate sign of how the vehicle has been taken care of. Is the general look of the vehicle consistent with the miles and the price that is being asked? Little dents and chips in the paint can be a very good sign of a lot of useage, especially if the owner claims to use it very little.

Interior
Is the inside of the vehicle clean and in a good condition, or does it look worn out? The seats should not sag or be worn through. The carpets should be clean and undamaged, do they have any dirt and grime worn in? Has the interior been freshly detailed? Does the inside of the car look natural? Is there anything out of place that does not quite look right? All these could be tell tale signs that the interior is not completely genuine, and may have been modified at some point.

Brake Pedal
A very good sign of whether the actual miles are true is to look at the brake pedal. Is the rubber on the pedal worn or does it still look new? It should have an appearance that keeps with the miles showing on the pedometer. A warn brake pedal can also tell you if the brake is in good condition. A very worn brake pedal means that the brake has been used a lot, especially if used in a city where the origional driver may have been stopping quite a lot.

Engine
Raise the hood and look closely at the engine. Does it look like it has just been detailed with a shiny unnatural look to it? Do you see any leaks of any kind? Transmission fluid is red, engine oil is black and coolant is either green or orange. Any leak is a bad sign.

Transmission
Does the transmission take off without slipping and seem to shift efficiently? A common problem is a shuddering feeling between 35 to 45 miles per hour. Transmission problems are very expensive so you want to avoid them where possible.

Noises
Does the car drive smooth? Are there any jerks or noises that do not seem normal? Does the engine have plenty of power? Check the lower gears for any sign of lagging in power.

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Bigger Power with 2-Strokes

HighPerformanceCars — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 22:04:22 CDT

In our last publication, we touched a bit on 4-stroke diesel engine. Today, let's touch on 2-strokes.

What is a 2-stroke diesel engine?

As the name suggests, these engines work on reciprocating actions of pistons. One stroke means one linear motion of the piston in one direction. When the piston moves in the opposite direction, that is counted as another stroke.
For a 2-stroke engine, the piston has to move up, and then down to complete one cycle of the engine. In those 2 strokes of the piston, the crankshaft will have turned 1 revolution.

The 2 strokes of the piston is to complete 4 stages of the combustion cycle - air intake, compression, combustion and exhaust. As you might have known, in order for a fire (or explosion) to occur to power the engine, we need a fuel, a heat source, and oxygen coming together at the same time.

Remember how the crankshaft and the piston moves in a cylinder? The reciprocating movement of the piston is converted to rotary motion by means of a crankshaft. The piston reciprocates between Top Dead Center and Bottom Dead Center inside the cylinder liner.

One of the most prominent feature of a 2-stroke engine is the presence of air intake ports on the cylinder liner that will enable fresh air to be led in for combustion.

These air inlet ports are cut into the cylinder liner somewhere at the lower end of the latter. In a typical design, the air inlet port are located about 35 degrees from the Bottom Dead Center (BDC).

In many designs, the fresh air that is introduced into the cylinder is also used to drive out the spent exhaust gases inside it. Many designs make use of scavenging air fans like electric blowers or turbochargers to slightly pressurize the intake air before the latter is introduced into the cylinder.

In order to allow the exhaust gases to be expelled from the cylinder, exhaust ports are often cut into the cylinder just like the air intake ports. A typical design will have the exhaust port located about 50 degrees from Bottom Dead Center.

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A Guide To Easy Car Amplifier Installation

HighPerformanceCars — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 22:00:54 CDT

Installing car amplifiers is challenging. You have to make sure the amplifier gets enough air circulation to keep from overheating while enclosing it in a way that prevents theft. Satisfying these needs doesn't always yield the best looking results. But, you can still show off your personal style when installing your amplifier with these simple suggestions.

Picture how you want the amp to look. Are you thinking "high tech" with a concealed panel? Or, are you going for a more industrial look with visible cables? Paint it; Wrap it in leather, carpet, or vinyl. Use your imagination and your rack design will show your style.

Airflow is a major consideration when installing an amplifier. The electronics in the amplifier produce a lot of heat when you crank up volume, and heat can damage the components. Ample airflow is essential for good performance and reliability and two ways to accomplish this are convection and forced-air systems.

The simplest cooling method is convection. It's simple because most car amplifiers come with convection cooling already built in. Convection occurs when the warm air inside the amplifier rises and dissipates through the fins of the aluminum heat sink. Warm air is replaced by cooler air drawn from below creating a continuous circulation of cool air that prevents the amp from overheating.

Convection cooling works fine as long as the air circulates. The ideal would be to install the rack on a vertical surface in an open space with the fins vertically aligned.

A forced air system has triple the cooling capacity of a simple convection system. Simply adding an electric fan to increase airflow over the amplifier's heat sinks makes a big difference. That's one reason why high power amplifiers have thermostats; thermostats control the fans. If your rack holds multiple convection cooled amplifiers, it's worth it to install multiple fans. The cooler the amps, the longer they'll last. Running power for a fan is just a matter of connecting with the source unit's remote turn on lead since most accessory fans run on 12v DC. When the system turns on, the fans start up along with the other components on that circuit.

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10 Reasons To Get A CarFax Report

HighPerformanceCars — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 21:58:27 CDT

A CarFax report is affordable. For less than $50.00, consumers can learn everything that they need to know about a vehicle before agreeing to make a purchase and signing on the dotted line.

With a CarFax report, you will be able to confirm the automobile’s VIN number, year, make and model. This is important in making sure that you are purchasing the automobile as it is being presented to you for sale.

With a CarFax report, you can find out if the automobile has ever been flooded or has been repaired for any flood damage. This is very important, especially if purchased in areas that are prone to flooding, hurricane damage, etc. Even if an area is not prone to flood damage, there is always the possibility that an automobile has traveled through high water or been exposed to it at some point.

With a CarFax report, you can find out if the automobile has ever been involved in any type of car accident and, if so, what damages were reported. Every day, automobile accidents occur and the damages often require extensive repairs. It is important for you to know whether or not the automobile you are considering purchasing has ever had any type of damage.

With a CarFax report, you can find out if the automobile has ever suffered from any type of fire damage and, if so, what repairs were made to correct the damages.

With a CarFax report, you can make sure the automobile has a clear title and does not have any liens. This is very important when you purchase an automobile, home or even raw land. If you purchase something that does not have a clear title, you are basically throwing your money away. If you receive a clear title, you will have full ownership of the car and will be able to legally resell it in the future.

A CarFax report will confirm the number of miles to be the original miles as noted on the CarFax report. The sad, but honest, truth is that there are some individuals who attempt to falsify an automobile’s actual miles in order to collect a higher sale price.

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HighPerformanceCars — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 18:43:24 CDT

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