How To Clean Your Car Bodywork, Properly

by Mark Stephens

As well as spoiling the look of your car, dirty bodywork also reduces the value of your car. Chemicals in rain and corrosive winter salt mixed with extremes of temperatures really test the paintwork of your pride and joy.

The grime has to be shifted if you don't want to have problems down the line when you want to sell your car.

It's also good practice to wash your car as it gives you a chance to take a look at the bodywork and see if you have accumulated any chips or dings that need attention. You can also look at wheels, tyres, etc and make sure that they are in good order as well. So apart from treating your paint work to the wash that it needs, a bucket and sponge is a great opportunity for a quick check-up.

In order to get off to a good start you need to make sure you have some basic kit.

A hose (providing you aren't breaking any hose-pipe bans in the UK), a good bucket (with no grit inside it; give it a good wash out beforehand), a clean sponge, chamois leather and a squeegee blade (Turtle make one that Halford’s sell).

When you are buying a chamois leather a good indicator of its quality is a strong smell of fish oil. Don't bother with the synthetic cloths - they just aren't as good - if they were, real chamois wouldn't exist anymore!

The first step is to hose the car and shift the heavy mud or grime - if it's on there badly just let the water soak for 10 mins. Use a good car wash formula (your local Halfords will have some good deals - pick a good name like Turtle or Simoniz).

Starts with the suds at the top of the car and work down, doing one side at a time (and rinsing with water in-between) this will prevent streaking and difficult to remove marks.

Repeat this for the other side. Rinse again and squeegee off the excess water. Finally finish with the leather to get a squeaky clean finish to the body.

Brought to you by Mark Asset Tags. Co written by Imogen Thomas Sponsored by Low Rate Credit Card

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Driving And Yawning: Not Good

by Kevin Anderson

You can be driving while you are drowsy. And when you are drowsy, your concentration could get quite lessened. You would be yawning and you just feel like you would like to rest. For some people, they could even be driving while asleep with their eyes open, and thus the phrase falling asleep behind the wheel. This kind of situation could lead to accidents.

Fatigue and drowsiness is considered and counted as one of the major factors in crashes. It goes along with driving with excess speed, driving while on alcohol and drugs, as well as driving while ignoring other vehicles’ right of way. Other major factors of crashes include tailgating, improper passing, improper driving to the left of the center, and reckless driving.

So how do you know when you are drowsy and you have fatigue? One sure sign is that you are yawning a lot. You have trouble keeping your eyes open. Also, you are not able to concentrate much on the road ahead. Sometimes, you do not even remember what happened during the last few seconds or even the last few minutes. You may find yourself in crashes if you notice that you are jerking your head or your body because you already are in the brink of falling asleep. And the worst part of fatigue and drowsiness is that your car starts to wander off from the road or starts to cross into other lanes.

When you start to feel these signs, it would be best if you started to slow down. Then, make sure that you pull off in a place where there is a safe parking space. You can call your home if you want to so that other people may come and get you there or if someone is expecting you, inform them that you may be most probably be late or would not be able to make it for that day.

If you have a passenger, try talking to him or her. That should keep you awake. You can also opt to turn on the radio to a station that plays music that would keep you awake. Sing if you can. If you simply cannot just take it, make a pit stop. Go get a soda or some coffee first before you start out back again.

These tips are given and shared so as to help out in preserving and saving lives. Volvo Parts and Used Volvo Parts is also aimed at helping out in preserving lives through its updated stock of Volvo parts like Volvo 850 parts. Their website has all the Volvo parts you may need to keep your vehicle working fine and keeping you safe from accidents.

As a former news correspondents for an auto-related websites, Kevin has gathered extensive knowledge and experience in the automotive inddustry. This 34 year old father of three from Pennsylvania is a genuine car lover.

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The Modern Day Car: A Sophisticated High Tech Gadget

by Anil

Little did Mr. Ford know that the little black buggy he was making back in the early 90’s would a 100 years later be as sophisticated as the cars of today. Modern day cars are extremely complicated and high tech with some having the computing power greater than the first space shuttle which carried Neil Armstrong to the Moon! Cars today incorporate the latest in silicon technology and it’s the advent of Information Technology which has really given the automobile industry a giant technological leap. As computer chips become cheaper car manufacturers find news ways of integrating them into various functions of the car. Some of the primary technological advancements which have been made in car technology over the past few years are: on board chips in MPFI cars for controlling fuel supply and combustion, safety technologies like airbags, anti lock brakes and seat belt pre tensioners, high tech CVT transmissions, navigation through GPS systems, radar gun scanners, key less entry & theft protection systems & many more.

Some of the most recent technologies which have been introduced include Mercedes active safety technologies which sense when the car is about to have a crash and automatically rolls up the windows tightens the seat belts and inflates the seat cushions to protect the occupants. Then there are automatic headlights which turn on themselves when it gets dark and wipers which turn on automatically when it starts to rain. The list just goes on with seat back massagers, tv and dvd entertainment systems, in car refrigerators, telephone, laptop, sunroofs, heated seats & much much more. There are more gadgets in a car today than there were in an house in the 70’s. Even drivability and handling of a car is controlled by computers, many cars have active air suspensions, traction control systems and active four wheel drive systems.

So when we buy a car today is it just a mode of transport which we are buying? Not really, it’s a mobile relaxation spa for some, a mobile office for others or simply a lifestyle accessory for the rich. One thing is clear, technology is never constant and will continue to amaze us with faster, more sexy and more advanced cars in the future lets keep our eyes on the road.

Anil Tandon is a reputed automotive journalist based in India. Anil has written columns for numerous Indian dailies and auto magazines. He is currently working as a consultant to the Indian automotive industry. Anil is also involved with India’s Leading Auto Classifieds Site Indimoto.com http://www.indimoto.com which is also India’s First Carpool Site.

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Anti-Theft Devices For Vehicles

by Kenneth McKinley

Cars are expensive. That is why people do try to go out of their way to keep their vehicle safe, secure, and free from thieves and robbers. It is a good thing that some people have been able to create and design anti-theft devices. For most people, these devices are considered as blessings to those protecting their vehicles.

If you are interested in purchasing an anti-theft device for your vehicle, you should first take into consideration where you park your car. You see, if you are parking it somewhere far from where you are staying, even if the alarm goes off, you would not be able to hear it. Also, you would have to consider if people would be willing to rush towards your car or would they simply be ignoring it.

You can try to give thieves the feeling that they could not take your car. You can discourage them with the use of indicator lights. You can also use window decals which costs around $2 to $5. Or, for $80 to $200, you can purchase and use large and heavy-gauge steel objects like steering wheel locks or tire locks. Through this, you are telling thieves to stay off for they would have to put up a hard and tiring fight before they can get their hands on your car.

Look through various anti-theft devices. Remember that seasoned thieves can actually go through complication devices in around a minute or two only. Some anti-theft devices you can usually purchase in the market include audible alarms, a concierge system, cellular alarms that notify the police, locking steering wheel covers, locking steering wheel column covers, locking steering wheel bars, electronic immobilizers, engine system locks, fuel-system locks, tracking devices, and delay devices.

While looking for anti-theft devices for your vehicle, you can also try to locate good and quality auto parts for your vehicles. You can try Volvo Parts and Used Volvo Parts which includes Volvo 160 parts in their stock. Aside from that, the store also has engine parts, brakes, and accessories in store for customers.

Kenneth McKinley is a 35-year old marketing specialist of voparts.com, a leading Volvo parts dealer in the country today. Working in the car parts industry for a long time now and being a car enthusiast himself gives him a wealth of knowledge on anything automotive.

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How To Avoid Speeding Tickets

by Tom Bailey

Speeding tickets could cost you much money and additional points on your record. That is why it is encouraged that you do try to keep your speed within the limit. This not only decreases your chances of getting pulled over by a traffic enforcer. This also helps you out in decreasing your chances of meeting accidents, crashes, or collisions that could be the result of driving beyond the given speed.

You should first learn the three types of speed limits which are the absolute, the presumed, and the basic. The absolute speed limit means that if you drive a mile over the posted limit, you are speed. If you can legally exceed the posted limit as long as you drive safely pertains to the presumed speed limit law. As per the basic limit, it actually allows you and other drivers to drive only as fast as conditions allow, no matter what the limit is posted.

You should also be cautious for you should always be on the alert. You should also be able to note that all states have a basic speed limit. Study your state laws. You see, in California, Arizona, Colorado, and Connecticut, the speed limits are absolute either on highways and everywhere else.

In general, the most basic thing to keep in mind is that you should always drive at or below the posted limit on interstates and state highways. This is generally just to be on the safe side.

Here are the speed limits in the states in the US:
Alabama – 70, Alaska – 65, Arizona – 75, Arkansas – 70, California – 70, Colorado – 75, Connecticut – 65, Delaware – 65, District of Columbia – 50, Florida – 70, Georgia – 70, Hawaii – 60, Idaho – 75, Illinois – 65, Indiana – 70, Iowa – 70, Kansas – 70, Kentucky – 65, Louisiana – 70, Maine – 65, Maryland – 65, Massachusetts – 65, Michigan – 70, Minnesota – 70, Mississippi – 70, Missouri – 70, Montana – 75, Nebraska – 75, Nevada – 75, New Hampshire – 65, New Jersey – 65, New Mexico – 75, New York – 65, North Carolina – 70, North Dakota – 75, Ohio – 65, Oklahoma – 75, Oregon – 65, Pennsylvania – 65, Rhode Island – 65, South Carolina – 70, South Dakota – 75, Tennessee – 70, Texas – 70, Utah – 75, Vermont – 65, Virginia – 65, Washington – 70, West Virginia – 70, Wisconsin – 65, and Wyoming – 75.

For your Mercedes Benz accessories and Mercedes Benz interior parts needs, you can simply visit Same Day Car Parts. From this site, you can actually access a wide collection of parts for Mercedes Benz vehicles and parts for other vehicle makes and models as well.

Tom Bailey is a consultant for one of the country’s leading auto parts stores. He is also an editor of a reputable publishing company in his area. He is currently based in Atlantic City, New Jersey with his wife and 3 children.

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Don’t Crash The Car, Well Even If You Do The Car Will Save You

by Anil

Have you been drinking and driving? Or perhaps chatting on your mobile while driving? If you are a little careless while you drive and are prone to having a bump here and there you are better off getting your hands on a new set of wheels with active safety technologies. Car manufacturers such as Mercedes are incorporating space age technology into their cars to save lives or rather save us from crashing our buggies when we are simply too careless with our own lives. This might sound science fiction to you but these are some of the technologies Mercedes’s latest S Class has:

Auto cruise control warns you if you are getting too close to the car in front and if you don’t react it applies brakes on its own to maintain a safe driving distance.

Traction control sense when you steer too sharply or lose traction in the wet and cuts engine power and limits the power individually to each wheel to bring you back on track.

Anti Lock Braking System, this has been around for quite some time now. ABS helps in achieving best possible braking performance, it prevent jamming of the wheel which results in skids and loss of vehicle control. The computer senses when the wheels are about to lock and releases the brakes momentarily and then applies them again.

Airbags, as many as 8 airbags protect you in the unlikely event of a crash. Airbags exist for all passengers and are inflated in milliseconds when the care ‘senses’ a crash. Airbags can protect the occupant even at 100mph crashes.

Space Age Safety Technology

Now this is the most impressive of them all, the Mercedes S Class can sense when the car is going to meet with a crash using its 360 degree radar and braces for impact. It rolls up windows if they are down, inflates the seat cushions to protect occupants and lowers the steering to save the driver from chest injuries and lowers pedals to prevent foot injuries.

Now that’s some technology, all to save our lives when we loose control. Maybe if Diana was riding this S Class she would have been amongst us. So lets not crash it, for if you do the car will save you but repairing the high tech car will burn your pockets for technology doesn’t come cheap. The fully loaded Mercedes S500 with all the safety features retails at over $125,000!

Anil Tandon is a reputed automotive journalist based in India. Anil has written columns for numerous Indian dailies and auto magazines. He is currently working as a consultant to the Indian automotive industry. Anil is also involved with India’s Leading Auto Classifieds Site Indimoto.com http://www.indimoto.com which is also India’s First Carpool Site.

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How To Clean Your Car Bodywork, Properly

by Mark Stephens

As well as spoiling the look of your car, dirty bodywork also reduces the value of your car. Chemicals in rain and corrosive winter salt mixed with extremes of temperatures really test the paintwork of your pride and joy.

The grime has to be shifted if you don't want to have problems down the line when you want to sell your car.

It's also good practice to wash your car as it gives you a chance to take a look at the bodywork and see if you have accumulated any chips or dings that need attention. You can also look at wheels, tyres, etc and make sure that they are in good order as well. So apart from treating your paint work to the wash that it needs, a bucket and sponge is a great opportunity for a quick check-up.

In order to get off to a good start you need to make sure you have some basic kit.

A hose (providing you aren't breaking any hose-pipe bans in the UK), a good bucket (with no grit inside it; give it a good wash out beforehand), a clean sponge, chamois leather and a squeegee blade (Turtle make one that Halford’s sell).

When you are buying a chamois leather a good indicator of its quality is a strong smell of fish oil. Don't bother with the synthetic cloths - they just aren't as good - if they were, real chamois wouldn't exist anymore!

The first step is to hose the car and shift the heavy mud or grime - if it's on there badly just let the water soak for 10 mins. Use a good car wash formula (your local Halfords will have some good deals - pick a good name like Turtle or Simoniz).

Starts with the suds at the top of the car and work down, doing one side at a time (and rinsing with water in-between) this will prevent streaking and difficult to remove marks.

Repeat this for the other side. Rinse again and squeegee off the excess water. Finally finish with the leather to get a squeaky clean finish to the body.

Brought to you by Mark Asset Tags. Co written by Imogen Thomas Sponsored by Low Rate Credit Card

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Pontiac Solstice: Edmunds.com’s Most Significant Vehicle of the Year

by Joe Ratzkin

The Pontiac Solstice has bagged an award just recently. It was named the Most Significant Vehicle of the Year for 2006. This award was given by Edmunds.com. Edmunds.com is one of the premier online resources for information about autos and vehicles and other things related to the automotive industry. This award is also part of the fifth annual Edmunds.com Consumers’ Most Wanted vehicle awards.

Last November, the Pontiac Solstice already received the same award. Now this time around, when the consumers judged vehicles, it again bagged that same title. This exemplary vehicle has gained and took almost half of the consumers’ votes. It was followed by the Honda Civic, and the Chevrolet Corvette.

According to Karl Brauer, the editor in chief of Edmunds.com, “It’s always interesting to tap into the minds of consumers. These annual awards provide insight into consumers’ collective impressions while the Edmunds.com Forums and our social networking web site CarSpace give glimpses into individual opinions every day of the year.” Brauer also added, “The domestic automakers made some real traction this year among the consumers who voted. Domestic vehicles won twice as many awards as they did last year – a good sign for Chrysler, Ford, and GM.”

The Pontiac Solstice is a creation of General Motors and has been in production starting this year. It is a sports car and holds only one body style – a roadster that holds two doors. It has been built using the FR Kappa platform and its power comes from a 2.4 liter Ecotec I4 engine. Its competitors include the Nissan 350Z, the Honda S2000, the Mazda MX-5, and the Chrysler Crossfire. This vehicle has been designed by Wayne Cherry.

For all your needs for Pontiac parts, you can browse through one of the largest Pontiac parts and GM parts suppliers in the US which is Car Parts Rush. You can search online for the latest Pontiac parts, accessories and products at this store and you are certainly on your way to satisfying your Pontiac car parts needs.
Joe Ratzkin is an avid fan of anything automotive. This 34-year old bachelor wanted to be a mechanic when he was a kid but changed his mind and became a freelance writer and researcher instead. He is currently based in Chicago, Illinois.

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The Search For That Elusive Classic Car

by Sarah McBride

There are some people who do love to collect cars especially those classics. One of the more famous celebrities who do own a great deal of vehicles – classic or not – is Jay Leno and he has around hundreds of these vehicles in his garage, or collection. You, too, can have and start your own collection of vehicles if you do have that much money to spare. After all, you would want to have a vehicle in your collection that not only looks good but also performs and runs well too.

Classic cars are one of the most famous units that are included in car collections. If you would like to have a classic car, it is best if you know how to choose a classic that is worth buying. Knowledge could be taken from a value guide which you can buy in auto stores and some book stores. These value guides actually provide you in clear terms what various cars in various conditions are really worth. You see, two models which are similar could be worth different values.

While looking at a possible buy, consider the condition of the vehicle. Generally, these cars are rated with the scale of 1 to 5. 1 is the best condition and is includes vehicles that are the ideal car show entrants. Those that are in condition 2 could be those at car shows. As per conditions 3 and 4, they are mostly those that are constantly pampered and taken cared of. A car in condition 5 may not be drivable at all. It is important that you know these terms.

Remember that the more original parts that your vehicle has, the higher the price it will be. If the car has gone through customization like paint, carpet, wheels, engines, and grilles, the value of that car is much less compared to a car of the same model which has not yet felt any kind of customization. Rarity is also to be considered. Another factor is the color of the vehicle. You see, a red Ferrari would always sell higher compared to a brown Ferrari. So think about that.

Auto Parts Deal comes in when you do need to replace some parts of your vehicle. The store holds various auto parts like tailgates, fog lights and spoilers available at its online store.

As a manager of one of the largest auto store in Springfield,Massachussets, Sarah has extensive expertise on auto parts and automotives in general. This 42 year old is a certified car enthusiast.

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Alonso and Schumi battle it out in Barcelona

[Sunday, Formula One Spanish GP] Alonso delights the home crowd as he beats Schumacher by 18.5 seconds after dominating the race from start to finish.

Alonso took pole at 1:14.648, and Schumacher trailed in third with just over 3 tenths of a second behind.

Next up - Monaco, Monte Carlo. 28 May.

Buying Your European Car

by Jenny McLane

Sometimes, just as luck would have it, the vehicle and the dream machine that you are looking for is entirely perfect. Except for one thing: you can only buy it in Europe. Of course, to do that, you still would have to import it back to the United States. And doing such an act could be quite complicated.

Now, before important a European vehicle, try to ask first the Department of Motor Vehicles about any specific requirements. These requirements could include emissions, temporary plates, and special documentation from customs. Also, it would help if you made sure that the sales contract you have verifies that the car has been built so as to match vehicle standards in the US. This manufacturer’s certification label could be actually found attached to the vehicle near the driver’s door.

Traveling your car to the US would require you to first clean it with any kind of foreign soil. The reason for this is that the U.S. Department of Agriculture would like to keep any harmful pests away from US soil.

Upon arriving at customs, show them the shipper’s original bill of lading, your bill of sale, foreign registration, and other needed documents. You also would have to complete the EPA Form 3520-1 and the DOT Form HS-7.

In a nutshell, if you are buying or thinking of importing a European vehicle, you should keep in mind that the vehicle must comply with the requirements of the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). If they do not comply, they must be modified. You should also see if the vehicle complies with the vehicle standards in the United States. It should also have a thorough cleaning. You should also have a title and bill of sale. These pieces of information are actually proof that you do own the vehicle. Make sure that you do have a foreign registration as well as other vehicle documents. Do not forget to fill out the EPA and the DOT forms.

If you are worrying though about finding parts for your vehicle, there are auto parts stores that offer such products. Auto Parts Online is one of those and it offers parts for foreign-manufactured vehicles like Kia parts.

Jenny McLane is a 36 year old native of Iowa and has a knack for research on cars and anything and everything about it. She works full time as a Market Analyst for one of the leading car parts suppliers in the country today.

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GPS Vehicle Tracking - A Guide To The Tools Available

by Steve Armstrong

GPS – What does it stand for?

Global Positioning System – Now, it is mainly used for navigation, both terrestrial and marine. Initially it was used by the U.S. military for locating and identifying friends as well as foes. The system uses military and commercial satellites for tracking anything that moves and has an emitter with or on it. Error margins, for GPS, are nowadays within 100 meters, and this can be narrowed down by using differential base stations (DBS). However, they are hard to use since their range is quite limited.

A new substitute for the American satellites will be the Galileo Satellite System, developed and realized in Europe. The first satellite, called Glove, was launched in late 2005 from Baikonur, Russian Federation.

GPS – What can I do with it?

Here are just a few of this wonderful piece of equipment. For instance, if you get lost, your GPS unit can pinpoint you your current position, or, it can make a breeze from an awful task such as planning a trip. However, its main uses are in vehicle tracking. Most trucking companies have GPS units on all of their trucks. This way it is very easy to finding out where a trucker has been to, or where he currently is. Since the first GPS units were installed on trucks and cars, specialized companies and sites appeared.


Lets look at a two GPS units and their characteristics.

Garmin StreetPilot 2730

This is one of the latest products available on the market. Its producer presents it as being a “great utility, even when drivers know exactly where they are.” Some of its features include access to the XM NavTraffic (a data-traffic information service, based on low orbit satellites, covering all of the USA), allowing it to suggest faster routes, before traffic-jam. The navigation map on StreetPilot 2730, graphically represents any incident affecting the road, including man-made, like road-construction, or accidents. Weather forecasts are also shown on the GPS unit, for as many as 162 cities. The StreetPilot 2730, also reads MP3s, and the music can be sent to the car’s stereo through its stereo jack or through a FM transmitter. The unit is equipped with an antenna, Garmin GXM 30, which can be placed on the roof of the car, or on the dashboard. It is waterproof and has a magnetic end, for easier placement.

Initial GD-70X

This “little” gizmo has a 7” color LCD, the obvious GPS navigational system, as well as a DVD player, thus making it ideal for family vacations. It can pinpoint your location on the map, as well as playback your favorite movie or tracks. It has a set of maps which includes both Canada ant the US. Its map database includes over two million points of interest and it has a 250MB internal memory, large enough for downloading maps and POIs. An interesting feature are the voice directions, which will help you focus on the road, an still know where you are, and what kind of conditions you are facing out there. Also, it includes a day/night mode, making it easier to read according to the time of use. The incorporated CD/DVD player can keep the passengers entertained as well, and if you don’t have a car stereo (who doesn’t), you can always listen to its built-in stereo speakers.

These are just two of the many products on the market that can help you with GPS vehicle tracking.

Steve Armstrong produces www.gps-vehicle-tracking-pa.com which is full of information on GPS vehicle tracking

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Grand Prix

The Formula One series continues ...

I'm no longer a wanted man.

Good news. After more than a week, and over a dozen requests – blogger.com has responded and my Motorsport Madness blog has been reviewed, verified, and cleared it and it will no longer appear as potential spam. Hoorahh! Hmmm, seems I’m not a fugitive now :-).

We live and learn. Thanks Blogger :-),
-Liam Sand

Welcome to my spam-blog!

It would seem that my Motorsport Madness blog is considered a “spam blog” by blogger.com, and I can’t get them to review my site or respond to me. Now I’ve see many spam blogs on blogger.com or blogspot.com (whatever you prefer), and I find them COS THEY’RE ROTATING THEM TO YOU IN THEIR SYSTEM, but alas, I’m not rotating in the system and can’t seem to get there – cos I’m considered a spam blogger.

Real Spam Bloggers on Blogger.com

It makes me wonder how they found me, because there’s plenty on real spam bloggers on blogger.com (or blogspot.com, if you like) and they’re obviously so. But me? I’m just a little guy with hardly any posts or activity, what made me flag them. Well it appears that it’s because I have several links back to the same site (sounds like a forum would be “spam forum”, … spamfortium … whathaveyou). So that’s how the spam-bloggers don’t get caught, they have their spam-site with all the links (nothing but links) to many (very many) diverse (many) sites, and that doesn’t flag the system.

Yes I use some articles from a select few sites, not because I support them or am affiliated with them or anything, but because I liked their articles, and they let me use them. Thanks ArticleCube.

I Finally looked into it

This took me quite some time to figure out too. It’s not like blogger.com informed me that I’d been flagged as spam-blogging. No! After a few months of having to deal with verifying my posts, I finally looked into it. First I checked my settings – for a long time I though it was something that I set it to do. But after getting annoyed by it, and I can’t used MS Word to post because of the picture verification, I found it was this “spam-blog” thing. Well that’s just great, I wondered why I wasn’t getting the traffic I once had, and here I was doing more work on my Motorsport Madness blog, and it was getting me nowhere.

I say as Graham Chapman epeatedly said, "I don’t like Spam!"

Running better now

Just to keep you alerted ... After 2 weeks, the satellite receiver is back online. But alas, the coverage I was anticipating is over :(

But there's more to come :-), so stay tuned, and so will I.

So you see, I’ve been ...

Busy with other things… or was it that my satellite service died on 1 April? I think both! That did mess things up with me keeping up on the Formula One Grand Prix as I wanted to, and thus keep you all informed on the events thereof. It was just over three hours before the start of the Australian GP in Melbourne, and boom, satellite be gone :-( , that sort of hinders my coverage doesn't it?

I would be good to know what interests YOU regarding Motorsport, as there are many angles you can approach it from. You see Drifting is catching on in the states in recent years, though it’s been around about 20 years. But then again, most people in the U.S. don’t know anything beyond NASCAR and INDY, *what’s WRC ?!?*. Unless you’re really into Motorsport and pursue it, there’s a whole universe that’s unknown to you.

I’m not knocking NASCAR, I think NASCAR has been the greatest thing to help the advancement of other Motorsports, in the areas of interest and media coverage. NASCAR coverage has raised the standard for Motorsports coverage, though I’ve seen higher technology coverage used in WRC, NASCAR has raised a form of Motorsport (even if it is roundy-round) to where the common folk actually enjoy watching it. Now if you could just get the NASCAR coverage that Canada has into the States, it would be much better for the fans. Odd isn't it, that Canada gets better coverage than the country that hosts NASCAR. With constant in-car cameras on separate channels…, while there still isn’t a NASCAR race in Canada. What’s up with that?!?

So if you’re not up on the multifaceted world of Motorsport, and you’re finding your way in, you’ll find a lot of changes taking place. Major F1 rules changes this year. There’s been a lot of deaths in Motorsport this year, I plan to have future articles on these and many more recent changes.

Stay tuned, tell your friends, tell me what you like, keep your eyes on the road, and your hands on the wheel.
Keep the Faith! Cheers. -Liam

Getting a Fair Price For Your Vintage Parts

by Dave Carter

Vintage car restoration could be described more accurately as a passion than a simple hobby – little beats the thrill you get after hunting down and fitting that special car part. But passion or no, restoration can be a costly pastime, as sellers understandably try to take advantage of your enthusiasm and get the best price for the part you want so badly. There’s no denying that the right vintage car part is worth a lot to you, but don’t get ripped off. Here are a few tips to help you get a fair price for the part you need.

Before you make that trip to the wrecking yard or vintage parts dealer, be sure to do your research. Check online to see what the going rate for similar parts are. Find out how difficult the part you’re looking for really is and be prepared to pay a little more for rarer pieces.

Try to find a reputable salvage yard or dealer and ask them what their pricing structure is. While you might be better choosing a seller with a formalized pricing plan – some dealers value parts at a percentage of what a new part would cost, for example, while others have a set price for the same part from any car – those who are willing to barter might ultimately offer you the chance to make fantastic finds. Compare a number of parts sources if you can, to try to ascertain where you might get the best deal.

When a price structure is not in place, remember not to give away too much – your obvious enthusiasm for a particular car part might just jack up the price. Express your interest in the part you want, but don’t act as though your life depends upon it: car part shopping can be a treacherous game! The dealer will obviously try to get as much as he can for the part you are after, so bid low, and go up only reluctantly. Play your cards close to your chest, and don’t give away anything that might suggest you are willing or able to pay more – leave the expensive watch at home!

When you finally agree on a price, be sure you know what you are paying for. Is the casing and so on included? Some yards will charge an extra fee for removal of a part that is still in a car, so ask if you can remove the item yourself. Unless the part is deeply embedded in the existing car’s structure, this could save you quite a bit of money, but if the job is complicated you might be best having it removed for you. Saving money pales when personal injury is a real risk! Have fun bargaining, but remember to stay safe.

Dave is the owner of http://car-body-parts.info a website providing information on car parts.

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The Renowned BMW 325i

by Terry Brown

The BMW 325i is a part of the BMW 3 Series. The BMW 3 Series is a line of sports sedans that have been crafted to be midsize. This line of sports sedans has been continuously manufactured since May of 1975. This line actually replaced the BMW 2002 coupe. It held a greater portion of the styling of that vehicle model yet it held more power like a much more power capacitated 2.0 liter engine that could produce some 110 units of horsepower.

Take a ride inside the BMW 325i and one would find that there is a wonderful inside it. The style is avant-garde. Yet everything is smooth and flowing and has ergonomics. The controls have been specially mounted and crafted that the effect becomes a simple and straightforward control panel. One would notice that, indeed, these have been crafted from quality materials. The sports seats have been known to be very supportive. They also contain side bolsters that could be adjustable. If you are concerned about safety, you could say that BMW is also concerned about that. That is why the company made sure that the BMW 325i has given the vehicle standard safety features like the electronic traction and stability control system, front side air bags, and full length head curtain air bags. The main bodyshell has been crafted to be much stiffer than before.

The present version of the BMW 325i holds a 3.0 liter dual overhead cam (DOHC) engine with 24 inline valves and six cylinders. It is made from composite magnesium and aluminum. Other features of the vehicle include a six speed manual transmission system, extensive aluminum componentry, double pivot type front suspension systems with dual forged aluminum lower arms, an engine speed sensitive variable assist power steering, 16 inch double spoke light alloy wheels, a flat tire warning indicator, halogen high and low beam headlights, heated dual power mirrors, front seatback storage nets, auxiliary audio input for portable music players, and a six disc CD/MP3 changer among many others.

With all the changes and additional technology upgrades there are in the automotive industry, Auto Parts Informationstands by its commitment of delivering excellently engineered BMW parts, performance parts, replacement auto parts, and accessories that would certainly go well with BMW’s efforts of sustaining production of powerful and performance-driven vehicles. Interested parties may simply browse through Auto Parts Information’s website for all of their BMW auto parts needs and from there, they could easily access the online store’s stock of high quality and well crafted BMW accessories and auto parts like bumpers, carpets, door handles, hoods, sound deadeners, spoilers, tail lights, towing mirrors, and wheel covers among many others. Auto Parts Information adheres to rigid tests for utmost quality control and sees to it that their BMW parts do not bring down the performance of BMW vehicles.

Terry Brown is a 32 year old from Houston Texas, and an enthusiast for anything auto-related. He currently writes auto-related articles for several publications.

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Motorcycle vs. Car - Myth or Madness

by Landon Prescott

Motorcycle riders often get an unjustified reputation as being reckless, risk takers, and that they generally disobey traffic laws. This perception is unfounded and there are many statistics that back up the fact that most motorcycle accidents are not the fault of the motorcycle rider, but that of another driver.

A major study conducted by the University of Southern California (USC) found that approximately three-fourths of motorcycle accidents involved a collision with another vehicle, usually a passenger automobile. It was also found that in the multiple vehicle accidents, the driver of the other vehicle violated the motorcycle right-of-way and caused the accident in two-thirds of those accidents. Further the study by USC found that the failure of motorists to detect and recognize motorcycles in traffic is the predominating cause of motorcycle accidents. The driver of the other vehicle involved in collision with the motorcycle did not see the motorcycle before the collision, or did not see the motorcycle until too late to avoid the collision.

These findings go to show that the motorcycle rider has unjustly received a bad reputation from the general public as well as from insurance companies that cover motorcycle riders. Motorcycles are inherently prone to accidents caused by other drivers because of their small size. Motorcycles easily fit into the blind spot of typical passenger automobiles. The truth is that most motorcycle riders are very good drivers and keep an eye out for motorists who do not see them. This awareness of other drivers however does not prevent all accidents.

When accidents such as these happen, the insurance company of the driver who is at fault will go to great lengths to keep from giving the motorcycle rider the money he or she deserves. Insurance companies will frequently rush the victim to make a quick settlement as a way to save money. Most people in the general public are not insurance experts and do not know if they are getting a bad deal from the insurance company or not. When a check is stuck in front of them it can be quite tempting to sign.

Taking the insurance companies first offer is usually a mistake. Other times the insurance company of the other driver will try to not pay at all for the accident and resulting injuries. They often try to make it appear that the motorcycle rider was at fault in the accident. It is not hard to convince a jury of this since motorcycle riders have this unjust reputation of being less than careful.

This is why it is critically important to have a qualified and competent lawyer on your side if you find yourself the victim of a motorcycle accident. A qualified lawyer will help make sure that you get the settlement that you deserve; a settlement that will cover your medical bills as well as paying for the damage to your motorcycle. Not having a lawyer to stand up for you will cost you more than just money, it will also cause you a great deal of headaches and heartache. Trying to fight an insurance company on your own, while at the same time dealing with physical injuries can be an overwhelming task.

A qualified lawyer is the only one who will be on your side in case of an accident. A lawyer works for you and only you. The insurance company works for their shareholders and will try very hard to keep from getting you the money that you deserve.

Landon Prescott writes on topics related to insurance and health.
For over 30 years Michael H. Silvers, A Law Corporation has worked on over 10,000 cases, with a 98.6% success rate. Our California car accident attorneys specialize in handling car and motorcycle accidents, wrongful death cases, and other personal injury motor vehicle accidents. 24 offices in California. MichaelHSilvers.com

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