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2007-07-13

Importance of tyres, brakes and suspensions  

Tyres

Tyres are a very important (maybe the most important) component of your car or truck because they represent your only contact between you and the road surface. Drive with bald or faulty tyres and you run the risks of accidents and injuries. In the United Kingdom, the law requires a minimum thread depth of 1.6 mm in the main grooves which are situated in the central three quarters of a tyre. On average, you should replace the tyres every 40.000 km. Irrespective of distance travelled, you should change the tyres if the thread depth is below a safety level, but really you shouldn't need a law to force you to change tyres when it is time, for your life, the life of your passengers who will most likely be your family members, and the life of other road users depend on you doing the right thing. If you happen to reside in Eastern Australia including Queensland, New South Wales, Canberra, Victoria and Tasmania, JAXQuickfit Tyres currently have 72 locations spread across the states mentioned above where you can get a quick change of tyres. They claim that they can likely offer you cheap deals. They also do tune ups.

Tyre pressure

Maintaining tyre pressure according to the vehicle's manufacturer's specification is also very important. For one, under-inflation of tyre pressure can affect your fuel consumption, something that is very important in this era of increasing fuel prices and depleting fuel supply, plus unnecessary extra fuel consumption lead to unwelcome increase in CO2 emissions and contribute to the serious global warming problem. Maybe for you, even more important is its effect on your pocket (you end up paying for fuel wasted). Fuel consumption increases by 1% every 0.2 bar (2.9 psi) the tyre is under pressure specified by the vehicle manufacturer.

Under-inflation can also lead to higher tyre temperature and increase tyre wear, thus faster need of tyre change and more money and resources wasted. Tyre wear increases by 5% every 0.2 bar (2.9 psi) the tyre is under pressure specified by the vehicle manufacturer.

Over-inflation tyre pressure leads to bumpy ride and may lead to poorer grip on the road (less contact surface area) and to skating. So it is important to monitor your tyre pressure regularly. JAXQuickfit Tyres can make this tedious task easy for you as they have a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System. Their Permagard 3rd Eye Tyre Pressure Monitoring System alerts you instantly of tyre pressure or pressure irregularities by sending an alert to a receiver fitted inside the cabin on the vehicle.

Vehicle suspension

A properly fitted vehicle suspension leads to smoother ride, maintain correct vehicle height, reduce effects of shock forces, support the weight of the vehicle and keep the tyres in contact with the road.

Shock absorbers are part of the vehicle suspension and are constantly working hard to absorb shocks as you travel over uneven roads, and can get worn out. They should be checked every 20,000 kilometres. Worn shock absorber affect safety. When shock absorbers aren’t working properly, there will be poor tyre-to-road contact leading to braking distance can be increasing by two metres when travelling at 50kmh, there will be excessive tyre bounce, premature tyre wear, reduced handling and braking performance and increased noise and suspension vibration.

JAXQuickfit can also help you to check, repair and maintain your vehicle suspension system.

Wheel alignment and balancing

Wheel alignment

It is important to keep your wheels properly aligned as wheels out of alignment will result in increased and uneven tire wear, increase fuel consumption, lead to poor vehicles handling and cause the car to pull to one side. Wheels alignment can be disturbed by hitting pot holes, riding the vehicle up curbs, etc. However, even without abuse, front wheel alignment can get misaligned under normal driving conditions after some time. The change may be so gradual that it may not be not noticed. You will probably first notice mis-alignment when peculiar wear patterns shows up on the front tires. One you can't miss is when the car start to pull to one side. When these appear, the vehicle should have its alignment checked. It is also good to send your vehicle for an alignment every once in a while and whenever you change new tyres.

JAKQuickfit Tyres offers the JAXQuickfit Tyres Ace Alignment System to keep your vehicle in proper alignment.

Wheel balancing

When something spins, there are what one refer to as centrifugal forces. If a wheel is not balanced (weight equally distributed around the wheel) these centrifugal forces will cause the wheel to vibrate, usually when it reaches a certain speed. Other than the vibrations, you will know your wheel is out of balance it you see scalloped or cupped wear pattern on the tyres. Out-of-balance tyres normally will cause a car to vibrate when the car is travelling between 80 to 110 km/hour. Unbalanced wheels will make an uncomfortable ride and lead to premature wear of many vehicle components.

Normally one would sent the vehicle for wheel balancing when one noticed the symptoms of unbalanced wheels or when changing tyres. JAXQuickfit Tyres can do the wheel balancing for you.

2007-06-14

Chicago Used Car Auto Auction  

Chicago Used Car AuctionIf you are looking for cheap cars to buy, and you happens to live in the Chicago area, here is an interesting Used Car Auction Site - Auto Auction Chicago to check out. And if you purchase a used car from them, you will be getting a bargain as well as helping a charity because a portion of the proceeds from the Used Car Public Auto Auction goes to charity! Not only that, you can conveniently view the cars online at Vehicles at the next North Shore Used Car Public Auto Auction. Financing for cars purchased from them is also available. They currently have two auto auctions per month on a Saturday mornings with between 50 and 60 used autos either donated to local charities, private party or dealer consignment autos.


North Shore Used Car Auto Auction online chatPlus if just viewing the cars online is not sufficient, and you want more information, you can use their online chat to chat with a human if they happens to be online at that time. If no one is available for an online chat? No problem. Just click on the "Chat" button and leave a message.

According to their Press Release, their customers are purchasing used cars from them at their auctions at well below market value. While most of the cars sold by North Shore Auto Auction are in the $500 to $5,000 range, but the opening bids on cheap used cars start at a mere $200.

North Shore Used Car Auto Auction is not only a place for you to purchase a used car. You can also placed your used car for auction on consignment at North Shore Used Car Auto Auction Sell on Consignment Program.

Note that while they say a portion of the proceeds go to charity, they are not doing this just for charity. There are fees involved for putting your car up for auction. You can check the fee involved in the site accessed by the link above. When you win a bid, additional fee is also adding to the winning bid.

2007-02-14

How to Drive Safely in the Australian Summer  

How to Drive Safely in the Australian Summer
by: Barbara Thorp

A quick check-up can help prepare your car for the stress of high temperatures in the Australian summer and increase its reliability on road trips, whether they are long or short. To look at the range of new cars available at present log on to OzFreeOnline.com and browse the auto classifieds. Firstly, plan trips well to avoid unnecessary driving in extreme heat.

TYRES

To help prevent dangerous and inconvenient tyre failure, examine tyres for uneven or excessive tread wear. Make sure all tyres, including the spare, are properly inflated and in good condition.

BELT, HOSES, AND FLUIDS

With the engine off, look for worn or cracked belts and damaged blistered or soft hoses. Inspect the antifreeze/coolant level and condition, making sure the proper 50/50 mixture of water and coolant.

MOTOR OIL

Check motor oil level and condition. If driving under extreme conditions, such as very hot temperatures or towing a heavy trailer, switch to motor oil with higher viscosity. Check the owner's manual for specific oil recommendations.

AIR CONDITIONING

A properly working air conditioning system also helps motorists keep their cool in summer heat.

When you run your air conditioner, you get much worse petrol consumption. Use your air conditioner sparingly. If you have a lower setting, use it. Turn it on until the car gets cool, then turn it off, and let the fan circulate the cool air. Never run your air conditioner with your windows open.

If needed, have the air conditioning serviced by a qualified technician. Do not use non-approved substitute refrigerants.

EMERGENCY KIT

Because even properly maintained vehicles can break down, and you only want the best used car in Australia, check OzFreeOnline.com and you'll find free car listings that may help your search. In any Australian condition, RACV and the NRMA advise motorists to equip their vehicle with an emergency kit, containing at least the following items: A torch with extra batteries, warning devices such as flares or reflective triangles, jumper cables, a first-aid kit, extra water, and a mobile phone to get emergency assistance quickly.

You see, driving with precaution doesn't only keep you and your loved ones safe, it also lets you enjoy the scenery and enjoy the ride better!

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Want the Best Deals in Australian Used Cars?

Check out OZ Free Online, Australia's revved up free used cars classifieds. It's free to register here, free to post your used car for sale ads, and free to look around!

Save on gas! Let your finger do the walking at OzFreeOnline!

About The Author
Barbara Thorp is an article contributor for cars.ozfreeonline.com

2007-01-26

6 Tips For Saving Gas  

6 Tips For Saving Gas
by: Jackson Porter

In the past months we have seen the price of gasoline soar higher than ever before, and this can be hard on people who have a budget that is tight. Even though gas prices have come down a slight bit, you still will want to do everything you possibly can to save on the money you have to pay out for gas. There are a variety of ways that you can save gas, and save money.

Tip#1 - Start Carpooling

Carpooling is a great idea for fellow students and fellow employees both. If you can find people that are going to the same place you are you can save gas by riding together. It may be a good idea to trade off on who is driving from week to week so no one person gets stuck having to drive all the time. If you have to take your children to school or other functions you can also work on trading off with your friends and neighbors to take them there.

Tip#2 - Public Transportation

If it is possible you can take public transportation to work instead of driving your car. Not only will this save you money on gas, but you will also be able to relax and not worry about having to drive through all that rush hour traffic. You may even be able to fit in a quick nap on your way to work or on your way home.

Tip#3 - Price Shop

Often it may be so convenient to buy your gas at the small gas station just up the road, but to save some money on gas you may want to check the prices at other gas stations that are nearby as well. Even if the difference is only a few cents, after putting hundreds of gallons of gas in you vehicle each year, those few cents are going to add up to quite a sum of money.

Tip#4 - Get Moving

You can save some money on gas if you start walking to where you are going, or you can ride a bike as well. You will not have to worry about paying to park your car, and the exercise will be great for you body. If you are walking or biking you will not have to worry about those huge traffic jams either.

Tip#5 - Take Care of Your Car

It is always important to take care of your car so it gets the best gas mileage possible. Also be sure to plan where you are going before you go so you will not have to backtrack and waste gas. If you can, you should use your air conditioning as little as possible because using it takes more gas. Roll down your windows and you will use less gas.

Tip#6 - Check your Tires

It is important that you check the air pressure in your tires as often as possible. If your tires are too low, or the pressure in them is unequal it can make your car burn more gas. You should also be careful how you drive. If you take off from every red light very fast you are going to burn more fuel, so it is best to take off a little slower.

These are a few tips that can help the money conscious person to save money on gas. Even as gas prices drop, these tips can still help you to save more money. Conservation is important, so take advantage of these tips, save money, and save gas.

About The Author
Jackson Porter is a staff writer at Automobile Enthusiast and is an occasional contributor to several other websites, including Environmental Central.