Monday, November 30, 2009
Pro's and Con's of Daytime Running Lights
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Sunday, November 29, 2009
Ford: Restoring Prestige and Honor
Author: Matthew C. Keegan
Source: articleage.com
The Ford Motor Company, along with rival General Motors, has
been going through a time of severe testing due to concerns
about product quality and relevancy, profits, and long term
viability. The net result is that Ford is planning on closing
numerous plants and will lay off as many as 30,000 employees, a
historic cutback that may only be the tip of the iceberg. Is
Ford finished or will the company be able to regain strength and
compete successfully in the years ahead?
Ford has certainly taken its lumps and for good reason. Profits
in the North American market are nonexistent with losses
actually in the multibillion dollar range. Despite the red ink,
all is not lost for the "blue oval" as the company remains very
profitable overseas. In addition, its three U.S. divisions have
much to offer if some serious changes are incorporated. Here are
my suggestions for change:
Ford -- The strongest division for the automaker is the
one that bears its name. Ford's strength is in its line of pick
up trucks and SUVs. Select car models including the Mustang and
Fusion are also strong sellers. Ford's weakness can be found
with its small car line, the Focus, and with dated models
including the Crown Victoria. Better for Ford to scrap their
small car lines altogether and import cars from Mexico or
overseas. In addition, the company should concentrate on
overhauling the Crown Victoria and introducing an all new Ranger
compact pick up truck. Finally, Ford is getting out of the
minivan business as crossover vehicles, such as the all new
Edge, will replace that category. This latter retreat is wise as
the category is saturated and the expense of developing a
successful new minivan can be diverted to concentrate on shoring
up other product lines.
Mercury -- Many have been predicting that Ford would
scrap its Mercury division altogether. However, among the many
management decisions announced recently indicate that Mercury
will stay. Together with Lincoln, the two brands are weak and
are in need of much assistance. Mercury cars for decades have
been nothing more than reworked Ford models therefore its brand
identity has been diluted. It is time for Ford to help Mercury
come up with a clearer "personality" and a line of vehicles that
are inspiring, not boring. A good start would be to develop a
car all Mercury's own, such as a retro Cougar coupe.
Lincoln -- There was a day when Lincoln and Cadillac
battled for preeminence for sales leadership in the American
luxury car category. Lincoln long ago ceded the fight to
Cadillac, a GM division with new and exciting products.
Currently, Cadillac outsells Lincoln by more than 2 to 1 and
does battle with the likes of Lexus, BMW, and Mercedes. For
Lincoln, a new Town Car is needed plus a decision must be made
regarding just how much the division should rely on trucks and
SUVs to identify the brand. Currently, Lincoln line up includes
more truck models than cars. Reviving a historic model, such as
the Continental, could be a smart choice and putting some money
into the LS is another. Curiously, the make is changing the name
of its newest model, the Zephyr, to the MKZ after only one model
year.
Ford is floundering and it is particularly noticeable in two
divisions, Mercury and Lincoln. Its Mazda connection, which has
yielded several models including the Escape and Fusion, has been
a success. Tapping its Volvo association to help with larger
cars and with engineering would be wise and Ford should work
closer with its Jaguar division to produce additional vehicle
lines. The current LS, derived from the Jaguar "S Type" is an
example of an earlier collaboration that wasn't utilized to its
fullest extent.
All hope isn't lost for Ford, but the company's image has been
tarnished. The seed of greatness remains, but the company must
act quickly in order to regain consumer confidence and stop the
ever deepening erosion of its sales base to foreign makes.
Source: articleage.com
The Ford Motor Company, along with rival General Motors, has
been going through a time of severe testing due to concerns
about product quality and relevancy, profits, and long term
viability. The net result is that Ford is planning on closing
numerous plants and will lay off as many as 30,000 employees, a
historic cutback that may only be the tip of the iceberg. Is
Ford finished or will the company be able to regain strength and
compete successfully in the years ahead?
Ford has certainly taken its lumps and for good reason. Profits
in the North American market are nonexistent with losses
actually in the multibillion dollar range. Despite the red ink,
all is not lost for the "blue oval" as the company remains very
profitable overseas. In addition, its three U.S. divisions have
much to offer if some serious changes are incorporated. Here are
my suggestions for change:
Ford -- The strongest division for the automaker is the
one that bears its name. Ford's strength is in its line of pick
up trucks and SUVs. Select car models including the Mustang and
Fusion are also strong sellers. Ford's weakness can be found
with its small car line, the Focus, and with dated models
including the Crown Victoria. Better for Ford to scrap their
small car lines altogether and import cars from Mexico or
overseas. In addition, the company should concentrate on
overhauling the Crown Victoria and introducing an all new Ranger
compact pick up truck. Finally, Ford is getting out of the
minivan business as crossover vehicles, such as the all new
Edge, will replace that category. This latter retreat is wise as
the category is saturated and the expense of developing a
successful new minivan can be diverted to concentrate on shoring
up other product lines.
Mercury -- Many have been predicting that Ford would
scrap its Mercury division altogether. However, among the many
management decisions announced recently indicate that Mercury
will stay. Together with Lincoln, the two brands are weak and
are in need of much assistance. Mercury cars for decades have
been nothing more than reworked Ford models therefore its brand
identity has been diluted. It is time for Ford to help Mercury
come up with a clearer "personality" and a line of vehicles that
are inspiring, not boring. A good start would be to develop a
car all Mercury's own, such as a retro Cougar coupe.
Lincoln -- There was a day when Lincoln and Cadillac
battled for preeminence for sales leadership in the American
luxury car category. Lincoln long ago ceded the fight to
Cadillac, a GM division with new and exciting products.
Currently, Cadillac outsells Lincoln by more than 2 to 1 and
does battle with the likes of Lexus, BMW, and Mercedes. For
Lincoln, a new Town Car is needed plus a decision must be made
regarding just how much the division should rely on trucks and
SUVs to identify the brand. Currently, Lincoln line up includes
more truck models than cars. Reviving a historic model, such as
the Continental, could be a smart choice and putting some money
into the LS is another. Curiously, the make is changing the name
of its newest model, the Zephyr, to the MKZ after only one model
year.
Ford is floundering and it is particularly noticeable in two
divisions, Mercury and Lincoln. Its Mazda connection, which has
yielded several models including the Escape and Fusion, has been
a success. Tapping its Volvo association to help with larger
cars and with engineering would be wise and Ford should work
closer with its Jaguar division to produce additional vehicle
lines. The current LS, derived from the Jaguar "S Type" is an
example of an earlier collaboration that wasn't utilized to its
fullest extent.
All hope isn't lost for Ford, but the company's image has been
tarnished. The seed of greatness remains, but the company must
act quickly in order to regain consumer confidence and stop the
ever deepening erosion of its sales base to foreign makes.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Gm Oshawa Plant Tops Productivity List
Author: Anthony Fontanelle
Source: articledashboard.com
During the past years, Toyota has been leading the host of car manufacturers in the US in terms of productivity. Recently though, American carmakers are gaining on the Asian car-making giant. A study recently published showed that the most productive plant does not belong to Toyota but to General Motors. That distinction went to GM's Oshawa assembly plant which is located in Ontario, Canada. Aside from the Oshawa plant, four of GM's assembly facilities landed on the top ten list of the most productive car assembly factories. The study was conducted by Harbour Consulting which is based in Troy, Michigan.
"Topping the Harbour Report is a great achievement at a time when productivity is a critical challenge facing Canada's economy," says Arturo Elias, the President of General Motors of Canada. "This really shows what can be accomplished with constant focus and it is a testament to our great employees at GM Canada," he added further.
The said assembly plant produces General Motors vehicles such as the Buick Allure - a mid-size car - and the Pontiac Grand Prix - marketed as a personal luxury car. The Oshawa plant is also tasked with assembling the Chevrolet Monte Carlo and the Impala. The Camaro which General Motors will resurrect for the 2009 model year will also be produced at the assembly facility according to GM. These vehicles and other components such as the GMC pickup alignment kit, body kits, and other accessories are what General Motors hopes to anchor on its turnaround plan.
According to the study, Toyota's assembly plants took 29.93 work hours to manufacture its auto parts and assemble a vehicle. Meanwhile, Nissan took the second spot with an average of 29.97 hours in assembling a single vehicle. Nissan topped last year's list of the most productive car companies. The figure for Nissan though was only estimated by the consulting firm since the third largest Japanese car manufacturer declined to provide them with data for 2006.
Honda, the second largest Japanese car manufacturer, landed on the third place with about 31.63 hours spent on assembling a single vehicle. Honda is also reported as the carmaker to show the best improvement from 2005.
General Motors is fourth on the list with an average time of 32.36 hours spent on building a single vehicle. The gap between the leader Toyota and General Motors showed that the largest American car manufacturer is gaining on the Japanese firm. DaimlerChrysler AG follows General Motors on the list with an average of 32.9 hours spent on manufacturing and assembling car parts. The Ford Motor Company finished last with an average of 35.1 hours. While Ford posted the lowest productivity rating, their productivity improved by 2 percent as compared to 2005.
Ron Harbour, the president of Harbour Consulting, said that the gap between the highest, Toyota, and the lowest, Ford, is at 5.17 hours. Compared to 2005, the gap is two hours better. In 2005, the gap between the most productive and the last on the list is 7.33 hours. The reason pointed out by the study for the closing gap is the result of the workforce reduction implemented by General Motors, Ford and Chrysler. The said step made the companies more productive although in terms of sale they are still performing at a low level compared to the three Japanese car manufacturers.
Source: articledashboard.com
During the past years, Toyota has been leading the host of car manufacturers in the US in terms of productivity. Recently though, American carmakers are gaining on the Asian car-making giant. A study recently published showed that the most productive plant does not belong to Toyota but to General Motors. That distinction went to GM's Oshawa assembly plant which is located in Ontario, Canada. Aside from the Oshawa plant, four of GM's assembly facilities landed on the top ten list of the most productive car assembly factories. The study was conducted by Harbour Consulting which is based in Troy, Michigan.
"Topping the Harbour Report is a great achievement at a time when productivity is a critical challenge facing Canada's economy," says Arturo Elias, the President of General Motors of Canada. "This really shows what can be accomplished with constant focus and it is a testament to our great employees at GM Canada," he added further.
The said assembly plant produces General Motors vehicles such as the Buick Allure - a mid-size car - and the Pontiac Grand Prix - marketed as a personal luxury car. The Oshawa plant is also tasked with assembling the Chevrolet Monte Carlo and the Impala. The Camaro which General Motors will resurrect for the 2009 model year will also be produced at the assembly facility according to GM. These vehicles and other components such as the GMC pickup alignment kit, body kits, and other accessories are what General Motors hopes to anchor on its turnaround plan.
According to the study, Toyota's assembly plants took 29.93 work hours to manufacture its auto parts and assemble a vehicle. Meanwhile, Nissan took the second spot with an average of 29.97 hours in assembling a single vehicle. Nissan topped last year's list of the most productive car companies. The figure for Nissan though was only estimated by the consulting firm since the third largest Japanese car manufacturer declined to provide them with data for 2006.
Honda, the second largest Japanese car manufacturer, landed on the third place with about 31.63 hours spent on assembling a single vehicle. Honda is also reported as the carmaker to show the best improvement from 2005.
General Motors is fourth on the list with an average time of 32.36 hours spent on building a single vehicle. The gap between the leader Toyota and General Motors showed that the largest American car manufacturer is gaining on the Japanese firm. DaimlerChrysler AG follows General Motors on the list with an average of 32.9 hours spent on manufacturing and assembling car parts. The Ford Motor Company finished last with an average of 35.1 hours. While Ford posted the lowest productivity rating, their productivity improved by 2 percent as compared to 2005.
Ron Harbour, the president of Harbour Consulting, said that the gap between the highest, Toyota, and the lowest, Ford, is at 5.17 hours. Compared to 2005, the gap is two hours better. In 2005, the gap between the most productive and the last on the list is 7.33 hours. The reason pointed out by the study for the closing gap is the result of the workforce reduction implemented by General Motors, Ford and Chrysler. The said step made the companies more productive although in terms of sale they are still performing at a low level compared to the three Japanese car manufacturers.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Installing a Motorcycle Fork Stabilizer
Author: Jim Noss
Source: articleage.com
The benefits of installing a Superbrace motorcycle fork stabilizer
You may ask yourself, what is a motorcycle fork stabilizer and why do I need one for my motorcycle. These are very reasonable questions to ask especially since you have expected the motorcycle manufacturer to have given your motorcycle the highest performance suspension components available. I hope to answer these questions and many more within this motorcycle fork stabilizer article.
I first became aware of motorcycle fork stabilizers from the Cycle Solutions (http://www.CycleSolutions.net) motorcycle forums. Several members of the forum suggested that this was a aftermarket part to install on your motorcycle. Being both curious and ignorant I asked questions. Is this just a cosmetic "Bling" piece or does it actually serve a purpose. I received responses from some skeptics saying fork stabilizers were snake oil and did not add any added performance handling to your motorcycle. The majority of responses were from seasoned riders and racers that swear by the performance handling improvements of a fork stabilizer. So now this peeked my curiosity even more since credible motorcyclists were endorsing this aftermarket suspension part.
I decided to check out the available fork stabilizer products on the market. With the help of the Cycle Solutions forum, I received several options of manufacturers. Of which , the majority of people highly recommended the Superbrace Motorcycle Fork Stabilizer. I personally never heard of Superbrace and kept asking questions and receiving advice, testimonials, and photos concerning the Superbrace. I have compiled the following information from my research with the intent to help the reader become more informed as a consumer.
Essentially, the SuperBrace motorcycle fork stabilizer is designed to stop the forks from flexing and vibrating. The brace provides better stability, superior aerodynamics and a more streamlined look than other multi-piece braces on the market. Once you install the Superbrace you will have unbelievable handling. It's a night and day difference. The best part of having a Superbrace installed on your motorcycle is the long-term effect. You will then get 20,000 miles out of you front tire. It is an investment that will pay you every year.
Now my research led me to trying to understand exactly what was meant by fork flex. How could these strong front forks bend and flex. Being very doubtful that this was possible I discovered the following about fork flex:
Fork flex is the main reason why a rider incurs speed wobbles, unstable handling, road sensitivity problems and tire cupping. Superbrace eliminates fork flex and allows the fork assembly to cycle in a straight line. Now I understood fork flex and how the Superbrace would help to eliminate this issue. Ok, so what. I install my Superbrace and the fork stop flexing. What exactly does this mean? By eliminating fork flex, you will immediately notice the following performance suspension benefits:
ท Reduces low and high-speed wobbles. ท Improves stability in tight cornering.
ท Improves tire life and reduces cupping.
ท Decreases sensitivity to rough road surfaces and rain grooves.
So how does it work? The purpose of a fork brace is to reduce "fork-flex". Fork flex can lead to poor suspension performance, poor steering accuracy, and headshake. A fork brace can significantly reduce these issues. The reasons and benefits stated above are what convinced me to get a Superbrace for my Kawasaki ZZR-1200 sport touring motorcycle. Some of the non-performance related issues which helped me decide to purchase this brace were:
ท Every Superbrace is made of 6061-T6 aircraft aluminum and machined to a tolerance of + or - .002 of an inch, with a polished finish. ท Ten-minute easy installation. ท Competition proven by world-class racers.
Now if that was not enough, I found out that the manufacturer, Superbrace, stands behind their product with a 30-Day Money Back Guarantee. Enough said, I order my part from my friendly online store and wait for the UPS man to arrive. Now I am thinking, how do I install this part. Surely it has to involve removing the forks, wheels, etc. I read up on the installation for this particular product and was very please to find the installation would be a quick 10-minute task. Even given my average wrenching skills. The following describes the basic installation procedures for the Superbrace fork stabilizer:
SuperBrace Fork Stabilizer General Installation Notes
1. Place motorcycle on center stand. (If your motorcycle in not equipped with a center stand, place a block device under the stand to make the motorcycle as upright as possible without it being over center.) 2. Remove any existing fork bridge or brace.
3. Remove any existing plastic fork guards (if applies).
4. Disassemble SuperBrace.
5. Loosen axle pinch bolts.
Assemble SuperBrace 1/8" below fork seals. NOTE: Should the fender prevent installing the SuperBrace at this height, place a piece of paper (such as this instruction sheet) between the SuperBrace and the fender and follow the next step.
Torque SuperBrace bolts to 10 ft. pounds. (Remove paper if used)
Re-torque axle pinch bolts to factory specification.
IMPORTANT: Before riding, bounce the front end of motorcycle and cycle the suspension to insure brake lines and horn Do Not contact the brace. It may be necessary to move or purchase after market brake lines and horn.
Once I received the item via UPS. The install went as planned. I was first impressed with the simple ease of installation on the fork. It was only a few minutes and I was ready to take the bike out for a test ride. After riding with the Superbrace all summer, I could not get over how much the Superbrace improved the handling and riding of my motorcycle. The bike felt firmly attached to the road, it held a line so much better, a lot less vibrations and wandering. The steering was noticeably crisper. I also noticed the steadiness of the bike in braking. I did notice the front used to howl at speed, with the fork stabilizer on, the howling ceased. It is a completely different feel. Overall a very positive effect on the motorcycle.
I highly recommend the Superbrace fork stabilizer if you want an instant performance item on a motorcycle. Too many times I see people throwing money away on items for looks only and are not investing in a tested peformance accessory that can add not only to the looks, but to the handling, performance and to riding stability.
Contributing author to Cycle Solutions http://www.CycleSolutions.net http://www.KingpinCruisers.net
Source: articleage.com
The benefits of installing a Superbrace motorcycle fork stabilizer
You may ask yourself, what is a motorcycle fork stabilizer and why do I need one for my motorcycle. These are very reasonable questions to ask especially since you have expected the motorcycle manufacturer to have given your motorcycle the highest performance suspension components available. I hope to answer these questions and many more within this motorcycle fork stabilizer article.
I first became aware of motorcycle fork stabilizers from the Cycle Solutions (http://www.CycleSolutions.net) motorcycle forums. Several members of the forum suggested that this was a aftermarket part to install on your motorcycle. Being both curious and ignorant I asked questions. Is this just a cosmetic "Bling" piece or does it actually serve a purpose. I received responses from some skeptics saying fork stabilizers were snake oil and did not add any added performance handling to your motorcycle. The majority of responses were from seasoned riders and racers that swear by the performance handling improvements of a fork stabilizer. So now this peeked my curiosity even more since credible motorcyclists were endorsing this aftermarket suspension part.
I decided to check out the available fork stabilizer products on the market. With the help of the Cycle Solutions forum, I received several options of manufacturers. Of which , the majority of people highly recommended the Superbrace Motorcycle Fork Stabilizer. I personally never heard of Superbrace and kept asking questions and receiving advice, testimonials, and photos concerning the Superbrace. I have compiled the following information from my research with the intent to help the reader become more informed as a consumer.
Essentially, the SuperBrace motorcycle fork stabilizer is designed to stop the forks from flexing and vibrating. The brace provides better stability, superior aerodynamics and a more streamlined look than other multi-piece braces on the market. Once you install the Superbrace you will have unbelievable handling. It's a night and day difference. The best part of having a Superbrace installed on your motorcycle is the long-term effect. You will then get 20,000 miles out of you front tire. It is an investment that will pay you every year.
Now my research led me to trying to understand exactly what was meant by fork flex. How could these strong front forks bend and flex. Being very doubtful that this was possible I discovered the following about fork flex:
Fork flex is the main reason why a rider incurs speed wobbles, unstable handling, road sensitivity problems and tire cupping. Superbrace eliminates fork flex and allows the fork assembly to cycle in a straight line. Now I understood fork flex and how the Superbrace would help to eliminate this issue. Ok, so what. I install my Superbrace and the fork stop flexing. What exactly does this mean? By eliminating fork flex, you will immediately notice the following performance suspension benefits:
ท Reduces low and high-speed wobbles. ท Improves stability in tight cornering.
ท Improves tire life and reduces cupping.
ท Decreases sensitivity to rough road surfaces and rain grooves.
So how does it work? The purpose of a fork brace is to reduce "fork-flex". Fork flex can lead to poor suspension performance, poor steering accuracy, and headshake. A fork brace can significantly reduce these issues. The reasons and benefits stated above are what convinced me to get a Superbrace for my Kawasaki ZZR-1200 sport touring motorcycle. Some of the non-performance related issues which helped me decide to purchase this brace were:
ท Every Superbrace is made of 6061-T6 aircraft aluminum and machined to a tolerance of + or - .002 of an inch, with a polished finish. ท Ten-minute easy installation. ท Competition proven by world-class racers.
Now if that was not enough, I found out that the manufacturer, Superbrace, stands behind their product with a 30-Day Money Back Guarantee. Enough said, I order my part from my friendly online store and wait for the UPS man to arrive. Now I am thinking, how do I install this part. Surely it has to involve removing the forks, wheels, etc. I read up on the installation for this particular product and was very please to find the installation would be a quick 10-minute task. Even given my average wrenching skills. The following describes the basic installation procedures for the Superbrace fork stabilizer:
SuperBrace Fork Stabilizer General Installation Notes
1. Place motorcycle on center stand. (If your motorcycle in not equipped with a center stand, place a block device under the stand to make the motorcycle as upright as possible without it being over center.) 2. Remove any existing fork bridge or brace.
3. Remove any existing plastic fork guards (if applies).
4. Disassemble SuperBrace.
5. Loosen axle pinch bolts.
Assemble SuperBrace 1/8" below fork seals. NOTE: Should the fender prevent installing the SuperBrace at this height, place a piece of paper (such as this instruction sheet) between the SuperBrace and the fender and follow the next step.
Torque SuperBrace bolts to 10 ft. pounds. (Remove paper if used)
Re-torque axle pinch bolts to factory specification.
IMPORTANT: Before riding, bounce the front end of motorcycle and cycle the suspension to insure brake lines and horn Do Not contact the brace. It may be necessary to move or purchase after market brake lines and horn.
Once I received the item via UPS. The install went as planned. I was first impressed with the simple ease of installation on the fork. It was only a few minutes and I was ready to take the bike out for a test ride. After riding with the Superbrace all summer, I could not get over how much the Superbrace improved the handling and riding of my motorcycle. The bike felt firmly attached to the road, it held a line so much better, a lot less vibrations and wandering. The steering was noticeably crisper. I also noticed the steadiness of the bike in braking. I did notice the front used to howl at speed, with the fork stabilizer on, the howling ceased. It is a completely different feel. Overall a very positive effect on the motorcycle.
I highly recommend the Superbrace fork stabilizer if you want an instant performance item on a motorcycle. Too many times I see people throwing money away on items for looks only and are not investing in a tested peformance accessory that can add not only to the looks, but to the handling, performance and to riding stability.
Contributing author to Cycle Solutions http://www.CycleSolutions.net http://www.KingpinCruisers.net
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Jimmie Johnson Scores Chevrolet Its 4th Impala Ss Victory
Author: Mike Bartley
Source: articledashboard.com
James Kenneth Johnson, popularly known as Jimmie Johnson, took his fourth victory of the season and the ninth for Chevy in an atypical day race at the Richmond International Raceway. Rescheduled from Saturday night due to rain, the 300-mile, 400-lap race witnessed the Chevy Impala SS drivers brush the top four finishing spots. To stress, seven out of top ten finishers were Chevy drivers.
Johnson, the driver of the No. 48 Lowe's Impala SS and the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Champion, has this to say: "This means the world to me to win here. We haven't been that strong here. It reminds me a lot of Indy last year where we came back and we were able to beat a track that's tough on us. I think this car has been an opportunity for myself and for the team to kind of learn the right setup; feeling the right the rhythm at this track. We did well at being here. I was hoping one-two-three for Hendrick Motorsports, it was awesome racing with my teammate Kyle Busch."
In his rookie year, Johnson became the first rookie in the Cup series to sweep both races at a track when he won both races at the Dover International Speedway. He became the first rookie ever to lead in the point standings. In addition, Johnson is the only driver to finish in the top five in the standings in his first five full seasons.
How does it feel to wear the Virginia Tech hat? Johnson said, "I feel honored to win this race here in Virginia. Obviously what took place, no one could ever describe. It's just so sad, I don't even know where to start. I didn't go to school there, have a lot of close friends that did, great people that work at Hendrick Motorsports that have and certainly want to dedicate this win to them."
Johnson ran near the front for most of the race, taking the lead for good with 20 laps to go. With a performance likened to that of ACT, he finished ahead of teammate Kyle Busch, the driver of the No. 5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Impala SS and Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 FedEx Impala SS, who finished second and third, respectively.
Jeff Gordon, the owner of Johnson's Impala SS, finished behind Hamlin. Another teammate of Johnson, the driver of the No. 24 DuPont Impala SS, kept his points in the driver with his fourth-place finish. Johnson's win pushed him up to second place in the standings up from fourth.
Richmond's race was the fourth race for Chevy's new Impala SS race car. The Impala SS has won all four new-generation race car events this season with Hendrick Motorsports - Johnson's team. Chevy drivers also hold nine of the top twelve spots in the series standings. Additionally, Chevrolet has won nine of ten races in the '07 series to date and leads in the Manufacturer's Cup chase with 87 points.
Finishing second was Kyle Busch, the driver of No. 5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Impala SS. "That was a good run for our Kellogg's/CARQUEST Impala SS. You know we struggle in qualifying with these things but we seem to get it when the race turns around so we also want to thank all my sponsors and all the people that are behind us," Busch quipped.
When asked whether his car fell off on the last restart or Johnson's car just got better, Busch said, "Well both. I think mine fell off a little bit and his got better, because we kind of gapped out. Normally we could run together but the restart before I was a little bit better than he was and I got a good start and I got down in one and two and got a good jump on everybody but that last caution came out again. I think he would have caught us anyway. He was a little bit better overall than we were but it's still a good day for Hendrick Motorsports - one, two, four, I believe."
Denny Hamlin, the driver of No. 11 FedEx Express Impala SS and finished third in the event, noted: "We definitely had an up-and-down day but for the most part our car was pretty good. We were coming on there at the end and got caught behind a lot of cars. It seemed like the fist couple of cars could clear and we just had a tough time running on the outside. For the most part I was happy about it. The FedEx Chevrolet was a winning car there at the end but we just didn't have the track position."
Driving No. 24 DuPont Impala SS is Jeff Gordon who finished fourth. Describing his race, Gordon said, "We've got to be proud of that. This has been one of our worst tracks. To come out here in the top five just tells you what kind of improvements we've made with the DuPont Chevrolet team. We had great track position and we were able to maintain that. That probably helped us out for the most part. At one time I thought we had the car to beat and then we made some adjustments trying to keep up with the changing conditions of the track and just lost it."
He added, "I've got to congratulate Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch. Those guys drove one heck of a race. We're so proud to have those guys at Hendrick Motorsports. I was trying so hard to get that one-two-three Hendrick finish but just couldn't pull it off. Denny Hamlin drove a great race as well. Congratulations to Jimmie and all those guys. We'll just take our top-five and move on from here."
Source: articledashboard.com
James Kenneth Johnson, popularly known as Jimmie Johnson, took his fourth victory of the season and the ninth for Chevy in an atypical day race at the Richmond International Raceway. Rescheduled from Saturday night due to rain, the 300-mile, 400-lap race witnessed the Chevy Impala SS drivers brush the top four finishing spots. To stress, seven out of top ten finishers were Chevy drivers.
Johnson, the driver of the No. 48 Lowe's Impala SS and the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Champion, has this to say: "This means the world to me to win here. We haven't been that strong here. It reminds me a lot of Indy last year where we came back and we were able to beat a track that's tough on us. I think this car has been an opportunity for myself and for the team to kind of learn the right setup; feeling the right the rhythm at this track. We did well at being here. I was hoping one-two-three for Hendrick Motorsports, it was awesome racing with my teammate Kyle Busch."
In his rookie year, Johnson became the first rookie in the Cup series to sweep both races at a track when he won both races at the Dover International Speedway. He became the first rookie ever to lead in the point standings. In addition, Johnson is the only driver to finish in the top five in the standings in his first five full seasons.
How does it feel to wear the Virginia Tech hat? Johnson said, "I feel honored to win this race here in Virginia. Obviously what took place, no one could ever describe. It's just so sad, I don't even know where to start. I didn't go to school there, have a lot of close friends that did, great people that work at Hendrick Motorsports that have and certainly want to dedicate this win to them."
Johnson ran near the front for most of the race, taking the lead for good with 20 laps to go. With a performance likened to that of ACT, he finished ahead of teammate Kyle Busch, the driver of the No. 5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Impala SS and Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 FedEx Impala SS, who finished second and third, respectively.
Jeff Gordon, the owner of Johnson's Impala SS, finished behind Hamlin. Another teammate of Johnson, the driver of the No. 24 DuPont Impala SS, kept his points in the driver with his fourth-place finish. Johnson's win pushed him up to second place in the standings up from fourth.
Richmond's race was the fourth race for Chevy's new Impala SS race car. The Impala SS has won all four new-generation race car events this season with Hendrick Motorsports - Johnson's team. Chevy drivers also hold nine of the top twelve spots in the series standings. Additionally, Chevrolet has won nine of ten races in the '07 series to date and leads in the Manufacturer's Cup chase with 87 points.
Finishing second was Kyle Busch, the driver of No. 5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Impala SS. "That was a good run for our Kellogg's/CARQUEST Impala SS. You know we struggle in qualifying with these things but we seem to get it when the race turns around so we also want to thank all my sponsors and all the people that are behind us," Busch quipped.
When asked whether his car fell off on the last restart or Johnson's car just got better, Busch said, "Well both. I think mine fell off a little bit and his got better, because we kind of gapped out. Normally we could run together but the restart before I was a little bit better than he was and I got a good start and I got down in one and two and got a good jump on everybody but that last caution came out again. I think he would have caught us anyway. He was a little bit better overall than we were but it's still a good day for Hendrick Motorsports - one, two, four, I believe."
Denny Hamlin, the driver of No. 11 FedEx Express Impala SS and finished third in the event, noted: "We definitely had an up-and-down day but for the most part our car was pretty good. We were coming on there at the end and got caught behind a lot of cars. It seemed like the fist couple of cars could clear and we just had a tough time running on the outside. For the most part I was happy about it. The FedEx Chevrolet was a winning car there at the end but we just didn't have the track position."
Driving No. 24 DuPont Impala SS is Jeff Gordon who finished fourth. Describing his race, Gordon said, "We've got to be proud of that. This has been one of our worst tracks. To come out here in the top five just tells you what kind of improvements we've made with the DuPont Chevrolet team. We had great track position and we were able to maintain that. That probably helped us out for the most part. At one time I thought we had the car to beat and then we made some adjustments trying to keep up with the changing conditions of the track and just lost it."
He added, "I've got to congratulate Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch. Those guys drove one heck of a race. We're so proud to have those guys at Hendrick Motorsports. I was trying so hard to get that one-two-three Hendrick finish but just couldn't pull it off. Denny Hamlin drove a great race as well. Congratulations to Jimmie and all those guys. We'll just take our top-five and move on from here."
Sunday, November 22, 2009
When Your Automotive Mechanic Does Flat Rate Billing for Auto Repair and Truck Repair in Tampa
Author: Business Local Listings
Source: articlesbase.com
You cannot avoid auto repair or truck repair no matter how well you maintain your vehicle. You will still need to bring it to your automotive service center for auto inspection, engine repair or car transmission system repair some time. Perhaps you may need to have some of your car parts replaced with AC Delco car parts, or perhaps you will just need auto oil change. Whatever automotive service you will need, your mechanic will either use hourly billing or flat rate billing. Both are acceptable billing methods in Tampa. But what difference does it make?Hourly billing is self-explanatory. Your automotive mechanic and automotive service center will bill you for the exact number of hours spent working on your vehicle. Flat rate billing, on the other hand, is based on how much time a flat rate book says a certain type of repair takes when done by the average professional mechanic. The flat rate book is an automotive industry standard that is used everywhere and not just in Tampa.Flat rate billing becomes a problem when some clients believe that they are being scammed when they are billed for a three-hour repair that the mechanic finishes in just two hours. The clients think they should, therefore, be billed only for those two hours. They should take into consideration, though, that the three hour period specified in the flat rate book is the industry standard in doing such type of repair. This means that the average professional skilled mechanic will take three hours to do the job properly. If the particular mechanic was able to finish it in two hours, and the repair was done well, it just means that this mechanic is exceptionally skilled and perhaps has had long experience in such types of repair. The time and study he has invested in preparing himself professionally up to that point accounts for the speed with which he did the task. It is only fair that he be duly rewarded for it.If clients fear being scammed, that could be possible with hourly billing, as well. Without the benefit of a flat rate book, clients will not have any idea on how much time it should really take to do a certain type of repair. For all you know, the automotive mechanic could spend four hours on a task that should take only an hour. Even if you do have a flat rate book at hand, the automotive mechanic who is being paid by the hour will not have any incentive to do the job faster even if he has the capability to do so. It will be to his best interest to extend the task to the maximum time possible.With flat rate billing, therefore, both the client and the automotive mechanic are at an advantage. The mechanic can work at his real pace and if he finishes earlier than expected then the client can drive off much earlier, too. The mechanic can then take on other jobs and the client has lost less downtime.There are times when the mechanic can even be at a disadvantage with the flat rate billing system. With very new car systems, sometimes the manufacturer’s estimate of how long a certain repair should take is quite tight considering the fact that mechanics have not had enough time yet to master its innovations. It would not be farfetched under such scenarios for mechanics to take even more time than specified in the book. This means they are on the losing end of the deal.So if your automotive mechanic in Tampa uses flat rate billing, do not blame him for it. You are not being shortchanged for as long as you are getting the highest quality of auto repair or truck repair.
Source: articlesbase.com
You cannot avoid auto repair or truck repair no matter how well you maintain your vehicle. You will still need to bring it to your automotive service center for auto inspection, engine repair or car transmission system repair some time. Perhaps you may need to have some of your car parts replaced with AC Delco car parts, or perhaps you will just need auto oil change. Whatever automotive service you will need, your mechanic will either use hourly billing or flat rate billing. Both are acceptable billing methods in Tampa. But what difference does it make?Hourly billing is self-explanatory. Your automotive mechanic and automotive service center will bill you for the exact number of hours spent working on your vehicle. Flat rate billing, on the other hand, is based on how much time a flat rate book says a certain type of repair takes when done by the average professional mechanic. The flat rate book is an automotive industry standard that is used everywhere and not just in Tampa.Flat rate billing becomes a problem when some clients believe that they are being scammed when they are billed for a three-hour repair that the mechanic finishes in just two hours. The clients think they should, therefore, be billed only for those two hours. They should take into consideration, though, that the three hour period specified in the flat rate book is the industry standard in doing such type of repair. This means that the average professional skilled mechanic will take three hours to do the job properly. If the particular mechanic was able to finish it in two hours, and the repair was done well, it just means that this mechanic is exceptionally skilled and perhaps has had long experience in such types of repair. The time and study he has invested in preparing himself professionally up to that point accounts for the speed with which he did the task. It is only fair that he be duly rewarded for it.If clients fear being scammed, that could be possible with hourly billing, as well. Without the benefit of a flat rate book, clients will not have any idea on how much time it should really take to do a certain type of repair. For all you know, the automotive mechanic could spend four hours on a task that should take only an hour. Even if you do have a flat rate book at hand, the automotive mechanic who is being paid by the hour will not have any incentive to do the job faster even if he has the capability to do so. It will be to his best interest to extend the task to the maximum time possible.With flat rate billing, therefore, both the client and the automotive mechanic are at an advantage. The mechanic can work at his real pace and if he finishes earlier than expected then the client can drive off much earlier, too. The mechanic can then take on other jobs and the client has lost less downtime.There are times when the mechanic can even be at a disadvantage with the flat rate billing system. With very new car systems, sometimes the manufacturer’s estimate of how long a certain repair should take is quite tight considering the fact that mechanics have not had enough time yet to master its innovations. It would not be farfetched under such scenarios for mechanics to take even more time than specified in the book. This means they are on the losing end of the deal.So if your automotive mechanic in Tampa uses flat rate billing, do not blame him for it. You are not being shortchanged for as long as you are getting the highest quality of auto repair or truck repair.
Guy's Automotive
3049 W.Hillsborough Ave.
Tampa, FL 33614
Phone: 813 353-1537
Fax: 813 353 1568
Email: guyskiver@msn.com
Website's: www.AUTOREPAIRINTAMPA.COM, www.AUTOREPAIRTAMPA.NET
Friday, November 20, 2009
Car Radiator Replacement Solutions
Author: Matthew C. Keegan
Source: articleage.com
My first attempt at a more difficult auto fix-it project
involved replacing the blown radiator on my '78 VW Rabbit
Diesel. Let's just say that I was a little "green" in this area
and it was only with the help of a good friend that I was able
to complete the task without resorting to calling a garage to
finish the job. Still, it was a good experience for me and I
believe that it is one job I could successfully tackle again in
the future. You can too provided you purchase reliable OEM parts
and get instructions that are easy to follow.
Back during the time that I owned my VW, the number of parts
stores carrying in stock Volkswagen parts was fairly limited;
the internet was in its infancy so shopping around for the best
deal wasn't something that I could do. The local VW dealer had
the part, but their prices were stratospheric. I simply did not
have the funds available to buy one from the dealer so I ended
up snagging a radiator off of a junked Rabbit. Big mistake! It
turned out that the junked car's radiator leaked and the cap did
not quite fit. I never found out why it was that way, but the
junkyard dealer did refund my money. Fortunately, a local garage
ended up having a decent used one available; we installed that
one without too much of a problem.
Of course, I worried about the replacement part as it wasn't
warranted and it looked, well, quite used. Sure it was no
BMW
radiator so I did not have to pay a mint to have it
shipped in from Germany nor was it a pricey Honda
radiator fresh off the boat from Japan. Certainly, I
counted myself blessed. Still, I found myself frantically
watching the temperature gauge particularly on hot days when I
ran the a/c at full blast. I was sure the "new" radiator would
give out once again, so I pampered the car as much as I could.
Fortunately the options today for the consumer are better than
ever before. Your choices include:
1. Ordering your part from a dealer as long as you are willing
to pay full freight and then some.
2. Visit an auto parts store and see if they have the part on
hand - this can work if it is a Jeep
radiator, but you can expect that your Isuzu radiator
will involve a 2-3 week back order.
3. Go to the junkyard and hope that your part can be found and
is in excellent condition. Yeah, right.
4. Finally, you can order online through an established and
reputable dealer who does not have the overhead of maintaining
expensive brick and mortar stores. Prices with select online
dealers are competitive and usually involve same day shipping at
no extra cost to you.
As for the Rabbit, I traded it in for a new car only months
after replacing the radiator. Had my replacement part purchasing
options been better, I would have held onto it a bit longer.
Shoot, at 50 miles per gallon the 'lil bunny would be a jewel to
have on hand today!
Source: articleage.com
My first attempt at a more difficult auto fix-it project
involved replacing the blown radiator on my '78 VW Rabbit
Diesel. Let's just say that I was a little "green" in this area
and it was only with the help of a good friend that I was able
to complete the task without resorting to calling a garage to
finish the job. Still, it was a good experience for me and I
believe that it is one job I could successfully tackle again in
the future. You can too provided you purchase reliable OEM parts
and get instructions that are easy to follow.
Back during the time that I owned my VW, the number of parts
stores carrying in stock Volkswagen parts was fairly limited;
the internet was in its infancy so shopping around for the best
deal wasn't something that I could do. The local VW dealer had
the part, but their prices were stratospheric. I simply did not
have the funds available to buy one from the dealer so I ended
up snagging a radiator off of a junked Rabbit. Big mistake! It
turned out that the junked car's radiator leaked and the cap did
not quite fit. I never found out why it was that way, but the
junkyard dealer did refund my money. Fortunately, a local garage
ended up having a decent used one available; we installed that
one without too much of a problem.
Of course, I worried about the replacement part as it wasn't
warranted and it looked, well, quite used. Sure it was no
BMW
radiator so I did not have to pay a mint to have it
shipped in from Germany nor was it a pricey Honda
radiator fresh off the boat from Japan. Certainly, I
counted myself blessed. Still, I found myself frantically
watching the temperature gauge particularly on hot days when I
ran the a/c at full blast. I was sure the "new" radiator would
give out once again, so I pampered the car as much as I could.
Fortunately the options today for the consumer are better than
ever before. Your choices include:
1. Ordering your part from a dealer as long as you are willing
to pay full freight and then some.
2. Visit an auto parts store and see if they have the part on
hand - this can work if it is a Jeep
radiator, but you can expect that your Isuzu radiator
will involve a 2-3 week back order.
3. Go to the junkyard and hope that your part can be found and
is in excellent condition. Yeah, right.
4. Finally, you can order online through an established and
reputable dealer who does not have the overhead of maintaining
expensive brick and mortar stores. Prices with select online
dealers are competitive and usually involve same day shipping at
no extra cost to you.
As for the Rabbit, I traded it in for a new car only months
after replacing the radiator. Had my replacement part purchasing
options been better, I would have held onto it a bit longer.
Shoot, at 50 miles per gallon the 'lil bunny would be a jewel to
have on hand today!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Creating Unique Automotive T-shirt Pictures
Author: Anthony Palmieri
Source: articleage.com
Abstract:
In these days of digital cameras, and on-line photograph
development companies, individuals can be even more creative and
create custom T-shirts or other cool items. Adding a personal
touch into family pictures as well as other loves such as cars,
and pets makes your T-shirt even more unique. If you walk around
at many automotive events such as World of Wheels, New England
Dragway, or NASCAR, auto enthusiast proudly wear a T-shirt that
shows their interest, supporting Ford, Mopar, or Richard Petty.
These shirts you see are usually mass produced. Now whether you
have a Mustang, Camaro, street rod, or other custom vehicle you
can proudly wear it. This article will give you some basic ideas
that will help you transform your pictures into T-shirts that
are different, unique and personal.
Creating Unique Automotive T-shirt Pictures
----------------------------------------------
A low cost digital camera coupled with some imagination can open
the door for you to create unique picture clothing with images
of your family and pets all the way to your special autos and
motorcycles. For a few years now the home user could use special
iron-on transfer paper to print a picture on a home printer then
iron it on to clothing. It looks great initially, however, it
tends to be stiff, and after a few washes fades. High end
T-shirt printing was expensive, and restricted to large
companies that were making many many of the same T-shirt. As
with most technologies, as they evolve they improve and become
less expensive.
The most common technique for printing onto fabrics was silk
screening, which is an expensive processes that is not cost
effective for an individual looking to create only one or two
shirts. A process called sublimation has gained more popularity
and is available through many of the on-line development houses.
Sublimation uses special inks called sublimation ink. This ink
is used to print your photograph on a special transfer paper,
and that along with heat, and pressure transfers the image to a
variety of materials such as cotton and polyester (T-shirts ),
metals, plastics, ceramics, and special high temperature
plastics such as Plexiglas, Mylar or melamine. Sublimation ink
is unique where it has the ability to convert from a solid to a
gas without going through a liquid form moving into the fibers
of the fabric. This conversion and ink transfer process creates
a crisp color with a highly defined image that is very durable.
Now that you the individual, have all this capability
available, what can you do with it? The basic starting point is
to take a digital picture and send it as is to one of these
houses to create a standard photo shirt. Lets go beyond the
standard picture and create custom pieces of art for yourself
that you can proudly wear.
Software packages like Adobe Photoshop have many capabilities
that allow you to customize your pictures. The question often
asked is well what should I do? The intent of this article is to
give you a few ideas to spark your creativity and see what fits
your personality. Our focus at www.PalmieriConcepts.com has been
on automotive art, so we will use automobiles for examples,
although these ideas can be applied to family portraits,
pictures of your loving pets, and even landscapes. You can
exchange the word "car" for dog, cat, boat, girlfriend, etc.
When you are taking a picture of your car, do not just think
about what you see in the viewfinder, but think about the final
composition. Also think about other T-shirts that you have seen
and what you liked and disliked. A few questions to consider are:
1. Will the car be a stand alone in the picture? 2. Will there
be multiple images of the car merged together? 3. Will there be
multiple cars? 4. Will there be different elements of the car
used such as emblems? 5. Can the car be used as both a
background element as well as a foreground element (Car overlaid
over the engine as a background.)? 6. What unique features stand
out? 7. What angles will look best? (Stand on a ladder to get
that down view.) .... and the list goes on.
Taking a digital picture does not cost you anything until you
print it out, so I recommend that you take many pictures at
different angles, and of all key elements. Looking through the
viewfinder gives you only one perspective of the final picture,
however, once the image is on your computer screen your mind
will open the door to an unlimited world.
Things to consider when looking and photographing a car: 1. Is
there a large surface such as a sloping trunk with a minimal
amount of details? If so, this may make a great background where
you could overlay a side view of the car on the trunk. To add to
the personalized component, keep the license place in the
picture so it ties the picture to the owner.
2. Are there any distinctive features such as a massive open
grill as on many pre 1965 cars? This may also make a great
background to overlay a side view of the car in the grill.
Keeping any logos or license plate adds to the personalized
impact.
3. Many of the older cars have trim pieces that are art in
themselves. Take for example a 1958 Bel Air. The front fenders
and sides have bullet like trim that would make a great border.
4. Do not just focus on the exterior of the car, think about the
interior. How about those detailed and distinctive dash boards
and large buss like steering wheels. These also make a great
backgrounds. Imagine the car centered in the steering wheel
where you get a glimpse of the gages. Or for that fantasy effect
for a performance car, edit the speedometer to show a high
speed, and slightly blur the car to represent the speed.
The points above are general picture guidelines, but when
composing a picture for print on a fabric you must remember that
fabric does not have the depth and color representation of photo
paper to show the details. Fabric also has a matt finish so
these additional points must be kept in mind.
1. Keep the T-shirt image less busy, meaning, focus on the car
image, and less of background.
2. To minimize a hard edge around a square picture, have the
picture blurred or faded around the edges so it fades into the
fabric, This can be done by taking a straight edge and adding 10
pixels (on a 200 DPI) of fade, or even creating an irregular
outline like a irregular cloud fading into a fabric.
3. Try to make the foreground bold colors "BOLD" so the car
stands out.
4. Complement the picture with some descriptive text to further
personalize it, even if it is just the year of the car, or if
you are lucky to have 2 of more cars, even a saying such as
"Just cant have one!"
5. Lastly, remember to add that small text at the bottom with
your name for the added personal touch.
This is a brief list of things to consider, and in time your
mind will run with the endless possibilities. Your biggest
challenge will be to weed through those ideas, do some
experimenting and pick the best ones.
For some examples of what is described here, refer to
www.PalmieriConcepts.com in the "Examples" and "T-shirt"
sections. Look at these examples think about how you can apply
these to your own work. Have fun!
Source: articleage.com
Abstract:
In these days of digital cameras, and on-line photograph
development companies, individuals can be even more creative and
create custom T-shirts or other cool items. Adding a personal
touch into family pictures as well as other loves such as cars,
and pets makes your T-shirt even more unique. If you walk around
at many automotive events such as World of Wheels, New England
Dragway, or NASCAR, auto enthusiast proudly wear a T-shirt that
shows their interest, supporting Ford, Mopar, or Richard Petty.
These shirts you see are usually mass produced. Now whether you
have a Mustang, Camaro, street rod, or other custom vehicle you
can proudly wear it. This article will give you some basic ideas
that will help you transform your pictures into T-shirts that
are different, unique and personal.
Creating Unique Automotive T-shirt Pictures
----------------------------------------------
A low cost digital camera coupled with some imagination can open
the door for you to create unique picture clothing with images
of your family and pets all the way to your special autos and
motorcycles. For a few years now the home user could use special
iron-on transfer paper to print a picture on a home printer then
iron it on to clothing. It looks great initially, however, it
tends to be stiff, and after a few washes fades. High end
T-shirt printing was expensive, and restricted to large
companies that were making many many of the same T-shirt. As
with most technologies, as they evolve they improve and become
less expensive.
The most common technique for printing onto fabrics was silk
screening, which is an expensive processes that is not cost
effective for an individual looking to create only one or two
shirts. A process called sublimation has gained more popularity
and is available through many of the on-line development houses.
Sublimation uses special inks called sublimation ink. This ink
is used to print your photograph on a special transfer paper,
and that along with heat, and pressure transfers the image to a
variety of materials such as cotton and polyester (T-shirts ),
metals, plastics, ceramics, and special high temperature
plastics such as Plexiglas, Mylar or melamine. Sublimation ink
is unique where it has the ability to convert from a solid to a
gas without going through a liquid form moving into the fibers
of the fabric. This conversion and ink transfer process creates
a crisp color with a highly defined image that is very durable.
Now that you the individual, have all this capability
available, what can you do with it? The basic starting point is
to take a digital picture and send it as is to one of these
houses to create a standard photo shirt. Lets go beyond the
standard picture and create custom pieces of art for yourself
that you can proudly wear.
Software packages like Adobe Photoshop have many capabilities
that allow you to customize your pictures. The question often
asked is well what should I do? The intent of this article is to
give you a few ideas to spark your creativity and see what fits
your personality. Our focus at www.PalmieriConcepts.com has been
on automotive art, so we will use automobiles for examples,
although these ideas can be applied to family portraits,
pictures of your loving pets, and even landscapes. You can
exchange the word "car" for dog, cat, boat, girlfriend, etc.
When you are taking a picture of your car, do not just think
about what you see in the viewfinder, but think about the final
composition. Also think about other T-shirts that you have seen
and what you liked and disliked. A few questions to consider are:
1. Will the car be a stand alone in the picture? 2. Will there
be multiple images of the car merged together? 3. Will there be
multiple cars? 4. Will there be different elements of the car
used such as emblems? 5. Can the car be used as both a
background element as well as a foreground element (Car overlaid
over the engine as a background.)? 6. What unique features stand
out? 7. What angles will look best? (Stand on a ladder to get
that down view.) .... and the list goes on.
Taking a digital picture does not cost you anything until you
print it out, so I recommend that you take many pictures at
different angles, and of all key elements. Looking through the
viewfinder gives you only one perspective of the final picture,
however, once the image is on your computer screen your mind
will open the door to an unlimited world.
Things to consider when looking and photographing a car: 1. Is
there a large surface such as a sloping trunk with a minimal
amount of details? If so, this may make a great background where
you could overlay a side view of the car on the trunk. To add to
the personalized component, keep the license place in the
picture so it ties the picture to the owner.
2. Are there any distinctive features such as a massive open
grill as on many pre 1965 cars? This may also make a great
background to overlay a side view of the car in the grill.
Keeping any logos or license plate adds to the personalized
impact.
3. Many of the older cars have trim pieces that are art in
themselves. Take for example a 1958 Bel Air. The front fenders
and sides have bullet like trim that would make a great border.
4. Do not just focus on the exterior of the car, think about the
interior. How about those detailed and distinctive dash boards
and large buss like steering wheels. These also make a great
backgrounds. Imagine the car centered in the steering wheel
where you get a glimpse of the gages. Or for that fantasy effect
for a performance car, edit the speedometer to show a high
speed, and slightly blur the car to represent the speed.
The points above are general picture guidelines, but when
composing a picture for print on a fabric you must remember that
fabric does not have the depth and color representation of photo
paper to show the details. Fabric also has a matt finish so
these additional points must be kept in mind.
1. Keep the T-shirt image less busy, meaning, focus on the car
image, and less of background.
2. To minimize a hard edge around a square picture, have the
picture blurred or faded around the edges so it fades into the
fabric, This can be done by taking a straight edge and adding 10
pixels (on a 200 DPI) of fade, or even creating an irregular
outline like a irregular cloud fading into a fabric.
3. Try to make the foreground bold colors "BOLD" so the car
stands out.
4. Complement the picture with some descriptive text to further
personalize it, even if it is just the year of the car, or if
you are lucky to have 2 of more cars, even a saying such as
"Just cant have one!"
5. Lastly, remember to add that small text at the bottom with
your name for the added personal touch.
This is a brief list of things to consider, and in time your
mind will run with the endless possibilities. Your biggest
challenge will be to weed through those ideas, do some
experimenting and pick the best ones.
For some examples of what is described here, refer to
www.PalmieriConcepts.com in the "Examples" and "T-shirt"
sections. Look at these examples think about how you can apply
these to your own work. Have fun!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Review of ATV Cave Ride at Mines & Meadows Resort
Author: John Prusak
Source: ezinearticles.com
"Hey John - would you be interested in riding in an underground mine this spring?" We get a lot of strange phone calls at the office, but seeing that this one came from a credible source and the calendar didn't read April 1, we were willing to give it the benefit of the doubt.
The call was from Justin Dawes, the ATV communications guru for Kawasaki. It seems he and fellow adventurous motorhead Jon Rall, also of Kawasaki, had a trick up their sleeve. They had caught the scent of a unique riding destination in west-central Pennsylvania called the Mines & Meadows Resort and thought it would be an excellent destination in which they could feature the capabilities of the company's Brute Force 750 4x4.
Frankly, the 54 miles of above-ground trails are reason enough to visit the Mines & Meadows Resort, as the varied terrain, featuring hillclimbs, rock crawls and mud pits, provides challenges for seasoned riders but other easy trails with gentle, sweeping turns let anybody come and give it a shot.
The underground limestone mine, however, raises this riding destination to the next level. How many places can you go where you get great trails, plus a chance to ride 200 feet underground in complete blackness, and drive through an underground lake? The answer, as best we can tell, is one - and that one place is Mines & Meadows.
Putting It Together
Upon meeting Bob Svihra, the brainchild and moneyman behind Mines & Meadows, it's sometimes a wonder this guy can make it through tying his shoes in the morning without getting distracted by an idea that's rolling through his head. When he talks, one sentence hardly gets finished before the next comes tumbling out of his mouth, and he seems less likely to stay on the original topic than to bounce to something else he wants to say.
He's not scatterbrained, however. Svihra has been very successful, having started and run businesses involved in disparate fields like medical waste removal, shoulder and knee harness manufacturing, creating a process to remove materials from compact discs and DVDs and as an investor in a variety of things, including the local BeaveRun motorsports complex located a couple miles down the road from Mines & Meadows. So Svihra's definitely a person who has proven he can follow through on a concept, but while he's doing that, a dozen other ideas are also pulsing through his gray matter.
"One business supports the next one that I do, and then that supports the next one that I do ... . I'm a good builder but a lousy maintainer - so when I do something like this, I throw it over my shoulder and let somebody else take care of it once it's up and running," Svihra said with a laugh.
Mines & Meadows is one of his latest start-ups. Some friends took Svihra on an ATV ride through some private property about seven years ago. The trail riding was interesting, but then his friends took him boondocking into an abandoned limestone mine. "When they took me into the mine, being an entrepreneur, I put two and two together and said, 'This would be a great ATV riding place.' So that's what I tried doing," Svihra explained.
Svihra invested $2 million in the park, initially purchasing more than 400 acres of land around the mine and leasing part of the mine from the Grinnen family, which bought the mine in 2004 and formed the Underland Development Corporation. The riding park has now grown to more than 600 acres above ground, with 54 miles of trails that twist through interesting and varied terrain. Another 14 acres is found underground in the limestone mine, providing a unique experience for visitors.
Underground:
The Mine
After a brief trail ride through some April showers, our Kawasaki-mounted party made its way to the mouth of the mine. The doorway looked to be about 5 feet wide and 7 feet tall, with wood sign reading "Mine Entrance - Guided Tours Only" hanging above the door. The doorway was lined on the top and sides by wooden beams similar to railroad ties, and from the outside it looked like we were entering a bear's den.
We watched other machines disappear into the darkness, then took a deep breath and ventured through the narrow gateway. The bright light outside was quickly replaced by darkness - our eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden change in ambient light. Luckily the headlights from the Brute Force illuminated a narrow path in front of us as we plodded forward.
The initial staging room does feature just a tiny bit of light, thanks to whatever brightness sneaks through the doorway, but it's still dark. The room we entered was about the size of a high school gymnasium, except with a relatively low ceiling.
Once our group was inside and some photos were taken, we followed our leader deeper inside. We could see only as far as our headlights would stretch, and only in the direction of those lights. Want to get a close look at the rocky walls? Better turn your machine in that direction, because that's the only way you're going to see them.
The mine itself was created in the 1800s, as mining crews using the relatively crude tools available at the time burrowed through a tall hill to capture the natural strip of limestone found there. For more than 60 years, limestone was pulled from the mine and used in local cement manufacturing until the mine closed in 1958. When digging out the limestone, crews had to leave sections of stone untouched every 35 feet so the ceiling wouldn't collapse - in essence, leaving irregularly shaped pillars of support.
What's left is a sort of drive-thru, underground beehive. As we followed our leader deeper into the mine, our main path snaked through the darkness, and on each side of us there would be a "pillar," then what looked like a secret room or passageway leading farther into the darkness. We weaved our Brute Force 750 back and forth to throw some light into these side areas. Some were shallow, some were deep, and in some cases there would be a room behind the room, again, with pillars separating the spaces every 35 feet.
The ceiling hung about 15 feet from the floor in most places, though occasionally we'd drive through a "keyhole" or other area that wasn't dug out quite as much, and we'd have to duck our heads as our ATV climbed over rock to make it through to the next room.
The pure darkness is the first thing that grabs your attention - it's eerie, especially when everybody turns off their headlights and it is absolute darkness. Your eyes try to adjust to the changing light conditions, but in truth they'll never catch up - without even a sliver of light coming in from anywhere, you are completely blinded. Luckily the Kawis sprung back to life and we were off again.
Also notable is a musty, cool dampness. The mine stays at 55 degrees year-round, and the humidity hovers at about 80 percent. It made it a perfect place for a mushroom (yes, LEGAL mushrooms!) growing operation that filled this particular mine in the 1970s and '80s. Crews of up to 45 people worked around the clock like moles in this cave, ensuring proper garnish for pizzas, salads and the like.
The grade is mostly flat in the mine - you're actually not going downhill into the earth, instead the earth rises 200 feet in the form of a hill while riders go through.
Eventually, we came to a 3-acre underground "lake." The word lake is in quotes because the water here is merely trapped by a dam on the far end of the mine. Still, it's an interesting sight, and fun to drive through.
The mine was left abandoned beginning in the mid '80s and became a hangout for local explorers and party hounds until the Grinnen family purchased the land.
"We wanted to develop it and possibly get into record storage and storage of vehicles, boats, motorhomes and campers," explained Steve Grinnen. "Also, our main goal right now is a winery. This is the perfect temperature for storing wine, and the humidity can be controlled very easily. There's a lot of square footage in here."
In all, leisurely tours through the mine take about an hour. There's no extra charge for the mine tour - it comes with the price of admission, but the only way in and out is with a guide.
Above Ground:
Trails Everywhere!
The mine is awesome, but we'd be interested in riding at Mines & Meadows even without it.
The facility has more than 50 miles of trails that twist through the wooded and rolling landscape. A color-coded map illustrated the spiderweb of trails, with easy yellow and green trails running around the perimeter and down the center of the trail system, and then a hodge-podge of blue and black trails demarking the greater areas of challenge.
Out on the Brute Force, we found the system to be relatively easy to understand, as trails were marked by number and color, and direction signs pointed the way back to the main staging area.
Best yet, many of the trails are one-way in nature, making it unlikely you'd ever meet somebody in a corner and really easy to find your way back to your tow vehicle, as all trails eventually lead to other trails that will take you back.
Knowing they had some experienced riders with them, our guides took us to the toughest stuff the park could muster. The challenges were fun, but in the end, the rock scramble, powerline hill climb and mudbog were ideal habitat for the Brute Force 750.
The Mines & Meadows Resort near Wampum, Pennsylvania, is open all year, except for two weeks in late November/early December for Pennsylvania's deer hunting season. A day pass is $25, and that includes a mine tour.
Source: ezinearticles.com
"Hey John - would you be interested in riding in an underground mine this spring?" We get a lot of strange phone calls at the office, but seeing that this one came from a credible source and the calendar didn't read April 1, we were willing to give it the benefit of the doubt.
The call was from Justin Dawes, the ATV communications guru for Kawasaki. It seems he and fellow adventurous motorhead Jon Rall, also of Kawasaki, had a trick up their sleeve. They had caught the scent of a unique riding destination in west-central Pennsylvania called the Mines & Meadows Resort and thought it would be an excellent destination in which they could feature the capabilities of the company's Brute Force 750 4x4.
Frankly, the 54 miles of above-ground trails are reason enough to visit the Mines & Meadows Resort, as the varied terrain, featuring hillclimbs, rock crawls and mud pits, provides challenges for seasoned riders but other easy trails with gentle, sweeping turns let anybody come and give it a shot.
The underground limestone mine, however, raises this riding destination to the next level. How many places can you go where you get great trails, plus a chance to ride 200 feet underground in complete blackness, and drive through an underground lake? The answer, as best we can tell, is one - and that one place is Mines & Meadows.
Putting It Together
Upon meeting Bob Svihra, the brainchild and moneyman behind Mines & Meadows, it's sometimes a wonder this guy can make it through tying his shoes in the morning without getting distracted by an idea that's rolling through his head. When he talks, one sentence hardly gets finished before the next comes tumbling out of his mouth, and he seems less likely to stay on the original topic than to bounce to something else he wants to say.
He's not scatterbrained, however. Svihra has been very successful, having started and run businesses involved in disparate fields like medical waste removal, shoulder and knee harness manufacturing, creating a process to remove materials from compact discs and DVDs and as an investor in a variety of things, including the local BeaveRun motorsports complex located a couple miles down the road from Mines & Meadows. So Svihra's definitely a person who has proven he can follow through on a concept, but while he's doing that, a dozen other ideas are also pulsing through his gray matter.
"One business supports the next one that I do, and then that supports the next one that I do ... . I'm a good builder but a lousy maintainer - so when I do something like this, I throw it over my shoulder and let somebody else take care of it once it's up and running," Svihra said with a laugh.
Mines & Meadows is one of his latest start-ups. Some friends took Svihra on an ATV ride through some private property about seven years ago. The trail riding was interesting, but then his friends took him boondocking into an abandoned limestone mine. "When they took me into the mine, being an entrepreneur, I put two and two together and said, 'This would be a great ATV riding place.' So that's what I tried doing," Svihra explained.
Svihra invested $2 million in the park, initially purchasing more than 400 acres of land around the mine and leasing part of the mine from the Grinnen family, which bought the mine in 2004 and formed the Underland Development Corporation. The riding park has now grown to more than 600 acres above ground, with 54 miles of trails that twist through interesting and varied terrain. Another 14 acres is found underground in the limestone mine, providing a unique experience for visitors.
Underground:
The Mine
After a brief trail ride through some April showers, our Kawasaki-mounted party made its way to the mouth of the mine. The doorway looked to be about 5 feet wide and 7 feet tall, with wood sign reading "Mine Entrance - Guided Tours Only" hanging above the door. The doorway was lined on the top and sides by wooden beams similar to railroad ties, and from the outside it looked like we were entering a bear's den.
We watched other machines disappear into the darkness, then took a deep breath and ventured through the narrow gateway. The bright light outside was quickly replaced by darkness - our eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden change in ambient light. Luckily the headlights from the Brute Force illuminated a narrow path in front of us as we plodded forward.
The initial staging room does feature just a tiny bit of light, thanks to whatever brightness sneaks through the doorway, but it's still dark. The room we entered was about the size of a high school gymnasium, except with a relatively low ceiling.
Once our group was inside and some photos were taken, we followed our leader deeper inside. We could see only as far as our headlights would stretch, and only in the direction of those lights. Want to get a close look at the rocky walls? Better turn your machine in that direction, because that's the only way you're going to see them.
The mine itself was created in the 1800s, as mining crews using the relatively crude tools available at the time burrowed through a tall hill to capture the natural strip of limestone found there. For more than 60 years, limestone was pulled from the mine and used in local cement manufacturing until the mine closed in 1958. When digging out the limestone, crews had to leave sections of stone untouched every 35 feet so the ceiling wouldn't collapse - in essence, leaving irregularly shaped pillars of support.
What's left is a sort of drive-thru, underground beehive. As we followed our leader deeper into the mine, our main path snaked through the darkness, and on each side of us there would be a "pillar," then what looked like a secret room or passageway leading farther into the darkness. We weaved our Brute Force 750 back and forth to throw some light into these side areas. Some were shallow, some were deep, and in some cases there would be a room behind the room, again, with pillars separating the spaces every 35 feet.
The ceiling hung about 15 feet from the floor in most places, though occasionally we'd drive through a "keyhole" or other area that wasn't dug out quite as much, and we'd have to duck our heads as our ATV climbed over rock to make it through to the next room.
The pure darkness is the first thing that grabs your attention - it's eerie, especially when everybody turns off their headlights and it is absolute darkness. Your eyes try to adjust to the changing light conditions, but in truth they'll never catch up - without even a sliver of light coming in from anywhere, you are completely blinded. Luckily the Kawis sprung back to life and we were off again.
Also notable is a musty, cool dampness. The mine stays at 55 degrees year-round, and the humidity hovers at about 80 percent. It made it a perfect place for a mushroom (yes, LEGAL mushrooms!) growing operation that filled this particular mine in the 1970s and '80s. Crews of up to 45 people worked around the clock like moles in this cave, ensuring proper garnish for pizzas, salads and the like.
The grade is mostly flat in the mine - you're actually not going downhill into the earth, instead the earth rises 200 feet in the form of a hill while riders go through.
Eventually, we came to a 3-acre underground "lake." The word lake is in quotes because the water here is merely trapped by a dam on the far end of the mine. Still, it's an interesting sight, and fun to drive through.
The mine was left abandoned beginning in the mid '80s and became a hangout for local explorers and party hounds until the Grinnen family purchased the land.
"We wanted to develop it and possibly get into record storage and storage of vehicles, boats, motorhomes and campers," explained Steve Grinnen. "Also, our main goal right now is a winery. This is the perfect temperature for storing wine, and the humidity can be controlled very easily. There's a lot of square footage in here."
In all, leisurely tours through the mine take about an hour. There's no extra charge for the mine tour - it comes with the price of admission, but the only way in and out is with a guide.
Above Ground:
Trails Everywhere!
The mine is awesome, but we'd be interested in riding at Mines & Meadows even without it.
The facility has more than 50 miles of trails that twist through the wooded and rolling landscape. A color-coded map illustrated the spiderweb of trails, with easy yellow and green trails running around the perimeter and down the center of the trail system, and then a hodge-podge of blue and black trails demarking the greater areas of challenge.
Out on the Brute Force, we found the system to be relatively easy to understand, as trails were marked by number and color, and direction signs pointed the way back to the main staging area.
Best yet, many of the trails are one-way in nature, making it unlikely you'd ever meet somebody in a corner and really easy to find your way back to your tow vehicle, as all trails eventually lead to other trails that will take you back.
Knowing they had some experienced riders with them, our guides took us to the toughest stuff the park could muster. The challenges were fun, but in the end, the rock scramble, powerline hill climb and mudbog were ideal habitat for the Brute Force 750.
The Mines & Meadows Resort near Wampum, Pennsylvania, is open all year, except for two weeks in late November/early December for Pennsylvania's deer hunting season. A day pass is $25, and that includes a mine tour.
For more on ATV destinations like Mines & Meadows, check out ATV Magazine online or in print. ATV Magazine highlights ATV tests, features, product reviews and more in every issue.
Monday, November 16, 2009
5 Tips For an Easy Roll on Truck Bed Liner
Author: Al Bullington
Source: ezinearticles.com
If you're looking for a cheap bed liner, it's hard to beat a roll on bed liner. The finished product looks like it cost far more than it did. It surely does make a truck bed looks better in a hurry. Here's what you need to know if you're thinking about this project.
Tip 1: It's cheap, but it doesn't look like it is...
The cost to apply bed liner paint is just a small fraction of what a spray on liner will set you back. It looks almost exactly like a professional liner when you get through. It isn't nearly as thick, but it looks almost the same.
Tip 2: It's perfect for beaters.
For old trucks, this makes good sense. For a newer truck, spend the money for a professional liner. This is just the thing for an old truck that's looking sad.
Tip 3: Plasti-Kote it...
We used Plasti-Kote paint. It contains lots of small rubber pieces for texture. After two years of use, the bed liner still looks good. Now it could use some touch-up work, but it stuck perfectly, no peeling, and it still has the glossy black finish.
Tip 4: Get a quart more.
Professional liners use 4 or more gallons of paint. So you want more than the recommended 1 gallon. You'll need at least an extra quart to cover a full size bed. Getting an extra gallon would be a real plus.
Tip 5: Sand like crazy.
Sand like crazy on the old bed coating to make sure your paint sticks. The coarser the sanding, the better. Putting the paint on couldn't be easier. Make sure you sand away so the coating sticks for sure.
A roll on bed liner makes your old truck bed look almost like new. It's not hard to get a professional looking finish.
Source: ezinearticles.com
If you're looking for a cheap bed liner, it's hard to beat a roll on bed liner. The finished product looks like it cost far more than it did. It surely does make a truck bed looks better in a hurry. Here's what you need to know if you're thinking about this project.
Tip 1: It's cheap, but it doesn't look like it is...
The cost to apply bed liner paint is just a small fraction of what a spray on liner will set you back. It looks almost exactly like a professional liner when you get through. It isn't nearly as thick, but it looks almost the same.
Tip 2: It's perfect for beaters.
For old trucks, this makes good sense. For a newer truck, spend the money for a professional liner. This is just the thing for an old truck that's looking sad.
Tip 3: Plasti-Kote it...
We used Plasti-Kote paint. It contains lots of small rubber pieces for texture. After two years of use, the bed liner still looks good. Now it could use some touch-up work, but it stuck perfectly, no peeling, and it still has the glossy black finish.
Tip 4: Get a quart more.
Professional liners use 4 or more gallons of paint. So you want more than the recommended 1 gallon. You'll need at least an extra quart to cover a full size bed. Getting an extra gallon would be a real plus.
Tip 5: Sand like crazy.
Sand like crazy on the old bed coating to make sure your paint sticks. The coarser the sanding, the better. Putting the paint on couldn't be easier. Make sure you sand away so the coating sticks for sure.
A roll on bed liner makes your old truck bed look almost like new. It's not hard to get a professional looking finish.
We used Plasti-Kote bed liner paint to coat a truck bed. Get our description of how it worked at this link
Get the scoop on other bed liner paints and how to use them at http://BedLinerForTrucks.com
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Bedlocker, The Only Retractable Electric Tonneau Cover
Author: Weeksie
Source: articledashboard.com
Have you ever seen a retractable desk top … the type that features a paneled wooden topper that glides side to side over the top of the desk, and, when shut, conveniently hides the stored contents? In fact, when one thinks about it, a rolltop desk works similarly to the opening and closing of a garage door.
Pace-Edwards' BedLocker retracting tonno cover operates a lot like both the retractable desk top and garage door. BedLocker's blanket, or top material, is made of two inch wide, quarter inch thick, black powder-coated metal panels that slide along heavy-duty side rails anchored to the innermost lip of both truck bed rails. And again, envision garage door quickly and smoothly rolling into an opened and out-of-the-way position. That, too, is a picture of how the BedLocker operates on your truck bed. The contrast being, the BedLocker cover assembly disappears into a 12 inch by 12 inch housing attached at the front of the pickup truck bed. Out of sight but not out of mind.
Acknowledge also that BedLocker is the lone electric operated retracting lid on the tonno market that opens and closes with the aid of a handy remote control. It's the downright best in truck cover usefullness. Think about this: your arms are loaded-down with sacks of groceries as you leave the shopping mall and approach your pickup truck. What should someone do?
Simple.
Just hit the button on your hand held remote and … voila! The BedLocker cover completely rolls to an opened setting in a few seconds.
But how does BedLocker function in stormy weather? Rather well, actually. To keep water from entering between the lid panels, Pace-Edwards uses patented rubber hinges to link the sturdy metal panels. Additionally, the top is made not to freeze-over or fall apart from excessive snow. Once more, the frame and slats are constructed of sturdy aluminum with a black powder coat finish equating to exceptional strength, security and style. The manufacturer tested the top by placing 300 lbs. of weight right in the center of the lid assembly ... without incident. Pace-Edwards is so confident in the BedLocker's strength, they've included a generous 3-year warranty.
Pace-Edwards custom-designed the BedLocker to fit the specific pick up truck application for which it was intended. This exact tonno cover also showcases a remote cargo light to make it easier to see what you are doing in dark surroundings. Pace-Edwards lays claim that you can install the BedLocker yourself in approximately one hour. It really depends upon the truck owner's caliber of mechanical inclination.
BedLocker retracting remote controlled tonneu completely opens in less than thirty seconds. Nonetheless, the remote control gives you the option to stop the top anywhere from the tail gate to the front of the bed.
Another useful feature is the drill-free installation. You don't have to drill any holes or cut into the truck bed. It's a one hundred per cent clamp-on procedure.
But is it worth the $1200.00-plus cost? It depends.
Some customers who purchased the BedLocker remote tonno were pleasantly surprised by the good quality components. Other people said that it was very secure with no rattling. Some had difficulty with the included instructions, but were agreeable once they talked with Pace-Edwards helpful technical services unit.
Some truck owners said that the BedLocker with its remote performance is a waste of money, eventhough still other truck owners say it's the most important convenience since sliced bread - a great and practical idea. All the BedLocker owners with whom we spent some telephone time, however, said the motorized retractable tonneau cover with the remote by Pace-Edwards is a necessity that they would find difficult to be without.
If you have some disposable income allocated and want to install the unrivaled retractable tonneau on your pick up truck ... Pace-Edwards' BedLocker is the right choice for you.
Source: articledashboard.com
Have you ever seen a retractable desk top … the type that features a paneled wooden topper that glides side to side over the top of the desk, and, when shut, conveniently hides the stored contents? In fact, when one thinks about it, a rolltop desk works similarly to the opening and closing of a garage door.
Pace-Edwards' BedLocker retracting tonno cover operates a lot like both the retractable desk top and garage door. BedLocker's blanket, or top material, is made of two inch wide, quarter inch thick, black powder-coated metal panels that slide along heavy-duty side rails anchored to the innermost lip of both truck bed rails. And again, envision garage door quickly and smoothly rolling into an opened and out-of-the-way position. That, too, is a picture of how the BedLocker operates on your truck bed. The contrast being, the BedLocker cover assembly disappears into a 12 inch by 12 inch housing attached at the front of the pickup truck bed. Out of sight but not out of mind.
Acknowledge also that BedLocker is the lone electric operated retracting lid on the tonno market that opens and closes with the aid of a handy remote control. It's the downright best in truck cover usefullness. Think about this: your arms are loaded-down with sacks of groceries as you leave the shopping mall and approach your pickup truck. What should someone do?
Simple.
Just hit the button on your hand held remote and … voila! The BedLocker cover completely rolls to an opened setting in a few seconds.
But how does BedLocker function in stormy weather? Rather well, actually. To keep water from entering between the lid panels, Pace-Edwards uses patented rubber hinges to link the sturdy metal panels. Additionally, the top is made not to freeze-over or fall apart from excessive snow. Once more, the frame and slats are constructed of sturdy aluminum with a black powder coat finish equating to exceptional strength, security and style. The manufacturer tested the top by placing 300 lbs. of weight right in the center of the lid assembly ... without incident. Pace-Edwards is so confident in the BedLocker's strength, they've included a generous 3-year warranty.
Pace-Edwards custom-designed the BedLocker to fit the specific pick up truck application for which it was intended. This exact tonno cover also showcases a remote cargo light to make it easier to see what you are doing in dark surroundings. Pace-Edwards lays claim that you can install the BedLocker yourself in approximately one hour. It really depends upon the truck owner's caliber of mechanical inclination.
BedLocker retracting remote controlled tonneu completely opens in less than thirty seconds. Nonetheless, the remote control gives you the option to stop the top anywhere from the tail gate to the front of the bed.
Another useful feature is the drill-free installation. You don't have to drill any holes or cut into the truck bed. It's a one hundred per cent clamp-on procedure.
But is it worth the $1200.00-plus cost? It depends.
Some customers who purchased the BedLocker remote tonno were pleasantly surprised by the good quality components. Other people said that it was very secure with no rattling. Some had difficulty with the included instructions, but were agreeable once they talked with Pace-Edwards helpful technical services unit.
Some truck owners said that the BedLocker with its remote performance is a waste of money, eventhough still other truck owners say it's the most important convenience since sliced bread - a great and practical idea. All the BedLocker owners with whom we spent some telephone time, however, said the motorized retractable tonneau cover with the remote by Pace-Edwards is a necessity that they would find difficult to be without.
If you have some disposable income allocated and want to install the unrivaled retractable tonneau on your pick up truck ... Pace-Edwards' BedLocker is the right choice for you.
Friday, November 13, 2009
T-2 Turbo Tornado Wind Car with Frontal Horizontal Vortex Pull Propulsion
Author: Lance Winslow
Source: articleage.com
Is it accessible to actualize a amphitheater airflow in foreground of an auto to get it to go down the highway? The amphitheater airflow would blot the car forth down the road. Of advance the car would accept to be fabricated of failing abstracts and it would yield absolutely a bit of engineering to accomplish it happen, but if aggregate came together, would it be possible?
Most humans who accept heard about this arrangement do not accept it will work. Yet it seems to me that it could plan if it were done properly. The catechism is how abundant activity does it yield to actualize a aboveboard accumbent amphitheater cull propulsion arrangement for an automobile? And how abundant would amount to make.
Since no one has anytime advised annihilation like this, no one knows for sure. But apparently it would be accessible and you ability alarm be accomplished prototype; A Wind Car. Now again what can we use to actualize the vortex?
Well, I acclaim using a laser to alpha the amphitheater spinning and a bisected moon arch bend blocking the about wind from alarming abroad the amphitheater or mini-tornado, the absolute apparatus would be set on accoutrements extending accomplished the foreground of the car. Next the foreground of the car would shaped like a biconcave front.
The Accumbent breeze would blot the car forth and there would be slots in the arch bend acceptance the about airflows as the car moves advanced to accumulate it traveling already it got started? Just a anticipation on the Wind-Car Idea and why not, if you can dream it, absolutely anyone can body it. Consider this in 2006.
"Lance Winslow" - Online Anticipate Tank appointment board. If you accept avant-garde thoughts and different perspectives, appear anticipate with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/
Source: articleage.com
Is it accessible to actualize a amphitheater airflow in foreground of an auto to get it to go down the highway? The amphitheater airflow would blot the car forth down the road. Of advance the car would accept to be fabricated of failing abstracts and it would yield absolutely a bit of engineering to accomplish it happen, but if aggregate came together, would it be possible?
Most humans who accept heard about this arrangement do not accept it will work. Yet it seems to me that it could plan if it were done properly. The catechism is how abundant activity does it yield to actualize a aboveboard accumbent amphitheater cull propulsion arrangement for an automobile? And how abundant would amount to make.
Since no one has anytime advised annihilation like this, no one knows for sure. But apparently it would be accessible and you ability alarm be accomplished prototype; A Wind Car. Now again what can we use to actualize the vortex?
Well, I acclaim using a laser to alpha the amphitheater spinning and a bisected moon arch bend blocking the about wind from alarming abroad the amphitheater or mini-tornado, the absolute apparatus would be set on accoutrements extending accomplished the foreground of the car. Next the foreground of the car would shaped like a biconcave front.
The Accumbent breeze would blot the car forth and there would be slots in the arch bend acceptance the about airflows as the car moves advanced to accumulate it traveling already it got started? Just a anticipation on the Wind-Car Idea and why not, if you can dream it, absolutely anyone can body it. Consider this in 2006.
"Lance Winslow" - Online Anticipate Tank appointment board. If you accept avant-garde thoughts and different perspectives, appear anticipate with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Seat Cover Buying Guide
Author: Will Mahoney
Source: articleage.com
You may think your factory seats are holding up just fine. What you may not realize is how much abuse your seats are getting from wear and tear, sun damage, pets, or dirt and spills. All these problems have a simple solution, seat covers. So, why should you get a set of seat covers? There are many reasons. You can protect your factory seats, get a custom look for your interior, or cover up existing damage to your seats. They are also a great way to keep your interior looking new and clean.
But, how do you decide which seat covers are right for you? This reference guide will help you through the decision making process and make sure you get the seat covers that best fit your needs.
Protect Your Investment
Think about it, what do you have the most contact with in your vehicle? It's your seats, and they need to be protected. If your seats get dirty, or something gets spilled on them, it's a pain, and a hassle to clean them. Seat covers put an end to that. Most can be put in the washer and dryer so there is no need to buy expensive cleaning supplies to get stains and dirt out. If you have pets, you know it's a chore to vacuum the seats to get all the pet hair off them. What about their nails? You don't want them to poke through your new leather seats do you? A seat cover provides a protective barrier to keep your pets from scratching, or poking holes in your nice seats.
Another problem you face is UV damage. That's right, the suns powerful rays claim the lives of many seats. When the sun shines in your vehicle it is magnified by the glass from your windows. That's why it feels like an oven on hot summer days. Imagine what that does to your interior. If you have leather seats, the sun dries them out, which can lead to cracking, and a dull finish. That means you have to continually condition your seats to protect them. This can be time consuming and expensive, both which can be avoided with seat covers.
Don't think any of that affects you? Well, you get in and out of your vehicle every day. Even this has a negative effect on your seats. Every time you get in and out of your vehicle you create friction between yourself and the seat. This may seem like nothing, but after some time you will notice the material getting thin and worn out. Next thing you know, you've worn a hole through the material, yet another problem that can be prevented.
Get A Custom Look
Factory interiors are often boring and mundane. Vehicle manufactures use solid, neutral colors that make the interior seem more open. You can add flare and a look that really sets off your interior with seat covers. They come available in standard factory matching colors with solid patterns, or, you can get something that's different. We have many colors to choose from, as well as patterns that you won't find in a dealer's showroom. So, not only do you get great protection, but you also get a custom look and style, that really sets your vehicle apart!
Bring Your Old Seats Back To Life
It's inevitable, bad things happen to good seats. But you can do something about it. Whether or not you have worn out faded seats, they got stained, or dirty, seat covers provide a solution. They do just as they say, cover it up. Seat covers hide those unsightly stains and dirt spots and give your interior a fresh new look as if nothing ever happened. And, if the same happens to the seat covers, well, just wash them and put them back on. Think of how much money you will save by not having to reupholster your seats.
Now that we have identified why you should get seat covers, let's see what works best for you.
Fitment - Universal vs. Custom
Seat covers come in two primary fitment types: custom fit and universal fit.
Custom
If you are looking for a seat cover that is going to fit your factory seat perfectly, then a custom fit cover is what you need. These are custom made per vehicle application and fit your factory seat and shape very tightly. Custom seat covers take into account factory headrests, armrests, center consoles, and seat controls.
Universal
If you are looking for something you can throw on quickly and you're not too concerned with it fitting perfectly, then a universal seat cover will work just fine for you. The cover the entire seat back and bottom but are not designed to fit tightly as a custom fit cover would. These are great for quick on and off usage.
Custom Fit Covers
SureFit Seat Cover by Saddleman
SureFit covers are available for many hard-to-find applications. These are semi-custom fit covers that are made-to-order per vehicle application. SureFit seat covers come in six different styles with many color options available. Cambridge Tweed - For traditional tastes, Cambridge is similar to original vehicle seats. Woven textured, synthetic fiber will provide miles of protection. Spot clean with a damp cloth and mild solution of fabric cleaner.
Saddle Blanket - A rugged style seat cover made of tightly woven olefin. Extremely durable and comfortable. Saddle Blanket covers are machine washable, drip dry only.
Deluxe Velvet - A contemporary original interior fashion in durable 100% nylon velvet, quilted with foam backing. Trimmed with color coordinated stretch fabrics. Easily cleans by machine washing, and drip drying.
Deluxe Mohave - A stylish southwestern fabric. It is an extremely durable 100% olefin fabric with a soft foam backing which blends with many truck and car interiors. Spot clean with a damp cloth and a mild solution of fabric cleaner.
All Purpose Real Treeฎ - Made from rugged yet breathable non-woven polyester fabric. It is one of the most popular camouflage fabrics available. Real Tree covers are machine washable, cool air dry for cleaning. Easily resists fading, stains and mildew.
Sheepskin - A luxurious one-inch thick pile with a high luster finish. Sheepskin covers are fully lined. Come in a full fit design with 100% acrylic back. Must be dry cleaned only. We do not recommend for use with light colored leather interiors. Ultimate Seat Covers by Saddleman Custom tailored, made-to-order seat covers that are made from original automotive grade fabric. They come with factory matching colors, and have a lifetime guarantee.
Sport Seat Covers by Cal Trend
Get the look of expensive seats at a fraction of the cost. These seat covers give your factory seats a sporty look. Sport seat covers are made from neoprene, the same waterproof material wet suits are made of. Sport Seat Covers also have an extra layer of soft foam padding for added comfort. You can choose from seven different color options. Sport covers are machine washable on the delicate cycle with cold water, air dry. Easily installs with Velcro strips.
Custom Fit Canvas Seat Covers by Saddleman
These rugged covers are designed to repel dirt and stains. These are made of high quality original manufacture grade canvas material and can easily be cleaned. These are washing machine safe to make clean-up a breeze. Come available in factory matching colors.
Custom Fit Seat Protectors by Covercraft
Keep your seats looking new no matter what ends up on them. Messy kids and dirty pets are no match for these heavy duty seat protectors. These covers are made from a breathable cotton/poly blend, which are washer and drier safe. Available in tan, taupe, navy, charcoal, or gray to complement your vehicle's interior.
Universal Seat Covers
X-Bound Seat Covers by Saddleman
Protect your seats with the extreme style of our X-Bound Seat Covers. These universal fit covers add a custom accent to any high back bucket or bench seats with or without headrests. Nylon cord side lacing keeps a tight fit. Covers come with front, side, and back pockets for storage. X-Bound covers are available in blue/black, red/black, gray/black, olive green/tan, and mossy oak camo.
Deluxe Seat Protectors by Saddleman
Deluxe Seat Protectors are made from heavy-duty vinyl, coated with nylon, which makes these seat protectors waterproof and ready for emergencies. They slip over your seats in seconds for quick protection when it's needed the most. These are perfect when traveling with pets. Extra large bucket pattern fits most bucket seats.
Before You Order
It is important we are given the correct vehicle information. Please be sure to check your seats carefully. We need to know exactly what seat style you have in order to get the correct pattern made. We will also need to know if your vehicle has armrests, headrests, seat controls, and a center console. By getting accurate information you can be assured your covers will fit like a glove.
Will Mahoney is an automotive junkie who lives in Cleveland, Ohio. He likes racing autocross and tinkering with trucks and cars. He currently writes online content and articles for Stylin Concepts, a leading retailer of truck accessories, suv accessories, seat covers, floorr mats and any other aftermarket truck and SUV accessories.
Source: articleage.com
You may think your factory seats are holding up just fine. What you may not realize is how much abuse your seats are getting from wear and tear, sun damage, pets, or dirt and spills. All these problems have a simple solution, seat covers. So, why should you get a set of seat covers? There are many reasons. You can protect your factory seats, get a custom look for your interior, or cover up existing damage to your seats. They are also a great way to keep your interior looking new and clean.
But, how do you decide which seat covers are right for you? This reference guide will help you through the decision making process and make sure you get the seat covers that best fit your needs.
Protect Your Investment
Think about it, what do you have the most contact with in your vehicle? It's your seats, and they need to be protected. If your seats get dirty, or something gets spilled on them, it's a pain, and a hassle to clean them. Seat covers put an end to that. Most can be put in the washer and dryer so there is no need to buy expensive cleaning supplies to get stains and dirt out. If you have pets, you know it's a chore to vacuum the seats to get all the pet hair off them. What about their nails? You don't want them to poke through your new leather seats do you? A seat cover provides a protective barrier to keep your pets from scratching, or poking holes in your nice seats.
Another problem you face is UV damage. That's right, the suns powerful rays claim the lives of many seats. When the sun shines in your vehicle it is magnified by the glass from your windows. That's why it feels like an oven on hot summer days. Imagine what that does to your interior. If you have leather seats, the sun dries them out, which can lead to cracking, and a dull finish. That means you have to continually condition your seats to protect them. This can be time consuming and expensive, both which can be avoided with seat covers.
Don't think any of that affects you? Well, you get in and out of your vehicle every day. Even this has a negative effect on your seats. Every time you get in and out of your vehicle you create friction between yourself and the seat. This may seem like nothing, but after some time you will notice the material getting thin and worn out. Next thing you know, you've worn a hole through the material, yet another problem that can be prevented.
Get A Custom Look
Factory interiors are often boring and mundane. Vehicle manufactures use solid, neutral colors that make the interior seem more open. You can add flare and a look that really sets off your interior with seat covers. They come available in standard factory matching colors with solid patterns, or, you can get something that's different. We have many colors to choose from, as well as patterns that you won't find in a dealer's showroom. So, not only do you get great protection, but you also get a custom look and style, that really sets your vehicle apart!
Bring Your Old Seats Back To Life
It's inevitable, bad things happen to good seats. But you can do something about it. Whether or not you have worn out faded seats, they got stained, or dirty, seat covers provide a solution. They do just as they say, cover it up. Seat covers hide those unsightly stains and dirt spots and give your interior a fresh new look as if nothing ever happened. And, if the same happens to the seat covers, well, just wash them and put them back on. Think of how much money you will save by not having to reupholster your seats.
Now that we have identified why you should get seat covers, let's see what works best for you.
Fitment - Universal vs. Custom
Seat covers come in two primary fitment types: custom fit and universal fit.
Custom
If you are looking for a seat cover that is going to fit your factory seat perfectly, then a custom fit cover is what you need. These are custom made per vehicle application and fit your factory seat and shape very tightly. Custom seat covers take into account factory headrests, armrests, center consoles, and seat controls.
Universal
If you are looking for something you can throw on quickly and you're not too concerned with it fitting perfectly, then a universal seat cover will work just fine for you. The cover the entire seat back and bottom but are not designed to fit tightly as a custom fit cover would. These are great for quick on and off usage.
Custom Fit Covers
SureFit Seat Cover by Saddleman
SureFit covers are available for many hard-to-find applications. These are semi-custom fit covers that are made-to-order per vehicle application. SureFit seat covers come in six different styles with many color options available. Cambridge Tweed - For traditional tastes, Cambridge is similar to original vehicle seats. Woven textured, synthetic fiber will provide miles of protection. Spot clean with a damp cloth and mild solution of fabric cleaner.
Saddle Blanket - A rugged style seat cover made of tightly woven olefin. Extremely durable and comfortable. Saddle Blanket covers are machine washable, drip dry only.
Deluxe Velvet - A contemporary original interior fashion in durable 100% nylon velvet, quilted with foam backing. Trimmed with color coordinated stretch fabrics. Easily cleans by machine washing, and drip drying.
Deluxe Mohave - A stylish southwestern fabric. It is an extremely durable 100% olefin fabric with a soft foam backing which blends with many truck and car interiors. Spot clean with a damp cloth and a mild solution of fabric cleaner.
All Purpose Real Treeฎ - Made from rugged yet breathable non-woven polyester fabric. It is one of the most popular camouflage fabrics available. Real Tree covers are machine washable, cool air dry for cleaning. Easily resists fading, stains and mildew.
Sheepskin - A luxurious one-inch thick pile with a high luster finish. Sheepskin covers are fully lined. Come in a full fit design with 100% acrylic back. Must be dry cleaned only. We do not recommend for use with light colored leather interiors. Ultimate Seat Covers by Saddleman Custom tailored, made-to-order seat covers that are made from original automotive grade fabric. They come with factory matching colors, and have a lifetime guarantee.
Sport Seat Covers by Cal Trend
Get the look of expensive seats at a fraction of the cost. These seat covers give your factory seats a sporty look. Sport seat covers are made from neoprene, the same waterproof material wet suits are made of. Sport Seat Covers also have an extra layer of soft foam padding for added comfort. You can choose from seven different color options. Sport covers are machine washable on the delicate cycle with cold water, air dry. Easily installs with Velcro strips.
Custom Fit Canvas Seat Covers by Saddleman
These rugged covers are designed to repel dirt and stains. These are made of high quality original manufacture grade canvas material and can easily be cleaned. These are washing machine safe to make clean-up a breeze. Come available in factory matching colors.
Custom Fit Seat Protectors by Covercraft
Keep your seats looking new no matter what ends up on them. Messy kids and dirty pets are no match for these heavy duty seat protectors. These covers are made from a breathable cotton/poly blend, which are washer and drier safe. Available in tan, taupe, navy, charcoal, or gray to complement your vehicle's interior.
Universal Seat Covers
X-Bound Seat Covers by Saddleman
Protect your seats with the extreme style of our X-Bound Seat Covers. These universal fit covers add a custom accent to any high back bucket or bench seats with or without headrests. Nylon cord side lacing keeps a tight fit. Covers come with front, side, and back pockets for storage. X-Bound covers are available in blue/black, red/black, gray/black, olive green/tan, and mossy oak camo.
Deluxe Seat Protectors by Saddleman
Deluxe Seat Protectors are made from heavy-duty vinyl, coated with nylon, which makes these seat protectors waterproof and ready for emergencies. They slip over your seats in seconds for quick protection when it's needed the most. These are perfect when traveling with pets. Extra large bucket pattern fits most bucket seats.
Before You Order
It is important we are given the correct vehicle information. Please be sure to check your seats carefully. We need to know exactly what seat style you have in order to get the correct pattern made. We will also need to know if your vehicle has armrests, headrests, seat controls, and a center console. By getting accurate information you can be assured your covers will fit like a glove.
Will Mahoney is an automotive junkie who lives in Cleveland, Ohio. He likes racing autocross and tinkering with trucks and cars. He currently writes online content and articles for Stylin Concepts, a leading retailer of truck accessories, suv accessories, seat covers, floorr mats and any other aftermarket truck and SUV accessories.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Speaker Installation
Author: Levi Quinn
Source: ezinearticles.com
Speaker installation does not have to be a pain or an inconvenience. It is something that can be done by anyone so it is not essential that you pay to have a professional do it for you. Most speakers are relatively easy to install. They also often come with instructions to guide you along the way. Most people decide that they do not wish to keep the factory installed speakers that came with their car. Upgrading does not have to be a hassle or chore. In fact, it should be fun because your music is about to undergo an amazing change in sound.
Start by going through the instructions that came with the speakers. They should be outlined in a diagram so that you can visually see each component. Start by carefully removing the old speakers. Be careful when you use the door panel popper to take out the door speakers. Everything should be done with careful precision so that you do not damage anything. Remove the old door speaker. Make sure to pay attention when you unhook the wires so that you know how to hook them back up again later. For the most part, you put the new ones in exactly the same way that you took the old ones out.
You need to make sure that you have all of the necessary tools required to do the job correctly. Make sure that you have everything before you get started. You do not want to get halfway through and then realize that you need to stop and find a certain screwdriver. If you have speakers that are the right size and shape, you may have a really easy time. If not though then there is a chance you will have to do some cutting. Make sure you have a good exacto knife for this job and always be careful.
Dealing with dash speakers may prove to be more difficult than door and back speakers. There is a lot going on in the dash. All of the electrical components for your car are located there. You may want to consult your car's owner manual in case there are any details or caution warnings that you should be aware of. Take care not to tamper with any wires that are not directly related to your speaker system. It is best not to use tape of any kind, even electrical. It will wear down due to the heat and electricity running through the dash and you will end up losing the connection completely.
Some speakers will require vast moderation of your car in order to fit properly. This is something that some people may not be comfortable with. Do not hesitate to ask a friend that you trust for assistance. If worse comes to worse, speak with a professional who may be able to give you some pointers. Speakers can make all the difference in the sound experience of your car. But first, you need to install them correctly. Take your time and work in steps. Your speakers will be finished in no time.
Source: ezinearticles.com
Speaker installation does not have to be a pain or an inconvenience. It is something that can be done by anyone so it is not essential that you pay to have a professional do it for you. Most speakers are relatively easy to install. They also often come with instructions to guide you along the way. Most people decide that they do not wish to keep the factory installed speakers that came with their car. Upgrading does not have to be a hassle or chore. In fact, it should be fun because your music is about to undergo an amazing change in sound.
Start by going through the instructions that came with the speakers. They should be outlined in a diagram so that you can visually see each component. Start by carefully removing the old speakers. Be careful when you use the door panel popper to take out the door speakers. Everything should be done with careful precision so that you do not damage anything. Remove the old door speaker. Make sure to pay attention when you unhook the wires so that you know how to hook them back up again later. For the most part, you put the new ones in exactly the same way that you took the old ones out.
You need to make sure that you have all of the necessary tools required to do the job correctly. Make sure that you have everything before you get started. You do not want to get halfway through and then realize that you need to stop and find a certain screwdriver. If you have speakers that are the right size and shape, you may have a really easy time. If not though then there is a chance you will have to do some cutting. Make sure you have a good exacto knife for this job and always be careful.
Dealing with dash speakers may prove to be more difficult than door and back speakers. There is a lot going on in the dash. All of the electrical components for your car are located there. You may want to consult your car's owner manual in case there are any details or caution warnings that you should be aware of. Take care not to tamper with any wires that are not directly related to your speaker system. It is best not to use tape of any kind, even electrical. It will wear down due to the heat and electricity running through the dash and you will end up losing the connection completely.
Some speakers will require vast moderation of your car in order to fit properly. This is something that some people may not be comfortable with. Do not hesitate to ask a friend that you trust for assistance. If worse comes to worse, speak with a professional who may be able to give you some pointers. Speakers can make all the difference in the sound experience of your car. But first, you need to install them correctly. Take your time and work in steps. Your speakers will be finished in no time.
Are you putting off reviewing or changing your car insurance coverage? Visit our web site today at Auto Insurance Rates Direct for information on how to determine what coverage you need, then find it at a good price. Insure your whole family, including cheap car insurance for teenagers.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
You Have A Legitimate Insurance Claim But You Foolishly Got Yourself A Legal Begal - - Now What?
Author: Dan Baldyga
Source: articleage.com
YOU MUST STAY ON TOP OF THAT HOUND DOG FOR TWO HUGE REASONS: First because that's the only way to make sure he does his job correctly. If you don't watch him like a hawk you could end up on the short end of a very long stick! And second, because most Legal Beagles think they're overworked (if you don't think so just ask them!) and they incorrectly feel they don't have the time to spend on your case today, tomorrow or even six months from now. The truth is you've signed his Contingency Fee Agreement so he knows you're in his back pocket and someday, when he decides to make his move, you're still locked in. Most have convinced themselves they're too busy to fuss with your case for awhile. Unless you bug them on a regular basis they'll let years drag on before it gets settled.
If you've entrusted your case to one of the larger Legal Beagle dog houses in town (a big mistake) you've probably been passed on to a fumbling puppy just out of law school. Huge firms handle thousand's of top-dollar cases. Yours will be on a slow assembly line with that puppy sniffin' at pant legs and nippin' at heels, acting as though he knows what he's doing. You gotta stay close because the youngster you've been stuck with has little experience and he usually doesn't have the foggiest idea how to properly handle your claim.
You must stay active, throughout the whole process, no matter which Legal Beagle you hire. Demand that you receive copies of all correspondence that are sent out on your behalf, request you be copied in on everything sent to your Beagle from the insurance company or its lawyers, and insist on eye-balling the medical records sent to your lawyer (by your attending physician, the hospital emergency room, etc.) to make sure they're correct. (If they don't go into detail than the typically sloppy reporting, by attending physicians and other medical people, will be bedding you down with a rattler. If you don't want to die of snake bite you must return those Medical Report's to your "doc" and tell him he's gotta be more specific or you're gonna end up with a helluva lot less money than you should!).
The only way you'll ever be sure your Beagle is being straight with you is if you insist on all of the above. Also, if your lawyer knows you're keeping close tabs on your case, he'll put it on the "front burner", keeping it off the "back burner" - - where the majority of his cases are usually cooking - - under a very low flame.
You must know what's going on with your case at all times and if you're considered to be a pain in the butt than so be it. Make it known to your Beagle that you're not going to let your case disappear into a bottomless pit . What I'm telling you here is very simple: Don't let your case drag on and on. If you stay on top of things it'll get settled much sooner!
When your medical treatment is finished tell your Beagle and insist that he immediately gather up your records, and organize them into a "Settlement Package". What I mean by that is, a collection of your medical bills and reports, a list of all physical damages, with a thorough explanation of each, etc. Once done your lawyer should get that into the insurance company's hands just as soon as possible.
The first settlement offer should be made to him no later than 3 weeks after that "package" has been sent to the insurance company. If it isn't find out why. Be a pest, call that Beagle and push him. Your case should be settled within 6 weeks. If it isn't you tell your lawyer, "Sue the bugger's." To do that should take no more than an hour or two to complete - - even the puppy can do it. Those papers should be ready in a week. It's not asking too much for the suite to be filed by the time another week passes. But, this will only happen if your Beagle is humping away and staying on top of things. Lawyers need to be pushed by their clients or they'll sit on their butt's doing other "stuff". Most of them wait forever to move on a case when they could have had the job done in several months.
DISSATISFACTION WITH YOUR LAWYER: "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers." Those words, written several hundred years ago by Shakespeare, still sums up the feelings of a lot of people. That's because Legal Beagle's don't bother touching base with their client's. Telephone messages aren't answered right away - - sometimes never. The way most lawyers treat their clients leaves them feeling ignored and powerless!
So, what's the solution? A "Give Him Hell" letter to your lawyer, sent Certified Mail Return Receipt Requested, will get his attention, and in most cases (unless he's a blazing idiot which some of them are) assure a prompt phone call. The letter should clearly state your complaints, and also your thoughts about hiring a new attorney - - quick like a bunny - - if the necessary steps aren't taken.
CHANGING LAWYERS: This is a very difficult move so it must be well thought out. The following are some facts you must be aware of:
The new lawyer will ask you to contact the old lawyer telling him to turn your file over. If you have foolishly agreed to pay some of your old attorney's costs (above and beyond the Contingency Fee Agreement you've signed) the two of them will have to work that out. The old lawyer may agree to wait and not be paid his costs until the new lawyer has settled your case, but (and this is usually the way that ball bounces) he may not! If that's the situation you may have to pony up some big bucks before he turns your case over to the new lawyer.
The new Legal Beagle will want to review the file a soon as possible to determine if he wants to take it on. If it looks like some money can be made, the new lawyer may take it, but that's a long shot. Why? Because your case has to be an outstanding "goodie" - - with a huge payoff potential for the lawyer's "Contingency Fee". Both Beagle's (and there's no way out of this one) will have to split that fee. If there's not enough money to go around the second lawyer won't be interested in taking you case. If that happens, you're gonna be left with an upset attorney. Chances are he'll let your case slip into
Limbo for years to come. That's the risk you take when you try to dump your Beagle. Insurance companies react in various ways to a change in lawyers. They may view the switch as a sign that your case, or you, are a "problem". There's no doubt that the switch will tell the insurance company something is wrong. If they smell smoke, they'll suspect a fire is probably blazing. This can result in an increased reluctance to settle. On the other had, the new lawyer may breath needed energy into the case, causing the insurance company to start thinking seriously about settlement - - but that's a long shot. I wouldn't bet on it.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Be sure to pick a good Legal Beagle to begin with, because you're probably gonna be stuck with that hound dog right to the bitter end!
DISCLAIMER: The only purpose of this claim tip is to help people understand the motor vehicle accident claim process. Neither Dan Baldyga nor ARTICLECITY.COM make any guarantee of any kind whatsoever; NOR do they purport to engage in rendering any professional or legal service; NOR to substitute for a lawyer, an insurance adjuster, or claims consultant, or the like. Where such professional help is desired it is the INDIVIDUAL'S RESPONSIBILITY TO OBTAIN SAID SERVICES.
Dan Baldyga's fourth and latest book Auto Accident Personal Injury Insurance Claim: (How To Evaluate And Settle Your Loss) can be found on the internet at http//.www.autoaccidentclaims.com or http://www.caraccidentclaims.com.
Copyright (c) 2003 Daniel G. Baldyga. All Rights Reserved.
Source: articleage.com
YOU MUST STAY ON TOP OF THAT HOUND DOG FOR TWO HUGE REASONS: First because that's the only way to make sure he does his job correctly. If you don't watch him like a hawk you could end up on the short end of a very long stick! And second, because most Legal Beagles think they're overworked (if you don't think so just ask them!) and they incorrectly feel they don't have the time to spend on your case today, tomorrow or even six months from now. The truth is you've signed his Contingency Fee Agreement so he knows you're in his back pocket and someday, when he decides to make his move, you're still locked in. Most have convinced themselves they're too busy to fuss with your case for awhile. Unless you bug them on a regular basis they'll let years drag on before it gets settled.
If you've entrusted your case to one of the larger Legal Beagle dog houses in town (a big mistake) you've probably been passed on to a fumbling puppy just out of law school. Huge firms handle thousand's of top-dollar cases. Yours will be on a slow assembly line with that puppy sniffin' at pant legs and nippin' at heels, acting as though he knows what he's doing. You gotta stay close because the youngster you've been stuck with has little experience and he usually doesn't have the foggiest idea how to properly handle your claim.
You must stay active, throughout the whole process, no matter which Legal Beagle you hire. Demand that you receive copies of all correspondence that are sent out on your behalf, request you be copied in on everything sent to your Beagle from the insurance company or its lawyers, and insist on eye-balling the medical records sent to your lawyer (by your attending physician, the hospital emergency room, etc.) to make sure they're correct. (If they don't go into detail than the typically sloppy reporting, by attending physicians and other medical people, will be bedding you down with a rattler. If you don't want to die of snake bite you must return those Medical Report's to your "doc" and tell him he's gotta be more specific or you're gonna end up with a helluva lot less money than you should!).
The only way you'll ever be sure your Beagle is being straight with you is if you insist on all of the above. Also, if your lawyer knows you're keeping close tabs on your case, he'll put it on the "front burner", keeping it off the "back burner" - - where the majority of his cases are usually cooking - - under a very low flame.
You must know what's going on with your case at all times and if you're considered to be a pain in the butt than so be it. Make it known to your Beagle that you're not going to let your case disappear into a bottomless pit . What I'm telling you here is very simple: Don't let your case drag on and on. If you stay on top of things it'll get settled much sooner!
When your medical treatment is finished tell your Beagle and insist that he immediately gather up your records, and organize them into a "Settlement Package". What I mean by that is, a collection of your medical bills and reports, a list of all physical damages, with a thorough explanation of each, etc. Once done your lawyer should get that into the insurance company's hands just as soon as possible.
The first settlement offer should be made to him no later than 3 weeks after that "package" has been sent to the insurance company. If it isn't find out why. Be a pest, call that Beagle and push him. Your case should be settled within 6 weeks. If it isn't you tell your lawyer, "Sue the bugger's." To do that should take no more than an hour or two to complete - - even the puppy can do it. Those papers should be ready in a week. It's not asking too much for the suite to be filed by the time another week passes. But, this will only happen if your Beagle is humping away and staying on top of things. Lawyers need to be pushed by their clients or they'll sit on their butt's doing other "stuff". Most of them wait forever to move on a case when they could have had the job done in several months.
DISSATISFACTION WITH YOUR LAWYER: "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers." Those words, written several hundred years ago by Shakespeare, still sums up the feelings of a lot of people. That's because Legal Beagle's don't bother touching base with their client's. Telephone messages aren't answered right away - - sometimes never. The way most lawyers treat their clients leaves them feeling ignored and powerless!
So, what's the solution? A "Give Him Hell" letter to your lawyer, sent Certified Mail Return Receipt Requested, will get his attention, and in most cases (unless he's a blazing idiot which some of them are) assure a prompt phone call. The letter should clearly state your complaints, and also your thoughts about hiring a new attorney - - quick like a bunny - - if the necessary steps aren't taken.
CHANGING LAWYERS: This is a very difficult move so it must be well thought out. The following are some facts you must be aware of:
The new lawyer will ask you to contact the old lawyer telling him to turn your file over. If you have foolishly agreed to pay some of your old attorney's costs (above and beyond the Contingency Fee Agreement you've signed) the two of them will have to work that out. The old lawyer may agree to wait and not be paid his costs until the new lawyer has settled your case, but (and this is usually the way that ball bounces) he may not! If that's the situation you may have to pony up some big bucks before he turns your case over to the new lawyer.
The new Legal Beagle will want to review the file a soon as possible to determine if he wants to take it on. If it looks like some money can be made, the new lawyer may take it, but that's a long shot. Why? Because your case has to be an outstanding "goodie" - - with a huge payoff potential for the lawyer's "Contingency Fee". Both Beagle's (and there's no way out of this one) will have to split that fee. If there's not enough money to go around the second lawyer won't be interested in taking you case. If that happens, you're gonna be left with an upset attorney. Chances are he'll let your case slip into
Limbo for years to come. That's the risk you take when you try to dump your Beagle. Insurance companies react in various ways to a change in lawyers. They may view the switch as a sign that your case, or you, are a "problem". There's no doubt that the switch will tell the insurance company something is wrong. If they smell smoke, they'll suspect a fire is probably blazing. This can result in an increased reluctance to settle. On the other had, the new lawyer may breath needed energy into the case, causing the insurance company to start thinking seriously about settlement - - but that's a long shot. I wouldn't bet on it.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Be sure to pick a good Legal Beagle to begin with, because you're probably gonna be stuck with that hound dog right to the bitter end!
DISCLAIMER: The only purpose of this claim tip is to help people understand the motor vehicle accident claim process. Neither Dan Baldyga nor ARTICLECITY.COM make any guarantee of any kind whatsoever; NOR do they purport to engage in rendering any professional or legal service; NOR to substitute for a lawyer, an insurance adjuster, or claims consultant, or the like. Where such professional help is desired it is the INDIVIDUAL'S RESPONSIBILITY TO OBTAIN SAID SERVICES.
Dan Baldyga's fourth and latest book Auto Accident Personal Injury Insurance Claim: (How To Evaluate And Settle Your Loss) can be found on the internet at http//.www.autoaccidentclaims.com or http://www.caraccidentclaims.com.
Copyright (c) 2003 Daniel G. Baldyga. All Rights Reserved.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
How to Protect Your Sports Car
Author: Gregg Hall
Source: articleage.com
Your sports car represents a significant investment. For many
owners, their sports car ranks second only to their home in
terms of cost. When one has paid a substantial sum for an item,
it only makes sense to take proactive steps to insure its
protection.
There are many ways one can protect their sports car. A car can
be protected against theft with expensive alarm systems and
accessories such as locking lug nuts or a club-like steering
wheel lock.
A sports car can be protected from environmental damage via the
use of a car cover, parking in a garage, regular weather-related
maintenance, and other activities.
There is a burgeoning industry surrounding sports car
enthusiasts. There are literally hundreds of ways to protect
every component of your automobile, and aspiring entrepreneurs
will continue to find new must-have products to defend your
investment.
However, the sports car hobbyist does have means of protecting
their car that do not require any financial outlays. By
utilizing common sense and care, you can take many measures to
protect your sports car without spending a dime. Here are three
examples:
Parking
You can avoid door dings and other similar body-related problems
simply by parking wisely and carefully. Remind yourself of your
investment and seek out parking spaces that give you a wide
enough berth. Don't try to crowd into a space next to another
car--doing so will almost guarantee a paint scratch or chip when
the driver in the next slot opens his or her door.
Don't park under trees. Trees house birds and produce sap and
falling pieces. All of these can damage your sports car's paint
or finish. Simply refuse to park under a branch. You may have to
seek out a spot a little farther from your destination, but you
can make the walk while feeling better about yourself and your
sports car's well being.
Driving
There is a tendency to think of sports car driving as a
high-speed and reckless endeavor. This is not, of course, the
case. Although aficionados may seek out opportunities to test
their vehicles speed and acceleration, they do not do so
recklessly and are, in fact, among the safest drivers on the
road.
This commitment to safety and care needs to be carried into
regular traffic situations as well. Any sports car owner should
remember that the best way to protect their car while driving it
is to remain accident-free. Even stalwart drivers can benefit
from re-reading defensive driving guidelines and making a
concerted effort to drive as safely as possible.
Maintaining
Many sports cars are damaged while actually being repaired.
Although it may seem counterintuitive, the garage is a primary
source of scratches, dings and chips for many sports cars. Those
performing maintenance on their vehicle must handle tools
carefully and pay close attention to how they are working on
their car. For instance, tools should never be placed directly
on the car.
Additionally, repair situations create the possibility of
damaging the mechanical components for your sports car. Make
sure that before you embark on any repair work that you
understand exactly what is required and expected. Otherwise, you
may unintentionally damage your sports car.
These may seem like common sense actions. Truth be told, they
are. Common sense, however, is easily lost in many situations.
Sports car ownership presents many options and considerations in
terms of protecting your car, and the most simple and important
means of protecting your car can get lost in the shuffle unless
you are willing to make a strong commitment to parking, driving,
and maintaining your vehicle with great care.
Source: articleage.com
Your sports car represents a significant investment. For many
owners, their sports car ranks second only to their home in
terms of cost. When one has paid a substantial sum for an item,
it only makes sense to take proactive steps to insure its
protection.
There are many ways one can protect their sports car. A car can
be protected against theft with expensive alarm systems and
accessories such as locking lug nuts or a club-like steering
wheel lock.
A sports car can be protected from environmental damage via the
use of a car cover, parking in a garage, regular weather-related
maintenance, and other activities.
There is a burgeoning industry surrounding sports car
enthusiasts. There are literally hundreds of ways to protect
every component of your automobile, and aspiring entrepreneurs
will continue to find new must-have products to defend your
investment.
However, the sports car hobbyist does have means of protecting
their car that do not require any financial outlays. By
utilizing common sense and care, you can take many measures to
protect your sports car without spending a dime. Here are three
examples:
Parking
You can avoid door dings and other similar body-related problems
simply by parking wisely and carefully. Remind yourself of your
investment and seek out parking spaces that give you a wide
enough berth. Don't try to crowd into a space next to another
car--doing so will almost guarantee a paint scratch or chip when
the driver in the next slot opens his or her door.
Don't park under trees. Trees house birds and produce sap and
falling pieces. All of these can damage your sports car's paint
or finish. Simply refuse to park under a branch. You may have to
seek out a spot a little farther from your destination, but you
can make the walk while feeling better about yourself and your
sports car's well being.
Driving
There is a tendency to think of sports car driving as a
high-speed and reckless endeavor. This is not, of course, the
case. Although aficionados may seek out opportunities to test
their vehicles speed and acceleration, they do not do so
recklessly and are, in fact, among the safest drivers on the
road.
This commitment to safety and care needs to be carried into
regular traffic situations as well. Any sports car owner should
remember that the best way to protect their car while driving it
is to remain accident-free. Even stalwart drivers can benefit
from re-reading defensive driving guidelines and making a
concerted effort to drive as safely as possible.
Maintaining
Many sports cars are damaged while actually being repaired.
Although it may seem counterintuitive, the garage is a primary
source of scratches, dings and chips for many sports cars. Those
performing maintenance on their vehicle must handle tools
carefully and pay close attention to how they are working on
their car. For instance, tools should never be placed directly
on the car.
Additionally, repair situations create the possibility of
damaging the mechanical components for your sports car. Make
sure that before you embark on any repair work that you
understand exactly what is required and expected. Otherwise, you
may unintentionally damage your sports car.
These may seem like common sense actions. Truth be told, they
are. Common sense, however, is easily lost in many situations.
Sports car ownership presents many options and considerations in
terms of protecting your car, and the most simple and important
means of protecting your car can get lost in the shuffle unless
you are willing to make a strong commitment to parking, driving,
and maintaining your vehicle with great care.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Nissan Offers More Addition To The Micra
Author: Lauren Woods
Source: articledashboard.com
Ever since its inception in the market, the Nissan Micra has been known as the best supermini in the market today. The reputation of the car's maker is one of the reasons for the Micra's popularity. The quality and reliability that accompany the carmaker's name is a good selling point for the car. Moreover, the car's charming look has made it one of the most serious competitors in its segment. It may look small on the outside but the Nissan Micra boasts of a roomy interior. It also features a diesel engine which makes it perfect for consumers who are in the market for fuel efficient cars.
While the car looks good enough, a variety of aftermarket products can be added to it to further increase its performance and aesthetic value. This is the focus of Nissan in their release of three different accessory packs. These are the Family Pack, the Interior Styling Pack, and the Technology Pack. These enhancements are just like an Injen cold air intake component which is employed by gasoline engines to improve their performance and fuel economy. Nissan's aim is to give Micra owners to further enhance their vehicle in terms of entertainment, interior styling, and technological features. With the addition of these accessory packs, a Nissan Micra unit will not only look good but also will improve the convenience and comfort of its users.
The first accessory pack is the Family Pack. This set includes a DVD Rear Seat Entertainment System which gives the Micra's occupants an optimum level in entertainment. It also includes tailor made sun blinds for the rear and side windows. These blinds reduce the glare which can be quite an inconvenience when watching a movie. The package costs less than when these are accessories are bought separately. With this package, Nissan Micra passengers can sit back and relax while on a trip. While they are enjoying their favorite movie, the adequate leg space provided by the car's interior will come into play.
The second package dubbed as the Interior Styling Pack improves the interior elegance of the Micra. The option includes a Race Alloy gear knob which gives the driver a feeling of luxury when changing gears. It also raises the aesthetic value of the interior of the car, thanks to its sporty alloy finish. The second option also includes an Interior Styling Kit in Ivory or Silver. With this, Micra owners can change the interior theme of their car to suit their taste. Individuality is what this package brings to the table as it lets the user transmit to the car his or her preference in styling. Buying these kits in a package will also cost a Nissan Micra owner 30 percent less than when these interior styling kits are bought separately.
The third and last option is the Technology Pack. This package gives users the advantage of having technologically advanced features in their cars. This comes with a Thatcham Approved Alarm that effectively works to keep burglars at bay. This is a good investment for a car since any Micra, or any other vehicle for that matter, is something that should be kept secured. The package also comes with an Ultrasonic rear park assist system. This feature allows drivers to ark their car safely. This also comes in handy for those with children since the system can warn the user if a child is in its way. Purchasing these systems separately would cost 20 percent more than what the package costs.
These packages are available for either new Micras or those who have been bought previously. Aside from giving Micra owners a chance to enhance their car, Nissan also does it with relatively lower costs.
Source: articledashboard.com
Ever since its inception in the market, the Nissan Micra has been known as the best supermini in the market today. The reputation of the car's maker is one of the reasons for the Micra's popularity. The quality and reliability that accompany the carmaker's name is a good selling point for the car. Moreover, the car's charming look has made it one of the most serious competitors in its segment. It may look small on the outside but the Nissan Micra boasts of a roomy interior. It also features a diesel engine which makes it perfect for consumers who are in the market for fuel efficient cars.
While the car looks good enough, a variety of aftermarket products can be added to it to further increase its performance and aesthetic value. This is the focus of Nissan in their release of three different accessory packs. These are the Family Pack, the Interior Styling Pack, and the Technology Pack. These enhancements are just like an Injen cold air intake component which is employed by gasoline engines to improve their performance and fuel economy. Nissan's aim is to give Micra owners to further enhance their vehicle in terms of entertainment, interior styling, and technological features. With the addition of these accessory packs, a Nissan Micra unit will not only look good but also will improve the convenience and comfort of its users.
The first accessory pack is the Family Pack. This set includes a DVD Rear Seat Entertainment System which gives the Micra's occupants an optimum level in entertainment. It also includes tailor made sun blinds for the rear and side windows. These blinds reduce the glare which can be quite an inconvenience when watching a movie. The package costs less than when these are accessories are bought separately. With this package, Nissan Micra passengers can sit back and relax while on a trip. While they are enjoying their favorite movie, the adequate leg space provided by the car's interior will come into play.
The second package dubbed as the Interior Styling Pack improves the interior elegance of the Micra. The option includes a Race Alloy gear knob which gives the driver a feeling of luxury when changing gears. It also raises the aesthetic value of the interior of the car, thanks to its sporty alloy finish. The second option also includes an Interior Styling Kit in Ivory or Silver. With this, Micra owners can change the interior theme of their car to suit their taste. Individuality is what this package brings to the table as it lets the user transmit to the car his or her preference in styling. Buying these kits in a package will also cost a Nissan Micra owner 30 percent less than when these interior styling kits are bought separately.
The third and last option is the Technology Pack. This package gives users the advantage of having technologically advanced features in their cars. This comes with a Thatcham Approved Alarm that effectively works to keep burglars at bay. This is a good investment for a car since any Micra, or any other vehicle for that matter, is something that should be kept secured. The package also comes with an Ultrasonic rear park assist system. This feature allows drivers to ark their car safely. This also comes in handy for those with children since the system can warn the user if a child is in its way. Purchasing these systems separately would cost 20 percent more than what the package costs.
These packages are available for either new Micras or those who have been bought previously. Aside from giving Micra owners a chance to enhance their car, Nissan also does it with relatively lower costs.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Car Radiator Replacement Solutions
Author: Matthew Keegan
Source: articleage.com
My first attempt at a more difficult auto fix-it project involved replacing the blown radiator on my '78 VW Rabbit Diesel. Let's just say that I was a little "green" in this area and it was only with the help of a good friend that I was able to complete the task without resorting to calling a garage to finish the job. Still, it was a good experience for me and I believe that it is one job I could successfully tackle again in the future. You can too provided you purchase reliable OEM parts and get instructions that are easy to follow.
Back during the time that I owned my VW, the number of parts stores carrying in stock Volkswagen parts was fairly limited; the internet was in its infancy so shopping around for the best deal wasn't something that I could do. The local VW dealer had the part, but their prices were stratospheric. I simply did not have the funds available to buy one from the dealer so I ended up snagging a radiator off of a junked Rabbit. Big mistake! It turned out that the junked car's radiator leaked and the cap did not quite fit. I never found out why it was that way, but the junkyard dealer did refund my money. Fortunately, a local garage ended up having a decent used one available; we installed that one without too much of a problem.
Of course, I worried about the replacement part as it wasn't warranted and it looked, well, quite used. Sure it was no BMW radiator so I did not have to pay a mint to have it shipped in from Germany nor was it a pricey Honda radiator fresh off the boat from Japan. Certainly, I counted myself blessed. Still, I found myself frantically watching the temperature gauge particularly on hot days when I ran the a/c at full blast. I was sure the "new" radiator would give out once again, so I pampered the car as much as I could.
Fortunately the options today for the consumer are better than ever before. Your choices include:
1. Ordering your part from a dealer as long as you are willing to pay full freight and then some.
2. Visit an auto parts store and see if they have the part on hand - this can work if it is a Jeep radiator, but you can expect that your Isuzu radiator will involve a 2-3 week back order.
3. Go to the junkyard and hope that your part can be found and is in excellent condition. Yeah, right.
4. Finally, you can order online through an established and reputable dealer who does not have the overhead of maintaining expensive brick and mortar stores. Prices with select online dealers are competitive and usually involve same day shipping at no extra cost to you.
As for the Rabbit, I traded it in for a new car only months after replacing the radiator. Had my replacement part purchasing options been better, I would have held onto it a bit longer. Shoot, at 50 miles per gallon the 'lil bunny would be a jewel to have on hand today!
Matt Keegan is a contributing writer for Car Parts Stuff, an online supplier of high quality and well priced automobile parts.
Source: articleage.com
My first attempt at a more difficult auto fix-it project involved replacing the blown radiator on my '78 VW Rabbit Diesel. Let's just say that I was a little "green" in this area and it was only with the help of a good friend that I was able to complete the task without resorting to calling a garage to finish the job. Still, it was a good experience for me and I believe that it is one job I could successfully tackle again in the future. You can too provided you purchase reliable OEM parts and get instructions that are easy to follow.
Back during the time that I owned my VW, the number of parts stores carrying in stock Volkswagen parts was fairly limited; the internet was in its infancy so shopping around for the best deal wasn't something that I could do. The local VW dealer had the part, but their prices were stratospheric. I simply did not have the funds available to buy one from the dealer so I ended up snagging a radiator off of a junked Rabbit. Big mistake! It turned out that the junked car's radiator leaked and the cap did not quite fit. I never found out why it was that way, but the junkyard dealer did refund my money. Fortunately, a local garage ended up having a decent used one available; we installed that one without too much of a problem.
Of course, I worried about the replacement part as it wasn't warranted and it looked, well, quite used. Sure it was no BMW radiator so I did not have to pay a mint to have it shipped in from Germany nor was it a pricey Honda radiator fresh off the boat from Japan. Certainly, I counted myself blessed. Still, I found myself frantically watching the temperature gauge particularly on hot days when I ran the a/c at full blast. I was sure the "new" radiator would give out once again, so I pampered the car as much as I could.
Fortunately the options today for the consumer are better than ever before. Your choices include:
1. Ordering your part from a dealer as long as you are willing to pay full freight and then some.
2. Visit an auto parts store and see if they have the part on hand - this can work if it is a Jeep radiator, but you can expect that your Isuzu radiator will involve a 2-3 week back order.
3. Go to the junkyard and hope that your part can be found and is in excellent condition. Yeah, right.
4. Finally, you can order online through an established and reputable dealer who does not have the overhead of maintaining expensive brick and mortar stores. Prices with select online dealers are competitive and usually involve same day shipping at no extra cost to you.
As for the Rabbit, I traded it in for a new car only months after replacing the radiator. Had my replacement part purchasing options been better, I would have held onto it a bit longer. Shoot, at 50 miles per gallon the 'lil bunny would be a jewel to have on hand today!
Matt Keegan is a contributing writer for Car Parts Stuff, an online supplier of high quality and well priced automobile parts.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Replacing Worn Out Shocks and Struts
Author: Matthew Keegan
Source: articleage.com
One of the most dangerous things you can do as a driver is to neglect your vehicle's suspension system. When it is time for you to swap out your shocks or struts don't wait or you could cause significant safety problems for you, your passengers, as well as for pedestrians and other drivers and their passengers. Taking your car to a shock replacement store is always one way to solve the problem, but if you want to save yourself some money as well as take pride in a job you finished yourself, there is nothing more rewarding than saying to yourself, "I did the work!"
So, why should you replace your shocks at the first sign of trouble? Well, properly working shock absorbers keep your car's tires in contact with the road and provide a cushion from road impact. Shocks stop unnecessary rebound, diminish sway, and improve the handling of your vehicle when braking, cornering or driving on uneven roads. Shock absorbers limit the travel and the extension of your vehicle's springs by putting a halt to unremitting bouncing.
Finding the right shocks or struts for your car involves asking yourself a few questions:
Does my car come equipped with shock absorbers or struts? Both do basically the same thing, but they are different in that shocks are simply one part of your suspension system while struts are your entire suspension system comprising of upper ball joint, shock, and spring in one unit.
What type of ride am I hoping to achieve with my new shocks or struts? Monroe Shock Absorbers, one of the leading names in the business, offers a variety of shock and strut models depending on what your desired ride comfort level is, the type of vehicle you own, or whether you are regularly pull something or not.
Bilstein Shocks are standard equipment on Mercedes Benz automobiles and on select General Motors models; they are considered by some as offering a premium level of performance capabilities.
For off roading purpose, Rancho Shocks are the leaders in providing heavy duty shocks for light trucks and SUVs. Many consider Rancho Shocks as being the best trail duty shocks on the market. Both Monroe and Rancho are owned by the same company, Tenneco-Automotive, but their market emphasis is quite different.
Purchasing shock absorbers or struts can involve some serious shopping around for the weekend mechanic. When you purchase directly from an online wholesaler, such as Car Parts Stuff, you are likely to realize the greatest savings as the better ones purchase directly from the manufacturers, cutting out the middle man and his high mark ups. Aftermarket stores will likely carry what you want, but if they use third party suppliers, you will pay extra for the convenience.
Wherever you go, please make sure that you can return the parts, if needed, and only shop those online retailers who have free shipping available and online assistants standing by. Don't mess around when it comes to replacement shock absorbers and struts. Your car and the lives of you and others are too valuable for you to ignore by cutting corners.
Matt Keegan is a contributing writer for Car Parts Stuff, an online supplier of high quality and well priced automobile parts.
Source: articleage.com
One of the most dangerous things you can do as a driver is to neglect your vehicle's suspension system. When it is time for you to swap out your shocks or struts don't wait or you could cause significant safety problems for you, your passengers, as well as for pedestrians and other drivers and their passengers. Taking your car to a shock replacement store is always one way to solve the problem, but if you want to save yourself some money as well as take pride in a job you finished yourself, there is nothing more rewarding than saying to yourself, "I did the work!"
So, why should you replace your shocks at the first sign of trouble? Well, properly working shock absorbers keep your car's tires in contact with the road and provide a cushion from road impact. Shocks stop unnecessary rebound, diminish sway, and improve the handling of your vehicle when braking, cornering or driving on uneven roads. Shock absorbers limit the travel and the extension of your vehicle's springs by putting a halt to unremitting bouncing.
Finding the right shocks or struts for your car involves asking yourself a few questions:
Does my car come equipped with shock absorbers or struts? Both do basically the same thing, but they are different in that shocks are simply one part of your suspension system while struts are your entire suspension system comprising of upper ball joint, shock, and spring in one unit.
What type of ride am I hoping to achieve with my new shocks or struts? Monroe Shock Absorbers, one of the leading names in the business, offers a variety of shock and strut models depending on what your desired ride comfort level is, the type of vehicle you own, or whether you are regularly pull something or not.
Bilstein Shocks are standard equipment on Mercedes Benz automobiles and on select General Motors models; they are considered by some as offering a premium level of performance capabilities.
For off roading purpose, Rancho Shocks are the leaders in providing heavy duty shocks for light trucks and SUVs. Many consider Rancho Shocks as being the best trail duty shocks on the market. Both Monroe and Rancho are owned by the same company, Tenneco-Automotive, but their market emphasis is quite different.
Purchasing shock absorbers or struts can involve some serious shopping around for the weekend mechanic. When you purchase directly from an online wholesaler, such as Car Parts Stuff, you are likely to realize the greatest savings as the better ones purchase directly from the manufacturers, cutting out the middle man and his high mark ups. Aftermarket stores will likely carry what you want, but if they use third party suppliers, you will pay extra for the convenience.
Wherever you go, please make sure that you can return the parts, if needed, and only shop those online retailers who have free shipping available and online assistants standing by. Don't mess around when it comes to replacement shock absorbers and struts. Your car and the lives of you and others are too valuable for you to ignore by cutting corners.
Matt Keegan is a contributing writer for Car Parts Stuff, an online supplier of high quality and well priced automobile parts.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Goodyear's For The Ghazarian Brothers - A Profile of Success
Author: James Burchill
Source: articleage.com
A Profile Of Success
Vartan, Shant and Sarkis Ghazarian accept elastic in their claret - not actually of advance - but they were built-in into the annoy business. Their ancestor ran one of Lebanon's a lot of acknowledged annoy acceptation and sales companies. He'd consistently acceptation 20,000 tires at a time from Europe and as Shant and Vartan explained, they anon abstruse about tires and that, as they say, is how it all began…
Fast advanced a brace of decades and the brothers were now active and alive in Canada. After a aeon alive for added big alternation stores, Shant larboard to alpha the aboriginal of what would ultimately advance into three assisting locations.
In 1997 Shant purchased the aboriginal area in Scarborough, and he opened the additional area in Aurora in 1999 (Mars Annoy Aurora) and assuredly Shant opened the latest area in Newmarket in 2004 (Mars Annoy Newmarket). Shant called the accumulation Mar Annoy - Avant-garde Automotive Repair Account (and as Vartan cast to point out… it's for account that's out of this world!)
--- A Ancestors Affair
The Mars Annoy aggregation is a ancestors endemic and operated business. Two of the three locations are operated by the brothers, Sarkis (the oldest) operates the Scarborough location, Vartan (the youngest brother) operates the Aurora area and Shant oversees all three as the General Manager with Jim Morson active the newest accession - the Newmarket store.
When speaking to Shant about the altered challenges of alive with ancestors he explained "It's a bifold belted sword. You get the ancestors adherence for abiding - and that's abundant because you apperceive you can assurance them. Of advance you aswell get the 'other' getting that comes from alive with your brothers. It can get a little close at times, but I wouldn't change it for the world. Ancestors is everything."
The Ghazarian brothers are an absorbing accumulation of guys - still in their thirties they accept aggregate calm to run and accomplish three multimillion dollar food that represent one of the best accessible images for the industry.
The Aurora area currently occupies 5,400 aboveboard feet, has 8 accolade and 8 hoists, employs 10 agents and is even accessible on Saturdays! The Aurora area is archetypal of the added two locations and anniversary ability offers about identical casework and products.
--- Alone The Best Products
Speaking of articles Shant was quick to point out that they believed the abstruse to their success was in allotment due to outstanding chump account and the use of top superior parts. Mars Annoy uses some of the accomplished superior articles accessible today: Moog, Wagner and Goodyear. Mars Annoy is a Goodyear ability and Shant explained that they capital a cast and artefact band with an outstanding clue almanac and that barter responded able-bodied to.
When I acicular out that the actuality that Moog and Wagner locations were added big-ticket than some added products, Shant explained that they use Wagner Brakes "because they are quieter, accept beneath appear backs, are added abiding and accept an outstanding warranty. It all goes appear the chump experience. Bigger articles agency a bigger experience. A adept artisan needs the best accoutrement or their plan suffers."
"We don't use bargain articles - we've congenital our business on accomplished account and superior materials. For archetype we use Castrol Oil - it's absolutely not the cheapest oil on the bazaar but we've called it for a few reasons, one of them is because of the account that Castrol gives us. I'd like to accomplish a point of adage that Jay Le Francois - our rep - is fantastic. He is consistently there for us."
--- Chump Service
It's axiomatic from speaking with Shant and Vartan that the chump is "king". Shant explained that their aesthetics is absolutely simple - accommodate amount to the chump through a clean, avant-garde and abreast facility. Action honest advice, advance your dignity, candor and brainwash your chump in a non-threatening and simple fashion. Lastly accumulate your promises and action a absurd warranty. "We angle by all our articles and our work," said Shant.
And Mars Annoy doesn't just accomplishment there, all the locations are heavily complex with their bounded communities. They're a affiliate of their bounded Chamber of Commerce, getting Armenian they are aswell associates of the bounded Armenian business council. They abutment charities like the Heart & Stroke foundation and assorted added contest and organisations. Shant has even been awarded the Queens Jubilee accolade for association captivation and because Shant's accouchement were built-in at the Scarborough Grace hospital, he donated a actual appropriate bed to the bearing facility.
Mars Annoy does added than just account the customer, they account the ambiance as able-bodied through socially amenable programs and are actively complex in ensuring that their shops and businesses are environmentally friendly.
--- Hi Tech "Shrink"
Vartan is absolutely the aberration - the youngest brother of the three he abutting the ancestors business alone 6 years ago. His accomplishments is a little altered because Vartan's apprenticeship while accessory York University was Psychology. Yes that's actual - he's a certified automotive artisan and has a accomplishments in psychology. He aswell speaks 5 languages which Vartan said was actual accessible if they were alive in the Scarborough location.
Vartan is aswell amenable for the Aurora appointment technology and the website (http://www.fixmycar.ca/) You can cream the web while cat-and-mouse for your oil to be afflicted because they've installed a accessible admission WiFi spot. And if you overlook your laptop they'll even accommodation you one too - how's that for chump service!
One of the things that Vartan is a lot of appreciative of is the burning admission to Goodyear's account data. "We can instantly see if the allotment is in stock." Said Vartan. "It awfully improves the chump experience."
One affair is for sure, with Vartan, Sarkis and Shant all alive together, Mars Annoy is destined for a bigger and greater future.
Author: http://www.JamesBurchill.com
Source: articleage.com
A Profile Of Success
Vartan, Shant and Sarkis Ghazarian accept elastic in their claret - not actually of advance - but they were built-in into the annoy business. Their ancestor ran one of Lebanon's a lot of acknowledged annoy acceptation and sales companies. He'd consistently acceptation 20,000 tires at a time from Europe and as Shant and Vartan explained, they anon abstruse about tires and that, as they say, is how it all began…
Fast advanced a brace of decades and the brothers were now active and alive in Canada. After a aeon alive for added big alternation stores, Shant larboard to alpha the aboriginal of what would ultimately advance into three assisting locations.
In 1997 Shant purchased the aboriginal area in Scarborough, and he opened the additional area in Aurora in 1999 (Mars Annoy Aurora) and assuredly Shant opened the latest area in Newmarket in 2004 (Mars Annoy Newmarket). Shant called the accumulation Mar Annoy - Avant-garde Automotive Repair Account (and as Vartan cast to point out… it's for account that's out of this world!)
--- A Ancestors Affair
The Mars Annoy aggregation is a ancestors endemic and operated business. Two of the three locations are operated by the brothers, Sarkis (the oldest) operates the Scarborough location, Vartan (the youngest brother) operates the Aurora area and Shant oversees all three as the General Manager with Jim Morson active the newest accession - the Newmarket store.
When speaking to Shant about the altered challenges of alive with ancestors he explained "It's a bifold belted sword. You get the ancestors adherence for abiding - and that's abundant because you apperceive you can assurance them. Of advance you aswell get the 'other' getting that comes from alive with your brothers. It can get a little close at times, but I wouldn't change it for the world. Ancestors is everything."
The Ghazarian brothers are an absorbing accumulation of guys - still in their thirties they accept aggregate calm to run and accomplish three multimillion dollar food that represent one of the best accessible images for the industry.
The Aurora area currently occupies 5,400 aboveboard feet, has 8 accolade and 8 hoists, employs 10 agents and is even accessible on Saturdays! The Aurora area is archetypal of the added two locations and anniversary ability offers about identical casework and products.
--- Alone The Best Products
Speaking of articles Shant was quick to point out that they believed the abstruse to their success was in allotment due to outstanding chump account and the use of top superior parts. Mars Annoy uses some of the accomplished superior articles accessible today: Moog, Wagner and Goodyear. Mars Annoy is a Goodyear ability and Shant explained that they capital a cast and artefact band with an outstanding clue almanac and that barter responded able-bodied to.
When I acicular out that the actuality that Moog and Wagner locations were added big-ticket than some added products, Shant explained that they use Wagner Brakes "because they are quieter, accept beneath appear backs, are added abiding and accept an outstanding warranty. It all goes appear the chump experience. Bigger articles agency a bigger experience. A adept artisan needs the best accoutrement or their plan suffers."
"We don't use bargain articles - we've congenital our business on accomplished account and superior materials. For archetype we use Castrol Oil - it's absolutely not the cheapest oil on the bazaar but we've called it for a few reasons, one of them is because of the account that Castrol gives us. I'd like to accomplish a point of adage that Jay Le Francois - our rep - is fantastic. He is consistently there for us."
--- Chump Service
It's axiomatic from speaking with Shant and Vartan that the chump is "king". Shant explained that their aesthetics is absolutely simple - accommodate amount to the chump through a clean, avant-garde and abreast facility. Action honest advice, advance your dignity, candor and brainwash your chump in a non-threatening and simple fashion. Lastly accumulate your promises and action a absurd warranty. "We angle by all our articles and our work," said Shant.
And Mars Annoy doesn't just accomplishment there, all the locations are heavily complex with their bounded communities. They're a affiliate of their bounded Chamber of Commerce, getting Armenian they are aswell associates of the bounded Armenian business council. They abutment charities like the Heart & Stroke foundation and assorted added contest and organisations. Shant has even been awarded the Queens Jubilee accolade for association captivation and because Shant's accouchement were built-in at the Scarborough Grace hospital, he donated a actual appropriate bed to the bearing facility.
Mars Annoy does added than just account the customer, they account the ambiance as able-bodied through socially amenable programs and are actively complex in ensuring that their shops and businesses are environmentally friendly.
--- Hi Tech "Shrink"
Vartan is absolutely the aberration - the youngest brother of the three he abutting the ancestors business alone 6 years ago. His accomplishments is a little altered because Vartan's apprenticeship while accessory York University was Psychology. Yes that's actual - he's a certified automotive artisan and has a accomplishments in psychology. He aswell speaks 5 languages which Vartan said was actual accessible if they were alive in the Scarborough location.
Vartan is aswell amenable for the Aurora appointment technology and the website (http://www.fixmycar.ca/) You can cream the web while cat-and-mouse for your oil to be afflicted because they've installed a accessible admission WiFi spot. And if you overlook your laptop they'll even accommodation you one too - how's that for chump service!
One of the things that Vartan is a lot of appreciative of is the burning admission to Goodyear's account data. "We can instantly see if the allotment is in stock." Said Vartan. "It awfully improves the chump experience."
One affair is for sure, with Vartan, Sarkis and Shant all alive together, Mars Annoy is destined for a bigger and greater future.
Author: http://www.JamesBurchill.com
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