Automotive Guruz

An automotive blog offering car insurance tips, car reviews, buying guides and everything else related to cars.

What Young Drivers Should do to Keep their Car Ins...

Posted July 22nd, 2010 at 01:07 pm by
Filed under: Car Insurance Tips
Insurance company premiums reflect the statistical likelihood of an accident based solely on the demographic the driver belongs to. The group who most frequent file ...
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Hydrogen Hybrid Cars

Posted May 05th, 2010 at 05:05 am by
Filed under: Energy Efficient Cars
According to environmental protection agency, Hybrid electric vehicles are known to be the most fuel-efficient automobiles. By combining internal ignition engine with electric drive system, ...
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Are Auto Insurance Rates Rising?

Posted March 08th, 2010 at 08:03 pm by
Filed under: Car Insurance, Car Insurance Tips
When it comes to auto insurance, everyone is always searching online trying to find the absolute best deals on their auto insurance policies. Unfortunately, you ...
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Buying Car Insurance Online

Posted March 03rd, 2010 at 07:03 pm by
Filed under: Car Insurance, Car Insurance Tips
In most parts of the world, driving without insurance is illegal. The number of people on the road is increasing day by day and the ...
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What Young Drivers Should do to Keep their Car Insurance Premiums Low

Insurance company premiums reflect the statistical likelihood of an accident based solely on the demographic the driver belongs to. The group who most frequent file claims are teenaged males, so it’s no surprise that they are the most expensive people to insure. With this in mind, there are several things young drivers can do to keep their insurance premium costs down.

1. Some cars cost more to insure than others: A fast, red sports car is more expensive to insure than a Honda sedan. Some cars are also more expensive to repair in case of an accident, and this is also factored in the cost of insurance. A fast red car also makes an easy target for a policeman looking to catch people speeding, but that’s another story.

2.Ask for a Discount: Car insurance companies have different reasons for discounting your premium: your parents might use the same company for home insurance; your family might have several cars insured by the same company; some companies give you a deal if you have an anti-theft device in your car. There are lots more discounts out there. Be sure to ask and get the savings you’re entitled to, but do the research yourself since most companies won’t go out of their way to save you money.

3.Drive less: Car insurance premiums reflect the likelihood of an accident, so the less you declare you’ll be driving under the policy drive the less money you will have to pay. It also differs depending on whether you are the primary or secondary driver of the car. If you are a young driver sometimes driving your parents car this is something you must keep in mind. Note: If you are away at school and have no access to the car under which you are insured, even if you’re not the primary driver, many companies have a discount in place.

4.Take Lessons: Graduating from a driving school is a reliable way to lower your car insurance premium. It is a certified way of showing them you’re statistically a better driver than you would be otherwise. Also, by becoming a better driver, you diminish the risks of getting into an accident and thereby avoiding a future increase in your premium.

5.Compare rates: As a youth, it’s likely your parents’ first instinct will be to include you on their plan, but this is only worthwhile if the discount this gives you works out to be less than the regular price at other company. This is worth investigating.

6.Pay a higher deductible: This is a calculated gamble that could backfire if you’re not a careful driver. However, in the short term it will lower your premium and it will be cheaper overall provided you don’t get into an accident. Then again, insurance is about covering yourself for that - just incase - situation, so consider this as an option and do whatever you feel comfortable doing.

7.Be a defensive driver: This is extremely obvious, but still it’s worth mentioning. It may not save you money right away, but every accident you get into increases the cost of your next policy. An unblemished driving record saves you dollars down the road. Most importantly, safety speaks for itself.

There isn’t much you can do to change the cost of your car, gas, or parking, but your car insurance premium doesn’t have to be a nightmare if you keep these tips in mind. Drive safe!

Hydrogen Hybrid Cars

According to environmental protection agency, Hybrid electric vehicles are known to be the most fuel-efficient automobiles. By combining internal ignition engine with electric drive system, it can significantly improve fuel economy. A hydrogen-fuelled hybrid vehicle, assembled on this basis, forms an ideal association to the future.

The hybrid vehicle customized by ECD Ovonics Inc. has a driving range of 200 miles. It requires about 8 minutes for refuelling. The company has installed a proprietary Ovonics solid hydrogen storage system, developed by Ovonics hydrogen systems LLC, in the hybrid vehicle. This vehicle will also improve the consumer understanding of hydrogen protection.

The major components of the Ovonics system are two light weight metal hydride fibre wrapped vessels with an internal volume of 66 litres that is able to store 3.5 kg of hydrogen. An integrated heat exchange system is also present. Heat is dispersed from the hydrogen storage tank during refuelling by connecting an off vehicle coolant supply system. The heat from the cooling system of the engine runs to the hydrogen storage tank to assist in release of hydrogen fuel. Some modifications were also made such as removing the original gasoline tank, fuel lines and catalytic converter. Placing the new hydrogen fuel storage system, where the gasoline tank was placed, installation of an exhaust air fuel ratio sensor and a computer that controls the new fuel injectors are few modifications. A turbo charger is also installed.

The establishment of Hybrid Cars with an Ovonics metal hydride hydrogen storage system reveals brilliant latent for meeting fuel cost and driving range targets. The ECD Ovonics began its efforts to perfect metal hydride technology several years ago. The company has formed a leading patent in this field.

There are several advantages of metal hydride systems in powering hydrogen fuelled vehicles over other classifications. Firstly, the storage density is higher than other high pressure gaseous systems. The technology used to store hydrogen within metal hydrides is refined several times with least amount of performance deprivation. The metal hydride system can be adapted for a variety of mobile tanks and also used for large range system for filling station storage.

Mazda has followed the hydrogen hybrid concept. It uses rotary engine, which will run on hydrogen just like BMW. There is also an electric motor that is powered by lithium-ion batteries, and it increases the power of hydrogen by 40 percent. In the hybrid of today, operating the electric motor in reverse turns it into a generator and revitalizes the batteries. Just like the Honda civic hybrids, Mazda system is almost the same; it means operating or running under electric power alone is quiet impossible.

Mazda is said to be following a green way of prevailing over the lower power production, associated with hydrogen. It also makes sure that no injurious emissions are produced from the exhaust.

A hydrogen hybrid bus was introduced, which used to carry people around during the winter Olympics in Vancouver. This bus does not release pollution. Using electric drive, it goes 30 miles. It has 400% better gas mileage than typical diesel buses.

Tips on Reporting on a Car Accident for Car Insurance Purposes

Almost every driver gets into some sort of car accident at some point. It’s important to know the procedures for getting the other driver your information so they know how to contact you afterwards. If you simply drive away from an accident, even if it is small, it is known as a hit and run. You might even hit a car while no one is in it, but it is still important to leave your information so they can contact you. Of course, if the accident was severe your first goal is to get someone to contact 911.

Most people forget the first step, which is to not admit mistake. Even though you know that the car accident was caused sue to your mistake, it is suggested that you don?t confess it to the other driver. Because if later, it is proved to be the other party?s mistake, you?d still be compelled to bear the expenses because you initially owned up the mistake. You must stay cool and tactfully manage the state of affairs so that everyone gets back to their work.

Immediately exchange your insurance information with the car?s driver. Make certain that you provide all details like phone numbers, names, and addresses so that both parties can contact each other. This is the reason why it is essential to always carry your insurance proof in the car. In case you carry them with you, then you might have to give it to the other party afterwards.

If everyone is willing to wait you can call your claims representative to come and access the damage. Sometimes this isn?t possible, but you should call them as soon as you have a chance. Your claims representative will take pictures if you are still around, fill out your claims form, talk to all of the parties involved with the crash, and even talk to some of the people who saw the accident.

You must also remember to take some shots of the damage and the nearby area before the vehicles are moved aside. This is quite convenient these days with most people having camera mobile phones. So, take good pictures that clearly tell the damage done to both party cars, and also take other pictures that may help in reporting the accident.

After you have made a call to your claims representative, clicked pictures, and taken each other?s contact information, you may usually leave the spot. In most cases, a police officer arrives by this time to assist in clearing up the mess and getting your vehicles removed from spot by tow trucks. Sometimes when the crash is not so serious, tow trucks may not be required at all. Also it may take weeks or months to get your insurance money, so you may have to bear the initial repair charges yourself.

The check you get is settled on by the lowest quote for repair provided to the insurer. You may get the blue book price for your car, if your vehicle is totaled up. The blue book value is actually a set of prices that is determined by taking into account several factors like the age, model, and condition of the car. Any modifications made by you in the car will not be reimbursed for by the insurance companies.

Finding the Best Auto Repair Shops

When it comes to auto repair, it’s often extremely difficult and frustrating to find a good, reliable mechanic or auto shop. A lot of people are hesitant to take it back to the dealership just because they feel that the dealership will try and over quote them, or make suggestions on parts to either be replaced or fixed that may be excessive for the particular fix; basically trying to upsell you at the end of the day on your car repairs.

Others are even more hesitant to take it to a local repair man or body shop because they really have no references and could potentially do even more damage than the dealership in terms of price quotes and the the size of the repair job required. For those that don’t have their own “auto repair guy” or shop finding a suitable body shop to service their ailing car can be an extremely daunting task. That’s why both word-of-mouth and auto body repair shop review sites are so important and can be of great assistance.

On top of that, Google and the other search engines are now even sometimes pulling reviews into the local listings, so when you search for a body shop and city like “Chicago auto repair shop” or “San Francisco auto repair” not only will local auto shops appear, but user generated reviews will actually be pulled in as additional citations under the original listing. This is great if you’re looking for repairs that are general in nature and you just want to find a local auto repair shop.

Another way to search would be to actually search on the specific models of the cars and then try and find a specific shop or auto resource site that specializes in your specific brand and make, whether it be a Jeep Wrangler, Mazda 3 or Honda accord.Sometimes their specialization can get you great service at cheaper prices since they may have cheaper access to repair parts. A third way of searching would be to enter in the specific parts that need to be replaced, so suspensions, a timing belt, front and back axle servicing, the list goes on but basically the whole point here is to try and find discount auto repair shops or stores that may be able to get you the specific parts you need and can potentially save you lots of money as well.

The whole point is to think out of the box and use the resources that are available for the taking, go beyond just taking your car to the local dealership or closest auto body repair shop. Do some research and try to find the best deals possible!

Finding the Best Car Insurance

Car insurance is a necessary part of owning and driving a vehicle and most states require that you carry at least liability insurance before they will allow you to register your vehicle. Just because you have to have car insurance, though, doesn’t mean you have to pay high rates for it.

Find Options Online

A good place to begin looking for car insurance is online. There are several sources that provide information about several different insurance agencies. Spend some time browsing through customer forums and reading some reviews from people who have used specific insurance agencies before. You may be surprised to discover that some of the least expensive car insurance is just as good as the most expensive. Online consumer sites make it easier to shop for the right insurance because you’ll be able to make a more informed decision.

Get a Car Insurance Quote

Most sites also offer a way for you to get a car insurance quote so that you’ll have some idea of what kind of premiums you should expect to pay. All you need to do is type in all of the relevant information and the form will return a car insurance quote that shows what you would pay with most companies on average. Some sites will give you quotes that are generated directly from car insurance companies. When you visit websites for specific car insurance companies, you may find that they also offer a way to get a car insurance quote. You don’t have to sign up to purchase anything to receive a quote, and quotes can be the best indication of whether a certain company’s pricing is too high.

What Happens When You File a Car Insurance Claim

While you are shopping for insurance online, be sure to look at the policies for filing a car insurance claim with each different company. Most insurance claim processes are similar, but you want to know exactly what to expect in case of an accident. Find out how your premiums will change if you should cause an accident, be an innocent party in an accident, or receive a traffic ticket. Most insurance company websites will be happy to give you all of the information you need to make the right choice for your car insurance needs based on your personal driving record and budget.

  
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