A Beginners Guide To Driving a Van!
Posted on May 16, 2012 - Filed Under Other
If you’re contemplating driving a van for the first time, no doubt the extra size and the different handling that is required is giving you a few sleepless nights. There are a number of situations where you may have no choice but to get behind the wheel of a van – whether you’re moving house or transporting objects or products from one place to another – but even if you don’t have any experience with this type of vehicle it doesn’t have to be a complete nightmare. For those who are feeling a bit nervous about the experience, here is a beginners guide to driving a van!
Watch your speed
You may not have realized this but if you are driving a van than there is a different set of rules as there is for cars. Unless you are driving a ‘car derived van’ (such as a Vauxhall Corsa) with a maximum weight of less than two tones, then you will have to abide by specific speed limits for vans – these are 70mph on a motorway, 60mph on a dual carriage way, 50mph on a single carriageway and 30mph in a built up area. It’s never an excuse when driving to say that you just didn’t know, so even if you haven’t driven a van before you need to make sure that you understand which rules of the road apply to you.
Take a good look at the mirrors
You will notice that your mirrors in the van are different to those you will be used to in a car. Most vans have no rear window, which makes using your wing mirrors absolutely essential when it comes to maneuvering the van around the road. However, remember that you will have no central rear view mirror either (because there is no rear window), so you will be relying entirely on the wing mirrors and – if the van has them – specific blind spot mirrors.
How to Find a Trustworthy Car Dealer in 5 Steps
Posted on May 14, 2012 - Filed Under Other
Purchasing a car can be stressful enough on its own as buyers have to consider pricing, payment plans and new insurance costs. Worrying about the reliability of the car itself should never be an issue. To eliminate the concern you might have about getting a reliable car, you need to find a dealer you can trust. Unfortunately, doing so might be easier said than done. This article will help you along your way by exploring five great methods for finding a trustworthy dealer.
1. Value Word-of-Mouth Advertising.
Get recommendations from people whose opinions you respect. Speak with friends and family members who have recently purchased cars. They might be able to give you a great recommendation of who you should work with. If they’ve had problems in the past, they might also be able to tell you some dealerships to avoid. Chances are you can trust the advice of those you’re close to.
2. Check that the Dealership is Licensed and Bonded.
Most states require individuals to be properly licensed and bonded even if they sell just a few cars each year. Some states regularly update their official list of licensed dealers online. If you can’t find this information online, call the government agency directly to verify that your dealer has a legal business license and auto dealer bond in place. If the dealer should take advantage of you by using fraudulent sales tactics, you can make a claim on the bond to gain reparation.
Carbon Motors and BMW Collaborate to Reinvent the Police Car
Posted on May 8, 2012 - Filed Under BMW
Cop cars in action movies always seem so awesome—strong, fast and demanding. The cop car that ends up pulling you over in real life, however, is a bit less than impressive, usually a large sedan (similar to what grandpa drove). Yes, law enforcement officials need a large car with a large engine and plenty of trunk and cabin space for equipment and suspects, but it’s time authority vehicles looked a bit more authoritative.
You are probably familiar with the old Ford Crown Victoria, the most widely used cop car around, and the Chevrolet Caprice, neither of which would be considered “awesome” or “authoritative.” A recent addition to the police force was the Dodge Charger, which is a nicer looking car with more power but it still left many officers longing for more. A Hemi upgrade was offered for the Charger that gave it a nice boost in horsepower, but when it came to gas efficiency it still left something to be desired.
Upping the power factor in authority vehicles, Carbon Motors and BMW have teamed up to create the Carbon E7 high performance police car. BMW will provide the six-cylinder turbodiesel engine, the same engine that comes in the BMW X5.
Built To Be In Black and White
According to Carbon Motors, the E7 (“The Machine”) is the first police car actually built from the beginning to be a police car. This is a huge advantage over previous cop cars which were essentially just consumer grade vehicles converted to meet the needs of officers. The E7 on the other hand was designed for law enforcement by law enforcement—and designed specifically for the job. From its versatility to its safety to its technology, the Carbon E7 is the police car of the future.
What are the top 10 most fuel efficient cars
Posted on May 5, 2012 - Filed Under Other
Fuel efficient cars have many different benefits for drivers. The right cars will lead to reduce refilling costs, lower emissions, and savings on insurance. Trends within the car industry are moving towards making fuel efficiency one of the key ways in which cars can reduce their CO2 emissions and environmental damage, while also passing savings onto drivers. Similar trends towards hybrid and electric cars are also creating more options for drivers who want an alternative to a petrol or diesel vehicle. In this way, there are a wide range of cars on the market that offer fuel efficient savings. The following list represents some of the best, and are ranked in no particular order:
1 – BMW 320d SE
Part of BMW’s award winning 3 series, the 320d SE is one of the most fuel efficient cars on the market. While fairly expensive at around £25,285, it does produce a mpg rating of 62.8 mpg, which makes it one of the best performing higher end vehicles currently available. The car’s turbodiesel engine makes it particularly strong at being able to maintain speed, while general running costs are also fairly low.
2 – Ford Mondeo
Various kinds of Ford Mondeo are recommended for their fuel efficiency, whether as diesel or petrol models. In terms of diesel, 1.6. Duratorq TDCi Start/Stop engines carry a 65.6 mpg efficiency, while 2.0 Duraotrq DCi Powershift Automatics hit a lower, but still respectable 50.4 mpg. For petrol models, the 1.6 Duratec Ti-VCT combines a fuel efficiency of 41.5 with 159 g/km of CO2 emissions, and a relatively cheap excise duty of £155.
Top Five Automotive Maintenance Tasks you can Tackle Yourself
Posted on May 4, 2012 - Filed Under Other
Maintaining your car is one of those projects that many owners avoid under the mistaken belief that they cannot do the work themselves. There really isn’t a reason to feel this way, though. Most owners might be surprised just how easy these simple tasks can be. As a matter of fact, you can save a substantial amount of money because you don’t have to pay labor costs for what might take you a relatively short amount of time. These five maintenance tasks are at once both easy to accomplish and necessary for the longevity of your vehicle.
Detailing
Keeping your car clean is the number one thing you can do to make sure that it lasts well beyond 150,000 miles. Why is that? The answer is rust. Regular, thorough cleaning, particularly in the recesses of the car that don’t usually get washed when a car is hosed down prevent the buildup of sediment that can cause panels to rot. Additionally, keeping the interior clean helps to ensure that the seats and carpet stay in good condition regardless of how often they’re used.
Lubrication
A well lubricated car means more than just changing the oil, but thankfully not much more. A basic service you can perform at home is to lubricate the chassis of the car. That doesn’t mean slathering the bottom of the car in grease, but rather finding the grease fittings behind the wheels. Invest in an inexpensive grease gun and learn how to fill the grease in your vehicle without overfilling it. In general, two to three pumps should be sufficient.
