Category: General

Do you have to make your car awesome?

Today I am going to share interesting post which will help you enhance car’s stylish without spending lots of money! Car paint protection standards has changed over the years they are now using an Opti-Coat.

So let’s start with some stylish stuff for Car owners

1. Chrome Grill:

I want my car to look different and stand out from crowd so must have chrome grill on the front and rear exterior. It gives protection to car and makes me ride in style.

2. Roof Wraps:

How can I make the roof of car attractive? It’s simple by using roof wraps which are convenient to use, scratch resistant, saves car paint and gives my car new makeover.

3. Non-slip dash pad:

Dropping problems always arises when I drive car but is resolved by putting non- slip dash pad on dashboard. This pad has strong gripping action that holds things. These pads doesn’t leave sticky residue,long lasting and durable.

4. Car spoiler:

I love driving at high speed spoiler’s plays vital role as they increase downforce; increasing stability and traction. It requires no drilling and adds performance to my car.

5. Add-On Cup Holder:

It always happens with me that when I drink any beverage it feels in car and makes interior untidy; solution for it is add-on cup holder. They keep my drink safe and secure while driving.

6. Armrest:

Everyone of us wants hassle free driving so here comes armrest which helps to drive with ease and comfort.

7. Dashboard Idols:

Once I was very tensed and was saved from minor accident; immediately I looked at dashboard idol of my car who blessed me and make me stress free.

8. Bonnet Scoop:

I always want to keep my engine free from dust and also enhance my bonnet look which is only possible by bonnet scoop as they are designed for special air intake system.

9. Mirror hanging decorative items:

When anyone looks at my vehicle I love to get complements from them as I have mirror hanging decorative items which gives grace to interior of my vehicle.

10. Interesting Stickers:

As I am jolly person, always wants other to dissolve into laughter. For this, I have stick interesting stickers on my vehicle which also causes no harm to my car paint.

11. Exhaust Tips:

I am always two steps back with intolerable sound and its same with my vehicle too. Installing exhaust tips reduces exhaust noise and gives elegant look at the back of car.

12. Customized steering knobs:

Does all of us wants to make vehicle interior stylish; so why not put our hands on customized steering knobs which gives awesome feeling while driving.

13. Cold drink/food tray:

Messy things inside car makes us annoyed so having cold drink/food tray to keep eatables at proper place and makes it clean.

14. Customized gear shift knob:

As all of us wants comfortable hand touch on gear which can be possible by having customized gear shift knob which keeps hand sweat free and adds style.

15. Under Dash Lights:

I want my vehicle to stand out from other so uses under dash lights which gives beautiful exotic and romantic interior.

Paint protection film, also know as “clear bra” will protect your vehicle from rock and stone chips, bug splatter, bird bombs, environmental fall out, scratches and swirls with a self-healing, transparent multi-layer polyurethane film. Of all the information out there and of all the products being sold to the public to preserve and protect your vehicle’s finish, little or nothing is said about a simple product used in the Automotive Detailing and Paint Repair industry.

Some detailers don’t really understand the benefits of using this product in the way I am going to talk about, and how it is beneficial to their customers and why it should be done on a somewhat regular basis!

Well what is this product?

It is called a Clay Bar.

This is not a new product or a secret product. However, it is not a well know product. Its use even by manufacturers is not well explained or understood.

We have some insight that is unique and not well understood by detailers or body shops because of the range of automotive appearance restoration we specialize in. Since many of the vehicles we work on have already been detailed we have to leave the vehicles “front line ready” when we are finished.

Unlike a body shop whose job does not include any kind of ‘detailing” we have to leave the vehicles we work on “front line ready”. Also, unlike a detail shop we have paint restoration experience.

Why does this matter to you, and how can our experience and knowledge benefit you?

First of all let me explain a basic rule to paint preparation when preparing for refinishing. The surface being worked on has to be completely “sterile” and properly scuffed in order for new paint to adhere well to the area being refinished.

Let me illustrate it this way. If I paint something that has decal on it and I paint over that decal what happens if that decal’s glue looses its adhesive quality? That area will certainly peel off sooner or later. You would not paint over a pin stripe or decal but on a larger scale if you have removed all surface contaminates you will have great adhesion and a long lasting paint job!

One of the biggest things that makes a paint job a quality paint job is how well the surface has been “prepped’! I cannot stress this point enough!

Have you ever priced a paint job? Have you wondered why some body shops can do a paint job for $400 and others will tell you $3000?!

Did you know the factory paint job on your vehicle can be valued somewhere between $3000 to $6000 depending of the make and model? Any paint work that is not done to the factory standard can devalue your vehicle the amount of your factory paint job.

The prep work done for a paint job when done properly can be the difference between a factory quality paint job and disaster!

So you have this $3000-$6000 paint job on your car, how do you protect it?

First of all do not neglect it by not removing damaging surface contaminates such as tar, sap, bugs, industrial fallout etc. Sap can actually boil in the sun and burn off the finish under the sap, ruining the panel where the sap is.

Second, make sure your waxes or sealants used to protect your paint job are of good quality and prepare the finish for proper adhesion of your wax or sealant.

Should you “prep” the finish for was or sealants? Absolutely! However, most people think they are but they are not. So how do you “prep” the finish for wax?

The best way to “prep” your vehicles finish for wax or paint sealants is the use of a clay bar! Before you wax and after you have washed your vehicle use a clay bar at least once a year or every six months for the best protection of that expensive paint job.

A clay bar will remove any surface contaminates that washing did not. It can even remove hard water stains on the paint if they are not too bad.

How do you use a clay bar?

A clay bar has to be used with a lubricant. It is a simple process really. In fact you can even use water as a lubricant. However, it is better to use a spray way that will both lubricate the panels you are clay baring and can be used to clean up clay residue as you go.

Simply spray the area you are clay baring…a 12″ X 12″ area is best and rub the surface with the clay bar back and forth in a side to side motion. You will hear the clay bar picking up light contaminates and as the surface is cleaned you will stop hearing the movement of the clay bar.

You can also feel the surface. If it feels rough like tiny pieces of sand after you have washed it, it needs to be clay bared. Use the same method above and listen and feel the area you are working on after you dry it off.

So work your small area wipe it dry when you think it is finished and check the surface with the inside of your hand rubbing lightly feeling and listening for rough areas. Once you have completed a section you can move on the next.

A word of caution, it has been said, although I gave never experienced this, that a clay bar can rub the paint off eventually if not kept lubricated while using. Use common sense and you should be fine.

Well there it is, this is the best way to prep for waxing your vehicle and a great way to be sure you are getting the best results from your wax.

Enjoy and I hope this article helps!

I own an automotive paint repair company specializing in spot repairs, custom color matches, color blends, body repairs, touch up and scratch repair. We also run a website where we sell our exclusive headlight restoration kit which we designed and created. We have sold well over 2000 kits from our website and on eBay. We also have over 1900 positive feedback for our headlight restoration kit.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Dana_Lind/288370

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2139974

Our car cleaning products can’t be found in any grocery or hardware store it is available only through a handful of authorized distributors across the country. A new car sounds lovely doesn’t it? Imagine the purr of the new engine and the looks you will get as you drive down the road in the latest model of your chosen car. However, we also know that the new model of today will be the old superseded model in the not too distant future and that the value of the car will go down very quickly.

So with this in mind we really need to be careful when considering whether or not to buy a new car.

Before rushing off to the car yard, you should grab out a large sheet of paper and write up the top “Do I really need to buy a new vehicle?” Then let the brain cells take a journey and come up with all of the reasons that you can to justify going out and getting a new car. Underneath this, write down all of the reasons to justify why you shouldn’t go out and buy a new car.

Here are some ideas to get you started and some common reasons that people write down:

1. Reasons to buy a new car

Car too small / big

• Starting a family and need more room
• Can’t fit in all of my gear
• Can’t transport all of the kids and their friends around
• It is just us now so we don’t need such a large car
• We are going away so we need more leg room and storage capacity

No air conditioning

• It is just so hot each summer we bake in our car

No air bags

• The car has never been fitted with air bags

Lacking accessories (stereo / cd player / gps)

• We need to have a cd player
• Some new vehicles have an in built GPS so we need one too
• The stereo is broken so we need to replace the car

Costing too much money to run

• I am always spending money on this car
• The car always seems to be at my mechanic

Need to look good at work

• My car is a status symbol of my wealth
• My boss would look down on me if I didn’t drive a new car
• Having a new car will portray a message to my clients that I am very successful

Too old

• My car is x years old so it needs to be replaced
• I have had this car x years so it is time for an upgrade to a new model
• This model is old, I need the newer model

Petrol guzzler

• I am always putting fuel into this car
• I checked my credit card statement and boy my car is thirsty
• I used to put in $x of fuel a week and now I am putting in $y

Running too fast / slow

• I can’t keep up with every one else on the road
• My foot is almost flat to the floor and yet we hardly seem to be moving
• If I don’t sell this I am going to do damage to someone as it just zips off so fast I can’t keep in control

Want security of a new vehicle warranty

• I do a lot of travel for work and I want peace of mind if something was to happen
• If the car is under a warranty I won’t have to spend any money on it

No longer road worthy

• The mechanic said the car isn’t road worthy
• I don’t think the car would pass a road worthy test

Want to keep up with the Jones

• My friend has just purchased one of these new cars so I want one
• The neighbours have just purchased a new car so we should also buy one

I have been offered a good trade in

• The new car sales man has offered me a good trade in
• I want to trade now whilst I can get good value for my current car

I want a diesel vehicle

• I want to change from petrol to diesel as I heard it is more fuel efficient

I need a ute / 4wd / sedan

• I want to change from a sedan to a ute
• I need to trade the ute for a 4wd
• I need a 4wd for my upcoming holiday
• I need a ute so I can shift houses

2. Reasons not to buy a new car

Can’t afford it

• The repayments will be too high
• It is a lot of money for me to spend on a car
• The loan will take me 7 years+ to pay back

Don’t really need a new car

• I am being silly, I don’t really need a new car
• There are other things I need ahead of getting a new car

Old car is going well

• My old car works just fine
• I can always get from A to B so what else do I need

Too expensive

• Although it is new, I feel it is still very expensive
• There is a big gap between 2nd hand cars of 2-3 years to the price on these new cars

Will drop in value too quickly

• I have heard as soon as you drive a new car out of the show room they drop significantly in value
• 2nd hand cars seem like a much better alternative, I have seen they are much lower in value

Expensive on-road costs and stamp duties

• When I buy a new car I will have to incur extra fees such as on-road costs and stamp duties. Aren’t these costs in the thousands?

Insurance will increase

• When I get a new car, I know my insurance premium will increase significantly

Young family

• I don’t know if my kids will look after a new car or treat it well; they are always banging the car doors into things
• I know that kids are kids and it is hard to keep a car nice with them around

Have better things to spend my money on

• I do have a lot of other important items on my wish list; a new fridge, high school fees, reduce mortgage, etc

Work may provide a vehicle

• Work may offer me a car as part of my package at my next salary review

3. Then you need to carefully look at both lists and to analyse all of the reasons you have written down

• How important is the reason you wrote down?
• Look through your list and decide which reasons you have written down contain something that is a must have – this might be for safety reasons or security
• Be careful here and very honest with yourself with what you consider to be absolutely critical
• Look through your list and decide which items you have written down is a nice to have but something that you could do without – this might be a gadget or feature of the car that isn’t absolutely critical
• Take the time to rank each item from 1 to 10 in level of importance
• Look through your list of reasons not to buy a new car. How strong and valid are these reasons?
• It is important that you spend a decent amount of time doing this exercise and that you are somewhere nice and quiet where you can really think about yourself very carefully. This exercise could save you thousands of dollars!

4. As part of your analysis you should now spend time looking for alternatives. Start with the items that are of highest importance to you.

Car too small / big

• Consider hiring a trailer
• Consider hiring a car for the holidays
• Clean out your car and see what space you then have

No air conditioning

• Check out the cost to have this fitted to your current car

No air bags

• Check out the cost to have this fitted to your current car

Lacking accessories (stereo / cd player / gps)

• How much will it cost to have one fitted
• Can you use a portable cd player / stereo
• How much is a portable GPS
• Can you make do with the radio

Costing too much money to run

• Work out how much your car has actually cost you over 12 mths
• Seek a professional opinion on the vehicle from your mechanic or local automobile club
• Look carefully at how you treat your vehicle. Are you causing some of this cost?
• What about your driving habits? Is this the cause of costing you money? Ie heavy braking or is your foot too heavy on the accelerator

Need to look good at work

• You can still look good in a later model vehicle
• Talk to your boss about being provided with a company car when you need to entertain clients
• Talk to your boss about hiring cars / taxis when you need to entertain clients or travel
• It seems pointless trying to look wealthy by owning a new vehicle if it is causing you financial grief and hardship. You will not be successful in your career if you spend all day worrying about how to pay your bills
• Consider that a new car may put some clients off – your services may appear too expensive or that you don’t value money as you spend it on unnecessary items that decrease in value

Too old

• How old is too old? There are some decent vehicles on the road that are 7-10 years old that are still running perfectly
• Who states that there is a set time frame that you need to replace your vehicle
• What will the newer model provide you with that your current car doesn’t provide you with

Petrol guzzler

• Look at how much running around you are doing and whether or not you can seek alternatives such as car pooling, doing multiple tasks whilst out
• Has your car been serviced recently? You might have a problem with your car that is easy to fix that is causing the extra fuel consumption
• Consider how much the price of fuel has risen recently. Is this the real reason your petrol has increased
• How much of the fuel bill on the credit card contains other items such as food and drink that you bought at the petrol station?

Running too fast / slow

• Has your car been serviced recently? You might have a problem with your car that is easy to fix that is causing this to happen

Want security of a new vehicle warranty

• Understand what is offered under the warranty
• Consider having road side assistance from your local automobile club in case of break down
• Keep your vehicle regularly serviced
• Travel with a mobile phone so you can call for help in the case of an emergency

No longer road worthy

• Get a couple of opinions on the road worthy status of your vehicle from a mechanic or your local automobile club.
• Establish how much it will cost to get the vehicle road worthy
• Seek a professional’s opinion on this matter

Want to keep up with the Jones

• Why why why, do you need to keep up with what someone else is doing?
• Be an individual and live your own life and not those of others

I have been offered a good trade in

• A trick / marketing strategy for selling new cars is to lure people in by offering a high trade in
• You either get a high trade in or low purchase price – it generally doesn’t happen that you get both
• Is the salesman playing around with figures? They sometimes up the price of the trade in and lower the discount on the new car OR they sometimes lower the price on the new car and lower the price on the trade in
• If you waited a year or two before swapping vehicles, what do you think you might get as a trade in then

I want a diesel vehicle

• How much will it cost to get diesel fitted to your current car
• Are there any government rebates in relation to diesel fitouts

I need a ute / 4wd / sedan

• Can you hire the ute / 4wd / sedan for the particular period of use if it is only short term / one off
• Can you borrow a friend’s ute / 4wd / sedan
• Is it worth paying a tradesperson to do your job to negate this requirement

Detective Heather Wood is Managing Director and writer for Money Detective Pty Ltd.

Money Detective can help you with all of your money troubles. From our website full of factual information and articles, to our one on one personal money coaching, Money Detective can help you with all aspects of money management. Sign up for our Newsletter today and get yourself 6 free Money Clues [http://www.moneydetective.com.au].

To discover more ways you can save money and get in control of your finances, visit our Saving Money Tips section of our website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2862053