How Safe Is Your Car?

Car safety has become one of the key selling points in today’s automotive market, and rightly so as the nation’s road toll continues to have a devastating impact on families and emergency services. Huge advancements have been made in terms of safety thanks to the likes of airbags, traction control and brake assist, which combined with design give every new vehicle an ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program) rating out of five stars. The more stars a vehicle has, the safer it is.

ANCAP (Australian New Car Assessment Program) is an independent body that conducts crash tests on new vehicles and those with sound structures and better safety systems score best. When buying a new car, it should be stated what its ANCAP rating is. Ask the dealer if it’s not. When buying second-hand, there are plenty of websites that will tell you how the vehicle stacks up. Car makers put a high value on the ratings as they can make or break sales - a competitor with a higher safety rating in the same segment is likely to show more sales. Cars with four or five star ratings are highly recommended. Vehicles with higher safety ratings should also have lower car insurance premiums. Here is a guide as to what helps make a safer car.

Sound structure:

A vehicle with good structural integrity will absorb and dissipate energy in the event of a crash. The passenger compartment should keep its shape and the doors should stay closed but be capable of being opened after a crash for the safe exit of passengers. Other parts of the vehicle such as the steering column, dash, foot pedals and pillars should not experience significant movement.

Air Bags:

The more of these life-savers, the better. They inflate in the event of a crash and significantly reduce the risk of serious injury. A vehicle with driver and passenger airbags, plus curtain airbags (they are deployed from above the side windows in the event of a side impact) are going to be the safest. Airbags can deploy in impacts as low as 25kph and they can be costly to reset, so when getting car insurance quotes, check out if a cost such as this is covered.

Electronic Stability Control (ESC):

This helps reduce skidding and over-steer and takes effect when the driver loses control. Computer-controlled technology is used to help bring the car back on track and has proved to be highly effective in single car crashes. It also comes into play during sudden manoeuvres and can enhance handling and traction on gravel and icy roads.

Anti Lock Braking (ABS):

This system prevents the brakes from locking and wheels from skidding when sudden pressure is put on the brake pedal, such as in an emergency. It allows the driver to maintain control and is highly effective on slippery surfaces and in the wet. ABS works hand-in-hand with ESC and having the two together greatly increases the car’s handling in emergencies.

Seat belts:

They first became compulsory – both in the front and rear of vehicles - in Victoria in 1970 and the rest of Australia soon followed. Since then they have been responsible for saving thousands of lives and are the single biggest safety factor in a vehicle. There are stringent guidelines for seatbelts, meaning they must lock in an accident and are not susceptible to fraying and tearing. Unfortunately, seat belts only work when worn and people still die needlessly on the roads because they forget to buckle up.

Bosch Iridium Spark Plugs - Review

Bosch Performance Spark Plugs

have earned a lot of reputation over the last few years. As far as I can remember, I've done a  couple of posts as well on the spark plugs which were on Modifying or Changing Spark Plugs and the second one was on the advantages of Iridium Spark Plugs which compared the Platinum Vs Iridium Spark Plugs.

Anyways, if you are looking forward to changing your auto plugs and confused about what you use, I'd reckon you should give a try to Bosch. They manufacture both in Iridium and Platinum and instead of going out to buy them, you can order them from home.

The price is low and they give you 12 months or 12000 miles warrant with OE Replacement. The plug type's resistor and the Electrode Core Material is copper. There can be other specs too but this what I know of what they've displayed on their website.

So, if you are even interested, I'm not compelling you to buy without doing your part of the research and comparing it with the market rate and quality. However even to do research, you need to log on to the website and you can do this by simply clicking here.  

Just make sure you buy the best thing and install the best part in your car. 

Business Car Rental Best Practice- Shopping Around in Australia for Good Deals

You can get excellent business car hire deals in Australia if you know where to look. Car hire can be a great alternative to regular car ownership, particularly if you’re doing a lot of traveling and don’t want to carry the costs and risks of wear and tear on your own vehicle. It’s also deductible, meaning you’re making a bit extra on your travels. The trick is to compare car hire deals and actively hunt for the best.

Car hire issues


When you hire a car for business purposes, you need to consider all your needs before you spend a cent. Do you need?

•  A big vehicle for transporting sales materials? 
•  A luxury car?
•  A good reliable car you’ve driven before, just a more recent model?
•  An off-road vehicle?
•  A good city runabout?
•  A car that can double for business and domestic use?
•  A van? 
•  Automatic or manual?
•  How many passengers?

Finding a good car rental site

These basics are really all you need to find your preferred car. Some online searching will find you a range of options, but- You can get a much better deal by being picky. The best business car hire companies in Australia are the major league companies like Avis, Hertz, Thrifty, Redspot and Europcar. These companies can provide you with any type of vehicle you need and standardized competitive rates. Now some very good news- The best Australian car rental sites include specialist sites which act as booking agents for the big car hire firms. These sites will give you a range of selections of types of car, prices and car hire companies. The best of these websites also provide a “cheapest” option, and can find the car you want for the lowest price. That’s good for the budget, and it also simplifies your search for the right car. If, for example, you want a luxury SUV with a lot of space for your materials, lots of features and good performance, you select your car from the range of options and the website then checks for the best deals in this range. You can find yourself with a great SUV to drive and a discount offer which cuts a lot off your net outlay. You can also get extras like optional insurance, baby seats if you need them and other features, so you’ve got everything you need laid on, with no need to go looking for these things. The websites also provide customer service, so if you’ve got questions you can get all the answers you need with an email. The national car hire companies have another big advantage- You can pick up and drop off your hire car anywhere in the country. If, for instance, your itinerary is taking you around the country, you can simply arrange to pick up your car from the designated place by your car hire in Melbourne and drop it off in Brisbane and fly home. This is very simple, very convenient, hassle-free car hire at its best. Before you do anything, check out and compare car hire deals. You’ll save time and money, and get the best deals available.

Tips For Buying Car Insurance Online

The internet has made shopping around for car insurance easier and far more convenient than ever before – it saves time and you don’t even have to leave your home or office to get the information you need. It works just the same as if you were looking to get a car service in Sydney – shop around until you find what suits you best in terms of price and inclusions. Here’s a guide as to the best way to navigate around the internet when searching for a policy online.

Get As Many Car Insurance Quotes As Possible

A simple Google search for car insurance quotes is going to be a pretty good starting point. It will list a wide range of companies and you can then click on the links to your heart’s content – the more car insurance quotes you get, the increased chance of getting the best deal. Websites offer a quick quote service so you will need to have some information ready, including make and model of vehicle, year of manufacturer, and ages of drivers.

Make Sure You Understand What Is Included

Once you have entered all of the required information, you will be presented with a quote. It’s important that you use this as a starting point for deciding on your preferred policy. Cheapest isn’t necessarily going to be best, so read the policy and see what features it includes and if it covers exactly what you require. Think of it like getting a car service in Melbourne – you would want a written report on the work that is done, so you would want in writing what the policy includes. It’s also important to be honest when answering questions, such as the last time you made a claim, because it will have an effect on the premiums.

Look Closely At Each Company

While getting a quote online, have a look at what else each company has to offer on their website. They could have general insurance and motoring advice, information about themselves and links to other websites. It will help give you a good feel for who they are and what they offer, which will help you make an informed decision. Website security is excellent these days and companies are well aware of privacy issues consumers have, so be sure that your information will be treated in confidence.

Seek More Information 

Don’t be afraid to fill in an online form, send an email or call a customer service number if you need more information. The website should have at least one of these, if not all. Don’t jump in to a policy without fully understanding every part of it. If you can’t find out what you need on the website, speak to someone.

Once You Have Decided

When the time comes to actually purchasing a policy, you can do it several ways. The most important thing first is to get a copy of the quote in writing. If you are doing it online, the company should be able to send you an email. Review the information again before committing to purchasing the product. Quite often you can opt to save your quote online and go back to it when you are ready to purchase the policy. Follow the prompts online to organise the policy and payment (make sure it is a secure site by looking for the secure symbol or the web page starting with https://), or alternatively you can call the customer service line to finalise details.

Mobile Car Service for Busy People- How to Stay Organized and Stay on the Road

If you spend a lot of time on the road, you need to make sure that your vehicle is in A1 condition. Time off road is downtime, and that can get expensive. It can also leave you with a backlog of things to do that also cost time as well as money. It’s a good idea to make sure that you’ve got an all-areas car service available when you need it. The fact is that busy people don’t usually have the time to think about covering the basics of their business. There’s a lot to do, and many people are often mentally as well as physically on the move all the time. The result is that when there’s a problem, it derails everything, because there’s a gap in dealing with the issues. If the problem is a car, you need options available right from the start. Using an all-areas mobile car service, for both routine maintenance and emergency situations really makes a big difference. The huge advantage is that you can schedule your car work to have a minimum impact on your time for servicing, as well as making sure you can get instant service when you need it, on or off the road. This cuts downtime drastically and you can get things happening with a phone call.  
 
Shopping around for your car service

It’s important to make sure you find a car service company which has a full range of mobile services. The best options are usually the bigger car service companies, which have both the area coverage and the resources to get any work done that needs doing with no fuss. This is a sort of “shopping list” for the best car service:

• All areas- All areas service means you don’t have to go through the paperwork of setting up an account every time you need some assistance.
• Upfront quotes- Very important, and a sign of a good service ethic.
• All makes and models of cars service- This ensures you’re getting professional quality service.
• Industry standard parts- Another quality control, and makes sure you’re getting best quality parts for your car.
• Regular service options- Regular servicing means you prevent the problems caused by wear and tear on your car developing into major issues.

A quick online search will narrow down your choices to a few good car service companies. Check rates and service quality, and you should find the right service people easily enough.


Car service and insurance

There’s another good reason for doing business with the best car service people. Car insurance. Your car insurers prefer to see your car getting serviced by reputable car mechanics, and a good car service company can save a lot of bureaucratic runaround. There’s a good reason for the car insurers being a bit fussy. The top car service people are both professional and reliable, and they’re up to speed on the car insurance processes and issues. The insurance process runs smoothly mainly because they know the procedures and the insurers have faith in them. Get your car service organized, and everything works like clockwork.

Got My Car Stolen and Then Found It

Few weeks ago, I had my car stolen from outside my office. I have a red 1992 Mehran with a CNG (Gas) kit. Over here the gas literally means gas and not liquid fuel. The benefit of it is that its more economical and gives good mileage as compared to that liquid petroleum fuel. However there are few repercussions as well which are bore by the car engine as it becomes really lame and the car looses its power. But people are willing to bear the cost as the benefits, they feel, outweigh it. It's more eco-friendly/ (green) as well.

Anyways, coming to the topic, I parked my car outside my office and when I got back to it after ten hours, it wasn't there. Initially I thought that I've mistaken the location of the car and have just forgotten that where I parked it but after some time I realized that the car wasn't actually there. I asked people around if they've seen someone taking the car, but got no positive reply.

I therefore informed the police and amazingly within 20 hours, I found the car myself few miles away from the place where it was stolen. After checking all the things within it, I found that they took away my CNG (Gas) kit and a spare wheel.

A normal gas kit costs some where around $400.00 over here and its a favorite item for the car lifters as they do not have to hide the car from the authorities and just take away the kit and sell it in the market and are able to make money from which they can sustain themselves at least for a week.

Amazingly when I realized that my car has been stolen, I didn't panic at all as I knew right from the beginning that for what purpose it's been stolen and I also knew that I am going to get it back after some time. The same happened and it was no big surprise to me even when I found the missing car parts and accessories.

So just after a week I have a new gas kit installed in my car. I had no car theft insurance so I had to pay all the money from my pocket. Of course there are high chances that it can be lifted again as the area where I work is real hot when it comes to snatching and looting but this is something we have to live with. The maximum we can do is that we take all the safety precautions to prevent auto theft and that's what I've done.

What I've done is that I took simple measures of  layman level to keep my car from getting stolen. It's not technical at all and can be done easily. But as for now, I am going to discuss these easy steps to prevent car theft, in the next post and let's hope that until then,  I still have my car safe within my possession.

How to get the best deals on car rental

Getting the best deal on your car rental doesn’t have to be difficult. It’s just a matter of knowing where to look, how to compare car hire companies and keeping your ear to the ground about great deals. Here, we’ve listed the sure-fire ways to ensure the next time you hire a vehicle, you’ll be bragging to your mates about what a great deal you got:

Do your research

Knowing what’s on offer and by who is the first step to being able to decide between what is a genuinely good deal and what isn’t. Do some research and find out what each of the car rental companies have to offer. Some may specialise in providing a different range of rental services.


Let others do the work for you

Don’t have time to spend hours looking from website to website? Why not use a hire car comparison website to find out which company is offering what you want? There are now websites that help you compare different car rentals so you can make your choice faster. For the time poor, why not put your faith in the experts?


Don’t leave it to the last minute

Last minute bookings always lead to overpriced fees. Give yourself as much time as possible to find a great deal well in advance to avoid having to settle with an expensive car rental company a few days before you need the vehicle.  


Join loyalty programs


Apart from frequent flyer points, many car rental companies offer loyalty specials and offers only to those who are registered for their newsletter or loyalty system. This is a great way to find out about deals that aren’t necessarily advertised.



Through Work

Many companies have longstanding relationships with car rental companies. Use this to your advantage. You may be able to get a great discount on a rental car simply by presenting proof that you are an employee of your business.


Ask for a referral from a trusted source

If you have a friend or relative that has recently hired a car from one of the companies offering the best car hire Melbourne has to offer, why not ask them how would they rate their experience with that company? Referrals from friends and relatives are the best way to get a genuine opinion on businesses and their services.


Negotiate

Itʼs not always appropriate, but in some instances you may try to negotiate your rental deal with the car hire company. Remember, all they can say is no, so there is no harm in trying.

Jump on a good deal when you see it

Similar to cheap flights, cheap car hire gets snapped up fast so if you are lucky enough to come across a great deal, jump on it before itʼs gone!
Getting the best car hire deal is easy if you know where to look. I hope our tips on how to snag a great vehicle hire deal has given you some useful ideas for the next time you are in need of renting a car.

The Top 5 Ways to Keep Your New Car Clean

You have just bought your first new car and the car has been shipped to you. The majority of people are extremely excited about getting a new, clean car. However after several days, a new car gets dirty easily due to driving it so much.  Due to this, you must immediately clean your car to help keep that new look it had when you first received it.

Listed below are some ways on how to keep your car clean and the new look intact:

  

1. Wash your car in the shade.

   The first thing is that you will want to be certain you wash your car in a shady area or be certain to towel dry it to avoid water stains as this will occur very easily.  

2. Loosen debris with water. 

    You will need to spray your car with water and this will help loosen or dissolve the dirt on your car. Remember to never use a sponge on your car because it leaves tiny particles on it that may be hard to remove once it dries up. Additionally, it can also scratch the car paint.

3. Use high quality cleaning solutions.

    Only use high quality car cleaning solutions on your car when you wash it due to the fact some car cleaning solutions can damage your car paint. It is certainly better that you choose a high quality car wash. It is a great idea to do some research and read some reviews on what car solutions are the highest quality.

4.    Use a cotton cloth.

    

    Next, clean your car using the car cleaning solution and a damp cotton cloth as an applicator. After that, rinse your car well and let it dry. You can also use a dry cotton cloth to dry it up.

5.    Vacuum the interior.

    When it comes to cleaning the interior of your car, you can use a vacuum cleaner to remove dirt on your car carpet and car seat. You can also use a dry cotton cloth to finish the job and help your car look its best.

For more information about affordable car shipping rates and other things auto-related, check out National Transport, LLC on Facebook.