Auto 10 septembre, 2008

Classé dans : Auto — sera1 @ 23:06

Une automobile est un véhicule terrestre se propulsant lui-même à l’aide d’un moteur. Ce véhicule est conçu pour le transport terrestre de personnes ou de marchandises, elle est équipée en conséquence. C’est un des moyens de transport les plus répandus actuellement sur la planète.

L’automobile est un moyen de transport personnel. Sa capacité permet habituellement de transporter de quatre à cinq personnes. Il existe des modèles de taille réduite (deux places) ou plus vastes (jusqu’à neuf places voire dix places). Ces derniers sont généralement des monospaces, utilitaires transformés en ‘minibus’ ou des 4×4.

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The Rise and Fall of Route 66 22 juillet, 2007

Classé dans : Auto,Rise — sera1 @ 23:49

U.S. Route 66, though no longer an official U.S. highway, remains a coveted symbol of America’s history and culture. One of the first highways in the United States Numbered Highways system, Route 66 opened to traffic in the 1920s, establishing an unprecedented direct route along an over 2,400 mile stretch between Chicago Illinois and Los Angeles California. Though the highway was decommissioned in 1985, its spirit lives on through historic designations as well as numerous pop culture references in books, songs, television shows and movies. In The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck coined the phrase « The Mother Road » in reference to Route 66, a nickname for the highway that remains widely recognized today.

Route 66 played a valuable role in the development and growth of businesses and communities throughout the eight states along its course. Passing through many small towns, the route spurred the establishment of numerous family owned businesses such as restaurants and gas stations aimed at capitalizing on the increasing number of travelers along the highway. Such events as the Dust Bowl and World War II prompted the westerly migration of many Americans, increasing traffic on Route 66 and further contributing to its popularity. The route also saw increased traffic in later decades due to vacationers en route to Los Angeles as well as its accessibility to such attractions as the Grand Canyon and the Painted Desert located near the highway. Throughout the years, many businesses relied solely on patrons traveling along Route 66 for their sustainability, including Missouri’s Red’s Giant Hamburg, the first ever drive through restaurant.

As the techniques used in highway construction progressed, Route 66 underwent many major changes and realignments throughout its existence. Sections of the route were upgraded, with parts being converted to four lane highways. President Eisenhower’s extensive 1956 plan for building a massive network of interstates throughout the country marked a major contribution to the decline of Route 66. Despite business owner’s concerns and some organizations’ efforts to preserve the highway, portions Route 66 gradually began to be replaced by improved interstate routes in several states. In 1985, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials formally decertified Route 66 as part of the U.S. Highway System.

Portions of what remains of Route 66 have been converted to other state and local roads and loops, while other sections were simply abandoned. Several states have retained the highway’s original name in some form, such as designating parts of the former Route 66 as state highways or historic routes incorporating the number 66. Though the original Route 66 is no longer published on maps and can be difficult to navigate, much of its path can still be traveled by nostalgic adventure seekers.

About the Author: Greg Chapman, of Greg Chapman Motors, is a leading used car dealer Austin has depended on since 1959. For more information please visit Greg Chapman Motors.

 

Auto Maintenance – The Money Saver

Classé dans : Auto,Maintenance — sera1 @ 23:46

Taking care of your auto and spending a little money on it now will save you money in the long run.

How true the expression « pay me now or pay me more later is ». For instance;

Spend a little extra money to do the wheel alignment if your tires wore out from uneven wear. If you don’t the new tires will wear out prematurely and you will spend more money on tires again.

Replace those spark plugs and wires as suggested by your auto manufacturer. It’s cheaper to do it as maintenance than develop a misfire or break down on a long trip causing more expensive damage plus inconvenience.

Change that oil every 3 to 4 thousand miles to keep the engine clean. Dirty oil creates sludge and lessens gas mileage not to mention major engine repairs for lack of maintenance.

Check those brakes. Brakes usually last 30 thousand miles in the front and somewhat longer in the rear. It is much cheaper to replace the brake pads and shoes when they are getting thin rather than wait until they are metal on metal and ruin the drums and rotor.

If the car drifts one way or another and/or the steering wheel shakes while driving it should be check very soon. This condition can cause other components to wear plus it is a safety issue.

A « check engine » light on, misfire, stalling condition, or hesitation should be checked immediately. These symptoms can rapidly cause other damage and can lead to very expensive repairs if ignored.

Many of today’s autos have timing belts. These are of the same basic materials that the other drive (fan) belts are made of. The timing belt is probably one of the more expensive and more important maintenance items you will have to do. Follow your manufacturer’s time and mileage recommendations for this service. Many of today’s engines are called « interference engines ». This means if your timing belt skips or breaks the valve and pistons are no longer in sync and will hit each other causing very extensive damage internally to the point of having to replace the complete engine itself. A timing belt is a VERY IMPORTANT SERVICE.

With all of the expenses we occur in today’s age it is very easy to put off auto maintenance because there is always tomorrow. Unfortunately tomorrow may be the time you are on a long trip for vacation and the car breaks down. This may very well be MUCH more expensive to repair than what it would have cost for routine maintenance not to mention a vacation cut short and ruined.

Keep the old buggy maintained and it should run trouble free for a long time. Today’s vehicles tend to last much longer than those of the past.

For more auto tips and ideas please visit my blog at http://gunnys-auto-chat.blogspot.com

I have been a auto technician for 40 years and would like to share some knowledge