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Auto repair is a necessity, right? Cars need to be maintained, they need repairs, and they need service. Certainly convenience is nice, but it’s an added bonus. One would think that convenience and the necessity of auto repair are indeed complementary – albeit rare. What few understand, however, is that the auto repair industry charges for convenience. In other words, you could and should be able to get your car repaired for less – sometimes lots less – but because you broke down here and not there, you pay more.

Repair prices vary greatly from shop to shop for a numbers of reasons (discussed at length in RepairTrust literature). The focus here is the mind-set in the auto repair industry that it is ok to charge customers extra for convenience.

For perspective, here’s a break down of an actual transaction.

After a careful analysis of a $1600 auto repair bill, it was clear that $200 of it was excessive. The excessive charges were as follows: an extra $10 for a battery (compared to MSRP – Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price), an extra $125 for an alternator (compared to MSRP), and an additional $65 in labor (compared to industry guidelines).

While this particular customer was a busy executive and was glad for the quick service and convenience, what about the single mom struggling to make ends meet? An additional $200 in repairs might mean a late rent check.

Convenience charges are extremely common, but hard to prove. The justifications for these charges are numerous. They include, but are not limited to the following:

Business is Slow – see the article: Auto Repair Costs – The Worst Time of Year For Car Repair (@ EzineArticles.com or RepairTrust.com) for an in-depth discussion of how car repair prices are manipulated

Overhead Expenses – the cost of doing business is repeatedly passed on to the car repair customer, very often unjustifiably

Competition – to keep a competitive edge against competition, shops will mark up prices stating that the client would have paid even more somewhere else. They will also use their own inferior parts from their own suppliers, despite the availability of better quality parts for less money.

Profit Margins – in the name of customer convenience, prices are frequently jacked up to maintain profit margins. For example, a repair shop will tack on an additional 20% to MSRP for a part that you could get for 20% less at a dealer.

Ego - you will pay extra for ego-inflated diagnosis and repair because most technicians are ill-qualified and thus self-conscious, which in turn fills them with feelings of grandiosity when they actually fix something right – how convenient for you!

What should you do…

In an industry that lacks standardization (that’s adhered to anyway) and an effective regulatory system, the auto repair customer stands alone.

Here are a few quick tips if you suspect convenience charges.

1) Get it in writing – get your estimates and repair orders in a detailed printout to enable you to scrutinize the charges

2) Ask questions – if you don’t understand a charge – ask. Don’t just pay and “assume” that you were treated fairly

3) Call another service center and request an estimate

4) Compare part prices with MSRP

5) Don’t be afraid to negotiate – ask for a discount if you’re having lots of repairs done. Check for specials, senior citizens discounts, coupons…etc

6) Be nice, sincere, and shrewd. Repair industry folks respond much more positively to someone who is sincere, and genuine. But be cautious and question everything.

It’s clear that auto repair is a necessity. The nature of the automobile and the conditions under which it must perform demands it. Car repair and maintenance is vital for the community and the economic structure of the world in which we live. Yet, the industry is run and controlled by a pack of wolves. Since we’re not talking about running into a convenience store for an over-priced gallon of milk, perhaps a little more help (by way of transparent pricing standards) from Uncle Sam is in order.

When it comes to stature and caliber reforming your car with American Racing Estrella Rims should be a standard. Nothing constitutes praised car like sleek red-hot Rims that assist as both a basic and a closer for any model or make. By including a series of stylized Rims to your car you’re assured to turn some heads and get some quick notice.

A car enthusiast understands that unbeatable strength and unique look of a quality set of Rims shining proudly on a quality vehicle. Channeling a spirit of both effortless style and intimidating strength, tricking your vehicle with Rims says that You care about both the quality of your vehicle and the appearance it has.

When it comes to first impressions and making a permanent mark, including Rims to your car lets the world know that you’re not joking about background and stature. Supplementing an immediate sense of elegance and stature to your car shows that you care about describing yourself and place honor and care in the stature and urbanity of your car. Rims are a assured way to earn some instant social and street credit.

Built to perform and sport, American Racing Estrella Rims understand that there is more to your car than just looking hot after a polish. Each and every series of Rims are made to withstand all the negative forces of modern driving and operations. Built from the bottom up to perform as aggressively as they look, these Rims are ready for everything the road has to send at them.

When you are purchasing a set of Rims the choice shouldn’t burden you. Placing your confidence in a high end manufacturer like American Racing Estrella Rims is a guaranteed method to make sure you buy Rims with a quality that will last you for miles. Producing a quality Custom Rim that can maintain the top of strength and functionality long after the purchase is the kind of reliable accessory you need.

Sporting a extensive catalog of compatible wheels and rims and styles to fit the demands and wishes of any driver for any vehicle these wheels and rims are ready to work with you. Built with a dynamic and trendy design that works well with any ride, it’s easy to see why adding the powerful touch of wheels and rims is easy and easy for anyone.

Lifting yourself apart from the peasantry is paramount in defining yourself. Custom rims offer a wide selection for customizing and unique tweaks and variations to help give your ride that refined and independent look you’re after to ensure that no other vehicle on the road is the same as yours.

Car audio systems only function at their best if they have all the components required, which make the system as a whole. Without subwoofers or speakers you would not be able to listen to high quality music on your stereo – and without amps you would not be able to properly power these! Another component that is being recognised as useful and even vital to high quality music is the capacitor.

One component of a automobile audio system is the capacitor. This part of the car audio system acts as a power storage unit, which stores the unused power for later usage. It essentially regulates power to your amplifier. If there is too much power, it will automatically store the power until it is needed. A capacitor allows you car to power your amp correctly, so that it does not become overloaded or under loaded.

Capacitors are essential to a vehicle’s audio system, especially if you have a system that requires a lot of power. Systems dedicated to bass are in particular need of capacitors due to their high power consumption. If you do not have a capacitor, but own a high power consuming car audio system; expect your amplifier to have trouble with powering the system. At the extreme end, under powering an amplifier can cause long term damage; however, it is more likely that you will lose sound quality. Like any electrical component, if there is simply not enough power for it, quality of output will be sacrificed.

Capacitors range in price, depending on quality and power. These magical reservoirs of power will not help to regulate your car audio system so that it is more consistent but will give you a better quality sound, with more power and energy to it!

If you want a vehicle with new bumper, spoilers, exhausts or you want to change or lower the suspension then chances are you will pay more on your car insurance. So why is this and what can you do about it?

Typically car insurance providers charge higher premiums to drivers of modified cars because they pose a higher risk. For example, the modifications themselves may be unorthodox and difficult to repair or replace in the event of an accident. Indeed any modifications that are made to enhance a vehicle’s performance place drivers at greater risk of being involved in a high speed accident – which would result in a higher payout from the car insurance provider.

Modified cars are also deemed a higher risk because of their enhanced aesthetics. Just as they become more attractive to you as the owner, they also become more attractive to thieves and vandals placing them at greater risk of vehicular crime.

So how can you keep your car insurance costs down?

If you can do without modifications then that is ideal – and certainly if you are a young driver its best to wait until you are over the age of 25 and have built up a no-claims discount or your premiums may be astronomical.

However, assuming you don’t want to wait then at least limit the modifications you make and attempt to curb the risk you pose.

To ward off the threat of car crime, fit security devices such as car alarms, tracking devices and immobilisers. If you ask your insurer before implementing any new technology you may be able to earn a discount for using a recommended product – some insurers will slash premiums by 10 per cent for a car alarm alone.

If your modified car is used for specialist circumstances only – such as for official race days – then agree to a mileage limit. Premiums can be cut by as much as five per cent if you agree to drive the car less than 12,000 miles a year.

Are you interested to find out more about hydrogen and water engines, and how you can have your own too? I know that till today, many people are skeptical about the idea of cars being able to run on water, and it is no surprise because this technology is almost unheard of.

It seems almost impossible that water can generate enough energy to power a car. So why are there rumors of people running their cars with water?

1. Can Cars Really Run On Water Or Hydrogen?

Because I was skeptical yet curious at the same time about this water fuel technology, I went ahead to buy one of the more reputable water powered car guides on the internet, and how I wished I had discovered this technology earlier.

It is not true that an automobile can be fully powered by water. That is a myth because you will need huge volumes if you want to power your car 100% with water. However, you can certainly run your car with a mixture of gasoline AND water. Even better, this system can be created at your own home without having to buy a brand new hybrid car or an expensive hydrogen car kit.

With this technology, drivers can finally escape from the huge burden of rapid rising fuel costs, and save up on the amount of gasoline they have to purchase over and over again.

2. Why Are So Many People Using Water To Run Their Cars?

The gas that is extracted from water called Brown Gas (HHO), burns much cleaner and has less damaging effects on your car engine. Using gasoline in your vehicle engine wears down the mechanics and engine parts in your car quickly. Users who have tried this system also reported an increase in engine life due to less wear and tear.

3. How Does This System Work?

For this system to work, water needs to be split by electrolysis to obtain the HHO gas. Since water is made up of H2O, it has the necessary elements of this gas. Brown Gas has been proven to be three times more powerful than gasoline and also burns more cleanly.

4. Conclusion

If you wish to use this hydrogen water technology, you should download an instruction manual from the internet to learn the exact steps and see diagrams of the setup process. Hopefully you have got a new perspective on water engines, and understand why people are choosing to use water over gasoline.

Co-brand Credit card offers are almost becoming comical. Just as it’s common to find multiple selections; from several companies, for different types of breakfast cereal with assorted flavors, varying nutritional values, plus prizes, recipes, even discounts for other products, now credit card issuers; who have long included rewards with their cards, are now re-packaging their credit card offers to the extent of cereal manufacturers.

You can obtain credit cards of varying brands (like cereal flavors), with interest rates (nutritional value) for people of all credit ratings, and with rewards (prizes) included. Browsing card offers today is much like perusing cereal boxes.

Just as you allow your children to pick out their desired brand of cereal, you may want to consider them when you choose a credit card. A credit card that offers family entertainment rewards, such as Chase’s Disney Credit Card, may provide your family with mutual benefits. If you are in the market for purchasing a new auto, a GM Card may be a better choice.

It’s obvious that card issuers now have a plethora of brands with a broad range of rewards, with the objective to obtain new customers. But why; exactly, are retailers and the travel and entertainment industries co-branding these card offers?

Retailers have had a long alliance with card issuers, most notably retailers such as J.C. Penny and Sears. And airlines have been included for some time. But now the travel and entertainment industries are becoming an even larger ingredient of the rewards, for the sake of their own customer acquisition.

Generally, the first things to be erased from a family budget during a financial hardship are vacation and entertainment savings. To deter this; purveyors of travel and entertainment co-brand with credit card issuers to retain and lure new customers. Although on the outside the alliances may seem sinister, consumers can actually benefit by receiving points, discounts, even cash back from purchases. Plus these alliances can also be beneficial for the economy by aiding the recovery of a recession.

It’s all about customer acquisition and retention. When baby boomers were children, there were only a fraction of the ads that consumers are exposed to today. Merchants were much more competitive and reluctant to forge alliances, and about the only co-branding that occurred was when one company purchased another.

The strategies have changed, and if you had applied recently for a credit card; whether or not you were accepted, no doubt you received pre-approved credit card offers from other issuers as well. In your daily mail you may have been bombarded with solicitations from retailers, airline and entertainment merchants who obtained your name and address from the credit card company. Often credit card issuers will sell applicant names and addresses to other entities, which may solicit you based upon your application information. If you had applied for a joint credit card and claimed to be a home-owner; for example, your information may be sold to a home products retailer such as Home Depot, who may offer you their store charge card. Hence, the alliances credit card issuers are developing with merchants goes deeper than the co-branding you see on the face of the credit card. Again, though this may seem like a conspiracy to delve into consumer pockets, these alliances can benefit consumers with discounts and points.

In addition to the typical things consumers look for when choosing a credit card, like the interest rates, fees and credit limits, consumers should also decide which rewards will benefit them most. Just as in shopping for cereal, the prize (rewards) may not be worth the cost (interest/fee) for the card.

And the next time you grocery shop, don’t be surprised if you see a GM credit card offer advertised on a cereal box… but will the GM card stand for General Motors, or General Mills?

When something seems too good to be true, it usually isn’t. Remember that amazing deal on the Brooklyn Bridge? But, that’s not the case with lift kits. Whether you’re looking to compensate for those larger tires or just want a little extra lift to position yourself above the herd, inexpensive lift kits are affordable and easy to install yourself. Suspend your disbelief and prepare to be amazed!

Lift kits come in two formats: a body kit and a suspension kit. As its name implies, a body kit raises a vehicle’s body, but the stock suspension system remains the same height. On the other hand, a suspension kit raises the actual height of the stock suspension component, which also raises the body of the rig.

Though somewhat time-consuming, installing a lift kit is a fairly simple process. Unlike older kits, current models like the Jeep Wrangler, Suburban and Sierra lift kit, are custom-configured to each make, model and year. Plus, many kits are engineered to bolt directly onto your stock suspension without any modification-no welding, chopping or fabricating required. Even if you’re not brave enough to take on the job yourself, you can still save a ton of money by buying the parts separately and paying for the labor at a local shop.

But, for those who are brave enough, here’s a general overview of the process.

Begin by elevating the vehicle with a trolley jack or lift unit so all four wheels are off the ground. After removing the wheels, you can disconnect the sway bar, tie rods and the control arm. After that, carefully remove each shock, strut and coil from the wheels.

Next, make note of the amount of space between the strut top plate and the bottom of each shock. You can then use a spring compressor to compress each spring and remove each rubber unit of the shock array components. Once the rubber components are removed, new lift kit rubber elements and plates can be mounted in their place.

After new plates and rubber shock units are reinstalled and bolted on tight, attach each shock by adhering to the measurements previously noted. The skid plates can now be removed and the bolts and fasteners holding up the differential are taken out. Doing so allows for the spacers, which are mounted between the differential and cross supports.

When the spacing units are mounted correctly in place, the skid plates are reconnected and the shock absorbers are aligned, the job is complete and the vehicle should be lifted according to the specifications of the kit.

When you modify the height of your vehicle, pay close attention to your suspension system. The suspension in your car or truck supports the weight of the vehicle, its passengers and cargo. Lift kits, like the Silverado or Ford F150 lift kits, raise your vehicle higher off its center of gravity, increasing the amount of effort the suspension has to put out. So, be prepared to add performance-grade suspension components to avoid excessive body squat and dive while accelerating or braking, keeping your suspension performing safely and at its peak.