Automotive Area

Archive for April, 2010

How To Drive On Ice To Avoid Having A Road Traffic Accident

In order to avoid any possible accidents you need to be extra careful while driving on roads with ice and follow all the warnings and directions. In order for your car to remain under your control and not lose traction you should keep your speed slow. Both ice and speed reduce traction. While you cannot control the ice you should keep your speed low. In order to keep traction you should drive the car in low gears and not increase the speed too much.

The brakes should be used as little as possible and you should not slam on the brakes. Rather smooth movements should be used on the brakes accelerator and the steering wheel. When taking a turn bring your car to a very slow speed so that the car doesnt skid. You should not drive in a rush on ice as this can cause serious accidents.

Remove ice from your windshield but do not do so by putting hot water on it. It could cause even more ice and it can even crack the windshield. You should plan your trip in advance so that you dont rush yourself on the road. Planning in advance would make you leave much before the time at which you have to be somewhere. While passing bridges and overpasses you should be very careful. Bridges and intersections are the spots where the icy conditions are quite dangerous and may be more severe than in the other areas.

If your car slides ease your foot on the accelerator and hold the steering wheel steadily. You should try not to turn the steering wheel unnecessarily as it only worsens matters. In order to avoid slides the first and foremost thing is not to hurry. It is always better to leave home early but you shouldnt hurry yourself on the road. You should also keep a good distance between yourself and the other cars so that you have enough time to stop easily when you apply the brake.

For preventing slides and other bad experiences you should keep your complete focus on the road and should not tense up if something goes slightly wrong. Keep a firm but relaxed grip on the steering wheel as a tight grip on the wheel will make your reaction to a slide slower than it ought to be.

You should follow all the directions and warnings on the road and should be aware of the capabilities of your car so that you are able to use the features when the need arises. Even if your car is a four wheel drive it doesnt mean that it is completely safe from skids or other things caused due to icy conditions. Icy roads can be tricky and the driver needs to be skilled and practiced because it is the driver who handles the car. And in icy conditions it is the handling of the car that matters the most. So you should not think that your car is capable of anything.

About the writer:  Need help with a car accident claim come see us at My Injury Lawyer

How The Humble VW Made Me Love The Open Road

I would like to share a very personal experience with you. It is a tearful tale about a hot hatch that had its beginnings in a world of genuine chamois and finished its life as a burned out wreck. Lonely and dejected this poor car ended its mechanical life without a trace of dignity and a far cry from the plush beginnings of immaculately paved driveways and privet hedges.

In 2004 I had the utter displeasure of breaking down on the M25. My Space Wagon decided that the engine was to work no longer and promptly dropped it on the tarmac of the hard shoulder. I was then forced to hire a car until I could locate replacement. I ended up leasing a Volkswagen Golf GTi and after my lumbering automatic people carrier it sent me into throes of automobile excitement. This was an entirely unplanned situation. I was not meant to fall in love with a car I was not meant to become a petrol head I had no intention of burning rubber and doing donuts; but something had happened deep inside and I can only assume that I’d been kind of ‘Clarksoned’.

I immediately went through the local auto trader ads to locate my new beauty but I just couldn’t afford to buy what my heart desired and had to downshift as it were to an older model. I decided that a Mark II from the late eighties was within my budget and promptly ended my leasing contract to purchase the car of my dreams. The minute my eyes met my Mark II model it was love. The test drive was a thrust fuelled drag race along the A127 and the hefty weight of the hot hatch steering made me feel like I was in my very own road movie finding freedom and sticking two fingers up to the establishment. I was ready to pack a suitcase and leave nothing but a cloud of dust in my wake.

When I got the papers I understood why there was such a rapport between me and my beloved VW. We had met many years earlier in my home town and travelled some miles together whilst a friend of mine was the rightful owner of this trusty automobile. He had it bought for him brand new as a gift for passing his test. It was a gleaming trophy of success wrapped with a ribbon on a driveway flanked by perfectly pruned privets. We drove to the coast through the countryside along main roads and along dusty tracks to far flung lakes. We went camping with it picnicked from it and even had a fire side party using it as a stereo on wheels. The love I felt towards this car was comparable to the way Sam Witwicky felt about Bumble Bee in the Transformer movie.

Love alone however was not enough to keep my ageing automobile with me; the rust spread things fell off and eventually it got swiped by some little oik and went out in a ball of flames just off the A12. The oik remained unharmed just for the record. Once again I was sans auto and set about finding a car. Going to yet another leasing company I once more headed for the Vee Dubs. My recent experience of love and loss which I likened to a personal movie could only be honoured in one way. I leased myself a VW beetle. With a great series of films based on the ever personable Herbie and a smash hit childrens animation with Bumble Bee; It was only right to choose a classic for my next adventure.

About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the motor industry.Find out more about VW Leasing and choose the Volkswagen to suit you and your budget at Amber vehicle Solutions.

How Much Can I Spend On My Next New Car?

How Much Can You Really Afford to Spend on a New Car?
by Buddy Evans Vice President of Big Bucks Autotrade;
Are you in the market for a new car? If so its important to figure out what you can afford to spend before going shopping. By doing some simple math and evaluating your current situation youll be prepared to shop for a car you want ndash; and can afford!
How Much Can You Spend on Monthly Car Payments
The first thing to figure out is how much you can afford to spend on monthly car payments. Most experts argue that you should not spend more than 20 of your monthly gross income on a car payment. In special situations this figure may vary but as a rule for the average adult sticking to 20 or less of monthly gross will likely be a wise move.
Short Term vs. Long Term Car Loan
Once you determine a safe figure for monthly car payments you should consider the loan term. Remember that a longer car loan will mean much more interest paid over time while a shorter car loan term will mean less interest but higher monthly payments.
Coming Up with a Down Payment
And what about your current car assuming you have or had one?
Selling Your Current Car
If you already sold your car you may have some available cash to contribute as a down payment. Any down payment you make is great as it will cut down on monthly car payments. If you still need to get rid of your current car be sure to consider selling your car before simply trading it in to the dealer. You can usually expect much more money from selling your car than trading it in. If time is an issue look for a reputable used car buyers like Big Bucks Autotrade; in New York TriState Area.
If you already sold your car and have some leftover cash from the sale consider keeping it for a down payment on your next new car. Any down payment you make will cut down monthly payments significantly.
Leased Car
If youre currently leasing a car youll need to either wait until your lease term expires ndash; or get out of your lease early. To learn more about getting out of a lease read Getting out Of Your Used Car Lease;.
And if you have savings or other available cash this may be used as a down payment as well if you choose to do so.
Car Insurance Costs
Insurance costs are another major consideration when figuring out how much you can spend on your new car. A sports car or a high theft car will likely have a far higher insurance premium than a runofthemill sedan. To put this into perspective remember that two new cars with sticker prices of 20000.00 each may have insurance premiums which vary by as much as 50 or more! In other words its very important to figure out ndash; roughly ndash; how much insurance is going to cost for all of the new cars your interested in.
Car Maintenance Costs
Then there are maintenance costs to consider. Some new cars will be far more expensive to repair than others. Foreign cars for example may be quite expensive to repair. However many of these cars now come with warranties and free scheduled maintenance. New offers like this may actually make cars which used to be expensive to fix far less expensive than other cheap to fix cars! Therefore the maintenance issue should be evaluated on a carbycar and offerbyoffer basis as manufacturers and their offers vary significantly.
After considering these simple factors youll be prepared to go out and shop for a car that truly fits the bill financially speaking.

About the writer:  Buddy Evans is the President of Big Bucks Auto a used car buyer in the Tri State Area. Buddy Has written several articles related to his industry including an article on Getting out Of Your Used Car Lease; most recently.