Tuesday, July 27, 2010

HONDA-What Made the Introduction of the DOHC VTEC So Special


The 1990 Acura NSX marked the introduction of the VTEC DOHC to the United States. With an increase in engine performance and fuel mileage as well as a decrease in emissions, the DOHC VTEC was built into several Honda car models; including, the Honda Del Sol, the Acura Integra and the Honda Prelude.

The first thing to notice is the engine and its integration with the other parts of the car. This is what is known as the swap feature. The H22A and H22AR engine types have been installed in the Accord to enable the swapping feature. This means it lets you implement a few changes to the sports parts general arrangement. This cuts the tweaking often necessary. The second thing is that there has to be consistency between the engine and its exhaust, cooling, intake and fuel system. Even more flexibility is achievable by changing its parts with the parts of another successful car model. A modified 4-3-1 header from a 90-93 model Accord works fine for the exhaust system. Suppose you want to modify the intake system to get faster driving. You will then have to alter it with a MAP taken from a 90-93 civic DX Mount.

When you mention "Honda Accord" most car enthusiasts will think reliable; but boring, economical transport. The Honda Accord Coupe released for the 2009 model year needs new thinking when you hear those words. You should think "fast and attractive." An Accord without back doors does not truly describe the Accord Coupe. The styling is the feature that jumps out at you. For me, it's a cross between an Aston Martin DB9 and the BMW 3 Series.

Honda has a great reputation for its use of cutting edge technology in its engines. The VTEC; Variable Valve Timing & Lift Electronic Control, is no different. Once again, it gives Honda a clear edge over its competitors. An early 1980's invention by development and research engineer Ikuo Kajitani, the VTEC is known today as having grown from the revolutionary modulated control valve system. The 1983 Honda CBR400 was its first implementation. Other manufacturing companies have developed their own models but Honda pioneered and perfected the technology; then introduced it into widespread production.

Japan is currently the leader in internal combustion engine technology. This leadership has grown rapidly into the area of hybrid vehicles. Hybrids are now popular to the point that taxis are now using them. A hybrid vehicle features both the power of an internal combustion engine and the power of a battery used while idling when minimal power is required. Japanese car makers are rapidly moving to the next level as their attention is now focused on 'eco-friendly' vehicles with 0% CO2 output.

The hybrid Honda Accord is perfect for everyone that still want great power beneath the hood while they're being environmentally conscious. Checking the fitness of your engine and its consumption of gas is the only way you will know you are driving a hybrid and not some luxury car.

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10 Top Tips For Upgrading Your Mitsubishi Evo I-III-DSM


Like many, you probably thought that once you bought your early Evo/DSM that it would be the end of money spent on it. Sure, maintenance would have to be done but the car was pretty quick from the off and you surely wouldn't want it to go quicker. And then you upgrade one part and you can feel the difference it makes. Your mindset then changes to one of "I'll just get this one upgrade, and then I'll be happy with the power/handling" and before you realize it, you've spend the GDP of a small country on the car.

But there are a multitude of upgrades available and knowing what to choose can sometimes be a daunting prospect. I'd like to think I have done pretty well with my car (a mid 11s car in the 1/4 mile and full daily driver) and so wanted to give you my top 10 tips for upgrading your Evo I-III/DSM.

  1. Have a plan. Before you make any real upgrades you should decide what you want out of the car and therefore the areas you need to look at. For example, a car made purely for drag racing is going to have different requirements for power and handling to a car made for touge or gymkhana. A lot of people just throw money at the car trying to buy every upgrade they can. While this car give you a nice looking car which performs well, it might be a jack-of-all trades and master of none. At this time, also determine if the car will also be a daily driver or whether it will be a weekend/race car only. If the latter then you'll be able to strip out the interior to save weight, but you'll be losing a lot of home comforts.
  2. Maintenance. Upgrading your car usually means pushing stock components past their normal operating limits. In order to keep reliability high you'll want to make sure a full service is done for the car (including timing belt change, if not done in the past 5 years, and balancer belt if you still have balance shafts). Also, do a full fluid change for the car, which means engine oil, gearbox oil, transfer box and rear diff, brake fluid, clutch fluid and coolant. That means everything is fresh and you know what time your service intervals start at. I will talk about service intervals for your car in a future post.
  3. Get some air in your lungs. One of the first things you should look to do is change the restrictive air filter that your stock Evo is equipped with. A lot of people will go for the HKS Super Power Flow Induction Kit, and indeed I did have that on my car for around 18 months. However, the foam filters do get dirty easily and the cleaning qualities of the HKS filter is not good, as shown by this set of reviews. Plus I have read of the foam filters getting sucked into the turbos of some cars (not an issue with the standard MAF on the Evos but still something to consider). I currently have the Apexi Power Intake and can highly recommend it. Its filtering is excellent, offers a very nice increase in low and mid-range power, and does not have to be replaced unlike the foam elements in the HKS kit. It costs a little more but works out cheaper after around a year of use. The Apexi filter also comes with a nice heat shield to keep some of the engine bay heat (which does get pretty high in a bay containing a 4G63 engine) away from the intake.
  4. Adding fuel to the fire. A car needs 2 basic things to function: oxygen and fuel. We have helped the former immensely by getting a new air filter (and possibly intake pipe), but a steady supply of fuel is vital to keep the engine performing when you put the foot down. A Walbro 255l/hr fuel pump is a very popular upgrade, and with good reason as it will support the power requirements for all but the most potent Evos. Do be wary when you get the Walbro though, and especially if you buy from Ebay. There are quite a few Chinese knock-off Walbros being sold as genuine at the moment, and fuelling is something you do not want to sacrifice on just to save a few pennies. The last thing you want is the fuel pump packing up just as you're flying down the drag strip, starving your engine of fuel and potentially causing serious damage. One thing to be aware of though is that the new fuel pump (especially with a "fuel pump rewire) can cause too much fuel to flow through and it might overrun the stock fuel pressure regulator. I can highly recommend a Sard fuel pressure regulator and fuel pressure meter. The Sard can handle the most pressure and is the best performing of the bunch, and will ensure just enough fuel gets to the engine.
  5. Power is nothing without control. "What are you talking about brakes for? I just wanna go fast!" is a common phrase from people who are starting out on the upgrade path, but is something that needs addressing. After all, it is more important to be able to stop when you need to than to be able to go. The Evos brakes are not too bad to start with, although on a circuit they will experience brake fade pretty quickly. Put in some DOT 4 brake fluid, along with a set of decent brake pads (I use Project Mu B-Spec pads front and rear) and your driving will feel much more assured. If you want to go one step further then look at a set of braided brake lines (HEL and Goodridge seem to have the best deals for the Evo I-III) and a Cusco Brake Stopper and you'll be more confident, meaning later braking into the corners and a much safer drive.
  6. Show your support. Support and stability for the car are vital when you start upgrading, very much so when you are planning to throw the car around the corners but even for straightline drag racing too. Tower strut bars can be picked up relatievly cheaply and you should get front and rear, upper and lower if you have the budget for it. They stiffen the chassis up and once again will have you cornering with confidence.
  7. Extreme logging. Am sure you're getting frustrated and want to get to the bits that will make us go faster, but bear with me. My tips are done in this way for a reason. One of the reasons I have had relative success with my tuning and upgrades so far is that everything has been done in a balanced way, with close monitoring of my car's health. Boost and oil pressure gauges are pretty much a must at this point, and a wideband will help you in the future as you increase the boost and start tuning. Alongside the standard gauges though you should really consider a datalogging device. The best one I have seen for the early Evo is Pocketlogger, and it can be combined with a dirt cheap but compatible PDA from Ebay. This little device plugs into your car's OBDI diagnostic port and is able to log a number of variables, from rpm to ignition timing to the all important engine knock levels. You can then view these logs on the PDA itself or download to your PC and analyse them there. This provides an invaluable tool for monitoring your engine's health as you do any testing.
  8. Breathe in... breathe out. What goes into your car must go out, and old adage is certainly true when we talk about gases. The stock Evo exhaust system can be a little restrictive and money spent on a cat-back exhaust system (that is, one running from the catalytic converter back to the muffler) will result in a much more powerful sound coming from your car as well as an increase in performance. I would go one step further and recommend that, if you can, you should replace the catalytic converter with a straight pipe, which is exactly what it sounds like. I should note though that this modification may be illegal in your country, and I would recommend checking with the local authorities before removing the catalytic converter. It could also cause you to fail the emissions test in your country.
  9. Boooooooooooost! Yes, we're almost at the point where we can turn up the boost. But how do you do it? The answer is a boost controller. There are 2 main types of boost controller, a simple manual controller or a more complex electronic boost controller. The former are cheaper and have a strong following in the DSM community, where the Hallman Boost Controller gets some excellent reviews. I opted for the extra features of the Blitz Dual SBC Spec S boost controller and haven't looked back. Four different boost settings, a boost warning if it gets too high, and very accurate control of your boost has made it a no-brainer for me. The Spec S is also reasonably priced and is currently holding around 1.6bar of boost on my car without any problems.
  10. Baby steps. Now is the moment you've been waiting for. You'll be able to increase the boost from the stock 0.7bar levels to around 0.8 or 0.9 bar and, providing your gauges and logger are not showing up any big problems, should be feeling a much quicker car. But take things very slowly and don't assume because you had no problems going to 0.9bar that you can immediately crank up the boost to 1.9 bar as things don't work like that. Keep things conservative, especially if the car is a daily driver. You should be aiming for zero knock.

Obviously, this is an initial guide and I haven't even started to talk about fuel controllers, blow off valves, standalone engine management systems etc. But hopefully it's given you a thing or two to think about. Do you have any more tips you'd offer people starting on the road to tuning nirvana?

Read more at Big in Japan: http://soldave.ismysite.co.uk/biginjapan

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Mitsubishi Lancer - World Renowned Compact Model


General Introduction:

Mitsubishi Lancer was built by Mitsubishi Motors as a compact model car way back in 1973. Since then, in many variants, over six million Lancers have been sold. Mitsubishi Lancer also formed the basic platform of numerous Proton models in Malaysia.

Some Important Variants:

Mitsubishi Lancer has been sold in various countries as the Soueast Lioncel, Hindustan Lancer, Mitsubishi Carisma, Colt Lancer, Dodge Colt, Chrysler Valiant Lancer, Chrysler Lancer, Plymouth Colt, Lancer GSR, Lancer Evolution, Lancer Ralliart, Eagle Summit, and Mitsubishi Mirage.

Out of these models; Lancer GSR, Lancer Evolution, and Lancer Ralliart are the best performance models and forms great part of the success story of Mitsubishi Lancer.

Some other models that form major competition to this compact model of Mitsubishi motors are Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Mazda Mazda3 and others.

First Generation Mitsubishi Lancers:

Mitsubishi Lancer was first launched in 1973 in the class of sub compact cars. At that time Mitsubishi had the Minica kei car and the compact Galant. Mitsubishi Lancer has helped Mitsubishi Motors filling in the gap between those two segments in a perfect way and at the perfect time. This has helped Mitsubishi Lancer gain popularity among the target customers right from the first day.

This model initially called Chrysler Valiant Lancer and Dodge Colt. It has got 2-door coupe, 4-door sedan and a 5-door station wagon. This generation of models extended up to 1979.

Second Generation Mitsubishi Lancers:

First generation Mitsubishi Lancers were followed by stylish Lancer EX models in 1979. The EX series included, from 1980, a turbocharged 1.8 L model. Stylistically, the boxy, angular look replaced the "coke bottle" look of the previous LAs and LBs. They came with a body style of 4-door sedan. These models look similar to Mitsubishi Mirage.

Lancer Fiore was an extension of both Lancer EX model and Mitsubishi Mirage. The Fiore was often sold as a Lancer in international markets, but also the Mirage Sedan and, with the five-door hatchback model, remained in production for a good part of the 1980s. It was also sold in Australia under the name of Mitsubishi Colt Sedan. Hence Mitsubishi has got two different names in two different parts of the world at the same time for the same model. This was termed as big strategic success for the management at that time.
Third Generation Mitsubishi Lancers:

In 1983, both Mirage and Lancer lines were renewed in a newer way. The Mitsubishi Mirage four-door and Mitsubishi Lancer sedan model became the same concept car. Turbocharged and Fuel injected models were an implicit part of this particular range. To those models in 1985, a station wagon was also added. This model spawned a raised, four wheel drive version. This helped Mitsubishi in a very big way. Often, the Mitsubishi Mirage or Mitsubishi Colt would be the name used on the three-door hatchback, and the Mitsubishi Lancer name used on the remainder. This same model also formed the basis of the original Proton sedan, the Saga, Malaysia's first car.

Some of the variants of body styles in these models are 3-door hatchback, 4-door sedan,
5-door hatchback, and 5-door station wagon. This model has got changed after 1987 in the market.

Fourth Generation Mitsubishi Lancers:

In these fourth generation models, more emphasis was put on aero dynamics and other related technological issues. Mitsubishi has invested quite a lot in R & D while designing these fourth generation models.

Inspired by the shape of Gallant, a new model was launched in 1987. This was a more aerodynamic looking Mitsubishi Lancer. Another addition to this fourth generation model was a five-door hatchback. In Australia, all models were sold as the Mitsubishi Lancer. By that time, the Lancer name was shared with the Dodge Lancer sold in North America. The sedan was sold as the Mirage Aspire in Japan.

Performance Models:

Finally Mitsubishi Lancer has also got in to the race for performance. It has got it's 3 performance variants as Lancer GSR, Lancer Evolution and Lancer Ralliart. Lancer GSR was the model of 1999's. It has got 1800cc turbocharged engine to differentiate itself from the Evolution.

Lancer Ralliart is the current stop gap between the standard Lancer range and the Evolution. However, Lancer Evolution is still the high performance version of Mitsubishi Lancer.

Srinivas is a prolific author with more than 5 years of expereince in writing on various subjects. He did MBA from SYMBIOSIS, INDIA. He can be reached at srinivas@techzing.com Apply for IT Jobs here

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The Magic Of Tuning Your Car


I've been racking my brain on something to write about this time, and it just slips my mind, oh oh writer's block, the muscle for muscle cars has left the building, hmm maybe a cup of coffee will fix it, maybe hot water cascading over my noggin, need inspiration, need guidance, don't want to disappoint, love muscle cars, I feel just like a cave man this morning ooo-oooo---aww, well give an old man a break, just maybe it'll all come back.

Tuning is an important part of making your car run right, and I'm not only talking about the engine tuning, I'm talking about suspension and chassis tuning also, the engine in the easy part, unless of course you run a turbocharger or supercharger, either one of these make the engine harder to tune, and it has to be tuned perfect at all times if you have either one of these, or two fours on a tunnel ram, all of these things will make it go faster, but require exact tuning, you can no longer tune by ear, it takes timing lights, vacuum gages, and computers, no longer just a screw driver and a wrench.

No more just running to the auto parts store and getting your cap, rotor, wires, and plugs, and gaping up the plugs and throwing it all on, you will obviously do this also, but now you will hook up your computer, timing light, and vacuum gage, you cannot have any vacuum leaks, allow your car to over heat, or get lazy about your car in general, it's a must to keep it in perfect running order all the time, or you can expect huge problems with it.

It used to be in the old days that if your engine decided to backfire when it had a supercharger, you could expect the motor to scatter all over the road, but there have been some advances, and simple ones, like pop off valves, that make this almost a thing of the past, but you'd better be ready for all the time you'll spend maintaining your car after you add this kind of performance modification to your car.

Now the suspension tuning part can get just a little involved, and it's really not my specialty, but I will give it the old college try, when tuning your suspension you'll want to think about what it is your going to use the car for, if you build a 1/4 mile car, it obviously won't handle that well in the corners, and if you build a car that handles through corners, it'll still do alright in the 1/4 mile, but you probably aren't going to win a lot of races, so you really need to give this some thought, so you get the right car for you.

The first thing that I can think of here if you want to be really competitive in any type of racing is the to look at the frame of your car, and the power of the engine that your building for it, if you have a uni-body car, and your building an engine with more then 500 HP, you might want to think about making it a full frame car, by either having a special frame built, by a company like Reher and Morrison, to insure that it can handle the power, if you decide to go with sub frame connectors to save money. then you should look in to the products that are on the market, compare, and buy the best that you can find, and weld them on, do not bolt them on the the best results.

What sub frame connectors will do for you, is fool your uni-body car in to thinking that it has a full frame, it will make the entire car a lot more rigid, which by nature will make it handle better, now I will try to explain the difference between the two types of suspension, first of all, if you've ever been to the drag strip, you'll notice that when the drag car launches of of the line it squats down in the rear, this is the first big difference between the two suspension setups, with a drag car you want to transfer as much of the weight to the rear of the car as you can when it launches off of the line, this is how you'll make those hole shots, and win races.

In 1/4 mile racing they use ladder bars, and four link suspension systems to get the power to the pavement, and getting the power to the pavement is the name of the game in 1/4 mile racing, you want as much of the power from those rear wheels getting to the pavement as possible, that is what the burn out is all about, it's not just a spectacle, it heats up the tires and creates adhesion to the tarmac surface, it's an integral part of the getting the power to the pavement that I have been talking about, once you get your ladder bars, and your four link suspension systems tuned in perfectly, it will hook up, and you will launch like a rocket.

The things that I explained above are exactly the things that you don't need in a true road race car, in a road race car your not going to heat up the tires to gain traction, you'll depend on tread patterns, and tire compounds to create the kind of traction that you'll need to be competitive here, what your looking for here is the entire car to stick to the road, you do not want it to slide, so most people will try to get the major part of the weight over the center of the car, this is what is called a mid engined car, you want that weight to be distributed over the entire car if possible, by making it a mid engined car it goes a long way toward achieving this goal, you do still need to at least put weld on sub frame connectors on the the car, here again I would suggest to have a professional build a frame for your car instead.

Road cars use aerodynamics to create down pressure on the car to help keep in on the road, and to cut through the air to help the car to move along the road easier, and they use shocks, springs, and sway bars to help limit the pitch and roll of the car body when it goes it to a hard corner, the car need to stay as level as possible to keep in on it's wheels, instead of on it's roof, and this is a highly specialized type of tuning, you should always have a professional to set this up for you, it needs to be perfect if you want the best results from your work, time, and money, the professionals will also do their magic on the steering of your car also, and they will do it right and safe.

What I'm saying here, is spend a lot of time thinking about what you want your car to do, your the only person that it has to impress in the end.

I've been in the automotive business for about 20 or 25 years, I have worked in all facets of the industry, from parts to restoration, all different makes and models, I just want to keep people interested in the old cars because it's where my heart is.

http://autorevival.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Atkin

Antique Car History


Owning a car is a necessity for many people, but for many other possessing antique cars is a matter of pride and sort of a prestige symbol. Owning an antique car is in most times as costly as owning a new car as there are many people involved who are in the passion of collecting antique cars. Many antique car enthusiasts collect antique cars as a hobby or a memory. But there are several others who collect antique cars as an investment option. For them antique cars are a way to make profit - these people collect antique cars and sell it after some time at a higher price than originally brought.

Let us look in detail what an antique car is and about antique car history. According to the Antique Automobile Club of America and several other organizations worldwide, an antique car can be defined as any car which is more than 25 years of age. Sometimes it is seen that some classic cars are misrepresented as antique cars, but the real classic cars are those certain specific high quality cars from the pre-World War II era. However antique cars are not profitable to use for everyday transportation, these antiques cars are much popular for leisure driving. Antiques cars which had survived for more than 25 years are considered great survivors. And that's why owning, collecting and restoring such rare antique cars are considered as a well-liked hobby by people all over the world.

Over the years, the antique car market has seen tremendous changes. During the 1980's the value of antique cars has gone a great boom which lasted for several years. But during the early 1990's there was a great fall in price. Antique car collecting can be a type of gambling. According to antique car experts it is better to collect antique cars when you get one as the antique car market fluctuates from time to time and the future monetary value of antique car is completely unpredictable.

Most antique car buffs' love to know antique car history before buying any antique car. For them, buying an antique car is more important than buying a new car. They take enough time searching every thing about the antique car before they make a purchase. Antique car experts say that it is better to take a look into antique car history before making a deal. By spending some time in antique car history you can know whether any alterations and flaws are there in the antique car you are going to purchase. These alterations and flaws can make a big change in the value of the antique car. Determining the antique cars status and how much price it worth if you resell it in any later stage is also a good idea before purchasing it.

As antique cars are those cars which have survived over a period of twenty five years, the antique car history is worth mentioning. If you are an antique car enthusiast check the current position of the antique car you are going to add to your antique car collection. If the antique car is a much fashionable one then the value of antique cars will be highly expensive. If it is not a fashionable one to collect, then the demand will be less and you can obtain it at a low price. The condition of the antique car also influences the value. A good condition antique car will surely cost much more than a poor condition antique car.

Hence before buying any antique car it is advisable to know the antique car history. Don't forget to determine the antique cars status and how much price it worth if you sell it later. Nowadays there are numerous websites which are providing information about antique cars. Most of these websites features photographs of antique cars and collector's forums. Checking these sites will help you to get a brief idea of antique car history. This will be a plus point for any antique car buffs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sonali_Sen

Friday, July 16, 2010

Taking Care of Your Petrol Or Diesel Turbo Car

Installing a turbo kit in your car will indeed add to its value but what good does it get if after a week of installing the kit, it breaks down? Turbochargers are there for the main reason that you want a faster and more efficient car. These turbo kits are costly and you do not want them to be breaking down on you, not because of factory defect, but because of personal neglect by the car's owner, also known as you.

There are ways and tips to follow in order to keep your turbo car in tip top shape. A healthy turbo has enough oil for lubrication and cooling. When thinking of a turbo car, oil is probably the most important factor that can affect the way your turbo operates. Regarding oil issues, you have to take note to use only synthetic oil for your engine. The reason for this is because these oils are undeniably better at withstanding thermal breakdown. Of course this is important as you already know that turbo engines have the tendency to operate at very high heat. Oil change for turbo cars must be done every 2500-3000 miles as oil breaks down and get dirty fast. Another important thing to do is to check the oil level often since the engine is exposed to a lot of strenuous conditions, pressure and excess heat. Also, you have to remember to let the oil cool down before turning off your car. You can do this by letting the car stay idle for a period of time. This is done to avoid damage to the turbo bearings and oil lines. Still in connection to the importance of oil, make sure that the turbo bearings are well lubricated before starting the engine especially after an oil change.

The tips mentioned above are the most common advice that are to be followed when maintaining a turbo car, but there are a lot of supplementary advice that can also be used to maximize the performance and lengthen the life of your turbo car. First, is to make sure that the wastegate signaling hose is not hardened or cracked. Another tip is to make sure that the throttle position sensor (TPS) is working properly. Cleaning the throttle body is also a way of maintaining your turbo car. It is advisable to clean the throttle body every 30,000 miles. To help maintain your turbo car, make sure that the tires do not go bald because it will have a deteriorating effect on the suspension. Especially that you have a high powered turbo car, you do not want to go through potholes and fall hard because of poor tires and suspensions. Changing the air filter every 10,000 miles will contribute to your car's maximum performance. The timing belt also has to be replaced every 40,000 miles for optimum turbo performance. More importantly is to make sure that your turbo system and your car stays cool and one way to do this is putting a switch in line with the air conditioning fan for you to use in bad traffic or in long drives.

There are a lot to consider when maintaining a turbo car, which is just right since a turbo car needs special attention as it is not like any ordinary car. A turbo car is engineered to excellence that is why maintenance is very important to preserve its performance.

Visit us for more info at Turbo kit Specialist Turborevs and Dump Valves.

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Turbo Lag


In any discussion about turbocharging, the issue of turbo lag is sure to rear its ugly head. For many, turbo lag is a major issue but the issue of turbo lag is greatly misunderstood. No, turbo lag is not a myth, and yes, it does exist - in technical terms, turbo lag can be defined as the time it takes the turbo to spin fast enough to produce boost pressure.
However, it is not as bad as most people believe.

The problem originates in the 1980s when turbos and superchargers became so popular that several marques started producing OEM turbo vehicles like the 1983 Nissan EXA Turbo and the Mitsubishi Colt 1600 Turbo. With these vehicles, the issue of cost and reliability was more important than performance. In a sense the turbo was more of a marketing gimmick as a 78 kW turbocharged 1500cc motor cannot be described as a performance vehicle.

There are two things these manufacturers did to give turbo lag a bad name: to minimize costs they produced turbocharged vehicles without intercoolers and then, to deal with the increased temperatures of the compressed air that was pumped into the combustion chamber, and to minimize detonation, they lowered the engine's compression ratio. The Nissan EXA Turbo, for example has a compression ratio of 7.4:1 compare to the normally aspirated engine's compression ratio of 9.0:1! This robbed the engine of power and performance that was not compensated for by the turbo until the turbo spooled up and started producing boost pressure!

Fortunately, these vehicles were also fitted with small turbos so they spooled up quickly enough, but the small turbo also contributed to backpressure in the exhaust system. This affected the exhaust's scavenging ability and increased the possibility of reversion. In essence, it reduced the engine's volumetric efficiency, further robbing the engine of power and performance. Again, these deficiencies in performance were only overcome when the turbo started producing post pressure.

With a much lower compression ratio, increased back pressure and reduced volumetric efficiency, an OEM turbocharged vehicle was often out performed by its naturally aspirated brethren in those precious few seconds while the turbo spooled up to spin fast enough to produce boost pressure. Once the turbo spooled up and started creating boost pressure, it more than compensated for the deficiencies caused by the lowered compression ratio and lowered volumetric efficiency.

But today, with the advances in turbo technology and the use of an intercooler to remove some of the heat that is a natural side effect of compressing air, it is not necessary to lower the compression ratio. Indeed, with the proper use of an intercooler turbocharging has become a bolt-on accessory with no need to open the engine. Also, because you don't need to get boost pressure so quickly, you can run a slightly larger turbo that is better suited to the exhaust system and produces far less back pressure. This effectively takes turbo lag out of the equation. Even though the turbo will still have turbo lag, the engine's power and performance is not compromised by lowered compression ratios and increased backpressure.

So the use of a properly sized and efficient intercooler should be a compulsory part of any turbocharger system if you do not want to suffer the consequences of turbo lag.

Brent Harris served as an apprentice motor mechanic at Reitz Nissan in the late 1980s before going on to the University of the Western Cape where he obtained a MA. His passion has always been cars and he has extensive experience in modifying Nissan engines. He is currently self-employed and serves as the editor for http://www.custom-car.us

For more information on turbo lag, intercoolers, and other forced induction articles, visit our website.

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TURBO

Turbo installation:

Your knowledge and skill will determine if this is a difficult or easy swap. This was my first attempt at installing a turbo as well as my first experience modifying a Slant Six. My total cost was under $400 including a new exhaust system, and I was able to get the car running in 2 days. However, it took me many hours of tuning to get the car to run properly.

Even now I still have a lot of work to do. The best source for information I know of was a publication called "Real Safaris" (formally 21st Century Turbo). (The currrent address is unknown -ed.)

This newsletter was full of Turbo information. The members wrote in with questions, tech tips and pictures. At one point you could get a book, which is basically all past issues, and a one year subscription. This is what I did to install a turbo onto my SL6.

Engine CompartmentThis is a totally custom setup. It wasn't really that hard. The turbo came off an 88 Dodge Lancer. It is a Mitisubishi turbo, slightly smaller than a TO3 that came on earlier 2.2s. Since the engine is totally stock and I didn't intend to spin it past 4000 RPM, the air flow requirements are about the same as a 2.2 spinning faster. Basically I just used with what I had, but a 2.2 TO3 may have been better and let's face it, these are pretty common in the wrecking yards these days. The "next step" is a TO4 from a Buick 3.8 Turbo Grand National or larger CID V8 but these might be slow to spool up on a stock 225.

2.2L Outlet on Slant Six ManifoldI started by cutting the mounting flange off the 2.2 exhaust manifold and had it welded to the SL6 manifold. I cut the SL6 manifold right before the heat riser and put the flange on perpendicular with the head. This took a good amount of cutting, grinding and fitting work and you need to Turbo - Side Viewbe sure to check the clearance of the turbo "snail" to the intake manifold base.

It probably would have been easier to just buy a mounting flange from Turbo City instead of finding a 2.2 manifold just to get a flange. The welding needs to be done by a qualified welder using nickel or cast iron welding rod, along with preheating and slow cooling the manifold. I have run the car hard enough so that the complete manifoldTrial fit and turbo assembly glows a dull red and have not had any cracking problems. Anyway, this manifold puts the turbo under the intake manifold and right in front of the starter. One of the new style, light weight starters would provide more clearance, but a stock one fits with almost no clearance. I have about 15,000 miles on the installation including a 6,000 mile trip from NY though TN and NC. So far this has not caused a problem. Take your time when laying out the manifold and do some trial fittings onto the engine with the starter, intake, front left engine mount bracket and dip stick in place. If you angle the turbo down slightly, you will have more clearance to the intake but then it comes close to the block. Don't forget to keep in mind the air intake and output lines while mocking up the turbo assembly and manifold.

I ran a 1/4 steel (brake line) oil pressure line off the oil pump where the idiot light hooks up by installing a "T" fitting. So far no problems there, but make sure to use a high quality line with compression fittings (flair fittings) as this line is subjected to intense pressure, heat and vibration and could crack.

I used a punch to put a 5/8" hole in the pan. (Punch, don't drill this hole. Punching "rolls-in" some material to create threads and keeps chips out of the oil pan.) Position this hole under the turbo and back where the #3 main cap is located. (Helps keep the oil off the rods flying by.) Place the hole up close to where the pan rail bolts to the block. Tap it 1/2" NPT (pipe thread) with grease on the tap to hold any metal chips. Clean everything well and epoxy in a fitting for the oil return line. Remember the oil return must be much bigger than the feed line, as the turbo does a good job of frothing the oil, making it drain slower. The return must be above the oil level in the pan.

I "T"ed off both heater hoses to supply and return coolant to the Turbo. I used 3/8" lines for both. An option to this is to spend additional time to drill & tap the water jacket access boss on the driver's side of the block, then run your water input line from there. The return can be "T"ed into one of the the water pump connections.

I used about 6 inches of the original 2.2 exhaust pipe and adapters to hook up to the stock exhaust system. The 2.2 pipe was 2 1/4" and the stock 225 pipe is only 1 3/4". After I got the car running and had a complete 2 1/2" system made, this increased performance dramatically. Note that turbos need big exhaust systems & low back pressure to spool-up fast and develop lots of boost.

I used the stock 2.2 air box, air cleaner and hose for the inlet side of the turbo.

Fiberglass seal around air cleanerAs for the turbo's pressure output delivery, I used fiberglass to seal up the stock air cleaner. I attached a 2 inch steel pipe and used radiator hose to connect it to the turbo. Try to keep the rubber hose length to a minimum.

It is not easy to modify the power circuit of this carb, so I just increased the jet 14 sizes. (You must increase the amount of fuel to compensate for the increased air flow. - ed.) You must also supply additional fuel pressure in a blow though turbo setup. Fuel pressure must remain 4 to 7 psi over boost pressure.

The best way to do this is to run a line from the output side of the turbine (boost pressure) to the back side of the fuel pump diaphragm. There is a vent located here on most stock pumps which can be tapped for 1/8" pipe thread. I have found a 5/16" line is sufficient to feed the pressure over to the fuel pump. This simple setup will keep the fuel pressure above boost pressure at all times and requires no regulator.

I set the total mechanical timing to 16 degrees and ran 8 pounds of boost. I used a vacuum pot from a 318 and modified it to provide 25 degrees of vacuum advance. (There are adjustable vacuum advance pots available for the Slant Six. -ed.) This helped fuel mileage when not under boost by providing a more normal advance setting. As of this date it provided the best performance without detonation on premium pump gas. This is a tiral & error process and will take some time to get it right for your engine combination.

The setup worked out pretty slick. Once I had the system installed, it was carb rejetting, timing curve adjustments and a lot of trial and error work. I feel the turbo I used is a little small for a 225 SL6 but it spools up quick and runs pretty strong.

I did this more or less as a test. The car runs low 16's in the 1/4 mile with no drive train modifications (stock trans, rear end gearing etc.). The engine is a bit tired. It has over 210,000 miles on it now. Makes me wonder what this setup would do on a fresh motor with a little cam and some head work. The end result was a great increase in performance at the expense of increased fuel consumption. I have recently installed a 4 bbl manifold and a 600 cfm Holley. I use only the primaries, but this still seems a little large. Also, since the secondary side is wired shut, it causes a little turbulence problem at full throttle. The advantage to the bigger carb is being able to provide the addition fuel though the power circuit, not the main jets. Mileage is now about the same as stock, almost 19 on the highway, that is, if I keep it under 75.

This is the basics of my installation. There is a LOT of performance in a SL6, just waiting to get out once you find a way to get the fuel mixture in. As you can see, a turbo does this well.

Thanks for your interest and good luck,

Wayne

by Wayne

edited by Chuck Rivers & Doug Dutra

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

How the Scuderi Air Hybrid Engine works

Buying a Used Car? Sixteen Tips on How to Keep From Getting Ripped Off


Do you want to buy a quality used car but are afraid of getting ripped off?

You're not alone, and for good reason. Used car sales are far and away the most lucrative segment in the auto industry in terms of commissions that the sales people and dealership makes and therefore, the GREED factor comes in when selling cars is concerned. The potential for being taken advantage of increases for the unwary and uninformed car buyer.

Having said that, there are still quite a few honest, credible used car dealerships out there and if you are prepared with some of the tips in this article, then you can drive off with a nice, clean used car AND a good deal.

There are TWO basic types of Used Car Dealerships you need to know how to differentiate between the two.

1. Your garden variety of used car dealerships that most towns and cities have almost everywhere. These dealerships, generally sell cars bought at local auctions or were higher mileage cars bought form a local dealership, or taken as trade-ins on their lot. Generally speaking, you won't find the latest models with the lowest miles and still under warranty. What you CAN find are clean reliable cars, maybe with higher miles that you wouldn't find at a brand dealership, but often lower prices. The typical used car dealership has nowhere near the overhead of major dealerships so, their gross profit margin - the difference in costs they have in a car and what they can sell it for -- can be lower, thus, ideally, saving you some money.

Most of the better used car dealerships offer financing and warranties for all their cars at an extra cost, of course. Some, but not most have a place to service their cars before putting the car on their lot. You need to make sure whatever car you are looking at has at least had an updated inspection.

Used car dealerships can be a great place to find a good car, BUT, be careful, some of the cars can be rough around the edges and you need to know what to look for and how to look at a used car.

2. Your automobile dealerships that sell new and used cars. Usually, these dealerships keep a selection of what they like to refer to as "pre owned" or even "certified pre-owned" vehicles and they usually spend more time on the prep of the car before it goes on the lot. They have a shop and certified technicians to go over these cars and make sure these cars are in good shape. Especially the Certified Pre Owned cars need to look and run close like new. All of this does, of course make the Brand Dealership Used cars priced on the higher end. Be ready to haggle!

Buying a used car or "pre-owned" car can make a lot of sense regardless of where you buy one.

Any new car will drop 25 - 40% once it drives off the lot. In this day and age of better cars and cars lasting over 100k miles, used cars, especially almost any Japanese car, can last to well over 200k miles and you get an even better price. Again, make sure the Car Fax checks out!

BIG MYTH: "When you buy a used car, you're buying someone else's problem"Not necessarily so. Many used cars are lease turn ins. Many used cars the owners simply out grew the car or, like so many people on the road, they just like to trade cars often and change cars like underwear!

Following are some tips on how to maneuver through the sometimes shark infested waters of used car dealerships.

1. Know what you want. Or at least, have an idea. Do you want an economy car? A luxury sedan? An SUV? You will find a good selection on some of the many Used Car lots that dot our landscapes. A good way to shop discreetly is to shop online. Compare similar models and makes.

Check Consumer Reports for Best Used Car deals or the Kelly Blue Book online.

2. What will it cost? Once you have an idea of what you want, get an idea of what it would cost. The most popular and the oldest service is Kelly Blue Book. At KBB, you can select practically any model, make and year of vehicle and get a "good-better-best" price, depending on the vehicle condition and various features. With KBB, you can get a general idea of pricing or even narrow it down to specific features. For instance, if that cool sports sedan you've spotted at a lot has leather upholstery and alloy rims vs. cloth seats and wheel covers, then you'll pay more for the leather and rims. Also, you MUST know what the mileage on the car you are interested in. Cars with over 100,000 miles automatically drop in price compared to similar cars with under 100k miles.

3. Get a Car Fax report! A Car Fax report provides the detailed history of practically any vehicle on the road today.. To do this you need to accurately write down the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

A Car Fax report will tell you a LOT! It will tell you important stuff like: Has the car been wrecked? Total loss? Has the car been in a flood? Are there any recalls? Has the air bag ever been deployed? Has this car been "salvaged"? Has the car been inspected annually? How many owners and where? If the car you are interested in has been through several owners, that could be a red flag so pay attention to the number of owners in the past.

These are important things to know before even taking a test drive! You can get the Car Fax yourself, or ask the dealer to present you with a recent Car Fax Report.

NOTE: Any good used car dealer ship will likely have one on file and gladly show it to you.

IF this dealer Fancy Dances around this issue, then move on!

4. Visually Inspect the Car yourself! Walk around it and look at the fit and finish. Not all wrecked cars will be reported, but if you see uneven spaces between the doors, and hood and fender, then watch out! Check for "over spray". If the car was repainted, it may not show up on a Car Fax either. Look around the black moldings, and exterior fittings like headlights, door handles, etc. If you see "over spray" it likely means the car has been repainted. Now, for a car older than 10 years it could be perfectly reasonable to have a re-paint. Just try and find out who and where the work was done.

5. Look Under the hood. Even if you are clueless at what you are looking at, do this anyway. Is the engine clean? Is there mud on the inner sides? What do the battery cables look like? Clean or corrosion built up? Not good if the engine area is not spotless and had a good steam cleaning.

6. Check the oil and all the other fluid levels. This seems obvious, but still, you want to know if the oil has been changed and the fluids - brake and transmission -- are topped off. If any of these levels are low - RED FLAG!

7. Inspect the tire tread. A method for checking tread depth is to insert a penny in one of the grooves with Lincoln's head upside down and facing you. If you can see the top of old Abe's head, it is time to replace your tires and make sure the dealer knows this is a concern. At the bargaining table, you may get a new set of tires!

8. Inspect the wiper blades. Normal wear and tear on wiper blades are common, but if you are buying this car from a dealership of any kind, you should have fresh wiper blades.

Once you're satisfied that the car you are looking at is worth of your attention, THEN and ONLY then take if for a test drive!

Next step Test Drive!9. The salesman may or may not give you some BS about him driving the car off the lot and down the street some distance to switch for "insurance" reasons. Not true! They want to keep as much control over the process as possible that's all.

There are several things to look and listen for when starting out:

10. Start the engine with the window down so you can HEAR and SEE what its like.

Is the muffler quiet? Is there smoke blowing out?

11. Assuming you are in an automatic, move the transmission back and forth between the gears,

"P", "D", "R", "N" etc... does if shift easily? What does it sound like when you put it into the drive gear? If there is a CLANK sound, look out, could be trouble!

12. If it's a manual drive, make sure the gears shift easily from one gear to the next. Test the clutch.

Is there a lot of "play" when you press down before the clutch catches? If there is "play" then the clutch could be worn.

13. Driving. First, get into an open stretch and accelerate as fast as possible. Is the acceleration smooth? Does it hesitate or halt or stop? Not good!

14. BreakingNext, apply the brakes firmly but don't slam on the brakes. Does the car swerve to the left or right? If so, could be alignment problems. Not good! How far does the brake pedal go before engaging? If a lot, then the car may need brake work. If it goes to the floor, then you have real brake problems.

15. Interior Controls.Does the Air Conditioning work and blow cold? Is the heater working? How's the stereo?

Do the power windows roll up? Do the crank windows roll up easily?

Do the locks work? Make sure you take the time to learn about the interior aspects of your potential next car.

16. Take the car for a good drive! Have fun! Crank up the stereo! Bring along a CD to play!

Drive in traffic as well as on an Interstate Highway if possible. Listen for any unusual noises or loudness. Accelerate and brake frequently to test the car's responsiveness.

Okay, you took the Test Drive, you think you love the car, now what?

Make sure you have paid attention to steps 1, 2 and 3. Demand a Car Fax report. Always seriously pour over the report as if you were preparing your Last Will and Testament.

NEVER let the sales person know you are totally thrilled with the car or in any way desperate for a car. This opens up an opportunity to be taken advantage of.

Also, if you want to trade your old ride for a new one, NEVER tell the dealership you intend to trade up front because this can skew the numbers you are being offered. You ALWAYS want to know what the car will cost BEFORE the trade!

It goes without saying you need to be ready to walk away from any deal you are offered. If it smells fishy, it probably is! DO NOT let your emotions get the best of you! There's always as good or better car out there with your name on it!

In summary, be like the Boy Scouts whose motto is: "Be Prepared" and you will likely find a good car you can live with for several years or more.

J Gary Dean is an author and videographer in Greensboro NC. Also, a former used car salesman himself, Mr. Dean brings a unique perspective in the area of buying a used car.
Visit his website:
http://www.NCInternetAdvertising.com
or his blog:
http://www.WhoIsGaryDean.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J_Gary_Dean

5 Common Money Mistakes About Cars

he people recognize themselves in their commodities; they find their soul in their automobile, hi-fi set, split-level home, kitchen equipment.
Herbert Marcuse

When Solomon said there was a time and a place for everything he had not encountered the problem of parking his automobile.
Bob Edwards

Not having to own a car has made me realize what a waste of time the automobile is.
Diane Johnson

Car designers are just going to have to come up with an automobile that outlasts the payments.
Erma Bombeck

The automobile gives rise to intense passions in both sexes. Just a few decades ago car dealerships were places where women dared not go leaving the complex negotiations for a new car to their husbands, brothers and uncles. "Upside down on my car" was a phrase entrenched in the American lexicon long before the current economic meltdown turned "upside down on my house" into the catch phrase for the decade. Automobiles are expensive, yet they are the biggest waste of money imaginable and owning a vehicle defies every law of basic financial common sense there is. There are 5 common money mistakes most people make when purchasing a car.

1) Putting money down on a new car
2) Leasing a car
3) Trading in a car
4) Buying a new car every 3-5 years
5) Rolling old car debt into a new car purchase

Putting Money Down on a New Car

The author of a well-read and well-circulated financial blog, the Simple Dollar, wrote that you should put money down on a car in order to avoid GAP insurance. What is GAP insurance? GAP insurance stands for Guaranteed Auto Protection and is a supplemental form of auto insurance that covers the GAP between the residual value on the car if it is totaled out and the loan amount on the car. GAP insurance is an additional expense especially if you purchase a car that does not hold its value over the long run (as most don't) but is it worth giving up $3000-5000 cash to avoid the premium? Of course not. And here's why. Cars are depreciating assets. As a rule of thumb they lose 10-25% of their value each year for the first 3 years.

Putting any money down on a car, therefore, is a lot like taking a roll of Benjamins into your bathroom, lifting the lid and flushing 30 to 50 of those bills down the toilet. Any money that a new car purchaser puts down will not translate into equity in that car, but will disappear into thin air the moment the new owner drives that car off the lot. GAP insurance on the other hand is a relatively small expense a consumer may or may not choose to assume. Should the consumer choose to get GAP insurance, it is based on the value of the new car and the expected depreciation. For the top-ranked cars in terms of the least depreciation, GAP insurance will cost the least. For the cars that depreciate the most, GAP insurance will cost the most.

Kelly Blue book posts an annual list of cars that depreciate the least. Doesn't car insurance offer full coverage for a car? No it doesn't. Insurance companies are smart, they won't pay more than a vehicle is worth. Consumers do that. Car insurance will only cover the residual value of a car in the event of an accident, not the full loan amount owed on a car. Pay $20,000 for a new car and wreck it in the first year, your auto insurance will cover only the residual value of that car. If that residual value is $15,000 and you owe say $18,000 you are on the hook for the $3,000. Here are the basic things you can do to avoid this depreciation calamity and hang onto your money:

1) Only buy new cars that retain their value and negotiate the best deal you can
2) Only buy used cars (someone else has paid for the depreciation)
3) Save like a fiend so that you can "self insure", ie., cover the GAP in the event of an accident
4) If you don't do 1,2 or 3 buy GAP insurance because it is minuscule compared to the out of pocket costs of a down payment
5) Don't let your kids drive your car

Leasing a Car

The reason a car lease's monthly payment is so much less than the principal and interest payments on a car note is that the lessee is not amortizing the value of the car with the payment. The lessee is amortizing only the depreciation costs and paying interest to do so! As an example if the 3-year depreciation expense on a car $20,000 car is $10,000, the monthly payment on the lease is based on that 10K along with the interest rate. Sounds like a good deal, I suppose, until you figure in that the car dealer will get back a used car at the end of the lease that he intends to sell for the full value of its make and model. What this means is pristine physical condition and low mileage. If the car returns in anything other than perfect condition, the lessee will have to pay in the form of stiff mileage and wear and tear penalties. Lease a car back to back and you loose big time because you are always bearing the cost of someone else's depreciation.

Trading a Car

Basically my philosophy is that you buy the most reliable and high value car that you can, negotiate the best price that you can, pay it off and drive that vehicle for at least 10 years. Even if your vehicle is in pristine condition at the end of 5 years and you just have to have a new one, the dealer will give you at best 50 to 75% of the residual value of your car. The car dealer will make money twice: once on the new car you just bought and again on your trade in when they re-sell it for maximum retail value. It is great to give money away, but give it away to a charity and take the tax deduction. Your car dealer does not need your charity. Here are basic things you can do when you have a car to trade in:

1) Sell the car on Craig's list or advertise it in the newspaper getting the best deal you can for your car. Then you are free to use the money anyway you choose.

2) Sell the car back to a same brand dealer. I've done it. It works.

Buying a new car every 3-5 years

Buying a new car every 3-5 years means that you are always locked into a principal and interest payment on something that is always losing value. The only way to "win" with a car is during the years in which you are essentially driving that car for free. At the very least, you can spend your time paying yourself the principal and interest payments, it is a form of forced savings in which you can set yourself up to pay cash for your next car, or use the money to take that vacation you have always wanted to.

Rolling Old Car Debt into a New Car Purchase

I know people who are so far upside down on a car that they have to look up to see down. It is sad, really. A car dealer will give you the rope to hang yourself. I have only met one salesman who was willing to talk me out of rolling one car into another. I was so desperate to get rid of the car I had at the time. It was an SUV that had the nasty habit of stalling in the cold at altitude. If I had been driving it in Phoenix I would never have had a problem, but I insisted on driving it to the Ski areas in Colorado. Silly me. But I was desperate enough to roll the 22K owed on that vehicle into another car loan on a new vehicle. The truth of the matter is that most cars on the market will never out last that kind of debt, and rolling old car debt into a new car purchase will result in a cycle of indebtedness to a car that can be virtually impossible to break

I hope by now I have shattered any illusions that a car is an asset. The traditional rules of money down and extended payments that apply to acquiring genuine assets, such as investment property and businesses simply don't apply to a car. View a car for what it is, an essential transportation expense that will get you safely from point A to point B. As the quotes that head this article illustrate, cars incite passions that warp reality and good judgment understanding the 6 common money mistakes people make with cars will save you headache, heartache and money.

Ouida Vincent is a physician, active real estate investor and entrepreneur who has made more than her fair share of mistakes on the road to wealth. Ouida has made many of the mistakes she writes about and has come out on the other side. To find more interesting articles, business tips and key success philosophies go to http://www.ouidavincentsblog.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ouida_Vincent

Car Scratch And Dent Repairs


Paint less dent repair is for minor repairs. Auto S.M.A.R.T. handles visible damage and required dents. This company has grown with its own reputation and doing fabulous work. The company has its well-equipped workshop and undertakes painting, dent repair, interior repair, alloy wheel repairs and other related repair work.

Dent repair has various techniques. Paint less dent repair is one of the methods, which is commonly used. In this process, the damaged area becomes visible after aging of the car. Therefore, when the damaged area is deep then painting is necessary. Painting the area eliminates the possibility of visibility of damaged area.

There are services like Auto S.M.A.R.T. who handles such repair work efficiently and at a lower cost. The best part of their service is they come to you instead you going to them. They repair the dent by using metal levers and utilize the paint less dent removal method. This is skilled job and unless you are experienced, the precision repair is not possible. For bigger dents, this method is not useful. For small sized dents, this is a wonderful method.

Apart from the dent repairs, Auto S.M.A.R.T. services are superior in alloy wheel refurbishment. This requires efficient and experienced handling. Removal of tyre is necessary to repair the alloy wheel. This allows the mechanic to access the extent of damage to the wheel and accordingly repair work is undertaken. They use a specific chemical before removing the tyre, which prevents the wheel from damage during the process. The scuffs and gouges inspected for repair. Deep damages filled in the similar process of body dent. After the process of filling and polishing is over paint is coated, which is commonly a silver paint. This process gives the alloy wheel a new look and thereby saving money.

The company visits the specified place that saves time with their mobile service. They undertake the straightening job of the wheel. Uneven vibrations lead to wear and tear of tyre. It damages the tyre and reduces the life. Their professionals are competent and use latest technology for the repair work. They reset the alloy wheel back to shape in a couple of hours. Alloy wheel that is severely bent removed to the workshop for repair, since it may not be possible for on sight repair.

Several companies repair only the visibly damaged area without inspecting the total area of the alloy wheel. This process is incorrect and insufficient repair work. Moreover, cosmetic repair is skilled technique, which results in precision finish


For professional car dents and scratch repairs use our mobile vehicle repair that handle the repair in less time. For further details, contact us at www.autosmartuk.co.uk
by:Jamie Hanson

Saving Money Tips - Buying a New Car


A new car sounds lovely doesn't it? Imagine the purr of the new engine and the looks you will get as you drive down the road in the latest model of your chosen car. However, we also know that the new model of today will be the old superseded model in the not too distant future and that the value of the car will go down very quickly.

So with this in mind we really need to be careful when considering whether or not to buy a new car.

Before rushing off to the car yard, you should grab out a large sheet of paper and write up the top "Do I really need to buy a new vehicle?" Then let the brain cells take a journey and come up with all of the reasons that you can to justify going out and getting a new car. Underneath this, write down all of the reasons to justify why you shouldn't go out and buy a new car.

Here are some ideas to get you started and some common reasons that people write down:

1. Reasons to buy a new car

Car too small / big

  • Starting a family and need more room
  • Can't fit in all of my gear
  • Can't transport all of the kids and their friends around
  • It is just us now so we don't need such a large car
  • We are going away so we need more leg room and storage capacity

No air conditioning
  • It is just so hot each summer we bake in our car

No air bags
  • The car has never been fitted with air bags

Lacking accessories (stereo / cd player / gps)
  • We need to have a cd player
  • Some new vehicles have an in built GPS so we need one too
  • The stereo is broken so we need to replace the car

Costing too much money to run
  • I am always spending money on this car
  • The car always seems to be at my mechanic

Need to look good at work
  • My car is a status symbol of my wealth
  • My boss would look down on me if I didn't drive a new car
  • Having a new car will portray a message to my clients that I am very successful

Too old
  • My car is x years old so it needs to be replaced
  • I have had this car x years so it is time for an upgrade to a new model
  • This model is old, I need the newer model

Petrol guzzler
  • I am always putting fuel into this car
  • I checked my credit card statement and boy my car is thirsty
  • I used to put in $x of fuel a week and now I am putting in $y

Running too fast / slow
  • I can't keep up with every one else on the road
  • My foot is almost flat to the floor and yet we hardly seem to be moving
  • If I don't sell this I am going to do damage to someone as it just zips off so fast I can't keep in control

Want security of a new vehicle warranty
  • I do a lot of travel for work and I want peace of mind if something was to happen
  • If the car is under a warranty I won't have to spend any money on it

No longer road worthy
  • The mechanic said the car isn't road worthy
  • I don't think the car would pass a road worthy test

Want to keep up with the Jones
  • My friend has just purchased one of these new cars so I want one
  • The neighbours have just purchased a new car so we should also buy one

I have been offered a good trade in
  • The new car sales man has offered me a good trade in
  • I want to trade now whilst I can get good value for my current car

I want a diesel vehicle
  • I want to change from petrol to diesel as I heard it is more fuel efficient

I need a ute / 4wd / sedan
  • I want to change from a sedan to a ute
  • I need to trade the ute for a 4wd
  • I need a 4wd for my upcoming holiday
  • I need a ute so I can shift houses

2. Reasons not to buy a new car

Can't afford it

  • The repayments will be too high
  • It is a lot of money for me to spend on a car
  • The loan will take me 7 years+ to pay back

Don't really need a new car
  • I am being silly, I don't really need a new car
  • There are other things I need ahead of getting a new car

Old car is going well
  • My old car works just fine
  • I can always get from A to B so what else do I need

Too expensive
  • Although it is new, I feel it is still very expensive
  • There is a big gap between 2nd hand cars of 2-3 years to the price on these new cars

Will drop in value too quickly
  • I have heard as soon as you drive a new car out of the show room they drop significantly in value
  • 2nd hand cars seem like a much better alternative, I have seen they are much lower in value

Expensive on-road costs and stamp duties
  • When I buy a new car I will have to incur extra fees such as on-road costs and stamp duties. Aren't these costs in the thousands?

Insurance will increase
  • When I get a new car, I know my insurance premium will increase significantly

Young family
  • I don't know if my kids will look after a new car or treat it well; they are always banging the car doors into things
  • I know that kids are kids and it is hard to keep a car nice with them around

Have better things to spend my money on
  • I do have a lot of other important items on my wish list; a new fridge, high school fees, reduce mortgage, etc

Work may provide a vehicle
  • Work may offer me a car as part of my package at my next salary review

3. Then you need to carefully look at both lists and to analyse all of the reasons you have written down
  • How important is the reason you wrote down?
  • Look through your list and decide which reasons you have written down contain something that is a must have - this might be for safety reasons or security
  • Be careful here and very honest with yourself with what you consider to be absolutely critical
  • Look through your list and decide which items you have written down is a nice to have but something that you could do without - this might be a gadget or feature of the car that isn't absolutely critical
  • Take the time to rank each item from 1 to 10 in level of importance
  • Look through your list of reasons not to buy a new car. How strong and valid are these reasons?
  • It is important that you spend a decent amount of time doing this exercise and that you are somewhere nice and quiet where you can really think about yourself very carefully. This exercise could save you thousands of dollars!

4. As part of your analysis you should now spend time looking for alternatives. Start with the items that are of highest importance to you.

Car too small / big

  • Consider hiring a trailer
  • Consider hiring a car for the holidays
  • Clean out your car and see what space you then have

No air conditioning
  • Check out the cost to have this fitted to your current car

No air bags
  • Check out the cost to have this fitted to your current car

Lacking accessories (stereo / cd player / gps)
  • How much will it cost to have one fitted
  • Can you use a portable cd player / stereo
  • How much is a portable GPS
  • Can you make do with the radio

Costing too much money to run
  • Work out how much your car has actually cost you over 12 mths
  • Seek a professional opinion on the vehicle from your mechanic or local automobile club
  • Look carefully at how you treat your vehicle. Are you causing some of this cost?
  • What about your driving habits? Is this the cause of costing you money? Ie heavy braking or is your foot too heavy on the accelerator

Need to look good at work
  • You can still look good in a later model vehicle
  • Talk to your boss about being provided with a company car when you need to entertain clients
  • Talk to your boss about hiring cars / taxis when you need to entertain clients or travel
  • It seems pointless trying to look wealthy by owning a new vehicle if it is causing you financial grief and hardship. You will not be successful in your career if you spend all day worrying about how to pay your bills
  • Consider that a new car may put some clients off - your services may appear too expensive or that you don't value money as you spend it on unnecessary items that decrease in value

Too old
  • How old is too old? There are some decent vehicles on the road that are 7-10 years old that are still running perfectly
  • Who states that there is a set time frame that you need to replace your vehicle
  • What will the newer model provide you with that your current car doesn't provide you with

Petrol guzzler
  • Look at how much running around you are doing and whether or not you can seek alternatives such as car pooling, doing multiple tasks whilst out
  • Has your car been serviced recently? You might have a problem with your car that is easy to fix that is causing the extra fuel consumption
  • Consider how much the price of fuel has risen recently. Is this the real reason your petrol has increased
  • How much of the fuel bill on the credit card contains other items such as food and drink that you bought at the petrol station?

Running too fast / slow
  • Has your car been serviced recently? You might have a problem with your car that is easy to fix that is causing this to happen

Want security of a new vehicle warranty
  • Understand what is offered under the warranty
  • Consider having road side assistance from your local automobile club in case of break down
  • Keep your vehicle regularly serviced
  • Travel with a mobile phone so you can call for help in the case of an emergency

No longer road worthy
  • Get a couple of opinions on the road worthy status of your vehicle from a mechanic or your local automobile club
  • Establish how much it will cost to get the vehicle road worthy
  • Seek a professional's opinion on this matter

Want to keep up with the Jones
  • Why why why, do you need to keep up with what someone else is doing?
  • Be an individual and live your own life and not those of others

I have been offered a good trade in
  • A trick / marketing strategy for selling new cars is to lure people in by offering a high trade in
  • You either get a high trade in or low purchase price - it generally doesn't happen that you get both
  • Is the salesman playing around with figures? They sometimes up the price of the trade in and lower the discount on the new car OR they sometimes lower the price on the new car and lower the price on the trade in
  • If you waited a year or two before swapping vehicles, what do you think you might get as a trade in then

I want a diesel vehicle
  • How much will it cost to get diesel fitted to your current car
  • Are there any government rebates in relation to diesel fitouts

I need a ute / 4wd / sedan
  • Can you hire the ute / 4wd / sedan for the particular period of use if it is only short term / one off
  • Can you borrow a friend's ute / 4wd / sedan
  • Is it worth paying a tradesperson to do your job to negate this requirement

Detective Heather Wood is Managing Director and writer for Money Detective Pty Ltd.

Money Detective can help you with all of your money troubles. From our website full of factual information and articles, to our one on one personal money coaching, Money Detective can help you with all aspects of money management. Sign up for our Newsletter today and get yourself 6 free Money Clues http://www.moneydetective.com.au.

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© Money Detective Pty Ltd 2009

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Heather_A_Wood

Car Modification - Modifying Your Car - A Global Trend


Modifying your car has been a popular pastime for many years. By modifying your car you are able to put your own unique personal touches on the vehicle to make it stand out from the rest. There are many cosmetic modifications that don't make the car run any different, but then that's not the point 90 percent of the time! More often car modification is done just to make your car look better or give it a more aggressive race like appearance. These types of modification are simple and will make your car stand out from the rest with very little work. As for the cost of car modifications, that is an altogether different story. Parts are freely available off the shelf from companies such as Spareco, Koni and Spax. For example you can buy Spax suspension, Janspeed exhausts, Momo rims and steering wheels, body kits, light alloy pedals, leather or led lit gear knobs, Corbeau race seats and even race harnesses.

Getting a new set of wheels for your vehicle is a popular choice. There are many alloy wheel styles to choose from. Another popular modification is having your windows tinted. Tinted windows can help keep the glare from the sun out and also makes it harder for others to see into the car. I.C.E or In Car Entertainment is vital to any car modification project. Enhancing your cars audio is extremely popular and the range of products and options available provide DIY car modifiers with a world of choices. Products to choose from include the popular iPod Car Adapter kits, USB, CD & MP3 Stereos and , multi CD changers, front and rear parking sensors (some have video), plus the leads, tv screens and tools required to fit everything. Leading brands include: JVC, Dension, Panasonic, Connects2, Dashmount, Parrot, Alpine, Autoleads, Kenwood, Pioneer & Sony.

Today car navigation systems such as Motevo, TomTom, Garmin and Pioneer navigation systems are key ingredients when modifying a car. Even satellite or GPS Navigation systems come in hundreds of shapes and sizes. The main types of in-car navigation systems are in-dash mounted navigation systems, portable GPS systems, hand held systems, motorcycle and marine systems and finally the remote navigation systems where the GPS system is plugged in to your car radio for instance. When buying a new GPS system its often better to opt for higher resolution screens as they make the map information easier to see. Large memory and a decent control chip make for smooth and efficient operating, the last thing you need is slow loading and in accurate positioning. Most GPS systems have large touch screens, working with a stylus can be tricky so it does help and lastly pay particular attention to how visible and mobile you wish your model to be. If it's a permanent fixture in your car then bigger models are great, but if you need to take it in doors after use, a smaller model may be the answer. Car security is a factor not only when modifying your vehicle but also when insuring a car with lots of expensive audio equipment in it. Phone you current car insurance company and find out what you can do before your insurance starts costing you more. They will no doubt also require an upgrade to your car security system and there are simply so many companies out there the likes of Viper, Tracker and Clifford. They all sell various systems such as standard car alarms, remote car start systems and GPS tracking systems. GPS stands for Global Positioning Systems. Professional fitment is recommended and car security shoppers should always insist on a certificate of fitment from the dealer fitting the car security system.

If you want to give your car a sporty look without spending a fortune you can have racing mesh fitted for the front bumper of your car. This looks good and can also improve the airflow around the engine compartment. "Eyebrow extensions" is another way to customise your car. These extensions are usually plastic and are fitted to your car's head lamps. You can get these in a variety of colours and are relatively inexpensive. Car engine mapping is also relatively cheap to have done and performance gains can be substantial. It is recommended that you have engine mapping performed by competent, well known companies as they are best able to advise you of other crucial safety features you should improve when doing so. Up-rated brakes being one of them and more expensive tyres make for better high speed performance and traction to handle the additional engine power. Consider upgrading the oil you use in your engine when you have this done and use an high quality performance air filter, fuel filter and also replace all perished water and oil hoses frequently, if you haven't already done so. Engine mapping or chipping is basically re-programming your cars CPU and it is given new instructions on how to fuel your engine. The more power you ask for the more gas / petrol your mapping will request along with other parameters such as increasing the airflow to the engine by tricking the motor into thinking the air is colder, this produces more power. All this power comes at a cost though. Most cars that have upgraded their engine management systems do so for more power, not efficiency and in doing so use more fuel and rev higher too. Cam belts should be replaced more frequently and if you plan any engine modifications have a word with the manufacturers about what you plan to do.

There are many things that can be done to modify a car. An entire industry has been created by the need for body styling, engine tuning, lowered suspension and big bore exhausts. Any part of a car can be modified and making modifications is a statement of individuality and personal style. The most popular cars for modifying are usually small, low insurance group hatches. Always update your car insurance company with the latest modifications to ensure your cover is not withdrawn due to something you thought may be ok which they do not. Other insurances like car breakdown cover and gap insurance cover should not be affected by modifying your car, unlike your car warranty policy which will almost certainly be affected. Give your car warranty company a call and make sure your cover will still be provided before you make any changes.

Popular Cars to Modify

Peugeot

All of the cars from Peugeot are popular cars to modify. You can even modify the 106, 206, and 306 pugs. The Peugeot 306 GTi is one of the most popular hatches to modify and tune. You can find a wide range of 306 body kits and tuning parts. Second hand Peugeot vehicles are reasonable and can be found almost everywhere. The insurance group starts off low so it makes it affordable for most. These cars have the potential to make a street racer that you can be proud of.

Citroen Saxo

The Citroen Saxo is one of the most modified cars because there is loads of modifying parts available. You can find everything from body kits to suspension. A popular choice for modifying is the Saxo VTR because it can go from 0 to 60 in less than ten seconds. It also is very fuel efficient and takes corners well. There are plenty of places to get parts and garages that work on them. You can modify a Citroen Saxo to be a real head turner.

Vauxhall Corsa

The Vauxhall Corsa is one of the cheapest and easiest cars to modify. They are also very cheap to insure even when they have been modified. Parts are readily available and they are reasonably priced. The Corsa B is a definite favourite for modifying.

Honda Civic

The Honda Civic has always been a popular car to modify. It has grown in popularity due to the film, "The Fast and The Furious." The Honda Civic EK is one of the more popular hatches to modify. You can find a wide variety of Honda Civic body kits and tuning parts.

VW Golf

The VW Golf can be modified to look cool and there are plenty of parts available for the later Golf's. Volkswagen Golf VR6 is a poplar car to modify and there are plenty of body kits and tuning parts available.

Famous Cars

Some modified cars have become popular because of being in a film or on a TV show. Some are noted for their superior performance and some are known for the celebrity driving them. Below are a few of the cars that are considered icons today.

1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Fastback was the star of the 2000 film "Gone in 60 Seconds." In this film the car does some unbelievable stunts, including jumping over 15 feet of cars.

1963 Volkswagen Beetle became famous in the "Herbie" series films. Herbie was a little Beetle with a Porsche 356 engine who gave the big boys a run for their money.

1969 Dodge Charger became a muscle car icon through the television series, "The Dukes of Hazzard." It had a confederate flag painted on the roof and the doors were welded shut. The modified Charger R/T, called the General Lee seemed to be always airborn.

1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am was made popular by the television series, "Knight Rider." The modified Trans Am known as KITT was a hyper intelligent crime fighting automobile. This car could do everything including, see, hear and smell.

1974 Ford Gran Torino was made famous in the television series, "Starsky and Hutch." It was a powerful muscle car with a 351 Cleveland and 4 barrel Holley carburetor. It was driven hard by two California detectives in the series.

1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am was made famous in the series of "Smokey and the Bandit" films. It was a powerful 6.6 liter 200hp muscle car that everyone wants to own.

1970 Dodge Charger was just one of the many fast modified cars in the film, "The Fast and The Furious." This is a classic move that all gear heads love to watch over and over.

2003 Mini Cooper S-R53 was made famous in the 2003 film, "The Italian Job." This little mite packed a supercharged 1.6L Tritect engines and was involved in some intense chase scenes.

1979 Ferrari 308 GTS was made into an icon by the television series, "Magnum PI." The mid-engine V8Ferrari was featured in the original series. The show and the amazing performance of the 255hp GTS made people flock to the nearest dealer to buy one in the 1980's.

There is a downside to modifying your car. If you don't have a specialist or someone experienced in modifying your particular make and model of car, you may be wasting your money. You need to select the right combination of modification to gain the most out of your car. If you select the wrong combination you will have spent a lot of money for nothing. Another thing you should remember is modifications to your car may affect the warranty. It will also make your insurance premiums higher. You also have to be aware that some engine modifications can violate regulations and emission laws. You have to make sure that any modifications to your car are safe and won't disrupt the reliability and stability of the vehicle. Sometimes modified engines are often touchy and require premium fuel.

It is easy to get caught up in the whole modification process and end up modifying the car too much. The rule of thumb should be; less is more. Otherwise you will spend huge amounts of money, which could add up to more than the car is worth. Also, if it is over modified it can be hard to sell and most dealers won't offer a deal to do a trade in for the car. Just keep these factors in mind when you are going to modify your car to express your style and personality.

Enjoy your new car!

Click4 Gap Insurance and Click4 Car Warranty are part of the Click4Group and sell car warranties and Gap insurance direct to the public.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephanie_Andrew