Smart Car Care

Mobile Multimedia: A New Peak For The Alpine Car Stereo

We all know that brand names matter when purchasing car audio hardware. There are brands that are surely more reputable than others. When you are at the store and they offer choice after choice after choice, suddenly you feel overwhelmed on what really to buy. But you can be assured of one thing, if they offer you an Alpine car stereo you cant go wrong with it.

Alpine car stereo and electronics, founded in 1978, is a world leader in the industry of high performance mobile electronics. They specialize in mobile multimedia, an integrated system approach incorporating digital entertainment, security and navigation products for the mobile entertainment.

Alpine car stereos are a new breed of units which feature the convergence of high performance audio, video, navigation and telematics in the form of Mobile Multimedia. Navigation systems act as the resource center of the Alpine car stereo Mobile Multimedia lineup. Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), DVD players, Dolby Digital systems, satellite digital audio radio, mobile data linking and communication through telematics devices will be fused with navigation systems to create a platform of products. Mobile Multimedia integrates Alpine’s innovative audio, video, security and navigation products, as well as its new GUI for Drivers, human interface and information communications technology.

To grasp what the Alpine car stereo Mobile Multimedia is, take a look at the IVA-D901 Alpine car stereo Mobile Multimedia Station/CD/DVD Receiver/Ai-NET Controller.

The IVA-D901 has 400% more pixels than a conventional in-vehicle display, meaning that it has 1.15 million pixel elements. It has 50W x 4 built-in power and 3 PreOuts (4 volt), SAT Radio ready, a Hard Disc Drive (HDD), and Alpine car stereo Navigation. Key features include:

- 7″ Fully Motorized Wide Screen Monitor
- 18W x 4 MOSFET Amplifier
- Built-in Dolby Digital/DTS Decoder
- Bass Engine Plus
- Subwoofer Level Control
- Bass Center Frequency Control
- Bass Band Width Adjustment
- Treble Center Frequency Control
- Subwoofer Phase Selector
- Bass Type Control
- 4-Ch Digital Time Correction
- 3 Position 12 dB/Oct Crossover
- MediaXpander
- SAT Radio Ready
- MP3 Text Information Display
- Quick Search Function
- CD/CD-R Playback
- CD Text, Text Display, Text Scroll
- M DAC
- MaxTune SQ Tuner
- 3 Auxilliary A/V Inputs with Remote Control Input
- Dedicated Navigation Input
- Dedicated Camera Input
- 2 Auxilliary Monitor A/V Outputs
- Navigation Audio Mix
- 3 PreOuts (4 volt)
- MM Driver (Hard Disc Drive) Ready
- MobileHub Ready
- Ai-NET Control Center DVD/CD/MP3 Changer Controller
- “Digital Art” Spectrum Analyzer Display
- RUE-4190 Universal Wireless Remote Control Included

If these all seems too much for you, Alpine car stereos also have more conventional head units to offer. The CDA-9835 Alpine car stereo In-Dash CD Player/Ai-Changer Controller lets you fully customize both illumination and sound, with a range of 512 colors and super-versatile Bass Engine functions like digital time correction and parametric EQ. You can download audio parameter settings and connect and control as many as eight amps. The BioLite display, Menu key and rotary knob make operation extremely easy.

Like most Alpine car stereo units, it is also SAT Radio Ready, giving you a much greater choice of listening options than ordinary local AM/FM radio. You can select from among a wide range of music genres, news, sports, and talk programs with digital quality anywhere.

Bad Credit? Can you still get a bad credit car loan?

Are you one of the many people who have loan problems? No need to worry, for you are not alone.

Bad credit is not something to be ashamed of. Anyone can end up having it,just like the common cold. After some time and some effort on your part, you can turn a bad credit rating to a better one.

The good news is, even people with bad credit can be financed on bad credit car loans. Once you get there, you need to remember a few things, though, in order to turn your bad credit to the advantage of your bad credit car loan. Remember not to take on a car payment that you truly know in your heart that you can’t afford. Know what you can and cannot afford before talking to a car salesman.

There are many ways by which you can get a bad credit car loan even when you have a bad credit. You need to have sufficient income that can pay up all your bills including additional payment for your bad credit car loan, insurance, accessories, repairs and maintenance costs. A steady and sufficient income could get you that bad credit car loan even if you have a bad credit. Your lender would like to see that you’ve had your current job for at least a year and this could make them overlook your bad credit hence increase chances in approving your bad credit car loan. Try to maintain your address for a while, as well, for this can keep your bad credit at bay and help in the approval of your bad credit car loan.

Having a large down payment will also help in getting your new bad credit car loan. Your down payment will depend on the car model you wish to buy. It could range from hundreds to thousands of dollars.

If you want to have a better chance at having your bad credit car loan approved, you can be a member of a credit union. Even if you have bad credit, you can apply to them for a bad credit car loan. Their credit criteria is often more relaxed compared to banks and finance companies. The longer you have been a member in a credit union, the more positive the response is for your bad credit car loan despite a bad credit rating.

The same thing works for a local bank. Should you have had a previous loan with them, they could still want to take a chance with you on your bad credit car loan. If by any chance you have paid off a previous loan, they could consider your bad credit car loan application even if you have bad credit history in other banks of finance companies.

You could also get a bad credit car loan by having a co-signer. Your co-signer must have good credit rating himself and meet all the necessary requirement.

Bad credit will indeed affect your bad credit car loan application, but you can still explore other possibilities. A large volume new car dealer can give you deals you can bank on. Choose your vehicle and come up with a deal. Afterwards, talk with a finance manager who will work with you to get a bad credit car loan despite your bad credit. The trick is to see an aggressive finance manager who will see you through choosing your vehicle, overlooking your bad credit and getting a bad credit car loan soon.

So lets talk about the whole theory of an intake and in particular
of a cold air intake. We all know that an engine mixes air and
fuel together, compresses it and then ignites the concoction,
that creates a small explosion in your cylinders. So in the digital
world the engine computer takes care of this concoction to the
best of it’s ability. Here is another piece of information, the
colder the air is, the denser it is. What does it mean to you? The
denser the air in the mix with fuel, the bigger the explosion in
your cylinders, the bigger the explosion in your cylinders, the
more horsepower you get. So we want to take advantage of
this and put in as cold (dense) air as we can in our cylinders to
create more horsepower.

Now to make a clarification of what a cold air intake really is and
what it is not. There are intakes that are called short or ram
intakes, and these are not considered cold air intakes. It is a
better performing air intake system since it involves a better
breathing filter and an intake tube that has less turns and kinks
to improve the intake of air to your engine. Yet, consider where
the a short or ram intake is placed; right next to the engine.
Well, if you haven’t noticed the engine produces heat and that
heat is kept in the engine compartment, thus when those short
or ram air intakes suck in air they are sucking in the hot air in
the engine compartment. Since hot air is less dense than cold
air, you may not be getting the best possible performance out of
engine.

Coming out of stage right, the cold air intake. Now there are
thousands of variations as to what a cold air intake looks like,
there is no real variation for what it does. The filter is put as far
away as possible from the engine where it can suck in ambient
air, which in most cases is colder than the air inside your engine
compartment. They are done in several ways, some have longer
intake tubes and are put either inside the fender or downwards
towards the ground to suck in fresh air. Some use a box that
prevents air from the engine compartment to enter so that in
can suck in air from the outside. Which ever company you
choose to buy this item from, buy from a reputable source. A
good reputable company invest plenty of money in research and
development to give you the best possible product and while
some may look the part, they don’t perform the part.

This has been a short introduction to a one of the favorite auto
accessories in the market: The Cold Air Intake. We will be
creating more articles about auto accessories in the future so
please visit us at the resource box below and make sure you
have the inside scoop on what is what in the auto modifiers
industry.

Early fall, before cold weather sets in, is an optimal time for car care, according to the experts at the nonprofit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE).

There’s time to undo summer’s wear and tear and prep for icy conditions ahead. The following checklist is provided as a courtesy of ASE:

* Follow the service schedule recommended in your vehicle’s owner’s manual.

* Have engine driveability problems (hard starts, rough idling, stalling and diminished power) corrected at a reputable repair shop. Cold weather will make existing problems worse.

* Replace all dirty filters. You’ll see better gas mileage, too.

* Change your oil as specified in your manual.

* Flush and refill the cooling system as recommended. The level, condition and concentration of the coolant should be checked periodically. (Do not remove the radiator cap before the engine has cooled.) A certified auto technician also should check the tightness and condition of drive belts, clamps and hoses.

* Have a professional check the condition of the battery. The only accurate way to detect a weak battery is with professional equipment. But do-it-yourselfers can scrape away corrosion from posts and cable connections, clean all surfaces and re-tighten all connections. Wear eye protection and rubber gloves.

* Examine tires for remaining tread life, uneven wearing and cupping, and check the sidewalls for cuts and nicks. Remember to check tire pressure once a month. Let the tires “cool down” before checking the pressure. Don’t forget your spare, and be sure the jack is rust-free and working. Have your tires rotated as recommended.

* Let the pros handle complex tasks. Look for shops with modern equipment, neat surroundings, polite staff and certified technicians.

* Be prepared for emergencies. Carry gloves, boots, blankets, flares, a small shovel, sand or cat litter, tire chains, a flashlight and a cell phone. Put a few “high-energy” snacks in your glove box.

ASE was founded in 1972 to improve the quality of automotive service and repair through the voluntary testing and certification of automotive professionals. ASE-certified technicians wear blue and white ASE shoulder insignia and carry credentials listing their exact areas of certification, while their employers often display the blue and white ASE sign. They can be found at all types of repair facilities, from dealerships to independent garages and franchises.

Auto Refinance Secrets: Refinance Your Car Loan And Save Every Month

Refinancing your auto loan can be a easy and effective way to lower your monthly payments and save you a good deal of money in the long term. Huge numbers of people are taking advantage of refinancing in the face of much lower interest rates. If you think you are paying way too much money on your loan each month (and who doesnt?) then based on the amount of time left on your lease, and the rate of the interest you signed at, refinancing may be the way to go.

Its always frustrating when you sign on to a loan at a fixed interest rate and then see the interest rates steadily drop around you, while youre still stuck with the forking out the same high percentage payment every month. When you refinance your auto loan, you do so to save money by paying a reduced rate of interest, which, if you still have a few years or so to pay off the loan, can end up saving you a bundle of money. Basically, the new lender takes care of the difference of paying off the original interest rate, while you continue paying the car off to them at a reduced rate. The title to your car is then transferred to them, and the time it takes you to pay off the ever-increasing cost of owning an automobile these days is drastically reduced.

It is important for you to be well aware of the term of your current auto loan contract so as to maximize the amount of money you can end up saving. It may be the case that you dont mind making your payments at the interest rate you are currently fixed at, and yet still want to be shelling out less per payment than you are right now. If this is true for you, then your best plan of action is not to refinance your loan, but to extend the term of your payment agreement, so that you can minimize monthly payments. Of course, this means that, over an extended period of time, you will still end up spending a large amount of your hard earned money on the interest rate of the contract.

With interest rates currently at noticeable lows, auto refinancing is becoming more and more the wise decision. As it stands right now, if you have a significant amount of time remaining on your loan contract, and you signed on to that contract when interest rates were unfortunately high, then it is definitely worth your time to research and compare the rates at a lending companies, so as to take advantage of getting in an auto loan contract, while the interest rates continue to be low. Of course, you can research most of this auto loans onlin information, with not a huge degree of effort, and you may just find that is an effort that will pay out nice dividends in the future.

If making preliminary calculations sounds like a hellishly tedious mathematical trial, then your best to cut straight to the middleman and talk to a broker who can work to find you the best loan possible. But any way you go about doing it, refinancing your auto loan can be a wise decision, and worth looking into.

The Car Care Council is dedicating an entire month to reminding drivers of the importance of being “car care aware.” National Car Care Month, a nationwide effort to focus motorists’ attention on the essentials of vehicle care and maintenance, will take place in April.

During National Car Care Month, many repair facilities and auto parts stores join local businesses, civic groups, radio stations and others to sponsor free vehicle checkups. The events are held in parking lots at shopping malls, schools, businesses and other highly visible locations.

“The industry has embraced April as an ideal time of year to conduct National Car Care Month activities,” said Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council. “In April 2005, we plan on conducting more comprehensive vehicle checkup events and promotions that will provide consumers with more information about preventive vehicle maintenance.”

Nationwide results from last year’s checkups underscore the continuing need for vehicle maintenance education. The results showed that 87 percent of all vehicles needed repair or maintenance; 34 percent had low or dirty engine oil; 27 percent had inadequate cooling protection; 25 percent needed new belts; 24 percent had dirty air filters; and 26 percent had low or contaminated brake fluid.

The Car Care Council is the source of information for the “Be Car Care Aware” campaign, educating consumers about the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair.

Are Radar Detectors Legal in the US and in which States are they Prohibited?

A good number of the people with cars in the United States have their own radar detectors. Their reason is that they feel that the speed limit at present is very low. Most of the American people are not satisfied with moderate speed while driving. They want to be the fastest driver on the road as well as get to the places theyre going in record time; they want to be always in the race.

The radar detector serves as their alarm whenever there are police near them. Once the radar detector alarm sounds, they can ease on the gas and slow down their speed.

Because of the radar detectors being known to every motorist, cops are hiding, in alleyways or behind bridges in order to avoid being detected by the radar detectors.

Motorists on the other hand are being clever themselves, they are aware of these techniques from the police, so more enhanced, top-dollar detectors have entered the market.

Though the policemen are always improving their chances of catching the radar detector users, they are unable to make the streets of the United States radar detector-free.

Radar detectors are legal in many cities and states in the United States. But this does not mean that radar detector units are legal in all of the states in the US.

Here are some of the states that deem radar detectors illegal:

1. The usage of radar detectors are prohibited in the Commonwealth of Virginia. They have laws banning the use of radar detectors. Not only are radar detectors illegal to use in Virginia, they are also illegal to have in the vehicle.

2. Radar detectors and radar jammers are illegal in the District of Columbia. The passing of their laws to ban the use of radar detectors was set in 1995.

3. In Illinois, radar detectors are only regulated in commercial vehicles of over 26,001 pounds.

4. On US military bases, they are legal to have but illegal to use.

5. Radar jammers are illegal in the states of Utah, California, Oklahoma, Colorado and Nebraska.

6. Radar detectors are not specifically regulated, but things hanging from windshields are not permitted in the state of Minnesota.

7. For motor vehicles over 18,000 pounds and any other commercial motor vehicles over 10,000 pounds in New York, radar detectors are illegal.

And other states that prohibit the use of radar detectors are the following:

Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
Colorado
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
Mew Mexico
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Vermont
Washington
Wisconsin
Wyoming

The state of Connecticut on the contrary has cancelled its anti-radar detector law in 1998 which make this radar detector now legal in this state.

When applying for student loans, its so important for prospective college students to calculate their finances as best they can to receive the appropriate funding. From tuition and books to room and board, living expenses and food, students should make sure to secure the funds they actually will need to get them through each semester at college.

By applying for the correct amount, students wont find themselves in a bind or get themselves into a credit card nightmare.

Way too many college students these days get into big trouble with credit cards. Its unfortunate that students too inexperienced to know better receive enticing credit card offers in the mail. Usually when a credit card offer looms over a student, its like dangling a carrot in front of a rabbit. The student grabs the credit card offer without thinking ahead. Credit cards oftentimes appear to be a quick fix or a type of free money, and they then become the remedy students think they need.

Student Loans versus Credit Cards

If anything, its the opposite. Like student loans, credit card debt must be paid back. Theres a huge difference though. Student loans usually are taken out with fixed interest rates, depending on the type of loan and a students credit rating, amount of loan, repayment terms, etc.

However, theres usually a catch when students receive those amazing credit card offers. The catch is sky-high finance charges, some as high as 22 percent! However, oftentimes students dont think about the finance charges when they accept the credit card offers. Its kind of like, Ill think about that later.

Some students who havent taken out enough student loans to cover their college expenses resort to credit cards to pay for necessities, books and even rent! Theyll use their credit cards to take out cash advances, which usually have even higher finance charges than by simply charging.

Never-ending Cycle of Debt

There are students who accept more than one credit card offer. After hitting the limit on one credit card, its easy to accept another and then another, and so on. With the high interest rates and finance charges attached to these credit card offers, students easily can rake up more than they bargain for. When students pay off credit cards by only paying minimum monthly payments, they are making their financial situation worse. Finance charges accrue month after month. It could take almost a lifetime to pay off the credit card bills.

The addition of a particular car part to our vehicle is usually designed to improve its performance, but much as we might try to deny it, appearances matter, and we also want our car to look good. For this reason, many car parts are designed with attractiveness in mind as much as functionality, and sometimes, just sometimes, we can lose the run of ourselves entirely and opt for appearance-enhancing car parts just for the heck of it. Fortunately, car part manufacturers have cottoned on to our love of display, and designed a range of car parts and accessories than combine functionality with looking good. A great example of this trend is development of the air or wind deflector.

Originally designed with a practical purpose in mind, car air deflectors have stepped up a notch and now look as good if not better than they work practically. With a distinctive look, air deflectors are increasingly added to vehicles to alter their appearance, by adding a sense of flair and style. But with a genuinely practical raison detre, an air deflector is the fancy car accessory that does as good as it looks.

An air, or wind, deflectors job is as simple as it sounds. Fitted at various points on your vehicle, including the hood or roof, this simple device redirects the flow of air so that it travels away from the vehicle itself. This prevents the wind that attacks you as you drive at high speeds from damaging your windshield, and helps stop road debris, including pieces of gravel and small insects, from hitting your screen as you drive, and perhaps obscuring your vision.

Air deflectors may also be used on side windows, preventing the same debris from landing inside the car when the window is open, and also protecting the driver and passengers from rain. Wind deflectors may also be used with a sunroof, helping to reduce the noise generated by the wind and the effects of turbulence upon people in the car. This type of deflector also helps protect passengers from annoying dust and debris entering the car through the sunroof and spoiling a perfectly good road trip!

Air deflectors are available in a range of colors and materials, allowing you to customize this car parts impact on your vehicle. Choose from a wide range of styles including transparent plastic and matte black, or choose a deflector to match the color of your car. Whatever style you choose, you can be sure that this car part will enhance your driving experience, while also adding style and interest to your vehicle.

Car care can be intimidating, often because people don’t know what to check on their vehicles – or when to check it – to keep them in good working condition.

A recent survey by the Car Care Council found that 38 percent of cars had low or dirty engine oil, more than 50 percent had low tire pressure and an alarming number of vehicles had not been properly maintained.

Being proactive about vehicle maintenance will not only keep your vehicle in good condition, but save you time and money as well. Here are some guidelines for what to check, and when, from the experts at Firestone Complete Auto Care:

* Every other fuel fill-up: engine oil and washer fluid.

* Every oil change: antifreeze, air filter and battery.

* Monthly: belts, brake fluid, hoses, power steering fluid, tire air pressure, tire tread depth and overall condition, and transmission fluid.

* Every six months: wiper blades.

* Annually: exhaust system.

* Replace when out or worn: lights, shock absorbers.

* Refer to vehicle owner’s manual: change oil, rotate tires.

Experts also recommend that drivers keep an emergency kit in their vehicles. This too can be confusing, as people don’t always know what to include in an emergency kit.

Here are a few items Firestone Complete Auto Care suggests you have to help prepare for unforeseen circumstances on the road:

* Jumper cables

* Flashlight and batteries

* Reflector

* Protective gloves

* Toolkit

* Flares and matches

* Gallon of water

* Nonperishable food

* Portable air compressor

* Auto Club membership card

* In the winter months: a shovel, bag of kitty litter or sand and a blanket.

With a basic car care checklist to help keep your vehicle running well and a comprehensive vehicle emergency kit, you can drive with confidence knowing that you’ll be prepared for any “bump in the road.”