How to fix a scratch on your car

(NC)—Accidentally scratching your vehicle is something every driver has done, despite the lengths we go to avoid doing it. Good news: light to medium scratches can be removed without an expensive trip to a body shop. Here’s how:
Prepare the surface: clean the scratched area with soap and water, and dry it completely with a clean, dry cloth.
Sand and reduce the scratch: Spray water on the repair area and over a very fine abrasive sand paper (3000 grit). Gently sand the area of the scratch by hand with light–to–medium pressure. While sanding, a light foam will appear, indicating the abrasive is reducing the scratch. Wipe the sanded area to be sure the scratch has been removed. The area being sanded will look dull, but don’t worry because the gloss will be restored in the next steps.
Compound and refine the scratch: Use a quarter–sized amount of a rubbing compound onto a compound pad and continue to buff until the clear coat’s shine is partially restored. Remove any remaining rubbing compound from the area with a clean, dry cloth before moving on to the next step.
Polish and restore shine: Onto a polishing pad, place a quarter–sized amount of scratch remover. Polish the area until the shine is fully restored.
Protect it: For added protection, apply automotive wax to the area, or even the entire vehicle.
To make things easy, there are kits like 3M’s Scratch Removal System from automotive specialty stores. These types of kits have all the pads, product, and abrasives you’ll need and are used in conjunction with a household drill, making the buffing and polishing stages even more effective than when it’s done by hand.

Read More

How to maintain your car’s paint and make it look like new?

Any car bodies, either a new one or an old one, needs a regular care. This means that it needs to be cleaned  up systematically, polished up with professional wax, scratches needs to be taken care of, and so on.
Cleaning up a car body is not as simply as it may look to be. If you do not do it properly, your car body would look miserable.
Cleaning up and polishing up are vitals for the car body. Polishing up your car body must be realized twice a year, once during spring and once during autumn. You do it during autumn  in order to protect the car against low temperature and against snow, and during spring you do it in order to protect the car against the UV effects. A polished realized with professional products maintain its effects for 12 months and its resistant for 50 cleanings.
The wax used for polished has to be professional. Otherwise your car risks to collect all the dust it can collect.
There are some colored substances used when you polish up your car which can refresh your paint and even some micro fissures. If on the car body there are some larger scratches, the owners can buy some specials pencils which are applied directly on the scratch which then is polished up. So, without spending large amounts of money, the owners can easily take care of scratches.
For the car to look new and for the paint to maintain its shine, when you wash your car you should use special shampoos which they too have a shiny effect.

The owners have to make sure that the car wash they go to use special detergent. There were some cases when the cars were washed with dish soap and after the car body dried, the paint got dull. If you do not know for sure what kind of detergents are being used, it would be better if you wash the car for yourself. In the USA there is a tradition that every person  has to wash his car at home. For this you have to buy a bucket, a special washing  material and a special drying material.
An another important component are the car windows, for witch  there are also special substances. For car windows there is a special substance that is forming a coating  which makes water drops being evaporate by the streams of air creating during movement.  So, during raining using wipers can be avoided.
Cleaning the car inside is just as important as it cleaning it at the outside.  The dust can be removed using special fabrics made of microfibers, which are not expensive either. For cleaning the glove department there must be use substances that do not leave greasy  stains on plastics (Many drivers buy  from the market some low quality cleaners). These cleaners fix the dust and are harmful for out wealth. When cleaning the leather tapestry  the owners must use sprays or creams that clean and hydrate the leather in the same time. As time passes the leather dries and tears and a car has to be beautiful both on the inside and at the outside.

Read More

Tools That Your Car Need

It is mostly inevitable that your car will need minor repairs every so often. Even when they are cared after very well, the cars need some mechanical work done, consider it for fun ! However, keeping good care of your car and bringing it in to your local auto shops to replace oil and other maintenance checks will make it more plausible that you can save money when your car does have smaller issues because you will be able to do the repairs on your own.
Having basic auto repair tools can really be nice when your car starts to have car troubles. Having some repair tools can save you from having to run to your local Utah auto repair garage. You don’t want to have to run to a Utah auto shop for every single mechanical problem that goes on with your car.
Basic tool kits will allow you to do basic mechanical repairs yourself. Before trying to repair anything on your car yourself, you need to make sure you have a basic knowledge of car repairs. Local classes, online tutorials, and basic videos are a good place to start when studying how to do repairs on your car.
Be sure to carry auto repair tools in your car with you whenever you drive. As discussed in a previous article, major car repairs may be saved by keeping up with the general maintenance of your car. Yet, even doing that does not guarantee that your car will never break down.
You can usually find a good set of auto tools at most auto stores. Stores that deal with car accessories are always a good place to look for auto repair tools. A lot of supermarkets are also selling auto repair tools.

Some procedures should never be tried by a novice. For example, you would never want to try to replace a broken clutch by yourself. The type of repairs that novice car owners can easily do are things such as replacements on spark plugs or fuel filters.
Even in our modern era of cell phones, roadside assistance, and global positioning systems, car trouble can still be a major inconvenience–especially when the problem is something that could have been avoided by a little planning ahead. Collect the tools on this list and you might be able to get yourself out of minor binds. If nothing else, you’ll turn your car into a traveling toolbox  that saves the day on camping trips.When you buy a basic auto repair tool kit it should have some form of tutorial included with it. Tutorials will help you understand the tools and their uses. The more detailed the tutorial, the better.

Tool Kit

Rather than individually buying a variety of basic tools, consider getting a compact tool kit that contains all the essentials: screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers, etc. Part of the benefit of a prepackaged kit is that it comes with its own case, includes just about everything you need for minor repairs, and is organized in such a way that it is obvious when a tool is missing.

Jumper Cables

The life of car batteries is constantly being extended as technology improves. Still, a dead battery is a dead battery, whether it lived for 18 or 72 months. Be ready to pump a little more life into that battery, or revitalize one drained by leaving on the headlights, with a sturdy set of jumpers.


Bucket Boss Bag
Part of being prepared is being organized. It helps if you can store flares, a tow rope, gloves, jumper cables, a tire gauge, an ice scraper, and other emergency supplies in one place.


Flashlight

Gauging the seriousness of car trouble often requires seeing the problem. Looking under the hood, under the dashboard, into a wheel well, or under the car can feel like a nighttime operation without the proper illumination. Flashlights can also provide safety in case your car suffers a complete electrical failure and you need to alert other drivers to your presence.

Read More

4 Steps To Change The Air Filter

A clogged air filter affects your car‘s performance on a number of levels. It robs your car of power, something you need every ounce of when you’re navigating a freeway on-ramp. Perhaps more important is the effect a clogged air filter has on your gas mileage. It takes 10 minutes and usually costs less than $20. These easy steps will get you there and back in no time flat.

Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 10 minutes
Here’s How:

1.Locate and Open the Filter Housing
With your hood open and safely propped, locate the air filter housing. On any car made in the last 20 years or so, it’ll be in a black plastic case with metal clips on the sides. You’ll also see a black tube going into the plastic case on most cars. Flip the little metal clips downward. If they are tight, slide a flat-head screwdriver in between the clip and the case from the top, and pop it off.
Some housings will also have a nut holding them from the top.


2.Squirrel Your Nuts
If you removed nuts from the top of your filter housing, be sure to put them in a safe secure location. You don’t want to lose these! In the vehicle used in our example, the top of the filter housing comes off, so we put them in the housing top where they couldn’t roll away. You can even stick them in your pocket. Whatever you do, put them someplace safe.


3.Remove the Old Filter
Your filter (round or rectangular) will be made of lots of folded paper surrounded by rubber. Before you remove the dirty filter, take a moment to note how it sits in the housing so you can be sure to put the new one in correctly. Carefully pull it out, being sure that nothing falls into the bottom of the box. I’ve seen sticks, trash and some really big bugs caught in the filter.


4.Put the New Filter in Place
Put the new, clean filter in place, being sure to put it in the same configuration as the one you removed (as in which side is up, etc.). Don’t worry about making a mistake here, if you have the filter in upside down you won’t be able to get the top closed. Also be sure to press the rubber gasket of the filter all the way into its groove in the housing. If you find the cover hard to get back on, re-check this as it’s often the culprit.


5.Empowerment!
That’s it! You just saved money on gas, and saved a nice bit of cash by installing the filter yourself. That’s 10 minutes well spent, and look at the difference you made under the hood. And it’s all because you did it yourself!

Read More

What questions to ask when buying a used car

Often we are regretting the fact that we forgot to ask some questions when we buy a car. Either we forgot or thought that we will become bothersome, and then, we woke up we did not know all the details, we do not have a complete overview, which will motivate us to conclude the transaction with a peacefull soul.
Buying a used car is a serious investment for a long term, affecting the personal budget. Besides asking the price, you are subject to additional charges you have not yet been able to estimate at the time of signing the contract of sale, simply because you did not put the right questions.
Therefore, take a piece of paper and write them. In the midst of the meeting with the car owner, you’re going to forget certain aspects, or be led in discussion in the direction desired by the seller:

1. Why selling the car? This question can reveal important details about the car and about the owner. If he’s leaving the country, you can get a lower price than the market average. If he cannot pay the loan to the bank or he cannot afford one, that means he’s having financial difficulties and is forced by circumstances to sell the car as soon as possible to a lower value. If he want to buy another car, that means that the money you will give may be an advance for future acquisition and he will decide to keep on price.

2. In what condition is the car? Although it is a general question and slightly elusive, the owner will help you get an idea of how it was maintained, and about the seller himself. Remember the details and check them in a car-service of your choice. If repairs were made, ask the service book and receipts attesting to those mentioned.

3. Are you the first owner? If the current owner is not the first, then the car condition can be affected by the driver style, how it was maintained by two or more individuals. Ask how long he own the car. It may be possible you have to deal with a weekend seller, who bought the car to resell it as fast as possible, hiding defects.


4. Was the car involved in any accident? Although the seller might respond negatively, the truth comes to the surface when you go to a workshop or a representative, if the accident was a major one.

5. Consumption ? If he respond with an exact figure, for example, 8.5%, then you are dealing with an honest and meticulous owner who provides information in their raw form. If the error is too large, 8-10%, then you can ask questions on actual consumption.

6. What is the condition of the electrical system? Ask first about the battery. How new is it? What brand is it? The “made on boat” (no-name) can give you real trouble even with the radio. There are energy losses, short-circuit the system? Is there any error in the board, all lights work?

7. What else should I know? Gearbox get neatly into steps? The clutch has any specific sound? What mileage have the tires? Purchased it new or second hand? Has it a spare tire?
Although some details are surfacing after a professional checkout or after going to a mechanic or after a road test, you should try to find out this informations directly from the owner. If you’ve got him lying, you can quit the transaction without any regrets.

8. Does he lower the price? At the risk of sounding bothering you have to ask this question. A hint he can give you is a rate price displayed. If the amount required is 6200 euro, you must be sure he set the price higher than the one he has in mind. Also, depending on the answers to the questions above, you can negotiate the price (especially if you notice certain defects that can not be overlooked too easily).

Read More

Top 10 usual distraction to avoid when driving a car

Most young drivers use the car as a dressing room, night club on wheels or dining room.
But, unfortunately, although many young drivers discover each year that driving a car requires undivided attention, it was shown that drivers aged 18 to 22 years are four times more likely to be involved in the risk of car accidents than their elders. It seems that car accidents are the leading cause of death for very young drivers, and this is because the lack of experience and juvenile behavior (teasing, speeding, etc.)
We present below the main reasons of distraction that can be life threatening. Even if they can seem very
familiar, it’s good to remind them:

1. Discussions with friends: It seems that young drivers who like other young passengers tend to come more easily in accidents than those driving alone. And this is because there is nothing more exciting than a friend telling you with irresistible pathos, something to make you take your eyes off the road, just for you will penetrate deeper into the story. And of course nobody wants to be a “mother” in the car, but then, when you’re driving, it’s OK to tell your friend, “Shut up, please I’m driving ”


2. Using a mobile phone: Even if you have your hands-free on, better delay the phone call for later in the evening, preferably when you are stopped or, even better, after you left the car. It turns out that talking on the phone distracts attention strongly. But if you really need to take the call, tell the person on the other end, that you are driving and that you will call later.


3. Posts: Writing SMS is probably one of the best ways to communicate: quick messages without disturbing too much the other partner and without having to talk to it, if you wish. Right! But SMS while you are driving? It is not the best idea – you only have two hands, and they look much better on the steering wheel. The best thing you can do is to delay the writing for the time you can write the SMS safely.


 4. Snacks on the road: Sometimes you do not have enough time to enjoy a normal meal, so you make a visit to a McDrive and order a hamburger with fries and a soda.Instead of bolt them while driving and invoking divinity to even give you another hand for the glass of juice, better wait until you can park and eat somewhere quiet. Otherwise, you could get in a situation where the only recipe that you can enjoy, is that of a disaster. It is difficult to pay attention to the road while you eating.


5. Driver and DJ: There’s nothing more pleasant than driving a long way with your favorite music. But the fact that you bend over to change the CD or to move to another station is enough for an accident to happen. To prevent this, prepare your favorite CDs and just stick them in to listen or use the steering wheel for volume adjustment.


6. Dancing: Probably everyone felt the rhythm and accompanied it with vocal and/or musical movements. Unfortunately, karaoke and dancing while driving can be dangerous because you can not hear horns or sirens or can make wrong maneuver under the euphoria effect. Instead, at home or in a bar, you can do these things without any care. On the way, choose to listen to music at a reasonable volume level and try not to get excited too much on the driver’s seat.


7. Adjustements while driving: It is natural to want to adjust different functions of your car, but if you lose too much time with it while driving, you will play with danger. Better schedule all these things before you hit the road, so that further changes are as few as possible and require a short time.


8. Make-up: Is it possible to believe that you save time if you arrange your hair or makeup while driving. But what you really do is a lesson that can cost you much, while you are distracted from driving. You need only a few seconds to look in the mirror and a collision can occur. In addition, what would be the difference if you choose to arrange your hair or makeup when you arrive at your destination before you leave the car?


9. Anger: Sometimes a long trip seems the right way you need to calm yourself after a quarrel or misunderstanding. In reality, it could be the worst thing to do, when you are angry or upset. To lead sad and angry is as bad as driving when drunk. Judgement is wrong and without realizing it, you press the pedal to the metal. To prevent a bad situation to become worse, stay away from any vehicle until your heart rate returned to normal.


 10. Lost in space: reading maps with one hand on the steering wheel can be a dangerous sport. Rather than to do so, locate the destination and make an idea of ​​where you have to get up before getting in the car or pull over if you have to take a closer look on the “flight plan”.

Read More

How to check your tyres

No matter what car you drive, tyres play a vital role in a car’s safety and performance. During a car’s lifetime the grip that the tyres have on the road surface will have saved you from being in a collision countless times.
The problem is that people don’t always remember to take care of their tyres – apart from when the car goes in for a service. The best solution is to make a tyre check a regular part of your car maintenance routine – just as you check the oil and water on a regular basis.
All cars also need their tyres at the right pressure in order to obtain the best fuel economy. This applies to fuel-efficient cars like hybrid cars like a Toyota Prius or a Honda CR-Z as much as to conventionally fueled cars. Driving with the right pressure in your tyres reduces rolling resistance that the engine or hybrid power train has to work against in order to move the car.

Tyre checking process

• Examine the tread on the tyres, having turned the steering fully to one side. Often the inner edge wears away first, so you need to check the whole surface area of each tyre, not just the outside.
• The tread minimum depth is 1.6 mm and there are tread wear indicators which are small blocks about 10mm long and 2 mm high, located within the central grooves on the tyre. If any of the treads are flush with the indicator blocks, then the tyre needs replacing.
• If your tyre treads are still ok, examine the tyre surface for signs of perishing and any cracks. Also look out for any objects stuck in the tyre that might be causing a slow puncture.
• Look at the sidewalls and make sure there are no abrasion marks. Using the flat of your hand, feel for any bulges, which are an indication of serious damage to the tyre structure.
• Also check around the valve for any signs of perishing or cracking, and make sure the valve caps are in place.

Obviously, you need to do these checks on all the tyres including the spare. Get in the discipline of doing this monthly from the very start of owning a car. Tyres can get damaged at any time, so it’s always worth doing.

Read More