Simple Steps to Insure Your Transmission Doesn't Fall Out!

The red transmission fluid bleeds out them like blood from a hospital patient. It is terrifying for many technicians. Have you experienced this? You call your local mechanic with a story of your check engine light on and your vehicle won't go over 30 mph without screaming at you. That's your transmission.

Chances are your mechanic shuddered and said better call the tranny shop. Don't fret though people, transmission repair is a simple and easy thing. There's this wonderful thing in your glovebox called your owners manual. Pull that bad boy out, dust it off, and get ready to read. There's knowledge in there and power that can save you thousands of dollars.

Every vehicle has a designated maintenance schedule that you are supposed to follow but almost no one ever does. It's fast and simple and a lot times can save you money. Most vehicles 10 years or older require your to change the transmission fluid every 12- 24000 miles. That's maybe once every year or two. Compared to the every 3000 miles your engine needs it's a very long time. That's why it's important to check your transmission fluid every time you change your engine oil.

To check your transmission fluid you need to have your car running and in either park or neutral depending on the make. Again open your magical owners manual and check to see what it says. The fluid should be between the hashes. The fluid should also be red in color and not smell burnt at all. There also should not be any metal or other contaminates in the fluid. If by chance you do find some horrible smell or some shinny chunks of metal in the fluid it's time to call your friendly neighborhood transmission shop.

Check to make sure that they are BBB, ATRA certified, and that they have a clean nice shop area. Call and ask them if they offer a free diagnostic or road-test. Make an appointment don't just show up. How would you like it if your friends just showed up at your house and wanted you to make them dinner or something. Same basic idea.

Drop your car off if you can that way they have lots of time to look into things. You may be asked if it's ok if they drop your transmission pan. Tell them yes this is the only way they can get a look inside your transmission. there's probably a minimal fee for it so don't worry about it. You should get a call in a couple hours after that and they will let you know what's happening.

Good luck, from there you are on your own!

By: Chris L. Jensen
Lifted from this source: http://ezinearticles.com

About the Author:

Chris Jensen is a contributing author of Jetfly Blog. For more related articles and views visit Jetfly Automotive Blog now. Also, for the best up-to-date related online products, check out Jetfly Automobile Collectibles Shop for today's current online deals.

Why You Should Have a Good Exhaust System

Capitalism is all about giving the people what they want. Well, selling the people what they want may be a better way of stating it. This is basic notion is the very reason we have hybrid vehicles today.

Any type of trend soon grows attributes that are often not exactly accurate. These can be both positive and negative attributes, depending on who is pushing the point. Two false ones have surrounded the hybrid vehicle.

The first myth is that you will get a major tax break if you buy a hybrid vehicle. This is generally true, but not absolutely. Just to make you groan, you should know the agency that controls the issue. Yes, the IRS. So, when can you get a tax credit?

Well, there are a few rules. First, you have to buy a new hybrid from a dealer. Second, you can only claim a tax credit if you buy an IRS approved hybrid. Third, you need to figure out the tax credit amount available when you actually buy the hybrid.

Many people want to know the amount of the hybrid tax credit, but it is an impossible question to answer. The IRS sets a different amount for each and every car. It then has the option of reducing this amount each quarter of the year.

The hybrid tax credit was designed to get people interested in hybrids. Given this fact, it should be no surprise the credit is phased out after a certain number of vehiles are sold. The beloved Prius, in fact, is about to lose its credit.

Many people are outraged by the phasing out of the tax credit available for hybrids, particularly the manufacturers. Talk about a selling point! The credit, however, was never meant to support an industry, only generate interest in it.

Batteries. Who would have thought we would discuss them in this article, but a myth exists regarding their use in hybrids. The myth is they don’t last very long. This is suggested to be a big negative because replacement costs are high.

The great hybrid conspiracy is truly funny once you look at a key fact. Each new hybrid comes with a battery warranty between 80,000 and 100,000 miles. This would suggest that they last a long time, no?

Should you make your next vehicle a hybrid? If you want to cut your driving costs and help the environment, then the answer is definitely yes. Just make sure to buy it new and check with the IRS on your tax credit amount.

By: Ricardo d Argence
Lifted from this source: http://feeds.feedburner.com

The Origination, Truth And Facts About Concept Cars

Concept cars, or cars designed according to a certain theme or older model, are by and large prototypes introduced at car and motor shows to estimate consumer response and appeal.

Combining the best of modern technology with the sleek lines of tried and time-tested cars from the past, concept cars are often tentative feelers put out by automobile companies to test the waters before "diving" into serious production.

The automobile industry being a multi billion dollar industry, car manufactures alike see the benefit of these widely attended car shows. The manufactures have an opportunity to glean a great deal of valuable information from these shows at a relatively low cost.

Concept cars were first introduced by designer Harley Earl of General Motors in the 1950s. It was for the concept of a car that offered buyers state-of-the-art motor car engineering in a new design which was really a version of a senior theme. This gained almost instant popularity with the universal public.

Recognizing a winning horse when they saw one, General Motors further publicized the concept and their car, through its traveling Motorama shows of that period. Beautiful to behold, concept cars show off radical, futuristic designs, powerful engines and sometimes even controversial technology.

However, alluring as these concept cars may appear under the spotlight, many of them often obtain changes before being put on the production line by their manufacturers, and all of them are subjected to alterations that make them more suitable, and affordable, to their target markets.

An from the eyes of the public these changes to the car are often very drastic changes. This of course, is after the study of the data from these shows. Which again as become a valuable asset to the car manufacturers. These car shows alone save the manufacturer several million dollars. Just knowing that a car is not deemed acceptable or needs a few modifications before going to production.

The majority of concept cars seen at auto exhibitions such as the Geneva Motor Show are the dream rides of automobile fans and racing enthusiasts, but are more often than not only show models made of wax, clay, metal, fiberglass and plastic. In fact many concept cars never even reach this phase due to impractical design glitches and price factors.

An interesting example of an old, functional concept car being brought back into service would be the 1954 Ford Lincoln Futura, which after having been stored in the North Hollywood car shop of George Barris came out of storage to stand up to stardom as the Batmobile of the 1966 Batman series on the ABC TV Network.

On the same note, current examples for concept cars would be the Mercedes-Benz bionic car (this is said to mix the best of nature, engineering and the ever popular DaimlerCrysler engine), the 2006 BMW Mille Miglia concept coupe (based on the earlier BMW 328 Traveling coupe and the BMW Z4 M coupe), the Camaro Concept sports coupe (which follows the lines of the first Camaros) and the Chrysler Imperial Concept 2006 (a direct descendant of classic Imperial and Chrysler designs).

Sadly, the bulk of concept cars are destroyed once their use has been served. However, some do escape the crusher and continue to live their lives in storage or on exhibit in automobile museums.

The information that is gathered by manufacturers from these car shows is proven to be a method of great value.

By: Bowe Packer

Lifted from this source: http://www.myowncarshow.com

About the Author:
Bowe Packer provides free online information to the public. He has written many articles on Cool Cars - such as concept cars, exotic cars and tricked out cars. Visit his Cool Cars site and learn about exotic and hot cars for free.

Sell More!-Stand Out in the Crowd

Hey, To make more money as a sales consultant you have to separate yourself from the other guy. Everybody is selling your type of vehicle. So why should customers buy from you? Because your price is better... I doubt it. Your vehicle is special... Yeah sure. Your trade-in appraisals are higher... Duh.

Why should they buy from you is a great question when your vehicles can be purchased almost around the corner.

To sell more you have to stand out in this crowd. Do you? I don't mean that you are the tallest or the shortest or widest. I mean does your sales process create a positive difference about you personally in the mind of your buyer?

Some sales consultants are predictably boring. Blah, blah sales pitch. Pull the plug on this sales approach. It is deadly.

What's your brand as a sales consultant? Does it sell?

I am not talking about your manufacturer's name, I mean your image. You will sell more if you work on separating yourself you're your competitor's salespeople. You aren't them, why act like them?

The AUTOMOTIVATOR'S Keys to Successful Branding.

1. Treat yourself as the product not your vehicle.

You have to focus on your sales process to be different and better than the other guy-care more-be more FUN-be more knowledgeable-be more skilled-be more useful to your client in their time of need than the other guy or gal.

Become the expert. People buy expertise. Customers respond to competency and are repelled by inadequacy or mediocrity.

2. You brand yourself by treating yourself as a business person not a salesperson.

You are in business for self. As a commission-based earner you are self-employed. Nobody is paying your mortgage or putting the food on your family table.

So treat yourself as the business person you are. Become the most qualified sales professional your client will ever meet buying a vehicle. Your attitude will raise you above the competition in the mind of your client. You will stand out as the person they will want to do business with.

It is about branding. Get ahead of the pact and set the standard for professionalism. If you want to sell more you have to stand out more.

Sell with passion - customers are bored with most sales presentations.

- Power up your 'sales' presentation. WOW them not bore them!

- Drive your vehicle first, present with passion-don't flip keys

- Sell the value in your price presentation.

- Give more reasons to buy from your dealership than the competition.

- Go out of your way to impress your clients while they are in the dealership.

- Follow-up better than your competition.

Follow-up

If you can't sell them today, then give them the most effective follow-up they will ever get anywhere. Be the leader in follow-up at your dealership and you will lead the pack in sales. People return and buy from sales professionals who care enough to keep in touch when they need help making their decisions.

Brand yourself as the expert who follows-up people. You will gain professional stature in the mind of the buyer. You will sell more. You will be talked about by your customers as a positive influence in their decision making. (Trackstar is the professional's choice for follow-up. www.Trackstar.ca )

Don't remain mediocre-be the best.

Don't do anything once and expect results. Results come to the committed professional who consistently does the steps to success that are required.

Improve Your Sales Process - It is your brand.

You will be recognized as the best. That is what selling is all about. Make money and have FUN!

Have a great selling day!

By: David Kemp
Lifted from this source: http://ezinearticles.com

David Kemp is president of Automotivator Sales Training and Leadership Development.

How To Get An Unsecured Car Loan

Unsecured car loans do not require any security or collateral. These loans are usually issued based on your financial standing, your credit history and your current employment and income statements, which determine your potential to repay the loans. Since no form of collateral is being provided, these loans are a little difficult to get approved. Unsecured car loans are considered riskier by the lender as they don't have anything to sell if they need to recover their loan amount in case of default. To compensate for this added risk, lenders issue unsecured loans at a higher rate of interest.

Unsecured car loans do have some benefits, especially if you do not own your own home. People who are renters can finance their car using an unsecured car loan, as long as their credit score is high enough. Also, if you are a home owner like myself who is not comfortable pledging my house for a car loan, you can use an unsecured car loan. The processing for these loan applications is faster as there is no need for appraisal of the property being pledged.

The interest rate and the term of unsecured car loans are fixed. So you get to plan out the monthly installments and make necessary preparations. Unsecured loans are also provided to people on a pension or people on some type of income support. But there are certain criteria which the borrower needs to fulfill to be eligible for an unsecured car loan. The borrower must be over 18 years of age and should have full-time employment. Normally, there are also minimum criteria for monthly income. In case you are trying to purchae a used automobile, unsecured loans are normally not given for cars which are over five years of age.

Even if you don't have a perfect credit history, you can still get car loan financing. Actually, a few car dealers specialize in handling loan inquiries for people with bad credit histories. If you want to take out a car loan, then investigate the specialist car dealers and lenders who will conduct a market search on your behalf and provide you the quotes of the lowest available loan rates.

How To Get The Best Unsecured Car Loan

So how to get the best unsecured car loans? The first thing to do is search for lenders who issue unsecured loans. Information about them can be found in auto showrooms or, more easily, over the internet. A good idea could be to speak to friends and family to find out if they have taken a loan in the recent past. They might be able to lead you to good lenders. Once you have found out about them, it is advisable that you invite quotes on the rates and the terms for which they are willing to extend a loan to you. It is only after you are satisfied with the best rate should you decide to go with a particular lender for unsecured car loans.

Before you apply for your loan you should get a copy of your credit report and scrutinize it very carefully for any kind of errors. It is in your best interest to get the errors corrected prior to purchasing your car, as errors may affect your interest rate. The approval of your car loan application will depend a lot on your credit report and credit score. An accurate credit report will help the lender judge your past repayment ability correctly and thus approve the loan if you meet his requirements.

Remember that when you apply for your credit report you should get it from one of the three major credit bureaus. You are able to get a free credit report each year from all three credit agencies. This government agency link can give you more information on the process. http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre34.shtm

Before you approach the lender for an unsecured car loan, you should make sure that you are not paying more than 30% of your income towards your debts. If a higher amount is going towards your debt, lenders become reluctant to finance your purchase because they are worried that you will have a difficult time making your loan payment. If you are paying more that 30% of your income towards your debt service, not including your mortgage, then it is advisable to pay off the smaller debts so as to reduce the debt to income ratio.

Unsecured car loans usually provide 90-100% of the total amount required to purchase your car. You can use the loan amount to purchase a car of any make or model. It can also be used to purchase a used car, but the intended car should not be more than 5 years old. An unsecured car loan makes sense for many people, so as not to tie up collateral uselessly.

By: Pat Morgan
Lifted from this source: http://www.articlecube.com

About the Author: Pat Morgan is a retired auto dealer finance manager from Austin, Texas, who has started a blog to help people with bad credit obtain car loans. To learn more about the different types of bad credit car loans visit my blog, where you'll find out what's available now, including bad credit car refinancing.

Volkswagen Launches “Future of the Car”

Volkswagen has launched a new micro-site which looks at what people may be driving in the future - or whether they will be driving at all.

Revolving around a short film set in the year 2028, in which a father tells his son about the automobile world of 20 years ago, the website showcases the Wolfsburg-based automaker's vision of the automotive world 20 years from now.

These 'visions of the future', which take shape in the form of three autonomous concept cars called the 'One', 'Ego' and 'Room', offer an insight into the automotive world of tomorrow as seen through the tinted spectacles of Volkswagen developers and designers.

The One is a single passenger car which can tilt forwards for parking and link to other like vehicles for train-like traveling at peak times. The two-passenger Ego features an exterior that can be personalized through holograms, and the Room family vehicle has rotating front seats for face to face user interaction.

The Webspecial "demonstrates how the cars of the future can communicate with traffic lights, how holographic displays in the cockpit can assist the driver and how we can generate even more driving pleasure and still keep our cars emission-free," said Jochen Sengpiehl, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Head of Marketing.

The interactive site allows users to select individual links to take a look at the automotive future. Intuitive navigation guides the user through the website, which combines classical film sequences with 3D effects, while a 'talk to us' feature gives users the opportunity to share their comments and create their own individual information packages for downloading.

Have a look for yourself by clicking the link below:
Volkswagen 2028 micro-site

By: Eric Gallina

Lifted from this Source: http://www.cardesignnews.com

Basic Principles Behind Using Water for Gas

Are you joking? Can water be used for gas? Did you know that water is the cheapest resource of energy that can be used to run your car? Gasoline is getting expensive by each passing day and is getting out of reach of the common man. Therefore, in these times it is necesary to find some alternative which is easily available in the market as fuel. If you would like your car to run on water and save thousands each year then read on.

To start things with, we all recognize how priceless a source of energy water is. At the time when water is wrecked down with the assistance of an spark of electricity, it comes up with a compound of the HHO. This mix is tremendously flammable but safer than free of charge hydrogen. It has been experienced in hundreds of vehicles over past few years beneath extremely unsympathetic circumstances, and it is considered to be amongst the safest of all option fuel technologies accessible in the market.

We can say however, that the water driven cars are not completely fueled on water. They still require a definite quantity of gasoline all along with water. This technology may sooner or later pave the way for a hundred percent water driven cars. The Most important thing is that the technology is extremely secure and poses no security hazards. The release from this car consists for the most part of water, which is harmless. The hybrid cars clean un the carbon deposits in the motor formed due to unburned fuel. This is beneficial for the car and can help them last longer.

This new technology isn't all that fresh; it was created in the 90's by Sir Stanley Meyer. Despite the fact that it was brought into full manufacturing due to the premature death of Mr. Meyer a lot of other inventors and scientists have tried the wonderful system to allow the vehicles of today to run solely on water. Then of course, was a lot of opposition to the progress of this technology because of the blow it would have on the oil and gas industry. Nevertheless, nowadays with the expansion of the Internet and the viral environment of information it provides more and more people are having access to this system and have begun converting their current vehicle to run on water.

Like water, the search for alternative and renewable sources of energy is becoming prevalet as an option to decrease the pollution of the environment and as a choice for more economical fuel. We are aproaching an era where we must be careful of the world we live in because our past actions have begun to catch up with us and that reality requires the use of subsitute fuels. It's about time that the automotive industry start following suit.

By: Julius Moltgen
Lifted from this source: http://www.articlealley.com