How to Choose a Good Mechanic

By Otto Wortman

How to Choose a Good Mechanic. This is a problem for a lot of people in desperate need of repairs on their vehicle. Most of the time people will just take it to the closest mechanic and this may not always be the cheapest and best choice for them. It is very important to save you time and more importantly costly repairs if you take the time to do a little research to find a good mechanic.

The first step in this journey will be to ask around to friends and family to see if they have any recommendations. Most of the time you will find honest opinions and maybe they will offer some insight on a certain mechanic close by that you are considering that will in the long run save you from one less bad experience. If you are new to your area or just don't have a lot of family around you can also ask around to some of the people who have the same kind of car that you do. If you work in a fairly large industry, you will more than likely find someone that has the same kind of car as you do. You want to pick a mechanic that works on your type of vehicle so you can be sure they are familiar with it and know how all the parts work and that they fit together to work properly.




The better business bureau can also help you out to find out whether the shop you are considering has had any complaints or not. This is a must before picking any mechanic. If they have had complaints there is a chance you will have problems as well and you are better off going elsewhere.

The first thing to ask when you walk into a shop is to find out if the mechanics working there are certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. This will give you some idea as to the standards of the shop and is definitely a must for the right mechanic. The next thing to always ask is about the warranty on the repairs you will be having done. You need to ask this before you leave your vehicle at the shop or at least before they even start any work. You will want a warranty that is at the least 90 days, when you get all the way down to 30 day warranties you should be a little skeptical. The 30 day warranties are just long enough to be sure you are not going to have any problems. Be sure to ask whether the warranty covers both the parts and the labor.

Find out what the hours are in the shop to be sure they are open when you get off work, will you get a loner car until the work is done and in some situations is the shop near a train or bus station in case you need transportation. Once you have gotten a full detail on what exactly is going to be done to your vehicle you should at this point have enough information to make a good decision to know if this is the right mechanic for you.

What Makes A Great GPS System?

By Robyn Ball

What Makes A Great GPS System?. Top-brand commercial geopositioning systems (GPS) should always be linked to constant upgrades and updates. Roads, highway ramps, motels, hotels, fuel stops, eateries, parks and other traveler amenities all change from week to week. Roads close for construction. The Department of Transportation may limit commercial vehicle access on some roads. Exit and merge ramps open and close for construction. Motels, hotels, RV parks, fuel stops, restaurants and cafes all open and close without warning.

GPS units should contain state by state data input that enables drivers to export mileage information to a spreadsheet. This feature would plan best routes for time and distance. This report function should also allow commercial drivers to track toll vs. non-toll miles by state or province for IFTA fuel tax reporting. Owner Operators and Drivers should be able to review data input by quarter or by the day, by state and/or province.



Warning systems on top brands should provide alarms for the distance ahead and be able to report on what is around the corner or down the road. Drivers would then be able to make adjustments for speed or stopping distance way ahead of time. Alerts should include sharp curves, steep hills, speed limit changes, over-speed-limit indicator, state boundaries, road construction, time zone changes, and on/off duty changes.

As drivers are approaching their final destination, address ranges and street names should display on the status bar. Getting there features should zoom to the neighborhood or city as a customization for that trip in that vehicle.

When a driver needs to pull off the road for a brief stop, or is taking an alternate route, units with auto re-route should have pause/resume features to avoid unnecessary GPS activity on the unit. There should also be a quick display of the entire route at a highway level so that drivers are never lost and know in advance which roads they will travel.

The unit should function in several languages like English, Spanish, and French for the North American continent. Text and verbal translations should be available for drivers that use English as a second language to fully benefit from the product. This is a critical business tool for the professional driver.

How helpful can speed limit changes and over-the-limit alarms be for protecting a driver's livelihood and saving lives? It's one thing to record this data for the view of the safety manager alone and quite another to make it available to the driver so the professional can take the appropriate action with that same information. Information is empowering and a lack of it results in punitive measures and being treated like an irresponsible child.

Tips for Buying Second Hand Engines and Spare Parts Online

By Jessy Johns

Tips for Buying Second Hand Engines and Spare Parts Online. Gone are the days when buying second hand engines or car parts for your automobile used to be a sweaty, grimy day's work. These days, looking for specific used car parts, checking out their condition and history, comparing prices from ten shops, haggling over the right price, and then carrying the heavy bag of the purchased used car parts, all of this can be done from the comfort of your home, in a matter of seconds. Thanks to online shopping websites, buying a second hand engine or a spare part is now easier, more convenient and really economical.

However, with comfort, usually comes the cost. And in this case, the cost involves the chances of being swindled out of a good deal online because of your accidental overlooking of some important detail regarding the purchase. To avoid that, here are some tips that you should go through in order to buy second hand engines and spare parts from online garages, and get the best deal out of them.



Firstly, you should always keep your VIN (Vehicle Identification number), a number which is unique to every vehicle, handy. This will help you find the best spare parts for your vehicle, and is especially helpful if you are buying a second hand engine. Not only can you determine the make, model and the year of manufacture of your car through the VIN, you can also request a VIN check on the second hand engine or any other peculiar used part that you are buying to see its past performance. This will also keep you from landing up with a faulty engine or spare part.

Secondly, before finalising any purchase online, gather all information about the car part that you intend to buy, so that you do not feel lost in the technical description of the same on the website and end up buying the wrong item for lack of technical knowledge.

Thirdly, Always ask for a warranty coverage for the second hand engine or the spare part you are buying. In online transactions of spare parts, the sellers are bound to give you a minimum warranty coverage even in case of second hand parts. Also ask for their return policy document, just in case. That'll make sure you get your due, in case you are not satisfied with the part you've received.

Lastly, go through the fine lines very carefully while making any such purchase, be it a second hand engine or any other spare part. Do not overlook any detail in the purchase brochure to get the best deal on the used spare part you buy. And then, just click away to glory!

Tips for Truck Drivers: CSA Compliant Roadside Inspections

By David Robson

Tips for Truck Drivers: CSA Compliant Roadside Inspections.

Rules and Regulations

There are no new rules as far as being in violation. The only thing that has changed is how your roadside inspection is recorded in the FMSCA [old Safe-stat now CSA"s Safety Measurement System (SMS) ]. No longer are you looked at when your company has an accident or O.O.S.(out of service) violation or a random audit. Now the carrier and driver roadside inspections are recorded at every inspection and updated every 30 days to evaluate a score (0-100) based on violation points given at roadside inspections as well as accidents and O.O.S. violations.

The value of these scores (1-100) is done by comparing you and your company with other drivers and companies of comparable characteristics. This will produce an average for the group you fall into and your scores are determined by comparing them with your group average.

THE SCORE CARD

Remember back in school your report card had your mark, then the class average and your parents always look at the class average and then your mark (score) to see how you compared to the rest of the kids in your class (group). If your class average was 80% and you got 50% there was some explaining to do.

Welcome back to school. The only difference is your working with a golf score, lower is better since the score is based on violations (negative). A clean roadside inspection helps because the number of roadside inspections are calculated as well. So if you have 50 roadside inspections and only 2 have violations that's 4%. If you only have 5 roadside inspections and 3 have violations that's 60% roadside infractions. Lower is better. The more perfect roadside inspections you get the lower it keeps your score and makes you look like driver of the year. So practice your putting so you will get a hole in one at every inspection. ( Be the Tiger Woods of trucking, so to speak)..



Roadside Inspection Tips

Brakes

Remember that pre-trip inspection we all slept through at the last driver's meeting? Well wake up and learn it. Equipment violations carry a high severity number next to logbooks. Especially brakes. If you have a dedicated tractor you can probably get away with mark and measure once a week.

Every time you hook on to new equipment you should do a six pack on the brakes and then mark and measure. Write down the measurements and keep them handy for an inspector to prove you did check them should one of the automatic slack adjusters stopped working. If you have disc brakes you don't need to measure them because the push-rod is not visible or accessible.

Lights

Carry spare lights with you. Lights can usually be changed quickly providing they are accessible. Headlights, brake lights and turn signals carry a high severity point system as they are necessary for the safety of other motorists. I once had a side marker light go out and it cost me $65.00 to get it fixed. The light was only $5.00.

Load Security

Review your FMSCA violations in this area to become familiar with the requirements. http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/fmcsr/fmcsrruletext.aspx?reg=392.9

Did you know that if your binder(flatbed) handle is not tied you have an insecure load? If your folded up tarp is on your deck and not strapped you have an insecure load? A mud flap hanging by one bolt can be an insecure load because it is missing over 50% of its fasteners. If you are new to load securement get together with your safety department or an experienced senior driver.

Logbooks

You knew this was coming didn't you? Logbooks are going to the bulk of driver infractions and has been since it was introduced. For some reason we all can't keep them up to date within the last change of duty status.

Over hours and falsification carry the highest severity weight. When your at a state inspection your logbook inspection can be more than just lines on a graph to a D.O.T. inspector.

Vehicle Inspection

* - if you show a defect and it was corrected he will ask for a part or service receipt.
* - he will also target the repaired item for inspection to make sure it is fixed.
* - he will also look at your inspection times to be sure your inspection were within 24 hour intervals.

Time over Distance

* - it doesn't take a mathematician to figure out your average trip speed.
* - speeding fines can be issued if your average trip speed is to high or can become a falsification of logs.
* - split sleeper and differed time off (Canadaians) are going to be looked at since those are the most misunderstood logbook regulations.
* - clarity and neatness, if he can't read it it will become an incomplete logbook violation.
* - signature is required on every sheet to be a complete logbook.

Receipts

* - the officer will ask you for receipts from the current trip, this also includes bills of lading and lumper fees.
* - if you have traveled over 900 miles ( 300 gallons @ 6 mpg ) the officer is going to ask for fuel receipt.
* - he may ask for toll receipts and if he knows that the toll roads you took have no transponder, you best present receipts.
* - if you crossed international borders or were D.O.T. inspected along the way it better be logged in your book as they have ways to get that information on the spot.

Attitude

Attitude will play an important role in your roadside inspection.

* - do not argue with an officer, if you disagree with the roadside inspection notify your dispatch for instructions.
* - comply with the officers request to surrender documents, even if you know they are not compliant.
* - keep a clean and organized unit, this is a visible target criteria for inspection even with the best of carriers.
* - be polite, he is only doing his job.

Education

Do your best by visiting government websites to educate yourself on the industry as it related to your profession. Driving schools are not suited to educate you on the whole industry because it is so varied it would take them a whole year to cover it all. Trucking companies are supposed to bring you up to speed with the specifics related to their objectives but fail to because they claim it is to expensive.

Driver Education Links

U.S. Regulations CSA

I hope this helped you to understand the CSA a little bit better so you know what to expect when you are pulled into a scale.

Until next time. Be Safe.

David Robson
Professional Truck Driver,
Certified Fleet Driver Trainer


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5986293

How Airbags Have Improved Road Safety

By Rick Gueli

How Airbags Have Improved Road Safety. Fact: Airbags have improved road safety and they have done so in many different ways. It's something that most people just tend to just take for granted now. That they can travel on roads and highways in relative security but the truth is that it hasn't always been that way because driving used to be a whole lot more dangerous.

For instance, airbags have made travelling in a car a whole lot safer for children in particular. Kids have always tended to be among the most vulnerable in traffic accidents, and nothing has changed in that respect. Today though, with a child strapped in a car equipped with airbags, their odds of serious injury in a collision are trimmed way down.

Even so, it's imperative that the instructions be followed carefully as it pertain sot using airbags with children. Also do keep in mind that airbags can in fact increase the danger factor for extremely young children in child car seats if used improperly.




Low speed collisions are yet one more area where airbags have made a huge improvement in car and truck safety. So then why low speed crashes at, say 30 to 35 kph? The simple answer to that is that most accidents happen at low speed.

Most drivers are blissfully unaware of just how badly they can be injured in an accident when that vehicle is moving even a slow as even 15 kph. Statistically though the odds are high that over the course of your lifetime you will be involved in a low speed accident.

Do keep in mind that in injury sustained in a vehicle accident does not have to be grave, or life threatening for it to be a serious life changing event. As an example, a neck injury like whiplash or having your front teeth knocked out can leave you laid up at home for weeks and even months, and have a profound negative impact on your ability to earn an income.

Now of course airbags have for sure made travelling at high speeds whole lot safer today as well. In fact in the decades prior to their development and for prior for mandatory seat-belt installation in all cars and trucks sold, a high speed collision was pretty much a death sentence.

Today though people tend to take it for granted as they whisk along on a highway that should they become involved in an accident that they can expect to survive unscathed, or at least with only minor non life threatening injuries. All thanks to the latest airbag and seat-belt technology.

In the event of an accident, a small weighted device in a tube shaped trigger is thrown forward. It all happens in a fraction of a second. When it passes down the tube it makes an electrical contact that sends a surge of electricity up to the airbags in the vehicles cab, which in turn causes a chemical explosion. It's the gas from this explosion that instantaneously fills the airbag.

The Benefits of Budget Truck Rental

By Kathie R. Dionisio

The Benefits of Budget Truck Rental. When you need to move your things from one place to another, it means a lot of things to do, from packing all your possessions to loading it up in the truck. Many individuals have said that this is one of the hardest jobs a person can experience since all the preparations and all the stuff that you need to accomplish is somewhat complicated.

Aside from the preparations that you need to do, you also have to consider the budget you need to hire a truck. This is one of the most important aspects in relocating. This is not a problem anymore since there are several companies that offer much lower rate to their vehicles that help lots of people in their moving.

Still, although there are lots of companies that rent their automobiles to numerous of people, not all can meet the budget you have to move all of your things and furniture. It is a great thing that Budget Truck Rental can provide you a high-quality service and most particularly, you do not have to spend too much money to hire their vehicle compared with other renting companies.

In addition, in the United States, Budget Truck Rental is the second largest truck rental company and they really offer their customers the best of their services. In general, Budget is the company that offers the lowest rate when it comes to the fees of their moving vehicles that you can enjoy and afford without sacrificing the quality of their services.

Moreover, you can also acquire best deals with this firm because you can make agreements with them particularly if you are in a tight budget. Although they give their services for a very low rate, it does not mean that their quality is poor because it is not. A lot of individuals have already proved that their services are really good.

You can be at peace with the service of this firm because they can ensure you that they can relocate all of your possessions and other stuff with no trouble at all. They are also offering different kinds of automobiles, such as big trucks, vans, pickups and many more. These automobiles also come in various sizes, from small to large vehicles. Before you hire one, you need to calculate first all the necessary things that you need to transfer so that you know what size you need. Budget Truck Rental has also contracts with Isuzu, Navistar International, GMC and Ford to construct their rental vehicles.

How to Keep Your Used Car Running Like New

By Levi Quinn

One of the main concerns that people have when purchasing a used car is whether or not it is mechanically dependable. While of course most consumers want their cars to look great, the real purpose of having a vehicle in the first place is to have access to a reliable source of transportation. Used cars may be older than their newer counterparts, but they have the potential to run just as well. When purchasing a used car, or when simply taking care of a car that you have owned for years, there are a few key steps to be taken if you wish to keep your automobile running like new.

• Perform preventative maintenance. Getting your car tuned up and checked out on a regular basis can detect issues before they become major problems. Weaknesses in the engine and other parts of the car, if caught early, may be easier and less expensive to correct than if they are fixed after they have caused some serious damage. A routine maintenance plan can work wonders for the lifespan of your car.

• Change the oil regularly. Oil changes allow your car to run at its optimum level. As a lubricant, oil allows the parts of the engine to move smoothly and to run without interference. If you do not change your oil every 3,000 to 5,000 miles, depending on the needs of your vehicle, it could become dirty or even run out, leaving your engine prone to damage from both the oil itself and the consequences of friction in the motor. This will result in the wear and tear of your engine and, if you go too long without having the oil properly changed, you may have to replace the entire motor.

• Keep the tires properly inflated. Flat tires are obvious and are almost always fixed right away, but do you ever put any thought into the air level of your tires if they are not flat? Having too much or too little air can strain the vehicle and cause it to run at an inefficient rate, meaning that your car will go through fuel more quickly. Keeping the air at a proper pressure level will keep your used car running at its best and can even make the driving experience more enjoyable, as the car will be easier to control and will offer the driver a lower level of resistance.

• Do not push the performance of your vehicle. If you have a truck then transporting heavy materials is fine, but do not try to overload your sedan and expect it to run perfectly. Different kinds of cars are designed for different types of driving, so be sure that you utilize your automobile in the proper manner. Used cars have the potential to continue to run like new for years on end, but it is up to the owners to maintain its ability to provide reliable transportation. By addressing the needs of your car, and by following the tips listed above, you can keep your used car running for a surprisingly long time.

Do you have teenagers in your household? If they're at or near driving age you're well aware that affordable auto insurance may seem nearly impossible to find. So before you buy or renew your coverage, compare rates and look for discounts to find that cheap car insurance for young drivers.