5 Tips to Cut the Cost of Maintaining Your Car

Paying out for car maintenance repairs can be a pain and yet you feel like you're getting nothing back from it as your car was working perfectly fine before you handed it to the garage, and it's working exactly the same when they give it back to you! However it's something that all car owners have to do or risk getting a huge bill down the line when something major goes wrong with it due to poor maintenance. Follow these simple tips and you can cut the cost of maintaining your car.

1. Find a reliable local garage and stick with them! Normally, local independent garages will do maintenance jobs cheaper that nationwide franchise car garages as they're smaller firms and want to keep the local business. Build trust and rapport with them, you might find the more maintenance jobs they do on your car's the more discount they will give. You will find that their usually isn't a price list in a garage and therefore the price for you may differ the more you return.


2. Do it yourself! This is a great way to save money and if you have the knowhow then your maintenance costs will be cut at least in half. Simple break pad and oil filter changes you may want to have a go yourself, but don't go out of your depth as usually you end up doing more damage than what was there originally.


3. Tyres are expensive and making sure you get the most out of them is important. They need to be inflated to the correct level otherwise it will cost you in both fuel and new tyres. Over inflating your tyres can cause excessive wear down the middle and you will find yourself changing them sooner rather than later. Under inflating your tyres can cost you more in fuel to get from A to B and this isn't recommended ether. Check your car's user manual to see what the correct tyre pressure is and check this at least once a month to ensure you're getting the most from your fuel and tyres.


4. Another tip to cut the cost of your maintenance bill is to negotiate! Get a number of different quotes when you need any car maintenance doing and use the cheapest quote to play them off against the more expensive ones and see if you can get them down any further. Ask for a breakdown of the work and how they have concluded the final quote and make sure it all adds up.


5. You will notice that in the window of the car you take your driving lessons in there is a tax disc, which another cost of being on the road. You can pay for this every six months or every year however we recommend that you pay yearly as it's cheaper! They place the extra charge down to administration costs and add around another 7 pound on the final charge.

There you have our 5 tips for cutting car maintenance costs, this sort of information isn't given out on your driving lessons however if you ask your instructors may be able to tell you.

What Is A Supercharger And What Are Some of Its Key Functions?

Superchargers are widely used in the automotive industry as air compressors. One of the main functions is to amplify the torque and horsepower of an internal combustion engine therefore supercharging the car's performance. The power can come automatically from a belt that's attached to the engine crank.

Many people wonder if cars are at their best when they are supercharged or when they are turbocharged. You must keep in mind that even though turbochargers use powerful compressed exhaust gases to increase a vehicle's power they are no match for the power a supercharger is able to provide.

Brief History:

Around 1860 the Roots brothers (Philander and Francis Marion) who founded the Roots Blower Company were able to design an air mover to use with several industrial applications. Later on this device was patented by many spirited individuals such as Dugald Clerk who made the first engine supercharger in 1878 and Gottlieb Daimler who acquired a German copyright for forced inducting an internal combustion engine in 1885.

How it Works?

There are many ways for supercharging a vehicle but they all work within a similar fundamental principle. Normally a belt is needed to turn a motor's crankshaft. When air passes through the supercharger via the intake manifold, it will force greater air into the motor to increase the horsepower.

When the RPMs (revolutions per minute) increase then the supercharger also spins up. The end result will have a lot to do with the condition your supercharger is in.

How to install it?

Generally, you'll going to use a tappet/wrench, a drill/drill bit, and a hammer/mallet for the installation process.

Here are the few steps to take:

1- Initially you must clean the inside of the parts and the hoses prior to connecting them to avoid contaminating the new supercharger. 

2- Set up the oil drain hose to the drain fitting and lock it with a hose clamp and be careful not to damage the supercharger. 

3- Place the supercharger on the car while making sure that the oil drain line points downward. Go beneath your car to connect the oil line and the drain towards the oil pan. 

4- Connect the idle assembly with about 12mm bolts with the use of a wrench to lock those bolts. 

5- Press on the intake elbow softly against the supercharger while using a mallet. 

6- Bring in the back elbow from the fender to the inlet. 

7- Cut a hole which is meant for the air temperature sensor before installing the back elbow and this can be completed with a drill bit. The sensor must be positioned closer to the outer region of the elbow bend. 

8- Afterwards, connect the elbow towards the tube which is attached to the airflow meter. 

9- Finally, place the hose clamps against the end of the inlet tube so it's easier to put on the blue rubber hose. The blue hose is in between the back elbow and the inlet tube.

For those individuals who are not familiar with superchargers on vehicles, it is always recommended to research more on the subject matter. They are very beneficial especially if you are seeking to increase the overall performance and power of your vehicle.

Also before making a purchase keep in mind that there are different superchargers for each type of car and model. The supercharger also tend to be very different so making sure you research each supercharger will be essential to pick the one compatible with your vehicle.

An Inside Look on How the Auto Industry Uses Stainless Steel

With gas prices soaring and salaries not increasing to reflect this necessary economical change then it is time to think of ways to save money. Cutting coupons, looking for sales and buying quality long-lasting products that won't break the budget is the way to go; and there is one type of metal that I rely upon when I need to make a big purchase, such as a new vehicle. I make sure whatever model, make and year I purchase that it contains stainless steel.

Stainless steel is not new to the automotive industry. It was invented almost 90 years ago but the numerous purposes of this material have expanded in the auto industry. It is not solely used for its corrosion resistant abilities but rather because of its exceptional mechanical properties too.

When buying a vehicle check out the interior and exterior. What do you notice? Do you see the preferred metal of choice seen throughout? It is easy to see the placement of this type of steel throughout a vehicle. Car manufacturers like working with this material and today we shall take a quick glance at why.

This type of iron carbon alloy is a durable, rust resistant material used in various parts of your car and/or truck. It is cost effective for manufacturers and holds up under a wide array of extreme conditions. It is also lightweight in comparison to other metals. This is where you see the growing demand. It is able to be manipulated in a manner where the final results are sturdy, thin walls for vehicles weighing lighter than other classic buoyant metals. It is also the material of choice for your engine, trim and exhaust system.

The exhaust system is exposed to extremely hot temperatures and requires a solid material capable of managing destructive gases without harming the car. You do not want to spend a ton of money only to learn later on that you need to replace the entire exhaust due to the material falling apart. Other metals are sometimes used so be sure you are not fooled. Do a thorough check.

This type of metal is also suitable in addressing many pollution issues surrounding cars. Emissions tests, fines and other restrictions are put into place by different counties ensuring their drivers are using vehicles compliant to the environmental laws. Being certain drivers are not harming the environment is important to citizens; thus, various materials are classified as prohibited while this metal is recommended by many.

Exterior touches of the car also exhibit steel. Think about the rims, doors, mirrors, additional emblems and more. These are all made from the same material. The reasons are consistent too. It is strong, long lasting, does not corrode or fray away, and holds its own under extreme temperatures.