Properly aimed headlights make nighttime driving much safer, and the procedure takes less than 30 minutes. Image: Flickr / exfordy / CC-BY

Unless they go out, most of us do not even consider our headlights. Taking a few extra minutes to re-aim your headlights will help improve the safety of your night driving by leaps and bounds.

Get your tools together

Aiming your headlights, in nearly all vehicles, requires just a set of screwdrivers. One Phillips-head and one flat head screwdriver should be plenty. Masking tape can also be helpful, as can a measuring tape and a flashlight. You will also need a flat wall on a relatively level surface and at least a half-hour of time. It is best to schedule your time either when it is at least relatively dark outside or you have an enclosed garage or space to aim your headlights.

Measure out your space

First, pull the vehicle very close to the wall. Use tape or a physical marker of some kind on the wall and mark where the center of each headlight matches up to the wall. Then, back up and park your car about 25 feet away from the flat wall, and have someone sit in the driver’s seat to approximate the tilt a driver’s weight causes. Use tape or a mark of some kind to draw a line between the two center marks and put a mark where the center of the vehicle is. These lines create guides for where a driver actually sees the lights and makes adjustment easier.

[The Kennedy Mazda in Valparaiso, IN can adjust the headlights on your new or used car before you drive off the lot.]

Open the hood and find the headlight adjustment screws – usually these screws are right on the top of the headlight assembly, and stick out further than the rest of the assembly. Have the driver turn on the headlights, and see where on the wall the beams hit.

Align the headlights

Generally, at 25 feet, the highest intensity of the beam of your low-beam headlights should align slightly below center of the headlights on the vehicle. The two beams should come very close to one another, but not cross in the center. The headlights should provide even lighting for the distance, making it easy to see the road in front of you. High beams should be centered at the same height your headlights are centered, slightly to one side to help prevent blinding other drivers and highlight things such as roadsigns or pedestrians. Every vehicle has different factory specifications for headlights, so be sure to read your owner’s manual if you are not sure about the distances or aiming of your headlights.

Sources

Cars Direct
Popular Mechanics
AutoMedia

Vehicle batteries are one of those things that most of us only think about when something goes wrong. Image: Flickr / stephanridgway / CC-BY

A vehicle battery has to serve a multitude of purposes, but most of us rely on it to start the vehicle every day. The numbers and markings on a battery can help you keep apprised of the state of your vehicle’s health.

What the numbers mean

Batteries are generally sold with one large number that is intended to indicate how long the battery is supposed to last. An “84″ battery is supposed to last about 84 months, or seven years. A “24″ battery, on the other hand, is supposed to last about two years. A battery maker will usually warranty the battery, including free replacement, for the full number of months from the date of manufacture.

The battery code tells you the date of manufacture. The letter stands for the month the battery was made: B = February, C = March, etc. The number is the last number of the year produced. Therefore a battery with H11 was made in August of 2011.

How batteries work

A vehicle battery is a re-chargeable battery that is intended to be charged and re-charged, then used, on a regular basis. A battery is charged by the alternator, which turns the mechanical energy of an engine running into the electrical energy that the battery can store. The life of a battery is judged, in part, by the number of charges it can take. The length of time a battery can last under normal operating conditions is indicated by the strength of the materials the battery is made of.

What can limit the charge

If your battery is losing charge quickly, consistently needing to be replaced long before it should be, then there could be a problem with how the battery is charging. If most of your vehicle trips are less than five miles, you could be draining your battery before it has a chance to completely charge. The connection between battery and alternator could also be shorting out.

[The Howdy Honda Austin TX dealership can offer a helping hand, or a new vehicle.]

It is worth having the electrical system checked out if the battery is consistently causing problems. Just remember that the battery is intended to last as long as it is marked for, and you should be checking those numbers and replacing the battery when it is close to the end of its life.

Remember to recycle

When a battery has reached the end of its useful life in a vehicle, it should not be thrown away. Batteries can be recycled, and they are a valuable recycling resource. Most recycling houses will pay between $2 and $10 for a used vehicle battery. Throwing away a battery can release toxic chemicals into landfills and ground water, so when your A09 24 battery is dead and gets replaced, take it to a recycling center.

Sources

JustBajan
CarTalk
Environment, Health and Safety Online

Some of the dealerships participating in this novel approach to matching customers to cars include:

• Howdy Honda Austin TX
• Kennedy Mazda Valparaiso Indiana
• Miller Dodge Chrysler Jeep Springfield PA
• Momentum Bmw Houston TX
• Sandy Springs Scion Atlanta GA
• Sandy Springs Toyota Atlanta GA

“It’s a great idea”, stated one potential customer, “as I can help my friends save money, and I save money, and the more people I help save money, the more money I save myself – you have gotta like that!”  Indeed, seeing the rapid growth of the web site in what is an extremely competitive industry, it is safe to say that both dealerships and customers will be visiting – and bookmarking – the site on a regular and growing basis.

Towing can be an effective way of moving stuff, but the cost may not be worth it. Image: Flickr / new_and_used_tires / CC-BY

If it is across town or across the country, hauling everything you need sometimes requires a trailer or big truck. Towing comes with an interesting set of challenges, and doing the math before you set out can save you money and stress.

Towing capacity

Towing requires, first and foremost, a vehicle that can handle it. Towing capacity for a vehicle is a rating for how much weight the vehicle can safely handle on its axles, struts, shocks and undercarriage. Usually, full towing capacity is listed in the owner’s manual and on the label attached to the frame inside the driver’s door. Exceeding towing capacity could do significant damage to your vehicle, so pay close attention to that rating.

The costs of towing

Towing anything with your vehicle comes with a cost and not just for extra fuel. To safely tow, you need to drive very carefully. This means going no faster than 55 miles per hour, giving yourself extra stopping distance, not making any sudden moves, changing lanes carefully and loading the trailer carefully. This means the trip takes longer, you will go through more fuel and there will be more wear and tear on your vehicle.

The cost per mile of towing

Generally, assume that towing any weight at all will reduce your gas mileage by at least 10 to 15 percent. If what you’re towing is roughly weight of your vehicle, effectively doubling the load, it will effectively halve gas mileage. Depending on the vehicle that you are driving, 55 miles per hour may not be the most efficient speed at which to drive, so be sure to take that into account.

[You can start looking for vehicles with heavy-duty towing power at Miller Dodge Chrysler Jeep.]

You should also add at least 25 percent to the maintenance cost per mile that driving your vehicle usually costs. All told, this means you should take your average cost per mile and add between 20 and 40 percent to determine the cost per mile of towing.

Is towing worth it?

If you have a significant amount of weight to haul, it may be worth considering renting a trailer, truck or moving company to do the hauling. Renting a truck means you will still be paying fuel and miles but avoiding wear and tear on your vehicle. You may also need to consider how you will move your own vehicle if the trip will be one-way. Most rental companies have a hefty one-way fee to pay, so figure that into the cost per mile of your trip. Towing can be worth the wear and tear if you will be making a short trip and have a vehicle that can easily tow the weight. If you are going to be making a longer trip, have an older car with a high cost-per-mile or a smaller vehicle without much towing power, it will often be worth it to pay for an alternative towing option.

Sources

MyHorse.com
How Stuff Works
PODS hauling

Car shoppers might do well to look at slightly used, late model cars rather than new. Photo Credit: Sebastian Bollard/Wikimedia Commons/CC-BY-SA

Many dream of the day they can finally afford to buy a car brand-new, and there are plenty of reasons to do so. However, those who want to shave a little off the price tag may want to consider slightly used cars.

Most of the benefits at lower cost

Part of the appeal of buying a brand new car is the knowledge that the car has a long life ahead of it. It’s also a status symbol; buying new shows that someone is secure enough to not have to buy a used car.

However, there are some reasons to consider slightly used, late-model cars rather than new, especially for the budget-minded shopper.

Depreciation depression

One disincentive downside to buying new is the depreciation. According to Edmunds, up to 11 percent of the value vanishes once the car leaves the dealership. By five years into the car’s life, it can lose up to 37 percent. However, the worst depreciation occurs in the first three years, after which the value declines at a far slower rate. Depreciation depends on model, mileage and other factors, but cars about three years old with low mileage (less than 30,000) can be had for much less. Some will still be under warranty and some car makers have “certified” used car programs, which means used cars are kept to stringent standards.

Paying less for about the same

According to MSN, a used model can cost 25 to 40 percent less than brand new. If the car has fewer than 50,000 miles on it, it could still go up to 100,000 miles or more without needing major repairs if it continues to be properly cared for.

The other good news, according to AOL, is that taxes and, more importantly, insurance rates are also going to be lower. In fact, according to personal finance blog MoneyCrashers, some states won’t require any tax at all on used models. Used cars also don’t have destination, shipping, or “dealer preparation” fees.

When buying new makes sense

Sometimes, it make sense to buy new. Some models, if less than one year old, barely cost any less than new. Also, the interest rate on a loan can make it so that you’ll have to pay more in total for a used car than a new car.

One’s future plans make a difference as well. If a person intends to trade the car in a few years, a new car will get more than a used one. The depreciation will be worse, but the trade-in value will still be higher. If one intends to drive the car until the wheels fall off, buying a slightly used car from a brand known for reliability for a few thousand less than new is a good choice.

Sources

Edmunds

AOL

MSN

Moneycrashers

I wonder what it is? Image: daveynin/Flickr/CC BY

The day after Thanksgiving, the busiest shopping day of the year, is known as “Black Friday.” But perhaps this year, instead of standing in line for hours to get an electric razor or smartphone at a discount,  you could get a sweet deal on some new wheels.

Deals on Holiday wheels

We can’t guarantee that you won’t have to fight crowds. Other car shoppers will likely be taking advantage of the savings as well.  According to TrueCar’s CEO Scott Painter, Black Friday is “the biggest savings day of the year for car buyers.”

Shoppers can look forward to an average of 10 percent, and as much as 23 percent, off the manufacturer’s suggested retail price at many dealerships on Nov. 25.

Jesse Toprak of TrueCar said:

“Dealerships offer significant discounts on Black Friday. It’s an atypical day to purchase a car since consumers think of retail shopping, but buying a new vehicle on Black Friday can often lead to big savings.”

End of month, end of year

Black Friday falls close to the end of the month and the end of the year. Those are two big reasons dealers are eager to clear out their showrooms on Black Friday. Month-end quotas have to be met, and the old stock needs to be cleared away to make room for the new year’s models.

Luring buyers to showrooms

Many dealerships are beefing up ads to let shoppers know that Black Friday is about major purchases, too. According to Consumersearch, one New York-based Honda dealership in 2009 sent cyclists in gorilla suits and sandwich boards to parade their deals outside of the local crowded box stores.

Best deals in 2011

According to TrueCar, the Mitsubishi Endeavors will be the sweetest deal going. Its price will be dropped by 23.3 percent at many dealerships. That brings the final cost down to $22,334.

You can also expect to find Chevy Silverados reduced by 21.9 percent. Ford, looking to clear out its old models to make way for the redesigned 2012 crop, will be offering a 13.5 percent discount on Escapes. Chrysler 200 cars will get a 16.5 percent discount, and the Nissan Maxima can be had for 14.9 percent off of the MSRP.

Those are just a few of the deals you will find on Nov. 25. Happy shopping.

Sources

Daily Finance
Consumersearch
AOL Auto

The Fiat 500 is a cheaper alternative to the Mini Cooper. (Photo Credit: CC BY-SA/Michi1308/Flickr)

Want fashionable luxury cars but hate paying premium prices? If you know what to look for, fine alternatives to expensive cars are available. Courtesy of the Detroit Free Press, the following are cheaper cars that sacrifice sticker price, but not quality.

Want a Mini Cooper? Try a Fiat 500

While a Mini Cooper gives you an air of retro chic, starting price exceeds $20,000. For only $16,000, a Fiat 500 is also a small hatchback with the same amount of interior room – plus ride comfort is reportedly superior.

Want a Honda CR-V? Try a Kia Soul

If you’re in the market for a four-cylinder crossover SUV and think the Honda CR-V is your best option at $22,705, consider a more affordable alternative in the Kia Soul. The Korean SUV seats four comfortably, and five is possible. The rear seat offers lots of leg room, and cargo area is ample.

Want a Lincoln Navigator L? Try a Ford Expedition Limited

If you want a top-of-the-line luxury SUV like the $63,725 Lincoln Navigator L but want to save $10,000 for a Cristal champagne service, try the $51,590 Ford Expedition Limited. Options are very similar, and the Ford has a 310-horsepower V8 under the hood. Tow up to 9,200 pounds, or weave effortlessly through nighttime city traffic.

Want an Acura TL? Try a Honda Accord EX-L

Save another $10,000 by switching from the Acura TL to the Honda Accord EX-L. This V6 goes for $32,600 with all the options in place from Honda’s Technology Package. Plus, the Accord is 1 inch longer, yet weights 125 pounds less.

Want an Audi Q7? Try a Ford Flex Limited

While the Audi Q7 is stylish and roomy, the Ford Flex Limited is no slouch in those departments, either. Responsive all-wheel-drive handling and an optional turbo V6 make the Flex Limited a great choice at $37,325, yet again about $10,000 less expensive than its counterpart.

Want a Chevrolet Corvette Convertible? Try a Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible

A muscular American sports car like the Corvette inspires automotive fantasies, but Chevrolet has done quite well with the Camaro, too. Both cars have a 6.2-liter V8 engine, and horsepower is nearly identical. While the Corvette goes for $55,500, the Camaro costs $38,800 – and the SS has a backseat.

Want a Mercedes-Benz CLS? Try a Volkswagen CC

Want to save over $30,000? The Volkswagen CC is described by the Detroit Free Press as “an automotive designer knockoff” of the Mercedes-Benz, and that’s a compliment. A 280-horsepower, six-cylinder engine provides a fine power boost. It can’t overpower the 402-horsepower Mercedes, but in terms of style, you can’t go wrong with either car.

Formula One driver Mark Webber test drives three cheap cars

Sources

Alternative Energy

Detroit Free Press

MSN Cars

A regular oil change is the most important component in minimizing many costly engine repairs. Image: JASON ANFINSEN/Flickr/CC BY-SA

It’s expensive enough just to keep your car in gas these days, and a costly and unexpected repair can really hurt a person’s finances. Sometimes it can make you go broke. The most costly repairs are generally not covered by auto insurance, except in the case of an accident. But there are simple things one can do to prevent or delay these costs.

Replacing engine cylinders

A cylinder is the space where a piston travels inside your engine. As the piston pumps up and down, it distributes oil and keeps the cylinder lubricated. When that lubrication is interrupted, eventually friction damages the cylinder, forcing it to be replaced, which is costly. AOL Auto estimates the average cost of replacing a cylinder to be more than $8,000.

When oil changes are not done on time, the oil becomes old and sluggish and fails to lubricate the cylinder properly. Regular oil and filter changes are your best bet to minimize damage to cylinders.

Replacing automatic transmissions

Automatic transmissions also require constant lubrication to keep them from being damaged by friction. Replacing a transmission is expensive in itself, and in modern cars it will also require reprogramming the Engine Control Module. AOL Auto says this repair will cost you, on an average, more than $3,000.

For the longest life, automatic transmission systems should be flushed and have fluid replaced every 3,500 miles.

Replacing camshafts and lifters

Camshafts and lifters have the critical function of continuously opening valves to allow the intake of a mixture of air and fuel, as well as allowing exhaust to escape from the engine. Springs on the valves return them to their closed position until the camshaft rotates around to open them again. Like every other part of an engine, they are subject to wear over time.

Again, lubrication is the key to minimizing wear on the camshaft and lifters. Regular oil changes and filter replacement will save you from a pricey early replacement, which AOL Auto estimates at more than $3,000.

Replacing cylinder heads

The cylinder head sits on top of your car’s cylinders. It seals the cylinders to form the internal combustion chambers. Cylinder heads are most prone to damage when your car runs too hot or overheats. Most today are made of aluminum, which can warp or crack if too often exposed to excessive heat. This repair, says AOL Auto, will again cost you more than $3,000.

The trick to extending the life of a cylinder head is to avoid overheating. Again, the best prevention is a regular oil and filter change. Replacing thermostats in a timely manner and flushing and replacing coolant on a regular basis will also aid in keeping the car from overheating.

Regular maintenance

The key to the longevity of your vehicle, and to minimizing costly repairs, is to adhere rigidly to a regular maintenance schedule. It’s not rocket science, but it can save you from NASA-sized repair costs.

Sources

AOL Auto
Autos.com
Extended Car Warranties

Offering a Groupon for vehicle purchasing did not turn out as well as hoped. Image: Flickr / squeakymarmot / CC-BY-SA-ND

In an attempt to push sales higher, LaFontaine Automotive Group in Michigan decided to run a Groupon offer. The hope was that the company would sell all 150 available $500 vouchers for $199. In the end, however, the deal flopped for both Groupon and the dealership.

Result of the Groupon deal

The LaFontaine Automotive Group offer ended up selling just four total vouchers. This did not meet the minimum of 10 deals required to “tip” the deal. This means that nobody was charged and no deals were handed out. In an attempt to sell more of the deals, Groupon and LaFontaine extended the deal to four days, rather than the planned two days. The deal entirely flopped. LaFontaine Automotive Group did offer to honor the deals by giving the prospective Groupon buyers $300 off the purchase of a car, and two of the four individuals did buy cars.

Why the Groupon Auto deal didn’t work

Groupon has built a very highly valued business out of offering deeply discounted coupons. According to anaylsis by TechCrunch, the average sales price of a Groupon was just less than $45. Groupon deals are often personal-care or impulse purchases like restaurants, massages and activities. The auto deal was everything that the average Groupon purchaser is not used to: high-value and a purchase most people think through thoroughly. Groupon deals are also usually for set-price items, and a $300 discount on a vehicle has a way of disappearing in a final sales price. Vehicle pricing is always negotiable, and the dealership itself already had promotions going that easily saved customers $300 or more.

Can you save money with Groupon for autos?

If you are trying to save on vehicle costs, then it is possible to save with Groupon. Other dealerships have offered deals on maintenance such as oil changes or brake jobs. These smaller deals can help you save money on routine maintenance if the timing is right. A well-maintained vehicle will always cost less to operate in the long run, be kinder to the environment and last longer.

Sources

Auto Week
TechCrunch
MotorTrend

Anyone looking to buy a new Corvette in the Pacific Northwest this summer can get free car insurance from General Motors. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

General Motors has launched a pilot program in which it will give anyone buying or leasing a new GM car one year of free car insurance. It is only being offered in two states for the time being, but the idea is to streamline the buying process, which can be hampered by having to purchase car insurance.

Residents of Pacific Northwest to get free MetLife car insurance

A major hurdle in the car buying process can be arranging car insurance for the vehicle, but General Motors has a novel idea aimed at doing away with that, according to USA Today. General Motors is going to offer one year of free car insurance to motorists who purchase a new GM car or truck through MetLife. However, the free insurance program from GM is not necessarily going to be something people can rely on being offered in perpetuity. It is only being offered, for the time being, in Washington and Oregon.

Offer runs through September

This offer is only good until Sept. 6. The free insurance offer only extends to new Chevy, Cadillac, Buick and GMC cars, trucks or SUVs of the 2010, 2011 and 2012 model years, according to MotorTrend. The insurance will cover full injury and liability and satisfies all insurance requirements in the states of Washington and Oregon. People who purchase GM cars during this promotion can waive the free insurance if they wish to at no extra cost. The coverage extends to the driver, the car and anyone who drives the car with the driver’s permission. The insurance offer does not extend to fleet or commercial vehicle buyers. After a year of coverage, drivers can purchase their own insurance or continue receiving MetLife car insurance and start paying for it.

More is always better

The program is aimed at boosting sales in the Pacific Northwest, according to CNN, an area where GM sales are not as strong as the company would like. The strategy of offering free insurance was arrived at after GM saw research indicating people are often put off by having to buy car insurance at the same time as purchasing the car. However, GM’s sales are up overall. GM sales for this year are up 11 percent from last year so far overall. Sales to consumers alone are up 16 percent, which doesn’t include any sales to fleets or corporations.

Sources

USA Today

MotorTrend

CNN