Tuesday, April 26, 2011

How OnStar Functions

How OnStar Functions

OnStar is a service that comes standard in most new vehicles today. It does require a subscription, but the cost is relatively low when you look at the benefits. Older model cars can be equipped with OnStar, but the functionality may be limited. OnStar is a combination of services, including emergency calling, navigations, road side assistance, surveillance device, as well as vehicle diagnostic service. OnStar is available on all GM products. Many makes will include it as a standard feature, while lower end cars will offer it as an add-on product.

How it Works

OnStar uses a combination of different technologies to provide you with several services. First it relies on standard cell phone technology for communication. This is how the OnStar representatives are able to communicate with you by voice by a press of a button. It also utilizes a large network of satellites to track vehicles. In the event of an accident, a sensor signals to OnStar and your vehicles location is tracked and forwarded to the appropriate authorities. This is beneficial if you are in accident and can’t reach your phone to call for help.
Depending on the services you choose to subscribe to, the technology changes.

Brand new vehicles OnStar systems utilize sensors throughout the vehicle. This allows the OnStar system to track issues, such as maintenance alarms and driven speeds, and report back to you. A lot of police departments are relying more heavily on the technology OnStar provides. In case of an accident the vehicle information can be transmitted to the authorities, including your rate of speed, direction you were travelling, and other information that may be needed. While this is a great service, some people aren’t happy with the idea of ‘big brother’ watching over their every movement. Some features can be disabled or not subscribed to if they make you uncomfortable.


Available Services

OnStar provides several services. The most basic service is the Automatic Crash Response service. With this, emergency vehicles are dispatched automatically if the system senses an airbag has been deployed or an accident has occurred. You can upgrade your subscription to OnStar to include other useful features. Turn by turn navigation is available as an add on, allowing you to get to your destination without using a map. Hands free calling is also available, allowing you to safely make and receive phone calls directly from the OnStar dash system. Stolen vehicle assistance will track the location of your vehicle and report it to your local authorities. Newer cars can also use an ignition block to slow down or stop a stolen vehicle entirely. This needs to be requested by the local authorities, but can help reduce the chances of your vehicle getting in to an accident if the thief tries to flee in the car. Some newer vehicles also offer an onboard vehicle diagnostic center. This will alert you to any issues your vehicle may have, from low fluids to a brake issue.

What You Need to Know About Tire Balancing

What You Need to Know About Tire Balancing

By Ron Haugen




Tire balancing is extremely important to have done to your vehicle on a regular basis. Those that do not get tire balancing done could end up causing serious damage to their vehicle over time. Tire balancing can be done by any ASE certified auto technician. This is not a task that is recommended for you to yourself.

The Purpose

The reason that you should get your tires balanced is to do away with any of the vibrations. This is often caused by a miss match between the wheel and the tire. Many people will assume that this is not something to worry about because they will purchase their wheels and tires new and together. However, this will be something to deal with and think about regardless of whether or not you have gotten new tires or used tires and wheels. You need to think about the weight difference that will cause vibration. The weight difference does not have to be very much at all. The machines that are made today to detect the vibration will be able to do so with just ¼ of an ounce. Over time, no matter how little this weight may be can end up doing a lot of damage over time.

Problem Causing

Think about how your vehicle will usually travel around 60 mph about every time you leave the house. This means that it will have 4 revolutions every single second. Each one of these revolutions will produce a small shake that will be passed on through every single part of your vehicle. If you are dealing with something as small as ¼ of an ounce can really do a lot of damage over time. Driving just one full hour can cause up to 14,000 of these shakes to just one wheel. Now think about if this is an issue with all of your wheels. Think about how many miles you drive a day. Now factor in the rocks, bumps, debris and the holes that you may hit. This will only make it worse. While it may not seem like much at first it is definitely something that can end up doing some pretty big damage to your vehicle.

When To Have it Done

It is common that a person will begin to notice an unbalance in their tires on the front side. This is because the vibrations from the front wheels will go directly into your steering wheel. The vibration from the rear wheels will not be felt in the same way. Because you cannot notice the back tires as easily it is more likely that they have more issues. This means that it is standard to have the tires balanced the same day that they are installed. It does not matter what end of the vehicle they are put on, it needs to be done. It is a good idea to have the tires balanced every few months or every couple thousand miles. It all depends on how often you drive and the conditions of the road.

If you are looking for honest advice, prioritized repairs, options on repairs, maximized fuel economy, and a good feeling with who you are doing business with go to http://www.westsideautopros.com




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Benefits of Tire Chains in Snow

Benefits of Tire Chains in Snow

By Ron Haugen




When people think about a little bit of snow and ice, they think about avoiding driving. They try to avoid the roads for a day or two, until the roads are completely cleared, sanded, salted, and safe. While this may work in some locations, it does not work in others. Cities that see large amounts of snow cannot run and hide from bad road conditions - they need to navigate them on a regular basis to keep safe.

Tire Chains in snow are often some of the best tools for those who need to drive in poor weather conditions. While there are plenty of different reasons to use tire chains in snow, these are some of the major benefits.

Traction In Heavy Snow

Snow tires and tire chains are not meant to be used in lighter amounts of snow, or in conditions with nothing but snow. The tire chains may not provide the same traction that simple all-weather, winter weather tires may provide. Snow tires and tire chains are meant for conditions that are somewhat mixed with ice. They will be able to provide the traction that you cannot get with a normal tire on ice.

Breaking Down Ice

The major benefit of snow tires comes in the form of their power. Tire chains in snow are actually perfect for the ice that may be on the ground. The chains have the power and strength to break through the ice thanks to the weight of the vehicle. This makes ice less slippery and more manageable.

Turns

One of the most difficult parts of winter weather driving is the art of the turn. It can be easy to drive safely in straight lines, but can be difficult to keep traction while getting into and coming out of a turn. Snow tires help to give you the grip that you need to safely get through turns. While you may not be able to take turns as fast as you would like, you will be able to make them safely.

Speed

You do not need snow tires and tire chains to be able to get around on the roads during winter weather. These tools simply make it easier for you to drive around, as it cuts down your driving time. You will be able to drive faster than you would with normal tires, as the chains give you more traction.

Snow tires and tire chains are not right in all conditions, even if the conditions are bad because of winter weather. Understand that tire chains and snow tires are only meant for drastic winter weather conditions. They are meant for locations that are constantly buried in snow, locations that see heavy amounts of snowfall that stick for days or weeks at a time. If you do live in one of these locations and have not yet used tire chains in snow, you may want to consider doing so.

If you are looking for honest advice, prioritized repairs, options on repairs, maximized fuel economy, and a good feeling with who you are doing business with go to http://www.westsideautopros.com




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Tips on Satellite Radio

Tips on Satellite Radio

By Ron Haugen




Satellite radio uses different technology than terrestrial radio. Instead of relying on the analog signals transmitted through a ground based antenna, satellite radio uses a network of satellites to transmit data to your stereo. It has advantages, and can be a great solution for some drivers. Here's a quick look at the difference between satellite and terrestrial radio.

Signal Interruption

If you've ever been on a road trip that takes you several hundred miles from home, then you know how frustrating it can be to lose one station and try to pick up another. Some areas just don't have powerful enough antennas to transmit the nearby stations, leaving you with static ridden music, if you can hear the music at all. Terrestrial radio can only work when the signals are strong, so in more rural areas you may not be able to pick up many stations. Satellite radio doesn't have this issue. The signals are transmitted by a satellite and can span across thousands of miles. This means you can listen to the same station from the beginning of your travel all the way through to your destination. You may experience slight fading of the channels if you are in an area that has heavy tree cover, but as soon as you have a clear shot of the sky the station comes back in clearly again.

Station Availability

Another benefit to satellite radio is the sheer number of stations available. With terrestrial radio you are usually limited to a handful of stations that you can pick up in your area. If you enjoy listening to more alternative music you may be stuck with having to listen to CD's or an mp3 player. This isn't a bad thing, it just can get irritating listening to the same music over and over again. Satellite radio reaches millions of subscribers, and they can offer hundreds of stations. Some of the stations may require an upgraded subscription, but you will still have hundreds of stations available. This means you can listen to any type of music you can imagine, or talk radio programs that your local stations may not run.

Associated Costs

Where terrestrial radio is free, satellite radio is not. You will need a receiver that is designed for this. Most newer cars will have stereos that are already equipped with the satellite feature. New car stereos that are purchased aftermarket are also equipped. If your stereo isn't, you can purchase a standalone receiver. You won't need any special tools to install a standalone unit in your car. The standalone receivers start around $40 and go up from there. You also need to purchase a subscription for the service. The subscriptions are relatively cheap depending on the option you choose. In most cases you can get an extended plan for as low as $10 per month. If you want to pay monthly instead you may pay between $15-$20 per month. Many of the stations are funded through advertisers, but many are ad free thanks to the paid subscription.

If you are looking for honest advice, prioritized repairs, options on repairs, maximized fuel economy, and a good feeling with who you are doing business with go to http://www.westsideautopros.com




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Monday, April 25, 2011

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Friday, April 1, 2011

The Purpose of Turbochargers

The Purpose of Turbochargers

By Ron Haugen




A lot of people do not know that turbochargers are actually a kind of a supercharger. The turbocharger used to be called a turbo supercharger. It was not long before the name was shortened. It is important to know what a turbocharger does and how it works. However, keep in mind that it is a lot of work to install these yourself or do any type of work on them. It is always a good idea to get an ASE certified mechanic to help you out with this.

Purpose of the Turbocharger

The turbocharger is made to compress the oxygen that comes into the engine of your car. When the oxygen level is increased it will increase the overall power output. Whenever the oxygen is compressed it will allow more to come into the engine in a shorter amount of time.

Turbocharger VS Supercharger

A supercharger is belt driven. However, the turbo charger is powered by the exhaust gases of the vehicle. Basically, a turbocharger will take a byproduct of the vehicle's engine that would usually not have any use. It will use this to get the horsepower of the vehicle increased dramatically. If a vehicle does not have a super charger or a turbocharger, then it will be called normally aspirated. These types of vehicles will have air drawn into them through the air filter. The air will then go through the meter. This will in turn regulate and monitor the air that goes into the system. This air will then be delivered straight into the combustion chambers of the engine.

Parts of Turbocharger

The turbocharger will be made of 2 parts. The first part is the compressor. The compressor is what compresses the air intake to the engine. It is what causes more air to get to the engine in a shorter amount of time. The other part of the turbo charger is the turbine. The turbine will take in the exhaust gases and then use them to power up the compressor. Something else that is often talked about with a turbocharger is the boost. This is the amount of the pressure in the air for the intake is exposed to. The more air that is compressed into the engine means the higher of a boost you can get.

Considerations

It is important to remember that a turbocharger engine will have a compression ratio that is lower than a normally aspirated engine. Because of this you not be able to put a turbocharger on with an engine that was meant to be normal aspiration. If you do this, then you will be putting the overall performance and the life of the engine at risk. You should also keep in mind that the lower compression ratio will mean that your engine will run a lot less efficiently when it is at a lower power. It is a good idea to go to an ASE certified auto technician to discuss what can be done to get a turbocharger safely and effectively put onto your vehicle.

If you are looking for honest advice, prioritized repairs, options on repairs, maximized fuel economy, and a good feeling with who you are doing business with go to http://www.westsideautopros.com




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Helpful Hints on Hybrid Cars

Helpful Hints on Hybrid Cars

By Ron Haugen




Hybrid cars are becoming more and more popular as people start to look at alternatives to traditional gasoline. Hybrid cars can be made using several different technologies, including electric, solar, and alternative fuel supplies. In recent years some manufacturers had to start wait-listing their hybrid models because of the demand. While hybrid cars can be great, the maintenance required is very different. Here are a couple things to consider.

Batteries

When hybrid solar and electric cars first hit the market, many people were shocked to find a simple battery pack could cost as much as $2000. Considering a non-hybrid car battery can run around $100, this was a huge sticker shock for many. However, this isn't the case today. Hybrid cars have warranties just like every other model on the market. Toyota offers a 100,000 mile or 8 year warranty on their new Prius models. This should make you breathe easier. Other manufacturers that use battery packs have followed suit, offering warranties that range anywhere from 80,000 to 150,000 miles. When you consider this, the cost of replacing the battery packs isn't so outrageous. As an added plus, since the technology was first introduced to the market the prices have come down drastically. What would have cost more than $2000 just 5 years ago can now be found for as low as $500 with some research.

Scheduled Maintenance

Scheduled maintenance is an area that many people who are considering hybrids get scared of. In most cases it's not much different. You do need to find a mechanic who is skilled with working on hybrids, but that aside most of the maintenance is similar. The schedule may be a little different though. The maintenance schedule is also not the same as it generally is with other types of cars. For example, many hybrids use an air filter along with the battery system that needs to be replaced every 40,000 miles. This is in addition to regular maintenance. Oil changes should be done every 5,000 miles, which is no different than the recommendations for other types of cars. Some hybrid models can actually save you money on maintenance as well. Some models use a brake system that regenerates itself, meaning you could potentially get 80,000 miles out of your factory brake pads.

Expected Fuel Economy

We all know that we shouldn't take the showroom sticker at face value. While a car manufacturer may rate their vehicles with a high MPG rating, actual driving may decrease this. With this said, the hybrid models do typically get better fuel economy. A hybrid car will run on the alternative power under certain conditions, and switch over to fuel when it's necessary. Those who tend to drive a little on the fast side, or those who need to make long highway commutes won't see the same savings as someone who only needs to drive through the city a few miles to get to work. Most hybrids will list their rated MPG between 45-50, and actual conditions can affect this by as much as 20%. If you drive long distances at fast speeds you can expect to get around 38 MPG in most models. However, when you compare that to the fuel economy you would get with a non-hybrid you will see that you are still coming out ahead of the curve.

If you are looking for honest advice, prioritized repairs, options on repairs, maximized fuel economy, and a good feeling with who you are doing business with go to http://www.westsideautopros.com




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