How Hybrid Cars Work

Gas is up.  So, I understand when consumers say that we need an alternative.  Electric cars are all the rage, with vehicles in high demand.  The only question is, how do they work?  We embrace the idea, and today we’ll provide some insight on how hybrid engines work. 

Hybrids use traditional gas engines and an alternative power plant.  There are two types: electric hybrids and hydrogen hybrids.  Electric hybrids use an electric motor as their alternative energy source. Hydrogen hybrids extract the element from water and add the hydrogen to the fuel-air mixture of the vehicle.  So how do hybrids help the environment?  It’s important to know that oil is a limited resource; also carbon dioxide is produced when it’s burned.  In addition, the oil that is extracted from the Earth damages the environment from drilling.  Although hybrids still use gas, they achieve higher gas mileage than a regular vehicle because of the secondary power source.  The average estimate is a five-mpg improvement in fuel economy. 

One way the improved fuel economy numbers are achieved is through stop/start technology that is fitted to the vehicle. A stop/start system allows the engine to be shut off when it is not needed, such as when the vehicle is stopped at a red light or the vehicle is coasting. The technology allows for the engine to be restarted quickly so that the driver does not experience any hesitation. 

Hybrids are great for the environment.  They produce less noise pollution and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.  Innovation and technology will continue to change and adapt to the times making hybrids a great alternative. 

Music: the Best Part of a Drive Home

Music is bliss.  It’s that overwhelming feeling of reassurance when you’re feeling down.  It’s that overbearing tune stuck in the back of your mind, resulting in uncontrollable whistling.  Music is what keeps us sane in a world of car horns, missed appointments, and bad breakups.  It’s the key to our souls.  Now, imagine you’re sitting in your car at a stop light, wait, listen for it…nothing.  No music to take you away from your daily troubles, sometimes it’s understandable not listening to music.  You might have had a long day and want to enjoy some quiet, but most of the time our music soothes us.  In our blog today, we discuss the best options for music in your car.

iPod/Mp3 Player – If you have your favorite tunes locked in on your iPod/smartphone/Mp3 Player-a-majig and your car has an Auxiliary connection, (most cars after 2006 have them) then you’re in luck.  You can purchase an auxiliary cable online (eBay has them as low as 1$) plug it into the car and the other end into the headphone jack of your device.  Push play on your device and viola, HD music directly from your favorite jukebox.

Satellite Radio – satellite radio is commercial and static free, music is beamed directly from satellites in space.  Two big companies, XM and Sirius, have paid subscriptions with countless radio stations to choose from.  Music from all genres, sports, traffic, talk shows (Howard Stern) and weather are all included.  Purchasing the tuner for your car starts around $75 bucks, with a monthly subscription of around $15.   One drawback is that reception can be deterred in cities with skyscrapers, but purchasing an external antenna will fix the problem.

Car Audio w/Cassette Adapter – if you own an older car, don’t panic!  You can still play your mp3’s on the road.  By purchasing a cassette adapter, you can play your tunes via a headphone jack.  First, plug your cassette adapter into your player’s headphone jack.  Then, insert the dummy tape into your car’s cassette player.  With $20 dollars you can use your modern mp3 player to play your tunes, rock on!!

The Best Car Innovations

We’ve all been spoiled by technology.  From self-brewing coffee machines, to Bluetooth headsets, our society relies on the innovations of technology.  They make life easier, save time, and in some cases, add more free time to a busy work schedule.  In our blog today, we discuss the most important innovations of the modern vehicle.  These changes have added entertainment, space, and other options to a transportation device that’s main focus is to get you from point A to point B.  Take a look, and feel free to add your favorite right here:

1)                    Antilock brakes – They help maintain control while stopping, as well as throw the door open to stability control and roll mitigation technologies.  Mercedes-Benz started this innovation in 1978.

2)                    Airbag advancement – Chrysler made airbags standard in 1988, since then, airbags graduated to dashboards that protect you in a rollover and also cushion your knees and adjust for small drivers. 

3)                    Key fobs – (favorite) Chevy introduced these in 1993 with their Passive keyless entry system.  Now, it’s used to unlock doors, set off the horn and lights if you lose the car in Disney world, and in some cases keyless entry and start.  Before the days of key fobs we actually had to physically open the door with a key.

These innovations have revolutionized car safety and will continue to spawn further technologies.  Do you have a favorite innovation?  Please, comment below:

How to Protect Your Doggie While in the Car

30,000.  That’s the number of accidents caused by unrestrained pets, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA). The Travel Association also states that 29 million Americans traveled with a pet on a trip for longer than 50 miles.  With numbers like these we want to make sure that our pets are protected.  We want to picture our favorite pets alive with enthusiasm while sticking their heads to the window and soaking in the world around them.  Here are several steps to pet safety:  

1)                     Restrain your dog – We know dogs want to have their freedom, however it’s so much safer to keep them restrained while in the car.  If your pet is unrestrained it can cause distractions and injury.  Imagine making a sudden stop.  Even at low speeds this can be very dangerous for your pet.  For small and medium sized dogs a crate, or a harness works wonders in the back seat.  Now, if you’re Great Mastiff is riding with you today (some grow up to 7 ft.  in length) we suggest you have a big enough rear area to contain them.  The Front seats can be used to block them in. 

2)                     Don’t put your dog on your lap – Having your dog on your lap is like driving while using a Tablet computer.  Huge distraction!! Your reaction time is substantially slowed and if the window is open an extremely curious dog could run out into traffic. 

3)                     Create a ‘pet friendly’ car – some items for a dog car utopia would be: a cushioned pet bed, extendable cargo area, rear ventilation(A/C or fan), rubber floor mats, and a spill-resistant water bowl.  There are several vehicles ideal for dog lovers out there.  A lot of car manufacturers are chasing dog lovers with new technology and innovations.  

4)                     Don’t let your dog ride with their head out of the window – I know it’s tempting, but they can be easily injured by debris flying in their eyes. 

5)                     Keep proper ID – just in case your dog gets lost while traveling, you want to make sure you have emergency contact info, and up to date ID tags. 

6)                     Prepare a doggie bag – make sure it contains clean up supplies, towel, feeding watering bowl, food, and toys to keep them well behaved

A pet is a family member, lets keep ours safe by practicing great car etiquette, while making the trip fun and exciting for our canine companions.

How to BEAT Rising Gas Prices

Ok, we’ve been here before.  You’re drive steadily and carefully around town on a quarter tank of gas.  Your palms are sweaty (because A/C is known to drain gas) and your eyes are glued to the road.  Your pupils dilate as you scan the area, studying the prices of gas stations to find a reasonable destination.  A maraud of signs flood the road way with numbers that cause you to twitch in fear.  Of course, you’re driving the speed limit, or even a couple MPH below it, just so you can milk every last drop of the oil slowly evaporating in your gas tank.  As the price of gas slowly rises, we provide several options to help you get your money’s worth, at least most of the time, in this week’s blog. 

First and foremost, slow down.  Try to go as slow as the surrounding traffic.  Driving less than 60-65 MPH saves gas because air grows more dense (aerodynamically), the faster we drive.  The most efficient speed to travel is around 45 to 55 MPH to maintain a good RPM ratio.  Secondly, use A/C only on the highway (those in hot climates or extremely cold climates might not have a choice).  A/C is known to drain, on average,  8% of the fuel in your car.  Parking in the shade is important because gas can evaporate straight out of the tank.  Try to park in shaded areas, or park with the gas tanking facing away from direct sunlight.  Also, try taking off slowly from a full stop.  You can save substantial amounts of gas by pressing the gas slowly, instead of taking off from a stop light.    Plan your trips in advance! This prevents wasted time and energy.  Create shortcuts, utilize your GPS, or try to memorize the best routes.  Do not IDLE!  Idling is a waste (unless you’re at a red light, we do advise you to obey traffic laws…hehe) Park your vehicle and go into a restaurant rather than idling in the drive-thru.  It usually saves time, and definitely saves gas.  Do you have any tips for us?  Feel free to comment!  We could all use the help!

Nice Paint Job! Quick Tips to Preserving Your Car’s Shine

“Cleanliness is next to godliness.”  The age-old quote does have some clout in the modern day world we live in.  A clean paintjob can make your car shine and reflect (pun intended) your character.  Wax, basically used on wood to create a water resistant barrier, and polish, used on modern vehicle paint, can make your car dull.  It creates a cover over your paint job that makes it age faster.  The main cog in keeping your paint job new is to avoid friction, meaning abrasive polish, waxing or buffering.  Below is a quick step process for keeping that shine.

1.    Pure liquid and non-abrasive application will preserve your paint, so choose a product that does not include wax, abrasives or polish.

2.    Make sure it is a spray or mist.

3.    Wash your car with clear water and grease cutting liquid soap.

4.    Starting at the top, hose the car down, then grab a bucket of soapy water and a soft brush and do the same. 

5.    Hose the car while you scrub with the brush.

6.    Take a soft towel and dry the vehicle without letting the soap dry. 

7.    Starting with a clean dry towel on clean dry paint, apply the spray conditioner sparingly to the top of the vehicle and spread it out.

8.    Acrylic conditioners are absorbed into the paint and have a application spread rate of 10 to 1 in area sprayed to area covered.

9.    Do not over saturate your paint.

10. After completing the top follow the same conditioning pattern as when washing, finishing at the bottom.

11. The total application time for a spray mist conditioner is under 10 minutes per vehicle.

12. Conditioners do not harden and will continue to add conditioning strength to the paint days after the application.

13. The effects will last for months, vehicle easily clean up with just water. No soap is needed when using a true acrylic paint conditioner.

14. The Shine will lasts for months, no wax is needed.

15. Reapply once a month and your factory shine will last longer than with any wax or polish being sold today.

(Courtesy of wikiHow)

Some Great Apps to Use for Your Car

When you’re driving, all of your attention should be focused on the open road. The emergence of smartphones has changed a lot regarding car safety.  Picking up the phone and taking a quick second call?  Not a good idea, but tolerable if short lived.  Seeing a person update their Facebook status on a smartphone in the middle of traffic?  That’s insanity!  Our smartphones have become an extension of us; here are some great iPhone apps that can keep you driving safely, while making your life easier in the process. 

Car Finder Plus is an app that records your position when you leave your car, tracking your location in the process.  The GPS stores this location and when you’re looking for your vehicle after running your errands, it provides a display of where to locate your car.   

Another great (free) app is Trapster.  Trapster allows drivers to scan the area for known speed traps, police hangouts, speed cameras or even stop-light cameras.  Using the GPS capabilities in your smart phone it uses reported speed traps in Trapster’s network database to give voice alerts of approaching traps.  This technology is due to a network of over 5 million Trapster users that constantly contribute trap locations.    

There are countless smartphone applications available for your phone that helps make life a tad easier.  Check out your smartphone application store for details and continue to drive safely!

Feel free to add your favorite app here: