Saturday, October 17, 2009

Are Your HID Headlights Illegal?

You may already have HID Headlights added to your vehicle, or you may be doing research on improving the look of your vehicle and to help you see better at night. You might already know what kinds of HID Bulbs you want to install to your vehicle, or you might be shopping around to see which ones you want. One thing you must be aware of is HID Headlights can be illegal to have installed to your ride. You might have heard rumors about people getting ticketed for having HID Lights installed, but how do you really know if you're going to be safe from being ticketed?

If you look on the box of HID Headlights, usually they say things such as: "DOT Approved." Just to let you know, the DOT has never approved HID Headlights and has no plans of giving them the OK anytime in the future. Do if you get pulled over by the Police and you tell them that your bulbs are DOT approved, there's a good chance that it won't matter.

So how can HID Headlights be illegal when everybody has them installed to their vehicles? Auto manufacturers have begun installing HID Lights to their newer vehicles. These bulbs are OK by the police and there is no need to worry about being pulled over. The problem is usually when the bulbs are installed yourself.

So how do I avoid getting into trouble by the law? To begin, stay away from cheaper, knock off versions of the bulbs. If you get pulled over with these on, you might even get into deeper trouble. The reason why is because the cheap versions are actually Halogen Bulbs that have a blue lens attached to it to make it look authentic. Because of this, the Police could see this as somebody trying to impersonate an officer. The way an Officer can find out if the bulb is fake or not is they take a white sheet of paper and hold it to the bulb. If the light turns the paper blue, you're in big trouble. If it shines white, the bulbs are real.

Other reasons why vehicles are pulled over for HID Headlights is because the bulbs have been improperly installed and blinds other drivers. Be sure that your bulbs are properly placed and not blinding other people.

If your bulbs are glaring and bouncing off of objects when driving, you will get pulled over. It's safe to stick with HID Headlights at around 6000k-8000k. Anything brighter than this will bring attention to you.
Want to find out more about HID Headlights, then watch our video on illegal HID Bulbs.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

How To Obtain A Precise Auto Insurance Quote 

You must not waste your money and time with an incorrect auto insurance quote. Majority of auto insurance quotes offered over the telephone are erroneous. The following advices would help you get a correct auto insurance quote. Spend some more time and don’t let your effort of finding a suitable quote go in vain. 

Look at your local telephone directory. Take down the names and telephone numbers of prominent insurance companies like State Farm, Progressive, Allstate and independent auto insurance agencies like A+ Insurance. Independent insurance agencies provide more options to you.
Contact a company and request for a quote.
Furnish the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) for every car. Don’t allow the insurance agent to input the year of manufacturing, model and brand. The VIN would specify the exact car.
Provide details like your Social Security Number, your employment details and any reported accidents or infringements.
Offer discount details: home ownership, previous auto insurance, anti-theft and security devices, good student history and safe driving courses. 
Take down on a piece of paper all the quotes and the name of the individual who offered you the quote. Bring the quote with you to the insurer while you’re going to buy the policy. 

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Auto Body Repair: Choosing A School

Auto Body Repair is a very competitive field, and to excel in it you will need training from a reputable Auto Body Repair School. This is no longer one of those trades that you can "get by" with learning as you go unless you want a low paying job cleaning up after others. Experience is the only way to go far in this career and the only way you are going to get it at this point is with schooling.

It is simple for us as quality auto body repair schools can be found nationwide with very little effort. Some are college programs that last for two years and include all the traditional college core courses, while others are technical schools dedicated solely to the auto body repair field. My choice would be going with a dedicated trade school as it gives much more hands on training time. Most of the institutions will split the courses time between book learning and working in the shop applying what was just learned. Ignorant people will argue that hands on training will be plenty for this career and the truth is in fact the opposite. If you choose not to learn the theory you can put you and others in serious danger. Complicated circuits, air bag components, and high voltage hybrids are just some of the cutting edge technology you will experience in the field, and learning from your mistakes is definitely not a good idea. A much better method of learning is to hit the books first, and later apply what you have learned in the field. For reference we have given you a few options to consider in Auto Body Repair Schools.

Lincoln Tech, my first choice for a school is a simple one. I am a LTI Alumni and can attest for their high quality of education. Using a systems approach they break down different systems of the automobile and then apply it later in the shop. With joint efforts between them and major auto makers they can provide specialized training for different makes and models. Tool companies are also linked up with LTI and provide tools to students at discounted rates. They also DBA Lincoln College of Technology and Nashville Auto/Diesel College.

A second option to consider is Wyotech. With a name with deep ties to motor sports they have been branded the official school of the NHRA. They have famous graduates including Jessi Combs, former tv host of Xtreme 4x4. Upon completing the core curriculum students will then choose which area they would like to major in. They include Trim and upholstery, shop management, chassis fabrication, and street rod building.

If a dedicated trade school is not for you then perhaps looking into local colleges is a better option for you. Look for ones that offer a collision repair or auto body repair program.
Want to find out more about Auto Body Repair, then visit Chip Roth's site on how to choose the best Auto Body Repair School for your needs.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Buy Brakes That Are Best For Your Car

When you choose your automobile there are often certain reasons why you select a particular make and model. Maybe the look of the car sold it to you, or the performance. Maybe it just comes down to how many dollars you have available at the time of purchase. It’s always really exciting getting a new vehicle, maybe you wish to get your new ride modified, with low bumpers, large exhausts and even improve its performance. No matter which car you choose, or how you wish to use it, there are ongoing costs to consider. Of course older automobiles are more likely to require replacement parts sooner, but even new cars may require some maintenance due to wear and tear. Over the vehicle’s lifetime you may need to buy brakes, tires and exhausts on several occasions.

Everyone can relate to the excitement of getting your first car. When you go to inspect a prospective purchase you will of course spend time test driving and ensuring it is what you need. It is also worthwhile to make enquiries as to how much it can cost to buy brakes and other parts that may need changing at intervals. You may choose to ask the vendor these sorts of questions, but if in doubt, always check approximate charges with a mechanic or other professional. When certain the car is what you need and that you can afford it, you can start to dream of exploring new states and travelling the highways in your new set of wheels.

Even really experienced motorists can remember the attachment felt towards their first auto. The driving test and lessons have finished but there is still so much to learn about driving, from roads to being courteous with other road users. Not to mention the cost of driving. Even young kids know that driving is expensive (maybe as they hear parents remarks at the gas pumps!), but until you drive yourself, it’s hard to imagine just how much it can cost.

A careful driver will purchase quality replacement parts to make a car safer or to enhance performance. If you choose to buy brakes which you feel are better quality than existing ones, make sure you do the right research and go to a reputable supplier. Most companies produce a range of promotional flyers that can be requested to assist in finding the right parts for your vehicle. You could also look for information online, and can even buy brakes and other parts from the internet. Just be sure the seller is reputable and sells only top quality items.

Choosing an automobile, whether it is the very first, or the long awaited car of your dreams, is an exciting prospect. Remember to consider how you can keep your car safe for yourself, your passengers and other road users. This can range from making sure people in your car always wear safety belts, ensuring you are in a fit state to drive before embarking on any journey, to making sure that when you buy brakes and other parts they are good quality.
For further information, please visit http://www.ebcbrakes.com

How to Use Search Friendly Ads to Dramatically Improve Your Car Sales

If you’re a car dealer looking for cheap and effective ways to sell your cars, whether it’s a Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic or a Suzuki Mehran, the internet can be a tremendous help in boosting your sales. General and automotive related classifieds have become increasingly popular over the years and visitors comprising both car sellers and buyers, frequently visit and post ads on these websites. However, to truly realize the potential of an ad and attract a larger audience, there are a few simple measures you need to take.

Selecting the proper websites on which to post your ads is extremely important. The more widely used sites can be found quickly by searching Google using broad words that describe the car you’re selling. If you use Alexa, a website ranking service, in addition to Google you can easily identify classifieds that have the highest average traffic. For instance, if you type the words ‘Toyota Corolla for Sale in Islamabad’ your search results will display the most appropriate sites for your car make and city. Make sure the title in the search results display the car manufacturer and city and are recently posted ads.

The classifieds you choose should have the facility of uploading videos and pictures, and the title of a final ad should show up in the top right part of your browser. It should also have the facility where links to all the ads for each user are displayed on each of the final ad pages. Also choose sites with high Alexa and Google page rank. Choose a number of online classifieds that is convenient for you and allows you to update your ads regularly.

The next equally important step is to identify the most suitable words to use while posting your ad, particularly for the title. If properly done, this will enable your ad to be indexed by Google or any other major search engine and show up in a good position on any search related to your car. You can use Google’s keyword tool by starting off with more general terms like Toyota, Corolla, Islamabad, sale, sell, buy and work your way up to more specific terms.

Now you can create a ad title with as many keywords and details as possible, I often use titles like ‘Reasonably Priced Used Toyota Corolla 2007 for sale in Islamabad, Pakistan’. The title should not be longer than seventy to eighty characters as the search engines will not index the remaining part of your title and vital words can be lost. Use your keywords in the description part of your ad and add further details related to your car. Use your ad title as the file name for your video and pictures before you upload the. This will help further in gaining an advantage over other similar car ads.

Lastly, use well known social bookmarking and networking sites as well as forums and groups to link to your final ad. Use high ranking sites as this will help your ad to get indexed faster and will also show up in a more prominent position in the search results compared to other ads. If you can use keywords in your link title or near the link.

If you’ve followed the above steps, your ad will appear in Google’s search results a few days later and your phone should hopefully be ringing off the hook. You have now successfully managed to realize the true potential of a search friendly classified ad.
Jimmy Carnes has been trading cars for most of his adult life and is always looking for inventive ways of improving car sales using online tools. For a superb deal on a Toyota Corolla visit Good Deal Hunting free online classifieds.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

10 Vital Questions To Have Answered When Purchasing A Used Vehicle

Everyone in the market for a used vehicle has the same basic need to fill, transportation, but each person has their own individual emotional needs and tastes, too. It’s hard to give specific advice to car buyers, as they all seem to “know what they want,” but there are plenty of general rules and guidelines that are smart to follow, and they can be tailored to all kinds of different budgets and mindsets.

However you decide to shop, whether going online or using local classified ads, you should decide ahead of time how you are really going to use that new-to-you vehicle and how long you expect to keep it. Will it be for commuting to school or work? Will you be taking long trips to the mountains or seaside? Do you need to get a couple of kids into it and keep them safe on the Wild West roads of busy areas? Ask yourself these questions right away, and then you will be prepared to ask the top 10 vital questions to have answered when purchasing a used vehicle.

Do NOT be embarrassed to be direct and ask these questions. You will be plunking down some good money as a result of your search (the average price paid for a used car in 2008, according to Cars.com, was over $8000). Even if you’re buying a truck or a motorcycle, money doesn’t grow on trees, right?

Make sure you get honest answers by checking under the hood, in the repair reports, and in every other way you can. If you need a mechanic’s help, pay for it. You’re about to make a four-figure investment (or even five), so do it right!

The top 10 questions

Ownership: Ask sellers who owned the car before they did, if anyone. You want to know how many people contributed different driving and maintenance styles to the aging of this auto. If you can figure out how to get in touch with a previous owner, all the better for your task of getting “full disclosure.”

Mileage: Check the odometer yourself, of course, but ask sellers how many miles they personally put on the car (or truck or motorcycle). Between 10-15,000 miles per year is average, so calculate annual miles by dividing the odometer mileage by the age of the vehicle.

Reason for selling: Make sure to have your “intuition” turned on when you ask this question. If sellers claim they are moving but there are no packing boxes around their houses, don’t believe them. The seller is concerned with selling, and may leave out some information, like the fact the car fell into a river or that the engine mounts are about to drop off. You should never buy a car that you feel is being misrepresented, in any way at all.

Price: Forget the asking price, ask what the “bottom line best price” is. If it does not fit into your budget, ask if the price is negotiable. It should be. It’s a used vehicle after all, and unless you buy “pre-owned” from a dealer it doesn’t come with a warranty, or even a new car smell (unless the seller is smart enough to spray banana oil in the interior).

Extras or special features: By the way, if it does smell new, ask if the seller used banana oil. Also ask about anything else you notice. Does the air conditioning work? Are the power windows dependable? Does that aftermarket CD player come with it? Even more importantly, do all the optional accessories or add-ons work?

Damages: Has the vehicle been in any accidents or suffered any kind of major damage? The sellers should be aware that their answer can be checked even with the free version of the online “car facts” services. Take a good look at the paint in the door frames and the trunk edges (inside). If it doesn’t match the body exactly, there’s a dead giveaway that some major repairs have been performed.

Gas economy: Gas prices go up and gas prices go down. This is a good reason to inquire about the fuel economy of the vehicle. Again, you can check the seller’s answer online, but remember that the fuel efficiency figures assume a well-tuned engine and some other pretty sedate driving methods. Find out what the real-world numbers are on some car user forums.

Service records: Are there complete records of the repairs and maintenance? Are there any at all? One car forum participant told of purchasing a 1984 Volvo from someone who kept every records of every oil change, and even calculated gas mileage on business trips. The notes and receipts filled two spiral notebooks. The forum poster bought the car, drove it for five years, and when he sold it, that old Volvo still ran like a new car.

The test drive: Always ask to take a vehicle for a reasonable test drive. You can arrange to take the car to your own trusted mechanic at this time, to get a quick once-over.

The “emotional attachment” factor: Find out if the owner was happy with the vehicle. This is the one question you should never fail to ask, and the one usually met with the greatest surprise. It’s also the one that can cut through the sales talk and get right down to how the seller really thinks. There is just no hiding “pride of ownership,” and if the seller is proud of the car, that’s a great sign.
At Robert Brogden Auto Plaza we have a large inventory of new and used cars kansas city. We are one of the finest Kansas City car dealers as well as offering GM Service and Parts. Visit us today for a free test drive.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Best 10 Reasons to Choose Car Donation to Charity

If you’ve always wondered what you could do to help others and have an old car you were going to trade in, here's your chance. At "Cars Helping America”, you can put your old car to good use.

Let's face it, as a trade-in most old cars don't bring much—especially in the current economy. However, as a vehicle for those in need your old car is priceless. Here are the 10 best reasons to donate your old car to charity:

1) Tax deductions: You can claim your donation as a charitable contribution on your taxes. Make sure you get a receipt from the organization you are donating your car to, and that they are legitimate non-profit charities such as "Cars Helping America."

If the value of the car is worth more than $500.00, you will need to fill out special forms at tax time in order to get the true value. Your tax preparer will be able to give you the help you need in order to get the return you deserve.

2) The price of your car will not only count for you, but for the charity that receives the cash for the sale if they do not use the car themselves.

3) You avoid the hassles and expense of selling a car. In most cases you would get more from your old car if you sold it yourself rather than if you traded
it in, but it will cost you—advertising, time and aggravation. Donating your car to "Cars Helping America" saves you all that expense and frustration and gives you something in return money can never provide: the satisfaction of knowing you have helped others with your generosity.

4) You can pick the charity who will receive your donation so that those nearest and dearest to your heart reap the benefits of your automobile donation.

5) It is fast and easy. In most cases, you can have your car picked up. All you have to do is make the call or click the link to start your automobile donation.

6) At "Cars Helping America" you will be assisted by experts who have experience in vehicle donations and can answer all your questions. That’s a huge benefit when you’re donating an automobile for the first time to help ensure you don’t miss a thing in order to get the credit you deserve. It also ensures that your charity gets the car or money from the sale of the automobile.

7) Everything can be done online. Selling your car or trading it in usually means spending valuable time traveling or showing your car to strangers. When you donate your automobile all you have to do is spend a few seconds online or on the phone and you're done.

8) It doesn't matter what shape your car is in. Even old junkers that wouldn't bring you a penny, that would, in fact, cost you money to get rid of, have value and can be donated.

9) No transfer charges. When you trade-in a car you can be responsible for paying transfer charges—not so when you donate with "Cars Helping America". They do it all and pay the fees, too.

10) Don't just think cars—if you have an old boat or RV, even many types of motorcycles, you can still donate them and receive all of the above benefits.

There is no end to the benefits, but surely the most important of all is the feeling you’ll get as your old car is taken away. Knowing it’s going to a good use will give you a pride and satisfaction you have never known.
CarsHelpingAmerica.org, a vehicle donation center, is an authorized, bonded agent working on behalf of its supported charities to accept and process your car donation. Visit them online today.