Micas Car Reviews

Nine Secrets To Maintaining Your Car

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:49:04 -0500

Robert Sikorsky's little book Drive It Forever offers invaluabletips to keep your car going the extra mile. His stellar advicecould save you a year's worth of car payments or more!The smoother you drive, the longer your car will run. Stoppingand starting, fast lane changes, scratching off all lead toshorter life for your car.Naturally, you can't drive at all without stopping and starting.But your goal is to keep moving smoothly any time that you can.Does it look like a stoplight is about to turn green? Then slowdown and if possible, gently keep moving until the light changes.Less engine idle means less engine wear, says Sikorsky. If youhave to idle longer than seconds, you may as well turn theengine off and start it when you're ready to roll. So turn offthe car if you're waiting in parking lots, waiting on others toready themselves for travel, if you have to go back in the housefor something, etc.And never rev up the car while it's not moving.If you're driving in 'b...

Helping Your Car Run The Extra Mile

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:18:48 -0500

A little extra care here and there when it comes to your car,and you'll find yourself saving loads of money - not just onrepairs, but on fuel as well!Keep your engine tuned up. A misfiring spark plug can reducefuel efficiency as much as percent. This means less money inyour wallet. Follow the service schedules listed in your owner'smanual. Replace filters and fluids as recommended.I know it doesn't always fit into your schedule. You just haveto make yourself do it. If the dealer is charging an arm and aleg for a tune-up, get a second opinion at a local reputable carrepair shop. They can do the same service schedule, usually at agreater savings to you.These tune-ups not only keep your car running smoothly, butthey'll help when you're ready for a newer vehicle. A smoothrunning car means a better trade in value for you.Check your tires for proper inflation. Under-inflation actuallywastes fuel. It causes your engine to work harder to push thevehicle. Wheels that are out...

Oil - The Life Of Your Car

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:22:15 -0500

Oil cleans your car. It lubricates parts. It helps cool thingsdown. Without it, your engine would be sitting squarely in thecenter of your local junkyard.Scheduling regular oil changes is vital to the life of anyvehicle.The oil filter keeps little bits of dust and other contaminantsout of your engine, and helps ensure the oil runs smoothly, soyou want to change that every time you change the oil.Imagine how your body would react if your kidneys and liver shutdown. The impurities in your blood would build up continually,and it wouldn't take long for your body to completely break down.Oil for your car can be likened to blood to your body. Your carneeds clean oil to keep going. What would happen if you neverchanged your oil?Well, you'd be lucky to get , miles out of the car beforeyour engine would collapse.Say you only change your oil once a year. Your car seems to berunning fine, so no harm done, right? Not so fast! Your enginehas been flooded with contaminants. It...

Car Repair 101

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:04:00 -0500

The more you notice about your vehicle, the more likely you'llbe able to head off repair problems. Yep- even if you'remechanically challenged. You can detect many common vehicleproblems by using your eyes and nose.'See No Evil'Is there a little stain or a drop of fluid under your vehicle?It may mean absolutely nothing. But you do want to check the wetspots immediately - just to make sure.What color is the fluid under your car? Yellowish green, prettyblue or neon orange colors indicate an overheated engine or anantifreeze leak caused by a bad hose, water pump or leakingradiator. Not good. I remember the yellowish green ooze from myChevette as the tow truck took it away to its final restingplace. Get to a repair shop while you still can!A dark brown or black oily fluid means the engine is leakingoil. A bad seal or gasket could cause the leak. This is how myfirst car met its demise.A red oily looking spot indicates a transmission orpower-steering fluid leak. Also, not go...

Getting That Car Loan

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:43:41 -0500

So here's the situation: you are buying a car but you don't knowwhat type of auto loan offers you should go for. What should yougo for?The answer is simple enough: get a simple interest loan.What is a simple interest loan anyway?A simple interest loan is a loan where you pay interest only onthe original principal of the loan.The good thing is, of all auto loan offers are simpleinterest loans, although there are some lenders who are pushingloans that are not. You should never agree to an auto loan thatis not a simple interest loan.The second thing you DO NOT want on your auto loan ispre-payment penalties. A loan without pre-payment penaltiesmeans that the lender will not charge you an extra fee if youpay the loan off early either through refinancing or other means.Remember that it is always easiest, and refinancing will saveyou the most money, when a simple interest auto loan with noprepayment penalties is refinanced with another simple interestauto loan at a lower...

Choosing the Right Car

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 14:36:13 -0500

For most people in the United States, the car is one of theirmost expensive purchases. So make sure you ponder this issueproperly before pulling out your credit card.The first thing you might want to look at is whether to buy anew car or a used car. Some people just refuse to buy a usedcar, while others simply refuse to purchase a new one. There areof course both advantages and disadvantages of both.So, what's so great about a new car? Well, a new car comes withall the perks: the latest devices, the color, the interiordesign. And you don't have to worry about any problems with thenew car, you are fully covered by the car warranty. And ofcourse, if you keep your car in good shape, you can probablyextend the life of your car with minimal maintenance. But a newcar comes with the drawbacks as well. The price, for one, is amajor turn-off factor. And once you start driving the car, theresale value can decrease quite dramatically within the firsttwo years. Insurance would prob...

Top 5 Factors Determining Your Car Insurance Rate

Sat, 28 Aug 2010 14:05:36 -0500

Auto insurance can be confusing and mind boggling sometimes andit's hard to determine exactly why some individuals arereceiving rates which are lower than others. There are manyfactors which contribute to the rate of auto insurance, some youhave control over and others you don't. Below you will find valuable information regarding the factorswhich are compiled in order to determine the rate of your carinsurance. These will help you understand important aspects ofauto insurance and why some individuals receive higher ratesthan others. Here are the top five factors which auto insurancecompanies will consider when determining your rate of insurance:.Age ' Your age will greatly affect the rate of your carinsurance. Teenagers and individuals who are just beginning todrive will have higher rates for no reason other than their age.There is nothing you can do about this, as you get older andbecome a more experienced driver your rates will go down.Although they will go down, the...

Buying A New Car

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:49:53 -0500

The cost of a new car nowadays equals about what my parents paidfor their first home. It's not a purchase to be taken lightly.You want to do everything possible to ensure you get a greatdeal.Never rush your decision. If you are completely withouttransportation, rent a vehicle until you find the right car.When you rush a purchase, you usually end up on the losing endof the deal.Thanks to the Internet, you can uncover the typical retail costof a specific make and model. With a little digging, you canfind out the wholesale cost as well. This information makes youa powerful negotiator.You want a win-win situation with the car dealership. They needto make some profit, and you need to feel you paid a fair price.It's fair to negotiate to a price that's above dealer costor about off the sticker price. So take along yourcalculator when you shop.If the only cars on the lot have expensive options you don'tcare for, you might want to order a car to your specifications.Y...

Protect for your Car's Floor with Toyota Floor Mats

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:42:19 -0500

Whenever we think about car accessories, what comes to mind arethe most common and obvious ones like bumpers, spoilers, stepguards, halogen lights and others that are added externally.Likewise, the more common interior accessories may include seatcovers, audio systems and others. However, most of us do notalways notice one important car interior accessory outright. Itis because it is right under our feet ' Floor Mats. Floor Matsare more than just decorative accessories giving your car'sfloor a good look. Their main function is to protect your car'scarpet from dirt, grime, mud, and other debris that may ruin itover time.Because car carpets are expensive, it makes sense to protect itfrom damage or regular wear and tear. Most cars today come withstock carpeting straight from the factory. These carpets come ina variety of materials, ranging from standard carpeting fabricsto ones that are more luxurious. Either way, the lifespan of anauto carpet will be prolonged by using f...

Negotiating Tips for New Car Buyers

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:56:49 -0500

You need a new car, but you're just not ready? Even if you havemoney andor great credit and you know all the details of thecar you want, there is still one thing standing in your way'Negotiating the price!It can be uncomfortable or even scary, but you'll have to do itat almost every car dealer. That's why I'm going to give yousome tips to get you through the negotiating process and drivehome in your new car!Being a good negotiator doesn't have to be difficult. Sooner orlater you'll have to negotiate with someone for something, soyou better get started now.When you are trying to negotiate with a car dealer, you shouldknow that they are very practiced in the art already and willhit you with everything they have. You will need to know how toget through their 'car speak' in order to be successful.Here are a few tips to successful negotiating.-Remain positive and confident.-Don't talk down to your opponent.-Show up prepared and ready to counter anything that may come up....

Affordable Online Car Auctions

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:08:39 -0500

Still hunting for the car of your dreams? Public car auctionsonline are becoming a happy hunting ground for caraficionados for they bring you a huge selection of affordablecars in various models at unbelievable prices. With online carauctions you can buy a new car at prices, which are quite lessthan the manufacturer's price in the retail showroom. You canbuy a car at price that you can afford. Automobile auctions havecar prices which are among the most affordable and there are allkinds of options available to suit every kind of budget. Forinstance, you can find all kinds of auto auctions online - fromrecreational vehicle auctions to buying used cars on line.Buying used cars online is a win-win situation for you for youcan find cars that are practically new in their look and feelbut have prices far less than the new ones. Some of the vehicleslisted in internet vehicle auctions are still unde...

Tips In Buying The Ultimate Car At Low Cost

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 16:04:11 -0500

You don't really need to be the ultimate car geek to figure outthe ins and outs of savings when buying a new car. You just needsome car buying tips, a calculator, a notepad and pen and mentalsavvy to play the cost game with a couple of car dealers.To set you on the road to the car that you've always wantedwithout the burden of high costs, here are some car buying tipsguaranteed to lighten your path.Car buying tip : Do your price homework.In order to get the best deal, you have to first determine whatthe fair price is for the car that you want and what the carcosts in various car dealers. Researching for the fair price canbe a bit tricky as all dealers would have different prices. Oneway to do this is to log on to websites such as Cars.com,InvoiceDealers.com, CarsDirect.com, AutoWeb, Edmunds.com,Car.com and AutoUSA and see what their prices are. Aftercomparing, you will have a fairly good idea how it costs.Car buying tip : Price is not everythingWhile price is the m...

Sites To Help You In Car Buying Online

Sun, 22 Aug 2010 13:25:14 -0500

With everything virtually possible, why not car buying online?In fact in the past years, car buying online has evolved fromtips and comparison charts to honest-to-goodness onlinetransactions. Gone are the days when you have to personallyscout for your dream car, hopping from one store to another,talking to car dealers and comparing prices.Now, buyers can go online and do all this and more' that is ifyou know where to look in the World Wide Web. Here are somesites that will help you make car buying online as easy asshopping for grocery. So click away and take that virtualshopping cart.The comparison strategyWeb sites like AutoVantage allows users to look at severalmodels, their specifications and features and to compare themwith each other. It also gives you an idea on what specific carmodel suits your needs, lifestyle and of course the budget. Carbuying online has never been easier as websites like these allowfor clearer and faster comparisons as you are given prices a...