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Simple Steps To Car Insurance Comparison

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Car insurance comparison acts as a simple way to get your preferred insurance plan. However the ignorance of people about the right way of car insurance comparison prevents them from getting an appropriate car insurance plan.
Further you will learn the simple steps to approach the right insurer by effective car insurance comparison.

High premium rates should not be your 1st concern
One may get elusive about so many car insurance plans out there in the market. The elusiveness is about not able to understand which plan is the best as per his/her needs. Hence, the best way to figure out the same is car insurance comparison. Mostly, people go for car insurance comparison when they find their current premium rates shoot high.

Most of the insurance companies change their premium rates prior to certain time period. Hence, it becomes a logical step for anybody to do car insurance comparison online and find out the insurer who is providing maximum coverage at lowest premiums.

Present insurance documents must be kept handy
While comparison, you might need to fill in the details pertaining to your current insurance. Therefore, it is a wise step to have your current insurance documents if any close by you. Otherwise, their absence can lead you to quote with completely intangible coverage options.

Benefit of quoting state minimum liability
Quoting state minimum liability can get you insurance at cheaper rate. However, it is possible only when one has a high liability and full coverage plan.
Be careful while you rate your drivers

One needs to ensure that he/she rates all the drivers of the vehicle based on each persons driving record. Ignoring, leaving one & adding another can skew the results.
Get maximum coverage for all possible liabilities

Choosing a coverage plan with lower liability exposes you to much bigger expense risks than what you would save. Always go for a higher liability coverage which will save you against paying for someone elses lawsuit. The lawsuit can relate to injuries, wage loss and pain which can be unduly high. However, when you have higher liability coverage, your insurer will take care of these costs.

Remember to alter the specifications
With time there can be many things or specifications you would want to alter after a period of time. The changes are not inevitable. However, there may come appoint where the changes are necessary. The change can be one or changes can be multiple.
For example, you might want to incorporate certain changes which refer to the driver names after a period of time.

Whatever change you want to make, you should make it first on your current policy.

High switching costs

Ensure that you avoid high switching costs. These costs relate to the cost when you move over from your current policy to another only to find that the original policy was cheaper.
Therefore, car insurance comparison if done rightly remembering the above steps in mind will get you the best insurance you need.

Car Insurance for Your Ford Galaxy Will a Higher Deductible Policy Work for You

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The law here in the UK mandates that everyone who drives a car must be insured by at least the minimum amount of liability coverage. Liability coverage covers any damage that you may do to another driver, his passengers, or his vehicle in the event you are the cause of a motor vehicle accident. However, liability coverage does not cover any damage to your own vehicle. You may also elect to cover your car with comprehensive coverage. Comprehensive coverage is what covers damage to your own vehicle in the event of an accident or theft. As you look for car insurance for your Ford Galaxy, you may want to consider the effect that your deductible has on your premiums.

A car insurance premium is the amount you pay for insurance coverage. Premiums can be higher or lower depending on the level of coverage you select, your driving history, the car you own, whether or not you have any extras included in your plan, and the deductible you have included in your coverage.

A deductible is your “share” of what has to be paid in the event of an accident or other damage to your vehicle and in case of theft. If your Ford Galaxy has to be repaired or replaced, you must pay the deductible and your insurance company will pay the rest. But you may not be aware that you can change the deductible on your policy. Changing the deductible will affect the premium you pay.

Let’s say that you have a car insurance plan that indicates that you have a deductible of 500.00. Each and every time you make a claim against your insurance policy for damage to or theft of your vehicle, you must pay 500.00. If your car is damaged and the repair bill is 1,500.00, you must pay 500.00, and your insurance company will pay 1,000.00. If your vehicle is damages and the repairs cost 501.00, you must pay 500.00, and your insurance company will pay 1.00. If your car is damaged and the repair bill is 450.00, you must pay the full amount because it is less than the amount of your deductible.

By raising the amount of your deductible, you may receive a lower rate on your car insurance premiums. For instance, if you now have a 500.00 deductible, changing your policy so that your deductible is 1,000.00 would mean that your premium, or the amount you pay for your insurance, would be lower. But it is important to understand that higher premiums come with both benefits and drawbacks.

The immediate benefit to a higher deductible is obviously a lower premium. But the higher deductible itself can put you in a financial bind if you are ever involved in an accident or your vehicle is stolen. If you need to make a damage or theft claim against your insurance company, you will be required to pay the 1,000.00 deductible. And if you don’t have your 1,000.00 share of the cost of replacement or repairs, you may not be able to complete the repairs or replacement of your vehicle.

For this reason, it is very important that you consider the repercussions of a higher deductible insurance plan. If a higher deductible may not be reasonable for your budget, you may want to look into other ways to get cheaper car insurance for your Ford Galaxy. Some other discounts you may qualify for include limited mileage discounts, a discount for no claims, a good driver discount, a Pass Plus course discount, an age-based discount such as an over-50 insurance plan, a security discount for parking in a garage, and more.

If your car insurance company is not willing to work with you as far as providing discounts, you can look into eliminating extras from your policy. Many drivers do not really need a roadside assistance or breakdown benefit, nor do most drivers really need a courtesy or rental car option. Removing discounts like these from your car insurance plan can earn you a bit off your overall premium. Compare insurance companies and plans to select the insurance plan that gives you the best coverage for the lowest price.

Eliminating Pesky Auto Squeaks & Rattles From Your Car, Truck Or Suv

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Rattle, rattle. Rattle. Rattle noises sure are irritating. That sound or series of noises may have come with the car when new – somehow getting by quality control at the factory and the factory quality assurance system or they may have been “acquired” after an accident and subsequent auto body repair job. Regardless the relevant question is – how on earth do you get rid of that endless clack or clatter, jangle or pinging sound or series of odd sounds?

It seems that most rattles can be seen to be caused by a loose bolt or nut, Objects such as bolts and small pieces of body deadener in a door wells, pillars and quarter panels often cause rattles. Door wells can be checked by striking the underside of the door with a rubber mallet. The impact made by the mallet will indicate if loose objects are in the doorwell.

All bolts and screws should be tightened periodically. In the event that tightening the bolts and screws located on such assemblies as the door hood and deck lid, does not eliminate the rattle, then the trouble is most likely caused by misalignment. The position of the doors, hoods and deck lids is adjustable and rubber bumpers are provided to help eliminate the possibility of rattles. Make sure that such bumpers are in position.

Rattles and squeaks are sometimes caused by the weather-stripping and anti squeak material that is “out of position” on the doors. Apply additional cement or other adhesives and take care to install the material or materials in the proper location or locations to eliminate this difficulty.

As a general rule in the auto maintenance trades it can be stated that most squeals and rattles can be eliminated by carefully going over the car, truck or sports utility vehicle once or twice a year and making it a solid practice of tightening all bolts, nuts and sheet metal screws joining the various panels and shrouds “under the hood”.

Pay particular attention to the any bolts or fittings attaching the bumper or bumper units.

As well make sure that the door latches and striker plates are tight and also correctly adjusted. Again to note that rattles and squeaks are sometimes caused by weather stripping and anti squeak materials that have somehow slipped out of place. When such conditions do occur, apply additional cement or adhesives and install the material in its proper recommended position to eliminate this difficulty. Lastly if necessary, obtain new weather stripping and sound deadening materials from your local dealer or big box auto supply store or outlet. Install this with the proper or appropriately recommended proper type of cement as recommended by the auto manufacturer themselves for your climate and driving conditions.

In the end when it comes to the nuisance and irritation of rattles the story can be told of a young nephew who enjoyed cracking his “knuckles”. His uncle scolded him and told him that you should not do that – its bad for the joints. The smart aleck kid told his senior “Uncle Henry that is a misconception. On the internet it is reported by experts that cracking your knuckles has no noticeable effect on them in the long run and is of little consequence”. To which the uncle replied “You would be amazed what they do to adult’s nerves”. So is it with auto noises and rattles as these vehicles drive down the road, city streets or highway.

How To Service Your Car (diy)

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It is widely understood that despite a cars age, it should be serviced once every 15,000 klms/ 10,000 miles to keep them up to scratch. If there is any major problem with your car take it to a mechanic straight away as i do not recommend attempting to fix anything yourself.
Ideally to start a service, you will need a pair of car ramps and a drainage bucket, and then the first port of call would be to check the water level in the radiator. You can do this by looking at the header tank and checking that the water is in between the low and high level. If it is low, make sure that the car engines temperature is cold and then look in the top of the radiator. If it is full replace the radiator cap, then top up the radiator header tank so its on the full mark. When changing coolant, use radiator coolant only.
Also check the hoses connected to the motor are not soft and leaking, this should be shown by a powdery substance at the end of the hoses where the clip is situated. If it is not leaking, but is soft, you should replace it on your next service.
Follow this by checking on the fan belts for cuts and nicks that will develop into bigger ones resulting in fan belt breaks that could thus result in breaking down and calling the RAC.
The oil filter is one thing that should be changed every service. The main cause of wear and tear in a motor is dirt and sludge that comes with the running of the motor over a period of time. If the filter is not changed you could end up with a motor that blows smoke and is hard to start. Some car oil filters are in extremely difficult hard-to-reach areas and can be nightmares for beginners, but you can obtain a filter remover from any car parts store.
The oil itself should be of the highest quality and should be the same type as listed in your car service manual. If you do not have a manual, most auto part stores can tell you the amount of oil you need. Make sure you dont over fill capacity because too much oil is worse than not enough. Before you screw the oil filer on, smear the rubber lip with lubricant such as oil or a little grease for easy assembly and next time removal.
After changing the oil, all the air filers need to be changed every time the car is serviced if it is to run smoothly and more economically. Your petrol consumption relies on this very important point, despite the age or transmission of your vehicle.
The battery should be checked for loose ends and terminals and the battery post wipes and cleaning with a rag. Do not use any harsh cleaners, except when they are covered with green particles, then you can remove them with hot boiling water which will clean up the area and a small amount of Vaseline put around the bottom of the post, as this is where acid particles leak from.
The battery cells found under the battery caps have distilled water in them and this should just cover the top of the cells only, not be completely full. The terminals should be tightened firmly so they make good contact.
All the tyres should be checked for wear and tear, especially on the inside of the tire, and the spare checked for pressure and doors and bonnet hood should be coated in dry lube
Automatic transmission should be carried out by a transmission specialist because of the cleanliness involved, if any small particle gets inside the gearbox, it will play havoc with the gearbox. I made that mistake with a friends Kia in Poole, never again. However this should ideally be done every 30,000 klms/20,000 miles and doesnt need to be done every service.
Manual gearbox fluid should be just under the filler hole. If you take out the filler nut and you have oil pouring out all over the ground, it was obviously too full.
When checking the brakes and power steering fluid, ensure it is at the full mark and not over, and to complete the DIY service, check all lights and indicators and replace them if faulty.
After attempting this DIY service, be sure to take it next time round to an actual mechanic to make sure everything is looked over properly, but every second service, if known how, can be done quite easily yourself.
How to change a tyre
One of the most annoying things that can happen to you whilst driving is experiencing a puncture. Slow down to 5mph and pull over to a safe place away from other traffic, and if its dark, preferably near a light. Do not attempt to change a tyre yourself on the hard shoulder or any busy road, call your breakdown company like the AA or RAC to do this for you.
Ensure you have parked on level ground and remove all passengers from the car to a safe place away from any traffic.
If the tyre can be changed easily just follow these simple instructions to help.
1.Obviously make sure you car is parked on level ground with the handbrake on, with the hazard lights flashing.
2.Check that your spare tyre is suitably inflated and make sure you have a car jack, the locking wheel nut (for some cars) and a wheel brace. (All of which should be in the boot)
3.With the car still on the ground remove the hubcap or cover concealing the wheel nuts then use the wheel brace to loosen the nut holding the wheel in place by turning it in an anti-clockwise direction, for half a turn. This can be quite tricky as some nuts need all your body weight to loosen them, be careful of your back.
4.Continue to loosen the nuts by half a turn each, work on opposite ones so the left over support is even.
5.Using the car jack raise the car slowly till the weight of the wheel is high enough off the ground to get it off.
6.Finish removing all the nuts and put them somewhere safe. The wheel should be hanging and can freely be removed.
7.Lift the spare wheel onto the wheel studs, the air valve should be facing outwards
8.Replace the nuts, tightening them in the same pattern as you loosened them.
9.Slowly lower the jack and remove it, then tighten the nuts again, as much as you can. Stand on the wheel brace to make it as tight as possible, but this time in a clockwise direction.
10.Replace the wheel cover or hubcaps and youre free to go.
Changing a tyre on your Kia in Bournemouth doesnt always require calling your breakdown cover. I wouldnt recommend doing this alone for the first time, but if you are with someone else, it could be a learning opportunity, and it is always a handy skill to know should ever you get a puncture and you dont have breakdown cover.

Car Loans – Drive In What Your Heart Desired

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Fancy cars are something that everyone dreams of. Be it rich or not so rich, each and every one has a favourite car, they would do anything to own. The option of borrowing money from family members and close ones to buy a car is not a good option. Neither is to sell property or gold a good choice. Fancy cars catch everyone attention. So what must you do in order to own your favourite car, rather than just staring at others who own it? Opt for Car Loans.

These loans are of two types. Secured and unsecured. Depending on which scheme suits you better, you can opt accordingly. The primary difference between the two is that in case of secured type, you must mortgage property with the lender, which need not be done in case of unsecured type.

As the lender understands that you will not compromise on the model or quality of your dream car, due to poor finances, you are given a wide range of total cash amounts to choose from. Your cash limit starts from 2000 and ends at 50,000. The lender also understands that you need sufficient time to repay this amount. Therefore you are given 1 to 5 years to clear your debts. Even though this time is usually enough, you can ask the lender for an extension, sighting valid reasons, which will be granted along with an added interest rate.

Car loans have their own merits and demerits. In case of secured type of finances, its merits are that the interest rate levied is lower than unsecured kind of credits. Keeping this into consideration, the candidate must also note that for secured category, you must mortgage some property holdings with the lender. The worth of the belongings must be in agreement with that of the whole sum rented. If you are ineffective in clearing your debts, your land holdings will be ceased.

On the other hand, in case of unsecured kind of credits, its main advantage is that you are not required to credit any land holdings with the company manager. This puts the company manager at a danger of losing a large amount of cash. In this case, where the lender has no safety, you must prove to him, your capability to repay your advance. In order to do so, you must be employed in an alleged company.

So as to qualify to avail Car loans, you must be a United Kingdom citizen, who is above 18 years of age. You must also have an active bank account along with a job that pays enough to clear your loan in time, in case of unsecured type. You must own property to redeem the secured type.

You can also apply online to receive this cash help. Once the lender confirms that your provided credentials are true, you are entitled to receive Car loans.

Antonio Vargas has been associated with finance world. That provides useful knowledge to find the various types of loans. such as cheap car loans, secured car loans.

Some Car Stereo Improvement Ideas

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A car stereo is a very important factor for the enjoyment of driving a car. You can enjoy your drive that much more if you have a good stereo in your car. Most car stereos have come a long way in terms of improvement in design and quality. The car stereos of today have the best of basic facilities apart from high-end technologies that give the listener an added advantage. In this article you will learn about some car stereo improvement ideas.

In the past, when car stereos were new to the market, not much was available in terms of technology nor design nor additional facilities. They were mostly big in size, making them bulky and difficult to use. Besides they also lacked some of the important features, which are generally available today. With the passing of time, more and more new companies have started manufacturing sleeker and better quality car stereos.

A good car stereo essentially needs to have a good sound quality. When we say ‘good sound quality’ we mean a system which has a good balance of bass and treble. Sub woofers are also very important for a car speaker. Subwoofers are the gadgets that actually deliver the right sound.

The first step in any attempt to improve your car stereo is to improve the sound quality of your car stereo. For doing this you primarily need to get yourself some good quality speakers.

Finding a good quality speaker is a tough job. You need to do a bit of research, so that you don’t buy the wrong type. There are of course lots of companies these days, which sell good car speakers. It would of course be better for you if you go for a reputed brand. A reputed brand will help you in many ways in making the right choice. As these big brands have a reputation to maintain, they will not let you down by selling you a doubtful material. These brands will provide you speakers which have good features.

It is always important to have some extra features in your car audio system. It enhances the quality of music and gives more features and facilities. The more advanced features you have the less the need to change your system every now and then.

While buying the speakers, check them properly. Check how the speaker is delivering the treble and bass portion of music. It is very important to notice whether there is any feedback happening or not. If you find even a little bit of feedback in the sound, immediately reject it. Always remember, good sound means a clear and proper sound. A good sound system is one in which you can distinctly follow all the tunes, even the musical notes. The sound must not seem to be jumbled up.

Subwoofers are also very important. Always use good quality subwoofers. Do not take this instrument very lightly. It is very important for the sound. Usually we think that car stereo improvement is restricted to the improvement of the sound system. This is not true though; ideas car stereo improvement should include the improving of every bit of your stereo system.

One must also try and improve the looks of your car stereo. Do not forget that a good quality car stereo can enhance the looks of your car also. Always buy sleek and trendy looking car stereos. It will give a lovely feel and smart look to the interior of your car.

Lastly, when you are scouting for car stereos improvement ideas; always look for ideas that will help you in taking good care of your stereo. This is a very important part of improving your car audio system. The reason is simple. If you take good care of the system, the good sound will be maintained for a long time. This also means that you will not have to repair the stereo for a long time.

Simple Ways To Protect Your Car From Dents & Dings With Body Side Molding

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So you finally got that new car or truck. Congratulations! I really don’t want to be the one that blows the candles out on your cake, but did you get your first dent yet? Maybe a door ding in a parking lot? If not, I’m sure you already know that you are likely to get at least few while you own that car. So how do you defend against this? Is there some way to protect my car?

The best way to protect your car or truck from dents and door dings is by installing a professional grade body side molding. You can also protect other areas of the vehicle in the same way with wheel well molding and door edge guards.

Body side moldings are usually strips of rubber or vinyl that attach horizontally to the side of your vehicle. By installing them down the center of the door this rubber strip usually protects you from another door hitting yours. Usually the moulding will stick out farther than the body of the vehicle itself, so if someone swings their door into the side of your car it will hit the body side molding first. They usually come in black, chrome and there are some colors available as well.

Body side molding installs easily. Almost all car molding attaches with 3M automotive grade attachment tape, which is the same way that the car manufacturers use to attach factory body side molding. If installed properly the molding should never come loose. There are other areas of your car that should also be protected. These areas are the wheel well area and the door edge areas.

Wheel well molding attaches in the same manner with a 3M tape. These mouldings will trim the area of the wheel well with a thin rubber bead that will protect this exposed area. You can also use this molding to cover up an existing dent in this area. Once applied over the dent or scratch you will never know the damage was there. This truck is used at the car dealers all of the time. Sometimes it used to just dress up the vehicle with a chrome or black trim.

Door edge guards protect just that – the edge of your car door. They also protect whatever you are hitting with your door. Because of the soft rubber edge, if you were to open your car door into another car the likelihood of you damaging either car is minimal. The door edge guards will act as a shock absorber and help prevent any damage that would otherwise happened.

For most of us buying a new car or truck is one of the largest investments that we will make in our lives. We take pride in what we drive. It doesnt matter if we drive a Hyundai or a Porsche (okay maybe it does, but follow me here for a second). We like to drive in clean shiny dent free cars. Spending a few dollars now on molding protection now will no doubt save you potentially hundreds of dollars in the future repairing and repainting your new car or truck.

Car Audio Speakers

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Speakers Overview:
The car speakers you use will have the absolute say in how your system will sound. There are many different types of speakers available. A single speaker can be used to reproduce the full range of sounds but it is not ideal. If the speaker is too great it will have problems reproducing high frequencies which require rapid movement of the speaker. If it is too diminutive it will have problems reproducing low frequencies which require large amounts of air to be moved. Because a single speaker cannot reproduce all sounds accurately multiple speakers are used each of which imitates sound in the frequency range it was designed for. A speaker called a tweeter reproduces high frequencies generally above 2 kHz.

Tweeters are small and lightweight so they can respond fast. Very little power is required for powering tweeters because they are very efficient. Woofers are the exact opposite because they usually require considerable amounts of power to really move air. Woofers are meant to produce sound at frequencies below 250 Hz and often just below 100 Hz (in the case of subwoofers). Because a woofer must move considerable amounts of air they are usually large with typical sizes of 10″, 12″, 15″ and even 18″! On the other hand tweeters are usually very small ranging in size from 1/2″ to 2″ in size. Typically, tweeters larger than 1″ in size cannot respond fast enough to sound good and are too directional. In between are midrange speakers which handle the frequencies between the woofers and tweeters. Further separation can be done but is usually unrequired and just complicates the crossover which must separate the full audio signal into multiple parts for each speaker.

Things to look for:
Power Handling: Just as with amplifiers, RMS or continuous power is pivotal here. Some manufacturers will assert very high power handling figures but they are usually for very short peaks only. Granted music is not continuous but the continuous power handling gives you a much better impression of how much power a speaker can really handle. For tweeters and midranges, power handling is not as critical since it does not take much power for them to play loudly. For woofers though a rough match should be made between the woofer and the amp driving it.

Sensitivity: This is a very important specification for a speaker. It gives you an idea of how loud a speaker will play given a certain input power. If a speaker is insensitive then it will require greater power to play at the same volume level than a speaker that is more sensitive. Figures between 85 dB and 95 dB at 1 watt RMS at 1 meter are regular. If you use anything outside of this range you may have trouble matching the output levels of the speakers relative to each other. .

Physical Size: You must pay attention to the size of the speakers you choose. Tweeters are very small but need to mounted where they fire nearly directly at you or they may not be heard correctly. Some tweeters have better off axis response than others. If you will not be on axis with the tweeter when you audition tweeters in a store listen to how their sound variates as you move around them to see if they will work in your car. Midranges should fit in the door or dash spaces provided or you will have to do some cutting or fabrication. In general the greater the woofer the larger the enclosure required to hold it. Some woofers are better optimized for modest enclosures than others (Kicker Solobaric, JL Audio W6 for example). Make sure you have enough room in your trunk or hatchback for the woofer. Kickpanels for midranges and tweeters or coaxials typically offer better imaging than locations in the door however the soundstage is sometimes lower than when you have the tweeters mounted high in the doors or on the A pillars.

How Do Speakers Work?
Moving Speaker Speakers are air pistons that move back (on the negative cycle of the signal) and forth (on the positive cycle), creating varied degrees of air pressure at different frequencies. The amplifier (either separate or built-in your radio), produces electrical impulses that change from positive and negative voltages (AC). This current reaches the voice coil inside the speaker, forming an electro-magnet that will either be repelled, or attracted by the fixed magnet at the bottom of the speaker. The voice coil is attached to the cone, moving it back and forth, creating sound. The surround (rubbery circle that joins top of the cone and metal basket) and the spider (usually yellow corrugated circle joining bottom of cone to magnet) make the cone return to its original position.

Speaker Sensitivity, measured in dB, is how loud a speaker plays (usually 1 Watt, 1 meter). A higher Sensitivity rating means that the speaker will play louder using the same power as a speaker with a lower rating.

The back and front parts of the speaker should be separated from each other. When the front of the cone is pushing air, the bottom is pulling air, creating a cancelling effect. Ideally each speaker should be in an enclosure. If you are mounting a speaker in a big hole, make certain you build a panel to isolate the front and back of the speaker (baffle).

Imaging, Staging and Directivity
Imaging – is being able to pick certain sounds from different places. The singer would usually be located towards the middle of the car, guitars, trumpets, and other instruments towards the sides of the car. If you scatter speakers all around the car your imaging would be very bad, since you would be producing the same sound at different places. If you have a system with flawless imaging, the sound should seem to come from different instruments and voices, not speakers.

Staging – is the ability of a system to “fool you” into feeling that everything (including bass) is in front of you. The sound should be identical to a stage in a concert, where the singer would be in the front center, and the rest of the instruments and background vocalists would be located to the left and right (but always on the front).

Good staging and imaging are not so easy to implement. It takes a lot experimenting with speaker location and direction.

Directivity – of sound is related to frequency. At higher frequencies it is simpler to pinpoint where the sound is coming from than lower frequencies. This can be used to our advantage in car stereo. Tweeters are the most important part of getting good staging. They should be aimed towards the middle of the car. A way to “bring” the bass to the front of the car is to fool our ears by overlapping frequencies played by midbases and subs, so that your midbases actually “pull” the bass to the front, since lower bass in not too directional. You should crossover your midbases as low as you can (without getting distortion). Then cut your subs at a bit higher frequency (preferably 60 HZ or less). This will mix the bass coming from the front and rear, making the bass seem to come from the front. Adding a center channel also improves staging, if it is set up correctly.

Types of Speakers
Coaxials – Coaxial speakers (or three-ways) are two (or more) speakers built-in the same frame. They are cheaper than separate woofer and tweeters and also easier to install. There is no need to worry about crossovers, since they are already built-in (you might still need to add a crossover to block bass if you are using high-power amplifiers). A disadvantage of coaxials is the lack of flexibility. For example, if the coaxial is all the way in the kick panel, or door panel aiming at your feet, you will not have good staging or imaging. You should usually consider coaxial speakers for the back and the front of the car, unless you only have one speaker hole and don’t plan to cut any more holes in the car.

Separates – Separates consist of a tweeter and woofer, and [most of the time] come with an external crossover. The woofer is usually mounted in the factory hole in the door or kick panel. The tweeters can be mounted in different places. Typically they are installed towards the top front corner of the door panel, in the dash or the in the blank plastic piece on the top front side of the doors (where the mirror is on the outside). You would have to experiment with angle and location to achieve the best possible imaging and staging.

Horns – Horns are very good at directing sound and have high efficiencies. Horns are typically mounted under the dash. By doing this, difference in distance from left and right speakers are greatly reduced over conventional mounting locations. Since horns play mids and highs, tweeters are not needed. Horns cost more than conventional speakers and require customization. Horns are not for everyone though. It is not easy to properly setup a set of horns.

Midbases – Midbases are usually 5, 6 or 8 inch speakers that are designed to go lower in frequency and are part of a three way system with a mid and tweeter. Midbases are usually mounted in the doors.

Subwoofers – Subwoofers add lower frequencies to the system. They have to be enclosed in a box, with the exception of free air subwoofers, which use the trunk as an enclosure. There are many different types of boxes and implementations discussed in the “subwoofers” section.

Car Speaker Mounting Locations
Front Speakers – The best place to mount speakers in the front, in custom kick panels. If this is impossible, try to point the speakers towards the center of the car, and try to minimize the distance between the right and left speakers to your ears. Custom kick panels are usually built from fiberglass or molded plastic, and are available from some manufacturers .

Rear Speakers – Rear speakers should give a sense of space to the music, but not overpower the front speakers. You should be able to barely hear the rear speakers. Most high end systems don’t have rear speakers. Tweeters are not essential for the rear, a set of coaxials will work well for rear fill.

Center Channels – Center channels consist of a midrange speaker (3 or 4 inch) mounted in the middle of the dash (usually) on the top. Center channels play a mono (Left + Right) signal between 350 – 500 and 3500 Hertz (voice range). The need of the center channel is to raise the sound stage, by causing the sensation of the singers “being” in the front of the car, and not in the door panels. Center channels are hard to implement.

Sizes and Shapes
There are many speaker sizes ranging from 1-inch tweeters to 18-inch (or bigger) subwoofers. A smaller speaker will reproduce higher frequencies better than a bigger one.

Do round speakers sound superior than oval-shaped speakers (i.e. 6×9’s)? The answer is yes for most practical purposes. A round cone is more rigid than an oval-shaped one, so at higher levels, an oval-shaped speaker will distort more. The reason why there are oval-shaped speakers is because of rear deck space considerations by manufacturers. An advantage of a 6×9 speaker over a 6-inch speaker is that it has a bigger area, so it will move higher air volume, producing more bass.

Power Considerations
Most people think that if they use a 50 watt per channel amplifier on their factory speakers, the speakers will be damaged. This may be true if the speakers do not have crossovers blocking off frequencies speakers were not designed to play. What destroys speakers is distortion. A high power amplifier allows the volume in the system to be higher, while the volume control on the radio is down in the range where no distortion is present. It is better to have more power than what you need to get cleaner sound.

Volt Falls to Electric-Car Price War

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General Motors Co. GM -1.07% cut the starting price of its latest Chevrolet Volt electric car by 13%, expanding a price war among makers of plug-in vehicles in response to sluggish demand.

The price cut is yet another sign of the difficulties GM has faced trying to establish a market for plug-ins. Overall, plug-in vehicle sales are rising, driven by offerings such as the Tesla Model S from startup Tesla Motors Inc. TSLA +3.07% But despite government subsidies, they remain a niche market. Limited driving range is an obstacle for most all-electric cars. Volt, which uses a gasoline motor to extend its range to 380 miles, has to compete with fuel- efficient Chevrolets that sell for as little as half its sticker price.

Auto makers are under pressure to sell more electric cars in California, which has quotas for zero emission vehicle sales, and are offering lease deals as low as $199 a month. For some consumers the low-cost leases make driving the cars almost free once government subsidies and fuel savings are combined. The sticker price on the lowest-cost 2014 Volt will fall to $35,000 from $40,000 and could cost as little as $27,500 after federal tax incentives, GM said on Monday. Consumers will be able to lease the 2014 Volt for as low as $299 a month.

The company has about 105 days’ worth of older-model Volts on dealer lots at the end of July. Auto makers sold about 7,442 battery-powered and plug-in hybrid vehicles in July, according to data compiled by the Electric Drive Transportation Association, a Washington, D.C., industry group. That is less than 1% of light vehicle sales for the month.

Tesla’s soaring stock price is more a reflection of enthusiasm for the company’s potential than its current sales, which are running at about 1,470 cars a month in the U.S., according to Autodata Corp. Tesla shares rose 4.8% to $144.68 in 4 p.m. New York trading on Monday. Volkswagen AG’s Porsche brand-to which Tesla is sometimes compared-sold 3,820 sports cars and high performance sport-utility vehicles in the U.S. in July.

GM’s price cut follows similar moves by Ford Motor Co F -1.53% . and Nissan Motor Co. 7201.TO -0.10% Ford last month dropped the sticker price of its all-electric 2014 Focus compact to $35,200, a $4,000 reduction. Nissan, earlier this year, slashed the price of its 2013 model Leaf by $6,400 to $28,800. Honda Motor Co. 7267.TO -0.51% also cut the monthly lease on a Fit EV to $259 from $389 in June. On Tuesday, Daimler AG DAI.XE -1.04% cut the three-year lease on the electric version of its Smart car to $139 a month from $199 a month.

GM sold 1,788 Volts in July-down 3% from a year ago, despite offering up to $5,000 off 2012 models and $4,000 off 2013 models last month. The number of Volts GM sold last month was less than the average sales of its large pickups in a single day.

Nissan sold 1,863 Leafs, nearly five times as many as a year ago, reflecting the company’s move within the past year to start production of the car at a U.S. factory. Nissan has capacity at a battery factory in Smyrna, Tenn. to build up to 200,000 Leaf battery packs a year.

GM says the Volt’s higher sticker price on entry models had knocked it out of contention on shopping websites such as Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds.com, where consumers can easily compare list prices among competing cars.

Reducing the cost to build the vehicle also helped GM cut the car’s price tag, GM U.S. vice president of Chevrolet sales and service Don Johnson said. GM Chief Executive Dan Akerson said earlier this year manufacturing changes would reduce its cost to build the 2014 Volt by between $7,000 and $10,000. “We have made great strides in reducing costs as we gain experience with electric vehicles and their components,” Mr. Johnson said. “We want to pass those cost savings back to consumers and we have done that with the 2014 model.”

Volt has occupied a key role in the debate over government efforts to promote plug-in vehicles since 2010, when President Barack Obama slipped behind the wheel of a Volt and drove it about 10 feet during a plant tour.

Mr. Obama endorsed the Volt as part of a broad effort to put 1 million “advanced technology” vehicles on the road by 2015, spurred by federal investments in plug-in vehicle manufacturers and battery makers. Some of those investments, such as a federal loan to Fisker Automotive Inc. and grants to battery maker A123 Systems Inc. went sour when demand proved weaker than either had anticipated.

GM has had to scale back its ambitions for the Volt. Two years ago, GM forecast it would build 60,000 Volts in 2012. But the company sold only 23,461 Volts last year. Through the end of July, the auto maker has sold 11,642 Volts, up 9.2% from the same period last year.

“Demand for electric cars will continue to remain weak especially when you have gas selling for $3.60 to $3.75 a gallon, and ongoing improvements in fuel efficiency,” says Tom Libby, an analyst with R.L. Polk & Co., a subsidiary of IHS Inc IHS -1.99% .

Price cuts on new plug-in vehicles are helping to depress the values of such cars as they age, said Laurence Dixon, a senior automotive analyst at the National Automobile Dealers Association. The trade-in value of a 2012 Nissan Leaf today is 24.5% lower than the trade-in value of a 2011 Leaf was a year ago, he said. A one-year-old Volt also is worth 21% less now than a one-year-old Volt was at this time a year ago, Mr. Dixon said.

“The incentives the manufacturers have put on these vehicles are extremely high,” Mr. Dixon says. Factoring in the federal tax credit puts additional pressure on trade-in values, he said.

In comparison, trade-in prices for used large pickup trucks, such as a Ford F-150 or Chevrolet Silverado, are up about 8% compared with similar age and model vehicles a year ago, he said.

Article Credit : http://india.wsj.com

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Dependable Car Transportation Services by Packers and Movers in Thane

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Car transportation is one of the most difficult facts associated with relocation. If you are planning to relocate and own a car, the thought of transporting the car certainly tenses you. Obviously, if you are opting for an international or interstate relocation, car transportation tends to be a difficult task. Specialized car trailers are used by Packers and Movers in Thane to transport cars. Your car would be completely safe during the process of relocation. The car trailers used by our company are of high quality and safe. Well-trained professionals handle the car transportation part and ensure no harm to your car.

Experience our safe car transportation services

If you own a single or multiple vehicles, we would take care of it. We assure that your cars would reach your new location in a safe form. Packers and Movers in Thane use quality car trailers to ship your cars. The entire process of car transportation is executed under customer supervision. Hence, we will not have a chance to offer false excuses to you if any damage is caused to your car, nor will you get to blame us over any hidden damage caused to your car, as you would be a witness to the entire transportation procedure.

Your car is completely safe with us

You can be completely assured that your car is completely safe with us. Moreover, you would be following us in the journey, being a witness to the entire procedure. The company has a special branch that handles the car carrier department. This department handles the car transportation service with expertise. Being a domestic packer and mover, the company knows all the routes across the state. The professionals choose the safest, easiest and fastest routes to ship your commodities to your new location.

Car transportation is a very sensitive area, which needs to be executed very carefully. All vehicles are inspected quite carefully before being loaded. Being a packer and mover, we ought to treat your goods as our own. We value your precious commodities and to assure you, we have organized some insurance packages. Considering the quantity of commodities being transported, the distance traversed and other related features, we provide you with an insurance package. This insurance package covers costs of your equipments. In case, any severe damage has been caused to your goods while being handled by the company, you would be eligible to utilize a suitable insurance package.

Car transportation services offered by us are best in the state. The company provides car transportation services across various cities of India, including Ghaziabad, Delhi, Ahmadabad, Faridabad, Bangalore, Navi Mumbai, Gurgaon, NCR-Delhi, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Chennai, Thane, Pune and Ghaziabad. Central Cargo Packers offices are situated across various cities in India. Central Cargo Packers’ large office network provides flexibility to many customers. While someone is opting for an interstate household or corporate relocation, Central Cargo Packers is a sound option for the purpose. Our company believes in building a reliable bond with customers so that their necessities can be understood and met efficiently.