Latest Auto News, Updates , New Car Reviews at Air Pirates

As you get older, your driving habits change. The years of experience also pay off, and you tend to get a lot more careful with your car. Your car usage tends to be more efficient, and you don’t “fight” traffic, but know how to avoid it. If you go on a road trip, you’re more likely to take your time and plan ahead, rather than do long marathon driving. If that sounds like you, you may be interested to hear that your good driving can also pay off on with your car insurance.

You can get excellent new car insurance policies that will save you money, simply because of the way you drive. The big new idea in car insurance is to give people policies that are relevant to the way people drive, and reflect their actual needs for car insurance. If you’re old enough, you’ll probably agree that this has taken a while to happen, but it’s finally true- You can literally manage your own car insurance the way you want, even the premiums.

You may also not be too surprised to hear that these new policies are extremely popular. After all these years, motorists are finally getting a break, and the new policies are starting to dominate the market. That means you can get good rates for yourself, even for policies that already charge good rates. This is a very competitive market, and the insurers are trying hard to get customers.

Now the really good news

Another very welcome change in car insurance is that policies are lot better designed for consumers. The days of legalese and other strange uses of language are gone at last. Plain language policies complete with Product Disclosure Statements which give full details of your cover have finally eliminated that problem, permanently.

It takes seconds to find car insurance policies online. You have all the information at your fingertips, quite literally. You’ll see checklists for your policy options, and you can read up on your cover as well, so you know exactly what you’re getting. All fees and costs are disclosed upfront using online quotes. Bit different from the old days of “guess what the premium is”, isn’t it?

Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re looking for car service, there are likely to be a few questions you’ll need answered before you OK work being done or make any financial commitments. The best advice for consumers is to make sure you’re absolutely clear about any costs or warranty issues related to your service. If you’re confused by terms of service or don’t know exactly what you’re paying for, you really must ask questions about these issues.

You should be aware that if you agree to a service company carrying out work without checking the terms of service and other information, you may be paying a lot more than you need to pay. After receiving a quote, you have the option to accept or reject that quote. It’s critically important to be absolutely sure what you’re paying for, and know how to get what you want.

The questions you should ask

The most important questions are all pretty basic, but you need straight answers:

1. Will I get a fully itemized quote, including parts and labour?
The fully itemized quote, with full disclosure of all costs upfront, is best practice. You really shouldn’t have to guess about any expense related to your service. There’s no good reason not to provide this information.

2. What are the payment terms, and what forms of payment are accepted?
In most cases payment on the same day as completion is the normal process. You should receive clear information regarding types of payment options including types of credit card, EFTPOS, or industry payment options.

3. What does the warranty cover?
This is a particularly important question. You should receive a clear statement of warranty coverage. Typically, industry best practice types of warranty cover parts and labour conducted by the car service company.

4. What are the service hours?
This question can save you a lot of time. Many car service firms are very efficient, and can provide you with same day service or next business day service. If you know the time frames you can arrange your own schedule more efficiently.

5. What are the prices for routine maintenance?
The best car service companies have fixed price fees for scheduled, standardized service jobs. You should be able to see a clear range of fees for this work.

Read the rest of this entry »

Image courtesy of Jamelah on flickr.com

A study conducted by moneysupermarket, the leading price comparison website, has revealed that just over eight out of 10 drivers in Britain get distracted while behind the wheel.

Eighty-two per cent of those motorists quizzed on the issue admitted to being preoccupied when out and about on the roads by a range of different distractions, with changing radio stations and swapping CDs the main reason for losing concentration. Eating and drinking and taking phone calls were next in the rankings, while an alarming five per cent confessed to falling asleep or dozing.

A fifth of people claimed to have sent text messages and 15 per cent failed to wear a seatbelt, raising serious safety concerns. Motorists living in Northern Ireland, meanwhile, also took part and 87 per cent conceded to have been distracted to the point of driving without due care and attention, compared to 74 per cent of residents in the North West.

All these statistics make for disturbing reading. Further analysis from moneysupermarket has highlighted that the 16,485 motorists actually convicted each year of driving without due care and attention face the prospect of paying over £200 more for car insurance in the future, as well as a £60 fine and three-point penalty on their license. That rise in insurance premiums adds up to an annual total of £3.3million, while some individuals could be left with an increase of as much as £402, which works out at 63 per cent more expensive.

Peter Harrison, a car insurance expert at moneysupermarket.com, is quick to warn of the dangers of not paying attention at all times when sat in the driver’s seat.

“The UK’s roads are becoming busier every year so taking your eyes off the road, even for a second to make a phone call or eat a quick snack, could lead to severe, or even fatal, consequences,” said Harrison.

“More worryingly, as our research shows, some motorists are not only being unnecessarily distracted but are even failing to take basic safety precautions when driving such as wearing a seatbelt.

“Although it may be unintentional, careless drivers are a menace on the roads and are a danger to both themselves and others. The penalties for this kind of behaviour are huge and can really impact on the cost of your insurance premiums. Not only are these bad driving habits, but also expensive habits if you are caught – it really isn’t worth taking the risk.”

Some of the normal things we do with our car need to be done more when it is during Winter. Temperature changes can do a lot to your car in terms of the way it runs and performs. I bet you did not know some of these little changes you should make when it comes to Winter time. Treat the use of your car with the same frugality you do when getting car insurance quotes – we can often forget to save money when it is an activity on a daily basis.

• Cleaner fuel. There are more chances for your fuel to become blocked with junk in cooler temperatures. This is because junk will float more in your fuel tank than compared to Summer, where it will sink to the bottom. Getting your petrol from newer petrol stations is always the best. Keep your fuel lines and engine clean with additives that clean them.
• Hi-octane. Fuel burns better when the temperature is warmer. In cooler seasons, and when it is particularly cold, you will notice a lot more fuel economy with hi-octane fuel. You should use it all the time, but if you have not, Winter is your time to start.
• Tire Pressure. Did you know in cooler temperature you tires are more likely to lose pressure? When the temperature is warm, the air expands and keeps your tires inflated properly. As the temperature cools, the air contracts, and you are left with slightly flat tires. That means you will be using a lot more fuel than normal.
• Disconnect your A/C. Even when you are not using your air conditioning, the unit will cause drag on your engine. This means a reduction in fuel economy. In the Winter months, when you know you will not be using your air conditioning, disconnect it. You will be surprised how much difference it makes.
• Warm Up Your Engine. Not only good for your engine and protecting it against damage, a warmer engine will use a whole lot more fuel. You should always let your engine warm up for a few minutes before you start driving in the morning. At the same time, prolonged warming up of your car is wasting a lot of fuel. Be sensible about what you need to do.

Read the rest of this entry »

There are many reasons why any of us can benefit from green cars, particularly in Australia, but when it gets down to it, the reality is that green cars are just not appearing in use like they are in other countries around the world. From lower running costs, getting lower car insurance quotes and knowing that your car is not a part of eating up our planet, there are many reasons to turn to green cars, but lets look at some of the reasons why they are not being used in much in Australia.

Lacking real government support. It was only in in late 2008 when the Australian Government increased the GCIF (Green Car Investment Fund) from 500 million dollars to 1.3 billion dollars, running over 9 years. However, now that we are in 2011, it is a completely different story. It was cut by 200 million in the 2011 budget, leaving 790 million unallocated. With another recent cut, the funding pool has fallen to 590 million – of which a large proportion has apparently been allocated although this information is not being disclosed.

Poor design by government – on purpose? The reality is that the Australian Government’s funding scheme GCIF has been badly and poorly designed. Perhaps it was made to look and sound good, but the reality is that it has attracted only a small number of allocations – because the application criteria has excluded many companies, particularly those who could not afford the start-up investment cost. What we have seen is so-called commitment on paper, that is being slashed, and then it is still not a real option for many companies. There is no point to make a big deal about funding, and then make it practically an impossibility for most of the companies to get it.

No consumer incentive. What are the incentives that the Australian government is offering to consumers? Australia is rapidly falling behind many countries in the world. The government could be offering a range of subsidies to industry, and offering a variety of cash-back programs or tax incentives for car related products such as car insurance and registration. Is it happening? Simple answer, no.

High cost. The cost of eco-friendly cars is still drastically high in Australia and it is not even a matter of choice for the average Australian family – whom just does not have 40,000 dollars to spend on a car. Australia is becoming an eco-car backwater.

Hybrid only. The only cars that we are really seeing on the market are hybrids. Compared to other countries, Australia is falling far behind. All of these cars are small and they are only useful if you live in a city and then you should probably use public transport or a bicycle.

Read the rest of this entry »

Body:
Automatic car washes have brought convenience to modern lives. This raises the question of what’s actually better; automatic car washes, or washing a car by hand? While both have their advantages and disadvantages, sometimes it may simply come down to personal preference. Like shopping for car insurance, do a thorough comparison before deciding what’s best for your vehicle.

Control Over The Results
A simple hose, and a bucket of water with car washing liquid still does a pretty commendable job in washing a car. One can enjoy being outdoors and be satisfied with a job well done. With a commercial operation, you are putting faith in others that your beloved car will be looked after. At home however, you have full control in washing your special car extra carefully.

High-Pressure Hoses
One benefit of visiting a professional car wash is the high pressure jet type hoses that many of them use. The sheer power of propulsion is enough to remove caked on dirt, and attend to hard to access areas like the joints and crevices between different parts of a vehicle. A hose at home may do a reasonable job of removing most dirt, but the force of the water may not be sufficient to remove the most stubborn dirt. If one’s car has just spent some serious time in muddy off road locations, a high pressure hose can be quite useful at attacking dirt on the undercarriage of a car. These areas are quite difficult to get at otherwise.

The Time Factor
Using a professional car wash is certainly convenient. With the “drive-thru” types, one doesn’t even have to leave the vehicle. One can even visit on the drive home from work, stopping in when the traffic’s bad anyway. If others have the same idea during peak times though, queuing behind others for a car wash may end up being more time consuming than a home job. One can at least relax and enjoy some music while you wait though.

Water Restrictions
In some states, one may not be able to use a hose at home, or this may be limited to certain days and periods during the week. Having to resort to just a bucket or water, without the assistance of a hose can turn into quite a laborious task. Car wash outlets on the other hand, do not have the same restrictions and can be visited anytime. While one can visit a professional car wash, one is then using much more water than had you used a bucket at home. The convenience of professional car washes does then have an environmental cost.

Results
Some car owners claim that automatic car washes can leave scratching on paint work. Others say that washing a car at home doesn’t get rid of all the grit, which can get stuck in the pores of a sponge. As the sponge is applied to the car, swirls can be left on the paintwork. High pressure hoses should certainly not be used close up on damaged paintwork, for fear of stripping this away. For hand washing, care should be taken to remove as much hardened dirt as possible before scrubbing. A bit of caution should see either type of car wash give satisfactory results.

Read the rest of this entry »