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Archive for July, 2009

Beginner’s guide to changing a flat tyre

July 31st, 2009
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When learning to drive we have to learn a number of basic checks as a part of the actual driving test; how to check our brake lights are working, where you would check the oil levels, etc.  If you know how to complete all these checks then you will pass your test (assuming you drive correctly that is!).

Changing tyres can often be a bewildering task; some people wouldn’t have the first clue about how to go about changing a flat or blown-out tyre and may end up calling their breakdown service.

The trouble with this is that not all people have roadside assistance and could potentially be stuck at the side of the road; the following are a few tips for how to change a tyre as all drivers should be familiar with the process.

1.    Make sure you know where your spare tyre is, in some cars it is inside the boot under the carpet but for some it is in a hammock underneath the car to the rear.
2.    Find the wrench and jack; these will normally be in the boot of your car with the spare tyre or in the side compartments behind your rear lights.
3.    First of all loosen the wheel nuts slightly, you may need to remove covers or wheel trims to get at them, doing this now is important as when the wheel is off the ground it will spin if you try to loosen a tightened nut.
4.    Once all nuts have been loosened find the correct position to raise the jack, normally a notch in the framework, don’t attach it to the side skirts as this will damage the skirt causing more problems.
5.    Raise the jack so that the wheel is clear of the ground, don’t go too high though.  Fully remove all bolts and take the flat tyre and wheel away.  Store this back where your spare goes under/in the boot.
6.    Place the spare on and apply the wheel nuts, get them finger tight and begin to lower the car from the jack.
7.    Once the jack has been removed tighten all four nuts with the wrench, do them in opposite pairs at a time, and make sure that they are as tight as you can get them.
8.    Pack away all the tools and get back in to the car.

You need to remember not to drive around excessively on the spare, on some modern cars the spare is a different sized tyre especially with wide sporting tyres.  It is recommended to get to your nearest car repair centre or tyre centre to get your flat tyre replaced; if you’ve suffered a blow-out then you should give them the blown-out tyre for them to dispose of responsibly.

It’s important to check your tyres before your journey and make sure that they are inflated to the recommended levels.  You should also make sure that there is sufficient levels of tread on the tyres and try to avoid scuffing them on kerbs as this can weaken the side walls and lead to punctures.

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Cracking The Code Of Car Sales – Advert Terms Explained

July 31st, 2009
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Buying a car is a major purchase, it’s one that is likely to last you a few years at the very least so you want to make sure that you fully understand the terms and the conditions of purchase (if it’s not being bought from new).  Anyone who has looked at car sales magazines like Auto Trader will know that there are large lists of terms which sometimes get termed as jargon.

What do all these abbreviations like PAS and R/C/L stand for?  Well it would probably be best that you find out before you arrange a viewing not only to make sure you give the impression that you know what you’re talking about but also to make sure you’re fully aware of what features the car has and hasn’t. 

Below is a short list of common terms that feature in car ads that should help you get a better understanding of the listings when looking for your new car.

A/B – Airbags, a common safety feature of most cars on the drivers side but some newer models can have up to 8 airbags so it would be worth asking about how many are included if it’s not specified.

A/C – Air Conditioning, a welcome feature on a hot sunny day but bear in mind that air conditioning can eat into your fuel consumption.

Auto/Man – Automatic or Manual, this refers to the transmission in the car.  One point to make about automatic cars is that they tend to be more expensive than the manual versions.

CL/RCL – Central Locking and Remote Central Locking, an important security feature, with the remote keys they can be expensive to replace so make sure you get a spare and keep it in a safe place.

ABS – Anti-Lock Braking System, in adverse weather or situations where you have to brake suddenly you don’t want the brakes to lock up, this is a good safety feature.

E/M – Electric mirrors, being able to control the passenger side mirrors without leaning across is a great safety feature as well as being able to store different driver’s settings.  Obviously electric mirrors are more expensive to replace than manually operated ones.

PAS – Power Assisted Steering, this feature makes steering much easier and will take the stress out of parking and other manoeuvres, many modern cars now have power steering as standard.

There are other terms which are more obvious such as CD players, 4 wheel drive, etc but most of the terms are fairly self explanatory and as long as you can judge the basics of the advert you can always phone up the seller to get a more human response, the reason for these abbreviations is to do with space and cost of placing the adverts.  Once you’ve found a car that you like then arrange a viewing to see whether this is the right car for you!

Related topics include guaranteed car finance, welcome car loans and used car credit

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Honda restarts production at Swindon

July 31st, 2009
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Thousands of Honda employees have returned to work at the company’s Swindon plant after the troubles of the car industry forced its closure four months ago. The 3,400 workers have agreed to taking a pay cut until 2010 but are pleased that their jobs are finally guaranteed after spending the last four months worrying about the possibilities.

The factory was forced to close while the company decided on the best way of dealing with the problems caused by the global recession and the effect the economic downturn has had on the number of car sales and contract hire agreements. The car industry has been one of the worst affected and many car manufacturing companies are struggling to make ends meet, but the situation at Honda and how they have recovered could stand as an example to other companies who are still struggling. Tamporarily suspending production at the Swindon plant has allowed them time to make important decisions about the future of the business as well as complete maintenance work that had been in the pipeline for a while. During the four months downtime the production lines were stripped down and rebuilt, and the entire plant was redecorated, wherever possible using existing employees with the relevant specialist skills or training. 

But it’s not all good news. A further 1,300 Swindon employees chose to take voluntary redundancy when the factory closed, many of whom still have not managed to secure alternative employment. And although the employees returning to work now know their jobs are secure, they have agreed to a pay cut of 3%, or 5% for those in management positions, for the duration of the next 10 months. The reopened factory is currently only running at 50% capacity, with a projected output of 113,000 vehicles in 2009, less than half the original intended number of 228,000.

In short, it’s a small victory but the company is not out of the woods yet, Honda car leasing and sales figures will have to increase significantly over the next few months if they want to avoid any further disasters. The Swindon factory is due to start production of the new Honda Jazz model in September, which should help to boost sales and work towards securing the long-term future of the plant. Not to mention as the economy begins to recover buyers will be taking advantage of low car prices as across the board from Honda to Mercedes, car leasing and purchase prices are cheaper than ever.

 

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