Automotive

Automotive Fun Facts

Windshield Wipers Were Invented by a Woman. Next time you’re driving in a rainstorm, you can thank Mary Anderson, who invented windshield wipers in 1903. Anderson received a patent for the windshield wiper, but she couldn’t sell the invention to the auto companies, who claimed that the device did not have commercial value. After Anderson’s patent ran out in 1920, windshield wipers eventually became a standard feature on automobiles. Today, changing windshield wipers is an important part of automotive maintenance. Wiper blades come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and some are even heated to help keep your windshield clean in icy conditions…

Stuck for a Gift? Book a Driving Day

Book a driving day in New Zealand for the ultimate driving experience. Give the experience as a gift and you’ll knock them off their feet. If you’re stuck for a gift to buy for your thrill-seeking friend or relative, a driving day can provide them with a unique driving experience that they’ll be talking about for weeks to come while allowing them to feel like a super car owner or a racing car driver for the day…

Buying Tyres

So you need new tyres – what do you choose? How do you pick the right tyres without compromising your safety or your budget? Am I getting value for money? Sometimes there are only a few dollars between 2 brands of tyres. Naturally, if you are trying to save money, your instinct is to go for the cheaper one. One way to work out what your tyres are costing you is to divide the number of kilometres on the warranty by the cost of the tyre. For example, tyre 1 costs $150 per tyre and has a 12,000 km warranty. This equates into 0.012 cents per kilometer.  Tyre 2 costs $200 per tyre and has the same warranty. This equates to 0.017 cents per kilometer…

Car Stereos

NZ car audio: While many motorists are happy with the standard system that comes factory installed in their vehicles, many are excited by the prospect of modifying the in car stereo system to produce a much better quality of sound. What can be done to modify a car stereo in New Zealand is limited only by two factors: imagination and budget. For most car audio enthusiasts, the latter factor is the deciding one. The number of car audio accessories on offer is extremely comprehensive, and the trick is deciding what you want from your system, with due regard to your budget…

Checklist Before Shipping Your Car

Car shipping is a process of shipping your car from a dealer’s lot or from any other locality that connects consumer, shipping companies and shipping dealers in the most efficient possible way. With a heavy traffic of car transport and the rising demand for shipping there are numerous companies offering an affordable and reliable service. If you have received your car transport estimates and have selected a car transport service follow certain guidelines before the car shipping company comes to pick up your car or when you leave the car at their service terminal. This will prevent you to regret later and minimize the potential problems that could arise at that point of time…

Car Jacks: How to Use Them Safely

Every new passenger vehicle sold today comes with a jack for use when lifting is required, usually to change a tyre or mechanical repairs. We all know how a jack works but do we all know how to use a jack safely?  Between 1989 & 1992, twenty seven Australians lost their lives from vehicles falling off jacks and ramps that were suppose to be supporting them. Interestingly, while 20 of the victims were home users, 7 were killed while in a place of work, where safe procedures should be known and practiced. Why did this happen?…

Getting the Best Mileage

Many people want to get the best fuel consumption rate from their vehicles and rightly so. Virtually all of us have a fantasy of getting into a powerful car and driving hundreds of miles without having to stop often at petrol stations. Nevertheless…

Cover It Up!

Perhaps one of the reasons why you bought your precious car is because of its styling and performance. You’re in love with its sleek and vibrant finish that puts a lump in your throat. However since your car’s paint is subjected to the…

Number Plates of the Rich and Famous

People of all ages and backgrounds are becoming aware of the joys and benefits of owing their own personalised number plate. However, private number plates have not always been so affordable and were once seen as a status symbol for the rich and famous. Here is a glance at some famous registrations over time and the proud owners of these number plates.  To start with we can look at our Royal Family, who are no strangers when it comes to personal number plates with some excellent examples owned in the family. Queen Elizabeth owns the registration A7, which is one of the most prestigious car registrations ever released, originally issued by London Council in 1903…
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Car Maintenance 101

Break system, tune-ups, performance mufflers, and transmission repairs. Cars are valuable enough, both representing luxury and necessity. What’s more is after having spent a lot of your hard-earned money, maintaining its good condition is difficult without having it constantly serviced. And when it comes to that precious car, you can’t just go anywhere to have it fixed. Product and maintenance should…
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