Dealing with auto repairs can create quite the hassle. Considering how expensive they can be, you might not know how you should handle your repairs. Whether you hire a professional or decide to do-it-yourself, it's important that you think about the important factors of your decision. Continue reading to find out more.
Do you have a hard time starting your car? Your battery probably needs to be recharged or replaced. You need to check the state of charge of your battery. You can use a hydrometer or a voltmeter depending on the type of battery you have. If you have been regularly recharging your battery, it might be time for a new one.
If you are having work done on your car, make sure you get a written estimate beforehand. The estimate should include what is being repaired, the parts that will be needed and the anticipated cost for labor. It should also say that they will call for your approval before doing any additional work which exceeds the amount or time specified.
Checking and repairing the air conditioning in your car is quite complex. If you need to have it checked or fixed, find a mechanic with an air conditioning certification. The gas used for air conditioning is potentially dangerous and this system is a lot more complex than the other parts in your vehicle.
If you take your car to a mechanic, make sure they have the proper licenses and credentials. Before making your appointment, check their reviews online and their standing with the Better Business Bureau. Don't just look at the positive reviews, but see how the company responds to negative feedback. Every business has the occasional problem, and if they handle the matter quickly and courteously, they may be worth a second look.
Preventative maintenance is very important if you own a car. Do not hesitate to spend money on the tools you need to inspect and maintain your car or having a mechanic look at your car regularly. Maintaining your car regularly could help you save a lot on repairs or towing if your car breaks down.
Know your car before taking it in for any auto repairs. If you have little knowledge on the specs of your model car, you may end up being taken for a ride without you knowing it. Read through your manual at the bare minimum before going for any larger repairs.
Wash and wax your car on a fairly regular basis. This will prevent it from becoming eroded. Many people go get paint jobs to cover the process of erosion. You can avoid having to pay for this if you make sure that your car is very well taken care of.
If you need to get your car fixed after an accident, you should contact your insurance to get a list of approved mechanics. Going to an approved mechanic means your insurance will cover some of your expenses. Besides, you are more likely to find a good certified mechanic if you go to a professional chosen by your insurance company.
Do not worry if you find a puddle of water under your car. Puddles are usually caused by condensation from your air conditioning system. You should worry if you have not been using your air conditioning system or if you find puddles of water under your car on a regular basis.
You should always pay attention to the way your car smells. An unpleasant smell is usually caused by a leak or an electrical short. It is best not to drive your car and find a mechanic who can come inspect it to determine what is causing the strong smell.
Trust your gut feeling when dealing with a mechanic. If the person you are talking to does not really answer to your questions or seems to be vague on purpose, you need to keep looking. A good mechanic should put you at ease and give you plenty of details on the work that needs to be done.
Replacing a charcoal canister is very expensive, but you can easily replace this part yourself. Take off the wheel located under your fuel tank and disconnect the vacuum lines connected to the old canister. The part should then come right off. Install the new one and connect the lines very carefully before installing the wheel again.
You need to keep track of all the repairs and transactions with your garage or dealership. If you decide to file a complaint, you will need to document what happened. Keeping these documents will also help you inform buyers about the repairs you did on the vehicle if you want to sell your car.
Talk it out with the service technician. He or she may know what they are doing, but they may fail to adequately communicate with you about what is going on. Therefore, don't be afraid to question what they are telling you so that you are both on the same page. Communicate your needs clearly so they know what you expect as well.
With these tips, you should feel more comfortable about fixing your car. You should know have some ideas that can help you to get your automobile repaired quickly, so that you can go on with your life. Don't wait until you have a problem with your car; keep this information on hand so you have somewhere to start.
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Fastest street-legal cars of the decade
Aj Caldwell: It's a great time to be a car enthusiast. Modern times have brought us the mind-boggling performance of electric vehicles and some updates to some old favorites. Speed records have been broken again and again as new technology fuels automakers' competition for the title of fastest car. So, as the 2010s near an end, here are the 10 fastest street-legal cars of the past decade.
Coming in at the No. 10 spot is a car brand most people haven't heard of. Noble is a boutique British automaker known to engineer some real track beast. The Noble M600 soars to a top speed of 225 mph from a 650-horsepower Yamaha V8 engine.
Pagani is a popular car brand among high-end collectors. Its offerings are designed to be true pieces of art on wheels. But the Huayra doesn't just look good; it's seriously fast. Engineers tuned a turbocharged Mercedes AMG V12 to push out 700 horses, consequently giving the Huayra a staggering top speed of 230 mph.
Zenvo didn't hit the car scene until 2008 but gained a lot of attention by producing a 1,163-horsepower prototype right out the gate. A few years later, that prototype became the Zenvo TS1. Its 5.8-liter V8 with twin superchargers propel it to 233 mph.
At No. 7 on the list, we have our first hybrid. Swedish automaker Koenigsegg has produced some of the most impressive supercars since it started in 1994, one of them being the Regera. The most eye-catching feature is Autoskin, but the Regera is still all about performance. It combines three electric motors with the 5-liter twin-turbo V8 to make 1,500 horsepower, pushing the Regera to an electronically limited top speed of 250 mph.
Not to be confused with the previously mentioned Regera is another entry from Koenigsegg, the Agera R. It's a limited-run supercar with multiple acceleration records, one of them being the fastest 0-to-200 mph time, at 17.68 seconds. The 1,140-horsepower engine runs on biofuel and pushes the car to 260 mph.
Bugatti is one of the most recognizable supercar brands, and for good reason. Its cars not only push the limits of automobiles, but they're also beautifully handcrafted machines. Its famous W16 engine is a quad-turbocharged monster, making 1,500 horsepower. Placed inside the Chiron, it launches the supercar to 261 mph. But there's plenty more power after that, as it's capped with an electronic limiter.
Beating Bugatti is another Bugatti. The Veyron Super Sport 16.4 set the world record for fastest production car with a top speed of 267.857 mph, though the production version was electronically limited to 258 mph. The world record shows just how powerful its 1,200-horsepower engine really is.
Hennessey Performance Engineering is a car-tuning company that specializes in modifying sports cars and supercars. But the Venom GT is a car of its own. Though it's based off the Lotus Exige platform, the engineering is all Hennessey. The Venom GT broke Bugatti's world record in 2014 with a top speed of 270.49 mph.
Building off the success of the Agera R, Koenigsegg introduced the Agera RS in 2017. It went on to set the world record for fastest production car with a top speed of 277.87 mph. Though it has the same 5-liter twin-turbocharged V8, it makes 1,350 horsepower, 210 more than its predecessor. The owners of each of the 25 Agera RS vehicles worked with Koenigsegg to personalize every detail, including color, stitching, power output, and even nicknaming the car, so no two are alike.
Taking the No. 1 spot is the Bugatti Chiron...again. This time, with a modified version that's longer, more aerodynamic, and clearly doesn't have the electronic limiter. It's still technically a pre-production prototype, but it set the world record for fastest supercar with a top speed of 304.77 mph in September of 2019. It's the first car to break the 300-mph barrier, a feat manufacturers have been trying to achieve with production cars for years.
So, there you have it. The fastest street-legal cars of the decade. The 2010s brought us 300 mph; we can only imagine what the next decade will bring. From a V8 twin-turbocharged engine, a 1,200, I...what? [laughs] Cameraman: From a V8 twin turbocharged...
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