Automotive Talk 2 Way

Winter Driving In The UK

2010-01-23T15:46:24Z

if you wanted to learn how to drive in slippy conditions then then this was the year to learn it. Just before Chirstmas until weeks into the new year, the snow just came and came down on the UK. The demand for car panels and bumpers went through the roof as we just could not keep the car on the road or our distance. It seems that the only vehicles getting form a to be were for by fours and the odd rubber tracked vehicle. Yes if you don’t own a mini digger or excavator you may wish you did own one in this weather, these little rubber tracked units have bben claering garage forecourts and driveways all over the place. The ironic thing is, they are not that expensive to buy and the certain parts are not that expensive either. take rubber tracks for instance. Some of these can be bought for £99 or so, quiet cheap if you have a business tyhat will suffer, becuase people cannnot get to you because of the snow.
Even 4×4 owners were finding it hard in some areas, where as in other areas they were lapping it up, speeding by us on dula carriageways, why we were stuck at 30mph. It will insteresting to know how many cars broke down becuase of cylinder head issues, but as the thaw continues we will soon know.

General Notes On Breakdown Cover

2010-01-01T12:26:59Z

If your car has broken down in an unknown city, you shouldn’t be worried. Call the breakdown cover services provider. There are many service providers in the metros. Breakdown cover services have different elements working together which ensure that the best service in the minimum possible time. When you call in for help the Breakdown cover service provider have a 24 by 7 call center which records the call and relays it to the technical department. There are small and medium sized vehicles roaming around different positions in the city. Once alerted the vans reach the designated point and ensure the snag is corrected and you are put on road.

Written by guest blogger Sunil

Looking At Breakdown Cover In India

2010-01-01T12:25:12Z

Breakdown cover services in India are quite new, however, there are many who provide these facilities. In case you are in Delhi and NCR region you would get lot of private providers from MyTVS, RACE, SPEED etc to name a few. In Mumbai, WIAA (western India Automobile association) comes to rescue. However, the breakdown facility is only limited to Mahim on the western end and Sion on the central end of the city. It can handle minor repairs, towing facility is also provided. This facility is provided between 8 am to 12 pm only, on 0222041085. A web check would reveal some name which provide towing facilities, like Ask Top Gear services, available from 9.30 to 18.30 hours on 022 61620609. There are other service providers like SK Towing services available 24 by 7, on 022 67731764.

Reference sites:
http://mumbai.justdial.com/s-k-towing-services_goregaon-west_Mumbai_hFtMpB9ajrwzehyvPrsq.htm
And http://www.cybersteering.com/wiaa/services/services.html

Blowing a Gasket in the Cold

2009-12-03T10:54:59Z

Well as forecast the cold weather did hit us and speaking for a gagage that specialises in buying cars that are non runners, gues what was the most common form or breakdown? Yes it was that cylinder head gasket fault. You know the one, it is where a vehicle owner does not fill up with antifreeze and the changing temperature pushes water in to the cylinders.

As it happens I was looking for a cheap runaround and sure enough within one day there were 3 to choose from, all bought at silly low prices as a non runner and then with £50 worth of parts and half a days work, all three were back on the road again.

The breakdown cover guys are getting calls for the same thing. My car wont start!! “very sorry, it is becuase yuo did not put antifreeze into your car, I can’t fix this, you need to trake to a garage”. Away goes the breakdown cover man shaking his head wondering when many drivers will wake up to such a simple process that can save you a fortune.

Can’t say this many more times, get your antifreeze levels checked.

Heavy Machinery Parts

2009-11-28T14:28:08Z

We think about repairing cars as hard or heavy work, but is worthwhile taking time out to think if the engineers and mechanics who work on heavy machinery or plant as they are sometine known. in some ways the technology is the same as our cars, in others simpler and in other harder to work on.

The technology does seem to enjoy replacement parts more than the domestic car. Take an excavator undercarriage for example (the whole rubber tracked assembly of an excavator), this can be repaired or even replaced if need be, but on a domestic car, often parts like this are just too expensive new to justify the replacement. Even small parts such as clip on rubber pads, that attach to rubber tracks. these parts are readily available and because it often costs the business more money in down time that the parts themselves, these are easily and quickly replaced , often on site.

So the relaity is that these machine are often heavier and dirtier, but can often be repaired easier than a car, because of the bolt on process of these vehicles. It would great is cars were more like this, but in reality, they could cost more and just not look as good as they do today.

Changing Brake Pads

2009-11-10T14:17:31Z

There are some jobs that can be done by just about anyone, but with a little safety advice and a helping hand. Here we have a video explaining how to change the brake pads on a car, that would probably apply to 90% of the cars on the road.
Most brake pads will last 30,000 miles or so, depending on how you drive the car and few other factors. It should only tale a few hours and experienced guys will do it in an hour. get alook and decided whether it is something you would like to try on your car.

1 Million Learn To Drive Each Year

2009-11-03T10:28:58Z

Each year in the UK it is estimated that 1 million people will learn to drive, or at least buy driving lessons with the intention of doing so. This should be no surprise because in reality there are few things that will change someone’s life so dramatically. We take driving for granted nowadays or at least those who have already passed their driving test, but if you could look back in time and consider what life would be like without the convenience of a motor car, many just would not have anything like the quality of life they have now.
Take your job for example, how many people would be able to have their current position if they could not drive to work. In fact many would not be able to attend the interview. If you take an average office and establish where each member of staff worked, no one should be surprised at the diversity of location people will travel from to gain employment, the days of everyone living in the same village as the factory has just about gone.

This is not a history lesson but a reminder of how important the car has become to us in everyday life and how many have forgotten what it was like without one, prior to passing their driving test. We can talk all day about repairing cars, or driving them or even leasing that new motor. But the truth is, if that initial period of buying driving lessons and then passing the driving test had not occurred, all the information about car will have little impact on you. Recession or no recession, learning to drive is and will remain to be one of the most important decisions anyone will make in their lives.

Lets Become a Driving Instructor

2009-10-13T08:35:33Z

If you watch any kind of comercial TV in the UK you can’t have missed the intensive advertising campaign from organisations wanting to change peoples lives by training them to be a driving instructor. The message is that you can earn up to £30k a year with fully maintained car working the hours you want to suit your lifestyle.

This is all happening at a time when most people feel their current job is insecure and redundancies seem to be an everyday occurance. Rather than selling the process of becoming a driving instructor the adverts are very much aimed at selling the dream, of a good wage, modern car and flexible working hours, in fact it all seems too easy.

Nothing is mentioned about the prior research to who are the competition in the area, how much will it cost to market the new business and the reality of much they will really earn? With competition bringing driving lessons down to £10 a lesson in certain areas for block bookings, you can’t understand how any driving instructor can make his £30K and still have the flexibility of working their own hours. Anyway driving instructor training looks like it will be very popular and if the amount of drivers increase, then it may be the best decision for some.

Draining Your Car Radiator

2009-10-11T20:20:44Z

If you intend to any major engine work on your car, one of the first things you will need to do is drain the car’s radiator. Not to mention you may want to cleans the cooling system of you car from time to time. Here is a video that describes how to do this relatively simple job, providing the car is cool of course, so saftey is a main issue.

Simple Job Check Your Transmission Fluid

2009-10-11T20:20:35Z

OK to you and me the transmission is the gearbox, either manual or automatic. just like the engine it needs lubrication fluid to keep it right and trouble free. This is an American video but shows you how easy it to check your transmission fluid, expecially on front wheeled drive vehciles, where the gearbox is under the bonnet with the engine.
You can do this job in minutes and to be honest most gearboxes can outlive the car, so dont expect to find much wrong.