Monthly Archives: August 2009

How To Get Cheap Automobile Insurance Online In California

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The law in the state of California regarding automobile insurance quotes is beneficial to the consumer. Each insurance company has to provide either a toll-free number for quotes or else have a website where potential customers can use a form to get a no-obligation quote. This means that a motorist in California can effortlessly contact many different insurance companies to get an idea of what they would charge for insurance.

The Internet is really becoming the preferred method of getting quotes for automobile insurance. California residents can visit the sites of different insurers at their leisure in their pursuit of the cheapest insurance. They supply their personal and pertinent information and within moments they have a quote.

It’s important to note that even though the quote that is supplied gives the consumer an idea of what they would be facing in automobile insurance premiums, there is still room for negotiation with the insurance companies. The reason is that almost every automobile insurance company in California offers discounts to their clients.

The discounts vary and include a reduction in premiums for defensive driving and driver’s training courses. A percentage discount is often offered if the insured drives below a prescribed number of miles per year and also you can often save money if you have a car safety system installed such as a car alarm.

When looking for prices online, be certain to indicate, if available, which discounts you believe you qualify for. Also visit the website of your current health or life insurance company, and see if they happen to offer automobile insurance. Many companies that offer a range of insurance products will offer a sizable discount to their clients who purchase more than one type of policy from them. If possible, you should purchase all your insurance products from one company to ensure you will enjoy the largest discount possible.

Although many people feel comfortable driving with the minimum amounts of car insurance required by law in California, that’s not the case with all drivers. For someone looking for a full coverage car insurance quote in California they need to first be aware of what type of policy will best suit their current needs. The answer will be dependent on both their past driving history as well as the vehicle they are driving now.

If you’ve had a challenging driving past that’s included several collisions that were your fault as well as speeding tickets you should expect to pay more for full coverage car insurance. You must be forthright when detailing your driving history as every insurance company in the state of California will access your driving record through a Motor Vehicle Report. If it shows you were less than candid on your application it may mean you won’t be offered coverage.

Individuals who drive a newer vehicle should have physical damage coverage. This comes in the form of collision and comprehensive coverage and offers complete protection should your vehicle be damaged. The coverage typically extends beyond just damage that is the result of a collision, but also vandalism, theft and even flooding.

Uninsured motorists are unfortunately a fact of life everywhere, including California. Although coverage against uninsured motorists is optional, it should be included when you are looking for a full coverage car insurance quote. Specify that you want this coverage so the agent you are dealing with will include it for you.

Many people add extras onto their vehicles including stereo systems or DVD players. If you have done this, ask about a rider that will cover the cost of having those replaced should they be stolen or damaged. This will likely raise the cost of your car insurance quote, but it’s best to be fully protected.

Sell Your Car Online: Step 4, Writing a Compelling Description of Your Automobile

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Auto classifieds websites are some of the most powerful tools available today to help you sell your car or truck. In step 3 of this series, titled “Sell Your Car Online: Step 3, Using the Right Information to Help Sell Your Automobile “, you learned what information you should display about your automobile in your classified ad.

The fourth step in placing an ad is writing a compelling description of your automobile. Most auto classified web sites have an information field labeled “Description” in which you can type a lengthy discourse about the car or truck you have for sale. You may think that this is not needed since you already have all the important information listed in the previous info fields. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

So, what do you type in the description field? First you should quickly restate the most important information, like the make, model, and year. Then list again a few of the best accessories and options that have the most appeal. Next comes the fun part.

You should write a descriptive paragraph that includes information about your vehicle that has not been previously listed. If your car or truck has a special feature, describe it. If it has a new component, like a new engine or transmission, list it. If the vehicle has a special quality that is not noticeable in any of the photos, write about it.

For example, if your vehicle is a classic sports car that has a specialty racing engine, list the specific engine enhancements. If the vehicle is a show truck with a high end sound system, describe how the radio sounds. If the vehicle is an expensive luxury car, describe how comfortable the driver’s seat feels.

The objective of the description field is to paint a clear and unique picture of your car or truck that puts the buyer in the driver’s seat. The buyer should feel, hear, and see everything that sets this vehicle apart from the rest. After reading your description, the buyer should not have any doubt that this is the right vehicle for him/her to purchase.

This is a great example of a properly written description:

“This 1996 Pontiac Firebird Formula is in great condition. It has alloy wheels, AC, power everything, and a 6-disc changer. The T-tops are a nice addition, especially in hot weather. Even though this Firebird is 10 years old, it looks like it belongs on the showroom floor. It has flawless red paint on the exterior and a super clean black interior. A brand new automatic transmission was installed only 12 months ago, which is still under warranty.

The best feature about this 1996 Pontiac Firebird Formula is the engine. It has a 5.7 Liter HO V8 that has been well maintained. It does 0-60 in a respectable 5.2 seconds and has a top speed just under 160 MPH. Accelerate and you can hear every one of the 305 horses coming through the exhaust. Any sports car enthusiast would enjoy getting behind the wheel of this one.

Don’t miss this 1996 Pontiac Firebird Formula. It’s a good deal on a great car. Call today.”

Notice how the description flows. It’s not just a simple list, but it is written in a conversational style with wording that plays on the emotions of the buyer. It is concluded with a call-to-action, “Call today.”

Don’t worry about the length of the description. Whether it is short or long is secondary to how enticing it is to the potential buyer. If the description is interesting enough to keep his/her attention, it could be 6 paragraphs and still be effective.

Remember this from step 3! There’s no such thing as listing too much information about your vehicle, so type away and tell as much about your car as possible. The worst thing that can happen is that the potential buyer will spend more time viewing your listing and not viewing someone else’s listing.

If done correctly, writing a powerful description of your automobile can transform the viewer of your classified ad from a browser to a buyer. Look for the final installment in this series titled “Sell Your Car Online: Step 5, Making Search Engines Love Your Classified Ad.” Happy selling.

Shade Tree Automotive Diagnostics And Care – Part I – See No Evil

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Learning a little more about how to better care for your vehicles is a good idea for any number of reasons. It allows you to know if an unscrupulous mechanic is attempting to gouge you on your repairs ? and that will save you money. It can prevent you from making unnecessary repairs ? and that will save you money. It can help you locate a problem and fix it early, thus saving more money ? sometimes a whole lot of money. It allows you to be more independent in an era where people are entirely too dependent on others to survive.

We need to get started now, so that we have time to cover everything?

First, do a visual check of your vehicle. The following will assist you in where to look, and for what:

?Look at your tires. Do they look low? A tire pressure gauge, available inexpensively at any discount store of auto parts store will help you make sure tire pressure stays dead on. Maintain as necessary. Better tire pressures will make your vehicle safer, and more fuel efficient. There are some very inexpensive air pumps for sale at discount stores ? should you really want to stay on top of air pressure in your tires. Motorcyclists and moped riders need to be exceptionally concerned about their tire pressures.

?Look closely at your tires and inspect for severely worn edges, areas missing chunks of rubber, or objects sticking into the tire. Maintain or replace as necessary. If your tires are relatively new, and they seem to be wearing unevenly, take you vehicle into the shop for an alignment, and likely a tire rotation. These two things are frequently lumped together in less costly automotive service “specials.”

?Look under the vehicle for liquids. One drop usually means nothing. Look for consistent drip marks. Remember that during summer months your vehicle’s air conditioning will steadily drip water when in use ? no worries. Your coolant system may also spew an occasional bit of water/anti-freeze, and that’s okay too. If you find a stain indicating long-term or consistent leaking, trace the leak to its source: engine oil, transmission fluid, rear end oil, etc. Maintain or repair as necessary. Sometimes, just getting under the vehicle with a pressure hose at the car wash will clean off years of old oil and debris that causes many ‘driveway’ leaks ? thus fixing the faux leak.

?Visually check your engine oil. Check it according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and also feel it with your fingers. Engine oil is the life blood of your vehicle’s power plant. Does the oil feel thick, or does it feel watery. Thick is good, watery is bad! Change watery oil (and be sure to use an Engine Sentry when you do change oil and filter). Add the appropriate oil if the level registers low. NEVER overfill your oil!

?Check the coolant level. Be sure to use caution, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid injury from hot, pressurized liquids. Maintain as necessary. If you haven’t had your coolant/anti-freeze checked lately, it might be advisable. Be sure to never add coolant or anti-freeze that is not recommended by your vehicle’s manufacturer. Some radiators require special products so as not to erode or corrode them.

?Visually check your engine compartment. Tighten caps, firmly tug/test hose connections, look for worn things, things that have blown into the engine compartment, etc. Maintain or repair as necessary. This is also a good time to do light engine cleaning. Nothing too serious, just some rags and some degreaser: ammonia and water make a cheap, great degreaser, but it shouldn’t be used on aluminum ? certainly not left on it. A toothbrush is also an excellent tool here ? it makes quick work of much engine debris.

?Visually check your automotive battery and connections. Make sure the connections feel tight at the battery. If you have green or white build-up on the battery, mix some baking soda with tepid water (1/4-cup of baking soda to one quart of water) and stir it thoroughly. Now, slowly pour it directly over the affected areas. Don’t worry about all the fizzing and crackling ? it’s just cleaning. Make sure you do this where the runoff won’t harm anything. An old toothbrush will make this go faster. When the terminals are clean and dry, apply a thin coating of automotive grease onto each battery terminal, and connection. Automotive grease comes in small, plastic tubs that weigh about a pound each. They’re cheap, so get a good brand name. I use popsicle sticks to spread it with. Grease is good to have around for many automotive fixes and preventive maintenance actions.

Okay, you’ve completed the first steps of becoming a full-fledged automotive diagnostician ? or something like that, anyway. You’ve definitely gotten your vehicle in much better condition, and you should have learned a thing or two. Keep an eye out for part II ? Hear No Evil, and Part III ? Smell No Evil.

Engine Sentry is a registered trademark of Iron Horseman Technologies. Iron Horseman Technologies is the trademark of Iron Horseman Technologies in Tucson, Arizona.

Automobile: Easy care saves Money & the Environment

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Battery:
Add water distilled to the battery of your vehicle whenever it is necessary and if the battery requires it. Remember that the liquid need to surpass the level of the plates just a little, consider the measurement, since an excess also can be detrimental for your car.

Which is the mechanism by which the electrolyte of the battery is reduced?

The water contained in the electrolyte of the battery is electrolyzed by means of chemical reaction that takes place when the battery is recharged; the electrolyzed water is freed as gas of hydrogen and oxygen and the amount of electrolyte of the battery is reduced gradually. Also it is reduced due to the natural evaporation of the water.
How is judged the life utility of the battery? The life utility of the battery varies to a great extent depending on the situation of use, but normally it can say that it is of 2 to 4 years. One knows that the life utility of the battery almost is finished when they appear the following phenomena:
The speed of turn of the motor is slow when starting or the starter nontour.
* The tension of the battery lowers drastically when starting the motor, after it having even recharged sufficiently.
* The specific gravity of the electrolyte of the battery does not increase when recharging it.
* The specific gravity of the electrolyte of the battery varies to a great extent between different cells.
The volume of the battery electrolyte has been reduced enough. When judging the life utility of the battery several factors must be consider, among them the tension of the battery: if the tension is of 9V or more at the moment for taking the motor, it indicates a fluctuation or great reduction of the volume of the electrolyte.

Is deteriorated the battery if it is not used?

When the battery is not used absolutely, the stored energy is lost gradually. This takes place due to a slow chemical reaction between the plates positive and negative in the battery that causes one descharge. In addition to this, the electricity is consumed with the clock and other accessories of the automobile, even if the motor is not ignited. When the vehicle is not used during prolonged periods, it is recommended to start the engine once in a while during a sufficiently long period to recharge the battery or to put it in slow load.

What is what shortens the life utility of the battery?

A great unloading and recharges of the battery. For example when:
The vehicle is only used at night. (The electrical charge is greater.)
* The vehicle is stopped during long periods of time with the motor to the slow motion (minimum).
* The amount of generated electricity is small.
* The motor is often taken to the day. (The electrical charge is great.)
* Also when the temperature of the battery is high (circulation prolonged at low speeds or in clogging of traffic).
Lack of electrolyte in the battery.

Refrigeration:

When needs to add water in cooling system, never take off cover of radiator when motor is hot, because you could undergo burns since the liquid that is there is under high pressures and temperatures, wait until refrigeration system reduces its temperature, also is necessary to take the necessary safety measure.

System of Direction:
it’s recommended to inspect the system of the direction of your vehicle to verify a possible wearing down, that it can get to be a dangerous condition when drives your vehicle. Inspect the conditions of the direction steering wheel, as far as an excessive free game, strange slowness, or sounds. This is for your security, the control that you have on your car reside in the steering wheel.

Fuel saving:
When there is very low temperature; warm up the motor of 30 to 45 seconds. More time spends fuel uselessly. Accelerate little by little when it initiates his route, at moderate speed. Hope to that the temperature of the motor becomes stabilized to demand the total power of its automobile. If it accelerates thorough when starting, it can cause a wearing down of the motor, damage the spark plugs or the injectors and produce excessive coal deposits. Use an oil of good quality to give extra protection him to the motor in the starting, mainly to low temperatures. In cars of manual transmission, it changes of speed when the system allows it. The low speeds are designed to obtain a fast acceleration, whereas the fourth and villa is for saving combustible.
The maintenance of its car diminishes the fuel consumption in a 10%, in addition of which it will have a better yield. Review it every six months or every 10 thousand kilometers. Periodically maintain the air cleaner and change regularly. Watch the pressure of the tires, as well as the alignment and the balance. The short trips, mainly when the motor is cold, increase to the consumption of fuel and the contamination until in a 50%. Take off the car heavy objects that are not going to be used. By each 45 kilograms extra that it loads, the fuel consumption is increased in near 2%. In the city is preferable to use small cars, since they are economic, easy to manoeuvre and to park. When it handles in route, close the windows and use the inner ventilation, since to maintain them open it increases the air resistance on the vehicle and is greater fuel consumption. Do not abuse the air conditioned, as well as the heating. Not fill the tank until the top and verifies that or it is closed so that the fuel is not spilled or evaporates.

Sell Your Car Online: Step 2, Using Pictures of Your Automobile Correctly

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Selling your car or truck online is a great way to put it in front of potential buyers. In step one of this series, titled “Sell Your Car Online: Step 1, Taking High Quality Pictures of Your Automobile”, you learned how to take great quality pictures of our vehicle.

The second step in placing an ad is selecting the pictures of the vehicle you want to use in your listing. Remember the hypothetical situation from step 1? Using multiple pictures in your listing can give the potential buyer loads of information about your vehicle before the buyer even reads the first word about it.

You must choose the correct combination of pictures to display with your listing for maximum effect. If you followed the directions in step 1, you should have at least 15 to 20 pictures to choose from. Group the pictures into categories depending on the angle (for example: front, left, rear, right, front right, rear left, under the hood, interior, etc.). Then select the best picture from each category and discard the rest.

Now you should have a group of about 7 to 10 high quality pictures. Comb through these pictures and select the ones that, if displayed together, would show the most detail about your vehicle. The goal is not to overwhelm the potential buyer with tons of photos showing the same details, but to display great photos of different areas of the vehicle that convey the overall condition of the vehicle.

A great example of photos to use is: front driver’s side, rear passenger’s side, under the hood, interior, and any after market add-ons to the car. You should use at least 4 photos with each listing, but feel free to use more.

After you select the correct photos, you need to edit them. Most auto classified web sites have a maximum file size for photos you can upload with your listings. The highest quality settings for digital cameras can be anywhere from 1 MB to 5 MB per photo and greater depending on the camera. So what do you do if the photos you take exceed that size? You have to edit or resize them. But before you do that, you need to know how images are displayed on computer monitors as opposed to print.

High quality images displayed on the web are actually low quality when printed. Computer monitors display images at 72 DPI. A good quality printing will be 300 DPI or greater. A photo displayed on a monitor at 600 pixels (8.33 inches) wide will only be 2 inches wide if printed on paper. To get a good quality 8.33 inch print on paper, the photo will need to be at least 2500 pixels wide. This is a big difference in file size (and download time).

The optimal size for photos on the internet is approximately 600 pixels wide by 400 pixels high. If your camera can’t take pictures this size, even in the lowest quality setting, you will have to manually resize them. To do this you need an image editing program. Most computers have at least a simple image editing program on them. If your computer doesn’t have one, you’ll need to download one from the internet. You can find free and low cost image editing programs by going to www.download.com and searching for “image editing software.”

However, you can skip the image editing step if you find a car classifieds site, like VINclassifieds.com, that automatically resizes the photos upon upload so they are the optimal size for the internet. This could eliminate the need for you to manually resize your photos before upload.

Choose the right pictures for your classified ad and viewers will set up and take notice. Look for the next installment titled “Sell Your Car Online: Step 3, Using the Right Information to Help Sell Your Automobile.” Happy selling.