Car Blog

July27

Signs of foundation problems aren’t always clear. For example, the small crack in the basement wall may be nothing, but it could be a sign of a more serious issue. Unfortunately, if serious foundation issues aren’t found and addressed quickly, they can lead to devastating issues.

The good news is that you can learn the signs of a foundation problem. Keep reading to learn the signs you should call the professionals for foundation repair.

Exterior Cracks

Smaller, fine cracks in your home’s outside walls or your steps aren’t usually something you need to be concerned about. Exterior cracks that seem bigger or have a zig-zag pattern may indicate something more going on with your foundation. If you see brick cracks or even bricks that are sticking out from the wall, you need to have them checked out.

Sheetrock Cracks

If you suspect an issue with your foundation, see if any interior sheetrock cracks run in a zig-zag pattern and go up the wall’s height. It is also necessary to contact a contractor if you notice wallpaper peeling back from your wall and if there are cracks at the junction where your walls and ceiling meet.

Uneven Floors and Doors That Aren’t Square

Most homes are not plumb after they have settled for a few years. However, if you notice a door that is extremely out of square and has cracks in the wall above it, you should have it inspected.

As you can see, there are several signs of potential foundation issues. Knowing what these are will help you know when you need to call the professionals for help. Being informed will help ensure your home does not experience serious or severe foundation issues that lead to serious damage. Calling the professionals is a must if you want to handle foundation issues.

July16

The average American car owner spends over $400 a year on repairs. A car has a number of different parts and if one of these parts stops functioning properly, it can affect the driving experience in a negative way. The windshield is one of the most under-appreciated parts on most vehicles. In most cases, the only time a car owner realizes how important a windshield is until it is broken.

The worst mistake you can make when faced with a broken windshield is ignoring it. Here are some of the dangers associated with driving around with a broken windshield.

Driving With Your View Obstructed Is Dangerous

The longer a crack in a windshield is ignored, the harder it will be to contain it. Over time, a small crack will grow and will consume the entire windshield. Trying to drive with multiple cracks in your windshield is very dangerous because it can obstruct your view. If you are unable to see the cars in front of or around you, the chances of you being involved in a car accident will increase.

By contacting an auto glass repair & replacement services warren county nj, you can get a new windshield installed in a hurry. Before hiring a company to do this work, take the time to research them to ensure they have tons of previous experience.

Structural Integrity Issues

Another problem that you will encounter when trying to drive with a broken windshield is the risk of a full collapse. When a windshield gets cracked, the structural integrity it has will be compromised. This means that the entire windshield may cave in and leave you with a lap full of sharp glass.

Instead of dealing with the problems mentioned in this article, you need to hire professionals to replace your broken windshield immediately.

July16

Choosing the right kind of wheels for your car can be a little confusing especially if there is a specific look you’re going for. With tons of big rims for sale in the market, it’s understandable why many people would prefer a much more bold and aggressive look for their vehicles. There are different kinds and variations to choose from but knowing and understanding the one that matches your car is the most essential part of the customization process.

Choosing the right wheel offset can help emphasize the aesthetics of your car. It also helps your car serve the purpose you intend to use it for whether it’s only for cruising through the city or it’s for off-road driving. Learning about the different types of offsets would probably help you choose if you plan to buy new aftermarket wheels in the near future.

Wheel Offset Explained

To simplify, the offset of your wheels refers to the distance of the mounting surface to the centerline of the wheels. There are three different types of offsets- zero, positive, and negative. The offset determines how much your wheels stick out of the wheel hub and also how your car may perform in terms of handling.

Positive Offset– The more positive the offset, the more it will sit inside the car. It would stick out less creating a more subtle and simple look. Many people who drive rough terrains may opt for positive offset wheels because it allows them to have sufficient clearance inside the wheel well.

However, having overly positive offset wheels may cause your vehicle to be more prone to damages due to excessive rubbing on the inner parts. It may also be more difficult to handle your vehicle and can cause tire failure.

Negative Offset– The more negative the offset is, the more it will stick out of the car. This creates a more rough and aggressive look for your vehicle. Racing your car with negative offset wheels allows you to cover a wider track.

The main issue with having excessively negative offset wheels, however, is the fact that it can cause your steering wheel to kick back which makes it difficult to handle. It may also cause a strain on your suspensions.

Zero Offset– Zero offset wheels are neutral. It means the mounting surface of the wheel is on the centerline. Plenty of big rims for sale are zero offset wheels because it’s a safer option compared to the ones aforementioned. A lot of brand new vehicles also come with zero offset wheels and it’s usually up to the customer whether they prefer to customize their rims to other types of offset wheels.

Considering the Backspacing

Do not deviate more than 5 millimeters from the stock offset if you want to change the offset of your current wheels. If you want wider and bigger wheels, you need to consider the backspace. This will ensure that you don’t over-adjust the offset without noticing. Considering the backspacing is just as important as figuring out which offset wheels work for you. Although you can choose many big rims for sale nowadays in the market, it’s still important to ask for advice from specialists.

 

 

 

 

 

July15

People often need to store their vehicles away for different reasons. When they take this action, it is of the utmost importance for them to find high-quality automobile storage Lodi. Why? For starters, the location should be secure to ensure that no break-ins occur. Picking the wrong company might give you more than you bargained for. For instance, you might arrive to grab your ride one day, only to discover vandals busted the windshield and flattened all the tires.

If you’re worried about the wind, rain, and hail damaging your car while it’s in storage, an organization with covered parking may be the perfect solution. Then, your vehicle will stay beneath the covering where it’s safe from the weather. Now, it is time to move onto the next section and discuss some scenarios that might make automobile storage a good fit for you.

No Space In The Garage

It is not uncommon for people to trade in their vehicles now and again. Dealers take the old rides off their hands and put them in new, stylish models. However, what if you don’t make a trade but buy a new car, truck, or SUV? Then, you might not have room in the garage to park everything. Of course, you could always sell your original vehicle, but not everyone is into that. Instead, some folks would rather hold onto the cars and keep them as backups. If you land in that category, it only makes sense to store one of your rides away until you create more room.

Do You Own A Recreational Vehicle?

Many people invest in RVs to travel, take in the sights, and see the world. These vehicles don’t get driven and used all the time, though. Nope, rather, in most instances, owners merely take them out once in a while. As you can imagine, those are large machines that take up a lot of space around the house. But, you don’t have to keep yours at home. Instead, utilize automobile storage and then retrieve the vehicle as necessary.

 

July15

Kia vehicles have a reputation for outstanding reliability that keeps their maintenance at a bare minimum. That notwithstanding, standard parts like brake pads, plugs, clutches, and others will always experience tear and wear. You may have to regularly seek Kia maintenance Santa Ana services to keep your car in optimum condition.

How You Can Reduce Wear and Tear on Your Kia Vehicle

You may want to avoid some practices that can cause unnecessary wear and tear. Still, other practices may be suitable for your car. The following is an outline of what you observe to maintain your Kia vehicle in good shape.

Avoid Extended Warming Up

Too much warm-up is unnecessary in modern Kia cars. That is not to say that you should not warm up the car before taking off at all. You only need to warm it up for a few seconds to raise its temperature to normal levels.

Be Soft on Brake and Clutch Pedals

While driving, try to be gentle on the pedals since too much grinding causes them to wear out faster. If you make it a habit of pressing them only when necessary, you may contribute to their longer lifespan. You can practice placing your foot gently on the brake pedal, ready to press when the need arises without pushing it unnecessarily.

Slow Down

Why drive beyond the standard speed limit, yet there is no emergency? Speeding means that you will have to break at once and hard in case you meet an obstruction. Emergency braking takes a toll on the tires since the road surface rubs against the treads and wears them out.

Take Your Vehicle for Professional Maintenance

Kia recommends that you take the vehicle for service every six months after covering at least 6213 miles (about 10,000 kilometers). Observe your car and take it for Kia maintenance Santa Ana when it fulfills either of the two conditions. However, it remains your responsibility to ensure you make good use of your car to avoid unnecessary damage.

July6

When it comes to car parts, catalytic converters have significant value. This is because of the precious metals this part often contains. Unfortunately, it is also fairly easy to remove which makes it particularly vulnerable to theft.

While many car owners enjoy taking their high quality catalytic converter Virginia to a local recycling center after their car is at the end of its life, some people do not have the opportunity to do so before someone else steals it. Read on to learn 3 tips to protect your vehicle from this kind of misfortune.

1. Park in Good Lighting

Although it is not always possible, it is always safer to park in well-lit areas where someone can easily spot a thief trying to remove a car part. If there is a spot that you can see from an apartment or office window, even better.

2. Park in a Garage

Another option that is sometimes available is garage parking. If you do this, make sure to close the door. It may sound like a silly suggestion, but it can be surprisingly easy to forget to shut the garage door before going into the house for the night.

3. Weld Your Converter to Your Vehicle’s Frame 

If garages and good lighting are not feasible for you and you really want your catalytic converter to be secure, a third solution is to have a professional weld the part to your vehicle’s frame. Doing this will definitely make it harder to steal.

No one wants to walk up to his or her car with plans to drive only to realize someone has stolen a critical component of the vehicle’s exhaust system. While some things are ultimately out of your control, following these tips can help you prevent this from happening as much as possible. 

July3

Within the world of modern transport, fuel efficiency is becoming a crucial factor. It is true that we live in an era where electric and hybrid cars are starting to gain popularity, yet when it comes to professional drivers, fuel still remains their main area of concern and it seems like those prices just keep going up. If you work for a company that has equipped your HGV course with the most recent aerodynamic kit then you are petty much shorted, if not, then you as the driver play the biggest role in your fuel efficiency. We are going to share several tips that should ensure you can save yourself a few pennies and get the most out of the fuel you put in.

Be A Pro At Block Changing

Granted, we may block change gears without actually thinking about what we are doing but the truth is that most of us don’t tend to do it anywhere near as much as we should do. We are referring to the practice of skipping gears that are not related to the speed you are doing. It means that you don’t go up the gears one at a time but instead you go straight to the gear you need. So you may skip third when going from second to fourth or you may skip fourth when dropping from fifth to third. According to studies, it is the drivers that block change gears, especially when going up the gears, that save more fuel than their linear-loving counterparts. The reason that lies behind this is an engine that does not need to work so hard as it is not being constantly exposed to gears that are not needed at the time, hence fewer revs and more fuel in the tank. Another little bonus is that your hand stays on the wheel for longer which makes you a safer driver.

Be A Lover Of Cruise Control

Pretty much all modern vehicles have cruise control so there really is not an excise for not making the most of it. This handy little capability means that you can keep your vehicle at a constant speed, cutting down on revs, braking, and accelerating. Each time that foot hits the accelerator, even just a little, means you use more fuel, in fact, your feet may even be moving slightly without you realizing, eating into more fuel. When you use cruise control over a long journey you can really save those pennies.

Embrace Resistance

Every driver will encounter resistance and when you drive a large vehicle, resistance will be more. Carrying heavy loads over long journeys means that you will face resistance from the air, the gradient and rolling resistance, hence your HGV needs to use up more fuel to move forward. You can do several things to tackle this problem. First, opt for routes that are less hilly, this will cut down on gradient resistance. Next, get a pair of low-rolling-resistance tyres and ensure that they are always fully inflated. You can save up to 6 per cent with these tyres but you will lose 1 per cent each time there is a 10 drop in psi.

Being Idle Will Cost You Pennies

During those cold winter months, it can be very tempting to leave the engine running so that you keep that cosy heater blasting out warm air for your break. However each minute it runs idle you are throwing away your fuel. Research on the fuel rates of idling engines shows rather scary results. Take a standard 420HP engine, it will drink its way through an alarming 2 litres of fuel per hour that it runs idle.