Posts Tagged ‘car care’

Painting Your Car Restoration Project

Thursday, February 17th, 2011

Restoring a classic car takes a lot of time, effort and money. A complete restoration will focus a lot of energy on the engine, chassis and interior, but the paint is what is going to make the first impression, so it’s important to get it right. Sending your car off to a professional to have it painted can run you thousands of dollars. For most, it’s worth the money to have it done right. Some may want to tackle it themselves. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, here are some tips to keep you on the right track.

Prepping your car for paint is an extremely important process and should be done very carefully. Start by removing all of the emblems and trim pieces. Don’t be tempted to mask them off with tape as it is usually very obvious in the finish and could also leave ridges that will be susceptible to peeling later on. All metal surfaces should be roughed and then cleaned about an hour before you begin applying the epoxy coats.

Apply a wet coat of epoxy and let it set for approximately half an hour, then apply a second coat. Let that sit overnight and come back and apply your glazing putty or body fillers. After you’ve sanded down the body work, give it one more coat of epoxy to cover any resulting bare metal or filler spots and let it set overnight again.

Now, you can spray the primer. It is not necessary to sand the epoxy before priming. For the best results, spray one wet coat of primer and let it set for half an hour before applying another coat. Once the car is primed it is best to seal it with another coat of epoxy with urethane reducer added. The final coat of epoxy should set for at least 2 hours before applying the first basecoat.

For the best results, use the slowest urethane reducer you can get away with - you will be able to see the difference in the gloss when you’re done. Just remember to take extra drying time into consideration between coats. Thirty to 45 minutes should be enough time. After you are done applying your basecoats, let it set overnight again.

Now you’re ready to finish it off with clear coat. Four coats should do nicely, and remember to allow about 30 minutes for drying time between coats. Once you have applied and dried your desired number of coats, all that’s left is the wet sanding and buffing before you can step back and admire your new deep, rich, perfect paint job.

You put 100% into restoring your car. Don’t settle for less than 100% protection. A reputable car insurance company like Leland West can give your car the protection she deserves.

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DIY Car Paint Protection Tips

Sunday, January 16th, 2011

Car repair shops and product retailers make a lot of money from car paint protection. This has become a lucrative part of business. Many people want to protect their paint jobs on their cars. However, performing car paint protection yourself may cut hundreds and potentially thousands of dollars from your expenses over time in automobile maintenance costs. But not everyone is a handyman of sorts, so it’s important to learn what to do in case of easy and minor car paint damages.

So, should you decide to try a DIY car kit, you need to make certain that you take the time to fully understand the directions which are printed on the package. In addition, you could search the Internet to gain knowledge about DIY car paint protection prior to actually using any of the various products which are available. Possible sources of information are articles, Q&A’s, or forums which address this particular subject.

In what follows below you will find certain helpful suggestions for the dedicated do-it-yourself person.

When you use a car paint protection product, it is advised that you reduce the frequency with which you wash your car. Most products simultaneously remove dirt, grime, and dust from your paint as well. As a substitute for washing the car, wipe its surface with a damp cloth, which can also remove particles which have been embedded within the layers of wax. Think about the boost to the environment and all that time saved!

Your car only needs car paint protection where it is actually painted. Paint protection products basically have no effect on the chrome or other surface areas of the vehicle where there is no paint present.

Further, you should use great caution when applying a paint protection product onto areas which are close to the windshield or the windows. You ought to tape off these areas with a plastic adhesive tape prior to using the protection products. Numerous products which provide paint protection also are appropriate for use on your car’s vinyl or fabric upholstery. Several dual purpose products are currently available in the marketplace which give great protection for the vehicle’s interior and its exterior. But make sure you read the label to make sure that the product can be used on these surfaces safely.

Chas writes numerous pieces on short term insurance and about getting short term car cover on the web.

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How Much Does Auto Insurance Costs On Average?

Saturday, October 2nd, 2010

How much does the average person fork out for auto insurance? Because there are so many variables, this is by no means to an easy question to answer. For instance, how much you pay depends on where about you live even more than it depends on the type of car you own.

For example, if you live out in the country you’ll almost certainly end up paying less for cover then if you were to live right in the heart of a city. This is simply because if you were living in a city, there’s more chance that your car would be involved in an accident.

Insurance companies take several factors into consideration when they set premiums. These would for example include a driver’s age, but of course their biggest concern is whether or not they will be the ones who have to pay a claim.

According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the average cost of car insurance has dropped by 1%. Their statistics were obtained by comparing insurance prices in the ten most expensive and least expensive states.

There is a significant difference between the highest and the lowest. The average expenditure per capita in Washington DC is about a thousand dollars a year. The average in North Dakota is $530, which is less than 50%.

If you want to relocate for a lower insurance rate, you may want to consider moving to Iowa, South Dakota, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, Wisconsin or North Carolina. You can obtain a comprehensive car insurance policy at an average annual rate of less than $600 a year in all of these states.

There are many things you need to take into consideration before you relocate, other than car insurance. For example, if you moved to North Carolina, you’d pay less for car insurance, but you’d pay more for home insurance, given that the region often suffers from hurricane damage.

According to recent surveys, Florida, New York, Delaware, and Nevada have the most elevated insurance car rates, and in New Jersey, one can expect to pay about $1,000 per year.

Even within a particular state, different cities have different rates. What this means is that a state’s average rate will inevitably be driven up by the high rates in certain cities. Only two years ago, car owners living in Detroit were paying as much as $5,000 per year for insurance.

Even though car insurance is so expensive in Detroit, that doesn’t mean the entire state pays that much. In fact, the average is actually under $1,000. Also, Michigan is fortunate enough to have numerous rural regions, and if you choose to live in one of the rural areas you will most certainly pay even less for your insurance.

Find the best automotive news and a lot of audio car parts reviews to help yout to unleash your car potential and make it look great.

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How To Buy Repossessed Cars At The Cheapest Price

Monday, August 16th, 2010

Many people know that buying repo cars is one of the best ways to save money. Trouble is, most folks just don’t know how to buy a repossessed car at even cheaper rates. If you want to go into the business or you simply want to buy a seized car for moving around but don’t know how to get it at the right price, this article will furnish you with some tips that will surely help.

One of the major mistakes most people buying seized vehicles make is purchasing the first cars they see or patronizing the first car dealer that approaches them. If you find yourself online or anywhere you should stay clear of dealers or sellers that would constantly want to impress it upon you that you are buying the best and lowest used auto in the market. They need to sell, and the faster the better; could you expect anything less or different? If you yield to this strategy you would probably discover by the end that you paid through your nose.

It takes some ingenuity for a buyer to purchase a bank repossessed car at an affordable price from a buyer. You could eventually pay more to buy a poorer quality of repo car simply because you failed at this. The truth is that these people have been in the business of selling bank repossessed cars, which means you are up against a smarter bunch. So, could anyone actually get the better of bank repo sellers? Online, you are sure to come across several services that offer you every range of information you may require to purchase a bank repo car - where, how, how much, etc. Surf the web sometime, and you should be saturated with countless such websites that do just this.

You certainly would like to know the real price you should pay for a repossessed car you are buying, especially if you are shopping online for it, and you need to learn a couple of things about it in a hurry before you approach a dealer or so that you can make a few comparisons. If you are yet to do just this, you may at least avoid getting in your with the repossessed car seller for the time being. You would be able to stay right on top of things if you had enough information collected from a very comprehensive online search.

There are all kinds of buyers, you must know; and yep, the dealers often would put you down as the dumb type. You’d never be able to buy a bank repo car at anything but the highest rates if you fail to do this research, because then you would never be able to beat them at their game. Again, if you are buying a repossessed car online or offline do not rush into anything if you are doubt. Looking back at the negotiations and watching yourself be dumb is not a sight you’d appreciate. Your colleagues and fellows who might have bought repossessed cars and such should be brought into this picture pretty quickly.

Learn about repossed cars, as well as Repos For Sale. See http://www.repossessedcarstore.com

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Mobile Car Valeting In London, Cleaning Cars With Specialist Tools

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

When it comes to mobile car valeting service in London, the art of cleaning cars is what we specialise in. In today’s modern world of technology there is a large range of mobile vehicle wash machines and green cleaners available. There are not many professional companies that provide auto-mobile valeting to a superb standard.

By accessing the services of a professional valeting company this is the way they make a profit on the motor vehicle. An auto-mobile business must use professional valeting services to provide the kind of quality they need to sell the car. If you have bought the vehicle in a nearly new condition from a dealer then it’s worth getting it valeted.

Even if the dealer got it valeted then it’s still worth getting it professionally cleaned since this gives you reassurance as well. The automotive vehicle soon loses its value if it starts to rust or get dirty. A good coat of wax or a paint sealant can help improve the cars value.

Valeting completely cleans the car and removes any stains or bad odours. Valeting can also save money since the vehicle will be worth more when it comes to selling it. Some people have their car valeted at least once whilst they own the vehicle so even when buying a second hand auto-mobile it has probably already been valeted.

When purchasing the vehicle privately there is less chance that it would have been valeted when compared to if you had bought it from a used car manufacturer. If you want to give your auto-mobile a clean that takes care of the interior as well as the exterior then you should consider mobile car valeting. Without you even leaving the comfort of your own home professionals will come out and give your auto-mobile the professional clean you would expect from a specialist company.

It is also very important to get a car professionally valeted before trying to sell it. If selling a second hand vehicle then it will make it sell quicker if you get it professionally serviced. Although most people associate valeting with cars there are other types of vehicle that can be valeted as well. It is not just cars that are improved by valeting services though, cars, vans, motorbikes, trucks, lorries, vehicle upholstery, HGV, LGV, caravans, boats, yachts, aeroplanes and agricultural machinery can all be improved by valeting. Both the interior and exterior of a vehicle can be improved by valeting services.

Get the best mobile car valet service London has to offer. Jump online now and you can find more than that. Even look for that window cleaning company so you have to do less work!

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