My Best Car Accessories

Having to drive allot for my job I do like to keep myself entertained while driving around, that's why car accessories are a big part of my car and without them my life would decently be allot more boring than it is, below are some of my favorite car accessories I use.

My sat-navigation system is also a must for me as I'm completely useless when it comes to getting somewhere without getting lost on the way, before I had one I used to pull over every couple of miles looking at a map and stressing out because I was going around in circles looking for somewhere, now all I have to do is put the address in and I get directed to the place I want to go how cool is that.

Sat navigation systems are allot cheaper than when I first started using them and there is allot more of a choice on the market, they are also allot more advanced.

My Bluetooth radio is a big must for me as I love music and as whenever I listen to the radio I usually can find what I really want to listen to, so as I download allot of my music onto my phone I can connect up with the radio as soon as I get into the car and listen to whatever I want.

One of my best things about my Bluetooth radio is the hands free capability with my phone, so I can talk to people over my speakers and not through a head set, as sometimes in the past I have forgotten to put my headset on before I set of and my phone rings so I am trying to put the headset on whist driving, this isn't a good idea as this could cause a serious road accident, so not having to worry about the headset in the first place is not only more compatible but one less thing to worry about.

My next best car accessory is my universal car cup holder this doesn't only hold my drink while I drive it also holds my phone and laptop or ipad universal car cup holders are by far one of the most important parts of your car, as if you don't have one you will put everything onto the seat next to you and when you break it goes onto the floor or you aren't looking at the road but looking at who is calling you, also holding a cup of coffee while driving isn't a great idea for the obvious reasons.

These are just a few car accessories but they are some of my favorites' that make my life allot easier while I'm driving around.

The Different Components of a Cars Suspension, and Aftermarket Products

When people think performance and aftermarket modification they normally think of horsepower, torque, acceleration and top speed. But all of the power generated by an engine is useless if the driver can't control the car. That's why vehicle engineers turned their attention to the suspension system, almost as soon as they had mastered the internal combustion engine.

The purpose of a car's suspension is to maximize the friction between the tyres and the road surface, to provide steering stability with good handling and to ensure the comfort of the passengers. Suspension has evolved massively over the years culminating in huge ranges and types for the discerning consumer to choose from.

Most vehicle engineers consider the dynamics of a moving car from two perspectives: 

• Ride - a car's ability to ride smoothly over a bumpy road
• Handling - a car's ability to accelerate, brake and corner

There are three fundamental components of any suspension: springs, shock absorbers or dampers and anti-roll bars.

Springs - There are various types, sizes and rates of suspension springs. The size and strength of a spring can help alter the ride height of the car. The spring rate will adjust the level of firmness of the ride and the rigidity of the cars handling. Vehicles with worn out or damaged springs ride lower to the ground which reduces the overall amount of compression available to the suspension and increases the amount of body lean. Performance vehicles can sometimes have spring rate requirements other than vehicle weight and load.

The shock absorber damper is a device that controls unwanted spring motion through a process known as dampening. Shock absorbers slow down and reduce the magnitude of vibratory motions by turning the kinetic energy of suspension movement into heat energy that can be dissipated through hydraulic fluid. To understand how this works, it's best to look inside a shock absorber to see its structure and function.

A­nother common dampening structure is the strut or coilover - basically a shock absorber mounted inside a coil spring. Struts/Coilovers perform two jobs: They provide a dampening function like shock absorbers, and they provide structural support for the vehicle suspension. That means struts deliver a bit more than shock absorbers, which don't support vehicle weight - they only control the speed at which weight is transferred in a car, not the weight itself.

Because shocks and struts have so much to do with the handling of a car, they can be considered critical safety features. Worn shocks and struts can allow excessive vehicle-weight transfer from side to side and front to back. This reduces the tyre's ability to grip the road, as well as handling and braking performance.

Anti-roll Bars

Anti-roll bars (also known as anti-sway bars) are used along with shock absorbers or struts to give a moving automobile additional stability. An anti-roll bar is a metal rod that spans the entire axle and effectively joins each side of the suspension together.

When the suspension at one wheel moves up and down, the anti-roll bar transfers movement to the other wheel. This creates a more level ride and reduces vehicle 'roll'. For this reason, almost all cars today are fitted with anti-roll bars as standard equipment, although if they're not, kits make it easy to install the bars aftermarket.

Apex

The geometric apex or clipping point is an often used term in motorsport, though other racing sports such as skiing and cycling have similar concepts of an ideal line. The apex is often but not always, the geometric center of the turn. Hitting the apex allows the vehicle to take the straightest line and maintain the highest speed through that specific corner. It is also the tightest part of a corner. Apex is also the brand name of a famous suspension and suspension part manufacturer. They began in the early 80's by supplying springs for Group A Touring cars. Since then Apex have manufactured high quality products under the stringent DIN ISO 9001:2008 quality control system offering 5-year, unlimited mileage warranties.

Apex Springs

An APEX Sport Spring kit replaces the standard springs on your car. They usually lower the car by 30-40 mm. Not only will this improve your cars' handling, response and grip, but will add that extra touch of style that will make your car look different from the rest of the crowd. The ride will be a little firmer, but never too harsh providing a great balance for road and race enthusiasts alike.

Dampers/Shock Absorbers

APEX uprated high performance gas front shock absorbers increase stability, improve handling and ride quality. They are a great upgrade on their own, but are at their best when combined with a set of APEX Sport Lowering Springs. This will dramatically improve the dynamic driving qualities including handling of your car whilst retaining driving comfort. Apex shock absorbers are ideal for fast road use, have superb handling qualities and will significantly reducing body roll.

The Gas Shock Absorbers in Apex kits are shortened to ensure precise control of the sport springs. Ride height is lowered 25-60mm depending on application.

Apex RDX Coilovers 

Apex RDX Coilovers are the best kit APEX has ever produced. The APEX RDX Coilover offers complete height adjustment. The drops range from 30-80mm which may vary on application. The damping is fixed and uprated by 30%.

The kit benefits from full on car height adjustment, once fitted simply jack the car up, remove the wheel and rotate the spring seat to adjust the height. These kits are ideal for fast road or race track days.

The piston rods in these RDX Coilovers are short allowing you to run the car low with complete safety. Built in bump stops reduce wheel and tyre contact. Anodised locking rings ensure no corrosion and reduce the chances of the adjuster collars seizing.

Apex RDX Coilover Kit Features

· A quality height adjustable suspension kit

· Height adjustable from 30mm-80mm

· 30% uprated damping

· Built in bump stops and helper springs

· Short piston rods ensure full suspension travel

· Ideal for fast road or track use

· Gives the car a fully adjustable ride height

· Superb handling and ride

· Reduces body roll

Parrot Bluetooth and Reverse Camera - Wonderful Accessories for Your Car

If you have been a car owner for quite some time, you are perhaps familiar with the hassles of backing up. Many car owners are troubled by this. At some point, this can lead to minor accidents. In fact, there are approximately 300,000 reported accident cases due to reversing vehicles every year. These accidents can be avoided when you use car safety devices such as a reverse camera and Parrot Bluetooth car kits.

Reverse Camera

Also known as rear view or backup camera, this type of camera is generally placed on the rear bumper of a vehicle. They come with a display monitor installed on the dashboard so the driver can see what is behind his car. This way, reversing is safer and easier. It means no more bumping into shopping carts at the parking lot or into other vehicles.

It is easy to fit a reverse camera on your car. It is, however, wiser to leave the job to the professionals. This is especially true when the camera requires some cutting in the bodywork of your car. It must also be placed on the right position so you can get the best view of what is behind your vehicle. While most monitors are installed on the car's dashboard, some models are placed over your existing rear view mirror. The wiring that connects the camera to the monitor also needs proper installation. You may avoid issues with messy wirings when you go for a wireless set.

It may not be safe to switch on the system only when backing up. To fully avoid accidents, you may go for a set that automatically switches on when on reverse mode.

Parrot Bluetooth Kit

Another common cause of road accidents is the irresponsible use of mobile phones while driving. Texting or dialling up numbers may cause the driver lose focus. This is why traffic authorities are prohibiting the use of phones and other gadgets while driving. Sadly, many people today are highly dependent on their mobile phones, especially those who use them for business calls.

Bluetooth car kits are possibly the best solution to this. These kits provide drivers with a hand-free use of mobile phone while driving.

Parrot Bluetooth is one of the top choices among car owners. This system connects with your phone's Bluetooth giving you instant access to your gadget's data. Voice recognition is one of its best features, as it allows you to search and dial a number from your phonebook without even touching your phone. The Bluetooth kit also synchronizes with the phonebook to copy contacts for future calls.

This kit comes in smooth and stylish system that will fit your car efficiently. It also comes in small units so it won't eat up significant space inside your car.

These tools will not only provide ease while driving; they will also provide additional level of safety while on the road. The good news is you can now buy a backup camera and Parrot Bluetooth kit online. All you have to do is find a reliable online store and you are on your way to buying these excellent car accessories.

Why Low Drying Times Are Essential in a Portable Car Wash

Setting up a portable car wash can be a hugely lucrative venture, mainly because it meets a very direct consumer need. Ask any number of car owners if they mean to take their car in for a wash and chances are that you'll hear a resounding "yes!" Unfortunately, many people simply don't have the time to take in their vehicles for a thorough vehicle detailing. Even on weekends, people tend to rely on their cars to run errands. The only time that most people's vehicles are free is when they are at work or at home. A mobile detailing service conveniently brings the car wash to the consumer, so they don't have to worry about taking the time out of their busy day to bring the car in for a wash. Whereas portable detailing is certainly convenient, there are certain factors that need to be considered to make this kind of car wash truly convenient and efficient.

The Importance of Drying Time

A portable car wash won't have to worry about the drying times for most vehicle exteriors. Exposure to fresh air is more than enough to get a car exterior dry. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for vehicle interiors. The inside of a car may rarely get any kind of ventilation, especially in the winter time when the windows are kept rolled up. Vehicle interiors get very little exposure to sunlight as well. In other words, a car interior can be the perfect place for germs and bacteria to take root and grow in a carpet spill or upholstery stain. The damp, dark conditions with poor aeration are the perfect conditions for germs and mold to grow and multiply.

This is why a portable car cleaner needs the right kind of carpet cleaning units for interior detailing. These machines should be able to tackle the toughest kinds of stains and deposits, no matter how old, hardened, or stubborn they are. It's important to invest in carpet cleaners that use less water and more extraction powers for cleaning. This insures that the carpeting and upholstery is not very damp after cleaning and has a chance to dry out faster and more thoroughly. Depending on the carpet cleaner used, the vehicle interiors can dry out in a matter of a few hours.

Fast and Efficient

Fast drying times are important to a portable car wash because it allows you to complete more detailing jobs - this is especially important for a mobile car wash that is working on a deadline. Auto detailing equipment that allows the interiors to dry out fast means that you don't have to worry about customers complaining about damp interiors or foul smells after cleaning. A portable steam cleaner for spot cleaning, power washers, car steam cleaners, and low water flow carpet cleaning units are all necessary for a mobile car wash.

A portable car wash with low water flow carpet cleaners can clean vehicle interiors faster and more efficiently. A portable steam cleaner and power washer along with efficient car steam cleaners round out the best kind of auto detailing equipment for mobile auto detailing.

Daimer Industries is a leading supplier of portable car wash machines. Daimer provides a complete range of mobile car wash machines including all auto detailing equipment and many more.

New Hyundai I20 IGen Launched at Rs 4.73 Lakh

Hyundai Motors India Limited (HMIL), the Indian unit of the South Korea based leading car maker, has rolled-out All New Hyundai iGen i20 model in the Indian market. The country's largest car exporter launched the iGen i20 in both petrol and diesel variants, carrying a total of 12 variants. As per the company the new iGen i20 model is blessed with a range of innovative and high-tech features, which have been incorporated in the car after extensive surveys to offer high value proposition to the customers of this segment.

While the petrol version of the car is available in the price range of Rs 473,400 to Rs 665,894, the diesel version is shelved in the price segment of Rs 596,334 to Rs 744,013. On the other hand the automatic transmission version of the car carries a price tag of Rs 767,405.

All variants of the Hyundai i20 iGen car model are blessed with improved engine units with higher power and fuel economy. The petrol version of the car is powered by a 1.2 Kappa engine (with Dual VTVT technology) which is capable of delivering a peak power of 84 PS. On the other hand, the diesel variant of the car is loaded with a hi-tech 1.4 U2 CRDi diesel engine that generate a maximum power of 90 PS with massive torque of 22.4 kg-m. The diesel version of new iGen i20 will come incorporated with a 6 speed manual transmission. There is also a higher powered 1.4L Gamma automatic petrol version which delivers a massive power of 100 PS in combination with a peak torque of 13.9 kg-m.

The new Hyundai iGen i20 is a highly fuel efficient model which delivers a fuel economy of 18.5 km per liter, 21.9 km per liter and 15 km per liter, in 1.2L petrol, 1.4L diesel and 1.4L petrol version.

The car carries a number of road presence enhancing features at the exterior front including High Gloss Front Grille, Rear Spoiler in combination with integrated Stop Lamp, 8-Spoke stylish alloy wheels, Turn Indicators mounted on outside mirrors, etc.

The new version of this premium hatchback, Hyundai i20, comes loaded with a range of class-apart premium comfort and convenience features including Rear Parking Camera with cabin mirror display, Clean Air-Cluster ionizer that maintains the quality of air inside the cabin, Electro Chromic Mirror with anti-glare vision technology, Multiple Airbags, Auto Headlight Control Function, Rain Sensing Wipers, Push Button Start with Smart Key, steering wheel and gear knob wrapped in leather, armrest for driver seat, Tilt & Telescopic Steering, Heated Outside Mirrors which are Electrically Adjustable & Foldable, and 60:40 Split seat at rear.

Moreover, the entertainment package of the car is fully loaded with features like 2-DIN CD / MP3 Music System with 2 tweeters and 4 speakers (compatible with aux-in, Bluetooth connectivity and USB); Steering mounted Controls Audio as well as Bluetooth.

Safety package of the car looks quite capable of saving passengers both active and passive fronts with advanced features like Multiple airbags, clutch lock, smart pedal system, impact sensing auto door unlocking, speed sensing auto door locking, Reverse Parking Sensors and ABS.

Long Mileage Tires: Brief Overview

If you really care about your car, you really have no option when it comes to taking good care of it. There are various ways through which you can do this and one of the most important one is by ensuring that your car has tires that are of good quality. When shopping for tires, always make sure that you go for long mileage tires since they are durable. One sure way which you can use to save on costs of your tires is by shopping for cheap long mileage tires. This article aims to look at the different ways that you can use to lower costs of getting new tires.

One major way that you can get to do this is through online shopping. There is no doubt that online shopping is becoming a popular shopping method for most products and so is it for tires too. There is a wide range of products that you can choose from and it's all just an issue of clicking one and you explore through many online shops' products. With online shopping, apart from low prices, offer coupons that can get you to enjoy great discounts. When you fill these coupons, you are in to some good savings and hence you are in a position to save and use the discount in improving other parts of your vehicle system.

When shopping for your tires, you should consider quality above anything else such as price or maybe discounts. Quality is sure to last you and you will not meet other costs that may arise due to regular purchasing of tires. One popular type of tires that are sure to last you for a long time is long mileage tires. This is because they have been manufactured in a way that they can withstand different conditions that can be detrimental to the tires.

If you are shopping for new long mileage tires to replace your old ones, you should opt to replace all the four tires altogether. This is because it is cheaper in the essence that you receive discounts in terms of the sale. You also get other services for free or maybe for a very low amount of cash such as their installation and simple additional services that may including fitting your brake systems properly; but this is only if you need it to be done.

It is also advised that as you get to change your car tires, that you change all four of them. This is because it is cheaper when you get to buy them in sets. Such ensures uniform wearing out and this will be easy to handle rather than when only a pair or a single tire is worn out and causes an imbalance in your car.

When you are sure to have best long mileage tires on your car, you can be assured of things such as:

- Increased fuel utilization 

- Enhanced steering due to properly maintained wheels and this makes your car have a good balance and this can make you save your life as well as those of other occupants.

Detail Cars for Fun and Profit

Car maintenance is a lucrative business, something that can be done full time or as a side gig. The market is a big one with some people specializing in oil changes and tune ups and others in body repair, modifications or some other aspect of the business. Car detailing is an important subcategory of automotive maintenance, one that can be both fun and profitable. Read on for some tips on car detailing and how you can make a go of this business option.

Who your customers are. Anyone from your neighbor to a fleet business can use your services. One-off customers can pay the most, given that they may want your service only on occasion. With a fleet, you'll need to discount your rates, but you'll also get access to many more cars and have a steady source of income. Mix up your customer base to ensure steady profits.

What you can provide. We're not talking a simple wash and wax service here. With car detailing, you'll get down to the nitty gritty by working on car bodies, windows and tires. But, that is only the outside. Inside, you can vacuum and shampoo carpets, remove stains, apply carpet protector, clean windows and condition seats. Essentially, you'll bring a car to "showroom new" condition or as close to it as possible. Offer details of your services for customer inspection.

When your services are offered. This is where you need to decide how much time you'll invest in your business. Don't quit your full-time job unless you have a steady and deep supply of customers. Consider doing this business on the side first or, if there is a business you can take over, then do so. Run a cost analysis to determine the value of any business you plan on buying. Know who your competitors are, where they are located and what they charge. Then, work toward offering the best value for the lowest prices.

Where your business takes place. There are several places you can "do business" as you launch your car detailing enterprise. If your business is a sideline hobby, you may be able to detail cars from your yard without running afoul of local zoning requirements. You can also set up shop and run your business from a commercial location. That can involve buying a car wash or simply setting up a location where cars come in, be hand-washed and detailed. Finally, a mobile service means you can take your business where people park their cars. This may mean taking someone's car at work to the car wash, detailing it and returning it clean before the end of the work day.

Why customers want your business. Quite simply, people who want to hire car detailers are either too busy to do the work themselves or just prefer to have someone handle the work for them. Typically, you'll attract people who know that their cars need special attention. This might be once per year after a hard winter or just before they market their car for sale. A detailed car looks better and commands a higher price. You'll need to clearly demonstrate to customers why car detailing is the way to go and market accordingly.

How to have fun and make money. The fun part of this job is knowing that you have completed a "job well done." You can make money by setting your prices competitively, maintaining a low overhead and only hiring people when the workload mandates it. Consider hiring contractors first -- people you can pay per gig with no promise of permanent employment. When you're ready to grow your business, hire employees. Your best workers may qualify for management, overseeing your staff and letting you take on other responsibilities.

Like any business, car detailing is hard work. The profitable part comes by working hard and managing your money wisely. Fail in either department and your business won't be successful. What you put into your business will ultimately determine whether the work is profitable and if it is fun or a drag.