Save Fuel and Save Money

The best time to think about saving fuel is before buying a car. Generaly,the smaller the car the less gas it will use. And since insurance and taxes are also greater in large cars, it may be sensible to buy a small car if you care about the money. Also, among the bigger cars, some are better than others. All you have to do is relate the miles per gallon figure that comes with it. Sports cars, are the best way to get rid of your money fast, and automatic transmission vehicles are a good way of wasting a lot of it.
But thats obvious. The interesting thing is how to make a car which you already have in your garage, go further on every single gallon. As a rule, you can improve fuel efficiency by as much as 25% simply by the way you drive the car, provided that your car has a manual gearbox.
Here's what you do: Try to change the gears (up) without the engine going to high RPM - certainly not over 2.5k RPM (2500 rounds per minute). I know a lot of people extend first,second and sometimes even third gear more than that because they want to accumulate speed. This may get you to the next traffic light before the car on the other lane, but there's a price to be paid - paid with a currency called petrol.

As long as you change the gears early you're pretty much maximizing the fuel efficiency of your motorcar. One last tip: Stay away from traffic and don't crawl (using the cluctch) too much. In other words, driving in the city is wasteful where fuel is concerned.

These are the cars that use the least amount of gas (highest mileage per gallon). Figures show MPG City and Highway.

Most Fuel Efficient Overall

Honda Insight - 60 66

Most Efficient Minicompact Cars

MINI Cooper Manual(5) - 28 36
MINI Cooper Automatic(variable) - 26 34

Most Efficient Subcompact Cars

VW New Beetle (Diesel) Manual(5) - 37 44
VW New Beetle (Diesel) Automatic(6) - 35 42

Most Efficient Compact Cars

Honda Civic Hybrid Automatic(variable) - 49 51
VW Golf (Diesel) Manual(5) - 37 44

Most Efficient Midsize Cars

Toyota Prius (Hybrid) - 60 51
Hyundai Elantra 4 cyl, Manual(5) - 27 34

Most Efficient Large Cars

Hyundai Sonata 4 cyl, Manual(5) - 24 34

Hyundai Sonata 4 cyl, Automatic(4) - 24 33

Most Efficient Small Station Wagons

Pontiac Vibe 4 cyl, Manual(5) - 30 36
Toyota Matrix 4 cyl, Manual(5) - 30 36
Scion xB 4 cyl, Automatic(4) - 30 34

Most Efficient Midsize Station Wagons

Ford Focus Station Wagon 4 cyl, Manual(5) - 26 34
Ford Focus Station Wagon 4 cyl, Automatic(4) - 26 32

Dave Burton
www.bargain-motors.com

How to Choose the Battery for your Car

Replacing your car battery can save you money with attention for the proper disposal of your old one.
The car battery is the first point of power under your hood of your car. It provides electricity needed for lights,entertainment,electric windows and other car accessories.If your battery dies so does your vehicle.
Rrecycling stations and automotive supply stores give you ample oppotunities for disposal of your old battery.

There are 5 major things to consider when choosing a car battery:
1,Age
2,Cold-cranking amps
3,Size
4,Brand
5,Reserve capacity

1,Age
The age of the battery gives you an idea on how long it should be able to perform. A battery is considered ‘fresh' if it is less than 6 months old.
Look for the manufacturing date. Most date codes are stamped on the battery case or label. Important battery information usually starts with 2 characters:
Letter - indicates the month (Example: A is January; B is February; C is March...), and
Digit - indicates the year (Example: 9 for 1999, 0 for 2000, 1 for 2001...)

2,Cold-Cranking Amps:
Cold-cranking amps (CCA) measure the battery's ability to start your car even on an extremely cold weather. During freezing condition, your car will be hard to start (or to ignite) because the car's engine oil thickens and chemical reactions, in turn, slow down.
The cold-cranking amps also refer to the number of amps a battery will be able to support for 30 seconds at 0 degree temperature (until battery voltage reaches below minimum level).
Choosing a battery with a high number of CCA is better; particularly to those vehicles being driven in a cold climate. A higher cold- cranking amps assure that your car's engine will start obediently even on snowy mornings.
Car Battery - is a type of battery that can be recharged. Its main purpose is to supply electricity to a vehicle. Car battery is also referred as an SLI battery. Starting-Lighting-Ignition: to give power to the starter motor, the lights, and the ignition system of a car engine.
Cranking (starting) - also known as shallow cycle type, intended to release rapid surges of energy to start a vehicle's engine.
Obviously, you won't have to bother with much CCA if you're living in a tropical or warm climate. Since the sole purpose of your car battery is to spurt electricity to crank your car's engine and also to supply power other car's accessories.

Difference between CCA and CA
CCA (cold-cranking amps) - indicate how much electrical power the car battery can deliver to the car's starter engine, at zero degree Fahrenheit.
CA (cranking amps) - This is another measure of electric current in the battery, taken at 32 degrees Fahrenheit or at freezing point. When seen on battery case or label, the CA rating is usually higher than the CCA rating.
Tips on Choosing the Suitable Cold-Cranking Amps Rating for your Car Battery:
Check your owner's manual and follow the CCA rating specified for your car battery.
Do not choose batteries with CCA rating which is much lower or much higher to the rating recommended by your car's manufacturer, as well as those CCA rating of 200 amps or more.
If both your car's battery brand and exact CCA rating level are not available, you may choose a bit higher (not much and not lower) your car's CCA requirements.

Different Group Sizes for Different Car Models:
Size 75 - General Motors cars;
Size 65 - big-bodied Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury cars;
Size 35 - latest Honda, Nissan, and Toyota cars;
Size 34 - Chrysler cars; and
Size 34/78 - with 2 sets of terminals to fit some Chrysler and some General Motor models.

3,Size
Size or Group Size refers to the height, width and length of the battery. They come in different group sizes to fit most car's battery tray. It is important that the battery should fit snugly and securely. Always refer to your car manufacturer's manual to know your car's specific battery group size. You may also consult the reference guides, which battery retailers provide, find out the appropriate battery size for your car.
Buying a wrong-sized battery will just be a waste of money and might just set off more damage to your car.
In the States, a new car battery might cost up to $200, or more. To save money more efficiently: it is best to do a research for battery prices first before buying. Also learn to remove and to install your own car battery, to save on the installation fee.

4,Brand
Brand refers to the trademark given to a certain product. Sometimes it is the same with the manufacturer's name (i.e. Exide company produces batteries with same name).
Buying the battery brand specified in your owner's manual is the best way. But if that particular brand is too expensive and you want to do some cost-cutting, follow the specification requirement also found in the owner's manual.
Do not be tempted to buy the cheapest brand because it could turn as the most expensive battery you've ever bought. Cheap batteries may also be loaded with defects and can also be poor performers. A frequent battery change, which also entails repeated installation, will just definitely sucks up the money you've initially saved when you chose a cheap car battery.

Battery Service Centers that Install and Sell Reasonably-Priced Car Batteries:
Firestone
Goodyear
Pep Boys
Sears

4, Battery Manufacturers and their Battery Brands:
Delphi - AC Delco and some EverStart;
Exide - Champion, Exide, Napa, and some EverStart; and
Johnson Controls Industries - Diehard (Sears), Duralast (AutoZone), Interstate, Kirkland (Costco), Motorcraft (Ford), and some EverStart.


You can also buy car batteries from local service stations and tune-up shops; however, the selection is limited and the stocks may not be fresh.
Battery Stores that Sell Very Low-Priced Car Batteries but sometimes No-Install:

Kmart
Target
Trak Auto
Wal-Mart
Sam's Club

5,Reserve capacity rating (RC) refers to the battery's ‘standing power'. This is the amount of minutes the battery can continuously supply minimum voltage needed to run a car should the car's alternator or fan belt fail. With an excellent reserve capacity rating, your car can run on the battery alone when the alternator stops working.
The RC rating of a battery is listed in minutes. You may not find the RC rating on the battery because it is not usually printed on the label. Check the product literature or ask the store assistant to find out the true RC rating of a particular battery.
The longer the operating time of the battery' reserve capacity, the better; because this is the one quality of the battery that could save you from getting stranded. Consider the RC rating as your car's emergency kit. In times of unexpected trouble, you can still run to safety instead of getting stuck somewhere.

IMPORTANT: You cannot just pick and buy a battery with the longest reserve capacity you can find. Consult your owner's manual to learn the recommended reserve capacity rating for your particular car model. It is best practice to choose the exact RC rating that your vehicle can handle.

If you see this date code on a battery ‘L8', which means December 2008, grab this battery because it is really fresh. (It's only 4 months old, if you're buying this April 2009.)

More Tips on Car Batteries:
Warranty-covered cars and trucks - If your battery is covered by your vehicle warranty, go to your car dealer to claim some discounts. You must check thoroughly that everything is in order before buying though. Otherwise, the discount you got will be paid for purchase and re-installation fee of replacement battery.
Older models of cars and vehicles which should be beyond their warranties must go to any service centers which could cater to all your battery needs at reasonable prices. If you have no choice but go to your car dealer, prepare a higher budget for your new automotive battery because these services tend to be more expensive.
Do not install used batteries. It will be extremely dangerous.
When your car coughed during start-up, pull over to a garage and ask a mechanic to ‘load' your battery. It should be able to hold a charge properly.
At first sign of battery trouble, start scouting around for a new car battery. You won't get a good buy when you're stranded with a dead car battery.
A new car will normally need a battery change after more than 3 years.
If your battery's the unsealed type, you must add water to avoid drying up. Here's how to put water in the battery: twist open the cap and top up with distilled water. This will give your battery a longer life.
Put back the battery hold properly to secure the car battery on its tray, if your car has one.
Car batteries are NOT ‘maintenance free'. You must check the battery regularly. Keep the terminals, cables, and connectors clean and free from corrosion. Here's how to clean the battery: use a wire brush and baking soda/water mixture to scrub away the growth of whitish, greenish, and bluish stuff on the battery terminals.
Check the battery connections. Make sure that the cables and posts are well connected. To keep off corrosion much longer, rub a bit of petroleum jelly to each battery posts. This will help the cable slip back easily.
Carry a portable battery charger inside your car for emergency use, but be sure to know how to use the gadget.
‘Jump starting' a dying battery is known to save a car battery-and some money, too; but do not attempt this without complete knowledge on the correct procedure. Wrong wiring connections will cause damage to engine control and other electronic parts of your car.

Dave Burton
www.bargain-motors.com

Which Tires Should i Choose?

Choosing new tires for your car can be a complete minefield if you've never done it before. When you're considering which tires you need to get, you need to consider factors such as performance, price, brand, comfort, appearance and safety. But how do you know which tires are the 'right' ones for your car?

New Cars vs Used Cars
If you bought the car from new, it's a safe bet that you can just replace the old tires with the same type that the car came with. However if the car was used when you bought it, you can't be sure that the previous owner has chosen the correct type of tires on the vehicle you purchased.

If you are buying a used car, it's a good idea to do your research and make sure that the car you are buying has the correct tires fitted. If not, replacing them all with the right type once you own the car would be a good idea.

When looking at new cars, different kinds of vehicle will come with different tyres. 4x4's, trucks, cars and high performance cars will all come with tires specific to the individual vehicle. These tires are great for a variety of conditions, will last for differing lengths of time and will cost varying amounts of money to replace.


What Kind of Tires?
You need to make sure that you know what kind of tires your car will need when it comes to replacement time, and make sure that you do change them as soon as the time comes (or slightly earlier if possible).

You can change the tires on your vehicle to another type, but you really do need to do your research first and make sure that the new type is suitable for the vehicle you wish to fit them to.

Where you live can affect your tire choice. Conditions such as frequent rain, snow, heavy winter weather or extreme heat can all affect the type of tire that you need to use. In the America where the weather varies hugely from state to state, you will find that car manufacturers equip their vehicles with tires that are well-suited to the conditions in that particular area.

Different tire types vary hugely in function as well as price. High performance tires are usually quite expensive and wear out more quickly, so are not necessarily worth the extra cash - it depends on your priorities. There are all season tires, performance all season tires, ultra-high performance tires, winter tires and tires made especially for suv's to name a few. If you drive a high-performance sporty car you might not worry in the slightest about having to buy expensive tyres to keep this car up to scratch. On the other hand, if you need a suv to get through farmland, or sludgy mud-strewn roads to get the kids to school, you should appreciate when you buy the car that the tires are going to be expensive to maintain.


When Should I Replace Them?
How do you know when it's time to replace your tires? In the USA, the legal limit for minimum depth of the tread on your tyres is 2/32", across the central ¾ of the tread going around the complete circumference of the tire.

If your tire treads drop below this level you could face a penalty
Tires are made with tread wear indicators in the grooves along the tread to help drivers see when their tires are nearing the legal limit. Although the legal limit is 2/32", most motor safety organizations suggest that the tIres should be replaced when the tread depth reaches 4/32" as it is recognised across the country that the current legal limit isn't really sufficient to protect drivers caught up in adverse driving conditions.


Should I Get a Professional Opinion?
Of course if you're not confident about your choices, or you're not sure about which tIres to get for your car, speak to a professional. That's what they're there for, and if you go to a reputable company, they will be able to point you in the right direction.

Finally, remember that if you do change your tIres to something more high performance, you may need to inform your insurance company as it can sometimes affect the price of your premium, though whether this is the case should be outlined by your insurance provider in your policy documents.

Dave Burton
www.bargain-motors.com

What To Do In The Event Of An Accident

What to do if you have a Car Accident
If you’re involved in an accident, it is important to get as much information as possible. If you are injured or in a state of shock, there is still information you can provide by returning to the scene of the accident as soon as possible and jotting down a few pointers.
This will assist your claim by helping both your insurance company and solicitor obtain the best possible outcome at a later date. It is advisable to carry a pen, paper and disposable camera (altho most new phones have camera's nowadays) in your car to help you to accurately record the accident details.
Information to collect if possible at the time of incident
Contact details including names, addresses and telephone numbers of drivers, pedestrians and passengers involved. If a party is driving within the course of his employment, take both the driver and the employer's details. It may be worth noting a description of the driver, location and any distinguishing features
Time and date of the accident
Gather as many vehicle details including vehicle make, model, registration number, color, any modifications and if relevant, the number of passengers in each vehicle
Whether the parties were using headlights and/or indicator lights
The weather, visibility and lighting conditions, including street lighting
Name, "collar number" and force details of any police officer attending and other emergency services details if appropriate
Identify the damage to each vehicle involved.
Identify any injuries to persons involved
If you have a camera, take some photographs of the accident scene
Useful information to jot down at the time or after the accident;
A full description of what happened including sketches of the vehicles’ positioning.
Estimated speed of the vehicles involved
The type of road
A description of the scene of the accident, including any relevant road markings, signals, obstructions etc (i.e. skip outside property at road junction)
Whether the parties were using headlights or indicator.
Reporting;
It is an offence to refuse to give details to the other driver following an accident, if there has been injury or property damage
Accidents must be reported to the police within 24 hours
Inform your insurance company of the accident as quickly as possible. The company may refuse to insure you if you have not notified them of the accident within the time period set out in the policy.

Dave Burton
www.bargain-motors.com