X Things You Shouldn't Ignore

Driving seems like an activity where you are in complete control of the car. But that is not the case. You work together with the car to get where you need to go, quickly and safely. You are in constant communication with your car and everything from road noise to alarm bells to rain on the windshield should help you to adjust your driving to the conditions.

If you are driving, here are X signs that you shouldn't ignore:

1. The gas gauge. Life gets busy. We understand that. But if you don't have time to fill your gas tank, you'll end up costing yourself a lot of stress as you search desperately for one (or you'll end up costing yourself a lot of time if you run out of gas and have to walk).

2. The temperature gauge. We don't really pay attention to this little gauge very much but it is an important gauge. The engine heats up when it has to work extra hard. So take note of where your temperature gauge is when driving under normal conditions. Consider that to be the baseline of standard operation. If the temperature is lower than that, it's usually not a problem. But if the temperature climbs higher than that, it's a definite warning sign.

3. Your tachometer. Not all cars are equipped with a tachometer, which measures RPMs. If your car is equipped with a tachometer, keep an eye on it. It should increase steadily as you accelerate and it should change when your car switches gears. If your tachometer starts jumping around, that is not a good sign. Alternatively, if you don’t have a tachometer, you'll have to rely on your ears to tell you if the engine is running steadily or if it is revving.

4. Your brakes. Brakes aren't just devices that slow you down; they're whole systems designed to work effectively and to warn you when things aren't working right. Brakes come with a built-in warning system that screeches a little when you apply the brakes. If you hear screeching when you apply the brakes, your car is telling you to check (and probably replace) the brakes.

5.    Buzzing, rattling, and clunking. Vehicles take a lot of abuse on the road and when they are in peak condition, they'll perform the way they are supposed to. But buzzing and rattling warn us that something is loose. It might not be a big deal now but if things aren't tightened up, things could get worse.

6. Grinding. Very similar to above, your car should not make a metal-on-metal grinding sound. That's the sign that a once lubricated part is now no-longer lubricated. Pay attention to where and when the grinding noise occurs and tell your mechanic at once.

On their own, these are warning signs of minor issues that can be fixed with a full tank of gas or by a mechanic. If you catch them right away, they will probably cost you very little. However, if you ignore any of these warning signs or leave them for too long before doing something about them, it could cost you. It might just be a cost of inconvenience, as is the case of an empty tank of gas. But it could be much worse – your brakes could give out, your engine might fail, your ability to control the car could disappear. When that happens, collisions occur and those are much more expensive.

If you get into a collision, bring your car to Boyd Autobody & Glass for fast, affordable collision repair that can get you back on the road safely in no time.

Stuff You Should Carry In Your Car

As Canadians, we live in a pretty harsh climate. The summer can be scorchingly hot; the winters can be shockingly cold; if you live in a place that has one of the other two seasons, they're usually wet. The temperature difference in some parts of Canada can be as much as 80 degrees between summer and winter.
(Count yourself lucky if it's less than that where you live).

So, since we live in what can only be described as an "extreme" environment, what should Canadians carry in their car? Here is comprehensive list:

• Emergency roadside kit: You never know what could happen – you might come upon an accident or you might suddenly run out of fuel. It's better to be prepared for everything. Include candles, blankets, and emergency pylons in your roadside kit.
• First aid kit: From tiny boo-boos to more significant "owies". Include disinfectant and bandages. Most emergency kits come with this but double check and stock up.
• Jumper cables: In case you leave your lights on, or to be a friendly Canadian to someone in distress. Spend extra to get longer ones because some day you'll face a situation where the shorter ones just won't reach.
• Spare tire, jack, and wrench: Seems obvious and a lot of cars come with them. Just make sure that they are usable. If necessary, invest in a better jack and wrench if your auto manufacturer was a little cheap. Jack stands also provide a little extra stability and assurance.
• Salt, sand, kitty litter, extraction devices, and snow shovel: During winter, roads get a little snowy (or sometimes a lot snowy) and every good Canadian has found themselves in a ditch from time to time. A combination of some of these tools can help you deal with those times.
• Ice scraper and snow brush: Avoid using your credit card or thumbnail to remove ice.
• Umbrella, raincoat, winter coat, extra mittens, rubber boots, winter boots: If everything worked the way it was supposed to, we'd always get where we need to go. But cars break down and, as luck would have it, they always seem to break down in the wettest, coldest weather. Be prepared with the right gear.
• Car manual, insurance card, accident report form: Keep these in your glove compartment so you can get at them when you need them. (You can download a free accident report form from here).
• Oil and season-appropriate washer fluid: You might not need to carry oil with you all the time if you mainly drive around the city but you should always carry season-appropriate washer fluid.

Obviously it doesn't make sense to carry all of these things all of the time. But keep these things near your car and when the season calls for it, put it in your car. You'll be glad you had it.

Something else you should carry with you is the phone number to a local Boyd Autobody & Glass shop. If you get into a collision, call your insurance company and call us right away.

Top Reasons Why Your Car Won't Start

Top Reasons Why Your Car Won't Start

There's nothing like that sinking feeling when you turn the key in the ignition, nothing happens. And since a car is a big group of complicated systems – with each one connected to several other systems – it can be daunting to know where to start. Fortunately, there are a few common reasons and these are a good place to start.

Here are a few of the top reasons why your car won't start.

Immobilizer. Many cars are equipped with immobilizer devices and those devices are engaged and disengaged through computer chips embedded in the key or a key fob. Unfortunately, those chips aren't always durable when they're jammed into your pocket with your cellphone, chewing gum, and coins. Check to make sure the immobilizer light isn't flashing.

Fuel. You have enough fuel in the car, right? And it's not in a big pool under the car, right? That might seem like a silly question to ask but it's a good first place to check. If you've tried starting the car and you smell fuel – but there isn't any under the car – it's possible that the engine has been flooded (by inadvertently pressing the gas pedal too soon).

Transmission. Sometimes, it's as simple as your transmission isn't fully in "Park" (even though the stick shift seems to be). Put on the parking brake, turn the key slightly, put the transmission in neutral and try again.

Battery. Like any other battery, your car's battery carries a charge and can lose its power over time. This can be hastened by leaving lights on. Try turning on your headlights and seeing if they come on. If not, you might need a jumpstart.

Connections. Canadian roads can be rough and winters can be harsh, so wires that connect one part of the car to another can loosen and corrode. Lift your hood and check to make sure everything is connected and that each connection is clean.

Fuses. You're probably familiar with fuses in your house. If you plug too many things into them at once, they can blow. The same thing can happen to your car. Pull out your owner's manual and check those fuses.

If you're still not sure what it could be, try lifting the hood so you can watch, listen, and smell what's going on. Your senses could give you a clue as to what the problem might be. Of course, there are many reasons why your car may not start and if none of these work, seek the help of a professional mechanic to analyze and fix the problem.

Financing vs Leasing

The Difference between Financing and Leasing... Which one is Right for You?

If you are thinking about getting a new car or truck, one of the things you'll need to consider is whether you want to finance your car or lease it.

Financing your car is where you borrow the money to buy your car. You pay regular payments to the lending company. Leasing your car is where you borrow the car and pay regular payments to the company lending you the car.

With financing, you own the car. If you cannot make payments, the lending company will repossess the car to try and sell it and recoup what they couldn't collect from you. With leasing, the dealership owns the car. If you cannot make payments, the dealership will repossess the car to try and recoup what they couldn't collect from you.

The key difference between the two is who owns the car. This difference will have an impact on how you drive the car and what you do with the car at the end of the loan period.

With financing, you own the car. When the loan is over, you own the car "free and clear" and can continue driving it or resell it or whatever. The advantage to you is that you actually own the car and are free to do whatever you want with it. The disadvantage to you is that you actually own the car and are now responsible for selling it.

With leasing, the dealership owns the car. At the end of the loan period, they would like to get the car back in great shape so they can resell it. The advantage to you is that you're paying a small monthly fee to drive a nice new car and you don't have to worry about selling the car at the end of the loan. The disadvantage is that the dealership might charge you extra for mileage over a specified annual mileage allowance or they might charge clean and repair the car when you're done with it.

So, which one is right for you? That depends on you, of course. If you want to own your car and not worry about the shape you'll return it in at the end of the loan, then financing might be the way to go. If you want to always drive the latest car, and you don’t mind paying extra if the dealership doesn't feel that the car is pristine, then leasing might be the option you prefer.

We've tried to take a balanced approach on financing versus leasing. For more information about financing and leasing (although they are not necessarily neutral on the topic!) check out these links:

·        This article from Investopedia takes a mainly balanced approach and digs in a little deeper into the topic: http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/05/042105.asp#axzz1UYnOEaF8

·      

     LeaseGuide has some valuable tool and tips for leasing: http://www.leaseguide.com/index2.htm

·       The Buy Versus Lease Decision: Suze Orman is no fan of leasing! Find out why she doesn't like it: http://biz.yahoo.com/pfg/e16buylease/

Preserving your car's value

Several Ways to Preserve and Improve the Value of Your Car

It's said that cars lose half their value the moment you drive them off of the lot. While that might be an anecdotal estimate at best, the truth is that cars devalue every time the odometer clicks past another number.

Just because your car will constantly depreciate doesn't mean that you can't manage its depreciation and help to minimize the loss of value over time. Here are some tips to do that effectively.

• Keep the inside of your car clean. You probably keep the cup holders wiped clean of coffee rings, but a key area where cars can deteriorate on the inside is completely unseen: Carpets in the foot-wells build up with dirt and debris. It's often wet and it tends to get ground into the carpet, damaging the carpet fibres and the deteriorating the metal below. Rubber floor mats help but vacuuming out your interior regularly will significantly preserve the floor of your car.
• Keep the engine tuned. This might seem like a "no brainer" but the cost of not doing it is even higher than you might think. Keeping your engine tuned will not only improve gas mileage and ensure that your car runs longer, but it also helps to keep your engine working less. The less efficient your engine operates, the harder it has to work to travel the same distance; and the harder it has to work, the more wear-and-tear will degrade your engine.
• Slow down and pay attention on the road. I can't stress this one enough. We live in a time where everyone is in a hurry and there are so many distractions (in the car and on our minds!) that keep us from giving 110% to the road ahead. By checking your speed slightly, and putting your problems aside during the trip, you'll increase your chances of arriving to your destination safely and with an intact car.

• Watch for wear on your paintjob. Your car's paint helps to protect the metal body of your car. But when that protective barrier is breached, you will start to get rust. Wash your car and take a close look for door dings, scratches, and paint chips, and deal with them immediately. And, from time to time, have your car detailed and waxed to help add to the protective barrier.
• Watch for trouble spots. Use a site like www.lemonaidcars.com to find out some of the typical top concerns for the car you drive. Deal with those problems right away.
• Rent a car for other uses. Sometimes you need to tow a trailer or haul something heavy or messy. Rent a car for those uses to help maintain your vehicle as a people-mover only.

You may never be able to increase the value of your car but you can improve it, or at least preserve it, to slow its depreciation.

Apps For Your Car

Top 5 Apps for your Car
By Josh Briggs

These days, technology has evolved to the point where imagination is the only thing slowing the gadget world down. Yet it seems like even our imaginations are running more and more rampant. The result: smartphones.

In this article we will look at iPhone applications available for your car. We know that you're probably thinking, "What's the big deal? Any app on an iPhone is accessible in the car." However, these five apps are specifically designed around motor vehicle operation. They cover a wide range of features and functions. Some are practical while others are just downright fun. So here are, in no particular order, the top five iPhone apps.

#5 - Carticipate
Carticipate brings fellow commuters together into a large social network of individuals looking to save money on fuel while also contributing to the environment by emitting less CO2 into the air in the form of emissions.

#4 - iGasUp
For just $2.99, iPhone users can download the iGasUp application and have updated gas station locations and fuel prices at their fingertips. The app gives users the 10 closest gas stations based on the phone's current location. This app is for US gas stations only.

#3 - Trapster
Have you ever driven down the road only to have an oncoming vehicle flashing its lights as you approach? Chances are someone is trying to warn you of a speed trap. If you have an iPhone, you won't have to rely on these visual signals from other drivers. With Trapster, you can scan your area for any known speed traps, police hang outs, speed cameras or even stop-light cameras.

#2 - TripAlyzer
TripAlyzer will let you know how well you're doing with your eco-friendly driving skills. After each trip, TripAlyzer can also give you a bottom line cost of how much you spent.

#1 - Dynolicious
If you have a hot rod, or at least you think you have what it takes to be the next John Force, Dynolicious may be the right iPhone application for you. Similar to other performance meters (some that cost hundreds of dollars) Dynolicious is the equivalent of having a radar gun, a drag strip timing mechanism and a dynamometer in the palm of your hand.

Source URL: http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/automotive/5-iphone-car-apps.htm

Tips to help you care for your freshly painted vehicle

1. Wash the vehicle by hand or a touchless car wash system, not a commercial brush or soft cloth system.
2. Wash with cold water only in summer, in the shade, and with warm water in the winter. Do not use detergents or cleaners.
3. Wipe off all waterspots with a soft clean cloth or chamois after a wash.
4. Do not wax, polish, or apply any sealant products for at least 90 days.
5. Keep the vehicle from unnecessary extremes of high and low temperatures.
6. Do not park under trees or near industrial facilities with heavy fallout/smoke.
7. Avoid driving over gravel roads.
8. During winter months, have under fenders and hidden areas force pressure washed to remove road salts.
9. Avoid scraping ice and snow from the painted surfaces, brush it off.
10. Wipe off any antifreeze or windshield washer solution spills immediately.

Take care of your car with these simple tips!

Hey blog readers! Here's a great site to help you take care of your car! Save yourself lots of money and time (and headaches) and keep your car safer, too.

http://www.familycar.com/carcare.htm

It has several sections depending on what you want to do with your car...

• I want to keep my car for as long as possible and I want it to look and run great.
• I want to keep my car for as long as possible with minimum cost.
• I keep my cars for 3 to 5 years, then trade them in.
• I have a leased car -- I want to keep my costs to a minimum when turning it back in.

Check out the site... It's worth a look!