Did you know that, apart from a house and the expense of raising children, an automotive is the most expensive item the vast majority of us will ever buy? Why then do we find it acceptable to neglect these expensive purchases? C'mon folks, let's get out there in the sunshine and give our cars a good cleaning! They love it, I know they do.
I used to run a pickup and delivery car wash business, and I quickly realized the importance of the following five tips that I'm going to share with you. Some may sound simple, but you'd amazed at how many of my friends and neighbors I see washing their cars the hard way.
I'm going to assume that everyone knows to spray your car down with water thoroughly before employing these steps. It dislodges the loose dirt and dust that would otherwise be swirled around with your mitt, and it also effectively cools the surface temperature of your car a bit before washing, which makes cleaning easier.
#1 - Clean the Tires First.
I never condone the use of harsh chemicals on a vehicle's paint, but on tires and rims it's generally a good way to go, simply for the time savings and the effectiveness of most cleaners (email me or visit my website for recommendations). I use a soft bristle brush and an old wash mitt. Do NOT use the same water that you're going to use to wash the car, since the brake dust and road tar that your rims accumulate, not to mention those harsh chemicals that you used to clean them, are not good for your paint at all.
#2 - Repeat After Me:
We wash the car from the TOP down! This is a simple tip, but most folks tend to forget it, instead just dunking their mitt in the water and slapping it up on the nearest body panel. Why does it matter? Not only does gravity dictate that dirt and water always run to ground, but you actually end up saving a lot of time, soapy water, and rinse water when you start at the top. Try it and you'll agree. I also find that it ensures a more thorough and consistent cleaning.
#3 - Don't use old bath towels to dry off your car.
I know it's easy to do it that way, but those towels actually aren't soft enough to keep from putting miniscule scratches into your paint. You won't notice it right away, but try drying the same car with crusty bath towels for a couple years, and you'll definitely notice a duller paint finish. But don't throw those towels away! Use them to dry your windows, rubber trim, door jambs, wheels and tires, really anything but the paint. What do you dry the rest of your car with? A chamois. I'll always prefer the genuine sheepskin chamois, but there are some competitive synthetic ones out there.
#4 - Cost Saving tip here:
Save your old newspapers for cleaning your car windows! You still need to use Windex of course, but old newspapers are essentially free and they actually do a MUCH better job of cleaning your windows, with drastically less lint than paper towels. Also, a wad of newspaper goes a lot longer before needing to be replaced. At the car wash where I ran my business, we used to dig the newspapers out of the trash cans. Free! Just grab a full page, crumple it up into a large wad, and off you go. For some reason, the color pages don't work as well, so try to use the black and white pages. Seriously, if you've never tried this then you'll thank me.
#5 - Use a damp rag on your dashboard and interior trim before applying the vinyl detailer (Armor All or similar).
When you spray your dash, your seats, the door panels, and everywhere else with detailer without first wiping it down, all that dust and grime just gets spread around, not really removed. This step is also free, and will save you money in Armor All as well. Take a clean rag, dampen it with water, and quickly wipe everything down. Take a peak at your rag. See? Afterwards apply your vinyl detailer SPARINGLY. Now that's a nice looking interior.
We spend so much money on our cars, and so much time in them, folks. I for one am glad to spend so much time in mine. Without my car I'm . . . well I'm a guy who's looking for his car. Let's send the right message about ourselves by keeping our cars in great shape!
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Jeep Compass
Looking to get the best out of a vehicle’s performance? If you are that person then the Jeep Compass is the car for you. This car is great for the open-minded, happy, wild or the person that likes to live life on the exiting side. It is available with four-wheel drive functionality. The interior of the Jeep Compass is immaculate; the back seat is a 60/40-split that has suitable single act folding option for adaptability as well as fertility. This split folding backseat provides maximum comfort for passengers as the seats fold back to create a feature that allows you to nearly lie down. The driver’s seat has adaptable lumbar support to provide the driver with the utmost comfort. The front seats also come with heaters.
The centre console of the Jeep Compass has a flip and slide feature and the lid of the console can serve as a comfortable armrest as it slides back and forward. There is also a flip pocket located in the lid; it swings open at a total of 145°, which allows for the feature of an iPod or cell phone to be put into position and stay there securely throughout your journey. This is also convenient as you won’t have to reach into your pocket and distract yourself from the road when you want access to your phone or music from your MP3 player. A cargo flashlight is also featured in the vehicle. This removable, rechargeable device provides light for when you are driving at night; this proves to be very useful.
We all know how annoying it is when you get a flat tire while you are driving. This always seems to happen when you are in a hurry and you have no spare with you because you have no space in your car to accommodate one. This is why the Jeep Compass has an allocated space in the floor of the car, underneath a removable panel. So the tire will be hidden, but you know where to find it should you need it. So there’s no more waiting on that person to bring you a tire in order for you to get back on the road, just pop it on and you’re A for away!
The power sunroof allows for fresh air when the weather is good, without having to open a window. The sunroof features a tilt and slide motion with a vent and it opens with the simple touch of a button. If you do not want this feature on your Jeep Compass, you can just say so as you have the option of with or without. Convenience now has a whole new meaning!
You don’t have to worry about getting this car in horrible colors as they are only available in exquisite ones! The colors this car is available in are Steel Blue Metallic, Black, Bright Silver Metallic, Light Khaki Metallic, Marine Blue Pearl, Jeep Green Metallic, Stone White and Inferno Red Crystal Pearl. All beautiful colors!
When you buy a Jeep Compass, you can have it customized to best suit you. There are many different features you could add to the car and make it exactly the way you want it.
The centre console of the Jeep Compass has a flip and slide feature and the lid of the console can serve as a comfortable armrest as it slides back and forward. There is also a flip pocket located in the lid; it swings open at a total of 145°, which allows for the feature of an iPod or cell phone to be put into position and stay there securely throughout your journey. This is also convenient as you won’t have to reach into your pocket and distract yourself from the road when you want access to your phone or music from your MP3 player. A cargo flashlight is also featured in the vehicle. This removable, rechargeable device provides light for when you are driving at night; this proves to be very useful.
We all know how annoying it is when you get a flat tire while you are driving. This always seems to happen when you are in a hurry and you have no spare with you because you have no space in your car to accommodate one. This is why the Jeep Compass has an allocated space in the floor of the car, underneath a removable panel. So the tire will be hidden, but you know where to find it should you need it. So there’s no more waiting on that person to bring you a tire in order for you to get back on the road, just pop it on and you’re A for away!
The power sunroof allows for fresh air when the weather is good, without having to open a window. The sunroof features a tilt and slide motion with a vent and it opens with the simple touch of a button. If you do not want this feature on your Jeep Compass, you can just say so as you have the option of with or without. Convenience now has a whole new meaning!
You don’t have to worry about getting this car in horrible colors as they are only available in exquisite ones! The colors this car is available in are Steel Blue Metallic, Black, Bright Silver Metallic, Light Khaki Metallic, Marine Blue Pearl, Jeep Green Metallic, Stone White and Inferno Red Crystal Pearl. All beautiful colors!
When you buy a Jeep Compass, you can have it customized to best suit you. There are many different features you could add to the car and make it exactly the way you want it.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Government Seized Car Auction - Drive Home Used Cars Dirt Cheap!
Unless you are hibernating or watching too much football for the past years, you must have heard of government seized car selling dirt cheap. Everyday, for so many years now, government agencies have been selling seized cars to the highest bidder. (This is not only limited to surplus and repossessed cars. There are also boats, aircraft, electronic devices, office equipment, furniture, heavy machineries, and foreclosed or seized lots and houses.)
How is it possible?
It may sound to you that the government is so desperate to sell these seized cars but the truth is, seized vehicles occupy a lot of space, which in turn is equivalent to money spend on storage. So, the government agencies willfully sell these vehicles to anyone who is willing to pay for them through auction. Another reason is that the money generated from these government seized car auctions are extra income which will go back to public services.
How come I do not know this?
Government seized cars are not so commonly know to the public for obvious reasons. Government agencies will not spend on advertising these auctions. So very few people know which agencies have auctions unless the person is well informed.
Where are government seized car auctions held?
Government seized car auctions are held all across the country. There might be one near you. But no, it is not advisable to head to your local county or government building and ask about it. They will not likely give you such information. What you should do is to know where exactly to go. Here are some of the government agencies that hold seized car auctions:
- Federal law enforcement agency
- Local Police agency
- County Sheriff department
- Internal Revenue Service
- General Service Administration
- Small Business Administration
- State tax department
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court
- U.S. Customs
- U.S. Postal Service
- U.S. Marshall
Government seized car auctions are also available online. Most of these sites require a membership fee between $20 and $60 for you to be able to access the list of seized cars on sale. The main advantage of this is that you can conveniently bid for a car that is located thousands of miles from you. And since not so many people know about these plus the fact that the government wants to dispose these immediately, you can easily win any car you want at a very low price.
How is it possible?
It may sound to you that the government is so desperate to sell these seized cars but the truth is, seized vehicles occupy a lot of space, which in turn is equivalent to money spend on storage. So, the government agencies willfully sell these vehicles to anyone who is willing to pay for them through auction. Another reason is that the money generated from these government seized car auctions are extra income which will go back to public services.
How come I do not know this?
Government seized cars are not so commonly know to the public for obvious reasons. Government agencies will not spend on advertising these auctions. So very few people know which agencies have auctions unless the person is well informed.
Where are government seized car auctions held?
Government seized car auctions are held all across the country. There might be one near you. But no, it is not advisable to head to your local county or government building and ask about it. They will not likely give you such information. What you should do is to know where exactly to go. Here are some of the government agencies that hold seized car auctions:
- Federal law enforcement agency
- Local Police agency
- County Sheriff department
- Internal Revenue Service
- General Service Administration
- Small Business Administration
- State tax department
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court
- U.S. Customs
- U.S. Postal Service
- U.S. Marshall
Government seized car auctions are also available online. Most of these sites require a membership fee between $20 and $60 for you to be able to access the list of seized cars on sale. The main advantage of this is that you can conveniently bid for a car that is located thousands of miles from you. And since not so many people know about these plus the fact that the government wants to dispose these immediately, you can easily win any car you want at a very low price.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)