Contact Information George Samford Website Editor Cheap Car Insurance Answers 412-294-8012 info@howtofinishabasement.com

Everyone knows that a car is the gift that keeps on giving…fees. Though many can’t realistically withdraw from their wheels; with competing insurance carriers and through the roof fuel prices, many people’s cars are rapidly becoming money pits. But a new website, CheapCarInsuranceAnswers.com, can help individuals optimize their car’s costs for less.

The reason that so many people pay astronomically more than they should have to for car insurance is because they don’t know the ins and outs of the insurance industry the way that the (drivers!) behind Cheap Car Insurance Answers, scholars of the fine print, do. And they are sharing their secrets with everyone who wants to pay less for reliable auto insurance on their recently launched website, http://CheapCarInsuranceAnswers.com/.

The website features tips for getting very cheap car insurance by state, as well as some general tips for cutting costs in transportation, which “between gas and more expensive insurance, is unreasonable,” say the gurus of Cheap Car Insurance.

The information on the website goes into detail about the different components that together, are known as “car insurance”, from the essentially essential Liability insurance, which is required pretty much nationally and covers damages inflicted by drivers on another person’s body or property; Collision insurance, which protects drivers in the event of a collision with another vehicle or virtually any object; Comprehensive insurance, which takes care of unexpected and often miscellaneous damages to a car, ranging from theft and vandalism, weather, water or animal damage; and Uninsured Motorist insurance, which is the only way to be able to collect funds as consequence of collisions with drivers who do not have Liability coverage (uninsured driving is generally highly illegal). Searching by state brings up individual state car insurance types, many of which include some variation of emergency medical coverage for the insured driver.

If drivers write in to Cheap Car Insurance Answers with basic information about the type of insurance package they will need, such as description of their car(s), ages of the drivers and note of any teenagers or young people driving, state, etc., the website will take the individual case and find the most reasonable insurance package available on the market for their specifications.

While the website offers these written consultations, it also implores readers to shop around a bit themselves, as no one will be as attuned to their needs as they are. General advice on the site tells readers where to begin in their search, within the confines of their state’s laws.

Because, just like their readers the writers and researchers of Cheap Car Insurance are drivers with concern for overpaying vehicle costs and do not work for insurance companies, Cheap Car Insurance Answers is able to find really cheap car insurance for everyone who asks for their guidance and unbiased expertise.

Related Links Really Cheap Car Insurance Cheap California Auto Insurance Cheap Florida Car Insurance

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MANILA, Philippines – Amidst the recent reorganization of the anti-organized crime commission in light of the seeming havoc being wrought by all kinds of organized criminal groups, a lecture by a firearms and crime resource speaker was held at the Stronghand One Gun Club in Quezon City for legally armed civilians, who don’t want to be the next crime statistic.

Samson Macariola has worked as a firearms resource speaker and has over the years lectured to students of the Philippine National Police Academy, NBI agents, judges, gun dealers and gun club members, as well as media men on various gun and crime subjects.

The broad themes of his talk to the civilians were: how not to accidentally shoot yourself or your loved ones with careless handling; and how not to be a victim of organized criminals preying on the innocent on the streets and at the home. Both topics struck a chord with the 40 or so attendees.

The recent spate of carjackings, with victims being killed, were of special interest to the audience. Macariola said that contrary to popular belief, carjackers were not striking at random. Rather, they were looking for specific makes and models that were “ordered by their buyers.”

“If you just happened to be driving alone in the specific vehicle that they were looking for, then you may be a target of carjacking, whether at night or in broad daylight,” he said, adding, “It’s best to be always alert, as these criminals ride motorcycles in tandem most of the time in order to get to you, or to escape quickly through traffic if necessary. If a bicycle can pass in the space on the driver’s side of your car, then so can a motorcycle. And the carjacker will always approach on the driver’s side first, being the shortest path to taking the car.

“So, if you can keep that space small at all times, without hitting the car next to you, then they may look for another vehicle of same brand and model,” Macariola advised.

He said that “being alert means that you should be aware of suspicious people way before they get to your driver’s side of the vehicle. If carjackers sense early on that you are on to them and are taking evasive action, they usually just go look for another car like yours. But once they get beside you on the driver’s side, then it’s actually game over for you.

“Even if you are legally armed, don’t attempt to shoot it out anymore as you have been outmaneuvered already. At this point, it’s far easier for them to shoot you than for you to hit them. And, if you still manage to wound or kill one of them in self-defense and drive away, the others will still remember your plate number and track you down in your home later on. It will no longer be carjacking, but kidnap for ransom that you will have to contend with.”

Macariola said that it is better to peacefully give up your car at that point, and live to buy another car than fight and lose your life because you had already been outmaneuvered.

Some people in the audience said that with all the motorcycle riding people around the metropolis zipping in and out of traffic, going past you and around you, it actually makes narrowing the space on the driver side quite difficult.

The unsuspecting Jollibee or the pizza delivery guy may even get peeved at how you blocked his way to meet a time-pressured delivery.

Surrendering your car to carjackers also sometimes means that they would take all your belongings. A poor victim peacefully gave up not only his car, but his laptop, wallet, mobile phone and even clothes on the same day that the yoga teacher and Sheryl Sarmiento were murdered. At least, he lived to talk about it.

Aside from carjacking, there have been instances of armed robbery inside homes. A seasoned shooter at the meeting privately recounted how three men armed with M16s and a pistol entered his gate as his driver and maids returned from the market. The gate was not immediately closed because the driver was carrying a heavy cooler into the house.

The men tied up the help and one guy ransacked the downstairs while another, with maid in tow went upstairs.

The owner was in his bedroom, heard the commotion and sensed something was wrong. He had only one loaded magazine at that time for his licensed firearm and had no time to load others.

Still, he set up a barricade position facing his door and when the bad guy came up and saw him prepared, the intruder shouted, “Baril,” and let go of the maid. He ran down the stairs, and with the others left the house carrying whatever they had and sped away in an SUV.

The would-be victim said that luckily they decided to abandon the heist and he didn’t have to shoot it out with the criminals.

“If I had shot one of them, the others would surely come back for me later and I’d have to sell the house and move, ” he said. “As it is, we call it quits.”

He has since installed CCTV cameras around his house, so he will not be caught by surprise again.

Macariola said that if you wake up because you hear a commotion or an intruder, “don’t get your pistol to go down and investigate, but rather gather your loved ones into one room, lock the door and prepare to defend it. Keep trying to call the police and hope they arrive in minutes. Although in times like these, seconds count. Let the robbers take what they want to take. It’s not worth risking your life and family for. The firearm is to be used only as a last resort when your life is in imminent danger.”

“That lecture was an eye-opener and busted many preconceived notions about personal security and its legal ramifications,” remarked a member. All those in that general club meeting were gun owners, and most shoot regularly hoping they would be prepared if the worst should happen. “The PNP may cite figures that crime is actually declining, but as long as you hear of people you know who are being victimized, you have a dreadful feeling it might happen to you too,” said one member.

“In the end, we are hopeful that the reorganized Presidential Anti-organized Crime Commission is able to do the long hard job ahead of it,” said another member, “but still, we have to be prepared.”

For some Canadian families, road trips are a mainstay of summer vacation. In order to have the most enjoyable holiday possible, follow these tips from Natural Resources Canada. You may just come home with money in your pocket.

1. Before you hit the road make sure your car is properly maintained and ready for summer driving.

Read your owners manual for your vehicles maintenance schedule and requirements.

2. Plan your routes carefully, away from high traffic areas that can lead to frequent stopping and accelerating.

3. Fuel-efficient driving is defensive driving. Making smart decisions will keep you and your family safe, and also decrease your fuel consumption.

4. Avoid hard acceleration to conserve fuel.

Also, don’t drive too close to the vehicle in front of you – it’s safer, and you’ll avoid the sudden slowdowns and hard braking that keep you from remaining at cruising speed.

5. Minimize your use of air conditioning. To keep cool on the highway, use your car’s flow-through ventilation or open a window when in the city.

6. Idle cars are the fuel wasters playground. Instead of idling while waiting your turn for a car wash, turn your engine off.

Many people believe that restarting a vehicle wastes more gas than leaving it running. In fact, shutting off and restarting your engine uses the same amount of fuel as 60 seconds of idling, so idling any longer is a waste.

7. The Canadian Automobile Association recommends that you stop for 15 to 20 minutes about every two hours.

Get out of the car, stretch a little and walk inside to get your coffee, as long as your children are supervised. It will help you stay alert and safe, and save you some money.

For more tips, go to www.vehicles. nrcan.gc.ca.

www.newscanada.com

By Justin Stoltzfus
Monday, Jun 13 2011 14:38

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When you start to scour the Internet for ballpark prices on a new or used car, or even stop by a dealership on your lunch break to peruse local offerings, it’s a good idea to compare MSRP, and look at available features packages, but don’t leave out a few other critical steps to get the best price on your car purchase.

For anyone who doesn’t have a massive cashier’s check to hand a dealer, financing is a “necessary evil” for buying either a brand new car or a decent pre-owned model. But the way that you finance can have immense effects on your final pricing.

The AWARE group or Americans Well-Informed on Automotive Retailing Economics is encouraging consumers to approach car financing with a critical eye. In a recent appeal to today’s drivers, AWARE spokesman Eric Hoffman details some of the reasons that arranging the right car financing deal is so important for an affordable buy. Hoffman likens car financing to vehicle maintenance; while the two may not seem similar from the outset, some similarities do apply. Like maintenance, which happens after you buy the vehicle and drive it for awhile, car financing is a complicated, multi-step process.

AWARE points out that many drivers are thinking about fuel costs, but not as many are considering the “total costs of ownership,” an idea that goes far beyond what you pay at the pump. Items like insurance and even parking add to monthly costs for a vehicle, as do property and sales taxes, registration, and other paperwork costs.

So what can drivers do to get their car financing costs down? Some of the steps that AWARE recommends are ones that we have been suggesting for quite a while. One of the best ways to lower financing cost is to bring a bigger down payment. This cuts down on how much you borrow and how much you pay for it over time. Also, drivers can take advantage of recent price spikes in used cars by demanding the right price for their trade-ins. Shopping around to third party lenders can also do wonders for your bottom line in a new or used car deal. For more on handling all of your auto costs, visit www.autofinancing101.org and look at some of the other elements of what it takes to afford your ride.

It’s going to be another long, hot summer in Florida – for us, and our vehicles.

The heat can take its toll not only on drivers and passengers, but on your car itself. Here’s a top-to-bottom breakdown of what you need to know to maintain your car and keep cool this summer – from the roof down to the tires, and everything in between.

Your car’s roof: Kathleen Smith of Clermont recently climbed into her Pontiac Grand Am, and noticed the roof seemed lower. “It was touching my head,” she says. The fabric headliner of the roof had sagged several inches, and the worker at the auto upholstery shop told her that years of parking in the sun likely weakened the threads and the adhesive that held the headliner in place. Cost to repair: $150.

Tires: At the bottom of the vehicle, the damage the heat can do to tires is documented by every big chunk of rubber you see on Florida highways in the summer, usually left by tire failures on 18-wheelers. Those huge strips of rubber, called “alligators” by truckers, can damage your car if you run over one. Wear and older retreads are a factor in those truck tire failures, but heat is a major contributor.

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Underinflated tires will generate their own heat in highway driving, and coupled with high pavement temperatures, tire failures related to heat are one of the top caused for the often-fatal rollover crashes on expressways and turnpikes that invariably increase in the summer months, due to both heat and summer road trips. Check the air pressure in your tires no less than monthly, and before any highway trip. Inflate the tires to the pressure recommended on the label inside the driver’s side door jamb – and don’t forget to check the pressure in your spare tire, too. Tire experts also insist that Florida’s near-constant sun is tough on older tires, drying out the oils that keep them pliable. Even if the tread still looks goods, consider replacing tires after five to six years, especially if you park outside.

Under the hood: Heat is one of a car’s engine’s worst foes. Rubber belts and hoses can fail, but usually show signs of distress before they do. Check them before a trip, or have your mechanic look them over. Radiator hoses may look fine, but careful inspection can find soft spots that can rupture under severe heat.

Engine fluids: It’s also critical that your engine fluids are fresh, and filled to the proper levels. If your radiator fluid is low, it can’t properly cool the engine. Oil also helps cool internal engine parts, and transmission fluid helps fight the substantial heat in automatic transmissions, especially if you are carrying a heavy load, or are towing a trailer. If you are overdue for fluid changes, now is the time to get it done. Heat can also be hard on car batteries, so it’s a good time to check the age of the battery in your vehicle and see if it is nearing the end of its life. Five years is a very long time in Florida for a battery to last, and when it fails in the heat, it tends to happen at once, with little warning.

Windows: Heat and hot windshields are also tough on windshield wipers, as are the ultraviolet rays from the sun. As Florida enters its rainy season, check your wiper blades and make sure they haven’t hardened or are fraying. If you can’t replace them yourself, many auto parts stores will replace them free with the purchase of new blades.

Interior: Inside the car, summer is brutal on all plastic and fabric parts. If you park outside regularly, consider installing some slip-over seat covers to help protect the upholstery in your car before it shows signs of wear and fading. Having good original upholstery will help your car’s resale value when it comes time to trade it in or sell it. Also, don’t be surprised if the insides of your windows seem to develop a haze on them in the summer. It’s usually the sun and the heat reacting with chemicals inside the interior. Window cleaners help, and some detailers use newspaper pages to wipe the haze from the glass.

AC: If your air conditioning isn’t working properly, you’ll know. Coolant leaks are a common cause for failing air conditioners. Do-it-yourself repair kits are on the market, but unless you are absolutely sure of what you are doing, let a professional handle it. Air conditioning units operate under extreme pressure, and you can actually damage the system further by improper repairs. It can even be dangerous if you rupture a hose. Many newer vehicles have a “cabin air filter” that can clog up; check your owner’s manual to see if you have one, and how you can replace the filter.

Keeping cool: Simply parking in the shade is one of the best things you can do for your car, as well as for you and your passengers. It can lower interior temperatures by as much as 40 degrees, making it much easier for your car to cool down. When it’s hot, vehicle engineers suggest rolling the windows down at least part way, and getting the car moving as soon as you can while the air conditioning forces out the interior’s hot air.

SCSmith3@Tribune.com.