Automotive News

[I:http://autonews.galanter.net/files/2010/07/BenPate12.jpg]Sooner or later, you are going to need to replace the tires on your car, and if you’re on a fixed income, you can choose to buy used chrome wheels – instead of shelling out a lot of money for new ones. Places like small family-operated tire centers, and junk yards where you pull your own parts, are godsends when it comes to finding great deals.

But in looking for good used wheels, what do you need to know to make sure that you choose the right kind of tire for your vehicle, and confirm that the great price you’re getting is really a bargain? Keep reading for further information.

The first thing to remember is that your wheels should all be the same size. If you are purchasing tires for the rear of the car, as long as it is the same size and is in good shape, you should be fine. However, in getting them for the front of the vehicle, they should also have the same tread – and, if at all possible, be the same brand as well. This is because having mismatched wheels and tires on the front of your car can alter the way it handles on the road, damage your axles – and in some cases, even cause the vehicle to flip over while you’re driving on the road.

In inspecting used tires, keep some important things in mind as to the condition of the tread it has left. Examine each one carefully – before you buy it – and look for dead giveaways, like multiple dry cracks in the rubber, AND if there is any rubber MISSING from around the belts. Also, make sure that no part of the steel belt is showing through. These are clues that the tire is worn out, and not safe, and is one you want to stay away from. And, if you find a wheel that has already been “patched” multiple times, this is one whose shelf-life is over.

If you’re on your own as far as having to check the tread yourself, there is an easy, and fun, way to do it. Just take a common Lincoln-head penny, and insert it into the tread, all over the tire, in different locations. Make sure the penny has the head of Lincoln facing down. If you can’t see his face or head because it’s covered by tread, then the odds are that this is a good tire. But if any part of his face or head is showing, back away from it – and look elsewhere.

If you are a woman, and don’t have much experience in anything automotive, it might be wise to take your spouse, or a male friend along with you, when you go to check out tires. The Mom and Pop used tires shops should have staff on site that are knowledgeable in the tires they stock, and can answer questions about what will work best for your car.

However, this is not the case at those “pick and pull” places you visit. There, you are on your own as far as any service goes. YOU locate the wheels you want, YOU pull them from the junked car, YOU haul them up to the checkout counter to pay for them – and YOU take them home, and install them on your car. So, as you can see, if you don’t know what you’re doing, you could be headed for disaster.

So, in your quest to find quality used rim for your automobile, you see there are a few factors to be considered before you just go out and buy any old tire. You don’t have to be an expert in the field of automotive to be able to choose the correct wheel and tire packages.

It’s not always easy to navigate when riding big bikes because of the risks involved. You have to be stopping on the highway and then taking out the map to look where you are.

With the Garmin Zumo 550, you can take many of these concerns away. This quality designed unit is not created for a motorcycle, but for the motorcyclist. The touch screen allows the biker to operate the device even while riding since the icons are really large, so you can still use it even while using gloves.

The Garmin Zumo 550 was built to be used as a GPS unit on a motorcycle and it is one of only two GPS units designed as such.

You can attach it to your motorcycle with either a u-bolt mount or a clutch mount – which ever one you prefer. The unit is small considering (4.8 inches by 3.9 inches) and light (10.6 ounces), making it ideal to be used on your motorcycle.

The Zumo 550 meets IPX7 standards, which means it can endure immersion in water for approximately thirty minutes. One unique feature is being able to choose the strength of icons, and that is either standard or large.

Motorcycle GPS navigation as with car GPS systems, are now becoming a necessity for bikers who would like to go for long rides without going off tracks.

Unlike a car GPS, a motorbike GPS navigation system has some other features for bikers too. If you’re reading the screen on a sunny day, it’s really hard.

But today there are units that may be mounted on the bike’s handlebars that are vibration resistant, which is an issue for bikers unlike car drivers. It has integrated speakers to help you hear clearly the directions through the Bluetooth technology which means that you can keep the eye steady on the way you are traveling.

A daytime display, basically gives you a yellow background and night time gives you a dark background. On the screen you can keep the compass up and it reads out speed, the elevation and the accuracy is now within 21 feet of anywhere across the globe and the exact time of day.

The other thing it does, is it pops up a little icon, which is a little fuel icon and if you touch it, it will tell you the nearest gas stations by brand name, address and everything else.

Learn more about Garmin Zumo Motorcycle GPS. Stop by Joe Kidson’s site where you can find out all about Garmin Zumo Motorcycle GPS and what it can do for you.

Enthusiasts of sports autos may just be the ‘masters of the roadways’. Sports autos deliver awesome features and benefits that many car or truck consumers look for. Nonetheless, sports vehicles might often be a problem when obtaining the car insurance.

It is an acknowledged fact that the insurance for sports automobiles has higher premiums than any other car. This can be a problem whenever applying for motor insurance since service fees and monthly premiums are ‘tough on the wallet’. Below are great tips to help to get the best insurance costs for sports cars.

1.The auto end user really should have a very a good credit score standing and also have looked after that score for quite a few years. Insurance firms provide superior charges for those folks that have superb credit scores. Prior to obtaining motor insurance coverage, the owner should make sure he does not have any unsecured debt…

2.Automobile owners can enjoy more desirable insurance rates should they pack their sports cars and trucks with security features and gizmos. The owner can purchase safety airbags, deploy antilock brakes, and stability/traction controls. These are suitable for the safety they give, and security features on sports autos will allow automobile drivers to get discounts on their insurance policies.

3.Sports vehicle owners might also want to keep excellent driving records. Insurance companies provide lower premiums to reliable motorists.

4.Premium prices are evaluated based on the info which is provided to insurance vendors. Sports vehicle owners need to be sure they offer proper and exact info any time getting insurance policy quotations for their cars . This will help vehicle drivers enjoy the insurance policy rate that’s best for them.

5.It is very important to carry out research prior to getting car insurance. Insurance carriers offer different insurance rates. A few offer special discounts during special activities or whenever promoting their company. Vehicle drivers must always continue to keep informed about savings and prices. They might furthermore make full use of the world wide web to obtain insurance quotations and evaluate prices prior to making a final selection.

6.When a final choice has been made, vehicle owners must not quit there. They ought to up-date their insurance plans and also their info often. They should always verify their insurance plans to ensure that they’re still experiencing and enjoying the exact same costs and terms which were initially presented.

Sports automobiles are for satisfaction and prestige, so they really mustn’t be an encumbrance to their owners. Regardless of whether sports cars and trucks have larger premiums, when compared with other automobiles , the owners may still have the ability to enjoy the ideal insurance charges available to them.

To learn more about a general auto insurance visit the website of Richard Hackenz today!

It is not an easy job being vehicle in this day and age with the hotter models coming off the production line faster than it takes me to get going in the morning, not to mention the amount of fuel it takes to run us. There are town cars and country cars and those fancy four-wheeled drive cars that are made to go off- roading all the time; everyone always wants those models. It gets jolly cold at nights too, did you know? And when we are outside, freezing our wheels off we still have to rise early and drive you to work. What do you think is the one thing we need in return? To be sound and clean. Yep, that is the one thing we desire and yet occasionally this does not occur. For whatever the reason might be, you always seem too busy to clean us and this just makes us sad and does not really help our dignity when we are up against a bright new, red sports car. As luck would have it there’s an answer to our problems, a mobile car cleaning service!

Have you noticed that I the vehicle am just as busy as you are as I’m the one driving you around to all these crucial, and not so crucial places you are always going to. The primary difference with that is I’m getting crusted in dirt and mud and debris and having mud dry on me leaving a not so beautiful stain. Yes, now and again the rain will come and wash some of it away, even so it doesn’t get rid of everything and it can damage my exterior too. While we are on the subject, have you looked at my exterior recently? Have you noticed that I’m three shades darker than what I was when you bought me? That’s not sunburn you know, that’s mud and dirt and who knows what else.

I am really trying to not sound ungrateful and I thank you for buying me from that car lot, but you do leave a mess every time you get in and out of me and well, I don’t think I can take it much longer. Forget about the exterior, have you even stopped to look around at the interior? You know how the driver just gets in and sits up front and really don’t turn around to look at the backseat unless you’re reaching around to find your bag? Well, I think you should take a good long look at the stains on the seats and the nice leather. There are also marks on the roof, don’t ask me how they got there, they and don’t ask me how long they have been there for either. There are odors embedded deep within the fabric that you don’t smell to be able to smell because you drive me around so much and now might be used to it. I’m here for you to drive me around, that’s what I’m here for; but I do need a clean every now and then.

The main contributor to all this is you are busy and well, I’m busy too so why not get someone else to take care of it? Like a professional who will come over while I’m resting and clean me up and make me smell better than ever? I’ve seen other vehicles in the neighborhood that have had this done and it shaved years off their health problems, and their drivers seemed less embarrassed to be seen driving them. You and I could be just like that, driving around with no smells, a clean and healthy interior and exterior, with even my engine getting a steam clean so I run a lot better.

A mobile car cleaning service will help me and my overall zest for life if you would just look into for me. As your trusted vehicle I think it is only right that since I drive you around all the time and get nasty stains that you do something for me that would make me ever so happy. Think of the last gift you got me and see if I’m due, and hey, since you drive me around it’s like you’re getting a birthday present as well right? It benefits everyone and no one is left out. Let’s make a deal, if you get me this I promise I won’t play up ever again! Agreed?

Think its about that time that you and your vehicle check out Mobile Car Cleaning and see if it can help your mood and your cars? Give the professionals at Select Valet a buzz today! They will answer all your questions and more. This article, Do You Think Mobile Car Cleaning Could Make Your Car Happy? is available for free reprint.

One of the keys to achieving power is the correct ratio of fuel for a given quantity of air. Either too much or too little fuel results in an engine that is down on power, delivers poor economy and has a big question mark against its long term durability. The primary job of the engine tuner is to ensure that the engine management system has been programmed to deliver fuel in the correct quantities at all times.

Fuel Mixture is measured in units of either Lambda or air fuel ratio (AFR). Also referred in tune-speak as either lean (small amounts of fuel to air) or rich (large amount of fuel to air). What is the correct mix of fuel and air? While there is no such thing as an absolute across the board setting, the generally agreed “golden rules” of fuel mixtures are:

1. At low power outputs (no boost) catalytic converter equipped cars require a fuel mixture of Lambda 0.99 (AFR 14.64) for best emissions, and is the target fuel mixture when the OE ECU is operating in closed loop. Improvements in fuel economy can be made by leaning fuel mixtures off to Lambda 1.05 (AFR 15.4 to 1), but this is done at the expense of cat converter operation and will increase exhaust temperatures when cruising.

2. Medium power outputs (the transition between on and off boost) sees best power achieved at around Lambda 0.89 (AFR 13.1 to 1).

3. At high power outputs things get interesting, as this is the area where the greatest potential for engine damage exists. Version I to VI engines with stock internals running around 1.2 bar boost typically make good power reliability at Lambda 0.78 (AFR 11.5 to 1). At the same boost pressure and with stock internals, Subaru WRX Version VII and later models have redesigned cylinder head combustion chambers for a very different set of burn characteristics and fuel distribution compared to the previous model, dictating significantly richer fuel mixtures of around Lambda 0.75 (AFR 11.0 to 1) or lower to achieve best power safely.

Typically, air fuel ratios can be leaned slightly for a small increase in power on engines equipped with forged pistons, due to their strength and greater heat resistance when compared to OE cast pistons.

Measuring Fuel Mixtures

There are only two ways to check fuel mixtures accurately; the preferred method is to use a high quality aftermarket wide band air fuel ratio meter in conjunction with a five wire Bosch LSU type lambda sensor. This type of sensor and meter can accurately measure fuel mixtures from Lambda 0.69 (AFR 10.1 to 1) to Lambda 1.30 (AFR 19.1 to 1) and beyond. Hence the name wide band sensor.

An alternative method for cars with flash compatible ECUs, fuel mixtures can be read directly from the ECU data stream using Delta Dash, with a few exceptions. The OE lambda sensor can “see” lean mixtures well, but cannot measure fuel mixtures richer than Lambda 0.76 (AFR 11.2). Additionally, at power outputs higher than stock, sensor placement is an issue, as exhaust back pressure between the engine and turbocharger causes a significant reduction in sensor accuracy.

Want to release the true potential of your turbo charged Subaru? Subaru tuning for WRX & STI performance Upgrades is our passion at Scooby Tuning. We offer Subaru ECU tuning for WRX, STI & Legacy GT open source road tuning, as well as remote etunes, designed to bring out the bottled up power in your Subaru with safe and effective tuning.