Replacing Your Spare Tire on the Cheap
Did you know spare tires are often rated for only 50 to 75 miles before needing replacement? Once you get a couple of flat tires, you may be getting close to that number! It might be time to buy a new spare – make sure you do it right.
If you want the best match, you should look to your car dealer first for a proper OEM tire. You’ll be sure to get a perfect replacement that way. You’ll find them to be pretty expensive there though – often running more than a normal tire!
A great alternative is the junkyard. Often when a car is totaled and sent to the junkyard, the spare tire is intact. Many have never even been used. So how do you find a great match there?
You’ll want to get a list of junkyards in the area first. Try using a local directory, or a service like Google maps. Then you’ll want to head outside and measure your car’s tires. This is the most important step for a great fit! Pull out your spare and start measuring that. If you don’t have the spare, you can measure a regular wheel.
With a piece of paper and tape measure in hand, measure the distance between all the bolts. Start from the center of the bolt, and measure across to the center of the opposite one. Keep a diagram on your paper and put down the measurements on the lines. Next, measure the distance to the bolt directly next to it. If you do the diagram to scale, you can punch the holes out and lay the diagram over the spare tires you’re shopping for.
Continue by measuring the bolt sizes themselves. Take a bolt off and measure the diameter of the head, then the length and diameter of the thread. You may find the right bolt pattern, but the bolt doesn’t fit!
Once you have your diagram with the measurements, its time to go to the junkyards. The staff will be able to show you where the spares are kept – often they’ll have stacks and stacks of spares! Pull out your diagram and start sorting through the stacks until you find one that’s a perfect match. Don’t buy something that’s kind of the same – you could damage your car if you put on the wrong spare tire size. Make sure it fits perfectly. Good luck in your search!
Windshield Replacement: 4 Things You Should Know
Many windshields are replaced as a result of accidents. Others may be replaced as a result of a chip that grows into a shatter or simply for cosmetic reasons. Regardless of what has brought you to the decision to replace your windshield there are 4 main things you should keep in mind.
1. A Windshield Is More Than Just a Window.
Some people consider their windshield to be nothing more than a car’s front window. In reality, windshield provide protection to the driver and passengers and are also built to be aerodynamic. Early windshield were made using plain window glass but that resulted in serious injury when an accident would occur. This changed in 1919 when Henry Ford began using the French method of laminated glass for windshields. Today, the glass used for windshields is made up of two separate pieces of glass with a special safety plastic in the middle which makes it harder to break.
2. Can It Be Repaired?
The technology surrounding windshield repair has come a long way. Insurance companies now often refuse to cover replacement costs of windshield unless it has been deemed necessary by a repair company. Windshield repair is done by filling the chipped or damaged area with clear epoxy resin which dries and then is cured with ultra-violet light. Once this has been done, the chip is gone and both strength and clarity are restored.
3. How to Protect Your Windshield
Protecting your windshield is the best way to avoid costly repair or replacement. This can be done by following safe driving rules, particularly if you are on a loose gravel road. Drive slowly to avoid throwing stones up and if you find yourself behind a truck that appears to be throwing stones, back off or change lanes. Window tinting can also offer added protection by acting as a first line of defense against chips, stones and other debris. The tinting film also does double duty in an accident and works to keep broken glass in place.
4. The Importance of Timely Maintenance.
If you discover a chip in your windshield it is important to get it repaired as soon as possible. Chips can splinter, especially in extreme weather. The cold air outside can react to the heated interior of your car, making the chip splinter into a crack which can then spider-web its way across the whole of your windshield effectively turning a rather minor problem into a big one.
Replacing your windshield can be a pretty hefty investment. Once you’ve spoken to a windshield specialist as well as your insurance company you will know where you stand on what repairs or replacement services will be covered. This is also a good time to consider after-market options such as window tinting which may help reduce the chances of needing to repair or replace it again in the near future
Why It Is Important To Keep Up Your Maintenance on Your Jaguar
Modern Jaguars can go tens of thousands of miles without the need for a tuneup or major service. However, this does not mean that these cars can be started and driven indefinitely without even a peek under the hood. If your Jaguar is under warranty, then you will have some peace of mind that a major issue with your car can be dealt with at the dealer. But lots of Jaguar car owners purchased their pride and joy used. Depending on their diligence with the purchase in terms of checking records and conducting inspections, they should have been able to tell if proper Jaguar car maintenance was performed.
With your particular Jaguar model, it is vitally important to know about technical service bulletins and recalls. A specialist service shop or dealer should be able to tell you this, or you can opt to become a member of a Jaguar forum, which would have healthy discussions on issues about your particular model and Jaguars in general. Recent Jaguars already have informative and warning message screens on the dash which inform the owner when their Jaguar car maintenance is due. But, you will have to have knowledge of what particular service needs to be done depending on your car’s current mileage. If you don’t have access to a specialist, this is where the online forum comes in.
A Jaguar that has been on the road for a few years will have little issues that will need to be addressed so that they don’t turn into major repair bills. For example, hoses harden and become brittle with age and if you don’t inspect these with some form of regularity, a hose may split while you’re travelling and you may not notice the trouble until your engine has overheated and you’ve got a warped cylinder head. Other small items that can cause disasters are failed drive belts and leaking fuel injection hoses that can cause an underhood fire. All these little things can be nipped in the bud by looking under your hood at least once a month. Don’t do a cursory inspection but instead shine a bright light on those hoses and belts to check for cracks that signal that they are aged and worn.
If you are of a mind to do some maintenance checks on your own, the supplies you will need include brake fluid, motor oil, coolant & purified water, automatic transmission fluid, windshield washer fluid, a selection of fuses, bulbs, spark plugs, oil filter, air filter, fuel filter, vacuum hoses, lubricants, coolant hoses, belts and a tire gauge. The tools you will need to replace these items are very basic. By doing the Jaguar car maintenance related to these items, you will be on top of your car’s maintenance, save on labor bills and catch a lot of potential issues that may crop up when you’re on the road.