posted by admin on Oct 12
Tire Safety: How Old Is Too Old?
When thinking about tire safety, it is important to consider two things: age and use. Vehicles driven daily are typically driven 15,000 miles a year. But there are situations where cars put on even fewer miles. This includes: being driven only on the weekends, never driving in the rain, show cars, and cars that are stored for extended periods of time. So, some tires on these types of cars put on less than 100,000. But it doesn t mean that they are safe tires. Tires deteriorate over time and can age out wear out before they wear out. In a statement from the British Rubber Manufacturers Association (BRMA) issued on June 5, 2001 regarding the age of tires they state, “BRMA members strongly recommend that unused tires should not be put into service if they are over 6 years old and that all tires should be replaced 10 years from the date of their manufacture.” Tire age can be accelerated by a variety of environmental factors, such as sunlight exposure and coastal climates. Poor storage and infrequent use of your vehicle are other things that can accelerate tire age. If you keep your tires in ideal conditions, the tire age can go as high as 10 years from its manufacture date. But ideal conditions are the exception rather than the rule. And the worst part is that you cannot tell the safety of an old tire just by looking at it since there are no conclusive tests for the safety of tires without destroying the tire itself! Due to this, some European car manufacturers of high performance sports cars, coupes and sedans have hedged their bets, stating in their owners manuals that the tire age should reach no higher than 6 years. How Better Rubber Makes Tires That Are Safe There have been a lot of changes in rubber compounds since Charles Goodyear discovered how to cure rubber when he baked a combination of natural rubber and sulfur on his family s kitchen stove. Thus, he would convert an unappreciated raw material into many useful products. Goodyear cross-linked sulfur with polymers that, when exposed to heat, would help make rubber durable and at the same time maintain its elasticity. The main focus of new research has been finding tire age inhibitors. Sulfur molecules are one such tire age inhibitor that is reactivated every time they are exposed to heat, making the rubber harder. Nowadays, rubber in tires has oil in it that tends to migrate into the tires under tread/casing and evaporate into the air. In the process of this, the tire compound releases oil and gets harder. If you can t quite visualize this, go into any tire store and take a big whiff. You ll smell the oil there. Before curing, most tires are coated with a mold release agent that is makes it easier to remove from their mold after curing. If it s a little hard to visualize, think about spraying Pam on a fry pan before pouring on the batter for pancakes. This increases the safety of tires because some of the mold release agent gets cooked onto the surface of the cured tire, which prevents all the oil from evaporating. What Is The Right Tire Age? In most cases, most street tires are good for 6-8 years if maintained properly. Don t forget though that this includes the time the tires spent from the manufacturer s plant to the dealer to you. So, keep this in mind when you are determining tire age. Most tires get to you anywhere between 3-6 months. Some stay longer with the tire manufacturer, but generally all tires that go on your car are less than a year old. So, you should not get an old tire from any tire manufacturer. Which Tires Last Longest? If you want to buy a tire based on how long it will last, you have to consider thread compound. The more aggressive its compound the shorter tire life. Below is a list of tires from longest-lasting to shortest-lasting: Max Performance Ultra High Performance tires DOT-legal competition tires Bottom line: if you want to avoid safe tire issues go with tires that last long and properly maintain them.Bob Martin says Don t buy any new tires until you take a serious look at this today http://www.discount-tires-online.com/TireRatings/tire-rating-guide.htm This article is a copyrighted work and does not come with reprint or resale rights and may not be altered or changed in any way including the resource box. The site owner acknowledges that by using this article they accept this condition. The only exception being to bold the appropriate copy i.e. headlines and subhead text.
Source: www.ArticlePros.com
How To Negotiate Car Repairs
Everything is negotiable, it just comes down to if you want to put forth the effort to negotiate. In my life I have owned no less than 15 cars , that means car repairs. When your car is in the shop for repairs it’s a unique situation, you have no control or true knowledge of what REALLY is needed and what isn’t. There have been several special reports on news programs with undercover cameras showing mechanics damaging or lying to customers about repairs that are needed. The fact that it is even possible creates a situation that should also be taken advantage of by the consumer. Chances are pretty good that your mechanic is over charging you for something, if you take a good look at your invoice after you have had a major repair it has to be somewhat of a surprise that the gizmo that controls your anti lock brakes is $1700.00. There has to be a huge mark-up on the price of an item that is a must have, and you can only get it from the dealer. Car repairs can be negotiated just like anything else, more so even. Your mechanic or service manager at the dealer, knows for a fact that you are being over charged, that means that all you have to do is ask for a discount. If your mechanic is worth his salt he calls you before he does any work on your car, that is when the negotiation should start. When your mechanic tells you that you need a new flex capacitor and it cost around $800, your first reaction should be Can you give me a better price? Or better yet Can you do it for $700 . You need to make it clear from the very beginning that you want a discount. A ten percent discount is always a good starting point, you are only trying to get a small discount, which is better than nothing. The biggest mistake you can make is to wait until your car repair is finished. At that point he basically is holding your car hostage until you pay him, so that means he is in full control of the negotiation. The very little control we do have is before any work is done, because we still have the ability to say no thanks I’ll take it somewhere else. Most people want a discount, but most people don’t like negotiating. Let’s face it, it’s not for everybody. The reason car repair is set up for negotiation is because your mechanic or service manager knows that he can give you a discount but he certainly is not going to offer it. You’ll be surprised to see how easy they will give you 10% just for asking. The next time your you need a car repair follow these steps to get a 10% discount:: 1. Make sure you tell the service manager or mechanic to call you BEFORE he does any work to your car. 2. Always ask for an estimate when he tells you what repairs you need. 3 What ever amount he says, ask for at least for a 10% discount. It’s much better saying a specific price instead of 10%, so make sure you have your math ready. That’s it. No one said it was complicated, you just have to be willing to ask. Your’e going to be surprised how easy it is, and wonder why you didn’t do it sooner. Now take your 10% and do something for yourself,…. you earned it. http://www.ClickForInfo.netTodd C. Robinson is webmaster for www.ClickForInfo.net
Source: www.ArticlePros.com
Referential Events In The History Of The Chevy 350 Engine
Having a unique, robust design, developing an impressive power and achieving a great overall performance, the 350 (5.7) Chevrolet Engine has quickly entered in history as one of the best and most reliable original car engines ever manufactured. In fact, the entire Chevy 350 Engine series is extremely popular among car enthusiasts, rapidly transforming Chevrolet into one of the most desired and highly respected Hot Rods not only in the United States, but also in many different corners of the world. In only a matter of years, the great features characteristic to the Chevy 350 Engine have rendered Chevrolet a prominent and competitive brand, establishing new trends in designing and manufacturing car engines. Much of today s popularity and prominence regarding the Chevrolet brand in general is strongly related to the initial success of the Chevrolet 350 Engine, as well as its gradual evolution into better performing and more powerful engines. The Chevrolet 350 Engine is almost identical in shape and size with its successor, the 400 HP LS2 Engine, another well-performing engine that is still manufactured today in various places in the world. Although the first small-block was first manufactured and equipped on Chevrolets in 1955, and other later released, improved models in the series were more powerful and performed a lot better than the 350 model, the Chevy 350 Engine has somehow managed to become a lot more desired and respected than both its predecessors and successors. The Chevy 350 Engine is by far the most equipped Chevy small-block, being extensively installed in sports cars, station wagons and even heavy trucks! The first step into history made by the Chevrolet 350 Engine was registered in 1968, when it was first installed in the series models Chevrolet Camaro and Chevrolet Nova, at that time producing at most 300 horsepower for the high performance models. However, the Chevy 350 Engine was successfully embraced by many categories of car enthusiasts, winning the appreciation of both novice and experienced car owners and drivers. Considered to be a success, by 1969 the Chevrolet 350 Engine was also being installed in various other Chevy vehicle lines such as the magnificent Corvette. Around 1969, the Chevy 350 Engine also began to suffer various modifications that would further increase its performance. By 1992, Chevrolet has released the Gen II LT1 350 Engine in models such as Corvette. The Gen II Chevy 350 Engine produced the highest horsepower ever reached by any Chevrolet small-block model. By 1993, the Gen II LT1 350 is modified and also installed in the Fourth-Generation Camaro Z28 and Firebird Trans Am. In 1996, the upgraded Gen II LT1 350 Engine, referred to as the LT4, became available as an option in Corvettes, the upgraded version quickly becoming popular among the series fans. http://www.hiperformer.com/chevy350/ - Visit our Chevey 350 Engine Repair Guide & Availability now. Make sure to check out our GM Chevy 350 Engine Overview.
Source: www.ArticlePros.com
