About Me

Buying a Used Vehicle

Welcome to my website. My name is Frances Reed. If you’re considering buying a used car, you are in the right place. I recently had my first experience with purchasing a used car and want to share some tips I learned along the way. When I began my search, the important things were color, comfort, and low mileage. I ended up with a green vehicle (which isn't on my favorite color list,) it has over 150,000 miles driven, but it is comfortable. I was very fortunate and had a friend who’s a mechanic come with me to test drive vehicles. Tip number one: be sure you have a mechanic check out vehicles before you buy. I hope I can offer you some valuable information here.

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2 Signs Your Tuck's Suspension Needs An Inspection

While your truck's manufacturer may have recommendations for when you need the suspension inspected, driving conditions can cause the need for an inspection much sooner. The suspension is what prevents the truck from bouncing and jarring when you hit bumps on the road. Hauling heavy loads and driving on bumpy roads can cause the suspension to wear down prematurely. These are two signs that you need to have your truck's suspension inspected soon.

Party Time! 4 Reasons Why You Need A Limousine For The Bachelor Party

Someone is getting married and you're the best man. Time to plan the bachelor party. You know that choosing the venue is the most important part of the planning but don't forget about the transportation. If you want to make sure that the party begins before you arrive at the venue, you need to make sure that your transportation will allow for that. Instead of using personal cars, here are four reasons why you should be booking a limousine for the bachelor party.

4 Warning Signs Your Transmission Needs Repairing

Being able to get to your destination each day means having a car that's in good condition and reliable. However, if you're driving an older vehicle, you may need to be more mindful of certain warning signs. One of the major parts of any car that can start to have problems with age is the transmission. By knowing things to look for in advance, this can prevent you from having to replace this expensive car component and just repair it instead.

How a Car Repair Novice Can Replace the Alternator On a Car With a Used One

A cost effective way to replace worn parts on your vehicle is to use gently used parts. Many times, cars that have the same parts as yours were involved in an accident and rendered useless. However, many of the parts that weren't damaged in the accident are still usable years later. You can find these types of parts at a used auto parts store. Here is how a car repair novice can replace the alternator on the car with one from a used car.

5 Winter Maintenance Tips For Your Car

During the winter season, your car can experience many issues because of the salt and icy conditions. You want to be sure that your car can drive well during this time of year. In order to do this, you will want to consider these five winter maintenance tips: Check the Antifreeze: The antifreeze in the radiator is important to check. Most auto repair shops will check your antifreeze for free. You want to be sure that you car always has 50 parts water and 50 parts antifreeze, which is important during the winter since your engine is more susceptible to freezing, especially if you park your car outdoors.

Winters Just Around The Corner: 4 Tips To Properly Winterize Your Mercedes Benz

Winter is just around the corner. It's time to get your Mercedes Benz ready for the cold weather. If this is your first winter owning a Benz, you might not realize the extra care your car will need. Freezing temperatures can harm your car, especially if it hasn't been properly winterized. Here are four tips that will help keep your Mercedes Benz in tiptop shape during those cold winter months.

A Quick Guide To Test Driving A Used Vehicle For A First-Time Car Owner

If you are planning on purchasing your first used car, you need to take it for a test drive. When you take it for a test drive, you really need to pay attention to how the vehicle feels and how it drives. In order to really evaluate the used car, make sure you ask yourself and answer the questions listed below. Comfort Questions One of the easiest things to assess is how comfortable a vehicle feels to you.

Three Types Of Truck Shells And The Benefits Of Each

Gone are the days when you would just go out and buy a truck bed cap and snap it onto the back of your truck. Now there are numerous options for truck owners. Here are three new truck shells and the benefits of each. The Truck Conversion Shell This type of truck shell converts any standard pickup into a commercial vehicle instantly. The shell has a roof-mounted ladder rack, back and side tool storage where the shell's windows would normally be, and tons of options for turning your truck into a tool shed on wheels.

How You Can Tint Your Car Windows

There are a few reasons why you should tint your car windows. The window tinting blocks the sun's rays that can bounce off snow-covered streets and make it difficult to see on bright winter days. The tint also prevents the ultraviolet rays from damaging the leather and cloth upholstery in your car. Here is a step-by-step process you can use to apply tint to your car windows if you want to protect your eyes and your car's upholstery from the sun's rays.

Mobile Truck Repair Service Questions Answered

If you are a commercial driver, you truck is likely one of the most important possessions that you own. However, it is an unfortunate fact that your truck can encounter an almost endless number of malfunctions while you are driving it. When these issues leave you stranded on the side of the road, it can be both a safety hazard and it can cause delays for your clients. Luckily, there are mobile truck repair services that can help you get your truck running again, but if you are unfamiliar with these services, the following couple of questions and answers should be useful to you.

Conquering Old Man Winter: 3 Incredibly Awesome Life Hacks To Keep You In Control

Whether you're a mom driving a car full of kids around in the winter weather or you are just a regular individual trying to get to work or school, you need to know what to do when you encounter some of the most common winter emergencies. Winter weather may try to stop you from getting your to-do list done or making it to work or school on time, but Old Man Winter doesn't know that you're equipped with these life hacks, which may help keep you from needing to call roadside assistance:

Which Items Should You Carry For Emergency Auto Repairs?

Before you decide to hit the open road for summer vacation, you should save some room for a few emergency items that may be helpful if you break down in an area with poor cell phone reception. While these items may not completely solve the problem, they may allow you to get to a safer area or a repair facility. Useful items to carry on road trips Jumper cables These are useful if you make a quick stop and your battery is too weak to start your vehicle.

Salvage Vehicles: Are They Worth The Gamble?

If you are in need of affordable transportation and you are a bit of a gambler, buying a salvage vehicle may be a good choice for you. A salvage vehicle is simply one that has been in a crash and "totaled" by the insurance company. The insurance company takes this action when the vehicle has become a serious liability problem or because repairs would cost more than it is worth. If you or a partner have mechanical ability, taking a chance on a salvage vehicle could really pay off.

Forming A Maintenance Plan For Your Golf Cart Fleet

Your golf cart fleet is an important source of revenue for your golf course. By improving the customer experience and maximizing customer efficiency, a well-stocked and well-maintained fleet of golf carts can strengthen customer loyalty, draw in new customers and improve the overall reputation of your business. Having a fleet maintenance plan in place is an important part of keeping your fleet presentable and functional for customers. Follow these tips as you develop your fleet maintenance plan:

4 Benefits Of Purchasing A Used Car

When it comes time to replace a family vehicle, many people debate over whether they should buy a brand new car or op for a used model. If you want the most bang for your buck, buying a used car can be a financially sound decision. There are many benefits to getting a used car, including: Stretch Your Budget Depending on the type of vehicle you are interested in buying, you can get a lot more car, often with upgraded features, when you choose to buy a vehicle used instead of new.

3 Simple Tricks To Make Your Transmission Last Forever

Today's cars are nothing short of a marvel of engineering. They are safer, faster, more accommodating, and more reliable than ever before. Yet, no part of your car will last forever; few vehicles make it past 10 years of service to a single driver. Since the transmission is often the first and most crucial major component to require replacement, extra care must be taken to ensure its preservation. Here are three simple tricks to make your transmission last forever.

Understanding The Basics Of Defensive Driving Techniques

The purpose of defensive driving is to save lives, time and money in spite of your surroundings and the actions of other individuals in order to prevent an accident. Of course, each driving situation is different, but the information listed below provides an overview of several different defensive driving techniques taught in driving schools that aid in reducing the risk of an accident. Look At Traffic Further Ahead As a driver you should always look far ahead, also known as "

Quality Tips For Maintaining Your Trucks

As a person who wants to protect your semi truck or your fleet, you'll need to be sure that you are working hard on maintenance. By remaining proactive about your truck maintenance and giving yourself the chance to upgrade it as much as possible, you are essentially providing an investment for your business. The following tips will help you to get the most out of your truck, for the betterment of your business.

3 Car Owner's Tips For A Well Maintained Vehicle

Since you drive your car every day to get around, it is vitally important that you do everything that you can to keep your car in the best possible condition. This will protect your investment and also make it so that you are able to prevent unnecessary repairs throughout the years. This will save you some money and allow you to keep your car on the road for as long as possible.

Project Managers - Understanding Hydraulic Systems And Their Hose Fitting Options

If you are a project manager recently employed in the construction industry, it is vital that you understand how hydraulic systems work. Additionally, you should understand the three main classes of hydraulic hose fittings and when each should be utilized. Here is some information to assist you in gaining knowledge about hydraulics: Hydraulic Function and Use Hydraulics are closed systems which operate using pistons and petroleum-based lubricating fluids. The piston moves up and down with the assistance of the lubricating fluid.

Move Securely From Job To Job - Options In Towing Heavy Equipment

If you own and operate your own construction company, then you understand the satisfaction that comes from seeing equipment you own completing serious jobs on a wide variety of sites. You also likely understand the frustration in repositioning that equipment and guaranteeing that you can always get the pieces you need where they need to be when you need them to be there. Below, you'll find a guide to some of your options in heavy equipment towing and movement.

Tips That Every Truck Owner Should Know About Brakes

In order to make sure that your truck is always running well, you'll need to focus on the most important parts. In the case of any automobile, the brakes are the most important components that you'll deal with. But what if you don't know how to take care of your brakes? This guide will lay out some of the most practical things that you can do in order to be sure that you're able to care for your brakes, maintain your truck and protect your safety in the process.

Bad Oxygen Sensor Can Trip Your Check Engine Light

The check engine light is part of a network of sensors that are mostly monitoring the health of the emission system. If any of those sensors determine there is a problem, the light will turn on. When that light turns on, it means that something needs to be addressed promptly before there is a problem. One of the most common sensors to fail and trip the check engine light is the oxygen sensor.

Save Money By Bringing Your Own Parts To Mechanics

The mechanic's invoice is one of the most unexpected bills to come up throughout our car's lifespan. Though we all know that cars need maintenance, something under the hood going haywire and needing a repair is often a surprise, no matter the age of the vehicle. For this reason, the cost at the mechanic shop is the most hated expense in most budgets. If you want to save money on repairs, one of the best changes that you can make is bringing your own part to the mechanics shop.

Quick Ways To Sell Your Old Rusted Vehicle

Do you have an old vehicle sitting around the yard that is not getting any attention? Maybe you no longer have the need, or even the desire, to drive it anymore and simply want it gone. This might turn out to be a little more difficult than you first thought. Therefore, you should take a moment to consider the following tips for quickly selling your vehicle. Call The Salvage Yard

3 Tips For Getting A Better Deal On A Brand New Car

If you are thinking about buying a brand new car, you are probably pretty excited about owning -- and driving -- a bright and shiny vehicle that has never been owned by anyone else. However, you are probably concerned about the cost of purchasing a new vehicle. Although it is certainly true that new cars can get expensive, there are ways that you can achieve your goal of new car ownership without having to spend a fortune.

3 Ways To Prolong The Life Of Your Tires

If you have just purchased a new set of tires for your car, you are likely concerned about the next time you will have to replace your tires. Tires can be a costly expense, so prolonging the life of them will result in a better return on your investment. To ensure your tires remain in top condition, there are many services at a place like Collier Goodyear Car Care Center that you will want to have done to them on a regular basis, such as:

3 Must Have Tire Care Services

Do you want to be certain that you maximize your investment on your new set of tires? If so, then you will want to be sure that you avoid neglecting routine tire maintenance. Tire care can improve the performance, as well as the lifespan of your tires, which is why it is critical that you take your car in for tire care services regularly. To ensure you maximize the lifespan and performance of your tires, you will want to obtain routine services like:

Buying A Used Car? 2 Tips For Negotiating Successfully

When you start shopping for a used car, it can be easy to assume that the ticket price is set in stone. However, what most people don't realize is that used car dealers are typically willing to negotiate with you. Here are two tips for negotiating successfully, so that you can make the most of your hard-earned dollars.  1: Do Your Research The most important thing you can do as you shop for a used car is to do your research.

3 Signs That Might Mean Your Transmission Needs Some Help

If you want to make sure that you are doing everything possible to keep your vehicle on the road and in great running shape, you need to be aware of transmission trouble signs. This way, you will not have to worry about becoming completely stranded thanks to a blown out transmission. You can hopefully have the problems repaired before they get to the point of being irreversible: Trouble Shifting Gears

Ways To Prevent Damage To Your Car's Paint

Typically, the most cash you are likely to invest is in your home, but your car comes in as a close second, which is why keeping it looking great for longer is of great importance. Unfortunately, the elements, collision damage, road debris, stones and bug acid all work towards damaging or fading your car paint. If you are to have a beautiful, shiny car, there are steps you can take to protect your car paint.

Winter Mountain Driving Safety For City Dwellers

If you are going on vacation in the mountains this winter, then you need to understand some different rules of the road than those that apply in the city.  Winter Driving Rule #1 - Prepare Your Care Before Leaving Home Driving at elevation, in snow, requires that you keep your car in top condition. The absolute last thing that you want to have happen, is to find yourself trapped in your car alongside the road, and discover that the car heater is not working, or that you are almost out of gasoline.

The Advantages Of Diesel Powered Engines

Diesel fuel is an alternative to regular gasoline, and offers a number of advantages. Understanding the advantages that diesel powered engines offer can allow you to make an educated opinion about whether or not a diesel powered vehicle is the right fit for you. Advantages of Diesel Engines Diesel engines deliver much more mileage than gasoline engines, offering up to a third better fuel economy than gasoline powered engines, or even gasoline-electric hybrids.