Modern cars are significantly more complex than their counterparts from the 1960’s and 1970’s, and working on them is an even more specialized discipline. The modern mechanic needs a laptop computer as much as he needs a tool box, and for this reason even those with a decent aptitude for working on engines are opting to have their repairs done by a professional. Still, there are a number of simple car maintenance steps that anyone can do. These simple tasks will go a long way toward preventing trouble which saves you time and money as well as resulting in a safer driving experience.

–Wash your car often: While the exterior of your car isn’t as important as what’s under the hood it’s still necessary to take care of it. A clean car looks better, of course, but it also helps in a few practical areas. Keeping your windshield clean inside and out, obviously, is crucial for safety. Washing you car often keeps your headlights clean. And, of course, frequent washing helps prevent rust and corrosion extending the life of your vehicle.

–Clean the undercarriage of the car: This is especially true if you live anywhere it snows”all of the salt and other gunk your car gets underneath it will rust out your body faster than anything. I dont care how cold it is, you should give your car a good bath at least once a week during the winter, and make sure to get underneath the wheel wells and the undercarriage of your car.

–Wash your engine: Not only is your engine subject to the same ‘threats’ as the exterior and undercarriage of your car, it also collects crusty oil, battery acid and a variety of other contaminants. Keeping your engine clean will not only protect against corrosive damage, but will help your car run cooler and more efficiently. Wash your engine every time you wash your car, and let it idle before you start driving to allow it to dry completely.

–Clean your air filter and change it often: Change your air filter every time you change your oil filter. Some might argue that changing it so often is ‘overkill’ but filters are so cheap why not err on the side of caution? In between filter changes its a good idea to give your filter a good spray with a compressed air hose and blow out the filter chamber at the same time. The clean air will help your car’s engine run cooler and more efficiently.

–Check and change your oil: Back in more civilized times, a full service gas station would check your oil every time you filled up. You should do the same. Change your oil frequently”at least every 5,000 miles and better still, every 3,000 miles. Change your filter when you change the oil or youre going to be pumping clean oil through a dirty filter which doesnt do you a bit of good. Oil changes are a pretty easy job even for those without much of a mechanical background, and drive thru oil change businesses are ubiquitous in any decent sized market. Most of these places do a decent job and charge a reasonable fee. Many also take care of several other of the maintenance tasks on this list.

–Check other fluids: Change your anti-freeze/coolant every year, and check the reservoir every week or so to make sure it’s full. Also check transmission, brake and power steering fluids at least once a week. Top them off if necessary.

–Take good care of your tires: Check your air pressure levels with a tire gauge at least once a week, keeping them filled to manufacturer specified levels. Check the spare tire–if you have a ‘real’ tire as a spare make sure it’s properly inflated, and even if you have a ‘donut’ temporary spare make sure it isn’t damaged. Rotate your tires every few months or more frequently if you drive a lot of miles. This will insure even wear, and along with proper inflation will prevent countless problems as well as saving you time and money.

Emergency tools and equipment: Despite your best efforts to the contrary, things will eventually go wrong. When in does, youll be glad that you planned ahead. These items should be in your trunk at all times: tire gauge, pliers (slip-joint and needle nose), adjustable wrench, flat head and Phillips screwdriver. Dont buy cheap tools”theyll break and the least opportune times. Invest in Craftsman tools or another premium brand, and youll be set for life. Youll also need a flashlight, and if you live somewhere it snows its also a good idea to have salt, sand, a small shovel, and a blanket just in case you get snowbound and have to sleep in your car. A cellphone charger is also a good thing to have, since a cellphone doesn’t do much good if your batteries are dead. There are also ‘emergency’ cellphone chargers that don’t require a power source.

–Auto club membership: Just a great investment that will pay for itself the first time you lock your keys in your car or need a tow. AAA is the best known, but there are many others. Most credit card and cellphone providers offer this type of service, and a growing number of car manufacturers including VW and Mini Cooper offer it free of charge for new car buyers. At minimum, they should offer free towing, trip continuation insurance, lockout service, free maps, and some other bells and whistles. Keep in mind, however, that all roadside assistance companies aren’t created equal. Compare what they offer, and consider the type of driving you do–if you frequently travel through remote areas you’re better off going with a bigger company due to their larger network of covered providers.

These tips are all things that anyone can do, even without more than a basic knowledge of how a car works. Regular car maintenance will prolong the life of your vehicle and help maintain its value, provide a safer and more enjoyable driving experience and save you money in the process.

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Most of us have heard of the different Honda cars on the market today. You can add to this range of cars, the Honda hybrid cars. These hybrid cars include the Honda Accord Hybrid, the Honda Civic hybrid 4 door car and Honda Insight, which is a two seater. These are not the only hybrid cars in Honda’s stable, there are other ones but these are the most popular models.

You will find that Honda hybrid cars are available in various flavours of their popular conventional Honda vehicles. The Honda Civic hybrid is such a hybrid car that is very popular. This four door compact vehicle is one of those that you can choose either as new or as a second-hand car.

The hybrid Honda Civic has a 5 speed manual transmission drive. This particular Honda hybrid car is known as an assist hybrid car. Unlike other hybrid cars, the Honda Civic hybrid has won an award for the best international engine.

While you can obtain information about the various models of Honda hybrid cars from the Honda dealers’ websites on the Internet, you may want to visit the showrooms in person. This will provide you with a better understanding of whether a hybrid car will suit you. Having looked into these details, you can then see which Honda hybrid model is right for you.

Thus, you can make sure that you are getting a good deal And, speaking of money, you may want to check out the price of other cars that catch your eye in the hybrid Honda car line. For those who like the look of the hybrid car from Honda, you have a choice of previous year’s models or the new batch of Honda hybrid cars. Since there are lots of data you need to check, when it comes to purchasing cars, it is probably best if you have the questions you need answered dealt with by a qualified Honda dealer.

In this way, you can be assured that you have chosen a Honda hybrid which is not only affordable but is also capable of meeting your requirements. The hybrid cars that you are able to buy will provide you with lots of benefits both in the long term and the short term in keeping the costs of fuel down.

Because there are many different cars on the market, you can always be sure that you will find one that you like. The trusted Honda hybrid is the absolute choice for the choosy hybrid car owner.

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The Car Art Museum is located in Houston, Texas, in the United States. Privately owned, this museum opened in 1988 and goes by its informal yet popular nickname, The Garage Mahal.

The museum is a contemporary art museum that displays both present day contemporary art and art collections that are of historical significance. The museum puts great emphasis on cars as art. This is art that allows artists to follow on specific guidelines or rules regarding art.

The contemporary nature of this form of art is maintained by having car standards and models from specific periods in history featured in artistic designs. The use of fine art in their exhibitions also makes the popularity of aesthetic art a great deal more pronounced. These art forms are especially shown in art objects that are produced containing performing art forms and visual art forms. These will usually include sculptures, painting, theatre, photography, and dance.

Therefore, the museum also focuses on performing arts as well as other types of art mediums. Performing arts include those that use the presence, body and face of an artist to create art objects literally from the physical.

Ann Harithas who had been a long-time supporter of the Car Art Movement and at the same time an artist herself started this Car Art Museum. Her partner James Harithas was the former director of Corcoran Museum, which is based in Washington DC.

When you visit the Car Art Museum’s showroom, you see works of art that artists and car enthusiasts alike find utterly mesmerizing. Modern car culture’s spirit is used again and again as the centerpiece of the exhibitions held often here. Cars’ elaborately re-molded stocks feature intricate designs of mobile contraptions, low riders, and cars.

One of these exhibitions involves the display of sculptures that have been done by an artist from Houston. This exhibition brings to light some of the most gifted Houston artists. Each of these artists represents a significant figure in the Houston art world.

Single person exhibitions are also showcased, and these feature both religiously based and contemporary pieces focusing on varying emphases on surrealism and morality. The museum’s art forms can also be called “modern art,” since the museum itself features works that utilize elements prior to the year 1970.

These particular types of art preserve the philosophy and style of the art that was commonly associated with that particular time period. The museum also showcases pieces created with scrap metal or that are constructed of chrome. This breathtaking museum’s roof reminds one of a Byzantine Empire’s Temple. It is clear that the Art Car Museum of Houston, Texas goes beyond corporate code utilitarian viewpoints. Instead, it provides those who come to see it an in-depth look into the Car Art Movement. Thus, one is drawn into the whole movement, in its entirety.

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Whether you are a teenager buying your first car, or a parent taking on the challenge of finding a car for their teenager, there are a variety of aspects that must be understood before getting behind the wheel.

Regardless of your teens protests, it is usually best to stay as practical as possible when buying the first car. Pick something safe and reliable because after all, who wants to be sitting on the side of the road a day after the car has been purchased just because the vehicle was your teens favorite color?

With all of the makes and models out there today, there are a vast sea great quality used vehicles to choose from. The following is a list of some of the best used cars for your teen:

- Dodge Charger: This is a great vehicle that is safe to drive. It is not prone to rolling over and the size of the vehicle keeps the passengers safe. Its tough and rugged look leans towards the looks of a muscle car which appeals to the male teens, and it has an average fuel usage of approximately 25 mpg on the highway and 18mpg in the city. The cost of this car can be a bit high, but it is well worth it.

- Chrysler 300: This is a great looking vehicle that everyone in the family would like to drive, so the teen may find that they are wrestling with Mom and Dad in the driveway for the keys. On average, the price is a bit high, but it is a safe car. The gas mileage is much like that of the Dodge Charge.

- Jeep Wrangler: This car is popular with the teens because of all the extra gadgets it can come with such as MP3 players and iPods. Keeping that in mind, this may not make it one of the safest to be on the road with, especially if attention is focused on shuffling tunes instead of watching the road. With that said, the price is usually reasonable and the gas mileage is great. An added plus is that the government gave the Jeep a five star crash test rating, so you can feel safe about your teen driving in this vehicle.

- Chevy Cobalt: There are a variety of brightly colored cars to choose from with this model which helps to make it a fun drive for the teen. The price is affordable, even if purchasing it as a new car. It is also very fuel efficient. This is a popular choice of both teens and their parents because of its price, looks, safety, and fuel-efficiency.

- Chevy Equinox: If you are looking for a bigger set of wheels, then the Equinox will fit the bill. Even though it is an SUV, which have a bad reputation for rollovers, the Equinox has a four star rating so that issue can be placed lower on the list of things to worry about The pricing is average to high and gas mileage is a bit lower coming in at 24 mpg on the highway and 17 mpg in the city.

Finding the right car for a teen can be a time consuming task, but the more research and test driving you do from a used cars dealership, the better it will be for you and your teen. Make sure that the car you choose has the options you require. Remember to compromise when picking out the car, and most importantly, have fun while shopping!

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Car financing is a big business to the car manufacturers as they must help the dealership move their inventory. The car loan business is as competitive as any other financing business and several options may be provided at the point of purchase to allow the customer the ability to drive away with their purchase. It is then left to the customer to choose from the offers presented.

With cars being sold either from a showroom or lot, the rates and terms of the loans will probably be the same and competitive as the customer can always choose a different lender to get the rate they desire. There is much competition between finance companies to get the business as the customer can always go some other route for financing.

But this is not the case with the car loans that are given out for used cars. The rates that are charged by the loan giving companies usually differ from each other as it is the discretion of the loan companies.

Therefore, it is advised that before taking or choosing a loan the customer should properly research the rates that are prevailing in the market. He or she should not jump at once to grab a loan merely because the rate offered is low. There are bound to be companies which offer better rates. The customer should go through all the programs and then apply for a used car loan that suits him the best. And if no loan suits his interest then he can always go back to the first loan that was offered to him at a low rate of interest.

It is possible to apply for a loan online or physically fill out the necessary papers. But one must first find out the terms and rate of the loan being applied for. Online research for current market loan rates is possible as well as directly asking the local lender. In this manner the borrower has an idea of prevailing rates available to him. One thing to keep in mind is the length of the loan repayment schedule.

Online lenders are available to loan money on used cars at competitive interest rates, sometimes lower than the rates offered by local banks. They are in the business of loaning money for used cars so do not reject such loan applications.

So the advice here is that the used car buyer must do thorough research regarding loan terms and rates available to get the best financing possible.

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Chevrolet is about to start the largest fuel cell technology test drive ever. According to the Chevrolet Website this major car company and parent General Motors has been reviewing applications for the 100 consumers in three major commuting markets that will be their real life test drivers for this extensive test. Some 100 lucky consumers will begin driving vehicles rated as using Zero Gas and having Zero Emissions for up to 50,000 miles.

This is the test we have been dreaming of – vehicles that use no gas and produce no noxious emissions! And these vehicles will be on the roads of the U.S. in New York, California, and Washington, D.C. The chosen consumers will drive this vehicle on their daily commutes and errands throughout these large metropolitan areas. The results from these test drives will provide answers for researchers refining fuel cell technology in future GM and Chevrolet vehicles.

The vehicle developed for this historic test is the Chevrolet Equinox equipped with Fuel Cell Technology. The EPA certified Hydrogen Powered Equinox Fuel Cell as a “Zero Emission Vehicle” (ZEV). This means it emits only water – no smoke coming out of this tailpipe! In fact, instead of a tailpipe, it has 4 water vapor outlets on it’s backside.

Fueling up is quick for these vehicles, taking about 5 minutes at the yet to be designated fueling locations. 3 fuel tanks storing up to 9 pounds of hydrogen at 10,000 PSI, will provide up to 200 miles of driving for these next-generation vehicles.

The Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell combines hydrogen and water to produce electricity, which powers the electric drive system for the Equinox. This is a fully functional “real world” vehicle. According to Chevrolet’s website, “Equinox Fuel Cell has been crash-tested and is designed to meet all applicable 2007 U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. And you will enjoy the benefits of driver and front passenger air bags(2), the StabiliTrak Electronic Stability Control System, four-wheel antilock disc brakes with Traction Control, and OnStar.” In other words, it’s as safe to use as any vehicle on the road today, although it is a little heavier than it’s sister 6 cylinder gas powered Equinox.

General Motors is proud of this test, which is being billed as the “WORLD’S LARGEST FUEL CELL VEHICLE FLEET” in a recent news release at GM Media online. “GM is demonstrating its commitment to hydrogen fuel cells as the answer for taking the automobile out of the environmental debate and reducing our dependence on petroleum,” said Larry Burns in the news release. Burns is GM Vice President, Research & Development and Strategic Planning. “The Equinox Fuel Cell is powered by GM’s most advanced fuel cell propulsion system to date, and demonstrates an important milestone on our pathway to automotive-competitive fuel cell propulsion technology development,” he added.

More information can be found on Chevrolet’s website, where they have pictures and specs on this new vechicle. This test has been promoted for over a year by Chevrolet, with the first Hydrogen powered Equinox of the project already being delivered to the Army for a “non-tactical” functional test according to an article in September of 2006 on USAToday.com.

This is a major commitment by GM and Chevrolet. They are certainly stepping up to the table in the effort to bring this technology into the main stream. According to a news release at the 1006 Los Angeles Auto Show, Ed Peper, Chevrolet General Manager, said, “the fuel cell technology is seamlessly integrated into a uniquely styled crossover vehicle that is distinctively Chevrolet. The Equinox Fuel Cell joins Chevrolet’s family of advanced gas-saving and alternative fuel vehicles.”

Look for these test vehicles to start tooling down the roads of these metropolitan areas in September, 2007. Hopefully, they will pave the way for volume production of this already promising technology. In an article on the website ETA.co.uk an estimate of when this technology might be available for wider implementation(commercially viable) included the year 2010.

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For people who don?t really own a lot of expensive stuff, their cars could be the most valuable property they could have. With this proper care should be needed especially in maintaining the car paint regardless of the car?s age. The car?s paint is the one that is first seen of your car, aside from that it is also a little expensive to replace or repair it so it is a must that we try to check the kinds of products that we use. When done properly, the car?s paint and luster will last longer.

Maintaining the car?s paint does not call for any special skill or complicated process. Just follow the simple yet very effective ways and you?ll surely be enjoying your car for years without spending too much. To get started, make sure that when washing your car, the proper tools should be used. The best material for cleaning the surface is a cotton or paint-safe microfiber washing mitt. When it comes to cleaning products, it is recommended that you choose something whose pH is balanced; a product that won?t strip off the paint?s wax. Combining your non-detergent cleaning product with a lubricant would help give a shiny and scratch-free finishing.

After cleaning your car, it is a must that you dry them to prevent water spots for some mineral would be deposited and would create unattractive spots on the car paint. To dry your car; a 100% cotton cloth and sheepskin chamois are the best materials to be used to achieve a great effect.

But what if after a rigid cleaning, you still aren?t satisfied with your car paint?s appearance? What if you still find some dirt on it? Would you head your way to a car wash shop? You don?t need to do that! If you wanted to eliminate those annoying residue you may use detailing clay with a lubricant is the best way to get rid of them but remember that it is not used to remove paint scratches.

Okay, your car is clean and no more traces of residue but wait, the paint still looks so dull! Worry not for a car polisher and rubber cleaners could help you get the luster you wanted but these materials may be abrasive so have a professional?s advise when you opt to use it.

And the most important thing of all is waxing especially if you just had a wax. Carnauba wax or paint sealant is two of the things you may use for waxing. Carnauba wax can give your car paint about two months shine and luster while paint sealants could last for like half a year.

So there, you?d definitely give your car paint longer luster, shine and of course longer life.

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