Bad news for Ferrari in China. This little stunt damaged a historical site and their reputation in one of the world's largest markets.

The problem for Ferrari is not just the tire marks, but the issue of annoying the Chinese population. China is a huge market for most manufactures and Ferrari knows this.

Ferrari did issue a statement that the incident was not authorized and that some of its employees from a local dealership are responsible.

One interesting thing to note is that many Chinese view the Ferrari as a car only for the rich (and most American’s share that view?). Now a car for the rich isn’t a new thing, yet Chinese typically associate being rich with being corrupt. So, the Ferrari is a rich car for bad people. Not quite the image Ferrari is looking for to sell its cars and combine that with this stunt, things are not good in China for the Italian automaker.

Turbocharger vs Supercharger - Which one is best?

Both superchargers and turbochargers are forced induction systems. They increase power by forcing more air into the engine, which boosts power because it allows for more fuel to be used. If you think about fuel as liquid energy, than it’s easy to see why more fuel in the engine equals more power at the wheels. Turbochargers work by using hot exhaust gases to spin the blades of a compressor mounted to the top of the engine. Superchargers work by attaching to the main drive pulley, using the power of the vehicle’s engine to compress air.

In terms of how much power a supercharger or turbocharger can add, the answer is usually determined by the amount of boost pressure. Boost is the amount of additional air pressure the system adds. A supercharger that only adds 6 lbs of air pressure (aka 6 lbs of boost) isn’t going to add as much power as a turbocharger that’s running at 8.5 lbs of air pressure.

Now that you have the basics, here are some points to consider:

Turbos Are Generally More Efficient…Especially on Smaller Engines

Since turbochargers are powered by your vehicle’s hot exhaust gases, they’re essentially converting wasted energy (hot exhaust gas) into additional power. Superchargers, on the other hand, pull their power directly from the engine. Therefore, superchargers can actually hurt performance at lower RPMs if the power benefits of supercharger boost can be gobbled up by the energy required to drive the supercharger’s pulley. For example: If you’re driving around a big bad V8 pickup truck that can generate massive torque at idle, the power siphoned off by the supercharger’s pulley is a small percentage of the total. If you’re driving around a little 1.6L 4 cylinder, the amount of power needed to drive the supercharger’s pulley can be significant, as smaller engines have a hard time generating much torque at low RPMs.

Therefore, turbos tend to be better suited to small engines where superchargers tend to be better suited to larger engines. Of course, turbochargers aren’t without their shortcomings.

Turbo Lag and More Difficult Installation

Since the turbocharger depends on the exhaust system for power, and since most turbochargers are most efficient at higher engine RPMs, it can take a while for the turbocharger to kick in. This delay is called “turbo lag,” and depending on the vehicle this lag can last a few 10ths of a second or it can last a full 2-3 seconds. The only solution to turbo lag is to use two turbochargers – one that is designed to operate efficiently at very low RPMs, with another turbocharger starting up at higher RPMs to maintain the same overall level of boost across the full RPM range.

As you can imagine, dual turbochargers (better known as twin turbos) are expensive, difficult to calibrate, and frequently beyond the technical capabilities of the average engine customizer. For the most part, the vehicle manufacturer is the only company that can build a quality twin turbo system (only there are some excellent after-market twin turbo kits available for Corvettes). This means that, if your’e adding a turbocharger after-market, you’re probably going to have to live with some turbo lag.

Turbocharger Install is Usually More Difficult

Since the turbocharger needs to be integrated into the existing exhaust system, it can be much more difficult to install after-market than a supercharger that basically bolts on top of the engine. In order to install a turbocharger, you typically need to re-route the exhaust system inside the engine bay so that a turbocharger can straddle the intake and exhaust system. On most engines this is a pretty radical change – if the routing isn’t done correctly, the heat from the exhaust system can impact the performance of the rest of the engine, not to mention reduce reliability.

There are some systems that allow for a turbocharger to be mounted further away from the air intake, thus reducing complexity of the install. However, these systems aren’t as efficient, and in a comparison to a supercharger, these easy-install turbo kits simply aren’t as powerful. Still, they’re not a bad option (learn more about these rear-mounted superchargers by checking out this article about Toyota Tacoma turbochargers as well as the STSTurbo.com website).

Turbochargers vs Superchargers – Which is More Reliable?

The answer to this question often comes down to heat management and cost. As a general rule, most superchargers manage heat better than most turbos. Superchargers that are internally oiled (a pretty common thing on modern S/C’s) are practically bulletproof, whereas superchargers that use the vehicle’s oil system for cooling can be a little less reliable. This is merely because a supercharger using the engine’s oil system could technically experience failure due to oil loss or low oil pressure (which could caused by a clogged filter or an overwhelmed oil pump that can’t keep up at higher RPMs). As you can imagine, internally lubricated superchargers are more expensive that superchargers that utilize the engine’s oil system…spend more money, and reliability is excellent.

Turbochargers have too manage considerably more heat than superchargers for two reasons:

1. They’re mounted in the exhaust system, where gas temperatures can reach as high as 2,000 degrees farenheit
2. Turbo compressors can spin at as much as 150k RPM, compared to supercharger compressors that could spin as fast as 65k RPM

Turbos can “burn up” pretty quickly if they have a heat problem, and heat problems aren’t always easy to manage during the middle of a race (especially on after-market systems).

Therefore, an after-market supercharger is typically more reliable than an after-market turbocharger, but the more expensive your kit, the lower your risk.

Bottom Line

If you’ve got a smaller engine and/or a limited budget, a turbocharger is probably your best option. Just make sure you watch those exhaust gas temps like a hawk, and if you do the install yourself, you need to be extra careful.

If you’ve got a bigger engine or a bigger budget, superchargers are easier to enjoy during daily driving (no turbo lag) and more reliable. In fact, many vehicle manufacturers offer their own fact0ry-backed supercharger kits (Ford Racing and TRD are both good examples).

Finally, check the market before you decide. Some vehicles – like the Miata (for example) – have some very affordable after-market supercharger kits that offer all the great supercharger features at a turbocharged price.

About the Author: Chris Baker is a freelance writer and blogs for www.cheapestcarinsurance.org.uk where you can find great deals on cheap car insurance for young drivers!

How to make your car handle better - buy a set of good tires

1. Get new tires. First and foremost, you need a set of low-profile tires. Low-pro tires are the best suspension enhancement you can make, so if you have limited funds this is the best place to start. Low-pro tires are better because:

• The tire tread design works better under high cornering loads
• The tire sidewalls do not flex much (if at all) at high cornering speeds, which means the tire maintains maximum surface area contact with the road

The downsides to low pro tires are rough ride, poor handling characteristics in rain, ice, and snow, and shorter tire life…don’t say you haven’t been warned.

Sidebar: A great place to buy performance tires on the cheap is TireRack.com. You can buy a quality set of performance tires online for hundreds less than your local tire dealer, mostly because your local tire dealer doesn’t sell many low-pro performance tires. Don’t buy tires without getting a quote from TireRack.com first.

Forged aluminum wheels reduce unsprung suspension weight, which means the suspension doesn't have to "work" as hard to control wheel movement

2. New lightweight wheels. Another downside to low-pro tires is that they usually require you to buy a new set of wheels…most passenger cars come with 16″ or 17″ wheels, but most low-pro tires are designed for 18″ or 20″ wheels, so you have to upgrade.

If you do upgrade your wheels, keep in mind that forged aluminum wheels are best for racing. They’re incredibly light as well as strong. Lighter wheels make it easier for your suspension to do it’s thing – think of wheels as weights attached to your suspension. If they’re lighter, the suspension is more capable.

Cast aluminum wheels are next in order of preference, but since cast wheels aren’t as strong as forged wheels, they’re made with more aluminum…which means they’re heavier. Finally, as far as racing is concerned, stay far away from fancy chrome rims. They’re heavy and just not made for the track.

Upgraded springs and shocks are second only to tires and wheels when it comes to improving handling. Click the image above for more spring and shock kits.

3. Get new springs and tuned shocks to match. New, stiffer springs are a great way to improve the handling of your vehicle, and provided that you pair these springs with tuned shocks, you’ll get a car that runs laps around your old suspension setup without a massive penalty in ride quality.

4. Lower your vehicle. Lowering your car improves the handling because it lowers the center of gravity of the entire vehicle. Often times, you can purchase a set of springs and tuned shocks that lower the car all in one kit. However, depending on what you’re driving, you may need to replace some key components too.

5. Fix that loose nut behind the steering wheel. If you’re reading this and ready to go and buy all these parts, please take a moment and consider the notion that the finest drivers can win with an average race car, but average drivers can’t ever win with even the finest equipment.

There are hundreds of racing schools across the United States that will teach you performance driving skills that will drastically improve your ability to pilot your ride. Before you lay down thousands of dollars for new tires, wheels, etc., why not invest in some driving school tuition?

Choosing the right exhaust system brand doesn't have to be difficult

So, you’re finally ready to drop an aftermarket performance exhaust system in your car, excellent! But, where do you start looking and what brands have proven themselves to be worth every penny? There’s nothing like adding a modification to your precious baby and loving every minute of its performance for the next several years. There is also nothing worse than making a modification to your car and it not working or falling apart over time. Nothing worse at all. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re in the market for a new performance exhaust system. Let’s start with reputations first.

Borla Performance Industries

These guys know how to make an exhaust system. Whether you’re looking for a cat-back, s-type or boomer Borla manufactures some of the finest stainless steel racing gear around. For over 3 decades these guys have been designing and making top notch exhaust products and you know it’s good when the company got their start making products for Ferrari and Rolls-Royce. They believe in their products so much that their street line is backed with a million mile warranty.

Corsa Performance Exhaust

Corsa exhausts are pure craftsmanship. If sound is what you’re after, their engineers have mastered the sweet spot. As far as user-friendly instructions, customer service and company culture goes, Corsa shines above the rest.

Flowmaster

Flowmaster boasts five different exhaust system series: Pro Series, Force II, American Thunder, Outlaw Series, and dBX Series. Through an extensively equipped research and development department, Flowmaster is able to provide a wide variety of exhaust styles and designs for multiple makes and models.

Each of these companies manufactures their products in America with a serious dedication to the quality of their materials, service and design. When you’re making your decision, you’ll need to ask yourself a few questions to determine which one of these fine systems will work best with your vehicle.

1. What is the most important feature or attribute to you?

a) Speed

b) Sound

c) Options

The answers to these questions will help you determine which of these high-quality brands are the most suitable for your needs. Ask around, read a few reviews and research what company has the best fit for your particular vehicle.

Logan is a guest post blogger who writes about aftermarket vehicle modifications, car shows, and finding the right auto transport company.

There are a lot of differences between race cars and consumer sports cars, and the suspension system is probably the biggest.

Many parts elevate a racing car above a consumer sports car, but not all of those parts reside in the engine compartment.As a matter of fact, the biggest differences between your run-of-the-mill race car and your run-of-the-mill consumer sports car are:

1. Race cars don’t have sound deadening materials anywhere, so they’re loud as hell
2. Race cars don’t have any creature comforts like leather upholstered seats, air conditioning, 8 speaker surround-sound s tereos, etc. Just a hard, uncomfortable seat, a steering wheel, a racing harness, and a couple of pedals. The fire extinguisher is the only “extra.”
3. Race cars have aggressive, tight suspension systems that ride rougher than a milk wagon. Of course, they also allow for unparalleled handling

What follows is a quick little primer on suspension systems – great background info for any auto enthusiast.

The springs, shock absorbers and the assembly that connect the wheels to a vehicle is loosely called “the suspension.” The suspension serves two key purposes:

1. Keep the wheels on the ground
2. Make sure the vehicle is stable at operating speeds

However, in a passenger car, there’s a third purpose – do #1 and #2 as comfortable as possible.

In regards to “keeping the wheels on the ground,” the importance of this task can’t be understated. When your vehicle encounters a nasty pothole and 40+ mph, the wheel(s) that enter that pothole want to jump righ up in the air. Yet because the suspension springs can “push” the wheels back down to the ground immediately following the impact, your car stays under control.

What’s more, all the force of that impact is dissipated almost instantly. This is because the suspension’s shock absorbers control the rebound of the spring and keep it from upsetting the balance of the vehicle…which addresses function #2.

Now as far as function #3 – doing #1 and #2 while riding comfortably – there have been a lot of different setups used over the last 100+ years of automotive history. Here are some of the highlights:

The solid axle. The first type of automotive suspension that was produced in mass was the solid beam axle. With the solid beam axle the front wheels were simply connected to each other by one solid axle. This kind of early axle can still be found today on heavy-duty trucks and some SUVs. This is because that, even with the addition of several newer suspension developments, the solid axle is still very practical in many situations. Because the axle is so simple, it’s easy to maintain and very strong. The downsides to the solid axle are:

• The sheer size of the axle makes it difficult to incorporate into small or medium-sized vehicles
• The axle’s mass increases the unsprung load on the suspension, which in turn means that stiffer springs must be used, which means that the solid axle doesn’t ride very nicely
• The solid axle also increases the amount of bump steer which makes a car harder to handle

If you own a big, heavy-duty truck (think bigger than an F350/3500HD), or if you’ve got ambitions to rock crawl, you’ll want a solid axle. Otherwise, there are better alternatives.

The MacPherson Strut. An advance in suspension systems was the MacPherson system developed in the 1970’s. Although it’s a great suspension for regular old passenger cars (an elegant combination of performance of inexpensive components), it’s not ideal for racing cars. The reason? The MacPherson strut suspension has to change camber and/or move in and out whenever the wheel moves up and down…which really reduces cornering ability.

The Double Wishbone. The double wishbone suspension (a.k.a. double A-arm suspension) is a very capable race suspension. In it’s simplest form, the suspension is comprised of upper and lower A-arms that attach to a knuckle, which then attaches the wheel. By changing the design of the knuckle, the length of the A arms, etc. the suspension can be tuned to suite an infinite number of applications. This is the type of suspension used in almost every advanced race car today.

Tires. Tires aren’t commonly thought of as a “suspension” component, but they should be. In fact, tires are the most important suspension component on a car. Tire sidewalls must absorb impact without flexing during cornering. Tire tread must maintain contact with the road surface despite cornering loads, imperfections in the road, etc. Finally, the tire must stay “sticky” without getting too hot and breaking down.

If you want to pinpoint the most important suspension designs of the last 50 years, most of them came from the tire industry. But that’s another story…

Author Dan Nielson is a contract electrician and blogs for truckspring.com, a site that specializes in suspensions for trucks. They have everything from Bilstein shocks to firestone airbags.

1. Speed – Speed is life, right?
2. Power – Speed is one thing, but the ability to get to your top speed as quickly as possible is another.
3. Aggressive Handling – How fast can you take that on-ramp?

Therefore, a sports car is one that is specifically designed to provide superior performance at the expense of things like luxury and basic practicality.

The traditional perception is that a sports car must have two doors and an engine that guzzles fuel. However, based on our three criteria, some four door sedans can be considered sports cars. Here are five sedans that we call sports cars, and five that don’t cut it.

Sedans That Are Definitely Sports Cars

The Porsche Panamera sports sedan is, without a doubt, the finest 4-door sports car you can buy

Porsche Panamera

With a 400-horsepower 4.8-liter engine, the Panamera S from Porsche combines aggression with luxury and most definitely makes it to this list. Compared to Porsche’s 989 Concept from the late 1980s, the Panamera is labeled as a high-performing sedan, thanks to its powerful engine. It’s also quite expensive, with a price tag of $75,200.

The Mazda3 isn't fast, but it's a fun, inexpensive car that corners on rails.

Mazda3

Tagged as an economy sports sedan, the Mazda3 is available in three engines, including a SkyActive 2.0-liter 4-cylinder. An efficiently agile vehicle, the Mazda3 is a perfect example of a sports sedan and although it comes with a more humble 155 horsepower, it is one that will give you the feel of being in a sports car when you’re speeding along that highway. Price of the Mazda3 is $15,200.

The BMW 3-Series Sedan, a mostly carbon copy of the 3-Series Coupe

BMW 3-Series

The BMW 3-Series is one of the first vehicles to be defined a sports sedan, so excluding it from this list would not make any sense. Priced at $35,795, the new 3-Series is one of the latest additions in the market by BMW and it packs in quite a punch. Equipped with a turbo 4-cylinder engine and 15 horsepower more than the previous version, the all-new 3-Series is bound to give you your much-needed thrill and rejuvenate you.

The Audi A4

Audi A4

Audi has always been known to produce beautiful cars. With such a stylish exterior and interior appearance, the A4 is no less than other Audi models. Besides, the A4 makes for an ideal sports sedan even though it comes with a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. The A4 can also produce 211 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. Steering and suspension is also extremely smooth, giving you a pleasant ride, and an exhaust system can give it some real ooomph. Price of the Audi A4 is $32,500.

Cadillac's heart-pounding CTS-V Sedan is the real deal, but the standard CTS is pretty blah

Cadillac CTS-V

One of the most powerful cars on this list, the Cadillac CTS-V is fully equipped with a 550- horsepower V8 engine, giving you all the power and torque you could need. It also has an adjustable magnetic suspension system and although handling can be a little tricky at times, its speed and torque will make you forget all that once you’re behind the wheel. The Cadillac CTS-V is priced at $63,215.

5 Sports Sedans That Aren’t

Sadly, not all powerful vehicles make it to “sports car” status. Despite having powerful engines, they tend to miss out on the feel attached to driving a sports car.

Even though Chevy offers a policy interceptor version of the Impala, it's still not a sports sedan

Chevrolet Impala

The Chevrolet Impala packs in a lot of power with a 3.6 liter 300-horsepower V6 engine and might just deceive you by posing as a sports sedan. However, with its sloppy steering and uncomfortable suspension, it just fails to reach that list.

VW's Passat - boring on wheels

Volkswagen Passat

The Volkswagen Passat is nothing more than just a stylish family sedan. Even with the higher-end 280-horsepower V6 or 40-mpg diesel engine, it just does not feel as light unlike many other VW sports cars. It’s perfect for those fun family trips but give it a miss if you’re looking to rule the road.

The Buick Regal, wildly popular in China, isn't much of a sports car

Buick Regal

The Buick Regal looks good and carries somewhat of a sporty appearance. The real problem with this car is not in its appearance, but with the fact that it can only produce 182 horsepower to make it nothing more than a regular sedan. Besides, at $26,670, you can expect to find sports sedans that will give you more.

Once upon a time, the Maxima was a cool sports sedan. Today? It's overweight. Lose the pounds and the sports car is back.

Nissan Maxima

The Nissan Maxima is another car that has some qualities of a sports sedan. A 290 horsepower engine with just enough power and smooth handling are its key features, and there’s no denying that an after-market exhaust can “sport up” the Maxima. It’s also luxurious and lives up to its price too. The only drawback, however, is the fact that it just doesn’t feel sporty enough when compared to other cars in its class.

Cadillac CTS

Last on the list is the Cadillac CTS. The CTS is more of what you would call a luxury car than a sports car. It’s a great car to own but with a base engine of 270 horsepower, you don’t feel that much torque and pull. Apart from that, it’s a classy vehicle.

About the author: Rebecca Jones is a blogger who also happens to be a car lover. Her dream machine happens to be Rolls Royce Phantom. She recently went to attend an autoshow in India and was really impressed with the Indian autos showcased there.

Subaru Impreza WRX STi

Price: From $34,000

The most affordable high-performance car on this list, the WRX still packs a fair punch. With a 2.5 litre 16V turbo engine you’ll be zipping through the streets, but Subaru’s standard all-wheel drive means that there won’t be much of a problem in controlling the car (even when you are thrown back in your seat by the sheer force of it). As a wagon, the Impreza WRX is a slightly more practical car than the other, more executive cars on this list. A decently priced performance car that you can use to run around town, not to mention that you do some serious performance tuning on this car (lots of exhaust systems for the Impreza, not to mention downpipes, tuners, etc.)

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X

Price: From $38,000

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, or Evo X to its friends, is a super-saloon that has within it the blood of a rally car. It has a 2.0 litre, 16-valve Turbo engine that’ll rocket you from 0-60mph in 3.8 seconds (on the Top Gear track, at least), and with its Super All Wheel Control you’ve got control over the power and torque in each wheel. This gives you the balance between sheer power and good handling, so you’ll still feel in control even when you are hurtling around a corner at Mach-3. The Evo X has far better handling and feedback than the Impreza, and looks every bit the performance car that it is.

Audi R8

Price: From $114,000

The fact that the Audi R8 is also the name of a professional race car should be a clue to the power that this beast has. A 4.2 litre mid-mounted V8 engine makes it the fastest production Audi, with a top-speed of 187mph. The Quattro permanent four-wheel drive system gives you a better grip while notching up the revs, allowing for far better handling on the road. The mid-mounted engine grants more of a balance between the front and rear axles, and the refined design of the R8 means that you could comfortably reach those higher speeds without the car screaming in protest.

Whatever your budget, there is a performance car to suit your needs, and with their four-wheel drive kit thrown in you can be sure of a decent ride, even at full pelt. The only challenge is finding an opportunity to test their full potential.

This article was written by Jamie Gibbs at Confused.com – provider of 4×4 car insurance.

This heavily modified classic is probably a great dragster, but it would be worth a lot more money if it was all original. A LOT more...

The problem is, many after-market accessories and vehicle modifications can hurt resale value. Adding a big wing and a lowering kit, for example, will only cause your car to lose value. It’s ironic that adding thousands of dollars worth of after-market extras can hurt resale value, but it’s true.

So, what can you do to ensure your car loses less value if/when you add an after-market accessory or modification?

Make of Car

First things first, by choosing the right type of car, you will immediately slow down the rate of depreciation. Certain car brands such as Honda and Toyota hold their value better than others, as do Toyota trucks. Beyond those general guidelines, you might want to check out what KBB.com has to say about the relative resale value of the car you’re thinking about modifying – see KBB’s Best Resale Value Awards reports for more info.

Another thing to consider: While luxury cars like Lexus and Infiniti hold their value exceedingly well, it would be foolish to modify one. This is because your typical Lexus or Infiniti buyer is looking for a luxurious, worry-free automobile. One look at a Lexus with a loud exhaust system or racing seats and that’s it – they’re moving on to another car.

Choose a Tasteful Modification

Once you have your vehicle, you need to make a wise decision when choosing what to do to it. Generally speaking, if they accessory or modification isn’t plainly visible, it’s unlikely to hurt resale value. Conversely, the more visible an accessory or modification is, the more it can hurt. Listed below are some examples of accessories/modifications that will or won’t hurt resale value.

Accessories and Modifications that Generally Hurt Resale Value:

• Radical paint jobs, graphics, or interior style elements
• Body kits, add-on spoilers, hood scoops, etc.
• Very loud exhaust systems
• Painted panels in the interior
• Poorly installed interior accessories (especially after-market stereos with poor fit and finish)
• Fire extinguishers, roll cages, racing seats, and any other accessory commonly associated with racing like special seat belt harnesses, dash gauges, etc.
• Superchargers, turbochargers, and especially nitrous oxide systems
• Blatantly obvious lowering kits

Accessories and Modifications that Generally DO NOT Hurt Resale Value:

• Simple performance upgrades like upgraded engine programming, cold air intake, or an exhaust system with a reasonable sound level
• Upgraded wheels, shocks, or mild suspension adjustments
• Bike racks, radar detectors, and any other accessory that’s easy to remove without damaging the vehicle
• After-market leather seats or an after-market sunroof

Trucks and Cars are Different

To this point this article has addressed cars more than trucks, which is to say that in many cases adding accessories to a truck helps resale. Examples include larger wheels and tires, lift kits, tonneau covers, bed liners, exhaust systems (provided they’re not overly loud), grille guards and after-market bumpers, winches, etc.

In fact, it’s much more likely that your typical truck accessory or modification will help resale value more than hurt it.

Legality

Finally, you need to ensure that above all, what you change on your car is legal. Certain types of modification could invalidate your insurance or make registration impossible, so it’s best to check if you’re not sure. Examples include removing catalytic converters, adding electronics or performance parts that cause check engine warning lights to set, or modifications that remove or disable key safety components.

About the Author: Anton Ringerson is a performance car parts installation expert. He recently fitted Hel brake lines and Ferodo brake pads on his Audi TT, now all he needs is a cool Audi exhaust system.

Let’s go over a few things that will broaden your knowledge as a consumer, and arm you with the ability to make the wisest purchase.

Four Big Window Tint Questions

1. What is the heat blockage rate of the film? This is an especially important question if you live in a warmer climate. Window tint films have a heat protection rate that can range from 10% to nearly 100%. If you’re like most drivers, chances are that your best option will be found somewhere in the middle.

• If you live in a temperate climate, a tint film providing 25-40% heat protection is ideal. Most experts would say this is enough for a motorist driving in a city where temperatures only seldom top 85 degrees, yet this heat protection level still allows enough sunlight into your vehicle in winter months to help warm the interior.
• For those living in a climate where temperatures normally top 90 degrees for at least 3 months a year, it may be a worthy investment to install a film with a minimum of 50% heat protection. Although it may increase the price tag, it’s reasonable to assume that you’ll be thanking yourself every time you enter your car on a warm day.

For those seeking a 50% heat blockage rate, expect to pay $180-$250 to tint a 4-door sedan.

2. What is the aesthetic quality of the film? If you drive down a road for 30 minutes, you may notice a wide variety of tinted vehicles. After a while, you may begin to notice some of the visual differences. While some films could pass for factory-installed, others may sport a more basic, after-market look…and others may have deteriorated completely.

A very dark tint film, often called limo tint, can look great, but a poor quality installation will be very obvious. Image copyright aresauburn (click on image for more info).

The aesthetic quality you desire will influence heavily the price you pay for tinting. While a more basic (yet stable) film may cost starting in the $150-$160 range, a top-line film could command as much as $400. As with most things, there is usually a middle ground to be had. For this reason, it’s essential that you insist to see film samples before installing a film. Wouldn’t you like to know that the film you installed looks spectacular on your vehicle?

Typical window tint films reduce the amount of light that enters the vehicle without degrading visibility. Image copyright nappent (click on image for more info).

3. What type of warranty is offered? Although virtually all films come with some sort of warranty, it’s important to understand the type of warranty that is included with the film you purchase. Most of the time, you will find that a “lifetime warranty” will be included with the tint film you purchase. The important thing you need to ask is “what exactly is covered?” You’ll first want to ensure that the film manufacturer will cover the window tint product itself. If anything like color change were to occur, the film manufacturer would ensure that it was re-installed at no charge. All manufacturer’s warranties have documentation; make sure the service you use for window tinting gives you that documentation.

You’ll also want to ensure that the installation is covered. If a film begins to bubble, its normally not a product fault, which is why a manufacturer will often not cover that. This is something that is installation-related, and should thus be covered by the installing company. Make sure to receive proper documentation on that as well.

4. What are the legal tint limits in your area? Different cities, counties, and states have different rules and regulations regarding window tint. If, for example, you install a very dark “limo” tint on your vehicle, you could be ticketed for driving an unsafe vehicle. Therefore, before you buy any window tint, be sure to ask the installer if the tint level is legal.

A good tip: If your installer isn’t willing to give you a receipt and only accepts cash, the window tint film is likely too dark to be legal. Installers rarely like to give receipts when they install illegal tints, as they can be sued and/or prosecuted after the fact.

We have reviewed 4 crucial components that go into the window tinting purchase decision that you will be making. By doing your due diligence, it is far more likely that you will be satisfied with your purchase; not only now, but in future years as well. Wouldn’t you want to know that you got better value for your money by simply being informed?

Guest Author Jared Diamond writes for DetailWiz.com

Here are the top ten car insurance claims we could find:

The Ferrari Enzo. Image copyright by Ed Callow (click for more info)

10. The Ferrari Enzo, with a price tag of £450,000, is one of the hottest sports cars on the market. It fills the pages of super car magazines, and it is on the cover of Internet magazines around the world. When one was wrecked by its owner in Italy, parts had to be flown all the way back to Italy, and the price tag was £170,000.

9. A Lamborghini owner lent the car to his son, and his son rounded a corner and hit another driver that was on the wrong side of the road. Luckily, it wasn’t the son’s fault. The Lamborghini’s owner was reimbursed to the tune of £213,000.

The Pagani Zonda - image copyright robad0b (click for details)

8. Pagani Zondas have a carbon fibre exterior that is very difficult to repair. When one owner crashed into a wall, the car had to be sent back to the factory in Italy. The bill was a total of £320,000.

7. Pamela Green, a property mogul, was run down at a zebra crossing. She was successfully awarded £2.75m out of court.

6. A bicyclist was awarded £4m after he was hit by a driver. He now needs around-the-clock care.

5. Lord Brockett tried to claim that three Ferraris and one Maserati were stolen out of his home. He got a payout of £4.3m, but his wife blew the whistle on him for insurance fraud. he was sent to prison for 2 1/2 years.

4. A Briton who was traveling in Australia had a car flip over because his girlfriend did not put it into four-wheel drive. He was awarded £5.5m. This high amount was awarded under the English law.

3. A pedestrian, Nikki Buckley, was awarded £6.5m after being struck down by a drunk driver. She will require 24-hour care for the rest of her life.

2. A driver, Gary Hart, fell asleep at the wheel, and he crashed his car into an Intercity commuter rail line. The damage to the families and rail was extensive. The insurance company was forced to pay out £30 million. This was one of the most extensive payouts in history.

1. Bryan Drysdale committed suicide by parking his car on a trains track. 7 passengers died, and 100 passengers were injured. There was a payout claim of £50m.

BTW – if you’ve ever wondered why insurance is mandatory, these are some examples that prove the exception. Insurance is a necessary evil, because people are sometimes careless. Or stupid.

Guest post provided by Policy Expert – UK Home Buildings & Contents Insurance specialists.