Category: Insights

Cars we’re driving today are the safest they’ve ever been. Not only are they more reliable, but they come with a bunch of electronic systems that are silently aiding you as you drive. Even so, it’s still a good idea to prepare your car for safe driving in the winter! 

This process might seem overwhelming, especially to those who don’t have a hands-on relationship with their cars. In reality, preparing the car for winter is easy! Here’s everything you need to do. 

Check your Coolant 

If there was only one thing you could check before the cold weather sets in, it should be your engine coolant. As the weather gets colder, your engine will have to work harder to get up to optimal working temperature. The type of coolant you have in your car, age, and level are all essential in preventing ice formation within the engine itself. You know what happens to pipes in your home if they’re exposed to freezing temperatures. The same can happen to an engine. 

Long-life coolants exist and are often presented as the be-all, end-all solution that you can use and forget about. However, every coolant slowly loses its properties. Over time, its boiling point slowly starts to drop while its freezing points begin to creep up. 

It is highly recommended that you change your coolant every two years. Make it a part of your regular maintenance and only use coolants recommended by your car’s manufacturer.

Inspect your Brakes

Having brakes in good working order is imperative if you plan on doing any serious winter commuting. Check your pads, your rotors, and don’t forget to check the fluid. Change the fluid every two years. 

Brake fluid is hygroscopic, meaning that it is continuously attracting moisture. After two years of use, the fluid is contaminated with enough water to significantly reduce its boiling temperature. In other words, you’re risking losing your brakes on a steep downhill. Tips like these are important to internalize as they directly impact your safety and the safety of your passengers.

Tires – Going with a Winter Set will Change your Driving Experience 

You’ll often hear car enthusiasts ramble on how suspension impacts handling and how this or that set of shock absorbers can make a difference. While they are correct, none of that matters if you don’t have a good set of tires on your vehicle, especially during the winter. Just like a house needs a good foundation, your car needs the right tires.

Check your DOT and see how old your tires are. Tires should be changed once they’re six years old, even if the tread is decent. The compounds used to make tires will eventually start to crack and potentially even rot. Worn out, old tires are a safety risk you shouldn’t ignore.

Why Winter Tires?

There’s more to tires, though. As temperatures begin to drop, the rubber compound used to make the tire starts to harden. This is why we have winter and summer tires. The whole idea behind winter tires is to use a much softer compound that won’t go stiff when temperatures hit below zero. A softer tire equals more grip on icy roads. 

All-season tires are somewhere between winter and summer tires. They are generally not all that great for either of the two seasons, but they do a sufficiently good job. If you’re looking to get the best possible performance out of your vehicle during the winter, you should have a dedicated winter set of tires. 

Check the Battery 

Car batteries are another essential piece of the puzzle we call cars that often tend to go belly up in the winter. All batteries, including the one in your phone, will experience a drop in performance when temperatures hit below zero. That’s just how they work. 

When your phone experiences a drop in performance, you’ll just have to charge it sooner. With car batteries, you might have issues starting your car. 

Check the battery even if it seems to be working just fine right now. The best way to do this is to go to any auto parts store or car mechanic worth their salt. These places will have a specialized tool that measures the current state of the battery, how many cranking mAh it offers, and more. 

Windshield Wipers 

Being able to see the road and other vehicles on the road is imperative during the winter. The only way you can achieve that is by having a proper set of windshield wipers. Our friends over at eEuroparts.com have an excellent write-up on why wiper blades matter and which brands to look for. 

Wiper blades, just like any other type of rubber, goes stiff over time. Endless heat and cold cycles will make them lose the ability to wipe rain and snow off the windshield. The best thing you can do right now is switch to modern silicone wiper blades.

Brands such as Valeo and others offer a whole range of new blades that will deliver a clean windshield even in the worst of conditions. A good set of wipers will allow you to see more of the road as well as any obstacles you might encounter. 

Windshield Fluid 

Many people don’t know that there are summer and winter types of windshield fluids. The difference between them is in the content. Winter type is loaded with additives and chemicals that remain liquid even at -5 F or colder. If you live in an area that sees many sub-zero days, winter fluid is a must. 

The consequences of using the wrong kind of liquid range from an extremely dirty windshield to broker fluid reservoir and potentially broken nozzles. Using winter fluid rated for cold temperatures is much cheaper than having to deal with any of those repairs. 

In-Car Equipment Tips According to Survival Experts 

Once you’ve checked all of the above, it’s time to look inside the car. Depending on where you live, it could be a good idea to carry an emergency kit with you. In addition to that, there are a few winter essentials that you should have in your car. You can find high-quality and affordable winter safety equipment from this UK supplier. So, if you’re heading up north make sure to have the following in your car:

• One or more candles 
• Water 
• Spare cold weather clothing and/or a heavy blanket 
• Small, folding entrenching tool 
• Road flares 
• Emergency food (optional) 

Most of these tools and items are essential if you break down in a remote area. When help is hours away, exposure becomes a real safety risk. If you think it can’t happen to you, recount how many blizzards and reports of snowed-in cars have you heard of last year alone? 

A simple candle can increase the temperature in your car by several degrees. That extra bit of heat could be a real lifesaver! The rest of the items are self-explanatory. You’ve got tools that are designed to help you get unstuck, be seen in a snowstorm, stay warm and hydrated. 

Keeping food in the car is a no-no for many drivers, but there are emergency rations that virtually can’t be spilled while you’re driving. Toss a pack of emergency rations in your trunk and forget about it. Best case scenario, you’ve wasted a few bucks. Worst case scenario, you’ve got critical nourishment available in your car. 

Be Prepared 

Road safety is all about being prepared. Checking everything we’ve listed above is a surefire way of exercising safety and arriving at your destination. That being said, always keep your vehicles well maintained, no matter what season of the year. 
A well-maintained car is a safe car. Driving in the winter isn’t difficult, but it brings on several risks. By preparing your vehicle for winter using the tips mentioned in this guide, you’re ensuring that your driving skills are enough to get you out of whatever tricky situation you might find yourself in.

Technology has become an important aspect and the backbone of every business in the world. The help that technology offers to every enterprise cannot be rivaled or replaced. Whether you are a consumer or the sole proprietor, you need to acknowledge the benefits of technology and how it has made selling and buying easy. Advertising has been made easier and more eye-catchy by the use of technology. Here are some ways that technology helps in a business environment.

Technology in purchasing of stock

Traders at the stock exchange used to speak loudly about their orders in the past, which made the stock exchange very chaotic. Technology has removed this aspect of shouting, and all a trader needs to do is go online and research the best stock in the market.

On the other hand, before introducing technology to the stock market, it was an uphill task to get the best stock to trade-in. The trader had to make sure that they have gone to the library to read about the companies or even call the companies for information. There are numerous apps developed that are used in the stock trading market, like the dividend reinvestment calculator.

The apps used in the stock market help reduce the overhead, which is caused by the reduction of fees charged to different persons. The reduction in the fees charged results in the investor making more money due to high turnover, creating more business, and creating wealth. Technology has brought flexibility to the stock market. You can access most of the stock markets’ apps by using smartphones, which has made it possible for people to trade from anywhere.

Purchasing stock has been made faster and easier in that you do not have to make very many phone calls to have a decision, or do you have to shout across the stock market to be heard. You can have all members of the board of a company in a virtual meeting, and the decision is made instantly. This fast decision making has a great impact on the purchasing of stocks before the price changes.

Technology has helped many people who do not have a career in stock trading be able to trade in stock in that all they have to do is go online and practice with a demo account. This has removed the option of employing a broker or enrolling in a school to study.

Technology in ordering products

Technology has a direct impact on the process of ordering products. The influence of technology has reduced the time it takes to order a product to the time the product is delivered. Before technology was integrated into product order, the process was long and tedious. A consumer had to either make a phone call or send a letter to request the price list, then send the list back with the items required. By the time the item arrived at the customers’ doorsteps, a long period had passed.

On the other hand, it was difficult to see the product you want to buy; however, with technology, you can ask the vendor to have a video call with you with the item you want to order to make sure that it is the one that you needed. With all the information of the products stored on the cloud, you have the option of perusing through various vendors, without leaving the comfort of your home, or you can order from anywhere you are due to the mobile apps.

Technology in advertising

Traditional advertising was mostly done by the print media or by the television. When using the print media, not everybody could access the newspaper or magazine, and some got the newspapers when the offer was over. The prize for running the advert was high due to the provided space and the charges that were fixed on them.

With the influence of technology, it is easy for an advertiser to personalize an advert to target an audience. With social media and different platforms, advertisements can be made to target a different demographic and boost sales. These sales may even be for the automobile industry or any other.

The many sharing apps that are available reduce the advertising company’s cost by forwarding the adverts for free. On the other hand, several sites are free to air that an advertiser can use to upload an advert and reach millions worldwide.

Summary: Before you proceed further and invest some bucks on grill cover, it is better to check out the types available in the market.

Grilling always seems to be a summer activity, which will add more fun and excitement to your daily lives. That juicy steak of the BBQ oven is just over the top and you can’t seem to get enough of it. But, what about those times when you actually don’t need the BBQ station anymore? Mainly with the winter season approaching, you will not be able to host outdoor parties in snowy weather. It means your grill oven will be kept at one side of the outdoor spot, unused.

To keep the machine in safe condition when not in use, it is vital to get hold of some covers. Whether it is snowy outside or pouring heavily, these covers will actually make sure that your machine is in perfect shape and without suffering from rust or any other degrading point.

Going for the types now:

Once you are sure of investing some money on the grill covers, it is time to know more about the types in this regard. What are the best types of grill cover that the market has in store for you? Let’s find out more about those types first.

Heavy duty covers:

Premium quality grill covers are here made using durable Oxford with PVC liner. This perfect combination of materials will provide a very textured and sharp look, and will make the item way more UV resistant and water resistant, as asked for here.

• Such covers are now available in various sizes to fit different types of grills in the market. There will be some magnificent combination of various footprints or sizes along with the easy hook and loop based adjustment system.
• Moreover, these adjustment systems will create that added benefit of securing a perfect fit for the grill. So, even in windy conditions, these covers can stand the pressure very well.

The material of the cover is strong enough to withstand some knocks well. However, the market houses some of the other premium options for you to give a try as well.

Preferred outdoor covers for your grills:

Most of the time, grills are bigger machines and you cannot place them inside your home when not in use. You have to leave them under open sky, even when you are not using it. So, it is highly preferable to head for the outdoor covers.

• These covers are made using such a fabric, which is UV protective, waterproof and also able to protect the grill oven against snow, rain and more.
• You have built-in cord with most of these machines, which will prevent the cover from blowing away when there is a gust of wind.
• These covers are pretty easy to fold and can be packed up well in built-in pack for that convenient storage.

Always look for the options which come handy with proper warranty section. If you fail to find one with such services, then the market houses so many other options for you to look into.

We currently live in a society where expenses are constantly growing. Of course, there are several reasons why this is happening but we won’t get much into that issue for now. Consequently, greater expenses for your everyday needs means greater expenses to other areas of life as well. Let us take for example car expenses and insurance rates. Cars are getting more and more expensive each month but also so does insurance rates. Luckily, we have just the news for you! We are going to take a look at some tips that are going to help you save some money.

To begin with, the easiest way to save money is by insuring multiple vehicles. For example, try to look for a bulk rate for all of your family cars. You might get the offer you are looking for and of course, this is one way to save some money on the insurance costs. Another way to do so is to be a careful driver. We cannot stress how important is for someone to take good care of himself and the car that they are driving. There are two benefits from it; the first one is that you are safe and the second one you will get lower insurance cost.

Taking a defensive driving course is yet another smart way to save some money. Always ask your insurance companies about some additional discount. However, make sure to check for the discount before you actually go for the course, as you never know if they are actually going to give you any. Of course, conducting a good market search can be useful as well. Ask one company about the insurance costs but do not just stop there. You will have a better idea if you ask several of these companies! Consequently, if you are not sure which insurance companies to contact, you may find this review helpful on the Insurance Dodo website.

Further on, try to cut down on your average mileage by using mass transport. Insurance companies make you pay more if you commute to work for three hours every day rather than someone who does not commute. Another factor is the place where you live. Different states have different rates but it is highly unlikely that you are going to move to a different state only because of this. Improving your credit rating, however, can prove to be crucial in saving some money on car insurance costs.

Insurance companies see you credit ratings and try to get a general idea of how “responsible” a person is. If your score is fairly low, they basically see you as a person who does not know how to manage with everyday challenges and tasks. You might also get discounts for anti-theft devices. Finally, it all comes down to having a good conversation with your agent. Try to be polite and try to form a good relationship and get on well with them. Couple of polite words can make the difference between getting a better rate and eventually, saving some money on car insurance! Now you know what is the right way to do it!