Buying Parts Online with Credit Cards

Giving out your credit card information online is always daunting.  You can read all the payment policies and privacy policies in the world, but the discomfort is still there. The higher the price and the more technical the product is, the scary it gets. The last thing you’d want is to pay a lot of money on a technical product that does not work.  Pricey and technical is exactly what auto parts are.  Although paying with a credit card can seem suspicious, if you buy the right part from a legit company you can save a lot of money.

Before you ever provide credit card info, do a little research on the company you’re purchasing from.  Make sure they have those payment policies, and privacy policies stated clearly. Check out their online reviews.  See if they are a member of the Better Business Bureau.  You are about to give them a lot of valuable information about yourself. Thus, making sure you are dealing with a reputable company is very important.

Make sure you buy the right parts.  Online parts companies can only deliver the part that you order.  If you get the wrong part, odds are they are going to charge you a restocking fee when you send it back. You might first think this is unfair, but the company has to stop what they are doing and waste manpower and time to recheck your part back in, because of a mistake you made.  A restocking fee is an industry standard.  If you ever have a question about a part, feel free to call the company and talk to a sales rep.  If the company is legit, it should have a phone number clearly posted on the website.

If anything ends up going wrong, such as you receive the wrong part, or the part goes bad, then call the company.  They’re almost always willing to help you out, whether they replace it because it is under warranty or give you a deal on a new one.  I would never recommend that you do a charge back on your credit card.  A lot of times credit card users think that all they have to do is call the credit card company and cancel a transaction.  This may get the persons money back but what they do not know is that it is a red flag with their credit card company.  You only have so many charge backs before they cancel the credit card.

Another thing is that you need to make sure you have all your credit card information right.  If you put down the wrong billing information or type in the wrong credit card number, then the order may not get processed.  This could leave you with a broken car, wondering what happened to the part you ordered.

I know it seems a little scary to buy auto parts online but if you do it right you can save a lot of cash. A lot of times the parts are exactly the same that you would get from the mechanic, but much cheaper.   Purchasing parts online is growing extremely fast and I highly recommend it.

BMW M Diesels

If you live in the states you’re not going to have to worry about replacing a diesel injector or a diesel turbocharger for your new BMW M550d, because this car not going to be available for sale in the U.S.  Also not available is the other M Diesel cars that BMW just announced; the X5 M50d, and the X6 M50d. You can go ahead and add these vehicles to a long line of sweet rides available to rest of the world, but not available to us.

Ok… I have calmed down. I am no longer upset, and have realized that even if I had the opportunity to buy one of these, I couldn’t afford it anyways.  So, instead of whining about not having one of these great cars, let’s discuss what makes them so great. Each one has all-wheel drive and is powered by what BMW calls Performance Twin Turbo technology.  “Twin Turbo Technology,” Ha! These cars actually have three turbos.  Two smaller turbochargers deliver responsive power down low in the rpm range, and then there is a bigger turbo that adds top-end thrust. The engine is a 3.0-litre inline six, which has 381-hp.  The M-Diesels will all go from 0 to 62-mph in less than 5.4 seconds, and gas mileage will range from 36.7 to 44-mpg.

The cars also get the M treatment on the outside of the vehicles too.  This includes side mirrors and vent bars with a grey metallic finish.  The exhaust is highlighted with trapezoidal tips, there is high-gloss shadow line trim, and alloy wheels ranging from 19 to 20 inches.

No pricing was announced, and the vehicles will be debuted at the Geneva Motor show in March.

A Good Year at Ford

It’s been a good year for Ford. They did have to deal with some recalls involving wheel bearing hub assemblies on some sedans and rusting fuel tanks containing fuel pump assemblies on trucks. However, like other auto companies, Ford had a very strong year and will be giving out bonuses to their workers for the first time since the financial meltdown. Ford has gained steam this past year selling more than 2 million cars for the first time since 2007, and they show no signs of stopping with their completely remodeled 2013 lineup.

The Ford Escape, Fusion, Taurus and Focus will all show dramatic departures in styling from previous years in 2013. I’m really liking the 2013 Ford Fusion whose front-end (to me) resembles that of an Aston Martin. The Fusion will come not only in a gasoline-powered model, but in electric plug-in and hybrid versions as well. The Ford Escape, which has kept its boxy styling since it was introduced over ten years ago, will now resemble more of a cross-over with its new curves and smoother lines.

What might be the coolest part of future Ford automobiles is the technology that they will be equipped with. Ford’s MyFord Touch and SYNC system not only syncs all of your devices to the vehicle but takes it one step further with voice-activated commands. You will now be able to tell your car what song to play, have it read you your text messages, and also reply to those messages through voice commands. New safety features include inflatable rear safety belts and vehicle sensors used to monitor blinds spots and give collision warnings. You can simply set a cruise control speed and the distance you want to maintain from the vehicle in front of you, and the car will automatically slow down to avoid collisions. Other cool features include cap-less fuel tanks as well as the ability to control the color of dash and interior ambient lighting (blue, red, green, you name it!). Will 2012 be another great year for Ford?

Super Bowl Car Commercials

Cooling fans suck, radiator fans blow, and Super Bowl fans are known for loving commercials. A lot of times they are better than the actual game.  Whether they are funny like the Budweiser Frogs, sexy like the Cindy Crawford Pepsi spot, or a marketing masterpiece resembling the Apple 1984 commercial, they’re always entertaining.  The auto industry has always been a key player in Super Bowl ads and they will continue to be this year.

Volkswagen found a lot of success last year with a commercial staring a youngster dressed up like Darth Vader.  The commercial not only ranked high for the Super Bowl, but it also won some awards for best commercial of the year.  The company hopes to grow on this commercial’s success with another Star Wars themed spot.  In this year’s advertisement, VW ups the cuteness from a kid to puppies. Check out a teaser of the commercial CLICK HERE

Chevy also released one of their Super Bowl commercials.  It’s called “Chevy Happy Grad.”  The commercial is a humorous romp created by some miscommunication. Now, I can continue with pompous movie critic phrases such as “humorous romp,” or you can just watch the commercial CLICK HERE

Kia plans to air a sixty second commercial, and I don’t know what it’s officially titled but it should be called, “A 12 Year Old Boy’s Dream.”  It features UFC Fighter Chuck Lidell, Victoria’s Secret Model Adriana Lima, and Motley Crue.  It’s too bad 12 year olds can’t drive cars, and it is also a shame that I cannot figure out how to put those two little dots over the “o” and “u” in “Motley Crue.”

Other car companies that are going to buy commercial time on the Super Bowl are Honda, Acura, Hyundai, and Toyota.  And,  for the very first time in the history of the company, Lexus is also going to run an ad during the game,

Bio-ethanol May not Be The Biggest Hit But it Packs a Punch

Over the past few years car companies have been pushing the use of alternative fuels for vehicles. Most of these have gone unnoticed, mainly due to the fact that they are less potent than gasoline.  The fuel pump and fuel pump assembly are able to handle Ethanol without issue and the engines can as well.

The facts about Ethanol are easily seen, while the fuel may not work well in normal engines but once a few key components are changed to work with ethanol…watch out! The main issue caused by the way ethanol ignites, new injector timing and ignition are the main issues. Companies like Honda or Toyota have not really tried to push this set up because the cost to the average consumer would be around $3000 and not many of us are just willing to drop that much coin.

The companies that have been able to take advantage of the ethanol change are companies like Ferrari or Koenigsegg. While most of us will never be able to afford anything that these companies off…especially Koenigsegg who mainly makes cars that cost close to a million dollars, the technology is there for the taking.  New technology is always showcased in the more expensive cars and trickles down to the rest of us, usually in the Mercedes S class. Ferrari recently released the FF which is a 4WD that makes 650HP but tune it for Ethanol and that number jumps to around 875HP. That’s right no forced induction just a good tune. Koenigsegg tuned the Agera R from 927HP up to 1,100HP just by using Ethanol and there are many other examples of this fuel doing great things. Maybe sooner than later it will become main stream…oh and did I mention that it is a renewable fuel source.

Nissan Scratch Shield iPhone Case

I know how to repair steering parts and I know how to diagnose a failed turbocharger, but I cannot figure out how to keep my iPhone case scratch free.  Yes, the whole reason why you buy a case is so that it gets the scratches instead of the phone, but I am a car guy so any type of scratches bothers me.  Well, it looks like it annoyed some other, more important car guys too.  Nissan has come out with an iPhone case that heals itself from scratches.

The Japanese car company says this case is the first one to have “self-healing technology.” At first this sounded unbelievable, like something out of a science fiction movie.  This is a phone case, not an alligator’s tail. Nevertheless, as I read more about the case it sounded more plausible.

The iPhone case’s outer layer of paint is the same scratch proof paint Nissan uses on some of their vehicles.  The active ingredient that makes this stuff magical is called polyrotaxane.  (It’s word like polyrotaxane that make me happy to be a writer and not a reporter. I couldn’t pronounce that correctly if you gave me a hundred tries.) When the case gets dinged the chemicals flexible structure reacts by reverting back to its original state.  This action makes it look like the case is healing itself.   Small scratches can take less than an hour to heal, while deeper cuts can take up to a week.

The case is currently on a trial run in Europe.  If tests go well and demand is high, Nissan will bring the iPhone case to market.  I am not sure why they are spending all this money on testing these cases.  They could have just given my 3 year old nephew one of these things for a day and found out its true power.   

"You May Not Run Out of Gas" - Youngstown, OH

In light of news that Massachusetts has been charging $275 to fight a traffic ticket whether you win or lose, I was wondering what other ridiculous regulations were going on out there in the car world. I’m not talking about requirements that ensure your fuel injectors and turbochargers are in good working condition. I’m talking about some ridiculous, yet very real, traffic regulations such as it being illegal for a driver in Alabama to be blindfolded while operating a vehicle. This is obviously so dangerous that it should be illegal, but I wonder what happened down the line that this had to become an actual law.

Some of these laws are so old and just haven’t yet been abolished, while others are due to not-so-smart people doing some not-so-smart things. In California, no vehicle without a driver may exceed 60 mph. Also, women may not drive in a house coat. In Arcadia, CA peacocks have the right of way to cross any street, and in Temecula ducks have the right of way at all times. In San Diego, it is illegal to shoot jackrabbits from the back of a streetcar. Is your car getting dirty? Don’t go to Downey, CA where it is illegal to wash your car in the street.

Head over to the east coast and you’ll find some pretty crazy regulations as well. In Hartford, CT it is illegal to cross the street if you happen to be walking on your hands. In Marietta, GA it is illegal to spit from a car or bus, but you can from a truck! In Tennessee, driving is NOT to be done while asleep. In Virginia Beach, if you are drunk and not driving, but the driver is drunk as well, you can BOTH receive a DUI. What if you happen to hit a pedestrian in Sarasota, FL? Be prepared to pay the $78 fine.

While many of these regulations were made many, many years ago and just haven’t been abolished, they are all still active laws in their respective states. While I don’t think that a woman would be ticketed for driving a car without a man waving a flag in front of it (yes, this is still “illegal” in Louisiana), it is interesting to read some of these outdated traffic laws. And back to Massachusetts charging $275 to fight a ticket. They say these fees are necessary as thousands of people appeal tickets which are causing rising administrative costs. Sounds to me like pressure to just pay your ticket whether it was deserved or not, and I don’t think you should be charged to defend yourself in court.

The Tow Plow

The kids are screaming in the back seat so you look down to press play on your DVD Player, but when you look back up you see what appears to be an out of control semi.  You panic and yell out, “HOLY FUEL PUMP! That truck has lost control.” I am here to inform you not to worry; it is all part of the show.  This crazy device cruising down the highway is called the Tow Plow.  It’s a snow plow on steroids.  It can do the job of two and a half snow plows all by itself.  It makes the Mr.Plow look pathetic.

The Tow Plow is basically what it sounds like.  It is another plow that a normal snowplow tows behind it.  The operator of the snow plow can operate the tow plow with two controls.  One of the controls lifts and lowers the blade, while the other steers the device. The primary use of the Tow Plow is to clear highways with multiple lanes. It can do its job at speeds up to 55 miles per hour, and can also come equipped with the ability to drop sand, salt, or liquid calcium chloride.

The Tow Plow was developed in Missouri but is currently being used in several states, such as Minnesota, Utah, Maine, and Pennsylvania.  Even though it costs a hefty $100,000, states say it makes sense to buy them, because it does the job of two plows and two snow plow drivers.  Check out a video of the Tow Plow in action, CLICK HERE.

Cars to Avoid on Friday the 13th

Car Problems are a scary thing.  It does not matter whether it’s a faulty Diesel Injector or a malfunctioning Engine Control Module.  The issue is either going to cause unsafe driving, or scare the stuffing out of your wallet.  Although failing car parts are bone-chilling, cars themselves can be even more menacing.  Over the years, the movie industry has tapped into this and has given us some classic movie villains.  While the movie, Friday the 13^th did not star any of these vehicles, I thought I would mention some of the definitive horror cars to honor this day.

Any conversation about horror movies and cars must start with Christine.  The killer in this John Carpenter movie was a 1958 Plymouth Fury.  In Stephen King’s book Christine was haunted by her past owner, but in the movie adaptation the car was born bad.  The film’s tagline claims the vehicle was possessed by Hell.  So, before you decide to restore an old Plymouth make sure you warn your girlfriend, because it may try to kill her.

One of the creepier cars to grace the silver screen was the rusty old 1941 Chevy COE (Cab Over Engine) in Jeeper Creepers.  The movie starts off with a young brother and sister driving back from spring break in a 1960 Chevy Impala.  As they drive through some corn fields the massive COE tries to run them off the road.  Then a bunch of people die, more non-car related stuff happens, the driver of the COE grows wings and I think someone gets eaten.  At least I know the COE’s license plate was, B EATING U, so someone better have gotten eaten.

Stephen King makes his second contribution to this list with his 80’s horror movie stinker Maximum Overdrive.  In this movie, Emilio Estevez is chased by a bunch of vehicles that came alive because of a freak radiation storm.  The leader of these deadly automobiles is a White Western Star 4800 semi-truck, with the face of Green Goblin from Spiderman.  Unlike the Spiderman movie this Green Goblin was not voiced by Willem Dafoe, it simply made a lot of vroom vroom and toot toot sounds.

Honorable mentions go to, Herbie from The Love Bug and The Delorean from Back to the Future 2. Herbie makes the list because anything that has to do with Lindsay Lohan scares the me.  Sadly, the Dolorean gets a mention because Back to the Future 2 was one of the worst sequels of all time, It was scary bad.  Also, it’s 2012… WHERE IS MY HOVERBOARD!!!

Hope you have a frightening Friday the 13^th Muahahahahaha

Push to Start, Push to Park, Push to Drive?

It’s again the week that brings us the latest in tech from the CES convention in Vegas and the latest from the automobile industry at the NAIAS in Detroit. But this year the lines between the two seemed to blur as automobiles took a prominent spot at CES and technology was booming at the Detroit Auto Show. We’re not just talking about your standard car stereo or car navigation system; almost every automaker introduced better-than-ever entertainment systems that connect the driver like never before.

Chevrolet, Toyota, Audi, Hyundai and Ford are among the many automobile companies that have recognized the growing importance of technology while driving. Chevrolet’s “MyLink” offers wireless phone compatibility which can link your calls and address book directly to the vehicle. The car also offers wireless streaming of music from your phone including the use of Pandora and other music apps. Toyota’s “Entune” offers the same features, but also has built in apps including Pandora, iHeartRadio, Bing search and more. Audi Connect will feature a pop-up 7-inch touchscreen display, connected wirelessly and automatically to your phone to access a multitude of features. The knob by the driver’s side can scroll through screens and text, making it easier to operate than a traditional display screen. With this system you can store and track flights, view and play your phones entire music library, get news, weather and gas prices, and even create a Wi-Fi hotspot in the vehicle! Almost every new model offers a remote-link app for your cell phone which allows you to unlock, lock, sound the alarm, and sometimes start your vehicle from anywhere in the world. The days of car keys are slowly becoming a thing of the past.

Almost nothing excites me more than the progression of technology, especially when it comes to entertainment. For years the capabilities of our phones and other gadgets have exceeded that of our vehicles and it’s about time these features were incorporated into our cars.  I wonder how long it will be until our cars are the ones doing all the driving; they can already park themselves.

Stop Risking My Life When You Drive

Driving is hazardous to your health no matter how you look at it, traveling at speeds faster than we were ever meant to go. Think what people just 100 years ago would say if they saw the cars we have now…Amazing! I am not talking about cars equipped with superchargers, turbochargers and nitro’d out race cars no I am talking about your Honda. For thousands of years humans have gotten by with foot travel known as walking or running only recently have people begun to drive. This mode of transport is brand new in the great scheme of things and still many people don’t take it seriously.

Everyday modern humans do things that would be considered to be magic or the work of a higher power. Imagine how someone would have reacted to your 50” LED TV 200 years ago, they would have called you a witch and burned you for summoning demons. Cars are a device that has been designed to move people from one place to another more quickly than horseback and the car has revolutionized the human race.

There are a few key factors that should be followed when driving a car, the first and certainly not least important is to pay attention. Today on the freeway there was a woman in an Audi driving at 55 – 60 MPH and had her laptop mounted on the steering wheel. This is not only illegal but so stupid it cannot be over exaggerated how dumb and dangerous this is. There is a ban on cell phone use in cars but this just takes the cake for distracted driving, using a laptop while driving…sheesh. Another failure that people make is failing to realize what on-ramps and off-ramps are. These stretches of road are here for accelerating to highway speeds and slowing from them. In other words you can exit the highway without braking in traffic and causing a slowdown.  On ramps, even the ones in Cali with lights on them are meant to give the driver a chance to get to highway speed so they can merge. Too many people ignore this and cause accidents or congestion just because they failed to use the provided facilities correctly. One thing to remember is that roads and highways are government property not yours so follow the rules.

The Detroit Auto Show is in Full Swing

On Monday one of the most important auto shows in the US got underway. This is not just a time to show off in-dash navigation screen systems and car radio units that are smarter than the average college grad. No these shows are about all things new and automotive. Each year the Detroit Auto Show is the spot where the car industry strut’s their stuff for the US audience. Not only do they show what they can do but they also show what “you” as a consumer can buy.

Honda came in with new models under the Honda name as well as some updated Acura models.  Over the last few years the Honda models have become kind of stagnant, boring style and out dated looks. The reveals of two of their major designs may have changed that, the Accord Coupe and TL Sedan both got a major 2012 update, which looks great. Chrysler showed off a number of new updates for current models, the 200 got the super S pack which seems to be the closest thing to a tuner package Chrysler has ever offered.

Chevy stepped into the arena with a few concept cars that are supposed to be aimed at the younger crowd. While they are unique, I think many car companies forget that a car has to look good before it can be “cool”. The example of this sis the 130R and the 140S which both are supposed to be hip…but are not good looking. This is an issue that many car companies run into, in concept vehicles or production.  Toyota and Subaru are a great example together they created the FT-86 concept. A great looking 2 door coupe but once it hit production it had been so toned down and softened it just blend into the car world like a failed Taurus model.  Mini stopped by to show off the Mini coupe convertible which looks great while Cadillac showed off their new 3 series competitor.

The show continues till the end of the say today and gives the people of Detroit the chance to get an up close and personal look at the ideas coming up for grabs. Not only could people see the concepts but they also get to give input and change how the future of the automobile will change.