Archive for June, 2010
Choosing a new car audio system can be tricky business. Most people make many mistakes when choosing their car audio system. Below are the most frequent mistakes made my car owners in choosing a new system.
Many people just spend too much and in some cases go into debt. What can make this particular situation worse is that people go into debt for a system they realize they do not even like. First, figure out how much money there is available to spend. Then decide how much of the car audio system needs to be replaced. At this point plan a budget – how much can you afford to spend? Therefore you can locate system components in your price range. Deciding what is most important in the car audio system and plan to spend more on the important items. Going over budget is the first and most common mistake car audio system buyers make.
Another thing to consider is how much of the car is going to need to be modified for your potential choices. For example some speaker installation will require many modifications to be made to the car. Modifications will need to be made by a professional and therefore you will have to budget into the total cost of the car audio system parts as well as labor. Another car audio systems mistake is that the owner of the car does not think about the future. How long are you going to keep the car for? Will you sell the car with the new audio system or will you remove it before sale? Remember audio systems never increase the value of a car enough to balance what was spent on the audio system in the first place. Also, if you plan on remove the system before you sell the car that could be problematic. Having a radio and an audio system are high priorities when people are searching for a new car to buy.
When and for what do you use the car for? If the car sees a lot of use as well as wear and tear then buying higher quality components like speakers is a great idea. Understandably if you are spending more time in your car then at home you want to make sure it is as comfortable and entertaining as possible. However, if the car is only used for weekly shopping, low end parts are more appropriate.
Another car audio system mistake people make is choosing a system which is not appropriate for the type of music they listen too. This is probably the most important factor which should influence the choice of the right car audio system. If the music that you enjoy is strong bass beats then a high end power amplifier is needed. Also, subwoofers would also be a good choice. However, if your music choice is at the opposite end of the music range then you will need a different audio system setup. For example, if you listen to classical music or trendy pop music, you will need to get a car audio that has a strong speaker system that offer even play of the sound spectrum.
Article written by Sebastian Schneider.
Posted in Car Audio
Shopping for a gift for your boyfriend, husband or any special man in your life can be rough. What do you get that will tell him how much you care? If he has a truck or SUV, chrome truck accessories are the perfect gift! Every guy loves to baby his vehicle. You know he spends hours washing and waxing his truck and lavishing time on its upkeep. Show him you understand his hobby by getting him something he’s been longing for to dress up his truck that he hasn’t bought for himself.
Chrome truck accessories run the gamut from inexpensive headlight trim to complete kits to deck out a truck or SUV from the grill to the tailgate. You’ll find something special to fit any budget and surprise him with a truly unique gift. He’ll think of you every time he drives his truck. Just imagine how he’ll brag when his buddies ask where he got those awesome new chrome rims.
Getting top quality chrome truck accessories for your man’s truck means you’ll have to do some research. You may be a truck lover yourself, in which case you already know the make, year and model of your guy’s vehicle. If you don’t, either find a way to ask him or do some quick checking the next time you’re in his truck. The owner’s manual will tell you everything you need to know, along with the insurance card. You need to find out the year, make and model (for instance, 2007 Chevy Silverado) of the vehicle. No two years, makes or models have the exact same fit for accessories.
Next you’ll want to keep an eye on what he likes. Start paying attention to what he admires on his friends’ trucks. Does he like the bold pieces with a lot of flash or is he into chrome that’s a bit more subdued? What is he most interested in, wheel trim or rocker panels? If you can trust his best friend to keep a secret, talk to him about what he thinks your guy would most appreciate.
Buying chrome truck accessories from a reputable supplier is very important when you’re giving a gift. You want top quality at a price you can afford. There are some excellent online retailers that carry vehicle accessories that stock chrome that are very good and offer a much wider selection than you can find at traditional bricks and mortar locations, so be sure to check these out.
Some things to look for when shopping online for these accessories include a toll free number you can call with any questions you might have. Look for several different brand names to choose from rather than just one brand. Also watch for detailed product descriptions indicating how the product installs. The site should have clear shipping information and tracking options. Ideally, the company should not ship to P.O. boxes in order to protect your shipment. You’ll want reasonable or no shipping charges. Some sites have lower prices but gouge you on the shipping, so compare shipping costs. Finally, compare shipping times. If it’s going to take weeks for your order to be delivered, the company doesn’t actually keep their chrome in stock at their own warehouse. It shouldn’t take more than a week for most items to be delivered to you.
The next time your boyfriend or husband’s birthday or a holiday rolls around and he’s expecting another DVD or shirt, imagine his surprise and delight when he gets to dress up his truck with some great chrome truck accessories that you give him. It will be a gift he’ll treasure for years and will never forget.
Posted in Truck Accessories
Car rental can sometimes be a little confusing with lots of phrases being thrown around. To help you out, we have put together a glossary which will hopefully help with your next car rental booking.
Additional Driver: Additional to the main driver, registered and listed on the Rental Agreement. May be an extra charge for an additional driver, depending on the supplier.
Additional Liability Insurance (ALI): Provides additional protection for bodily injury or death plus property damage.
Airport Fee: Charge applied by airport authorities for terminal and off terminal locations. In most cases, this charge is also applied to additional charges, such as one way fees, fuel option, child seat rental etc which are not included in the daily rate and are paid at the counter.
Collision Damage Waiver (CDW): Covers the rental vehicle in the event of accidental damage to the rental vehicle other than by theft or attempted theft. An excess usually applies and the amount will vary depending on the pick up country and/or vehicle type.
Excess Reduction (ER): Optional charge offered by the car rental company to reduce or waive the insurance excess in the event of an insurance claim against damage or theft.
Gazetted Roads: A sealed or unsealed road regularly maintained by a local, state or government body or council.
Insurance Excess: The amount the client is responsible for in the event the rental vehicle is damaged (whether the driver is at fault or not) or stolen.
Loss Damage Waiver (LDW): Covers the rental vehicle in the event of accidental damage and theft. An excess usually applies and the amount will vary depending on the pick up country and/or vehicle type.
One Way Fee: This fee is imposed to cover the costs of returning the vehicle back to the originating location. In Australia & USA, charges may apply between cities within the same State and renting between States. Some countries charge for one way fees between airport and downtown locations within the same city.
Personal Accident Insurance (PAI): Covers the driver and additional passengers of the rental vehicle for personal and physical injuries incurred in an accident.
Premium Location Surcharge/Location Service Charge: Charge applied by car rental companies at selected downtown and railway locations. This additional item also includes the Airport Fee. In most cases, this charge is also applied to additional charges, such as one way fees, fuel option, child seat rental etc which are not included in the daily rate and are paid at the counter.
Rental Period: Your car rental period starts when you pick up the rental car and ends when you drop it off. Rental periods are based on 24 hours periods from the time of pick up – so, for example, from 9am on a Friday to 9am the following day is charged as a one day rental.
Sealed Road: A road sealed with a hard material such as tar, bitumen or concrete.
Security Deposit: Amount frozen on the client’s credit card at time of collection. The amount frozen is usually the full insurance excess amount. However, if an insurance excess is not applicable or the full excess is not frozen then an amount may still be frozen for incidentals such as fuel bond, optional charges, loss of keys etc.
Senior Driver Surcharge: Surcharge payable by senior drivers over &/or between a specific age.
Theft Protection (TP): Covers the rental vehicle in the event of theft, attempted theft or vandalism. An excess usually applies and the amount will vary depending on the pick up country and/or vehicle type.
Third Party: Provides coverage against bodily injury to persons other than the driver of the rented car and property damage to anything other than the rental vehicle and contents of same.
Vehicle Licensing Fee/Vehicle Road Registration Fee: Government imposed levy for each rental car in the car provider’s fleet. Charge to partially recover the vehicle registration costs.
Young Driver Surcharge: Surcharge payable by young drivers under a specific age.
Posted in Car Rental
Shopping for the many trucks accessories is fun – and confusing if you don’t know where to start. You might have an idea in mind for how you want your truck or car to look, but with so many options available for custom car accessories, finding the right ones is an intimidating task. Enjoythedrive.com is a good site to start with, geared towards providing information for the hobbyist and the professional alike. The site is filled with tips and reviews on custom car accessories and parts, and the places you can find them.
Enjoythedrive.com was created by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) as an educational search tool for any kind of improvement, from auto safety devices to custom car accessories. They don’t sell anything online but instead offer friendly, courteous, and professional advice on what truck accessories would be perfect for your vehicle.
Enjoythedrive.com is easy to navigate and they make it simple to search for information on truck accessories. Search areas such as “I Drive…,” “I Use My Vehicle For…,” and “Let’s Improve…” provide a starting point and a way to narrow down the choices of car and trucks accessories. Each page on the site has articles, reviews and links for current products, tips on installations, and information regarding local laws.
As you explore deeper into these various sections, you’ll find several custom car accessory options that would fit your vehicle and suggestions on where to find these items. For example, if you select “Let’s Improve Play Time,” you’ll come to a short article that begs the question, “What do you like to do?” If you click on Mobile Entertainment System, Enjoythedrive.com asks pertinent questions to narrow down your search. Depending on what you click, the site will give you choices.
At first glance, this site may seem chaotic, but it really is a wealth of information for anyone looking for truck and car accessories. The search engine is easy to understand and the explanations are straightforward.
However, this resource doesn’t stop there. If you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for or if you have issues with you vehicle in general, the SEMA Expert’s Advice found on the right hand side is the place to check out. Skilled professionals who are members of SEMA usually offer advice, and they’ll point you in the right direction when searching for trucks accessories.
A handy “Who Makes It?” section will aid you in putting your finger on who made that great custom car accessory you saw on TV, if you can’t think of the name of the company. This resource is comprehensive list of -800 SEMA member manufacturers and, in some selections, appears overwhelming, considering the number of companies that can pop up depending on how general your description is. Yet, the site will try its best to help you find any manufacturer’s trucks accessories you’re looking for.
Enjoytheride.com provides a quick and easy one-stop information resource for those new to the subject of trucks accessories, and they’ll help out the pros as well. If you’re looking for custom car accessories, tips on how to make that stereo installation easier, or local laws on exhaust systems, this site is the one for you.
Posted in Truck Accessories
Searching for car rental online has never been easier with the help of the internet. You can easily search and compare prices from various car rental suppliers, often on the same website.
Car rental rates often vary considerably depending on what is included in the rate. Look out for those too-good-to-be-true prices – they probably are. You may think you have found a bargain, but it will be a different story when you go to pick up the rental car, only to be told you have to pay for lots of additional charges.
So when you are comparing car rental costs online, ensure you are comparing like with like. There are various extra charges which can push up the price of your rental car, so make sure you look out for them. Often if you add these on to that oh-so-low rate, it doesn’t look so appealing anymore.
What is Included
Most car rental websites will list the inclusions with the rental. These will vary depending on suppliers but generally standard rates include basic insurance and tax.
What is Extra
Again this will vary but look out for the following:
Airport Fees
Also known as a Premium Location Fee, you will be charged extra to pick up a rental car at an airport location. This charge varies depending on supplier and location, but in the UK for example could cost as much as 13% of the rental value.
Vehicle Licensing Fee
This is a Government imposed levy for rental cars to partially recover the registration costs. Approximate cost in the UK: GBP1.22 per day, which over a long period can add up.
Additional Driver Fees
If you want to have more than one driver for your rental car, this is often an extra charge. Daily charges range from GBP4-20 in the UK, EUR4-8 in Italy and from USD3-10 in the States.
Young Driver Surcharge
This is often charged if the driver of the rental car is under the age of 25. In Australia, this ranges from AUD13-22 per day. In France, the Young Driver Surcharge varies from EUR20-35 per day, GBP10-25 in the UK and USD5-45 in the USA.
Excess Reduction
Each rental car often comes with an Insurance Excess which is the amount you would be responsible for if the rental vehicle is damaged. This can often be a few thousand dollars but can be reduced with an optional excess reduction charge which can be paid daily to reduce your excess to a few hundred dollars or even to zero.
Additional Equipment
Things like child seats, ski racks and snow chains are often available at an extra charge.
One Way Rentals
If you want to drop off your rental car in a different city from where you picked it up, there may be a one way fee. Again, this varies depending on the supplier and destination. Ensure you ask before you pay!
All these extras can add up. Sometimes a standard rate may be right for you but if you are picking up at the airport and want an extra driver, for example, it may make sense for you to go with an inclusive rate.
Read the Small Print
Be sure to read inclusions carefully to see what the rental rate covers and which one is right for you. Look for possible restrictions and additional costs and find out what exactly they are before you pay. If you find a low car rental rate, make sure that the additional costs do not outweigh the savings.
At DriveAway Holidays, each car choice will show clearly if it is a Standard or Inclusive rate and will give you a list of what is and what is not included.
People often talk about the “hidden costs” of car rental, but the reality is, they are not hidden at all – you just need to know what to look for.
Posted in Car Rental