Car parts - is prevention vs cure - which is better (Preventative vs Corrective Maintenance for Cars)
When a car reaches a certain age, owners inevitably come across more and more problems, with many waiting until the dreaded M.O.T until facing up to their mechanical woes. There’s always been a debate around the pros and cons of replacing parts before they have a chance to break, and in this guide we look at the arguments around the prevention vs cure debate.
Investment Vs taking your chances
Preventing issues with your car generally involves replacing parts before they have a chance to break; whilst a mechanic can advise you as to when they think a part may break, they won’t be able to tell you with total surety. This means that you may be replacing parts and having work undertaken too soon.
Corrective maintenance… is it a false economy?
Whilst taking corrective measures can be a much lower initial price than having a part (or parts, as the case may be) replaced, you need to consider how long it will hold up for. You may additionally find that your correction ‘goes’ at the worst time possible, and breaking down may cause even more damage to your engine. However, for many, corrective measures are the only way to, as they may find the price is far lower than preventive measures.
The importance of car maintenance
At Cpacarparts.co.uk we understand that the key to preventing mechanical problems for as long as possible is to ensure that you undertake maintenance that will lengthen the life of your car. Try following these tips to keep your car in tip top order.
- Regularly change your oil; aim for every three months,
- Check your wheels on a weekly basis, and use a proper measuring device rather than a coin; as well as this you should ensure that they are properly inflated, use a supermarket’s automated tyre pump to check the pressure before you fill them up,
- Always check your water levels, particularly in the summer,
- Try not to scrimp on petrol: buy premium and don’t let your car run low too often,
- Keep your engine coolant topped up; not ensuring that this is at a correct level can be a disaster for your car; over heating can cause catastrophic engine failure,
- Regularly clean your windscreen wipers and replace them when needed. The windscreens are an often overlooked item during car maintained; however having a windscreen wiper fly off when you’re going at 60, or not being able to see in torrential conditions can be nothing short of fatal.
- Keep your car clean – particularly you’re windscreen. This becomes ever more important if you live in a particularly dusty place, or by the sea.
So it’s decided… whilst preventative measures are far more economical in the long run, sometimes corrective maintenance has to used as somewhat of a make do. Be sure to follow our regular car maintenance tips if you want to keep your car in as good a condition as possible, for as log as possible.
Tips for looking after your car doors
So many of us spend hundreds of pounds every year on maintenance and peace of mind protection programs to look after what’s under the car bonnet every – from car servicing and repairs to breakdown cover. But frequently overlooked is that of the car door.
Now it may seem a little trivial to point out car door maintenance tips in particular, but as the only entry and exit point to your vehicle, what is the point of a well maintained engine and car mechanics if you can’t get inside, or you find them corroding away?
This article offers some tips to keep your car doors, and your wallet, in mint condition.
Frozen or jammed car locks
Car door locks are prone to a range of problems including rust, ice, failure and general deterioration.
The inside of a car door lock consists primarily of metal parts – which are each highly susceptible and vulnerable to moisture… not something you want to have to deal with at 7am before the work and school run on a Monday morning!
In the case of cold weather, if you’re lock has frozen (with or without your key in it), you have a number of options…
- Warm water
- Hair dryer
- De-icer
- Heating up the key with a lighter or matches
- Dipping of key in Vaseline before insertion into the lock (turning it back and forward a few times before removing again)
Grease in the form of WD40 (use a can with a long thin application tube) can work well too. Greasing the lock, and other key parts of your vehicle for that matter, on a weekly basis can preserve the life of your locks (and your sanity!!).
Whatever the reason for lock failure or breakage, never be too forceful – car keys can be more fragile than you think and a broken key stuck in a lock poses more problems than a plain jammed lock.
Lost, broken or stolen car keys
When you find yourself with a lost or stolen car key, and you don’t have dedicated lost car key insurance policy or a backup key in place, you will need to assess your options and gain access to your vehicle as quickly as possible.
Arranging for a replacement key through your dealership – either before or after the loss or theft - is usually an expensive option. Especially if you have an electronic SmartKey, in which case the bill could be £1k+.
The fastest, most affordable and safest option is to enlist the services of an emergency auto locksmith. In most cases, the locksmith can be with you within an hour or two and help you gain access to your car. Most are also able to cut and program spares keys in advance to prevent such an emergency happening.
Frozen windows
If you find your window is frozen to the weather strip outside of your car, do not attempt to open it! Repeated pressing of the window controls or lever can break the internal window gears altogether or leave you with a window that’s stuck open (never a good look when its ten below zero outside!!)
Instead, get out the de-icer or some warm water and be patient while it works its magic. No de-icer or kettle? Use a credit card to break the ice seal between the door and the windowpane.
Paint chips & bodywork dents
We all go the extra mile to look after our motors and prevent chips and dents… however the inevitable will always happen at some point since you can’t keep your car in cotton wool.
For paint chips, act on these as soon as possible. Over time, the steel surface will start to oxidise and dreaded rust will appear. To treat and fix the area, clean and degrease – paying particular attention to those rust spots. Apply touch up paint from your local auto hardware store and then sand or buff down. Finish with a clean and wax.
In the case of dents to the bodywork, it is recommended that you take your vehicle into a specialist for larger areas of damage. For small or medium sized dents though, try using a plunger or the hairdryer/compressed air method (easily found by searching on the internet).
About the Author: Nicholas Moores is a professional technology writer for Autokey Squad – Auto locksmith & lost car keys specialist.
What Should You Do with Lost Car Keys
Losing your car keys can be highly inconvenient, and become highly expensive. In fact, lost car keys and being locked out from your car is more expensive than your car breaking down. Many people lost their car keys repeatedly, and deal with expensive new sets of keys. But what can you do to avoid the expense of buying new sets of car keys?
The best thing to avoid the expense of car keys replacement is not losing them. But according to some people who conducted a recent survey, almost 265 drivers have experienced lost car keys. According to Lloyds TBS Car Insurance research, 1 in 20 drivers who have lost their car keys are victim of key theft.
In those people who have lost their car keys, 1 out of 5 has misplaced their keys at work, 15% lost their car keys in a shopping trip, and 13% lost their keys while visiting their friends’ and relatives’ place. Among those drivers with stolen car keys, 195 of them were taken from their bags, and 2 out of 10 were swiped from the inside of their car.
In case, you have lost you car keys and even after searching everywhere you cannot find it, you might need to call your car dealer. However, the disadvantage of calling your car dealer to replace your lost car keys is the cost. Replacing your lost car key can be pretty expensive, and it also takes time. You may be forced to leave your care on your garage for up two weeks.
On the other hand, if you call auto locksmith professionals, you can be sure that you can enter your car quickly. Auto locksmith professionals can arrive at your place or wherever you are after calling them. Just in case you are in this situation, just call the top auto locksmith professionals in your area to help you get back on the road in less than an hour. Auto locksmith specialist will arrive at your place fully equipped with the instruments required to open your car, to cut a new key, and recode the key based on your car model.
Probably, the best way to retrace you lost car key is to retrace the places where you have gone for the past days. But if you cannot find your car keys and you cannot live without using your vehicle, you can give an auto locksmith a call to get your car a new key. However, if you are one of those who are skeptical to dealing with auto locksmiths, you can always call your car dealer.
However, bear in mind that calling your car dealer about your lost car keys can cost you more than hiring the service of an auto locksmith professional. The towing cost and the burden of not having car insurance can add to the expense of replacing your lost car key. So, whenever you lost your car keys, all you need to do is call auto locksmith and you’ll be back on the road in less than an hour.
Learn More on www.autokeygroup.co.uk/auto-locksmith
The American Love Affair – Automobiles
American’s love their cars. They write songs about them, name them, and treat them like precious treasures. Automobiles are classified as everything from rugged work vehicles to status symbols. Cars have been a part of the American lifestyle since their invention.
Originally, cars were only available for the very wealthy. It was a sign of status long before they were produced as work vehicles. You had to have considerable funds to afford a vehicle. This was applicable for businesses as well. You had to be a successful business in order to afford vehicles. Even as vehicles were mass-produced in the beginning, it was far more common for businesses to own them than individuals.
It did not take long however, for the automobile to be manufactured so that not just the upper class and businesses could afford to purchase them. It became a sign of upper middle class, then middle class, to have a vehicle. It soon became the norm, that the type of vehicle you drove was used as a status symbol. Eventually, even people who were below the federal poverty guidelines could afford a vehicle. Automobiles became something that everyone had access to, albeit not everyone could afford to have and maintain properly.
However, the majority of people within the United States have the ability to own a vehicle and in many cases, they are necessary in order for people to be able to function. Stores are no longer located on every corner or within a few streets, in many cities public transportation is not effective enough to be able to accommodate the volume of people, or the locations that people need to access.
Recent years however, have seen a drop in the number of cars that people have, as well as the number of miles driven. At one point in time, the increase in driving was a good indication of the level of the economy. The better the economy, the more people were out on the roads, and the more miles they traveled. As the economy suffered a recession, the number of vehicles on the road dropped and the number of miles driven per person declined.
Even with declines in certain areas, America still has the largest % of the population that spends its hard earned dollars on custom modifications or additions for its vehicles. In addition, America restores more vehicles per population than any other country in the world. Even through the recent economic downturn, a vast number of American’s spent their disposable income on car care and improvement, the US has more TV shows dedicated to the automobile than any other country in the world.
Even with used car prices at their highest level ever, America is still obsessed with ensuring that the vehicles that they drive are somehow unique to those that their friends and neighbors drive. This is easily represented by America leading the way with aftermarket cell phone/mobile phone integration into vehicles.
With the economy strengthening month after month, 2014 is shaping up to be a great year for new car sales, with many companies reporting the 4th quarter of 2013 as the strongest in years. This will see a greater number of used vehicles being traded in or sold privately and this is great news for the market in general.
If you are in the Charlotte NC area and you are interested in a late model used vehicle, please give Ride Now Motors a thought. View our inventory at: Used Car Charlotte NC
Getting Car Insurance for Your Used Car
OK, so you've bought a used car using Carcraft or another service, and now you need to get insurance for it. First things first, make sure that you don't drive your new purchase away until you are insured. Do so and, if caught, you could get yourself into some serious trouble.
Of course, getting the best price will also be important, and there are several things that you can do in order to achieve this. First up, however, make sure that you look at what policy you'll be getting. When doing so consider the cars value and how much it might cost for simple repairs. Fully comprehensive policies will cover you against damage to your vehicle, so if the car is worth a lot of money, this might be important. If it's a cheaper model, however, you can probably opt for a more basic policy instead.
Once you have determined what type of policy you're after, start searching around and comparing prices. You should gather a host of quotes from comparison sites and by going direct, and then spend some time comparing them. Remember that you are not only looking for price her, but the rating of the company, how good their customer service is, how quickly they handle claims and make payouts, and so on. Consider all of these factors and more when conducting your comparison.
If you need to, talk to the insurers in order to find out how best to lower your premiums. The better they know you, the easier it will be for you to find ways of lowering your rates. Your age will always play its part, as will your location, the car you buy, and so on. However, other factors such as how much mileage you get, what security features you have installed in your car, and how large your deducible is, will all play their part as well.
When it comes to setting your deductible, be sure to consider a couple of things. First of all, be aware that you could save 20% or more per month if you raise your deductible significantly. These sorts of savings can really add up over the year. On the other hands, however, it is important for you to ensure that you can actually afford to cover the deductible should you ever need to. Your insurer will not step in to handle your claim until you pay it, so if you set it too high, this can be financially debilitating. As such, it's important that you try to find the right balance between setting it high to save money on your premiums, and keeping it low enough so that you can afford to pay it should you need to.
If you already have insurance for your home you may also want to see if you can bundle things together. If you have already developed a relationship with an insurance firm, adding car insurance to your package will help you find cheaper rates, while sticking with the company you know and trust.
If you use these simple tips above you should have no trouble finding suitable insurance for the used car you buy via Carcraft.