Extreme Cash for Junk Cars/ Junk Car For Cash Removal

3 Easy Ways to Track a Car

2020-11-18T18:19:00.001-08:00

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, one car is stolen in the US every 6.5 minutes. The country records almost 220 motor vehicle theft cases per 100,000 population. That’s despite the fact that the number of full-time law enforcement officers in the US has gone up in recent years.

Who is to blame for the situation? One report points the finger at car owners. It states that more than one in 2 have become complacent about theft. But your presence here indicates that you take your vehicle’s safety seriously. Read on to know how to track a car.

How to Track a Car

Here are various methods using which you can do it:

Using Your Car’s Built-in GPS

Here is one of the easiest ways you can track a vehicle. It requires you to tap into your vehicle’s pre-existing navigation system, a feature that comes in top-of-the-line models. This method lets you track your car for free as you won’t have to buy a separate GPS tracker.

Here’s how you can track your car using its built-in GPS:

Connect to the internet from your smartphone or laptop
Log into the GPS tracking platform’s website
Register by entering the details of your vehicle
Start tracking your car’s location

This method is super-easy to execute but it poses one problem. Not all cars that you see on the road come with a built-in GPS. Those that do charge a premium for the same. That’s quite understandable as they require you to pay extra for equipment that would keep your car safe.

Using a Mobile Phone

Here is an inexpensive way to track your vehicle’s whereabouts. All it needs is for you to have a smartphone with good cellular network coverage and GPS functionality. The smartphone also needs to have a data plan that could fulfill your car tracking needs.

Here’s how to track a car with a cell phone:

1. Purchase a smartphone

It must have good cellular network coverage and GPS functionality. Its battery timing should also be respectable with data usage.

2. Subscribe to a data plan

One that must be sufficient enough to cover the entirety of your car tracking needs. The data plan may cost you between $5 and $20 per month.

Don’t go low when choosing a data plan. Or else you may end up with one might end in the middle of the month, leaving you no choice but to re-subscribe.

3. Download and install a car tracking app

Examples of car tracking apps include both free (Google Maps, AccuTracking) and paid (InstaMapper) applications.

We recommend paid applications because they are more reliable and bug-free. They also give you added features like voice alerts and notifications.

4. Complete the app’s registration process

You’d need to create a new account to begin the registration process. After that app would require you to verify your credentials.

It would also require you to enter the phone number of the smartphone you’re going to use as your vehicle’s GPS tracker.

5. Place the smartphone in your car

Some car owners choose to mount the smartphone under the dashboard to ensure that it remains hidden from view. Others simply place it under the seat.

Never put your smartphone where it’s visible to those outside your car. Or else it might tempt miscreants to break into your vehicle when it’s parked.

6. Connect it to a power source

That’s because you need your GPS tracker-smartphone to run 24/7. You can either connect its charging cable to the wires leading to the 12V cigarette lighter.

You can also innovate and connect the cable to the wires that lead to the car’s battery. Or you can manually recharge the phone every time the car’s home.

7. Start tracking from your other device(s)

Log into the website of the GPS tracking platform from your personal smartphone, laptop, or tablet by entering your credentials and start tracking your car.

Using a GPS Device

Found the abovementioned method too cumbersome? Then you may find the option of tracking your car with a GPS device more appealing. It merely requires you to purchase a GPS device, place the device in your car, and log into its platform from your smartphone or laptop.

After registering on the platform and verifying your credentials, you’ll then be led to a page showing you your vehicle’s exact location. GPS devices are a better alternative to tracking your car than a smartphone because they have extended battery lives and don’t require a data plan of their own.

These devices can also stay up and running for a fortnight, thereby eliminating the need for you to connect them to a power source within your car. At the end of its charging period, you can take out the GPS tracking device and recharge it – before again placing it in your vehicle when it’s fully charged.

FAQs and Answers

Q: Can you track a car with Bluetooth?

A: You can track a car using devices with Bluetooth functionality. Examples of such devices include one of Tile’s latest gadgets. However, since these devices have a limited range – a few hundred feet at best, they are only suitable for locating your car in a parking lot.

Q: What are the best car tracking apps for Android and iPhone?

A: Hurdlr, Google Maps, and SpotAngels are three of the best car tracking apps for Android devices. iPhone users are also spoiled for options. They can pick from various apps, including GPS Tracker, Glympse, LocaToWeb, and more.

Conclusion

Learning how to track a car these days is super-easy. All you need are three things: an internet connection, a GPS device, and a GPS tracking platform.

They will give you peace of mind that your car is at a safe location and not in possession of some miscreant. You can thus focus on the task at hand by not worrying about your vehicle’s safety.

The post 3 Easy Ways to Track a Car appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/how-to-track-a-car

How many miles on a used car is too much?

2020-11-17T23:19:00.001-08:00

Eager to know how many miles on a used car is too much? So is everyone these days. COVID 19 pandemic might have hurt the tourism, hospitality and the transportation sectors. But it has proved to be a blessing in disguise for the often ignored used car market, sending sales through the roof.

The virus is to blame. You have more chance of contracting it when you’re using public transit or Uber then when you’re in your car with your family. This realization has urged buyers to empty dealerships. It has also allowed sellers to ask exorbitant amounts for their vehicles.

They’re getting it. Data indicates that the value of used cars has shot up by more than 16% in 2020. This means bad news for buyers who are in the market for a used car – especially those who cannot foot the bill of a brand new car.

How many miles on a used car is too much?

We recommend choosing used cars whose per-year mileage is less than 15,000-mile. That’s because 15,000 miles per year is the industry average. So, if you’re looking at a five-year-old vehicle, it won’t be unreasonable for it to have 75,000 miles on it. But mileage alone fails to tell the whole picture.

Assume for a moment that you’re looking at two used cars. Both of them have everything same apart from their mileage. One has clocked in 50,000 miles till date. The other’s odometer reads 100,000. It’s a no-brainer that the low mileage vehicle deserves your money, right? Wrong.

How many miles are too many depends on the following factors:

Number of owners

One vehicle with 70,000 miles under its belt may be listed for the same price as a 100,000-mile car. But it won’t be worth the same price if it has five owners and the latter has only one.

As you never know how the previous owner(s) handled or mishandled the vehicle. That’s why a single-owner vehicle with all of its service records might be the better purchase.

Driving terrain

Imagine again that you’re comparing two models. One has spent the entirety of its road life on the highway. The other was driven hard in off-road terrains and on country roads.

Which of the two would be a better buy? Of course the former. The answer would stay the same even if the vehicle driven on the highway has a few thousand miles more under its belt than its counterpart.

No. of miles left

Another factor that belittles the ‘how many miles are too many’ argument is the number of miles left on the car. As it gives you a better picture of the vehicle’s remaining shelf life. Here’s how.

Any 50,000-mile car from a brand whose cars often pass the 150,000-mile mark might be a better buy than another 40,000-mile car from a brand whose cars rarely exceed the 100,000-mile mark.

Car’s brand

Some car brands are more famous than others for making vehicles that can last a high number of miles. Their used cars are also able to retain their prices for longer.

Take the example of Honda and Toyota. Vehicles of both these Japanese carmakers will cost more with over 150,000 miles under their belt than those from other brands with similar mileage.

Vehicle’s condition

Any car that is well taken care of by its owner shows it on the inside as well as outside. Poorly kept exterior and interiors indicate that the owner was probably careless about maintaining their vehicle.

In contrast, well-kept interiors and exteriors foretell that the owner was particular about the health of their car. And that they didn’t forget to have it serviced at regular intervals.

FAQs and Answers

Q: What to consider when buying a used car?

A: Following are the factors you need to consider when buying a used car:

Car’s History: Don’t just rely on your visual inspection of the vehicle to decide that everything is as it seems. Instead, consult websites like CARFAX that provide detailed vehicle history reports to help you make a sound buying decision.
Pre-Purchase Inspection: There are lots of dealers that offer pre-purchase inspection services for a fee. The amount that they charge is a pittance when compared with the money it would help you save in the long run in maintenance.
Car’s Reputation: How is the car you’re looking at rated by your fellow drivers? What do industry experts have to say about it? Consult websites like Kelly Blue Book to find answers to these questions before making the purchase.
Test Drive: While taking the car on a test drive, there are several things you need to pay attention to. They include whether the car has any blind spots, are its brakes predictable, does it emit any vibrations and whether it has enough power.
Back-seat legroom: This is a crucial factor to consider if you’re going to buy a family car. That’s because there are models out there that allow more legroom up front than they do for passengers on the back seats.

Q: What mistakes to avoid when buying a used car?

A: Following are the mistakes you need to sidestep when buying a used car:

Not having the car checked by a mechanic
Failing to take it on a test drive
Purchasing the car only on its looks
Not running the car’s history report

Conclusion

You know by now how many miles on a used car is too much. Industry experts put that figure at somewhere between 12,000 and 15,000. But you are also aware that mileage alone doesn’t tell the whole story about the car’s history and its current condition.

There are other factors, like the car’s number of owners, its brand, number of miles left in its road life, that play an equally important role in making the situation clear. You should, therefore, pay attention to all of them if you’re going to buy a used car.

The post How many miles on a used car is too much? appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/how-many-miles-on-a-used-car-is-too-much

5 Options to do with Old Car Seats

2020-11-16T23:19:00.001-08:00

Don’t know what to do with old car seats? You are not alone. Most parents don’t know what to do with seats their children have outgrown. The option of giving them away is frowned upon by safety experts who caution against it unless the seats are in near-immaculate condition.

It is for this reason that most charities say no to car seats. You’d also have to be extremely lucky to find a recycling program dedicated to them. Does that mean that there’s nothing you can do to keep the seats from ending up in a landfill? Read on to know what you can do with old car seats:

What to do with Old Car Seats?

Here are some options for you to consider:

1. Reuse them

You can reuse an old car seat if:

It Isn’t Expired

Flip over the seat and look at its bottom for the expiration date set by the manufacturer. The expiry date will either be embossed into the plastic or printed in the form of a sticker.

Some manufacturers also include the expiry date in the instruction manual. We recommend that you reuse the seat if at least a month is remaining in the expiry date.

It Isn’t Accidental

Car seats are no slouches and can resist mild thumps without compromising their integrity. However, if they were subject to a moderate to severe crash, you shouldn’t reuse them.

Having said that, some car seat manufacturers recommend that you desist from using their product after ANY crash, even if the jolts the seat were subjected to was minor.

It’s Clean

Putting your kids in dirty car seats exposes them to the risk of ear infections and pneumonia. That’s especially true if the seats are old and haven’t been used for a long time.

Which is why we recommend that, regardless of the apparent condition of your old car seats, you must give them a thorough scrub. Only then should you put them in your car.

It’s In Good Condition

Check the seat corners for nicks and cuts. Look under the fabric cover to ensure that there aren’t any insects lying around. Flip it over to inspect any signs of wear and tear.

Only after you have done this – and are satisfied with what you have seen during the seat’s inspection – should you make the decision of reusing it again.

It Wasn’t Recalled

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regularly recalls car seats it deems not fit for usage. You should go through the listing and make sure your car seat wasn’t recalled before reusing it.

Provided you don’t intend to check such listings and want the manufacturer to inform you about recalls, register your seat with them, and you’ll be informed about any recalls in advance.

2. Donate them

Here are some places that accept old car seat donations:

Local charities

Women shelters and local charities that provide aid to foster families accept old car seat donations. They then gift these seats to those in need or sell them to raise money for the cause.

Church organizations

Church organizations may offer you an alternative if you can’t find a local charity that accepts car seats. They have ministries that give away these seats to families in need.

Local CPSTs

Child passenger safety technicians are mostly in need of old car seats, which they may use to train parents about the basics of car seat safety and how to install car seats.

3. Recycle them

Some places have local recycling centers that accept old car seats. Call your recycling center and ask them if they do the same. Some of them might want you to completely break down the seat and remove all its extras before taking it in. Others want you to bring the seat in its current condition.

If your center doesn’t accept any extras alongside the car seat, you may have to remove the fabric, padding, metal pieces, and straps on the seat. You can remove everything – apart from the metal pieces – by cutting them with a pair of scissors.

To remove metal pieces, use a screwdriver. You must remove all the metal pieces or else the center may decline the car seat altogether. Use tutorials on YouTube if you find it difficult to remove all the parts from your car seat.

4. Trade them in

The majority of big-box stores organize car seat trade-in events once every few months. Our favorite trade-in events are those organized by Babies R Us store. They accept worn out car seats and give discounts on items you purchase from them that day. Target offers a similar program too.

Babies R Us and Target don’t throw traded-in car seats in their junkyards. Instead, they turn them into different products like buckets, pallets, and other construction materials, thereby making their trade-in program an incredibly convenient option for all involved.

5. Throw them away

If you cannot reuse, donate, recycle, or trade-in the old car seats, you have no option but to throw them away with the trash. That isn’t to say that you should just park the worn-out seat at the curb. There are a few guidelines you need to follow before throwing out the seat.

They include:

Cutting away all straps
Removing foam and extra padding
Dismembering metal pieces
Marking the seat as ‘expired’ or ‘unsafe’

Conclusion

Deciding what to do with old car seats isn’t easy. There are a lot of factors you need to consider before reaching a final decision. You need to check out the seat’s current condition, whether it’s still in warranty and whether it was ever involved in an accident before making any decision.

Provided the old car seat is in good condition and has never been in an accident, you may decide to keep it in the family if you’re planning a baby. Otherwise, you can trade it in, give it to your favorite charity, or throw it away after following all the guidelines mentioned above.

The post 5 Options to do with Old Car Seats appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/what-to-do-with-old-car-seats

How to Remove Car Decals

2020-11-14T02:19:00.001-08:00

Sick of looking at that faded decal from high school? You are not alone. Most people come to rue their decision to plaster stickers on their vehicle’s exterior. The realization comes when the euphoria of the moment has evaporated and reality has started to sink in.

Luckily for you, you can get rid of car decals without causing any damage to your vehicle’s exterior. Your car’s paint job will remain unscathed and nobody will be able to guess if there was ever any sticker on your automobile. Read on to know how to remove car decals:

Before You Remove Car Decals

Here’s what you need to do:

Clean the area

Fill a small bucket with a mixture of warm water. Add a few drops of laundry soap afterward. Dip a dry microfiber cloth in the bucket and rub the area surrounding the decal – and the decal itself – to remove dirt, grime, or dust particles.

Dry the area

Remove any suds from the area by pouring fresh water over it. Use another microfiber cloth to wipe it dry and ensure no traces of water or soap are left behind. Those of you who have some time on their hands can also let the area air dry on its own.

Pick at the decal’s weaker spots

Don’t try to go all the way through by attempting to remove the entire decal. You may not be able to do that but could still end up ruining the paintjob. All you have to do is just raise the corners of the decal to increase the effectiveness of the upcoming methods.

How to remove car decals?

Here are different methods using which you can remove car decals:

a) Use Hair Dryer

Here’s how you can remove car decals with a hairdryer:

What you’ll need?

Hairdryer
Rubber spatula (optional)
Goo Gone or rubbing alcohol
Dry microfiber cloth

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Warm the sticker

Warm the decal with a hairdryer. The hot air will cause the decal to loosen its grip on the car’s exterior. It will also make it easy for you to peel off the decal in the upcoming steps.

Turn on the hairdryer and set it at its ‘low heat’ setting. Aim the hot air at the decal for about a minute. Hold the dryer as close to the sticker as possible for the recommended period.

Step 2: Peel off the decal

Use a rubber spatula or your fingernail to peel off a corner of the sticker. Take it from there and continue peeling until the entire sticker has come off. Apply more heat if you feel its need.

Make sure that you’re peeling the decal back, not up. That’s because peeling it up will allow it to leave a patch of sticky residue behind, one that won’t be easy to remove.

Step 3: Remove the adhesive

Once you’ve removed the entire decal, you may be left with a layer of leftover adhesive. Remove it using an adhesive remover designed for vehicles, Goo Gone, or rubbing alcohol.

Apply a few drops of the alcohol on a dry microfiber cloth and use it to rub off the leftover adhesive. Be gentle while rubbing off the adhesive, or you might end up damaging the paint.

b) Use White Vinegar

Here’s how you can remove car decals with white vinegar:

What you’ll need?

White vinegar
Paintbrush
Plastic card

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Douse the decal with white vinegar

Dip the paintbrush in white vinegar and douse the decal with it. You can also use a paper towel if the decal covers a large area on your vehicle’s exterior.

Step 2: Remove the decal

After dousing the decal and waiting a few minutes, its grip on the paint job should loosen. That’s when you should use a plastic card to peel it off.

c) Use Boiling Water

Here’s how you can remove car decals with boiling water:

What you’ll need?

One liter of water
Plastic scraper or spent credit card

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Boil water

Then pour it over the decal. There shouldn’t be anyone standing nearby as you’re doing it. You may also want to wear insulating gloves if you intend to be on the safer side.

Step 2: Peel off the decal with a plastic scraper

You may also use a spent credit card for this purpose. It may take several attempts from your side to completely peel off the decal. That’s why you should be patient.

After You Remove Car Decals

Here’s what you need to do:

Remove leftover residue

Regardless of how diligently you may have removed the car decal, some sticky residue may still reside on the car’s surface. Remove it by putting a few drops of a glue remover on a microfiber cloth before rubbing the fabric onto the glue residue.

Let the glue remover sit on the surface for a few minutes. Then use soapy water to wipe it off. You may have to repeat this process several times to eradicate the residue.

Apply a fresh coat of wax and polish

Remove any leftover dirt from the surface by lubricating it with soapy water and rubbing the area with a sponge. Let the area air dry for a few minutes before buffing the spot where the decal was with polish and a coat of wax.

You can find both these substances online or at your local automotive store. They will not only protect the area but will also keep any discoloration at bay.

Conclusion

Decals offer us a fun way to express our individuality and creativity. Business owners plaster them on their vehicles to improve awareness about their brand. Activists, meanwhile, exploit their utility to make people attentive to their cause. One can, therefore, not deny their usefulness.

However, as popular and useful as they are, decals do have one shortcoming: they can be incredibly difficult to remove after a few years. That’s why we came up with this guide to let you know how to remove car decals without ruining your car’s exterior or paint job.

The post How to Remove Car Decals appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/how-to-remove-car-decals

How to sell a car with a loan?

2020-11-13T01:19:00.001-08:00

Most people don’t know how to sell a car with a loan. You can’t criticize them. We avail car loan schemes because of the benefits they offer – staggered monthly payments, improved credit history, saving money for other essential things, and the chance to drive a brand new car off the lot.

Not because we have any plans to sell the car before repaying the money we owe on its loan. So what happens if such a scenario arises? The good news is that you can sell a car with a loan. Here are several factors that will determine the course of action you’d take to achieve that goal.

Before You Sell Car with a Loan

Here’s what you need to do:

Determine the payoff amount

The amount you still owe on the car loan is its payoff amount. It includes the amount outstanding on loan, any prepayment penalties in the loan scheme you subscribed to, and other unpaid fees.

The best way to determine the payoff amount is to get in touch with the lender. You’ll need to repay all of it for the lender to transfer the car’s title to your name.

Get other details needed to sell

Ask your lender about the paperwork and information they think you’d need to sell the car after clearing its outstanding loan. Then get in touch with your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles.

Check with the DMV about the paperwork and other details they’d require to sign off on the car’s sale. You can either visit the DMV in person or contact them through their various online channels.

Determine your car’s actual worth

You can check out your car’s actual worth by entering its details on vehicle valuation sites. There are many of them, including Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds among others that you can consult.

These websites will require you to enter your car’s make, model, overall condition, mileage, and other key information to present you with your vehicle’s computer-generated value.

Determine your equity on the car loan

Subtract your vehicle’s payoff amount from its total value. If you end up with a positive value, it means you have ‘positive equity’ and could make money on selling the car.

However, if the result is negative, you’re ‘upside down on the car loan’. That means you’d have to give the lender all the money you’d generate from the car’s sale and pay the remainder from your pocket.

How to sell a car with a loan?

Here’s how you can sell a car with an outstanding loan:

a) Private sale with positive equity

Such a scenario is favorable for the car owner as it allows them to make some money on the car’s sale. They’d do that by paying the total amount they owe to the lender, after which the lender will pay the difference, if any, to the car owner. Let’s understand this point with an example.

Assume for a moment that you still owe $5,000 to the lender. Provided you succeed in selling the car for $7,000, you’d be able to pocket $2,000 from the car’s sale. You won’t have to pay anything more to the lender to sign the title and give it to the buyer.

Once the buyer has the title, they will take it (alongside the necessary paperwork required by your state’s DMV) to the DMV’s office and have the car’s title transferred to their name.

b) Private sale with negative equity

Such a scenario is favorable for the lender. It allows them to pocket not only the car’s sale price but also the remainder. The buyer will pay the sale amount whereas you’d be the one paying the difference. That is to say that you’d end up paying from your pocket to get rid of the car.

For instance, if the car’s sale price is $5,000 but you still owe $6,000 to the lender, you’d have to pay the remaining $1,000 to the lender. After that, the lender will sign the title and give it to the buyer who will then be able to get the car registered under their name at the DMV’s office.

c) Trade it in with a dealer

The best thing you could do is to clear the loan and sell the car on your own. The second best thing, if you cannot afford to pay off the whole loan, is to trade in the automobile with a dealer. That’s because dealers will handle all the paperwork for you and complete the deal quickly.

Having said that, there are a few downsides if you decide to go this route. The first is that dealers never pay as much for a vehicle as private buyers. If you’re carrying negative equity, they will build its cost into the new car loan. It means you’d just be transferring debt from one car to another.

FAQs and Answers

Q: What to do if the bank wants a loan payoff before you sell your car?

A: Some banks might require you to clear the car loan before you can sell it. There are two possible options you can exercise to get out of this tricky situation – the first of which is refinancing your loan at a lower interest rate. Those of you with good credit can entertain this option.

The second option is to get a personal loan and use it to pay off your car loan. But they have much higher interest rates and allow the lender to repossess your car if you cannot make payments.

Q: Can you negotiate a car payoff balance?

A: You can – and must try to – negotiate a car payoff balance with your lender. The success of the operation won’t only save your money, but it would also free up your budget to spend on other essential things. Check out this guide to learn more about how to negotiate your car payoff balance.

Conclusion

You are now are of how to sell a car with a loan. The three options we presented above – private sale with positive equity, private sale with negative equity, and trading it in your car with a dealer – are so diverse that you can easily select one meeting your requirements.

However, before you pick up any option from the three, make sure you complete the steps mentioned before laying out those options. Doing so would save you and the car’s buyer from any frustration and make the sale go seamless.

The post How to sell a car with a loan? appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/how-to-sell-a-car-with-a-loan

Who can be in the car with a Permit Driver?

2020-11-10T00:20:00.001-08:00

Who can be in the car with a permit driver? State rules dictate the answer to this question. Maine requires all permit drivers to be accompanied by a driver who is 20 years of age and has held a valid license for two years whenever they’re operating their Car. That isn’t the case in Tennessee.

The Volunteer State requires all permit drivers to be accompanied by a licensed driver 21 years or older when they’re driving a car. Its rules also prevent the person with the restricted license from driving between 10 pm and 6 am. All the car’s passengers, as well as the driver, must wear a seat belt too.

What is a driver permit?

Also known as a learner’s license or learner’s permit, a driver’s permit is a restricted license for a person who is still learning the ropes of driving. That person has been permitted by the relevant authorities to drive but has not yet met the requirements to get a driver’s license.

Most US states issue driver’s license only after a person has a driver permit for quite some time. The length of that time is dictated by state rules and therefore ranges between a few months and several years. Any person willing to get a driving permit must pass a written test as well as a driving test.

Who can be in the car with a Permit Driver?

Different states have set up different rules to dictate the answer to this question:

Parent, Guardian or Licensed Adult

Multiple states require the permit driver to be accompanied by a parent, guardian or licensed adult whenever they’re operating a vehicle. Examples include California, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, and Michigan, among others. That’s where the similarity between their rules stop.

While California prohibits the permit driver from driving anyone under the age of 20, Idaho sets no such restrictions. It even allows driving one non-family member under the age of 17. Louisiana tightens the restrictions by requiring the presence of a licensed person at all times.

You might have observed by now that all these rules vary state-by-state. That observation is correct. Which is why we recommend that you browse your state’s department of motor vehicle’s website to become doubly sure about who can be in the car with a permit driver.

Family members

Almost all states allow over-21 family members to be in the car when there is a permit driver on the steering wheel. Some of them require at least one of the family members to be a driver license holder. Such states include Florida and Idaho.

Other states give you the freedom to transport as many as three family members. Though they limit the potential danger to the loved ones of the permit driver by dictating that they can only drive when it’s daytime, thereby minimizing the chances of an accident.

As far as we know, there’s only one state that allows minors to accompany the permit driver. Hawaii sets up this rule by checks it by stating that only one passenger under-18 can be in the vehicle. And that too when there’s a licensed driver in the car.

Note: Check out this state-by-state guide to know who can be in the car with a permit driver.

What are the restrictions for permit drivers?

Following are the restrictions whose violation may result in the suspension of driver permit:

Phone Use: Almost all US states are unanimous in their assertion that permit drivers may not use the phone while driving. Ignoring this rule may incur the driver a fine or could even see them losing their license. However, you can still carry out emergency calls.
Passenger Restrictions: States’ department of motor vehicles (DMVs) determine how many passengers can be in the car when the permit driver is on the wheel. Almost all of them mandate the presence of a passenger on the front seat.
Driving curfew: Some states require the permit driver to park their vehicle between 11 PM and 5 AM. Others allow exceptions if the permit driver has a medical emergency or has a signed statement from their school or work.
Seat belts: Here is one restriction most permit drivers aren’t aware of. They might not know that it isn’t only the driver and the passenger in the front seat, but also everyone in the car, who have to wear the seat belt at all times.
Logging in practice hours: Only two persons can log the mandatory hours of driving practice of the permit driver. One of them is your parent or guardian and the other is the permit supervisor appointed by the two persons mentioned above.

FAQs and Answers

Q: Can a permit driver drive alone?

A: Here’s one rule that is the same in almost all US states. It unequivocally states that permit drivers, barring an emergency, cannot drive alone. Violating this rule might result in the suspension of your driver’s permit and block your way to getting a driver’s license.

Q: What happens if you get pulled over with a driver permit?

A: Provided you have a senior or a licensed driver in the passenger seat, you might get away with speeding or parking ticket. However, suppose the traffic cop finds you traveling alone with a driver permit as well as violating the rules. In that case, they may suspend your driver permit.

Conclusion

State rules dictate who can be in the car with a permit driver. You’d therefore do well to consult with your local authorities – or browse your state’s department of motor vehicle’s website – before driving anyone with just a license permit on you. Here’s why we’re saying that.

Provided you don’t follow the rules and drive around persons that you drivers with a permit aren’t authorized to, at best you may end up getting away with a slap on the wrist. At worst, you may lose not only your driver’s permit but also the chance to one day get a full-fledged driver’s license.

The post Who can be in the car with a Permit Driver? appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/who-can-be-in-the-car-with-a-permit-driver

How much does it cost to register a Car in NY

2020-11-08T00:19:00.001-08:00

How much does it cost to register a car in NY? It depends on whether you’re the vehicle’s first or second owner. First owners are required by law to fork out MTCD and vehicle plate fee, apart from other charges, at the time of registration. That isn’t the case for second owners who can go without paying both.

There is similar confusion regarding the payment of sales tax. The NY Department of Motor Vehicles states that people who have already paid sales tax at the time of purchase of the vehicle – or those whose cars are exempt, need not pay it at the time of registration. Others aren’t as lucky.

Typical fees when registering a car in NY

You must pay the following fees at the time of registering your car:

Registration fee

New York charges car owners a specific amount to register their vehicles under their name. The registration fees begin at $26 for a car that weighs under 1,650 lbs. Vehicle owners whose car weighs more than 1,650lbs are required to pay $1.5 for every additional 100lbs.

Unlike some states that charge an additional fee for electric vehicles, NY charges a flat registration fee, whether you intend to register an electric vehicle or one that runs on fossil fuels. However, it does require residents of some counties to pay a supplemental fee at the time of registration.

Vehicle plate fee

You’re given three options when applying for car registration in New York. The first of them let you apply for a new registration as well as vehicle plates. The second option is that of applying for the transferring of registration and plates from another car.

The third option, meanwhile, lets you apply for transferring vehicle registration but with new number plates. Depending on the option you’re going to select, you’ll have to pay a different vehicle plate fee you can calculate by going to this page.

County use tax

Several counties in the NY state, including New York City, have enacted local laws or ordinances to collect vehicle use taxes. These laws have authorized NY DMV to collect the vehicle use tax from the residents of the county on behalf of their locality.

Here’s how much vehicle use tax you may have to pay:

For counties inside NY City: Residents of the Bronx, Kings (Brooklyn), Queens, Richmond (Staten Island), and New York (Manhattan) are required to pay $30 every two years in the form of car use tax.
For counties outside NY City: Their residents are required to pay only $10 every two years in lieu of car use tax, as long as their car’s weight doesn’t exceed 3,500lbs– in which case the vehicle use tax will be double.

Sales tax

Upon registering your vehicle in New York, you must either pay its sales tax at the DMV office or give receipts showing it was already paid. There is a third option for those of you who can prove that their vehicle is exempt from sales tax at the time of registration.

The state of New York charges a 4% sales tax for registering a new vehicle. Remember that this estimate doesn’t include any city or county sales taxes that may also apply. Such taxes could be as steep as 4.75%, thereby forcing you to pay 8.75% in lieu of sales tax.

Title certificate fee

Most of you might already know what the title certificate is all about. It is a legal document that contains the name of the car’s owner. Those of you who’re buying a brand new vehicle will get the title certificate from either the dealership or the DMV. Others will get it from the car’s first owner.

The title certificate also includes the name of ‘lienholders’. These are persons who lent the money using which the car owner bought the vehicle. The NY DMV states that most motor vehicles of the model year 1973 and after must be titled, and it charges $50 for a title certificate fee.

MCTD fee

The New York Department of Motor Vehicles mandate residents of several counties to pay an additional Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District (MCTD) fee. The counties include Bronx, New York, Queens, Richmond, Suffolk, Westchester, Putnam, Orange, Nassau, Rockland, and Dutchess.

MTCD fee varies on the length of time your driver’s license will be in effect. Car owners whose driver license will remain valid for less than 8-years will pay $1 in MCTD fee every six months. Those who hold an 8-year license fee have to pay $16 at once at the time of registration of their vehicle.

How much does it cost to register a car in NY?

Depending on the weight of your vehicle, whether you’re its first or second owner and other factors mentioned above, registering a car in NY might set you back at least $45.50 in NY. The figure is reliable, but you’d still do well to check with NY DMV to know the exact amount.

Conclusion

The fact that you have made it this far means you already know how much it costs to register a car in NY. Various factors contribute to the amount quoted above, including registration fee, vehicle plate fee, county use tax, sales tax, title certificate fee, and MCTD fee.

All these factors are so diverse that it’s difficult to give you an exact quote of any car’s registration fee in New York. That is why we recommend that you check out the state’s Department of Motor Vehicle’s website to estimate for yourself how much does it cost to register a car in NY.

Provided you do that, you won’t have to make any last-minute arrangements for arranging more money than you carried with yourself to the DMV office. That will save you a lot of time which you can exploit to drive your car.

The post How much does it cost to register a Car in NY appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-register-a-car-in-ny

7 Ways to Get Rid of a Car

2020-11-06T19:19:00.001-08:00

Not many people know how to get rid of a car they own. You can’t criticize them for their lack of knowledge on this subject. We own cars because we like what they offer – independence, convenience, pleasure trips and long drives. Not because we want to discard them one day.

Yet that is precisely what you may have to do for a myriad of reasons. Your old car might turn into a piece of junk and won’t drive anymore. A shiny new vehicle may attract your attention, but you can’t make space for it unless you dispose of its predecessor that is already in your garage.

How to get rid of a car?

Following are the ways you can discard your car:

Cars that are in good condition

Here’s how you can get rid of a drivable car:

1. Sell it to a dealership

Here is one of the fastest ways to get rid of a car. You can drive it to your local dealership, have their mechanics assess the condition of your vehicle, and come up with an estimate they think is a fair price for it. Their offer may not be as high as you expect but you can always negotiate for more.

Those of you who find this option attractive – and have a vehicle that is in a condition in which you can sell it – might want to go to a dealer that sells the same model. Consult multiple dealers to receive different quotes before selling your vehicle to the highest bidder.

2. Trade it in

What is it that you intend to do with the money you’re going to receive for your vehicle? Do you have plans of spending it somewhere else? Or do you intend to add it to the money you already have and purchase a new or second-hand car? In which case you’d be better off trading in your used car.

Three factors will determine the trade-in value of your car. They include the condition of your used vehicle, the intensity of repairs it will require and whether the dealer already has cars similar to yours in their dealership. Consult multiple dealers before trading-in your vehicle.

3. Sell it to an online platform

Vroom and Carvana are two of multiple online platforms that purchase 2^nd hand vehicles. They require you to enter your car’s make, model, and year on their platform, ask questions about its trims and mileage and send an expert for physical inspection.

These platforms will then give you what they think is a fair price for your vehicle. Those of you who are happy with the offered price can then chose to be paid on the spot. Others who think the offer doesn’t meet their expectations always have the option to take their vehicle to another platform.

4. Donate it

You can always donate your car to a non-profit organization regardless of whether it’s in an excellent or imperfect condition. Many of them accept car donations as they can then sell the car on their own to finance the important work they’re doing for the community.

Donating your car won’t only help those in need. It will also allow you to save money because the IRS rules allow you to claim tax credits on donations. The tax deduction you’ll get will be equal to the price your car goes for at an auction. Though you may want to ask a tax professional for specifics.

Cars that are in worse condition

Here’s how you can get rid of a car that won’t drive around anymore:

5. Recycle it

Is your old vehicle a clunker? One way you can get rid of it is to take it to a scrapyard. It will sit there for years and years waiting for the forces of nature to degrade its components. Or you can go an environmentally-friendly way and recycle it. Here’s why we prefer the second option.

Recycling of useless vehicles doesn’t only benefits the environment. It is also beneficial for the financial health of their owners. That’s because there are programs out there, like Green Vehicle Disposal, that won’t only recycle your car for you but will also pay you for the same. Isn’t that great!

6. Contact a Junk Removal Service

Don’t care much about the environment? You can always exercise the option of contacting a nearby junk removal service. Most companies will reimburse you for your used up vehicle. They can afford to pay you because they’d get their cash back by selling the car’s parts and scrap metal.

Some people, in the hope of getting more cash, decide against calling the junk removal service. They think that they’d be able to make more money if they do all the leg-work themselves. But they forget the convenience junk removal services offer by doing all your dirty work for you.

7. Sell its parts

Car experts tell us that two types of vehicles repay you well when you decide to sell their parts. The first are those that have a strong enthusiast following. The second type of vehicles whose parts sell well are those whose original parts are challenging to find.

Parting out any car isn’t easy, though. It requires you to have the necessary tools as well as knowledge. You must also have space where you could store the parts which you’re going to take apart from the vehicle. That’s why we recommend that only pros go through this route.

Conclusion

Still unsure about how to get rid of a car? If you intend to discard a drivable vehicle, you have four options including selling it to a dealership, trading it in for a new car, selling it to an online platform that purchases vehicles or donating it to a not-for-profit organization.

However, if your car has become a clunker after years of use, you may have no option but to either sell it to a recycling company or contact a junk removal service. Those of you who have technical experience, as well as some free time on their hands, can sell its parts to earn more.

The post 7 Ways to Get Rid of a Car appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/how-to-get-rid-of-a-car

6 Easy Steps to Drift a Car (Manual & Automatic)

2020-11-04T20:21:00.001-08:00

Most motorists don’t know how to drift a car. You can’t blame them. Drifting requires the driver to deliberately over-steer and lose their tires’ traction while tactfully keeping their vehicle under control. That’s a feat only the most skillful drivers can achieve.

But despite the cacophony of screeched tires and smell of burnt rubber, drifting is extremely fun. The rush of adrenaline it sends through the body of the person sitting behind the wheel makes hours of practice that one has to put in to master this sport worth it.

Before You Start Drifting

Here’s what you need to do:

Select the car

Although you can use any car to implement a drift, experts recommend choosing one that has good drifting attributes (with 4-wheel or rear-wheel drive), or one you’re comfortable with and whose mechanics complement drifting. Here’s what that means.

The best cars for drifting are those with a low center of gravity. Their closer position to the ground allows them to rotate around their axis at higher speeds easily. It also gives them more agility around the turn and makes it easy for the driver to pull the drift off.

Select the drifting technique

There are two techniques using which you can initiate a drift:

Clutch-based

Here’s how this technique works. It requires the driver to press the clutch and shift to second gear as the turn is approaching. The driver then has to rev the engine up to 4.5RPM before releasing the clutch to inject the engine with a huge surge of power.

That initiates what the pros refer to as ‘power dump’ – in which the wheels’ fast spinning motion causes them to lose their traction and the car’s rear end to swing into a turn. The driver will then pull up the emergency brake to lock the back wheels, thereby initiating a clutch-based drift.

Brake-based

This technique’s first few steps are the same as that of the clutch-based technique. The differences begin after the driver has entered into a turn and pulled back the emergency brakes, causing the rear wheels to move up and lose their contact with the surface.

Instead of leaving the car there, the driver then has to use a combination of shifting and braking. This will allow them to extend the duration of the drift without locking up the rear wheels. That’s the reason why brake-based drifts last longer than their clutch-based counterparts.

Select a practice area

In contrast to what they show in Hollywood, drifting should never be done on busy roads. It should be practiced and performed as far away from pedestrians, near buildings, poles, or roadside walls as possible. The best practice areas for drifting are those that are deserted.

Go online and search the internet for racetracks in your neighborhood. Contact their owners to book a time where you’ll have the track only to yourself. Otherwise, look for an empty parking lot and polish your drifting skills around a barrel.

How to drift a car?

Follow these steps to drift a car:

Drifting a manual car

Here’s how you can drift a manual transmission car:

Step 1: Approach the turn at 30mph

Aim your car at the inside edge of the turn. Put it into second gear and press the accelerator to increase its speed up to 30mph and RPMs up to 3,000.

Stick as close to the mentioned speed limit as possible. Driving too fast may cause you to lose control over the vehicle, whereas going too slow won’t allow you to initiate a drift at all.

Step 2: Aim toward the turn

Turn the car as you usually do when rounding a corner. Continue pressing the pedal at about 80% and steer toward the road’s direction as you enter the turn. As you do this, your car will initiate a drift.

Step 3: Keep the drift going

After a few seconds of initiating the drift, you may notice it starting to lose steam. This will happen because of the back wheels regaining their traction.

Prevent this from happening by pressing down the clutch and quickly releasing it. Repeat this a few times and you’ll be able to keep the drift going without slowing down your vehicle.

Final Step: Straighten out your car

Once you have rounded the bend, it’s time to turn the steering wheel in the opposite direction – away from the near side of the road. You’ll be doing this to correct its course.

In the meantime, don’t take your foot off the gas pedal. This will ensure that the car doesn’t spin out of control.

Drifting an automatic car

Here’s how you can drift an automatic transmission car:

Step 1: Approach the turn at 30mph

Most automatic car owners might think of this speed as too low, but it is more than enough to let you drift around the bend without losing control over the vehicle.

As you’re increasing the car’s speed, put it into 2^nd gear using the gear shift. Keep an eye on the tachymeter and ensure that the RPMs are at 3,000 when you reach the recommended speed.

Step 2: Flick the steering wheel

Provided you have enough room on the road, take the car to the road’s outer edge and then drift towards its inside edge. Here’s why we’re recommending this.

Drifting in from outside will give you plenty of space to round the curve by a slight turn of the wheels. Turn the steering wheel in the opposite direction as you reach the turn.

Step 3: Use handbrake and clutch

Pull the handbrake and simultaneously press the clutch down hard. This will cause the rear wheels to lose their traction with the road, forcing the car to slide.

Step 4: Accelerate the car

As the car continues to slide, take your hand off the handbrake. Press down the accelerator hard and release the clutch at the same moment.

This action will supply extra power to the wheels, consequently letting you round the turn with ease.

Step 5: Maintain the speed

Keep the car going straight until you’re halfway through the turn, before turning the steering wheel in the direction you want to go – that is the inner edge of the turn.

What you’re doing here is trying to balance the car’s direction and balance simultaneously. It’s therefore crucial that you don’t take your foot off the accelerator while doing so.

Final Step: Straighten the car

Once you’re done drifting and it’s time to straighten the car, turn the steering wheel in the opposite direction. Don’t take your foot off the accelerator as it will end the drift too early.

Once you’re sure that the slide has ended, take your foot off the gas and drive away.

Conclusion

Whether you own a manual or an automatic transmission vehicle, our guide on how to drift a car has got you covered. Make sure that the road track you’re practicing on is deserted and without any obstructions. It will be best if it is wet or even damp. That is because slightly slippery roads make it easy for beginners to learn the ropes of drifting.

The post 6 Easy Steps to Drift a Car (Manual & Automatic) appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/how-to-drift-a-car

Where Can I Use My Synchrony Car Care Card?

2020-11-03T20:19:00.001-08:00

Want to hear a horror story in five words? Unexpected car expenses worth $400. Almost 40% of Americans can’t afford them without selling something or going into debt. These are people who’re living from paycheck to paycheck and cannot set aside money for unforeseen circumstances.

Their precarious financial situation doesn’t just blindside them from unexpected car expenses. More than 35% of Americans defer planned vehicle repairs too for want of money, consequently sending roadside breakdown numbers through the roof.

Little wonder, then, that you’re here searching for where can I use my Synchrony Car Care card:

What is the Symphony Car Care card?

The Symphony Car Care credit card prepares you for expected (and unexpected) car expenses. It is a dedicated payment solution that offers six-months financing on purchases of $199 or more. This means that you can buy now and pay later. That isn’t where the good news end.

Provided you always pay for your purchases on time, Symphony won’t require you to pay any interest on those purchases. It also gives you the option to request a credit line increase to finance bigger repair bills, and the fact that it’s a store card means your requests are more likely to get approved.

Where can I use my Synchrony Car Care card?

Following are the locations which accept this card nationwide:

1. Auto Parts Stores

More than 500,000 auto parts locations across the country accept this card. They include independent auto specialists, indie stores, and full-service chains. That is to say that you can walk in most auto part stores with the confidence that they’d accept this card.

Its (almost) universal coverage will provide you with two benefits. The first is that you won’t have to carry cash on you all the times you’re going to make a purchase from an auto parts store. It will also give you the peace of mind that no matter how costly the part is going to be, you’d be covered.

2. Auto Service Locations

Symphony Car Care cardholders know that this credit card is accepted at service locations nationwide. The reason why they’re so confident is that this card’s coverage – which covers almost 500,000 auto parts and service locations – is virtually universal.

That means that whether you’re going to overhaul your car’s engine after a major accident or looking to get parts like its battery, radiator, front axle, brake pads, and tires up to speed, you could easily count on the Symphony Car Care card to come handy.

3. Gas stations

Here’s what we like the most about this card. Unlike some other options that finance your car care needs, it doesn’t limit itself its utility to service and repair. Synchrony ups the ante by allowing you to go cashless on gas nations nationwide. Here’s how it does that.

Synchrony takes care of your gas refilling needs by striking partnerships with over 200,000 gas stations across the country. Some of the recognizable names on its list include Exxon, Speedway, Sunoco, QuikTrip, Mobil, BP, Shell, Chevron, and others.

Benefits of Synchrony Car Care card

Here are the major benefits of the Synchrony Car Care card:

$0 Annual Fee

Most other cards you see on the market come with a fixed annual interest rate that you have to pay on your purchases. The Synchrony Car Care is different

Those of its users who always pay for their purchases on time won’t be charged a penny in the annual interest rate. They’d just have to pay what’s stated on the product’s package.

Six months promotional financing

Do your car service and repair costs regularly exceed the $199 mark? Then you have one more reason to give the Symphony Car Care card a try.

It offers six months of promotional financing on purchases that exceed the $199 mark. In plain words, that means that you can buy now and pay later.

Wide nationwide coverage

More than 500,000 auto parts and service locations around the country accept this card. Almost 250,000 gas stations have jumped on the Symphony bandwagon as well.

That is why this card comes in handy for both routine maintenance like gas refilling and car washes, as well as large purchases and automotive repairs like engine tuning.

Drawbacks of Synchrony Car Care card

Here are some of the drawbacks of this Car Care card:

Sky-high APR

While the card does lure new customers with its 0% introductory rates and six-months financing on purchases above $199, its features include something unsavory.

Experts tell us that Symphony Car Care will charge you 29.99% in annual payment rate (APR) – which is defined as the annual rate charged for borrowing.

Penalty on missing payment

The promotional financing offer tells us that we won’t have to pay a penny on purchases that we repay within time. But what if we didn’t?

In such an unfortunate scenario, the cardholder will have to pay not only the purchase cost, but they’ll also be required to pay all the interest they thought they were saving on.

Few benefits

One of the benefits listed on the card’s website is that it lets you apply for a credit line increase, thereby preparing you for an upcoming big expense.

This is a huge benefit but one that is offered by almost every credit card on the market. Synchrony, therefore, doesn’t do something novel by providing it.

Conclusion

Where can I use my Synchrony Car Care card? Those of you have made it to this far already have the answer to this question. There are more than 500,000 auto parts and service centers – as well as almost 250,000 gas stations – that accept this card.

These points range from your average indie stores to chains of multi-nationals. They are spread across the country and therefore make it easy for its holders to make the most of the Symphony Car Care card. What more can you ask for!

The post Where Can I Use My Synchrony Car Care Card? appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/where-can-i-use-my-synchrony-car-care-card

5 Ways to Get a Dent Out of a Car

2020-11-02T05:19:00.001-08:00

Are you a cautious driver who always drives well below the speed limit? Do you make the best use of mirrors when reversing and turning your car? Is your driving style branded avuncular by friends and family? Even then you must know how to get a dent out of a car.

An inattentive driver looking at their phone might slam against your vehicle from behind. A kid may bump against it with a shopping cart. Someone may open their vehicle’s door into yours in a constricted parking spot. All these are frustrating facts of auto-ownership life which may leave you with a dent.

How to get a dent out of a car

Here’s how you can get a dent out of your car:

Remove small dents

Following are the methods using which you can remove small dents:

1. Use a drain plunger

Purchase a simple plunger from your local hardware store or online. Make sure the one you’re ordering doesn’t have a flange at the bottom. Then wash the body of your car. Pay special attention to the area in and around the dent. Clean it rigorously to free it from dirt and grease.

Once you’re done washing the car, lubricate the rim of the plunger with soapy water. This will help the plunger create suction when you attach it against the car body. Attach the plunger over the dent and push inwards to create a decent amount of suction.

Slowly pull the plunger out. You may notice that the area taken up by the dent has reduced. Re-attach the plunger over the dent and again pull it out. Continue with this practice – pushing the plunger against the dent, pulling it out – until the dent is entirely gone.

2. Press out dents from behind

This method requires you to remove the car’s body part with the dent and access the ding from behind. It therefore works best on those components that are easy-to-remove. Examples include both the front- and rear-side bumpers and door panels.

After identifying which car body parts you need to remove to access the dent from behind, place worn-out blankets on the ground. Jack up your car and get face-to-face with the exact spot behind the dent. You’d be able to see a lump on the exact spot behind the dent. Press it out.

Smaller dents can be popped back out by applying pressure with your thumb. The larger ones might require you to apply force with both your hands. You may need to apply pressure on multiple angles before you could pop out the ding.

3. Use dry ice

You’d need to apply the dry ice over the dent to remove it. That’s why this method works best on horizontal surfaces such as the trunk lid, roof or hood of the vehicle. As you’d have to hold the dry ice in place if the dent is on a vertical surface, such as the doors.

Dry ice is at extreme temperatures and you must wear heavy-duty gloves and safety glasses before handling it. The gloves should be large enough to cover as far up your arms as possible. Make sure you have worn the recommended safety gear before opening the dry ice package.

Place the dry ice on the dent using tongs. Let it sit there for half-a-minute (at most) before using the tongs to remove it. Allow the ding to get into contact with ambient air – as the warmth of the surrounding air will cause the shifting of the metal before forcing the dent to pop out.

4. Use a hairdryer

What is better than blowing away your troubles using a hairdryer? This method works best if the depressed spot is on a plastic or metal surface. All you have to do is plug-in the dryer, turn it on at medium heat setting and aim its nozzle at the dent.

Turn off the hairdryer after heating the dent for a few minutes. Assess the malleability of the metal before moving ahead. If it’s soft, skip whatever is said in the rest of this paragraph and move on to the next. Otherwise, reheat the dent with the hairdryer before examining it again.

Once the surface is malleable enough, use a can of compressed air to spray the dent. This will cause the plastic to contract and, hopefully, the removal of the dent. Finish things off by wiping down the liquid squirted by the compressor with a dry microfiber cloth.

Remove large dents

Following is the method using which you can remove large dents:

5. Use boiling water

This method works best for large dents on plastic surfaces. Such surfaces are notoriously stiff and won’t get back in shape unless you throw boiling water on the dent. But the ding won’t pop out on its own after you’ve treated it to hot water.

You’d have to reach behind the plastic surface and apply pressure. The boiling water’s heat must have made the plastic flexible, thereby making it easy for you to put it back into place. It’s extremely likely that a large dent won’t completely go out at the first time of asking.

That is why you may have to repeat the process – apply boiling water over the dent, press it out from the inside – until the depressed area completely pops out. Don’t forget to wear gloves throughout this process as the plastic surface will be extremely hot.

Conclusion

Those of you who have reached this far know how to get a dent out of a car. Smaller size dents can quickly be taken care of using one of the four methods mentioned above. You can either use a drain plunger, dry ice, a hairdryer or your brute force to pop them back out.

Large dents aren’t quite easy to remove. You’d need to treat them with boiling water before applying force from inside to bring out the depressed spot. However, if the problem persists, it’s time to lighten your pockets by taking your car to a mechanic.

The post 5 Ways to Get a Dent Out of a Car appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/how-to-get-a-dent-out-of-a-car

What do you do when you buy a car from a private owner?

2020-10-31T23:19:00.001-07:00

What do you do when you buy a car from a private owner? Different people will answer this question differently. Some will tell you to run the car’s number through the government’s database. Others may recommend taking it to your trusted mechanic for a thorough check-up.

Both these viewpoints are correct. Running the vehicle’s number through the government’s database will let you know whether it was involved in an accident or a criminal activity. Having it checked up by your trusted car specialist will help verify the owner’s claims about the vehicle.

Here are other essential tips that you need to keep in mind as well:

Before you buy a Car from a Private Owner

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Research the car’s market value

Researching the car’s market value will provide you with two benefits. It will let you know how much the vehicle is going to cost you. That in turn, will let you decide whether you could fund the purchase from your pocket or would need financing from a lender.

It will also save you from overpaying for a specific vehicle. You won’t have to worry about getting ripped off by the seller. That’s why we recommend that you consult online marketplaces that let private personnel buy and sell vehicles to research your potential car’s market value.

2. Scrutinize ads for used vehicles

Here’s what you need to do when reading ads for closed vehicles. You must pay close attention to four important metrics: mileage, make, model and year of ownership. Also check out whether the seller is the first owner of the car, or does the vehicle has had other owners in the past.

The next thing you should look for in the description is the vehicle’s history. Was it involved in an accident in the past? Are there any parts that have been touched-up? Most sellers tend to disclose needed car repairs in the ad to attract serious buyers.

3. Get the vehicle’s history report

Vehicle history reports are one of the best tools to learn about a given automobile’s condition. They let you know whether the description given in the car’s ad is accurate. Or whether the seller has deliberately withheld information that could negatively impact their car’s value.

Carfax is our favorite website for generating vehicle history reports. It requires you to enter the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on its database and then check the vehicle for major accidents, ownership history, mileage, warranty, and other important factors.

4. Contact the seller

Once you’ve made sure that the information given in the car’s ad is accurate, it’s time to contact the seller. You may begin your conversation by discussing the information in the ad. Also ask preliminary questions about any information that is missing in the car’s listing.

Provided you’re satisfied with the seller’s response, ask them to arrange a meeting. We recommend that you meet the seller in a public place, like the drive-through of a restaurant. Make sure that you have a friend with you when you’re going to meet the seller.

When buying a car from a private owner:

Here’s what you need to do:

5. Examine the vehicle’s exterior

Inspect the following when examining the vehicle’s exterior:

Signs of rust: Vehicle experts tell us to inspect three areas of the car for rust. They include inside the wheel wells, frame rails under the doors and along the exhaust system.
Tire tread depth: Use a penny to check the tire’s tread depth. Simply insert a penny into the tread groove with Lincoln’s head upside down. If you can see all of Lincoln’s head, the tire needs replacement.
Headlights and taillights: Park the vehicle with its front side facing away from the sun. Turn on the headlights and make sure they are working. Apply the brakes and observe brake lights. Pay attention to turn signals as well.
Shock absorbers: Push down on the car’s bonnet a few times to get the car to bounce. Stop applying force and see whether the car continues to bounce. Working shock absorbers stop the bouncing in an instant.
Car battery: Open the hood and check the battery’s water level (if it’s a wet battery). Inspect the battery’s terminals for signs of rust. Ask the owner about its installation date.
Vehicle body: Inspect the bumper for dents and cracks. Carefully look at the windshield for nicks and cracks as well. Move your hand over the body as repainted parts tend to give a different feel than company-painted ones.

6. Examine the vehicle’s interior

Inspect the following when examining the vehicle’s interior:

Pedal wear: How would you know that the previous owner braked and accelerated too aggressively? By checking out all of the car’s pedals for signs of wear and abuse.
Interior electronics: Turn on the car’s stereo and increase its volume to the maximum level. Do the same with the light on the roof as well as any other interior lights you may see in the vehicle.
Car locks: Make sure that the doors remain locked without inserting a key. Also, don’t forget to test any keyless features if the vehicle you’re looking at has any of those.
Air conditioning: Turn on the air conditioner and let it run for a few minutes. Make sure it is cooling as intended. Do the same with the heater function to check that it’s performing without any complications.

7. Take the car on a test drive

Spend at least half an hour on the test drive. Take the car to the local street, the highway and other roads to check that it’s performing as intended. Make sure that you don’t have to constantly adjust the steering wheel to keep the car going straight – as it’s a sign of misaligned tires.

Pay close attention to the sound of the engine. It shouldn’t be too loud when you’re shifting gears. Cars with a transmission issue have engines that emit abnormal noises during shifting. Then take your car to your trusted mechanic to get a more thorough inspection of things like brakes and seals.

Conclusion

You’re now aware of what do you do when you buy a car from a private owner. Start with researching the market value of your potential car by looking at vehicle listings. Narrow down your research to 2 to 3 cars and get in contact with their sellers.

Once you have done that and reached the site where the seller has invited you to inspect their car, follow the instructions given above to examine the car’s interior, exterior, and engine. If everything goes well, make an offer and close the sale.

The post What do you do when you buy a car from a private owner? appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/what-do-you-do-when-you-buy-a-car-from-a-private-owner

How to Start a Car? (Manual & Automatic)

2020-10-30T11:19:00.001-07:00

Most people know how to start a car. These are veteran drivers who have spent most of their adult lives on the road. They know everything about their vehicle like the back of their hand. That is to say they have full knowledge of everything that is going on under the hood.

Your presence here indicates that you aren’t one of them. It also tells us that you could do with some help in getting your vehicle up and running. Don’t worry as the process isn’t that difficult as some people make of it. It will become your second nature once you have done it a few times.

Before you start your car

Here are some steps you need to take:

Identify the clutch

Every manual transmission car comes with a clutch. You can pinpoint it by its location – it is the pedal on the extreme left side underneath the steering. It needs to be depressed every time you shift gears. You also need to press the clutch to stop the car without stalling the engine. Here’s how it works.

The clutch breaks the connection between the engine and the wheels every time you press it. This disengagement not only transfers the power to the vehicle’s transmission system from the engine. But it also lets you stop the car without killing off the engine.

Identify the brake

Here’s the first of the two pedals that are common between manual and automatic transmission vehicles. It can be found right under the middle of your steering wheel. Newbie drivers make a mistake of operating it with their left foot – even though it should always be engaged with the right.

Brakes work by activating the ‘master cylinder’ after you have pressed them. The cylinder then releases ‘brake fluid’ which uses ‘brake lines’ to go to the caliper. This fluid then forces the brake ‘pads’ to get into contact with (and jam) the rotor that is moving the wheels, thereby slowing down your vehicle.

Identify the accelerator

The pedal on the right side of the brake is the accelerator. Its specific location makes it necessary for the driver to engage the accelerator with the right foot. This compulsion – of alternating the same foot to depress the brake and accelerator – is very important for your safety.

The accelerator is connected directly to your car’s engine. When you press the accelerator, it provides throttle to the engine and forces its crankshaft to go down and let in more air. The harder you press this pedal, the more air the crankshaft will suck in, and the speedier your car will move on the road.

How to start a car?

Follow these steps to start your car:

Starting a manual car

Here’s how you can get a manual car up and running:

Step 1: Insert the key into the ignition

The ignition is a multifunction switch located on the door facing side of the steering column. Its position remains the same regardless of whether your vehicle has a right-hand or left-hand drive.

Insert your key into the ignition but don’t do anything else just yet. As there are multiple steps you need to take first. Only then you’ll be able to start your car.

Step 2: Ensure the car is in neutral

Here’s how you can make sure that that your car is in neutral. Vehicles in neutral have a loose-to-the-touch gear, which means it can move effortlessly from side to side.

Provided the gear won’t easily budge from its position, press down on the clutch until it’s hitting the floor. Then move the gear into the neutral (central) position.

Step 3: Ensure the handbrake is on

The handbrake will be located right behind the gear on the passenger side of the driver’s seat. It needs to be at a 45-degree angle before you turn on the ignition and start your vehicle.

If you’re unsure whether the handbrake is engaged or not, look at your dashboard. It will be giving a red exclamation mark “I” if the handbrake is on.

Final Step: Start the ignition

Once you have made sure that the car is in neutral, start the ignition. This will start your vehicle. Wait for a few seconds to let the engine get up to speed before driving away.

Starting an automatic car

Here’s how you can get an automatic transmission car up and running:

Step 1: Insert the key into the ignition

After you have inserted the key into the switch, turn it on to the third (on) position. Don’t do anything else before you have acted on instructions given in the upcoming steps.

Step 2: Press the brake pedal

Unlike manual transmission vehicles that have three pedals, automatic vehicles only have two. They have no clutch, so you only have the brake (center) and the accelerator (right). Press the former.

Step 3: Switch the gear to ‘D’

Automatic transmission vehicles come with several variants of D including D, D1, D2, and D3. You should switch the gear to the first (D) position to let your car rolling.

Step 4: Lift your foot from the brake

Newbie drivers would do well to lift the foot pressing the brake as slowly as possible. Otherwise, your car would take off with a jerk that nobody likes to experience.

Step 5: Press the accelerator

Once the wheels have started rolling and you’re confident of taking over from there, press the accelerator to take the car to a safe speed – which is 30km/hour for new drivers.

Conclusion

Learning how to start a car with manual transmission is a little complicated than the one with automatic transmission. As manual transmission vehicles require you to perform several checks – loose gear, handbrakes on – that you don’t have to carry out with their automatic counterparts.

However, it will only be in the first few attempts that you’ll find these steps hard to remember. Repeating them on a regular basis would make them a part of your routine and you’d be able to perform them without any prompts.

The post How to Start a Car? (Manual & Automatic) appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/how-to-start-a-car

How long does a car inspection take?

2020-10-29T10:19:00.003-07:00

How long does a car inspection take? Several factors influence the answer to this question. The first of them is the state you live in. Some states have stricter inspection routine than others. The thoroughness of the inspection procedure plays a part too.

Then comes the condition of your vehicle. Newer cars that are yet to hit the road go through a detailed inspection that could go on for hours. Used vehicles mostly spend less time on the dock as long as their condition isn’t excessively bad. Read on to know about the duration of car inspection.

How Long Does Car Inspection Take?

Car inspection could take anywhere between 20 minutes and several hours. Though most state agents clear cars in less than an hour. The waiting time varies because it’s dependent on the state in which you bought your vehicle.

Take the example of Virginia. The state’s inspection procedure has 24 points that examine your car’s condition from bumper to bumper. Yet the process itself is quite speedy and won’t take more than 20 to 30 minutes out of your day.

Residents of New York aren’t as lucky. Despite having fewer registered vehicles on the road (4.87 million) than their fellow Americans in Virginia (7.5 million), New Yorkers have to spend twice as much time at the car inspection points as Virginians.

Types of Car Inspections

Following are the types of car inspections:

1. Periodic Safety Inspections

These check-ups are mandatory for car owners in 17 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories in control of the United States’ Government.

However, as each state has individual authority over vehicle inspections, all of them have drawn up specific laws that determine how frequently your car must be inspected.

2. Safety inspection before selling a car

Alabama and Maryland are the only US states that require you to have your vehicle inspected by a safety inspector before transferring its ownership or selling it.

That isn’t the case with other US states. Most only require you to take your vehicle to the inspector after a specific time has passed between the previous and the upcoming inspection.

3. Safety inspection when bringing a vehicle from another jurisdiction

This safety inspection takes place in states that don’t pay much weightage to the vehicle safety protocols being followed in other jurisdictions. Nebraska is an example.

The Cornhusker State requires every vehicle owner – who bought their vehicle in other jurisdictions – to have their car inspected in Nebraska before driving it on its roads.

4. Periodic emissions inspections

The idea of periodic emissions inspections first began in California in 1966 which introduced it to combat smog. Currently, 32 states have made emissions testing mandatory.

There are two types of emissions inspections: OBD emissions inspection and Exhaust gas analysis. Both are quite thorough and may take up to 20 minutes.

Importance of Car Inspection

Following are the reasons why having your car inspected is in your best interest:

Saves You Money

What happens if you get your car checked regularly? It would achieve greater fuel economy as vehicles that pass inspection tests give more fuel mileage. That means that you’d have to undertake fewer trips to the gas station for refueling.

Enhances the car’s lifespan

According to a report, an average American owns their car for a record 79.3 months. That’s nearly seven years in which they don’t have to splurge their hard-earned money on a newer model. There are no prizes for guessing that it’s the testing regimen that keeps cars going for such a long time.

Assures your peace of mind

Investing money and time into a car inspection gives you peace of mind that your car is in satisfactory working condition. It assures you that it won’t break down on the way to baseball practice. That your daily routine won’t be interrupted by your vehicle’s trouble.

Cuts down the maintenance costs

What happens if your car is inspected on a regular basis? You’d be able to identify parts that need repair and maintenance. That, in turn, would allow you to repair those parts and make sure that they don’t get damaged to the point where you’d have no choice but to replace them.

How to prepare for a car inspection?

Here’s how you can prepare for a car inspection:

Set aside a few hours: Nobody knows how long you’d have to wait at the inspection point. The waiting time could be as little as 20 minutes. Or it could stretch to as much as a few hours. That’s why you need to choose a day on which you’d have a few free hours at your disposal.
Carry payment: Car inspection isn’t free. Ask your motor dealer how much you’d have to pay for the check. Then make sure you’d have that amount at hand as you drive your vehicle into the inspection point.
Prepare car insurance documentation: Some inspection attendants will let you through on seeing the insurance card alone. Others may ask for proof of paid insurance. Ensure that you’ve both in your car’s dash.
Carry proof of identity: You must have two identity cards on you. They may be your driver’s license, ID, or passport. Anything that would help you prove that you’re the person you’re claiming to be would do.

Conclusion

Periodic car inspections are necessary for your vehicle’s safety, its passengers, and other people on the road. They also save you money in the short & long term and give you peace of mind that there’s no trouble brewing in your car’s system that you aren’t aware of.

To cut down on the time you’d have to wait as your car is being inspected, we recommend that you visit the designated inspection point in the first 10 days of the month. Doing that will help you steer well clear of queues that mostly form at month’s end.

The post How long does a car inspection take? appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/how-long-does-a-car-inspection-take

What Your Car Says About You?

2020-10-29T10:19:00.001-07:00

Does your car give subtle clues about your personality? Of course it does. We can cite various studies to back up this claim. Your choice of a vehicle gives clues about your brought up, the status you enjoy in society, and your driving style. That’s not everything what your car says about you.

Forbes tells us that it also gives hints about your political leanings and marital status. The data it collected from 10 prominent auto brands has more exciting findings. It shows how people who buy the same vehicle have the same age, gender, and even income level. Read on to know more.

What Your Car Says About You?

Here’s what different aspects of your car say about you:

What does your car’s brand say about you?

Do you drive a Bentley or Honda? Here’s why that matters:

Bentley

Given that the cheapest Bentley costs north of $160,000, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that its owners are uber-wealthy people. Such persons enjoy high social status with millions in their bank account.

Bentley users tend to be understated about their wealth. They aren’t as brash as other millionaires and tend to keep a lid on everything they have achieved in life – which isn’t easy given that they have achieved a lot.

Chevrolet

Some Chevrolet owners complain that the reputation they have of being ‘stubborn’ and ‘unmoving’ isn’t accurate. That they move with the times like anybody else. One 2009 study negates their viewpoint.

Carried out by Strategic Vision, it states that 13% of Chevy owners have never browsed the internet. The study also found out that only about 1/3^rd (35%) of Chevy owners boast a college degree or higher.

Ford

The study cited above showed Ford users faring poorly in demographic trends. About 12% of them didn’t use the worldwide web by 2009 and less than half (45%) had a college degree by then.

Ford has made attempts to combat this image. It has equipped its vehicles with multiple high-end features like Ford Sync, Ford Pass, Semi-Auto Parallel Park Assist, among others over the past decade.

Honda

Owners of this Japanese car tend to be well-educated – more than 70% claim to have earned a college degree or higher. They are also less flashy and don’t care much about the image their vehicle projects about them.

Honda owners are also incredibly tech-savvy – more than 97% have used the internet at least once in their life. They care more about the functionality of their vehicle than anything else.

BMW

Men’s Health has an interesting theory about BMW owners. It states that most of them are under 30, consider themselves well-read, and work in either architecture or accounting.

The world’s largest male magazine brand further claims that BMW owners are in awe of foreign-made cars. The findings it got after poring over tons of reports also revealed that BMW enthusiasts work out more than other people.

Volkswagen

Multiple YouGov polls indicate that Volkswagen drivers like to think of themselves as imaginative. They aren’t as infatuated with their vehicle as owners of other brands and prefer a bus or train over a car.

They also have eclectic tastes. Most of them like visiting art galleries, reading, and devouring enchiladas. These people also shop for organic food and are massive music enthusiasts.

Toyota

According to Canada’s largest auto loan company, Toyota owners never cross the red signal. They like to play things safe and are generally those people who have started driving only recently.

Toyota owners don’t badmouth other brands as well. They like to have reliable things – a no-brainer given that the Japanese automaker churns out some of the most trustworthy cars on the planet.

What does your car’s color say about you?

Flexed.co.uk has revealed what your car’s color says about your personality:

Black color: Preferred by drivers who have a rebellious temperament and like to denote power. It shouldn’t surprise anybody then that black colored cars are the likeliest to be involved in an accident.

White color: Go-to choice of drivers who take an interest in modern and stylish things in life. White color cars are also the likeliest to be used as a family vehicle.

Silver color: Preferred choice of drivers who always drive below the speed limit. Most mature people select silver color when buying a new vehicle and they get the best fuel mileage out of it.

Red color: Go-to choice of persons who drive at or above the speed limit most of the time they’re on the asphalt. Its drivers think they are invisible behind the wheel.

Brown color: People who drive brown color cars are extremely likely to be at the receiving end of a road accident. That’s even though their driving style is dull.

Green color: Drivers of green color cars don’t lose sleep thinking what others make of them. They tend to be unfashionable and like to project themselves as rebellious.

Cream color: Preferred by drivers who are more likely to be controlled and contained. They like doing everything by the book and will rarely if ever, cross a red signal.

Yellow color: Drivers of yellow color vehicles tend to be idealistic. They’re similar to their counterparts who drive green cars in the sense that they disagree with society’s view of what is normal.

Conclusion

You might have concluded by now that your car says more about your personality than you care to admit. It gives not-so-subtle indicators about your social status, your temperament and how you view things. But it doesn’t stop at that.

Where the color of your car tells others whether you may be a loner or an extrovert, its brand gives clues as to whether you’re an idealistic or a person that is contained and controlled. All of this is to say that your car can send some serious messages about yourself.

The post What Your Car Says About You? appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/what-your-car-says-about-you

How Low is Too Low for Tire Pressure?

2020-09-11T20:19:00.001-07:00

How low is too low for tire pressure? Different mechanics will answer this question differently. Some will tell you to consult your vehicle’s owner manual. Others will try to offer an answer based on their personal experience. The frustrating thing for you would be that both their answers won’t match.

That is because there’s no single answer to this question. Optimal pressure for any tire depends on many factors, including the temperature in your area, your driving style, and the condition of the roads on which you frequently drive. All these factors determine how much air you should pump inside your tire.

Does the difficulty involved in determining the correct tire pressure mean you shouldn’t give a great deal of thought to it? Doing that will be costly and dangerous. Under-inflation can shorten the life of your vehicle’s tires, harm your vehicle’s performance, and could even lead to a tire blowout.

Hence why you shouldn’t let your tire pressure get too low.

How low is too low for tire pressure?

Follow these steps to check if your tire’s pressure is too low:

1. Go through your car’s instructions manual

Specifically, check out the tire-pressure recommendations provided by your vehicle’s manufacturer. You can find the instructions manual in the owner’s manual or on the driver’s side doorjamb.

Consult your carmaker’s website if you seem to have misplaced your manual. Almost all automakers allow their users to get car manuals online by entering the make and model of their vehicle.

2. Calculate 25% of your car’s recommended pressure:

After checking out the automaker’s recommended tire pressure, get 25% of that figure. For instance, if your car’s manual states that its optimal tire pressure is 30ppsi, then 25% of that figure is 7.5PSI.

Once you have calculated that figure, subtract it from your tire’s recommended air pressure. In our case that would turn out to be (30psi – 7.5psi = 22.5psi). Note down this number as you’re going to need it in the following step.

3. Consult your vehicle’s TPMS:

US Federal law states that every vehicle made in 2008 or after must have a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). This system states that if a tire’s air pressure is 25% below the automaker’s recommended pressure, then it’s too low.

Compare the 25% figure you calculated in the previous step (22.5psi) with your tire’s recommended air pressure to tell whether your tire pressure is too low or not. Immediately inflate your tires if that’s indeed the case.

Dangers of low tire pressure

Here’s why you shouldn’t let your tire pressure get too low:

Low tire pressure can lead to a blowout

Drivers who have experienced a tire blowout can tell how traumatic and nerve-wracking the whole experience can be. It can also be fatal if you don’t know what to do in the first few seconds after a tire blowout – that is to hold the steering straight and not apply brakes.

When the air pressure inside the tire gets too low, it experiences heat build-up, which, if persistent, would separate a section of tire’s rubber from its carcass – which is that part of the tire on which it is built-on. If all of this happens suddenly and you’re driving at high speed, a tire blowout might follow.

Low tire pressure harms fuel economy

Have you ever heard your fellow drivers complaining about the fuel economy of their vehicle? Then you might want to tell them to check their tire pressure. That is because low tire pressure does tend to place a bottom pressure on a vehicle’s fuel economy. Here’s how.

Under-inflated tires require more power from the engine to keep rolling. This causes the engine to burn more fuel. EPA corroborates this statement by claiming that properly inflated tires can boost a vehicle’s fuel economy by as much as 3 percent in certain cases.

Low tire pressure affects the vehicle’s handling

Has your vehicle become challenging to handle off late? Is it despite the fact that both its wheels as well as the suspension are in good working condition? Then you might want to drive it to your nearest tire shop to have its tire pressure checked. Here’s why we’re saying that.

Underinflated tires force their sidewall to flex more than usual. This causes the tire’s tread to squirm and makes the whole tire lose its traction and become unstable. That, in turn, slows down your tires’ response to steering and increases their braking distance.

Low tire pressure reduces the tire’s life

Experts tell us that underinflated tires are less likely to maintain their shape vis-à-vis their properly inflated counterparts. That is because these tires develop a tendency to become flat as the wheels roller, thereby increasing the tire’s wear.

Such a scenario often leads to the tire experiencing uneven wear on both its inner and outer shoulders. The resulting damage negatively affects the tire’s footprint by taking a toll from its tread, which in turn forces you to replace this costly car component prematurely.

FAQs and Answers

Q: How often should you inflate your tires?

A: According to a rule of thumb, you should inflate your car’s tires every time you fill up gas. That will keep the tires adequately inflated and enhance their road life.

Q: Why do my car’s tires keep on losing air?

A: Tires that aren’t mounted properly and those that have a broken valve stem are prone to leaking air far too often.

Conclusion

You might have deduced by now the dangers of driving on under-inflated tires. Apart from putting the personal safety of the driver and other passengers in the vehicle at risk, poorly inflated tires also cost more in terms of fuel consumption and quick replacement. Hence why we recommend that you should inflate your tires at least once every 30 days.

The post How Low is Too Low for Tire Pressure? appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/how-low-is-too-low-for-tire-pressure

5 Steps to Break a Tire Bead

2020-09-10T20:19:00.001-07:00

Most 4×4 enthusiasts and overland travelers know how to break a tire bead. These are drivers whose frequent off-road trips expose their tires to roadside debris. This rubbish then makes its way inside the tire and onto the wheel if left unattended. Hence the need for the breaking of the bead.

As long as the bead stays intact, it doesn’t allow any gap to form between the tire’s outer edge and the rim. That makes it impossible for anyone to carry out repairs on the tire’s inside. But that is far from being the only reason why you may want to break your tire’s seal.

Removing the bead also allows you to get the tire off the rim quickly. You won’t have to take your vehicle to a normal shop setting to have its tire replaced. The application of minimal effort from your side will allow you to do the job on your own.

Before you break your tire’s bead

Here’s what you need to know:

Types of bead breakers

Following are the three major types of bead breaker designs:

Shoe and Lever Mechanism

Such bead breakers perform admirably on new passenger vehicle tires, motorcycle tires, and trailers’ tires. They have a shoe-shaped tool that applies pressure on the tire’s sidewall. This sidewall is located next to the bead, and pushing it will force the bead to break its connection with the rim.

On the flip side, such bead breakers don’t work well with difficult to change tires and old tires. It is because the mechanism is quite large and too bulky. You can only use such bead breakers with tires that are easy to replace and new tires.

Pros

Low cost
Easy to follow
Works well with passenger vehicles’ tires

Cons

Won’t give the desired results with difficult-to-change tires

Plier Type Mechanism

This mechanism counts on a plier-type tool to apply force between the lip of the rim and the bead. The tool has a spike that directly imposes a separating force on the bead as well as on the tire’s sidewall, weakening and ultimately breaking the connection between both.

It has its downsides as well. The spike on the tool makes it extremely likely to leave scratches on the wheels and mar their surface. Also, since the tool is very large, you’d have to apply your full body weight to get the desired results.

Pros

Extremely effective
Gets the job done quickly

Cons

Might leave scratches on the wheel

Clamp and Ram Mechanism

Here is the most effective and quick way to break beads on ATVs and other difficult-to-replace tires. The ‘Clamp and Ram’ mechanism relies on a tool with a pointed foot that exploits the space between the lip of the rim and the tire bead.

It also has a padded clamp that goes all the way inside the sidewall with little push from a wrench. The entire mechanism is actuated by another bolt that requires little human input. Also, since the tool is clamped, there is little danger of it damaging the sidewall.

Pros

Works well on deteriorated tires
Requires minimal user effort
Won’t damage the sidewall

Cons

Tool is pricey

How to Break a Tire Bead

Follow these steps to break your tire’s bead:

What you’ll need?

Breaker bar
Hammer

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Remove the valve core

Doing this is necessary as letting the air pressure out will help you in easily and quickly take the wheel off the rim. Make sure that you only remove the wheel from its rim when it has lost its entire air pressure. You can make sure of that by pressing your hands against the tire.

Step 2: Place tire on a flat surface

The surface on which you’re going to place the tire should be solid. It should also be capable of handling the pressure you’re going to apply on the tire in the upcoming steps.

Step 3: Slide breaker bar between the rim and the tire

Make sure that the pointed/tapered edge of the breaker bar is pointed away from the rim. This edge is extremely sharp and exposing it to the rim might allow it to leave scratches. It is, therefore, necessary that you point it toward the tire.

Step 4: Hit the breaker’s top using a hammer

After steadying the breaker between the tire and the rim, hit its top using a hammer. This will drive in the breaker in the opening between the rim and the tire. Continue hitting the top of the breaker until there’s a sound of the expulsion of air or small pop.

This noise will tell you that you’ve partially broken the bead. Follow it up by pushing your breaker bar toward the ground. Apply your full body weight to thrust the breaker in. Few seconds of effort will let you completely break the bead.

Final Step: Rotate the breaker around the inside of the tire

As you’re rotating the breaker around the inside of the tire, continue hammering it from above. This will ensure the complete break-up of the bead along the circumference of the tire.

Continue rotating around the breaker until the tire is completely off the rim. Then turn around and apply this process on the tire’s opposite side.

Conclusion

Breaking the tire’s bead is important for two reasons. It helps expose the inner surface of the tire for clean-up of dirt and debris. Breaking the bead also allows you to remove the tire from its rim on your own, thereby saving you the money that you’d otherwise have to pay to a tire repairman.

There’s another reason why you may want to break the tire’s bead on your own. The entire process is incredibly easy. You just have to follow the abovementioned instructions and you’ll be removing the tire off its rim in less than thirty minutes.

The post 5 Steps to Break a Tire Bead appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/how-to-break-a-tire-bead

6 Easy Steps to Balance a Tire Yourself

2020-09-10T08:19:00.001-07:00

Tires go out of balance for various reasons. The most common is uneven wear. It causes one part of the tire to become heavier than others and makes the whole tire unbalanced. Another cause is under-inflation. As tires that have less-than-optimal air pressure for too long can go out of balance.

All of this is to say that you should never drive on out of balance tires. It is risky and akin to putting the safety of your vehicle’s passengers at risk. That is because such tires are in poor health and are at a greater risk of experiencing blowout at high speeds.

As if that wasn’t worrying enough, out of balance tires reduce your car’s fuel economy as well. They also place added stress on your vehicle’s shock absorbers and wheel bearings. That, in turn, leads to a noisier and bumpier driving experience. Hence why you should know how to balance a tire.

Before you balance your tire

Here’s what you need to know:

Types of tire balancing

Following are the three major types of tire balancing:

Static Balancing

Static balancing involves the addition of weights across one line of the tire. That line is usually called a ‘plane’ and the addition of weights is carried out as if the tire was a disc. It is an old-school method and helps rectify minor imbalancing problems.

Mechanics that perform static balancing place the tire on a vertical supporter with the help of a bubble balancer or a spindle tool. That is followed by the heavier side automatically leaning lower to the ground, after which the mechanic places the weight on the lighter side.

Dynamic Balancing

Dynamic balancing involves the addition of weight across the entire tire (up-and-down, side-to-side) in a dual plane. Mechanics who perform this type of balancing use modern spinning computer balancers for the whole procedure. Here’s how they do it.

The technician mounts the out-of-balance tire on the machine and then spins it. The sensors attached to the machine measure all weight imperfections as the tire is spinning. They then guide the technician on how much weight they should add at which location to rectify the weight imbalance.

Road Force Balancing

Here is the latest technique to rectify the tire imbalancing problem. It involves a sophisticated roller machine that puts its entire weight on the dismounted tire. The weight applied by the machine is similar to the one the tire experiences from the vehicle.

The machine has sensors which detect irregularities in the tire’s imbalance as it’s withholding the machine’s weight. Aside from telling the exact spot where tire imbalance has occurred, the sensors also tell whether it is the tire or the wheel that is the root of the problem.

How to balance a tire

There are two methods using which you can balance a tire:

Method 1. How to balance a tire with a Wheel Balancer

Here’s how you can balance the tire with a wheel balancer:

What you’ll need?

Two Jacks
Flat-end screwdriver
Lug wrench

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Lift the car

Find the jack point. You can find it in front of the back wheels and behind both the front wheels. Once you’ve seen it, slide your jack underneath that point. Then raise the jack by slipping the included rod tool through its hole and turning it to pull the jack’s sides inward.

Step 2: Remove wheels from the vehicle

Use the lug wrench to remove wheels from the vehicle. Make sure that there aren’t any weights on the wheel that you’re going to remove. Otherwise, the rebalancing process may end up giving unsatisfactory results.

Step 3: Clean the wheels

Wash the wheels to remove all the dirt from the tread area, the rim, and the rest of the tires. Then give the wheels enough time to dry.

Step 4: Put the wheel’s assembly on the balancer

Follow the machine’s manual to spin the wheels. If you’re using dynamic balancing, the balancer will tell you where the imbalance lies as the machine is spinning. If you’re using static balancing, you’ll have to wait for the machine to stop spinning before it could identify the faulty spot.

Step 5: Mark the spots where the addition of weight is required

Use chalk to mark the spots. Then put on the recommended weights and re-mount the wheel on the machine to recheck its balance. Continue to adjust the weight until the tire stay in a perfect line (in the case of static balancing) or move smoothly (in the case of dynamic balancing).

Step 6: Mount the wheels back on the vehicle

Self-explanatory. Don’t forget tightening the lug nuts and lowering the jack once you’re done putting the wheels back on the vehicle.

Method 2. How to balance a tire Without a wheel balancer

Here’s how you can balance a tire without a wheel balancer:

What you’ll need?

Two Jacks
Lug wrench

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Lift the car, remove wheels and clean them

Follow the instructions given in the first three steps of the previous method. Lift the vehicle using a jack, remove the wheels after removing all the additional weights, and clean them with water. Give the wheels enough time to dry completely.

Step 2: Reinstall the wheel

Once you have done that, add weight on the wheel’s 12 o’clock position. Start your car and start driving it on the road (at a speed of 10 – 20mph). If you still notice vibrations, take off the weight from the 12 o’clock position and install it at 45* from the initial position.

Step 3: Drive the vehicle

After the addition of the weight, once again rev your vehicle. If the vibration persists, add more weight to the spot where you’ve already added weight. Rev your vehicle again. If the vibration still hasn’t gone away, take off both weights and install them at 45* from the second position.

Final Step: Continue with the same procedure

Continue with the foregoing procedure as long as the vibrations persist. You’ll eventually find the spot where, after adding more weights, the balancing will be complete.

Conclusion

Experts recommend that you shouldn’t wait for vibrations to rebalance your tires. You should get rebalancing done after every 5,000 miles or two years and every time you buy new tires. The presence of uneven tread wear on the tire is another sign that it needs rebalancing.

The post 6 Easy Steps to Balance a Tire Yourself appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/how-to-balance-a-tire

6 Steps to lower spare tire without tool

2020-09-09T08:19:00.001-07:00

If you want to know how to lower spare tire without tool, you’re at the right place. This guide contains everything you need to know to complete the task. The step by step instructions given below doesn’t leave any room for confusion or mistake.

They are also easy to follow and practical. You don’t have to be a mechanic to put them to practice. Anyone who has ever held a tool in their life can use them to get their vehicle back on the road in little to no time. That isn’t where the good news end.

Our experts prepared these directives with the assumption that anyone using them would be on their own. That there might not be anyone assisting them in lowering their spare tire. It’s a good thing if you ask us as it means you can complete the task without any help.

Before you lower spare tire without tool

Here’s what you need to do:

Make sure your vehicle does have a spare tire

Before you go about reading our instructions, it’s important to make sure that you indeed have a spare tire in your vehicle. Most people assume this scenario without ever bothering to verify their assumption by looking at the spare tire. Such persons are often left with nothing at the end.

To verify the presence of the spare tire, discard the rectangular plastic cover under the passenger side of your vehicle’s license plate. If you can see an entrance for a key beneath the plastic cover, then you can be sure that your car does indeed has its spare tire.

Get the necessary supplies

That you’re going to lower the spare tire without ‘tool’ doesn’t mean you are going to go about the task with bare hands. Doing that would be counterproductive. You will still need some supplies to compensate for the lack of the key. Here’s what you’ll need.

Purchase a jack kit (without the jack). You can buy one from your local hardware store or Amazon. The next item on your ‘to-get’ list is an ignition key. Alongside the components of the Jack kit, the ignition key will loosen the tire’s connection with the wheel.

Park the vehicle on a stable, flat surface

Experts tell us that one should never change tires on a slope. The same advice is applicable when you’re lowering a spare tire. Vehicles parked on an incline are extremely likely to go backward, thereby putting the safety of the person under the vehicle at risk.

Once you’ve done that, apply the hand brake. Turn on the emergency lights if you’re on the roadside. Put your vehicle in gear (if manual) or in parking (if automatic). Make sure that no one is sitting inside the car and put chocks or similar heavy objects behind all the wheels.

How to lower spare tire without a tool

Follow these instructions to lower spare tire without a tool:

What you’ll need?

Ignition Key
Jack Kit

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Slide underneath the bumper

Picture in your mind the exact location of the spare tire. Or you can just fall to your knees and look beneath the vehicle. Fixate your attention to the back of the vehicle. There you’ll see a bulge protruding downwards. That is the spare tire that you’re going to lower.

The exact location of the spare tire will be just behind the tow hitch bar and under the bumper. You can further verify that the bulge is a spare tire by pressing your hand against it. The tire’s trenches will let you know that it’s indeed what you’re looking for.

Step 2: Insert the ignition key

Insert the ignition key in the hole beneath the plastic cover you discarded earlier. Drag the key towards you and you’ll end up detaching it from the hole. Doing this is vital as it will allow you to fix the assembly at the rear of your vehicle.

Step 3: Open the Jack kit

Get the crowbar and a couple of rods. One of the roads will have a wider end. Mechanics usually call this end the ‘female’ end. You’re going to insert this end of the rod into the hole that you disclosed in the previous step with the ignition key.

Step 4: Fit the 2^nd rod to the female end rod

Doing this will help you in two ways. It will provide you enough space to add the male end of the pulley to the female rod. You will also be left with enough space to remove the bumper.

Look closely to make sure that the fitment between the female end rod and the 2^nd rod is perfect. Then put this end through the hole.

Step 5: Fit the crowbar to the other end

You have by now one end of the rod into the hole. The other end, which is staying out of the bumper, should now be added to the crowbar. Follow that up by turning the crowbar in an anti-clockwise direction.

This will allow you to swivel the pulley and, by extension, the spare tire to the ground. Keep on rotating as long as the spare tire isn’t entirely on the floor.

Final Step: Distinguish the rim from the pulley carrier

This will let you detach the tire from below the vehicle. Keep one hand on the tire and the other on the middle gap of the rim. Apply full force to pull both ends apart and off the peak.

Conclusion

Lowering a spare tire without a tool isn’t exactly straightforward. You have to apply a lot of effort and the whole process will take about an hour for an amateur. Yet it is better than the alternative, which is to wait for hours on the roadside for help. You should therefore be aware of how to accomplish this task.

The post 6 Steps to lower spare tire without tool appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/how-to-lower-spare-tire-without-tool

What is a Radial Tire?

2020-09-08T00:19:00.001-07:00

Why do most drivers prefer radial tires? Because non-radial tires are underwhelming in their performance. Such tires have a huge rolling resistance which contributes to added fuel consumption. Absence of flex in their sidewalls results in a bumpier, harder ride. That isn’t where the bad news end.

Non-radial tires also have a smaller footprint that prevents them from having a stable contact with the road surface. It reduces their tread life and exposes them to more ground compaction and damage. They generate more heat on the road and require replacement quicker as well.

Radial tires steer well clear of all these shortcomings. The combination of flexible sidewalls, low rolling resistance, and steel-belted construction allows them to boost a softer ride, reduced fuel consumption, and longer tread life. Little wonder, then, that they’re uber popular on the market.

Read on to know more about what is a radial tire.

What is a radial tire?

Radial tires are those tires in which the cord plies are arranged at a 90-degree angle to the center of the tire (or to the direction of travel). This design makes sure that as the tire flexes, plies don’t rub against each other. But that’s not all that you may want to note about their construction.

Yet another notable element in their design is the presence of steel belts. These belts are located at a ‘spiral’ angle to the direction of travel and impart stiffness to the tire. Their presence helps the tire boast a more rigid overall construction. It also allows the tire’s tread to last longer.

Playing an equally important part in their sturdiness is their thick shoulder. It protects the tire’s interior from damage by absorbing the brunt of the impact. Together with the bead filler, whose functionality is evident by its name, the thick shoulder improves the radial tire’s durability.

The way these tires’ construction helps dissipate heat is noteworthy as well. They have a tire chafer that erects a heat-resistant layer in front of the ply cord – the part of the tire which is the most exposed to the heat created by bead rubbing. That’s why radial tires thrive effortlessly in summer conditions.

Benefits of radial tires

Following are the benefits radial tires provide vis-à-vis traditional bias tires:

Less Fuel Consumption: The presence of rigid steel belts in their tread region takes the pressure off of these tires’ tread area. It therefore allows radial tires to roll with less resistance, thereby reducing your vehicle’s overall fuel consumption.
Better Driving Experience: Their peculiar design makes sure that radial tires have more flexible sidewalls than the traditional ones. This makes sure that as the tire contacts the road, it remains stable to provide a softer, bump-free driving experience.
Extreme Heat Resistance: We have already explained how the presence of the tire chafer in front of the ply cord helps these tires dissipate heat better. What we haven’t told you so far, however, is that their better heat-dissipating lengthens the life span of these tires as well.
High Load-Bearing Capacity: The flexible sidewalls of these tires don’t just ensure a smooth and seamless driving experience. Their elasticity also gives the vehicle the ability to withstand heavy loads by consistently distributing the bed pressure along the vehicle’s body.
Massive Speed Ratings: One specific feature of radial tires makes them a great contender for sports cars. They have a crown belt that prevents deformation and keeps the tire stable at high speeds. Hence why high-end radial tires can be driven safely at more than 150mph.

Shortcomings of radial tires

Following are some of the downsides of radial tires:

High Initial Asking Price: Given the fact that they provide a softer driving experience, dissipate heat better and last longer, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that radial tires cost more than a traditional bias-ply tire.
Vulnerable To Punctures: Radial tires don’t handle abuse well when they’re under-inflated or overloaded. Both these unnatural conditions might cause their sidewall to bulge, thereby potentially leading to puncture and damage.
Poor Transport Handling: While radial tires have more ‘radial’ stiffness than bias-ply tires, they have relatively low ‘lateral’ stiffness. This exposes them to sway as the speed of the tires, along with its weight, increases.

FAQs and Answers

Q: What is the difference between radial and non-radial tires?

A: The major difference between both these tires is how they allow their tread and sidewall to function. Radial tires allow both these components to function as independent features. That isn’t the case with non-radial tires whose sidewalls and crown are interdependent.

Q: How often should radial tires be rotated?

A: Experts recommend that you rotate your radial tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles or six months. Make sure that during the rotation, each tire is removed from its position and installed at a different position. This will allow all tires to last longer by helping them wear evenly.

Q: What is the best way to rotate radial tires?

A: Tires’ maker Goodyear informs us of the best way to rotate radial tires. We should replace the front (driver-side) tire with the rear (driver-side) tire. In the same way, the front passenger-side tire should be installed in place of the rear passenger-side tire.

Conclusion

According to a survey by Consumer Reports, their superior construction has allowed radial tires to clinch a 100% market share in the United States. Their steel-belted construction, low rolling resistance, and flexible sidewalls are probably the reason why these models have replaced traditional tires.

Hence the reason why if you want to enjoy a softer riding experience, hoping to cut your trips to the gas filling station or own a sports car, radial tires are your best bet. They might cost more up-front but do well to justify their high initial asking price with the features mentioned above.

The post What is a Radial Tire? appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/what-is-a-radial-tire

4 Causes of Inner Tire Wear: How to fix?

2020-09-06T23:19:00.001-07:00

Ignoring inner tire wear can be risky. Tires that have too little treading on the inside might not be able to brake quickly and effectively on wet roads. Worn and bald tires also provide poor traction on ice- and snow-laden roads and they experience more slippage too.

It isn’t only the health of the tire that suffers due to inner wear. Vehicles with low tread tires also see a reduction in their performance. They experience a fall in their fuel economy and steering because such tires lose air pressure on a regular basis. And that’s not where the bad news end.

Worn-out tires pose a safety hazard to the vehicle and its passengers as well. They don’t have the necessary level of tread that could allow the surrounding air to move between their grooves. That’s what makes them a sweet spot for heat build-up and, by extension, blowouts.

With this in mind, let’s look at how to fix inner tire wear:

Before you fix the inner tire wear

Here’s what you need to know:

Why Your Tires Are Wearing Down On The Inside?

Assuming you’ve already noticed signs of inner tire wear, there are a few different factors that can be responsible for this. Among those there are a few which are very common. We’re going to discuss them right now:

a). Camber Angle

The difference between your wheels’ vertical alignment and the road surface is its camber angle. An ideal camber angle is one that allows the tire to sit flat on the road. That might not happen if your wheels are out of alignment, in which case the camber angle might be ‘positive’ or ‘negative’.

Positive camber angle forces the top of the tire to stick further than its bottom. This causes its outer edge to wear down. Negative camber angle, on the contrary, forces the top of the tire to angle inwards and the bottom of the tire to stick further than its top. This results in inner tire wear.

b). Toe Settings

There are two forces that your tire experiences at all times. The first are those that are always pulling the tire to its inside. Then there are those which are regularly pushing it towards the outside. The function of toe settings is to balance those forces and make sure that the tire is facing straight.

However, when the toe settings go out of alignment, they might cause your tire to point inward or outward. If the tire is pointing inward due to misaligned toe settings, it means that the forces pulling on the inside of the tire are dominating. Inner tire wear will soon follow suit.

c). Worn Ball Joints

Although they are not visible from the outside, ball joints play an important role in keeping the tires rolling in an optimum manner. They do the same by connecting the lower and upper control arms of the tire to the wheel hubs of your vehicle. But they aren’t damage-proof.

Ball joints start to wear down with excessive usage. This reduces their grip on the wheel and exposes the tire to inner wear. One of the most common symptoms of worn ball joints is your suspension giving weird sounds as the vehicle goes over speed breakers or potholes.

d). Damaged Springs

The springs in your vehicle are responsible for keeping your journeys seamless. They work in tandem with shock absorbers and take the life out of vibrations that hit your vehicle as it rolls over potholes on bumps on the road. Their optimal working is necessary for a vibration-free ride.

However, just like ball joints, springs also wear down over time. This reduces their ability to help your vehicle remain in constant contact with the road at all times. Tires suffer the greatest brunt of this scenario as they experience wear on the inside.

How to fix inner tire wear?

Follow these instructions to fix inner tire wear

1. Get your wheels aligned

If left unattended for a long period, improper wheel alignment might disturb camber angle, wear down ball joints and may damage springs as well.

All these three disturbances, as explained earlier, contribute to inner tire wear. That is why you should get your wheels aligned after every 5,000 miles or one year.

2. Keep tires properly inflated

Underinflated tires are at an added risk of experiencing inner tire wear. That’s because their sidewall will no longer be able to force the tire to come into contact with the road.

Hence the reason why we recommend that you check your tire pressures from time to time. Purchase a portable tire inflator if you don’t always have free time to go to the tire shop.

3. Regularly balance your tires

Most car owners only get their wheels balanced once they notice uneven tire wear. That is the wrong approach. It would be best if you had your tires balanced once every two years.

Experts also recommend having new tires balanced immediately after you have installed them underneath your vehicle. Doing that would protect them from experiencing inner wear.

4. Repair or replace damaged suspension components

If you notice that only one side of a particular tire is wearing down unevenly, it’s time to check its suspension. More often than not a bent suspension component will be to blame.

As long as the damage to the component isn’t extensive, you can have it repaired. However, if it is bent beyond repair, you may have no choice but to replace it altogether.

Conclusion

Inner tire wear can occur due to multiple reasons. Your wheels may be misaligned for a long time, their camber angle may not be right, ball bearings and joints can be worn down, or one of the suspension components can be broken.

Once you have identified the cause of inner tire wear, immediately tend to the solution. Don’t ignore the problem as it won’t go away. Adopting such a careless attitude won’t only hit you hard in the pocket, but it will also put the health of your vehicle and the safety of its passengers in safety.

The post 4 Causes of Inner Tire Wear: How to fix? appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/how-to-fix-inner-tire-wear

How to Tell Which Tire is Out of Balance?

2020-09-04T23:19:00.001-07:00

Driving with an out of balance tire can be dangerous. Such tires experience uneven tread wear and are at greater risk of a blowout at high speeds. They also produce excessive vibrations during driving and are more likely to undergo unexpected changes on the road.

Out of balance tires weigh heavily on your pocket as well. Their added weight forces the engine to produce more power to keep them rolling. This reduces your car’s fuel economy and increases the frequency of your trips to the gas filling station.

Unbalanced tires also stress your wheel bearings and shock absorbers. The deterioration of the wheel bearings increases the risk of your wheels getting worse in quick time. Shock absorbers which have experienced more stress, meanwhile, repay in the shape of bumpier driving experience.

With this in mind, let’s look at how to tell which tire is out of balance:

How to tell which tire is out of balance?

Out of balance tires put up the following signs:

1. Uneven and faster tread wear

You can manually check your tire’s treadwear through four methods.

Check Tread Depth

One of the oldest methods to check tread wear, it involves inserting a penny into its tread with the ‘heads’ side facing the road. If you can see the entirety of Lincoln’s head, your tread has worn down and it’s time to invest in a new tire. Or else you may keep on using it.

Inspect Sidewall Cracks

You can also inspect the sidewall cracks to tell whether or not the tire has worn down. Tire sidewalls are initially moist before the passage of miles dries them out. This causes the formation of cracks or cuts in their surface. Tiny cracks are common but large cracks are a telltale sign of uneven tread wear.

Check Tread Indicator Bars

Yet another way you can identify tread wear is via tread indicator bars. Most modern-day tires come with these flat rubber bars that you cannot see as long as the tread is optimal. However, as the tread wears down, tread bars gradually because easy to see.

Search for bulges and blisters

Worn out tire will develop both these weak spots on its surface. They might look benign but bulges and blisters do increase the likelihood of a sudden blowout. Both of them can also lead to skidding and hydroplaning of the tire over wet surfaces. That’s why you should never ignore them.

2. Out of balance sound

We consulted three experts to know what an out of balance tire sounds like. All were unanimous in their assertions that it emits loud noises while driving. These noises are coming out of the aforementioned tread wear and their sheer intensity makes them impossible to ignore.

3. Steering becomes difficult

Out of balance tires make the driver aware of their presence by making steering in a given direction (that of the unbalanced tire) more difficult. They also delay the steering wheel’s response time and increases the chances of avoidable accidents.

4. Bad shocks and bearings

Tires that are out of balance put the greatest stress on their shocks and bearings. This causes both these components, alongside the springs, to experience more wear and tear than necessary. That’s why, if you don’t fix the unbalanced tire in a timely fashion, you’d have to replace both these parts as well.

5. Repeated pressure imbalances

Is one of your tires constantly losing pressure? Does the problem resurface every few days after you have the tire inflated? Then there’s an excellent chance that the tire is out of balance. As tires, as long as they aren’t punctured, don’t lose air pressure too quickly.

FAQs

Q: When to get tire balancing done?

A: Here are some tips as to when you should get your tire balancing done:

After every 5,000 miles
After every 2 years
Every time you buy new tires
Every time you get a flat tire repaired
On noticing uneven tire wear

Q: What is the difference between tire balancing and alignment?

A: Both of them help in ensuring a seamless ride, but tire balancing and alignment cannot be more different. Tire balancing, as the name implies, ‘balances’ the weight on the tire and its wheel assembly. Alignment on the contrary corrects the tire’s angle.

Aside from how both of them are done, tire balancing and alignment differ in the benefit that they provide as well. While properly balanced tires experience less wear, put a reduced strain on the drivetrain, and contribute to a smoother ride, properly aligned tires have a better road life.

Q: How tire balancing is done?

A: Here’s how tires are rebalanced:

Tire mechanics mount the tire (mounted on a wheel) on a balancing machine
The wheel is spun and measurements given by the machine are recorded
Measurements tell where the imbalance is and how much weight should be added to correct it
Mechanic attaches the recommended weight to the tire and reinstalls the tire underneath the vehicle

Q: What are the dangers of driving with an unbalanced tire?

A: Aside from delivering bouncy and noise-ridden rides, unbalanced tires also place stress on their shock absorbers and bearings. This causes both these parts to wear down quickly. Out of balance tires also decrease the vehicle’s fuel economy and undergo tread wear faster.

Conclusion

The dangers of driving with an out of balance tire should have become clear by now. Such tires not only damage the health of your vehicle but also put the safety of its passengers at risk. They also place a bottom pressure on your car’s fuel economy.

All these reasons make it clear that you shouldn’t tolerate an out of balance tire. The moment you see any of the abovementioned signs, you should take your car to the tire repairman to have the tire rebalanced. Doing so will save you a lot of money in the long run.

The post How to Tell Which Tire is Out of Balance? appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/how-to-tell-which-tire-is-out-of-balance

3 Ways to Mount a Tire

2020-09-04T03:19:00.001-07:00

Every driver should learn how to mount a tire. It will save you the money that you’d otherwise have to fork out at a tire repair shop. You will also end up saving time. As driving the car to the mechanic and waiting for them to get free before they could tend to your tire is a laborious process.

You have three methods using which you can mount a tire. The first involves using a machine and is undoubtedly the easiest, especially if you have the machine at home. The second process, meanwhile, relies on a non-automatic tire changer.

Both these processes require the investment of capital. That’s why the average driver may shun them in favor of the third method. One that allows you to mount the new tire with nothing but a pry bar and your bare hands. It involves more effort than other methods but is achievable with a lot of effort.

Read on to know more about all three methods.

How to Mount a Tire

Follow these steps to mount a tire:

Method 1: Using a Tire Machine

Mounting a tire with the help of a machine is a quick and easy process. That’s why almost all tire repair shops and dealerships employ this method. Only a single person is needed to carry out this method with success. Here’s how:

What you’ll need?

Tire machine
Tire lubricant

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Lubricate the tire bead

Use a tire lubricant to moisten the tire’s rim edge and bead. Don’t use grease or soapy water for this purpose. The first will be extremely difficult to clean off, while the second won’t be slick enough. Both may cause the tire to de-bead during fast cornering.

Step 2: Put the tire on the rim

Swing the mount arm in the direction of the rim’s edge. Then place it at such an angle that the lower bead is pointing diagonally toward the mounting element. Getting the right angle is crucial for the success of the entire method. Pay extra attention.

Step 3: Rotate the turntable

Gently press the pedal to turn the turntable. This will cause the tire’s lower bead to slowly slide onto the metal rim.

Step 4: Mount the upper bead

Place the tire on the rim in a diagonal way and press the pedal. Keep it pressed until the turntable’s rotation causes half of the bead to sit on the rim. Then, press the other half that hasn’t seated yet and again press the turntable.

Pro Tip: Use your knuckles to seat the tire on the rim. Make sure that the tire is fully seated before you rotate the turntable for the second time. Failure to do so may damage the bead.

Step 5: Release the arm and seat the bead

After releasing the arm and pushing it to its starting position, use the tire’s air pressure to seat the bead. The bead might not sit immediately. If that’s indeed the case, open the tire’s valve stem and put a hose onto it. Follow it up by pressing the pedal. Pop sounds will come out as the bead fits the rim’s edge.

Final Step: Release the jaws

Once you have done that, re-install the valve stem core. Inflate the tire to its manufacturer’s recommended pressure using the pressure gauge on the machine.

Method 2: Using a Manual Tire Changer

Understanding how to mount a tire using a manual tire changer would be extremely easy if you are aware of the workings of this machine. Its working principle is similar to that of a tire machine, only you won’t be dealing with any pedals.

What you’ll need?

Manual tire changer
Tire lubricant

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Lubricate the tire bead

Use a tire lubricant to moisten the tire’s rim edge and bead. Don’t use grease or soapy water for this purpose. The reasons for that are already explained in the first step of the previous method.

Step 2: Put the tire on the rim

Once you have put the tire on the rim, keep on pushing it until the lower sidewall ends up resting on the rim. You may have to push the tire quite far to achieve this seating arrangement.

Step 3: Turn to the upper side

Manual tire changers have a lever bar between the tire’s rim and its bead. As you lift it, you’ll see that a tiny section of the bead will start folding onto the metal edge. Continue to repeat this process (lift the rim, fold the bead over the metal edge) until the rim has the entire tire covering its surface.

Step 4: Install the valve stem core

Only do that after you have taken the rim and the tire off the changer. Follow the installation of the valve stem core by covering the tire centerline with a ratchet strap. This is important as the strap will seat the bead after the mounting of tires.

Step 5: Apply pressure on the tire and fill it with air

Doing this will serve two purposes. It will help the tire sit snugly on the rim and allow the beads to settle down. The sitting down of the tire on the rim will cause pops, so you may not want to keep your hands on the tire during this step.

Final Step: Remove the strap

Follow it up by inflating the tire to the manufacturer’s recommended pressure. Make sure there aren’t any leaks afterward.

Method 3: Using your bare hands

Mounting a tire with your bare hands isn’t easy. You’d have to expend a lot of time and effort to see the job through. But if you cannot afford to invest in a tire mounting machine or a manual changer, this process is worth the effort.

What you’ll need?

Tire lubricant
Pry bar
Tire inflator

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Lubricate the tire bead

Follow the instructions given in step 1 of the previous two methods.

Step 2: Lay the rim on flat ground

Then place the tire on top of the rim. The surface should be stable, even, and flat. Place a piece of cardboard underneath the rim if the surface is concrete or blacktop.

Step 3: Press the bottom lip tire onto the rim

Stand on the tire and apply pressure with both feet to force the bottom of the tire onto the top of the rim. Lay your hand on a nearby wall for balance (if possible) or ask a friend or family member to lend a hand.

After you have seated the lower bead onto the rim, apply more lubricant to the tire. This will make it easy for the remaining rubber to slide over the metal.

Step 4: Press the upper lip of the tire onto the rim

Divide this step into two mini-steps. In the first part, apply as much effort with your hands as possible to press the upper lip onto the rim. Once you can see that that the tire is no longer going down, use a pry bar to maneuver the lip over the remaining portion of the rim.

Keep on doing it until the tire’s lower and upper beads are past the lip of the rim.

Pro Tip: To prevent the pry bar from scratching the rim, press it into the lower side of the upper lip of the tire.

Final Step: Inflate the tire

Use a tire inflator to inflate the tire as per its manufacturer’s instructions.

Conclusion

You now have three methods at your disposal using which you can mount a tire. The first, which involves a machine, will allow you to get the job done quickly and conveniently. The second process which counts on a manual tire changer won’t require much time and effort as well. However, you’ll have to put in a lot of effort and time if you’re going to mount a tire with nothing but your bare hands.

The post 3 Ways to Mount a Tire appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/how-to-mount-a-tire

What Should You Do If You Have A Tire Blowout?

2020-09-03T21:19:00.001-07:00

What should you do if you have a tire blowout? Different people will answer this question differently. Some will suggest calling the traffic police. Others might tell you to look around in search of a tire repair shop. Very few will give you tips using which you can rectify the problem on your own.

That is precisely what this article aims to do. It has some handy tips using which you can prepare yourself for dealing with a situation in which you’re in the middle of nowhere with nothing but your vehicle and its blown-out tire. But it doesn’t stop at that.

We have also come up with a comprehensive step-by-step guide on dealing with a tire blowout. One that contains everything you need to remove the blown-out tire from its wheel and replace it with the one lying in your car’s boot.

What Should You Do If You Have A Tire Blowout?

Follow these step-by-step instructions to survive a tire blowout:

Step 1: Do not panic

What is the best thing you can do in the immediate aftermath of a tire blowout? Absolutely nothing. Don’t slam on the brakes. Don’t turn the steering wheel to pull your vehicle off the road. Don’t take your foot off the accelerator.

All these actions might cause you to lose control over the vehicle. Your car might spin out if you end up doing any of these. That’s why, in the first few seconds after you have heard a blast, you should take deep breaths and try to stay as calm as possible.

Step 2: Keep the car going straight

When facing a tire blow out, the first thing many people try to do is to turn the steering towards one side. That approach can be deadly. Your tire has already blown out and trying to turn the car in such a scenario might cause the wheels to overcorrect – increasing the chances of an accident.

Once the tire has blown out, the car will be pulling to one side. It will be crucial then that you stop the vehicle from having its way. You can do that by gripping the steering wheel with both hands. Have the left hand at 10 and the right hand at 2. This will steer the vehicle straight.

Step 3: Gently take your foot off the gas pedal

Don’t yank your foot off the accelerator. You need your car to retain its forward momentum to regain control over it. Slightly decrease the pressure you’re applying on the accelerator without taking the whole pressure off it.

After you feel that the vehicle is back under control, take your foot off the accelerator. You may have noticed that we didn’t make any mention of brakes to slow down the car. That’s because applying the brakes while the tire has just blown out can be deadly.

Step 4: Let the car slow down naturally

Once you have taken your foot off the accelerator, your vehicle’s speed will automatically decrease before coming down to zero within thirty seconds. At this point, you might want to turn on the emergency lights to inform the drivers who are coming behind you that you’re decelerating.

During this entire period, don’t take your hands off the steering wheel. Keep steering the vehicle straight and resist the temptation of applying the brakes too.

Final Step: Gently apply the brakes

When your car’s speed has come below 30 mph, gently apply the brakes. Give the indicator and turn the vehicle towards the road’s hard shoulder. After the car has stopped, take a deep breath and call traffic police or anyone you want for help.

How to avoid a tire blowout?

Here are some tips using which you can avoid a tire blowout:

Double-check tire pressure: One of the biggest causes of tire blowouts is under inflation. Tires that have less pressure than recommended flex more than properly inflated tires. This flex then generates heat which ultimately leads to a blowout.
Don’t drive worn-out tires: Old tires with a damaged tread are also prime candidates for a blowout. The thinness of the tread exposes the tire’s inner rubber to more heat, which in turn cracks and may cause the tire to blow out.
Avoid potholes while driving: Tires that repeatedly hit potholes are susceptible to losing their alignment and de-shape quickly than their peers whose drivers keep it safe while driving. That’s why you should keep your driving style in check.
Monitor tire’s sidewall: In extremely rare cases, tire blowout has nothing to do with the condition of its tread or your driving style. It may be that the sidewall of the tires has cuts, grooves, or tracks from excessive use – those that might expand and cause blowouts at high speed.
Rotate tires every 10,000kms: Uneven tread wear can also lead to tire blowouts. You can prevent it from happening by rotating your tires once every 10,000kms. Or you may go through your tire’s manual for more specific recommendations.
Drive slow when it’s hot out there: Most drivers associate tire blowouts with summer. They aren’t wrong. The combination of high temperatures and massive vehicle speed might create a cocktail whose climax may be a blown-out tire.

Conclusion

Nobody should take the problem of tire blowout lightly. An estimate by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration puts the number of people who lose their lives due to tire blowouts at over 400. The same report claims that over 75,000 accidents take place due to the same problem.

Hence the reason why in addition to knowing what you should do in the first few seconds after a tire blowout, you should also be aware of steps taking, which you can minimize the chances of a tire blowout. Only then can you be sure of you and your loved ones’ safety.

The post What Should You Do If You Have A Tire Blowout? appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/what-should-you-do-if-you-have-a-tire-blowout

What is a Tire Bead Seater?

2020-09-02T19:19:00.001-07:00

Have you ever mounted a tire on a wheel? Then you might be aware of how difficult it is to manually seat the bead on the wheel rim. No matter how much effort you apply with your bare hands, there always remains some space between the tire bead and the sides of the wheel.

This crack might look innocuous but it is dangerous. Leaving it unattended will let the tire inflate beyond the safe limit, thereby putting your personal safety at risk. You should thus make sure that the tire sits perfectly on the wheel rim and that there is no gap between both.

Which is precisely what a tire bead seater does. It is equipped with unique configurations that make it easy for tire technicians to mount the tire safely and quickly. Tire bead seaters also allow you to inflate the tire to the recommended pressure through the tire valve.

Read on to know more about how a tire bead seater achieves that.

What is a tire bead seater?

Image: automotive acrecovery machine

Tire bead seaters are devices that help a tire, new or used, sit perfectly on the wheel. They have a built-in air trigger that emits a massive pressure of air to inflate the tire to seat it snugly on the wheel rim. This arrangement also makes sure that the tire is inflated to the recommended pressure.

Most bead seaters have a discharge valve that allows for easy airflow control. You can use one of your hands to hold the valve assembly and the other to balance the tire. Such an organization is critical for the safe and effective use of these devices.

High-end seaters also reduce ‘blowback recoil’ through their unique nozzle design. Their nozzle contains strategically positioned holes that help these seaters come handy with a wide range of tire sizes and wheel diameters. That means you can use them with both light- and heavy-duty tires.

Yet another benefit that tire bead seaters provide is inflating the tire to the optimum pressure. They have a built-in air tank that supplies compressed air to fill the tire. All these features combine to make tire bead seaters the best choice for on-the-road service.

How to Use a tire bead seater

Benefits of using a tire bead seater

Quick and easy inflation: Most drivers feel they have no choice but to drive their vehicle to the nearby tire shop the moment their tire is showing signs of under-inflation. Those with a bead seater, however, can quickly and easily inflate their tires in the comfort of their home.
Multi-purpose use: Unlike tire inflators that do nothing else besides increasing the air pressure in the tire, bead seaters also help in mounting the tubeless tires on the wheel. They do that despite costing less than most inflators.
Prevent damage to tire rims: What would happen if you don’t use a bead seater to mount the tire on the wheel? The rim will be left with scratches from the pry bar or any other sharp equipment that you may use to push the rubber on top of it.

How to choose a tire bead seater?

Look for the following features to get the best tire bead seater for your needs:

Hose assembly: Units that come with a built-in hose assembly use it to connect their nozzle and the valve. This allows the users to easily carry the seater from one place to another, as they no longer have to carry the weight of the air tank.
Easy-to-read gauge: Here is one feature that separates the best tire bead seaters from the riffraff. Almost all the top-rated models have an easy-to-read gauge to let you inflate the tire as per its manufacturer’s recommendations.
Safety valve: Bead seaters that come with a safety valve aren’t hazardous to use in closed environments. That’s because the valve automatically pops up and releases excess air once the pressure exceeds the safe limit.
Considerable tank capacity: Do you intend to buy a multi-purpose tire bead seater? One that would come handy for RVs, trucks, tractors, ATVs, as well as regular vehicles? Then make sure that its tank capacity isn’t less than 5 gallons.
Threaded barrel with lip: Nobody knows the angle at which they might have to insert air into their next tire. This lack of knowledge makes it necessary for you to invest in a bead seater that has a threaded barrel with lip, as such models provide multiple angles for optimum inflation.
Bottom feet and built-in carry handle: The former prevents the seater from rolling during use to provide enhanced ball valve protection. Carry handles, as you might guess, make maneuvering the seaters from one place to the other a cinch.

Best tire bead seaters on the Market

Here are the two best tire bead seaters that are currently available on the market:

1. Neiko 30007L Tooluxe Air Tire Bead Seater

>>>See On Amazon<<<

The Neiko 30007L is easily one of the best models on the market. It can inflate up to 24inches’ tire and is useful for all sorts of passenger and personal-use vehicles. This bead seater also has an easy to read gauge and provides pressure between 87 and 116psi.

Aside from that, its air tank boasts a 5-gallon capacity and the automatic safety valve of this model ensures safe operation. Also on offer is a specially designed lip that joins its forces with the metal barrel to provide long reach and quick inflation.

2. HTTMT- US-FF932-BK- New 5 Gallon Air Tire Bead Seater

>>>See On Amazon<<<

Here is another model that is making waves on the market. The HTTMT bead seater comes with a built-in of/off valve to ensure ease of usage. It also has an air gauge to tell you the air volume and is compatible with both light- and heavy-duty vehicles.

Similar to the Neiko 3000L, this unit is powder coated by its manufacturer to keep rust and corrosion at bay. Its air tank can hold up to 5 gallons of air at once and the long-reach nozzle of this model can deliver an operating pressure between 87 and 116psi. What more can you ask for!

Conclusion

Tire bead seaters are a godsend. Not only do they help you in mounting the tire on the rim but their usage continues afterward. These devices double as tire inflators to let you pump in air into your tubeless tires at will. Little wonder, then, that they are uber-popular among tire mechanics and repairmen.

The post What is a Tire Bead Seater? appeared first on Smart Motorist.

source https://www.smartmotorist.com/what-is-a-tire-bead-seater