This contamination eats away at the inside of the system resulting in rust and scale buildup, corrosion and erosion in vital A/C system parts. Proper A/C system leak tests are necessary to identify the source of a leak. There are three types of leak inspections: visual, halogen, and dye testing. The visual test includes inspection of all lines and external components (specifically condensers, hi and low pressure lines, compressors, air dryers, and expansion valves). Any indication of refrigerant oil on these components is an indication of a leak and the component must be replaced. The halogen tester is designed to detect the presence of leaking refrigerant gas, which is odorless and colorless. The tech scans the system with the flexible probe on the tester. If there is a leak, then the tester will howl, light up, or click.
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Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
Do some math before trading in SUV
Local car dealers say there are many like Predmore looking to trade in their lower gas mileage vehicles once unleaded fuel prices starting setting records. Demand for trucks and sport utility vehicles - as well as their market value - has decreased significantly due to rising gas prices, they say.
"SUVs and full-size trucks are flooding the market and driving prices down," said Chris Lewis, the finance manager at Bob's Auto Market. "Though there are a few people buying SUVs and trucks, there are not many as compared to a few years ago."
Steve Stevens, owner of Stevens Auto Sales agrees, but advises people to do some math before they rush out to trade in the gas guzzler for the gas sipper.
"On average, the value of SUVs and full-size trucks has dropped $3,000 - that will buy a lot of gas for a long time for the average person," Stevens said.
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Saturday, September 13, 2008
Hyundai's little diesel delight
Hyundai will face interesting times over the coming months as Toyota leads the Japanese into the diesel segment of the new passenger-car market. It's a niche that Hyundai has performed strongly in over recent years, carving out a solid foothold alongside the Europeans that have been playing the diesel game for a decade or more.
Toyota is leading off this month with a diesel Corolla range, which will pitch in as a direct rival to the Hyundai i30 CRDi that is the subject of this test. It is just as well for Hyundai, then, that the i30 is - when judged against top-in-class standards - the Korean company's best vehicle yet.
Starting with the outside, it is possessed of cohesive good looks that are distinctive yet not too quirky. Visual parallels have been drawn with BMW's 1-series, in part because both vehicles use a sloping rear roofline to create a coupe-like look.
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Thursday, September 11, 2008
America's love affair fades as the car becomes burden of suburbia
Sales of big cars are plummeting while smaller vehicles, especially fuel-efficient hybrids, are replacing them.
GM has now closed SUV production at four plants. Its Hummer brand is up for sale, or might even be closed. GM is ploughing huge resources into its 2010 launch of the Chevy Volt, a hybrid car that may get up to 150 miles a gallon. It needs to. GM's share price recently hit a 54-year low, prompting one top investment bank to warn that the firm could go bankrupt.
The Volt, and cars like it, could become symbols of a new more conservation-minded car age. As Americans enjoyed the 4 July holiday weekend, increasing numbers of them were staying at home rather than hitting the road. Newspapers were full of tips for 'stay-cations', not weekend breaks away. Customs once scorned, such as car pooling and cutting out trips to the mall, are now commonplace.
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Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Honda and Porsche have a certain APEAL
The collated facts make up the Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) study.
Now in its 13th year, the 2008 APEAL findings show a significant decrease in ‘owner delight', with fuel economy accounting for 50% of this drop. On a 1,000-point scale, an average APEAL score is 770, a decline of 2% since last year. Considering fuel prices went up by 27% over the same period, car manufacturers seem to be doing a good job of easing the pain.
They're accomplishing this with toys. Only in the audio, entertainment and navigation category have scores improved. “Manufacturers are working to increase customer delight by introducing entertainment and navigation technology that owners find particularly appealing," says David Sargent, VP of automotive research at JDPA.
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Monday, September 8, 2008
Car cheap insurance
Credit Crunch To Blame For Insurance Fraud And Traffic Jams - Motley Fool UK
California insurance commissioner pushes for green car insurance ... - Bizjournals.com
Lower Auto Insurance - New York Times
Credit Crunch To Blame For Insurance Fraud And Traffic Jams Motley Fool UK, UK - Is your car still worth anything anyway? If you answered 'No' to both those questions then maybe it's time you considered downgrading your car insurance to ... |
California insurance commissioner pushes for green car insurance ... - Bizjournals.com
 KNX1070 | California insurance commissioner pushes for green car insurance ... Bizjournals.com, NC - Current regulations require that auto insurance rates are based on estimated annual mileage. The new regs would provide an additional option for actual ... Plan lets car insurance be charged by the mile Driving less? Pay less for your auto insurance State insurance commissioner backs pay-as-you-drive policies |
Lower Auto Insurance - New York Times
Lower Auto Insurance New York Times, United States - ... auto insurance pricing would save two-thirds of households money on auto insurance, with an average savings for those households of $270 per car. ... "Pay-as-You-Drive" Insurance Can Provide Major Savings, Expert Says |
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Land Rover LR2: For the power-hungry people
The car is focused on the power-hungry car lovers thus comes with a powerful engine and stylish design. Being the replacement of Freelander, the LR2 is called Freelander in other markets. The car is competent enough with high end compact SUVs' like the Acura RDX or BMW X3. The car was first showcased in the Paris auto show in September 2007. The car is built of the Ford C1 platform. Longer wheelbase, increased interior space, upgraded engine, dust, mud, and water resistance, off road features... LR2 has got a good number of features to boast upon. LR2 is powered by the new 3.2-liter inline six-cylinder engine which is upgraded for off-road use to resist dust, mud, and water. The six cylinder engine generates 230 horsepower and 234 pound-feet of torque. The twin-cam 24-valve engine has variable valve timing as well as a multistage intake system.
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