(1) If on Hire purchase or a Personal Loan, then your main payment will be to service that loan. This is going to be a heavy outlay if the Car is relatively new.

(2) Next comes Insurance, which as we all know takes a second mortgage to fund. Quite likely this could be annually more than the Car is worth if it’s seven or eight years old and you are a first time Male driver.

(3) Road Tax is something that we have no control over, the bigger the engine capacity the greater the cost.

(4) National Car Test. This came in five years ago and now requires cars of three years and over to be tested every two years. Current cost of the Test is 49.00.

(5) These are the fixed costs that have to be paid whether you drive the car or not.

(6) A hidden fixed (well not so fixed) cost is that of Depreciation. Whether you drive the car or not it will be silently losing its value while you sleep. After the first hit which is the biggest; when you drive your car out of the showroom, the annual depreciation will be approximately the same. For the average car about 1200 per year depending on the mileage you clock up. The first years’ hit will be maybe two to three times this figure.

(7) Now we can talk about the running costs which will obviously depend on the mileage you do; how you drive; the type of roads you most commonly drive on.

(8) Fuel comes next and while Diesel was cheaper until recently there is not much between Petrol and Diesel in Ireland currently. However it does pay to shop around and find a reliable Garage that is competitive. One of the key parameters in choosing a Filling Station is whether or not they maintain all their essential services adequately. We are talking about Tyre pressure Gauge, Water and Car wash and Paper Towels for cleaning you up after you have checked your tyres!

(9) Servicing should be done on a regular cycle according to your Manual and actual Mileage. Cars vary but the trend with all newer cars now is for a much longer service cycle sometimes as high as 20,000 miles for certain engines. Service costs cannot be calculated that accurately prior to your Car arriving for its appointment since invariably there will be additional things to be attended to or spotted by the Garage once the Car is up on the hoist.
Good Garages will of course not proceed with any major work that was unforeseen without your go-ahead. This could mean bringing the car back for a second visit on another day. The price for a basic service is readily available and quite often displayed in the reception area.

(10) Tyrescome next and must be looked after and checked very regularly.Again it’s difficult to predict when you will need to replace them since there are many factors in tyre wear. A good careful driver who keeps an eye on the tyres and any unusual wear patterns should get at least 20.000 miles out of a set and probably more.

Switching the tyres round periodically will even out the wear since the front tyres wear out at a much more rapid rate than the rears; due to the fact that the front tyres do all the work and in addition have to support all the weight of the Engine and Transmission.

(11) Accident repair costs are an unknown quantity but will be heavy and major mechanical replacements will stretch the bank balance as well. An example of just how expensive it is to run a car is our own bill for four trips into the Garage in just a little over two months…2000.00

As well as the bill we are talking about approximately three full days off the road so you need to have suitable other profitable activities line up for these situations.

That’s enough to be getting on with now go and earn some money to pay for it all!

Robin Piggott is a Professional Driving Instructor based in Limerick,Ireland and his website and Blogs provide a wealth of insider tips and strategies to staying safe and staying within budget.Please take the time to visit and save yourself some nasty shocks!

Astral Driving School http://www.astralmotoring.ie


Motorvating Blog http://astraldrivingschool.blogs.ie

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So you now have the car of your dreams. You’ve sunk a huge amount of time and money into restoring it and keeping it in pristine showroom condition and running smoothly.

But wait a minute- winter is coming. You want to drive your car in the snow, through road salt, sand and corrosive chemicals? I thought not. You want to store it for the winter s inexpensively as possible? You also want to be able to put it back on the road with little or no hassle and have it ready for spring in the same condition it went into storage in? Read on.

Indoor storage is, of course, the best way to go. And it’s really your only option if you are going to be away for a couple of years or longer.
You don’t a garage, as indoor storage facilities are plentiful. Most “mini-storage” type places will gladly rent storage spaces big enough for vehicles. Additionally, try to find someone who can “exercise” the vehicle every month or two. Although it’s an additional expense in your vehicle budget, proper long term storage will save you money on restoration when you’re ready to drive your dream car again.

You can never be too clean for storage, so the first thing you want to do is clean the vehicle. Wait for a dry warm day and give your car a complete wash and wax. Be sure to get the underbody as clean as possible too- particularly wheel well areas. Any dirt will hold moisture and combine with air, causing rust propagation.

A thorough cleaning is in order for the interior, also. Use a shop vacuum or household vacuum cleaner, getting into all the little nooks and crannies. All crumbs, pizza crusts, French fries etc. must go. Otherwise small creatures will be drawn to it and make their home inside your vehicle.

To go the extra mile, a good carpet will help discourage them. Do all this early in the day to allow time to dry before putting the car in storage.

Take the spark plugs out and put some oil into the cylinders. This prevents cylinder walls, pistons and valves from rusting. Regular motor oil is fine or get a spray can of fogging oil from a marine supply store. Turn over the engine by hand half a dozen times to ensure the oil coats everything.
Next apply a little anti-seize on the spark plugs and reinstall them. Make sure the gas tank is full. This will decrease the amount of water available to be absorbed by the gasoline.

For the electrical system, remove the battery cables (negative cable first) and lift out the battery.

Wipe the battery with battery cleaner to take away any moisture-holding dirt or grease. Place the battery on a clean, dry surface, like a block of wood or a stack of bricks.

Now hook up a trickle charger. These are designed to preserve the battery’s charge over a long period of time. While the battery is out, inspect the battery rack for rust or corrosion. Clean and repair any damage as necessary.

Lubricate hood latches, hinges and door hinges white lithium grease to keep air and moisture out.

Have a look at the brake fluid. Brake fluid will soak up moisture from the air, causing your brake system to rust and corrode. Get it flushed and filled with clean, fresh fluid if it hasn’t been done in two years or more.

Check the coolant level- ensure it is topped off to the proper level. Also check the coolant’s protection level. It should be low enough to protect the cooling system from winter temperatures.

Because rodents and other small animals like to chew ignition wires and wiring harnesses, stuff clean rags into the engine air intake, fresh air intake under the windshield and tail pipe. A neat trick a mechanic told me about is to get a big box of mothballs and spread them out around and under the car- for some reason the smell works wonders at keeping undesirable creatures away.

Tires are prone to developing flat spots if the vehicle will be sitting for longer than five or six months. To prevent this you should get a set of four jack stands. Jack up the vehicle and place the jack stands under the lift points of the vehicle (usually the lower control arms or under the frame) If you have a dirt floor, place pieces of 1″ plywood under the jack stands to prevent them sinking into the dirt.

Remove the wiper blades from the wiper arms to prevent them from becoming glued to the windshield and leaving marks.

The last thing you need to do is- nothing!

That’s it. Lock up and enjoy knowing your precious car is sleeping in suspended animation, awaiting your return.

D.Demetre is an author and webmaster at http://www.caroom.us where you can read about auto restoration.

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The all new BMW M6 Coupe is the most sophisticated and powerful
6 Series ever: five-liter engine capacity, 10 cylinders, 507
horsepower, 383 lb-ft maximum torque, and engine speed beyond
the 8,000 rpm limit.

The BMW M6 V-10 507 Hp Engine comes with all the driving
dynamics required for the racetrack, while in terms of comfort
and equipment it is simply ideal for all roads. Its chassis and
suspension, elegant body in innovative lightweight technology,
as well as the wide range of luxury equipment and the
ten-cylinder high-speed engine gives the car a dynamic and
impressive performance.

BMW’s high-speed engine concept allows an optimum gearbox and
final drive transmission ratio in all cases, thus guaranteeing
impressive thrust and momentum on the road at all times. The
engine control unit has ionic current technology serving to
detect any tendency of the engine to knock, misfire and suffer
mis-combustion. This intelligent control unit is able to sense
any tendency to knock via the spark plug in each cylinder,
checking the correct ignition setting and recognizing any
tendency to misfire and thus allowing the engine to run as
closely as possible to its theoretical limits, developing
optimum power and performance in the process.

Variable dual-VANOS camshaft control ensures an optimum cylinder
charge cycle. This means even more performance, an improved
torque curve, optimum responsiveness, lower fuel consumption,
and emissions reduced to a minimum.

Its twin chamber exhaust system is made of stainless steel all
the way to the silencers, before exhaust emissions leave the car
through the four tailpipes. Exhaust emissions meet the European
EU4 and, respectively, the US LEV2 standards.

The BMW M6 seven-speed SMG transmission is the world’s only
sequential transmission with seven gears and Drivelogic. With
qualities even greater than on a six-speed SMG gearbox, this
transmission allows manual selection of gears with extremely
short gearshift times as well as comfortable cruising qualities
thanks to the automatic gear selection function.

The variable, speed-sensing M Differential Lock gives the M6
superior driving stability and optimum traction. Its Dynamic
Stability Control with the first stage of DSC is conceived for
maximum driving safety.

With all these outstanding features, BMW has continued its
tradition of excellence in the M6. Likewise, Parts Train is the ultimate site for the
ultimate car featuring BMW Car Parts. Check out its online BMW
Parts and BMW Accessories at http://www.partstrain.com/ShopBy
Vehicle/BMW . It offers discount prices on new, OEM and
aftermarket BMW auto parts and BMW car parts for all BMW models.

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Two doors. That’s the usual number of doors that a convertible has. In truth, a convertible is a car body style that has been a popular favorite among many car owners because of the style. This is mainly because a convertible has a folding or a retracting roof.

For most convertibles, the collapsible roof section is usually made from flexible canvas or vinyl. However, technology and changes in design have made it possible for car manufacturers to produce convertibles with a collapsible roof section that is made of plastic, aluminum, or steel. Keep in mind though that when the top of the vehicle is made from rigid material like steel, that vehicle is often called a retractable hardtop instead of it being called a convertible.

Driving in a convertible could be quite fun especially when you do imagine the scene where you drive downtown with the wind in your hair and the top off of your car. That surely would make your adrenaline rush as well as make other people’s heads turn towards your direction. That is why it is important that you do put in your head some tips when you drive or own a convertible.

If you want to open or close the top of your convertible, it is important that you pull over first and come to a complete stop. You see, if you try to open or close the top of your convertible while you are speeding, the force of the wind could actually damage the mechanism that controls it. It is also important that you wear eye protection like sunglasses. This type of protection would actually keep any airborne debris like dust, sand, or small parts of trees from getting into your eyes.

When you have to park your convertible, park somewhere where there are no trees. That is, if you plan to leave your car with the top down. You see, if you park under trees with the top down, when you come back, you would most likely find bird droppings or tree sap in your car.

Auto Accessories Giant
Infiniti accessories
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Shane Morgay is a 34-year-old native of Ohio. She love cars and knows detailed information about them. She has a collection of miniature car collectibles and would love to have these collectibles become real ones. She works for a car part supplier most days of the week.

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Can you say that you or your kids are monster truck fans? When the last truck rally came to town, were you there with a big smile on your face and ear plugs on your ears? Some monster truck fans are so crazy about the sport that they can’t wait for the next rally or event to happen in their area. What do they do to get their “monster truck” fix when they have nowhere to go? Aside from buying a truck and heading out on the tour with them, there are actually quite a few ways to get all of the latest news and information about your favorite monster truck, the teams and the drivers. You just have to know where to look.

First off, if you have never been to a monster truck rally, you should really try to go and see one. There is no better way to get excited about this sport. Kids and adults of all ages are fans and the events are designed to appeal to all ages. If you dare, you should get a seat up close to the floor so that you can see all of the action-you may even get a little bit dirty. Most rallies also have pit passes or pit parties to encourage the fans to come down onto the field when the events are not going on, so that they can get a close up look at each monster truck. If you can’t go to a rally, at least get a video or DVD of a rally so that you can watch it at home (with the volume turned all the way up, of course.)

The internet is another great resource for monster truck fans. You can find websites which talk about the history of the sport, some are dedicated to a specific team or truck, and some even have message boards where you can connect with other fans. You can sign up for a free newsletter so that you can get the scoop on future rallies and events before anyone else. There are also sites which have pictures and videos of trucks.

For those who want even more information you can get magazines or even children’s books about these trucks. You can learn more specifics about the sport and details about each of the trucks.

This is a great, exciting sport that the whole family can enjoy-so get your motor running.

Eriani Doyel writes articles about Trucks. If you would like more information about a monster truck visit daytruck.com

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Auto Financing Scams

Car dealers are often portrayed as predators just waiting for an
unsuspecting customer to come along. This is because many people
believe that they are always on the prowl for unsuspecting
buyers that are not very knowledgeable about cars. This can be
unfair because we can argue that there are car dealers out there
who would not cheat just to get an extra profit.

How do you tell the difference?

To avoid becoming a victim of sneaky car dealers, look at the
following auto financing scams.

Yoyo scam

You will be allowed by the dealer to bring the car home as soon
as possible. The dealer will take care of the financing, a few
days later he will contact you again and tell you that there was
a problem with your financing plan. He will tell you to set up a
new financing scheme through him which, of course, will be at a
higher cost and this will also entail a very high profit on the
dealer’s part.

Be wary of this trick and avoid it at all costs if you detect
it. If you have a bad credit standing, don’t have your financing
done by the dealer and make arrangements for your own financing.
If you ever do avail of the dealer’s financing, you should never
drive the car back to your home immediately. Wait for at least
24 hours just to make sure that the processing of your financing
scheme has been completed already. By allowing 1 whole day to
pass by, you are assured that the dealer cannot use this scam on
you.

Window etching trick

Window etching is a very common scam. What the dealer will do is
to offer to etch the VIN number of your car onto the window of
the car for a price. Basically, the price ranges from as low as
$300 to as high as $1,000. Some buyers think that they did a
good job by being able to talk down the price to a few hundred
dollars, but unfortunately for them, a few hundred dollars is
still a good amount of money. The best way to avoid this kind of
scam is for you to buy an etching kit that you can do on your
own. This is available in most auto shops and costs around $20.
See how much they profit from you!

Preparation fees

For preparing your car, the dealer will often add an additional
preparation fee to your bill. Just to conduct a test drive,
replace fuses, or take the car’s plastic cover off will have
your bill increasing by at least $500! If you visit other shops,
you can get the information that these add on costs are already
included in the MSRP as set by the manufacturer. Some dealers
automatically add it to the buyer’s order to make it look
mandatory. To take care of this scam, you can ask the dealer to
classify it as credit (it should be identical to the amount of
the preparation fee) on the following line. If the dealer does
not agree to this, you can just simply walk away from the
dealership.

Market adjustment

The dealer will convince you that the vehicle you want is
selling like hot cakes and very popular. In order to sell you
the vehicle, they will do some “market adjustments” amounting to
a few thousand dollars. This is usually indicated by a tag near
the MSRP tag set by the manufacturer. Even if the car you want
is very popular and is very much in demand, if it is in stock
you should not be tempted because getting a “popular” car is not
worth it if you have to pay a few thousand dollars more. You
should never pay more than the MSRP set by the manufacturers. If
you do, then you are allowing others to take advantage of you.

Warranty extension

Although this type of scam is old already, it is still being
used and there are many who fall for this trick. What happens in
this kind of scam is that when you make a loan for the car, the
dealer will tell you that you are required to purchase an
extended warranty because it is one of the conditions of the
bank. There is a simple way of avoiding this scam. Ask the
dealer to specify clearly in writing that the extended warranty
is required for the loan to be approved. The dealer will most
probably find a way to have it excluded. If he persists in
including the extended warranty, do not do business with this
guy and go to other dealerships.

These are some of the most common auto financing scams that are
utilized by some car dealers. Always keep these in mind if you
are going to buy a car. If you or a friend were treated fairly
by a dealer in the past, consider using the same dealership
again. It’s a good indication that they do care about their
customers and aren’t just looking for a “fast buck.”

Think very carefully and do not buy on impulse. Good luck to you
and go get that car!

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