Car Audio

Archive for December, 2008

paintless dent repair

Paintless dent removal is a process where a paintless dent removal expert uses specialized precision tools to reshape the metal to it’s original position, leaving the paint finish untouched. The dent is completely erased–like it was never ever existed.

be perceived as a metal working art, as paintless dent removal requires a great deal of experience and skill to do precisely.|Paintless dent removal is a metalworking art that demands years of experience, patience and skill to execute perfectly.] Paintless dent removal professionals go behind the damaged panel and massage the metal back to its original finish.

Paintless dent removal is very useful when your automobile’s paint is not cracked or damaged. A dent is meticulously massaged from the inside of the damaged panel, eventually resulting in an undetectable repair.

Also, paintless dent removal is especially good for dents that are caused by hail stones] that a large number of insurance agencies use “hail teams” that “chase hail storms.”.These hail teams go to an area that was hit by hail to repair vehicles using Paintless dent removal technology.

Paintless dent removal basically preserves the value of your car. The paintless dent removal methodology removes damages such as dents, dings, creases, hail damage and minor body flaws so the vehicle’s original condition looks as good as [new]. Paintless dent removal, known as PDR, has rapidly become the preferred way of repairing small dents such as dings and hail damage. Paintless Dent Removal ( PDR ) is the technology of getting rid of minor dents and dings without sanding, filling, or painting.

Paintless dent removal specialists profess that the paintless dent removal process is the efficient] way to remove dents. Others say it does not depreciate the car as normal car repairs would. Paintless Dent Removal, as the name indicates, does not require the surface to be repainted once repaired, which means a substantial savings.

Don’t take a chance having an inexperienced car technician do a careless repair on your vehicle. Why take chances and risk having your car damaged by some amateur auto repairman?

Rather, look for experienced paintless dent removal professionals who can offer you with a complete range of services including door ding repair, hail damage repair, full auto detailing, windshield repair, and paint touch-up. .

I once worked with a gentleman who said his wife worked at Colt Cars in England. I can recall saying "who the devil are they!I guess this was a little rude but I though I had heard of most car manufactures and I didn’t know these guys. Fortunately for me he ignored how rude I was and went on to explain that the aforementioned Colt Cars were in fact a joint venture with Mitsubishi, who I did know and was set up largely to import cars into the UK.

I had forgotten that Britain used to have strict import quotas on foreign vehicles in a vain attempt to protect British manufacturers from the threat to their market from foreign imports. It was not until the people of Britain AKA the Great British public finally worked out that British cars were rubbish and started buying foreign cars instead, this spelled the end for the UK car manufacturers which is a shame but sadly true.

There was a small backlash from people of a certain generation against buying foreign cars particularly Japanese ones but when their Morris Maxi’s and Marinas finally rusted into oblivion they begrudgingly grasped the nettle and now wouldn’t be seen driving anything other than a Micra or Yaris or indeed a Mitsubishi Colt.

Mitsubishi have had mixed fortunes over the years with some successful models and of course you can’t really mention Mitsubishi without talking about their successes with the Ralliart division and the whole Evolution phenomenon. Aside from this though the history of Mitsubishi is quite complex and they have had business partnerships with companies you would not have expected, notably Volvo and Daimler Chrysler to name but two.

Mitsubishi Corporation is a huge concern in Japan of which Mitsubishi Motors are a subsidiary of and with a history that dates back as far as 1917. The Mitsubishi logo (the three diamonds) is over one hundread years older than Mitsubishi motors. It was chosen by Yataro Iwasaki who was the founder of Mitsubishi. Apparently it represented the emblem of the Tosa Clan who first employed him and because his own family crest was three diamonds stacked one on top of the other. The name Mitsubishi is an amalgamation of Mitsu ("three") and Hishi (literally meaning "water chestnut", which is often used in Japanese to denote a diamond or rhombus).   

Mitsubishi are currently the seventh largest car manufacturer in Japan and seventeenth in the world which puts them as fairly large but not huge by any standards. Mitsubishi’s main problem has been a lack of models to choose from but in the last few years they have worked hard to address this and now have a fairly large range covering most sectors of the market.

After working with Chrysler since the 1970’s Mitsubishi were then involved with Daimler Chrysler until around 2005. I guess this was a little rude but I though I had heard of most car manufactures and I didn’t know these guys at all. The new Mitsubishi Lancer has been received favourably and Mitsubishi has joined up with PSA Peugeot Citroen to produce the 4007 and C-Crosser which are SUV vehicles based on the Mitsubishi Outlander. The actual Outlander has superior fuel economy and lower C02 emissions than anything else in its class.

The Shogun or Pajero whose name is rumoured to be rude in Spanish is another vehicle which has ensured Mitsubishi’s success over the years. The latest version is far more refined and is now pitched at the luxury SUV market.

A lesser known fact about Mitsubishi is that Jackie Chan has had a long association with the company so with him on their side I guess they will always be a contender! 

A recent TV commercial for the Volkswagen Polo featured a singing terrier dog that was strutting around full of self-confidence whilst it was a passenger in the Polo but as soon as it left the car for different surroundings it became a nervous wreck. The closing caption of the commercial read “Polo Confidence.”      

I guess they were conveying the fact that the dog was unhappy when removed from its comfort zone. The same could be said for people too although maybe not to the same degree as the poor dog. Cars mean a lot to some people and they often feel immersed in their own little world listening to their favourite song and safe from harm.

This feeling can be hard to achieve in a small car but thanks to its solid build quality and good insulation VW appear to have managed it with the Polo.

For many years the Volkswagen Polo was the benchmark by which all small hatchbacks were measured. Today the competition has just about managed to catch up and if you are buying a new car the Polo doesn’t quite have it all its own way. On the other hand though, with an illustrious 23 years of production behind it and more than 500,000 Polos sold in the UK, the choice of used examples is huge, with prices starting at just a few hundred pounds.

Today a budget of just £1,500 will be enough to get you a VW Polo with plenty of life in it. Introduced in September 1994, its looks were changed very little until February 2002 when the new “round-eyed” Polo hit the showrooms. These early cars do have some downsides. VW equipment levels were particularly sparse in the mid-1990s and only top spec CL models came with power-assisted steering as standard.

It’s also best to avoid the rather under powered 1 litre examples. Although cheap to insure in all other aspects they are not up to standard. Performance from the 45bhp engine is not terribly good and cabin noise levels are high because the engine is working hard all the time.
A better bet is the 1.4 or 1.6 with 60bhp and 75bhp respectively, both of which also gained power-assisted steering as standard from October 1998.

Volkswagen reliability is legendary, but like most legends the truth can sometimes be different. The Polo scored badly in the J D Power customer satisfaction surveys of the late 1990s, being less highly ranked than the Ford Fiesta and even the Rover 600. Owners complained of problems with gearboxes, early failure of front discs and pads and even rust spots on door frames. These problems are not on every car but they should be checked for closely when buying a used example.

On the plus side the little Volkswagen does drive well. It has a more solid feel than many of its competitors and interior space is good. Minor switchgear has a reassuring quality feel about it, and if serviced correctly the engines rarely cause problems.

Buyers looking for the small car/ auto gearbox/ power steering combination will also find the Polo appealing. Both the 1.4 and 1.6 litre cars are available with a four-speed automatic box. It’s worth paying extra for the 1.6 as the 1.4's low level of power can cause problems when changing from first to second gear.

In 2000 the VW Polo was given a facelift. The external changes made where small such as larger head lamps and a deeper front spoiler but the far bigger changes happened under the skin. Effectively a completely new model, these cars have a wider front track, giving improved handling, a fully galvanised body and antilock braking and power-assisted steering as standard.

During this time the engine line up was changed.4 litre unit was boosted to 75bhp. Volkswagen introduced a new diesel three-cylinder engine as well.4 TDI, also found in the Audi A2 meaning the Polo at last had a diesel engine to rival the offerings from French rivals Peugeot and Renault. With 75bhp and bundles of torque, it runs a 1.4 petrol engine Polo close on acceleration and is still capable of more than 60mpg.

Car makers such as BMW and MIni have come close but the VW Polo still sets the standard for small cars.

public car auction

In the last several years, buying vehicles at motor car auctions has become a more widely used approach. Attendees can bid on all kinds of vehicles, from cars to recreational vehicles, and even motorcycles. In addition to the better pricing that is customary at auctions, many people also enjoy the fact that they can get a vehicle without the hassles of dealing with a car salesman. If you are in the market for a Japanese brand of vehicle, then you might want to look for a Japanese used car auction, as they are becoming more commonplace.

While all kinds of different auctions are getting increasingly popular, from the online car auction sites to the functions held at car auction houses, it seems the Japanese car auction events are gaining in popularity even faster than other types. Part of the reason for this is the general popularity of the Japanese cars these days because of their overall reliability and because they get better gas mileage than many American made vehicles.

With all of these things in mind, an even greater percentage of people are looking into buying Japanese made vehicles because the overall value makes them a great deal. If you take that factor into account, as well as the fact that auto auctions can save you so much money, then it seems like a wise move to locate a Japanese used car auction.

There are many different types of vehicle auctions these days that will often feature Japanese car models, as well as many others brands of vehicles. A great number of the cars that are sold at any kind of car auto auction are seized cars and repossessed cars. These are cars that have been seized by a governmental agency because of some type of illegal activity on the part of the owner, or they have been repossessed by the financial lending institution because of failure to pay on the debt.

No matter what type of public car auction you attend, whether it is for a used Japanese car or a collector car, there are some basic things that must be understood about how all motor car auctions work. First of all, you need to either have cash, a cashier’s check or a pre-approved loan before you can even register at the auction and participate in the bidding.

The reason why you have to have the money upfront is that all sales at auto auctions are final and you are expected to pay for the vehicle as soon as the auction is over. Because sales are final, you also need to be confident in your ability to spot any problems that a used car has during the brief inspection time that you will have before the bidding starts.

There is no doubt that a Japanese used car auction can provide an excellent route to great savings on a good vehicle. At the same time, people need to be mindful of the fact that with all used car auctions the sales are final and you cannot ask for your money back after you win the bid. The automobiles are also sold “as is” and as such, they have no guarantees and no warranties of any kind. If you win the bid on the car of your choice, but find problems later, then you are stuck with the problems to deal with on your own.

warranty plan

Some people mistake their AAA coverage as a “warranty plan,” but in reality the Automobile Association of America is just a service that helps you avoid breakdowns. For $30-$60/year, you’ll get free towing up to 100 miles, free jumpstarts if your battery dies and lost key or lock-out service, in addition to travel agency services, travel discounts, special auto financing and traveler’s checks. This is an important membership for any driver to have, but extended warranty plans, by contrast, are designed to save you from emergency expenses due to mechanical failure.

You may be wondering, “Do I need to purchase a warranty plan, or will I be covered by my car manufacturer’s warranty?” In some cases, people have purchased two-year extended warranty coverage only to find that they had already been covered just fine by their manufacturer. According to the consumer site CarSmart.com, the best coverage is on high-end luxury sports cars, like Aston Martins, Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Rolls-Royces, which are covered until 999,999 miles.

At the next tier, you’re covered for five years (or 60,000 miles) if you drive a Mitsubishi, Kia, Infiniti or Hyundai. You’re covered four years (or 50,000) miles if you have an Acura, Audi, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Hummer, Isuzu, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Maserati, Mazda, Mercedes, Mini, Porsche, Saab, Volkswagon or Volvo.

You may want to consider purchasing an additional warranty if you’re rough on your mid-range vehicle or if you buy a lower range vehicle from Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Saturn, GMC, Honda, Jeep, Ford, Mercury, Nissan, Pontiac, Suzuki, Scion or Subaru (whose manufacturer warranties only cover 3 years or 36,000 miles.) If you drive a 2008 or later GM model, then you’ll be covered for 100,000 miles or five years.

Sometimes when you purchase an automobile, you receive an “in-house” warranty plan. This means that you’re entitled to some free maintenance and repairs, but only if you come back to the dealership to have the work done. Coverage varies significantly, but should cover major components like the engine, transmission, axles and drive train. It’s a good idea to have the salesperson list what is and isn’t covered for you before you purchase the extended warranty coverage. Sometimes dealers call their plans the “50/50 warranty,” which means the dealer garage charges for parts and labor, then you pay 50% of the total invoice and the garage covers the other half. 50/50 warranties are considered to be a fair deal and the “in house” plans sometimes throw in routine oil changes as an added incentive, which may be a good deal if you live close by.

Before you choose a warranty plan, sit down and honestly think out your long and short term strategies. How are you planning to save for routine maintenance and car repairs? How long will it take you to pay off your loan? After paying their lender off, some people continue to set that money aside in a general fund to save for repairs. Others invest in a bank CD or a money market investment account to save over the long term. Or it may be in your advantage to buy the extended warranty coverage. Common breakdowns include: four-wheel drive differential and transfer case (with an average repair cost of $1,100), the air conditioner and heater system ($700), the brake system ($350), the cooling system ($465), drive axles and differentials ($500-$1,000), electrical systems ($800), engine failure ($2,000), fuel system ($500) and steering system ($600). Do your homework and see what problems are most commonly associated with your particular make and model, then devise a reasonable plan.

seized cars

For the most part, one of the biggest financial decisions for families is buying a vehicle, whether it is new or used. While not as big of a financial commitment as a house, people still want to drive away in their new car with the feeling that they got a great deal, at a great price. Helping people to enjoy that feeling are online car auction websites, which feature a range of vehicles, from seized cars to cars being sold by individuals.

One of the best things about the online auto auctions is that, while searching the internet for just the right vehicle to meet the needs of you and your family, you can also take advantage of that same technology to do the research that will help you to know whether or not you really are getting a great deal on the car. Having that kind of research in hand, which includes digging up the Kelly Blue Book price to give you a good idea of the fair market value of the vehicle, will help you know when to stop bidding so that you don’t get carried away and end up paying too much because you got sucked into a bidding war.

One of the reasons why online car auction websites are becoming more popular all the time is that they eliminate the hassles of dealing with a car salesman. There is actually a lot of truth to the old jokes about the various sales tactics that car salesmen employ, and you can avoid all of that when you make your purchase through a car auto auction.

As you prepare to make your first vehicle purchase through an online used car auction, you should register with at least a few of the different online car auction websites and spend some time getting familiar with every aspect of the website and the online auto auction proceedings and policies. Watch a few auctions on all of the sites that you are registered with to see how things progress and to get a feel for the “culture” of the different online auto auction sites. You will more than likely start to feel that one of the sites feels like the best place for you to try your hand at getting the winning bid on a car.

The websites that run the online auto auctions usually have a filtering function that will allow you to search for certain types of vehicles and to search in a certain area near your home. You might find that you have plenty of choices within just a five mile radius of your home, or you may have to extend the search criteria for areas that are farther away from your location. You will want to restrict the search area to a distance that you are comfortable driving to so that you can do an inspection and take the vehicle for a test drive.

There are also vehicle history reports that are available online that can give you additional information on the vehicle you are interested in bidding on. Some online car auction sites provide those reports for an additional fee or have links to help you find such services. Do as much homework on the vehicle as you can upfront and keep in mind that with any type of used car auction, all sales are final.

Computer Aided Manufacturing

Tool Offset
I thought this would be a great place to do a quick talk on Tool Offset.  Tool Offset is the amount you must “Offset” the tool while machining.  For example, the tool paths that we created in CAM Software are located in the dead center of the tool unless you do something about it.  Most times you set the tool offset in your CAM program, but sometimes you might have to do it during the machining phase, depending on your machine.

What if you had a one-inch diameter tool, we will use an end mill in this example, and you needed to take off .25” around the perimeter of a 5” by 5” block of aluminum?  Without tool offset, the tool path would be around the perimeter of the block.  The end mill would take off half of its diameter or .5” inches.  You need to offset the tool so this does not happen.  In this case you would offset the tool outside of the block by .25”, then the end mill would take off .25” of material.

Zeroing the machine out
When beginning your machining, you always need to zero out the machine.  You need to let the control software know that this is going to be the starting point for the whole project.  When “Zeroing” out the machine, a lot of the time you will use an edge finder when milling.  Most times in Plasma Cutting, you will just pick your starting point on the steel and begin the program there.

The final “Part”
Parts are the outcome of your work.  That is unless you are making artistic pieces.  Parts need to be made to specification.Machinists will check the parts they are making as they come from the CNC Machine.  Many times, they will use a go/no-go gauge.  With a go/no-go gauge they can quickly check out the critical dimension of the part and reload the machine.

Chips?
Machinist call the material being removed “Chips.”  This is because most things that are machined are metal and they come off the part in chip form.  Chips can be very sharp and dangerous.You have to be aware that chips will be flying around as they are cut away.Many CNC machines will have enclosures to block these machining chips from flying around and hitting people.

CNC Information Free Community Site:
If you want to know more about Computer Numberical Control, go over to http://www.cncinformation.com
You can join for Free and you get two free CNC ebooks. One is a G-Code Guide and the other one is a CNC eBook. You get access to the Video Series that is free…Graphic Image to Art when you join the cnc community.

buy gasoline in advance

Are you tired of the continuing rise in gasoline price? If you are, you’re not alone. Here you will find great tips that were designed to assist you save some of your hard earned dollars.

First, its always best to purchase your gas either first thing in the morning or late at night and make use of gasoline cards. The reason for this is because gas is denser at a cold temperature, so you’ll basically be getting more for your money.

Secondly, check your local gas prices to find the best price available. You can check your local gas prices online as well, which will prevent you from wasting gas while driving around to look for the best price.

You can assist to improve gas consumption by keeping your vehicle well maintained. By simply tuning your car, you can decrease your fuel consumption by up to 20 percent. Also, you should keep your tires properly inflated and aligned. Consumption of fuel will be wasted by 6% if your tires are under inflated. You should also make sure that you change your oil and air filters on a regular basis as well.

Other tips to keep in mind are to drive by staying in the posted speed limits, as the faster you drive you will use more fuel. Whenever possible you should use overdrive, as this will help fuel consumption and also improve the wear on your engine. Be organized with your arrands, as each time your car is started more gas will be consumed. Also, use and buy gasoline in advance as this may prove cheaper in the long run.

By taking the time to do these tips, you’ll be amazed at just how much fuel you can save. Gas prices are becoming ridiculous these days, which is why you want to do your part to converse little drop that you can.

Repairmaster

“I estimate that the WCPSOnline website has helped us to be over 40 percent more efficient over the last two years,” explains Warrantech VP Link Wiley. “But it is not just about cutting our costs. The cycle of authorization, repair and payment is shorter, so service centers save time as well. Essentially, the customer gets faster service, the service centers get paid quicker and we are able to keep the pricing of our warranty plans competitive.” By modernizing their operations, this highly esteemed warranty company is able to improve customer satisfaction through process efficiency. They work with dealerships to offer new car warranties, but they’re also marketing to people who are looking to extend their used car warranties as well.

The most popular plan offered by Warrantech is the Repairmaster. The “Powertrain Coverage” plan includes the engine, turbocharger, transmission, drive axle and transfer case components. Or you may choose the “Select Coverage,” which includes all powertrain components, as well as electrical, steering, air conditioning and brake components. The third plan offered is the “Deluxe Coverage,” giving you everything in the Select Plan, plus cooling, front/rear suspension, fuel delivery and enhanced electrical components.

There are also optional surcharged plans to accommodate vehicles that get a lot of wear and tear. For example, the Commercial Use plan, the Seals and Gaskets plan (for vehicles with over 80,000 miles), the Enhanced Electrical plan and the Conversion coverage plan (for recreational vehicles). With all plans, you’ll receive travel/towing bonuses.

Warrantech extended warranty coverage offers everything consumers need from a warranty company. They give up front details on their site (like executive names and company history), they offer several levels of coverage to choose from, they have a proven track record for success, they’re AM-Best and BBB approved, and their customer service is often touted. You can get coverage for 1 year/12,000 miles up to 7 years/100,000 miles at an affordable rate, but you’ll have to contact them online for an extended warranty quote.

In addition to new and used car warranties, Warrantech also has an extended warranty program for automotive components, appliances, consumer electronics, computers, office equipment, and residential HVAC systems as well. The best way to go about buying a warranty is to research, request a quote, look over all the details and call a representative. Be sure you ask if there is a 30-60 day money back guarantee in case you find you’ve made a mistake. Generally warranties cost very little to save you a lot!

With rising gas prices of late, people are becoming more interested in getting every last mile out of the gas that their car uses. This could mean driving in a manner that uses fuel more efficiently or it might mean car pooling with other people so that less fuel is used. One idea that is designed to get better fuel mileage is to create a hydrogen generator. There are plenty of products on the market now that show you how to create such as system. This article will cover the basic principles behind the method and what to look for in such products.

A hydrogen generator that most of these products cover is commonly described as a water to gas generator. The system splits water (H2O) into it’s constituent elements hydrogen, hydrogen and oxygen (HHO) through electrolysis.

Electrolysis in this system is simply a jar with a mixture of water and a substance that makes the conductivity better. Two terminals are placed in the water solution. When an electric current is passed to the terminals this passes through the water solution causing a chemical reaction. The resulting chemical reaction causes hydrogen gas to go to the negative terminal and oxygen gas to go to the positive terminal.

The hydrogen gas that is created is passed into the inlet manifold of the car. The addition of hydrogen into the carburettor has the effect of improving the efficiency of the fuel (gasoline) entering the carburettor. This is thought to increase the amount of miles you get per gallon of gasoline.

Most people agree that adding hydrogen to the gasoline mix can improve the mileage you get from your automobile. However, for many people that disagree that these systems can actually work, they dispute that the amount of hydrogen gas that can be produced can make a real difference. Or they question whether the energy needed to create the hydrogen gas, that comes from the cars battery which is charged by the engine, is not logical as the more energy can't be created that was initially supplied and some would have to be lost in the process.

The people selling these products disagree with these comments and believe that their methods can make a real improvement to the amount of gas you need to use each week. This will save you cash on your car's gas bills with time if you increase the mileage you get per liter of gasoline to any extent. A number of these products also include additional information that teaches you how to be more economical in your driving habits so if you take this information to heart, this may also be saving you money on gas consumption.

There are many products available, upwards of 50 at last count. Nearly all detail the same method. Some of the information products seem to be very similar, which implies that the creators of these products have bought the rights to the same product. Or possibly they have reworked the idea to create a new book that they feel is an improvement on the others.

All these products come with a guarantee of some form. If you select one of these products, it is advisable to install the system as soon as possible. Monitor the changes in your fuel consumption and if there is not an improvement then think about getting a refund. For unbiased consumer reports on the leading water for gas conversion kits visit http://waterforgasreports.com, including a report on water4gas.