Whether you are looking to save money or increase your knowledge of car mechanics, there are plenty of simple ways to make sure your Calgary used car is always in optimal condition. From replacing air filters to changing out the windshield wipers, you will be surprised how simple they DIY fixes can be. If you find some can be a bit too challenging, you can find some instructional videos on Youtube to give you a more detailed explanation.
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7/11/2017 0 Comments Leasing a Car vs. Buying a CarPeople often wonder whether they should lease or buy a car. Many will argue that leasing a car is much easier and has an additional benefit of avoiding costs of repairs. You can think of a lease as a rental car with payments spread widely over the course of 2 to 3 years. However, it may come as a surprise that incidental fees can add up to where they can be considered a bad deal. We have a few examples for you:
It’s crazy to think your teens are legally able to drive at the age of 16. In an instant your teen will suddenly be asking to take the car for the weekend, even asking when they can get their own car. Rest assured, we’ve come up with 5 sure-fire tips to help you with choosing your teen’s first car.
1. Safety First, Always – It is statistically proven that 16-19 year old drivers are 45% more likely to get into a car accident than experienced drivers. That being said, it’s important for your teen to drive a vehicle that is safe. Most parents will focus on getting a larger, heavier vehicle when in reality a teen needs a vehicle that has back up alerts and forward collision warnings as this will cue them in on paying more attention to their surroundings. Electronic Stability Control and Curtain Airbags are standard features on most car models. If you try to include as many driver-assisted technologies as you can, this could dramatically diminish their likelihood of an accident. 2. Research with Your Teen – Buying your teen their first car is a huge milestone in their life, so you want to make sure they also grasp this and learn about auto safety and develop budgeting skills and financial tools they are able to use later on. Help your child understand sales negotiation and they should sit in on this, as it will be one of the most important takeaways. 3. New or Used Vehicle – It’s important to ask your teen what kind of car they’d like to have. You have to determine what is the best economical decision; a new or old vehicle? New vehicles are more reliable and cost less to maintain and typically have the latest features. However, buying a used vehicle has a huge upside economically; the car itself costs less as well as the insurance due to depreciation. Most financial experts will recommend buying a new driver or teen a vehicle that is between three to five years old. Drivers Education – Because it more likely that a teen will be involved in a crash than an experienced driver, typically their insurance premiums are much higher. When you buy a safe and reliable used vehicle you will lessen the price of your insurance. However, the most effective way to lessen your teen’s driver’s insurance is through drivers’ education. Enrolling them in drivers’ education will help them learn useful tips they can implement throughout their driving lifetime. Checkout used car inventory to buy used car in Calagry. You’re driving down the highway and unbeknown to you, the truck in front of you is spewing out tiny rocks as it drives at a rapid speed. Some of the debris bounces off the road and hits your windshield, forming a small crack that will later grow into a larger crack across your entire windshield if you don’t do something about it in a short period of time. What do you do? Windshields are designed to support the vehicle, especially when traveling long along highways. It is inevitable that damage to the windshield at some point in the lifetime of the vehicle. Repair it or Replace it?
In most cases of chips or cracks, they can be easily repaired, it just depends on four specific factors: size, type, depth, and location of damage. When you crack the windshield of your car, each case is assessed individually and the results will vary based on these factors as well. Size and Depth of Damage Any car repair shop should be able to repair chips in your vehicle windshield that are about one inch in diameter and cracks that are up to 3 inches in length. Any crack that is larger than a dollar bill is deemed irreparable. Therefore, size of the damage is a huge decision making factor in terms of which route to take when fixing the damage. There are new technologies out that help repair chips that are wider and cracks that are longer, however, a qualified technician can judge all cases individually. Nowadays, cracks up to 18 inches long can be repaired. Type of Damage Types of cracks can vary; some are easily reparable whereas others are not. A few different types of cracks are as follows:
Chips and cracks that are the size of a quarter or less can usually be repaired. Multiple cracks on the other hand are a more difficult repair job. Location There are some side effects that come with repairing your windshield, even good repair jobs. Some of the following can occur when repairing a damaged windshield: discoloration, mistiness, unevenness, decrease of clarity and visibility in the spot damaged. Any cracks or damage that is near the edge of the windshield or if cracking begins near the edge of the windshield in general as a response to damage, this can compromise passenger safety as well as driver safety. The types of damages that cannot be repaired typically are:
Repairs to Windshields A technician usually takes about 30 to 40 minutes to repair a windshield with one chip or one crack. If the chip or crack is deep on both layers or is contaminated with dust, there are some preliminary steps that need to be taken. When repairing the windshield, a clear, curable resin must be injected into the outer layer of the glass to help restore its integrity and improve overall appearance of the glass. The resin used is then polished to help achieve a smooth surface and prevent the crack or chip from spreading and causing further damage. A deeper or more slanted chip or crack can cause damage to the intermediate poly-Vinyl Butyral layer. In this case the damage is slightly enlarged or deepened with a drill in order to help smooth and even out the hole so that resin can reach the intermediate Poly-Vinyl Butyral Layer. In the case of repairs, there is usually an ‘injector’ attached to the windshield of the vehicle around the damaged area and small portion of resin is thereafter injected into the chip or along the crack. The excess resin is removed and UV light is applied to harden the resin in place. Replacing Windshields A chip bigger than 2 inches long or a crack that is one foot or longer will require a windshield replacement. Your options for quality windshields are not always the best; you may have to go with an Aftermarket substitute, third-party aftermarket alternative, or a Same-OEM windshield. Windshield replacement is a four step process that involves firstly canvasing the areas of the vehicle that windshield encompasses to prevent any damage. The windshield is thereafter cut from the edges and removed from the car, as are the seals and glue. The bare frame is all that remains on the vehicle. A primer is then spread on the inside of the frame, where the new windshield will be fitted, and after which, the new windshield’s edges will be coated with a special adhesive that seals it into place. The new windshield will have be to fitted and bonded shortly after to the frame. This process usually takes between 30 minutes and an hour. Most repair shops will ask you to wait more than 60 minutes to allow the adhesive to set and bond. To keep your windshield in good standing, always clean in the proper manner and at the proper time. More on Car Tips 6/14/2017 1 Comment Do-It-Yourself Used Car InspectionWhen buying a used car you may not know if what you’re buying is the worth all the money you saved up to buy it. Depending on the seller, in some cases you can take the car to be inspected by a professional before buying it, but if you don’t have the opportunity to do that, there are few ways you can test it on your own.
Before you start the car, you must do the following:
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