Archive for June, 2010

Top Tips For Safe Driving This Summer

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

It is the summer again; time to get a break from busy schedule for some days. Kids have already planned to go for a vacation tour. If the selected destination is not much far, driving own vehicle to that destination is most preferable way to enjoy the tour with more freedom. To ensure your journey trouble and hassle free, get a close check up of your car.

The high temperatures or variance in temperature deliver excessive strains upon mechanical components like batteries, tyres and cooling system etc. Even if you go for car servicing regularly, getting it checked during this summer period is essential to make sure everything is in proper order. This not only boosts your confidence of hassle free drive but also delivers improved mileage. If you are in hurry, you can check your car yourself also.

* Engine coolant and break fluid should be clean and in adequate quantity.

* Oil and water filters should be clean

* AC filter shouldn’t be choked

* Tyres pressure should be as per recommendation specially for summer. You must keep in mind that high ambient and tyres temperature cause the expansion of air. So, don’t put more than recommended.

* Also check the tread depth that should be at least 1.6mm. Penny test is most popular.

* Check the temperature gauge. Overheating potentially leads to engine failure.

* Most important thing is to review your insurance plan. You don’t necessarily need to have a new plan instead you can buy add on coverage or may convert the existing one also.

Although, you will start your journey with full fuel tank but even then don’t forget to take enough water for emergency. Presence of a handy fire extinguisher, torch and rope like inexpensive accessories in your car is must as these prove their unique worth in case of emergency.

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Tire Safety: Benefits Of Temperature

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

According to Department of Transport Road Accident Statistics, number of vehicle accidents caused by wet or snow clad roads increase in winter by 267%. We can’t control the weather conditions but surely we can reduce accident chances considerably by replacing the tyres according to the weather conditions.

Smart car owners, who live in colder area, change their car tyres prior to start of winter season and when spring or summer season knocks the doors, they again replace these tyres. This is done for the sake of safety as the experienced vehicle drivers know that the ambient temperature is directly related with their tyres performance. Yes, the researches too have proved that ambient temperature below 7 C potentially triggers hazardous conditions for driving.

Prominent insurance companies also support this view by claiming that no. of vehicle damage insurance claims increase sharply with onset of cold season. Therefore, it becomes must to take care of vehicle tyres in accordance of weather conditions. Our test rides have proved that whenever temperature goes below 7ºCan’t, tyres rubber becomes more hard that results in less road grip.

Fitting cold weather tyres to our vehicles before winter season is the best solution to drive safe even during the winter, rainy or snowing season, when temperatures is likely to go down below 7C. Cold weather tyres provide better mileage while normal tyres reduce the mileage upto 20 %. Cold weather tyres contain more rubber that minimizes hardening effect and gives extra grip in wet, cold or icy conditions. As a result, we get shorter breaking distances.

Spending few minutes for tyres replacement at the change of weather twice a year for the sake of our and co-passengers’ safety is not only justified but essential also. Even after adapting this practice, don’t forget to check the tyres condition and pressure periodically- after all our safety during the drive depends upon the health of tyres.

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Fuel Efficient Driving Tips

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

Some car owners generally complain about the low mileage of their new cars but very few of them try to explore the probable reasons. Recently, we conducted a survey to identify the awareness level among the car owners. Most car owners were not satisfied with their cars performance and the most common reason was the mileage. Data analysis showed that most of the car owners were not conscious about their driving habits. After identifying the common weak points in driving habits, our experts listed following guidelines for the people, who are really serious for improving the performance of their vehicles.

* Every time you go to drive long, eyeball your car. Is it sitting square or doest it has some tilt?  * Inspect for fluids drops on the floor and observe the tyres condition.

* Check the tyre pressure at least once a week under cold condition.

* Don’t drive in aggressive mood as it encourages for rapid acceleration, unnecessary or delay gear shifting and more frequent braking at high speed.

* Every vehicle is designed for a particular optimized speed at which it delivers maximum mileage per liter.

* Keep the vehicle moving slowly to avoid a halt position because when after being in idle position, you use a low gear to move your car again, it consumes more fuel than driving the vehicle slowly.

* While starting the vehicle, dip the clutch before starting the engine. It reduces the drag on flywheel.

* Avoid reversing the vehicle with cold engine. A cold engine consumes more gas and the reverse gear has most inefficient fuel gear ratio.

* Accelerate smoothly. Harsh acceleration causes lot of unburnt fuel ejected through exhaust system in the form of black smoke.

* Brake smoothly. Harsh braking wastes energy produced by fuel burning. Apart from it, this habit reduces the life of tyres.

Just follow these fuel efficient driving tips, you will feel the difference in fuel economy of the same car.

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Tyre Up-sizing

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

If you are the one out of few who want to remain attraction center of the gatherings or who are fond of driving customized cars, most probably you would have thought of upsizing your car tyres. Tyre upsizing brings massive appealing change in the appearance of your car. I had become fad up with my existing car look but had no means to replace it. A Ceat tyre adviser, who is my close friend, advised me to upsize my car tyres for fresh look. The following tips, which he shared, will help you too in upsizing your car tyres with more confidence.

Till some years back, cars used to have 15 or 16 inches wheels. But, now the options of having 16, 17 18 or even 20 inches tyres are also available. Choosing the size for tyres upsizing is not just the matter of personal choice you need to consider the configuration of car also. The rolling diameter i.e. overall height is the most important aspect to be considered. Upsizing your car tyres may need the modification of suspension. Big wheels having large rim space but the same rolling diameter may solve this problem.

Anti-lock brake, speedometer and odometer are calibrated for the recommended rolling diameter. Ideally, the variation in rolling diameter shouldn’t exceed 3% from factory recommendations, otherwise space adjusters will have to be used. With the increase in size of wheel, sidewall gets shorter; it means that tyres will hold less air. The solution to this problem is the wide tyres with more air pressure.

I am lucky that I have a tyre specialist friend, you too,before going for upsizing of tyres, consult with the customer advisers of reputed tyre brand outlets in your city. After all, it is not only about the aesthetic look of your car, your safety is the primary concern.

If you are the one out of few who want to remain attraction center of the gatherings or who are fond of driving customized cars, most probably you would have thought of upsizing your car tyres. Tyre upsizing brings massive appealing change in the appearance of your car. I had become fad up with my existing car look but had no means to replace it. A Ceat tyre adviser, who is my close friend, advised me to upsize my car tyres for fresh look. The following tips, which he shared, will help you too in upsizing your car tyres with more confidence.

Till some years back, cars used to have 15 or 16 inches wheels. But, now the options of having 16, 17 18 or even 20 inches tyres are also available. Choosing the size for tyres upsizing is not just the matter of personal choice you need to consider the configuration of car also. The rolling diameter i.e. overall height is the most important aspect to be considered. Upsizing your car tyres may need the modification of suspension. Big wheels having large rim space but the same rolling diameter may solve this problem.

Anti-lock brake, speedometer and odometer are calibrated for the recommended rolling diameter. Ideally, the variation in rolling diameter shouldn’t exceed 3% from factory recommendations, otherwise space adjusters will have to be used. With the increase in size of wheel, sidewall gets shorter; it means that tyres will hold less air. The solution to this problem is the wide tyres with more air pressure.

I am lucky that I have a tyre specialist friend, you too,before going for upsizing of tyres, consult with the customer advisers of reputed tyre brand outlets in your city. After all, it is not only about the aesthetic look of your car, your safety is the primary concern.

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