Posts Tagged ‘car news’

The Latest Car Bulbs Range: Which One Should You Choose?

Osram is the leading manufacturer of automotive lighting products, and their products are used as standard equipment by many of the major leading car manufacturers. However alongside their standard range of 12 volt headlight bulbs, Osram has also produced an upgrade range of headlight bulbs for drivers looking for improved lighting and styling performance from their headlight bulbs.

There are three improved styles for the headlight bulbs. These are Osram Silver Star, Osram Cool Blue, and Osram Night Breaker. Each of these bulbs has been determined as legal for the road and has the European testing standards E1 branding. These lights are designed to replace the standard equipment, thus they fit directly into the connectors and holders without need for a tool or modification.

To determine which of the new Osram headlight bulbs you want it is best to find out what light bulbs your vehicle already has. This information can be found in two different places. Your car’s owner manual should list the style and rating of your headlight bulbs. Your other option is to use the words “Car Bulbs Finders” in the Google search engine. It will then list online auto bulb dealers, which have car guides online for you to use.

The Osram Cool Blue light is for drivers who want to make an impression. The lights give a night time appearance. Cool Blue has filtered glass that provides a blue tint to the light. It is a lot like the xenon bulbs including the intensity of those bulbs.

With the Osram Cool Blue you will need to understand the ECE rules. There are limits to the amount of blue tint you can have on a headlight bulb. Osram ensures that their Cool Blue is within that limit. In fact it is the darkest street legal light you can have for your car.

Osram Silver Star lights help increase visibility for night time driving. They are also much better than halogen headlights that come standard in cars. The Osram Silver Star produces 50 percent more light on the road at the 50 to 75 metre range. This helps drivers react to dangers, obstacles, or road signs quicker.

The top upgrade from Osram is the Night Breaker series. The Night Breaker is made with xenon gas which is pressurised inside the glass. It also has an upgrade to the filament. The results of this change offer 90 percent more light. It also has a longer range by 35 metres in darkness, with 10 percent whiter light emitted.

The keen driver who wants the best visibility and product will want the Osram Night Breaker bulbs.

Upgrading your standard headlight bulbs is a great way to improve night time safety and visibility and with the Osram Cool Blue, Osram Silverstar or Osram Nightbreaker series there should always be a bulb to suit your requirements.

If you want better vision for driving at night you should fit new Headlight Bulbs so you can see and been seen more clearly. The latest range of aftermarket, retro fit Xenon Bulbs are designed for professional drivers who travel long distances, often in poor light or night time conditions when good forward vision is crucial.

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The Motorists Guide to an Overheating Engine

As your temperature gauge rises higher than normal, going closer to the red zone, you are given the first indicator that your engine is overheating. The second indication is the warning light your vehicle has to tell you the car is running hot. This light is typically found on the dashboard, and you may see steam rising from the bonnet. When any of these signs appear you need to stop driving the vehicle. To continue driving is asking for brutal and costly injury to the engine.

If your vehicle is overheating you need to pull off the street and turn the vehicle off immediately. You do not want to continue to a mechanic garage or station as this will result in irreparable damage to the engine. The cylinder head when it gets too hot will warp or crack, thus replacement is needed in that situation.

Once safely parked on the side of the road, switch on your hazard lights to warn any following drivers of your problem. Providing that there is no fire present you can open the bonnet, to give the engine a chance to cool down, however do not be tempted to touch any of the engine parts at this point, as it is very likely that you will be burnt.

It can take a significant amount of time for the engine to cool down, so you should be prepared for a long wait. If the car overheats during the night hours make sure your sidelights are lit and that you turn the headlights on so you can see what you are doing around the engine.

After the engine has cooled you will need to check the coolant. The coolant can be found in the radiator and the fluid reservoir. If there is a lower level of coolant in the container you can add water to it in an emergency. Adding water to the coolant will dilute it, which means it can freeze in the winter. This is because antifreeze properties exist in the coolant. You will need a professional mechanic to flush the system and repair the diluted fluid before winter.

The cap to the coolant filler can be very hot even after the car has cooled down. Steam tends to be trapped inside which will rise, burning your hand. It is best to wait until the outside of the radiator is cool to the touch before opening the cap. You can also use a rag to remove the cap.

Stand a way from the engine when you are filling it with water so that you will not be splashed by the warmer liquid. You will also need to stop frequently to check the fluid levels as there is a minimum and maximum line to fill to. Once you have filled the reservoir you can check the engine temperature gauge. If it is back to normal you may proceed on your drive.

Keep in mind that it is safe to drive again, but there is probably another problem related to the overheating of the engine. You should get your car into a repair shop as soon as you can, and avoid long drives. If the car overheats again after a short time of driving again you will need to stop, call roadside assistance, and have them tow you to a garage.

If you are planning on a long motoring trip as well as checking under the bonnet, you should make sure your all your Car Bulbs are working correctly before setting off. It is also important to carry spare Headlight Bulbs with you so that if a bulb blows you can still carry on motoring safely.

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How to Be a Better Driver with These Cornering Tips

The sun is up, the sky is clear, and the days are long, so what better way to enjoy it than taking a ride through the country. Obtaining clean air and beautiful views definitely makes for a better excursion than your normal commute. If you are like most drivers you also will want to test your car within the laws on roads that are not filled with traffic.

UK roads in the country are tight, so when a curve comes up there is a phenomenon called the tightening radius bend. This condition is a danger for drivers, and is a leading cause of accidents. When you go around a corner the radius is the same as when you began to turn, so you don’t have to adjust the wheel. On a curve in the country the bends are different, which means you have to adjust the wheel the further you go.

A good illustration of this is when a car crashes because the driver did not properly reduce their speed or consider that the curve may change as the bend continues. Often times a corner will change in the bend, tightening and thus requiring a lower speed.

To try and stay on the road, the driver may change the wheel or steering lock, and unfortunately the speed is usually too much. This causes the car to be under steered. The driver may fight this feeling by hitting the brakes, which will worsen the condition. In this situation the vehicle will hit traffic coming down the other lane or it may wind up in a ditch.

The problem is further compounded on country roads because hedges, bushes, or trees can obscure a drivers site regarding a bend. Therefore they are unprepared for the change in the corner and danger ensues.

If you want to avoid being a statistic you will want to use visual cues. Before entering a curve make sure you are going the proper speed by braking or if need be changing the gears.

When you cannot view the curve check for telephone poles or light posts, which can signify a change in the road is about to occur. When driving at night using an oncoming cars light beams can work as a guide. You want to enter any bend at a speed you can safely stop with to ensure you do not unbalance your vehicle.

After the curve begins to dissipate you will be able to increase your speed again. There are other dangers in the country besides bends in the road for you to be watchful of. Mud, slower moving vehicles, and even livestock can create accidents. If you think “What If” when driving, you could avoid an accident.

If you want to make good progress when driving on country roads at night you are going to need very good auto bulbs to cut through the darkness. Upgrade headlight bulbs like the Osram Night Breaker xenon bulbs will improve the light output from your headlights and are completely road legal.

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Buying a New Car: Where Should You go to Get the Best Deal

Researching what type of vehicle you want, what your budget is, and your finance options takes time, but once you have completed these steps you are closer to purchasing a new or used vehicle. The next step is locating the car you want so that you can go ahead and purchase it. There are numerous places you can look for the vehicle you want to determine what the better place is.

Dealers Yard

If it’s a new or nearly new low mileage car that you are after then you will probably consider going to a main dealer to make your purchase. Buying from a main dealer will normally ensure you receive excellent service and your consumer rights will be fully protected, although you will be paying for this through higher prices.

Independent dealers work well for older cars. You do need to realise that quality and customer service can vary with these dealers. Also be careful to check the warranty for what it covers.

Classifieds for Cars

Going through the private classifieds is a good way to get a great deal on a vehicle. Unfortunately you do have to look out for the untrue seller who can be hiding in the pages, as well as traders trying to be private sellers.

If you do buy an automobile privately there are less consumer rights and thus less protection. You will need to keep a copy of the advertisement in case there are any claims you need to make against the seller. The ad can be evidence. You also want to check the V5 to ensure the vehicle you are looking at goes with the address you have gone to.

Supermarkets for Automobiles

The popularity of car supermarkets continues to grow and you will normally find one quite near you. Whilst the prices will be typically low, as they buy all the stock in bulk, you will not normally be able to haggle on the price and will probably get quite a low value on any trade on vehicle that you may have.

Since there is a lot of choice at these big markets you may find several models of the vehicle you are looking for, and they may have upgrades like xenon headlamps, alloy wheels, and air conditioning.

Vehicle Auction Sites

Auctions that sell vehicles have become another place over the years to get low mileage vehicles for a good price. Better still is the fact that you get a guarantee regarding mechanical problem issues. However, if you are buying at an auction realise your consumer rights are not as plentiful as other options. While you get a bargain you also need to check the vehicle before making a bid.

Online Sales

Many dealers have their own internet sites so that you can check the specification and pictures of the vehicle before setting off to see it. However the growth of internet auction sites like Ebay mean you can now buy a vehicle without first viewing it.

If you decide to go with Ebay you will want to check out the seller feedback. Stay away from few or poor ratings, and go for someone with a higher rating. If your bid is the winner you are obligated to purchase the vehicle, as long as the advertising was truthful.

Whilst many new cars now come with Xenon Bulbs as an optional extra they do command a premium on the purchase price. Fortunately, even if your new vehicle does not have xenon lights fitted you can still upgrade your Car Bulbs to xenon with the latest aftermarket upgrade products.

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