Tag: Auto Repair

Auto Tools For The DIY’er

If you are a car owner who occasionally works on his or her own car, please don’t go out and spend thousands of dollars on high priced tools. Professional mechanics make a living with their tools and need the best. If you are doing minor repairs on your own vehicles a lower cost tool set will do just fine. We have teamed up with AutoBarn.com to bring you the best price on tools for the DIYer. Keep in mind you can find most of these tools at your local parts store, but probably not at these prices. Let’s look at the basics you will need for most common jobs.
The oil change:
Lifting tools: To gain access to the oil pan you need to get the front wheels off of the ground safely. Never leave the car supported only by a jack. A good set of jack stands or ramps are the safest way to go. Also don’t forget to chock up the rear wheels to keep the car from sliding back. Even though you may have the emergency brake set, they can fail.
Oil filter wrench: Nothing is more frustrating than trying to get an oil filter off without the right wrench. I have gone to the extent of poking a screwdriver through the filter to spin it off….. this is not the cleanest way to change an oil filter.
Funnel: You have to get the new oil into the engine, and the less you spill, the less will burn off later while driving. Any funnel will do, but look for one with a long flexible neck, which will help getting into those tight places.
The brake job:
Disc brakes: You will need some special hex or torx sockets to get the caliper loose. Do not try using the wrong tool like a vise-grips or filed down bit…. you will damage the bolts. You will also need to retract the brake pistons once you have the old pads out. Using a C-clamp does work, but you have to be careful not to damage the pistons.
Drum brakes: There are special tools, which allow you to remove the clips, which hold the shoes to the backing plate. Also you will need an adjuster to adjust the shoes once you have everything back together.
Bleeding the brakes: Get a good kit, which includes a sealed container to collect the expelled brake fluid.
General tools:
A good Quality Tool Set: Make sure you have metric wrenches as all import cars have metric fasteners and most if not all-new domestic cars do also. If you plan on doing advanced work, or plan on eventually working as a professional mechanic consider buying a set of Craftsman tools. I have found them to be the best value and you cannot beat the lifetime guarantee. Plus wherever you are, there is a Sears store to take your broken tools in for replacement.
Auto Repair Manual: You wouldn’t bake a cake without a recipe…. would you?? Make sure you have a manual by your side before you start working on your car. I can only give you general guidelines, but the manual will give you all of the specifics for your car, truck or SUV.

The Comprehensive Guide To Finding The Right Home Owner’s Insurance Policy

Just when you think things are going well and that nothing bad could possibly happen to your home, something unexpected could cause some major damage. This is exactly why every homeowner out there needs to be properly insured, and the tips in this article will help you find a great homeowners’ policy.

To save money on your homeowners insurance talk to your agent and see if the company provides discounts for installing additional smoke detectors. Many older homes lack them in areas that are considered standard places to install today and many insurance companies will provide a discount as an incentive for you to add more.

Update your home owners’ insurance policy regularly. Your original insurance policy took the original number of bedrooms, bathrooms, construction type and location into consideration. Contact your insurance agent every time you make significant improvements on your home, such as added a swimming pool or increased the number of rooms, so they can reimburse you for the repair costs that might occur.

To save money when buying homeowners insurance, consider putting an alarm system in. Most major underwriters will give a discount for a home that has a monitored alarm installed. Many times the discount you get will add up to more than what you pay for the monthly monitoring cost.

Finding an apartment that has a good security system is going to save you a good bit of money on your renter’s insurance premiums. It must be the type of system that is directly linked to a monitoring center that is directly linked to fire and police departments. This will keep you safer and save you money at the same time.

Be aware of what your home insurance actually covers. A regular home insurance policy doesn’t cover things such as flood damage. This type of insurance needs to be purchased separately through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Another thing to consider is earthquake damage. If this is something that you may experience, you will have to buy specialized coverage from a private home insurance company. Luckily, both of these types of coverage are relatively inexpensive.

When considering home insurance, be sure to check with different providers to see if they have discounts for having multiple policies with them. You may be entitled to quite a discount if you have multiple policies with the same provider, such as home, auto, and life insurance. If they don’t offer a discount, ask them why. If you haggle you may get results, otherwise you should consider your options.

If you are struggling to make the monthly payments on your homeowner’s insurance, considering raising your deductible. Just like with health or auto insurance, having a higher deductible means lower risk to the insurer and lower monthly rates. However, this should only be used with homes that are not likely to suffer small maintenance issues, as the homeowner ends up with those costs.

When life decides to rear the ugly side of its head, you could very well end up losing everything you own. Make sure you never leave anything to chance. Take the tips you just read to heart and go out and purchase a low-priced, high-quality insurance package for your home.

Work At Home – A Home Business Vs A Work-At-Home Job

The at-home work force is increasing exponentially every year. As more and more people begin working from home, the lines and definitions between jobs and a business are beginning to get blurred. But, there is a difference between a home business and a work-at-home job. Keep reading for a clear outline of these basic distinctions.

Basically, a home based business is any business where the primary office is located in someone’s home – usually the owner’s. In fact, most companies start out this way – from simple tinkering in the garage to typing away in the spare room. From Microsoft to Ben & Jerry’s, many successful business got their start the home-based way. If you are planning on launching your own home business and being your own boss, make sure that it’s legal. While most zoning laws won’t crack down on a basic home office, they will lay down the law when it comes to a noisy auto repair business, illegal daycare or opening a store-front on your lawn.

Once your home-based business begins to earn income, you will need to begin thinking about registering your business, filing business taxes, and essentially running your home-based business in a legal and professional manner.

Meanwhile, a work-at-home job is a little different. Unlike a business where you manage yourself, in an at-home job you are responsible to a supervisor. Whether you do legal transcription, bookkeeping, fund raising, customer service, programming, or web design – if you are working solely for an outside business, a business with offices outside of your home, then you are working an at-home job. A work-at-home job may allow you to direct your hours and workspace, but the essential control and direction of the business will be out of your hands and that is the primary difference between a home business and a work-at-home job.

Not All Home Owner’s Insurance Policies Are Created Equal

If you are looking for basic information regarding homeowner’s insurance plus some other tips that you might not have heard of, this article is for you.

When you have homeowners insurance and something happens that would require the use of your policy, make sure to make the insurance claim as soon as possible after the incident to avoid any discrepancy. If you wait this could complicate the process and often make the repair time much longer.

To reduce the price of your home insurance, you need to decrease the risks of accident. You can start by buying fire proof furniture and materials. Install smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. Your insurance company will consider your home as safer, and in case of fire you should be able to contain the fire more easily.

When building an addition to your home, consider insurance factors during the design process. Depending on the insurance carrier and region of the country, using durable construction materials like concrete can reduce insurance premiums for the new addition. These materials are less likely to be damaged by time or natural disaster, which means your insurance carrier may charge less to insure the new addition.

When considering home insurance, be sure to check with different providers to see if they have discounts for having multiple policies with them. You may be entitled to quite a discount if you have multiple policies with the same provider, such as home, auto, and life insurance. If they don’t offer a discount, ask them why. If you haggle you may get results, otherwise you should consider your options.

Finding an apartment that has a good security system is going to save you a good bit of money on your renter’s insurance premiums. It must be the type of system that is directly linked to a monitoring center that is directly linked to fire and police departments. This will keep you safer and save you money at the same time.

Make sure to get homeowner’s insurance when you purchase a house. People sometimes forget about insurance because they are too busy dealing with other matters. If something disastrous happens to your home, such a fire, hurricane, or flood, your homeowner’s insurance will help pay all or some of the repair costs.

Review your homeowner’s insurance policy every year to make sure it still accurately reflects your situation. Keep track of additions or changes to your house that might call for discounts or premium reductions. Do not neglect your neighborhood, either. The installation of new services nearby (e.g. a new fire hydrant close to your house), may also call for lower insurance payments.

Pick an insurance company you are comfortable with. You need to be able to trust your insurance company. Before purchasing your policy do research on the company you choose and look at the company’s complaints and at the customer satisfaction rating. Doing business with an insurance company you trust is important.

As you have seen, there is quite a bit of information in regards to homeowner’s insurance. Hopefully, you will find these tips beneficial when making decisions regarding homeowner’s insurance.

Tips on What to Do After an Auto Accident

Car accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. According to Car-Accidents.net, they occur approximately 6.4 million times each year.

Although being involved in a car accident can be overwhelming, knowing what to do in the moments following a fender-bender can help alleviate some of the stress and confusion of the situation.

The service specialists at Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge offer the following tips on how to handle a car accident:

* Don’t leave the vehicle. Following an accident, most drivers will want to exit their vehicles to check for damage or speak with others involved. Ideally, drivers should call the police and remain in their cars until the authorities arrive. Drivers can protect themselves – both physically and legally – by remaining in their vehicles and allowing the police to process the scene.

* Carry a disposable camera. Although the police report should capture the details of the accident, it is always helpful to take photos for your own documentation.

* After police are notified, call a towing service. You should know exactly who is towing your vehicle and where it will be taken. For easy access, keep a small business card in your wallet that contains the numbers of several tow-truck companies and your dealership’s service department.

* Call your insurance company. Most people think of this as something to do later, but calling from the scene will help to expedite the processing and administering of your claim. And, you will be able to relay accurate information in real time instead of relying on memory.

* Get an estimate on vehicle damage. Insurance companies may require only one estimate on vehicle damage. However, it behooves the driver to get several estimates, which may vary greatly. Review these reports carefully to understand what you are paying and what the insurance company will cover. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Reputable repair shops will gladly address questions regarding the required repairs.

Recall: Not Necessarily A Bad Word

Recalls may sound bad at first but they may actually make you safer. They are simply an action by the manufacturer to remedy a safety or emissions-related concern regarding a vehicle defect or regulatory requirement. It may require that you return your vehicle to the dealer for service. If your vehicle is not affected, it may be because it was built at a different time or using a different part than the affected vehicles.

A safety recall can be issued on either a whole vehicle or on a piece of equipment within a vehicle, when the manufacturer uncovers a “noncompliance with a Federal motor vehicle safety standard.” In people-speak, that means when a piece of equipment in a specific line of vehicles shows a defect.

In most cases, the remedy is as simple as repairing or replacing the equipment in question. It is usually covered by the vehicle’s warranty, or the manufacturer may extend the vehicle’s warranty for the recalled part. Naturally, the sooner you have the recalled item replaced or repaired, the less you have to worry about the performance of your vehicle.Ê

While manufacturers attempt to contact all affected vehicle owners, with some 40+ million used vehicles changing hands annually, the task can be daunting. Many car owners may not receive official notice of a recall. That’s why used-car owners and even shoppers need to be proactive in learning about existing recalls. Carfax, for example, works with a number of auto manufacturers to display information on open recalls, directly benefiting consumers. Here are some steps you might take:

• Ask the dealer. Ask him if there are any outstanding recalls on the vehicle or its parts. Often, dealers remedying one recall will check to see if there are any other open recalls on the vehicle and offer to repair them as well, but it never hurts to ask!

Does The Coverage And Deductibles You Have On Your Personal Auto Policy Apply To A Rental Car?

When you rent a car, there’s always that moment of truth, the moment when the salesperson asks you if you would like to purchase insurance (or more accurately, a loss waiver) through the rental company. According to most of these salespeople, if you do not purchase the insurance (which can bump the price of your rental up $20 per day or more) the consequences for the slightest scuff on the door will send you spiraling into bankruptcy. The cost of insurance at the rental car counter may also vary depending on the rental car company, state and the type of car you wish to rent. Car rental insurance can be complicated and you might even feel pressured into purchasing it, but before you commit yourself to spending the money on a loss waiver, take a moment to think about some other options.

Car Insurance

If you carry comprehensive and collision coverage, your personal auto policy will generally cover the cost of replacing or repairing a stolen or damaged rental car. Because each insurance company is a little different, however, it is a good idea to speak with your insurance agent and confirm that the rental car is covered by your existing policy.

Remember that any deductibles you have will apply to the rental car. For instance, if you have a $500 deductible and sustain $450 worth of damage, you will be responsible for the full cost. If you have a $500 deductible and sustain $1000 worth of damage, you will be responsible for the first $500 and the insurance company will pay for the balance.

Remember, too, that for your rental car to be covered you must carry comprehensive and collision insurance. If your insurance protects you only against liability, it will not cover the cost to repair or replace a rental car if it is wrecked or stolen. You may also want to take note that in the event of a car accident with the rental car, your personal insurance premium may go up in cost.

Credit Cards

Some credit card companies offer rental insurance benefits. To find out what each of your credit cards offer, simply call the customer service and ask. You may want to shop around a little to find out which of your cards offers the best insurance benefits. When you find the best deal, ask for a copy of the insurance policy in writing. This will allow you to look the policy over carefully to determine that it offers the coverage you need. Having the policy in writing will also put a stop to the he-said-she-said that may occur if a loss does happen.

It’s easy and often tempting to sign on the dotted line and let car rental insurance take care of everything. But if you do so without stopping to investigate other avenues available, you may find yourself paying for car insurance coverage you may already have. Fifteen or twenty minutes of easy research can save you a hefty sum of money and offer you piece of mind.

Personal Finance Tips That Everybody Should Know

Keeping your personal finances in order is one of the most important things you can do to ensure that you and your family avoid unnecessary trouble. Fortunately, doing so doesn’t have to be a chore or an ordeal. This article will give you some tips that will make keeping track of your personal finances a breeze.

Don’t be exclusive! Many companies throw a curve-ball into their contract- a piece saying you can only work with them. If you want to make the most money for yourself, steer clear of those companies that require you to sign these. It’s best to work for a company willing to share the field, not only are they more confident in their products, but they also are more likely to have your best interests in mind.

If you love to watch movies or play video games, rent these instead of purchasing the disc. This will go a long way in reducing the expenses that you have, while giving you the same level of enjoyment. Renting is a great alternative to help save money on all of your entertainment.

A little maintenance, such as keeping the proper tire pressure or changing oil and other fluids at proper times, saves a lot of money by preventing damage. Tires and engines last longer and the mechanic may spot other problems while they are still small and relatively easy to repair. Your car runs better, gets better gas mileage and you save money.

If you are searching for a mortgage or auto loan, do your shopping relatively quickly. Unlike with other types of credit (e.g. credit cards), a number of inquiries within a short period of time for the purpose of securing a mortgage or auto loan won’t hurt your score very much.

Do not rush out and buy the newest product on the market when it first comes out. You may find that waiting until they hype has died down can save you big money in the end. You may not be able to brag to your friends but you will have cash in your pocket!

Enlist the help of a friend to cut the fat from your spending. Let a trusted friend or family member look at your budget and spending habits. Sometimes the unbiased eye of another person will bring to light an area in which you can but back or are overspending.

Do not overlook credit unions when you are looking for a place to open a checking or savings account. Credit unions usually offer higher interest rates and lower fees than commercial banks. However, the services offered and access to ATMs might be limited. Still, credit unions are a good alternative if you are looking for higher interest rates.

Maintaining your personal finances is very important, so don’t neglect your education on this matter. By keeping your financial house in order, you will be able to avoid many common pitfalls and difficulties that too many people encounter. The advice you’ve learned in this article will help you stay on a smooth road to financial prosperity.

Protect Your Home When You Follow These Homeowners Insurance Tips

Homeowner’s insurance is an important financial safety net, in the case of disaster or accidents. However, it can be confusing to choose the right level of coverage, so that you will be covered in the ways you need, without overpaying. Follow the advice in the article below to choose the right policy for you.

It could be worth using your savings to pay for minor damage repairs. Any type of claim with your home insurance company will increase your annual premiums. The increase could be more than what it would cost you to repair the damage yourself, so in order to protect your no-claims discount, consider not involving your home insurance provider when small amounts of damage occur to your home.

To keep your house safe and avoid filing costly home insurance claims, make sure to clean your chimney regularly. If the chimney becomes clogged you could end up with major smoke or fire damage within your home. The cost of having it cleaned is far less than it would be to repair your home!

Keep as many policies with the same company as possible to reduce your total premium. Many insurance carriers offer discounts for customers with multiple lines of insurance. If you keep your home owner’s insurance and auto insurance with the same carrier, you may reap a significant discount on both policy premium totals.

Pay off your entire mortgage before trying to get insurance for your home. This can help reduce your premium rates by substantial amounts. The reason for this is that insurance companies figure that their customers who own their homes are more likely to take better care of it, thus reducing the risk of problems.

If you are looking to lower your homeowner’s insurance premium, you may want to consider installing a burglar alarm. An alarm monitored by a central location or through your local police may lower your annual premiums by five percent or more. Show proof of this to your insurance company, and begin seeing the benefits of lower premiums.

Keeping the annual insurance premiums low is a concern for many homeowners. One way to do so is to choose a policy with a higher deductible. The bigger the deductible, the smaller the premiums will be. Just be sure you have enough cash on hand to take care of smaller repairs that you’ll now have to pay for.

When adding a feature such as a swimming pool or trampoline to your home, factor in insurance costs and recommendations in the project. Defined as attractive nuisances, these features have increased risks associated with them can increase premium, but following recommendations like adding a secure fence and gate can offset the expense somewhat.

By following these simple tips, you will be able to choose a policy that will work for you in terms of price and coverage and learn how to use it. You will be able to find the right insurance to protect yourself, in the case of an accident or disaster, affecting your home.

A Look At Automotive Franchise Opportunities

If you’re interested in getting into automotive franchise opportunities, then you’ll want to read this article. Specifically in this article we’ll discuss franchise opportunities as they relate to the automotive industry, how to evaluate which one is right for you, and give you some points to consider. Follow the information in this article, and you’ll make sound business decisions.

There are several different automotive franchise opportunities — auto parts stores, oil changing services, specialized automotive insurance, and even repair businesses such as windshields or brakes. How do you know which one you should invest in?

First, there are several things you need to consider. Is your passion for automobiles higher than your passion for profit? You have to analyze how important money is compared to enjoying running your business. Also, if you’re very passionate about the franchise, that means you can work with a long-term strategy, instead of a short-term profit model. Things to consider — most automotive franchise opportunities involve a busy atmosphere, a lot of interaction with other people, and specialized knowledge.

Second, the range of initial investments for different automotive franchise opportunities is all over the board. Naturally, how much money you are willing to invest has great impact on what kind of franchise opportunities you can get into. For example, if you purchase a franchise as a GPS distributor, you can get into a franchise agreement for under $10,000.

While the franchise fee for being a GPS distributor may seem low, you should look at the overall picture. Will investing in a low cost franchise help you reach your financial goals, or will you be forced to buy more units, possibly even get back into the corporate world? If you cannot afford to buy a franchise that will allow you to enjoy life outside of working at your location, then you should consider waiting until you have the cash liquidity to do so. I’d rather see a franchisee wait an extra 5 years and open a full service automotive repair shop that profits the franchisee over 100k a year rather then him being out of business by buying into a low cost franchise that promised him the dreams.

Finally, if you’re going to get into any franchise in the automotive industry, you must analyze the franchise agreement before accepting it. The best thing to do here is to get a franchise lawyer, to make sure your rights are protected and the agreement is reasonable. In the agreement, you’ll learn what franchising fee you’re required to pay, what products you are allowed to sell, where you can locate your store, sometimes even down to the hours required to be open and operated.

In conclusion, picking the right automotive franchise opportunity comes down to what you want out of the business, where your expertise lies in, and how much money you have to invest and what kind of agreements you can strike. A little research goes a long ways — do the needful to enjoy a good franchise investment.