Xavier Auto Clinic http://www.xavierautoclinic.com Fri, 07 Oct 2016 09:05:01 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.11 How much is my car worth? http://www.xavierautoclinic.com/how-much-is-my-car-worth/ Thu, 24 Sep 2015 07:03:42 +0000 http://www.xavierautoclinic.com/?p=4355 How much is my car worth? How much is my car worth ? Is a question I hear often. The […]

The post How much is my car worth? appeared first on Xavier Auto Clinic.

]]>
How much is my car worth?

How much is my car worth ? Is a question I hear often.

The thing is… when you go to sell your car; it’s common to run into a bit of a challenge when trying to figure this out.

All to often you may end up selling a vehicle that is worth far less than you imagined. And when the dealership hits you with the meagre number (far off what you expected), it can be a real rock to your confidence.

However the concerns that we are about to dig into when considering How much is my car worth – may play an important to role in realising the price of your vehicle accurately.

First up… what should you be looking, at when you think your car might be undervalued?

Car Dating Records

One thing that many people don’t think would matter, when asking How much is my car worth? – but almost certainly does, is how many “marriages” your car has had. By this, I mean how many owners; how many dates has the car been on with other people? Dealers rate this information highly as it gives the car a reputation of being reliable or one that you get rid of quickly.

Whilst a small grouping of owners over a significant period of time will not really hurt you too much, you do need to consider how a range of owners over a period of one or two years will look. It makes the vehicle look as if it has no real or genuine value, and can quickly be seen as a bit of a busted flush. However, it also comes down to the dealerships own personal successes with a vehicle; are they dealing with good sales on your kind of vehicle? Then they might look at your ownership rate a bit more positively.

Asking the question How much is my car worth? – is something that you do need to think about, as the company will be running with industry data to try and ascertain the fairest price, and if they are using Glass or CAP they will be getting plenty of information about the car, including an average price that is on the market. Things like the ownership record, though, could just rock the boat enough to see your price offered take a significant kicking. This is something to consider quite carefully as a car that is not producing a very positive ownership record could lose out to a car that is almost identical, but has had less owners.

Is The Heart Ruling The Head?

How much is my car worth?

How much is my car worth?

When thinking about How much is my car worth? a major problem for those who are trying to sell cars is looking at the vehicle with their heart rather than the head. We’ve covered this further down below but it really is the biggest barrier to your success. You need to take off those glasses that are blocking your view and look at things like the body and the paintwork. Getting to grips with all those dull parts, scratches, bangs and bumps that never seemed to really matter until now is so important to getting the true value of a vehicle.

Take a forensic look at everything from the paint to the wheels and even the windows. Don’t forget about the interior, either – this has to be forensically investigated to make sure that you can get a vehicle that is easy to use and attractive to potential buyers. Is the car being serviced on time every year or are you delaying things? Because that will hurt you, too.

When considering How much is my car worth?, if you’ve paid a lot of money for spoilers and extras you will probably dent the final price, too. Most people aren’t keen on this kind of stuff and won’t be shy about letting you know. Take the time to be objective about the state of your car and you might get a whole lot more luck with ending up with a price that is actually reflective of its class.

Start by visiting places like WeBuyAnyCar.com, as they offer a very good range of starting points to do some research and to get a better idea of what your car is worth. The one thing we can say, though, is don’t be misled by looking at classified ads – they don’t tell the whole truth and will give you a rather poor perception of what you could be worth. Just because Joe from Brixton is selling his Fiesta for that much does not mean that you can, too!

Cars are like people. They have so many complex differences that when judging one against the other it is absolute folly. Lose the emotion and stop looking for logic to make sense to you – instead, find the actual facts behind the situation and you are more likely to lose the tinted glasses and start making smart, calculated and intelligent decisions about your vehicles overall price.

Understanding Dealership Valuations

When considering How much is my car worth? Another big part in establishing vehicle value and a fair price is the dealership valuation in general.

If you are using the average value based on what dealers are selling the car for then you will be in for a bit of a shock as this does not take into account the wide reaching ways they will find to reduce the fee that they are paying out to you.

Dealers will look at the model, specifications and the year of your vehicle before going any further. Your vehicle could have things like a manual gearbox, or come in a really undesirable colour that would need to be changed. You could, though, be sitting with the King of the car that you own with the best specifications and a classy, well-received colour. This all comes into play when looking at the price you’ll get.

One fancy spoiler to many

How much is my car worth?

How much is my car worth?

Another big problem when considering How much is my car worth?, is when you jazz up your car too much. Fancy rims, spoilers and tinted windows might make you feel like you are in a racing movie, but the next buyer might not be so eager to drive around like this and that will impact on the value.

Whilst you will get away with having an older vehicle that has a bit more mileage on the clock compared to others, you won’t be able to get away with having an old car that is the vehicle equivalent of an OAP. If a model upgrade has happened to your vehicle since you bought it you can expect the price to have hit the floor with your model. Factor in things like warranty periods being expired and the value you expect and the value you get could be two totally different things.

Damage and decay

Another big issue when considering How much is my car worth?, is the condition of the car. If any kind of damage or decay can be seen, you will be charged for it in the final price. Leaks, tyre wear and tear, service history, MOT history and various other little things all come into the mind of the mechanic when looking at your vehicles service history. Everything that they need to fork out fixing up this stuff is going to come out of your final price.

Mileage

The last thing to think about when considering How much is my car worth? is the mileage on the clock.

If you’ve spent plenty of time going from Southampton to Inverness then your overall pricing is going to be a whole lot worse than it could have been. A car with low mileage despite its age can balance out, but if you like to go everywhere in the car you might find that it will hurt you when the time comes to sell.

I’m I being scammed?

How much is my car worth?

How much is my car worth?

If you turn up to sell or exchange your car expecting a right few quid and you get offered buttons in exchange, no doubt you’ll be more than a little frustrated.

The question How much is my car worth?… may blurt out your mouth in alarm!

You may feel like the mechanic is out to get you. After loving your car and taking care of it soundly you might soon find that the mechanic who wants to buy it is not quite as impressed with your diligence. You’ve now been told that – after all that work and care – it’s worth less than half of what you were expecting. “Surly these guy are trying it!”

A rather broad a question…

When you ask How much is my car worth?,  you are asking a rather broad question. Whilst you’ll find morally dubious individuals who buy cars for a song and leave you out of pocket and with no other option, you will find that most of the markdowns are actually a bit fairer than they might appear. Keep in mind that you are going to a motor professional who knows that you want to sell; you have less knowledge, and you have no advantage as you initiated the process. This leaves you in a bit of a challenge, do you listen to their words and get a bad fee, or do you say no and risk being dropped?

The chances are, though, that the lowballing will start to incrementally rise until you get to a figure a bit more like what you were hoping for. Never ever accept the first offer provided; because it might be the lowest offer they could have provided you with!

By taking a running guess at your cars value and doing no research, or just going with arbitrary numbers based on what you paid for X and Y, you will get nowhere. However, if you are look at car ads you will be a bit more accurate, but not quite there yet. The best way to actually understand the price of your vehicle is quite simple; you need to remove the emotional aspect.

When considering How much is my car worth?, think of it as if you were a buyer, not the one who has had so many good memories and fun times in the car. Take out the emotional side of things and you will find that it could be much easier to negotiate a price that make sense.

A mechanic will always presume you don’t have a clue about this kind of thing so you need to be prepared to get on the web and get reading. Look into the reasons why you might be getting a poor value return and then work out why they might be trying to use industry data to try and tie you up in knots. Take the time needed to learn before you try and sell and get burned.

My car’s name is Daisy

How much is my car worth?

How much is my car worth?

Your car may be called Daisy, and it may have got you to the moon and back, but the bottom-line is that the salesman does not care. They see an arbitrary figure and a chance to buy a car that could be worth something to them for next to nothing.

Funnily enough, you want to try and avoid this scenario and concentrate on the most effective way to stop this from happening. Without a doubt, this is by looking at your car as a Peugeot, not Peter the Peugeot. It’s not an actor, it’s not a superstar – it’s a car.

Finally…when considering the question How much is my car worth?, try to drop the emotion, do your research and line yourself up for a successful sale.

To health and vehicle happiness,

Your fearless mechanic,

Phil.

 

 

The post How much is my car worth? appeared first on Xavier Auto Clinic.

]]>
Most Dangerous Road Situations http://www.xavierautoclinic.com/dangerous-road-situations/ Mon, 01 Jun 2015 13:44:06 +0000 http://www.xavierautoclinic.com/?p=3788 Most Dangerous Road Situations Driving can be a fantastic privilege, and one that we can all enjoy at any time of […]

The post Most Dangerous Road Situations appeared first on Xavier Auto Clinic.

]]>
Most Dangerous Road Situations

Driving can be a fantastic privilege, and one that we can all enjoy at any time of the day or night. However, one of the big problems with the roads is that they can still be fatal if you aren’t careful about what you are doing, or indeed where you are going. If you are someone who believes that motor problems and breaking down on a dark, empty road is only for the horror films; think again.

Here are some of the most dangerous road situations that you can encounter, that can leave you in a blind panic should they ever occur;

Road Hijackings

It might sound like a nightmare but it happens far more than anyone would like to admit. one of those most dangerous road scenarios is if you are getting into your car and notice someone hanging around a parking lot or nearby street clocking you. If you feel concerned lock your doors immediately. You might not like to cast negative aspersions about everyone you see in the street, but this could be one of those most dangerous road situations you don’t want to take a chance with!

Most dangerous road situations

Most dangerous road situations

If you need to move things around in the car, do it once you have locked the doors and have got yourself secure and alone in the car. If you find yourself in a real hijacking – situation whether it’s the car or the purse – don’t resist. Your life is far more precious than the contents of a bag or your vehicle. If you are ever caught in the vehicle from behind, the easiest way to get out and escape is to yank one of their fingers back all the way. Used with all of your fingers and enough force, you should be able to snap the finger and give yourself time to escape.

Flat Tyre

If you ever find yourself with a dreaded flat tyre in a tunnel or on a road, you need to stop and take a deep breathe and think. When something goes wrong with your car, don’t get out of the vehicle to investigate this is potentially one of those most dangerous road situation . You aren’t a mechanic, and you are just making yourself an open bulls-eye for anyone of a negative persuasion.

If you cannot make a phone call for whatever reason to get the police, do not get out of the car – you will need to wait for a passerby to help. Even the emptiest piece of road will have someone come along eventually; stay within the car and talk o them through the window. Ask them to phone the police immediately as soon as they arrive, and if they refuse to do so roll up the window. Make sure there is always someone on the way.

Off A Bridge

A most dangerous road situation is the dreaded scenario of being run off, or driving off accidentally a bridge into the water. Bridges can be a terrifying accident waiting to happen and, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, roughly 384 people die per year on average from submersion with their vehicle crashing into the water.

Once you hit the water, you typically have a minute or so to get out. The side windows will be your best bet whilst the vehicle is still floating hasn’t yet started sinking. When the vehicle is floating, you simply need to make your exist – leave everything, don’t call for help, just get out. You have a very limited amount of time, so you need to move fast.

You can keep a Life Hammer for this exact situation in your car – they can smash in the windows quickly and allow you to get out to safety quickly. It also has a razor that can go through the seatbelts with ease, helping you escape if this function is broken from the crash.

In fact, the life hammer can be equally useful for the first two situations as a last act form of defence! Keep it in an easy to access location when driving like your pocket, so that you have instant access to it should anything occur.

To health and vehicle happiness

Your fearless mechanic,

Phil.

The post Most Dangerous Road Situations appeared first on Xavier Auto Clinic.

]]>
Cons of Owning UK Electric Cars http://www.xavierautoclinic.com/cons-owning-uk-electric-cars/ Mon, 01 Jun 2015 12:54:05 +0000 http://www.xavierautoclinic.com/?p=3753 Cons of Owning UK Electric Cars Recently, we wrote an article about the benefits of driving an UK electric cars. […]

The post Cons of Owning UK Electric Cars appeared first on Xavier Auto Clinic.

]]>
Cons of Owning UK Electric Cars

Recently, we wrote an article about the benefits of driving an UK electric cars. Electric cars have been an excellent addition to the world and have gone a long way to giving the green-minded ones of us, a bit of hope for the future of the planet once again. However, they are not all sunshine & rainbows – you need to be aware of some rather specific issues that can arise from driving an electric car, including;

It’s Not “Here” Yet

One thing you need to think about is the fact that whilst UK electric cars seem like something in the future, they are technically still in the future at the moment. There is a lot of uncertainty about using these cars, and as we mention below, the cost of using an electric car can be quite massive. This means that the majority of us would struggle to afford one, making the technology itself a little pointless – how can it make a difference if only those who are doing well can afford one?

There’s also no long-term guarantee that UK electric cars will make it in the long-term interests of the industry. There’s nothing to say that they are going to die out, but in a decades time UK electric cars might have been replaced by something else entirely. Technology moves fast and this can leave you at a big disadvantage if you sink all of your money into a long-term purchase, only to watch it fall flat right in front of you and be replaced by something even better!

Limited Distance

You will typically cover around 60 miles of distance when driving typical UK electric cars at motorway speed; this will run through your juice very fast, though. This is a big problem and will typically mean that you can’t get to where you are going without having to stop at one of the – albeit many – charging stations in your city. Whilst going at around 30-40mph will give you roughly 120 miles, you might want to go elsewhere for now if you are going to be making long and arduous drives with regularity.

Tax Credit Downsides

In the other article, we mentioned how useful it is to have tax credits coming into your pocket for buying this kind of car. However, you will notice that the cost of repairs and general upkeep of UK electric cars be quite staggering in comparison with your normal car. This can mean that those extra pennies you are being provided will be gobbled up fairly quickly if you are someone who drives almost everywhere.

A UK electric cars battery change alone could leave you with almost all of that gone right away. Bottomline, you need to be prepared for the big costs of taking on  UK electric cars.

To health and vehicle happiness

Your fearless mechanic,

Phil.

 

The post Cons of Owning UK Electric Cars appeared first on Xavier Auto Clinic.

]]>
Benefits of Owning An Electric Car UK http://www.xavierautoclinic.com/benefits-owning-electric-car-uk/ Mon, 01 Jun 2015 12:27:43 +0000 http://www.xavierautoclinic.com/?p=3730 Benefits of Owning An Electric Car UK In the last decade or so, the prominence of the electric car UK […]

The post Benefits of Owning An Electric Car UK appeared first on Xavier Auto Clinic.

]]>
Benefits of Owning An Electric Car UK

In the last decade or so, the prominence of the electric car UK has become far more popular than many expected it; it’s been a relatively fast take off for a revolutionary part of the vehicle industry. Especially in packed cities like London, being able to get access to gas-free vehicles can cut down on their rather staggering petrol costs that you might incur along the way. Due to the size of the capital, it’s important to be able to drive around at your leisure without the constant cost of petrol being factored in.

If you aren’t sure on where to go in terms of your vehicle, we would highly recommend picking an electric car UK for the following reasons;

Avoid Petrol Stations

Whilst petrol stations are an expense that we could all do without, they also come with another issue that many of us might not factor in; they are quite dangerous. Petrol stations in big cities like London can typically be surrounded by a variety of hazards, from “dirty rain” to muggers. If you are driving around in an electric car, though, this problem literally disappears for you.

Helping The Environment

You’ll also be helping out the environment, which definitely needs all the input we can possibly put into it! Choosing a car that is good for the environment is going to be good for your own health, as well as the health of your ancestors. Make the right choice if you are an environmentally conscious person.

Cash In

Another excellent benefit of buying an electric car UK is the fact that drivers in the UK are being rewarded for doing so. In fact, up to £8,000 can await from you in the form of tax incentives if you go down the green route and get an electric car. In the US, you can get up to $7,500 for your troubles; so you will be getting a nice little reward for making a conscious decision to help out the planet and your wallet!

Charging Stations on the Up

Electric Car UK

The big problem with using electric cars UK in the past was the fact that charging stations were few and far between. However, they are beginning to pop up all over the place and you’ll be able to park up with ease at charging stations, making it easier than ever to park. In fact, charging points also double as parking spaces so you can find a parking spot easier than many of your fellow Londoners! This is the case for many big cities in the UK and the US, though, so you can benefit almost anywhere!

To health and vehicle happiness

Your fearless mechanic,

Phil.

The post Benefits of Owning An Electric Car UK appeared first on Xavier Auto Clinic.

]]>
Five Disastrous Car Ownership Mistakes http://www.xavierautoclinic.com/disastrous-car-ownership-mistakes/ Wed, 25 Mar 2015 17:24:31 +0000 http://www.xavierautoclinic.com/?p=3706 Car ownership, can be a joy so it’s worth while considering just how important it is to take care of […]

The post Five Disastrous Car Ownership Mistakes appeared first on Xavier Auto Clinic.

]]>
Car ownership, can be a joy so it’s worth while considering just how important it is to take care of your car properly.

Car ownership is like owing any other gadget or item – if you don’t look after it properly, you will eventually need to replace it.

Here are just five of the key car ownership mistakes that people have made in the past, that have cost them far more than they could have imagined.

The Wrong Wheels

Believing that you are a car expert, when you are new to the world of automobiles can be a disastrous car ownership mistake to try and pull off. For instance, installing oversized wheels is a rookie mistake and will eventually cause you nothing but massively expensive problems. You can eventually damage the fenders and wheel wells for your vehicle and leave yourself with a huge bill to pay and no car for quite some time.

Unaligned Tyres

 Car Ownership Mistakes

Car Ownership Mistakes

Tyres care is a big part of car ownership, and aligning them in the wrong manner is a mistake that plenty of people do. If you’re putting on new tyres make sure they are properly aligned. Failure to do so will see your tyre’s running out much quicker than you ever thought possible!

Ignoring Oil Changes

Just like anything else that uses oil, it has to be changed and re-mixed from time to time. Whilst oil technology has improved in the last generation or so, it’s still vital to make sure that your car gets an oil change from time to time. If you fail to do so, this car ownership mistake will eventually start to cause your engine to wear out, as there will not be efficient enough lubricant. This can be an expensive problem to clean up, in more ways than one.

Buying Cheap Batteries

Sometimes, trying to save money on vehicle maintenance will only cost you far more in the long-term. A dead battery as you might imagine is useless. When buying a car battery, look online for the exact battery type for your vehicle and try going for one of the better ranges. Buying a cheap replacement to save a few pounds may cost you extra money for a battery charger and a replacement, so try not to scrimp and save in this department.

Unprofessional Body Work

The last thing that your vehicle needs is cheap bodywork – if you have dented or damaged your car, get a professional to fix the problem. Your mate with a hammer or that DIY specialist with his own garage out the back, might not be the best people to really help you, as it may end up costing you far more in the future.

If you can think of any other car ownership mistakes you want to shout, about feel free to let me know.

To health and vehicle happiness,

Your fearless mechanic,

Phil.

The post Five Disastrous Car Ownership Mistakes appeared first on Xavier Auto Clinic.

]]>
Why Do My Brakes Squeal Like a Pig? http://www.xavierautoclinic.com/brakes-squeal/ Wed, 25 Mar 2015 17:18:35 +0000 http://www.xavierautoclinic.com/?p=3699 Brakes squeal, is never a good look. For any vehicle owner, hearing your car sound like it’s doing the motor […]

The post Why Do My Brakes Squeal Like a Pig? appeared first on Xavier Auto Clinic.

]]>
Brakes squeal, is never a good look.

For any vehicle owner, hearing your car sound like it’s doing the motor equivalent of squealing like a pig can be quite tough to put up with. Not only is it a wholly unpleasant sound, but also it’s not exactly a great indicator for the health of the vehicle.

Brakes squeal is wholly irritating and a embarrassing thing to go through, especially when you see half a street looking at your car with a funny face.

However, worse than the sound of the brakes squeal and the public laughing, are the comical prices you may be quoted to get brakes squeal fixed. Brakes squeal tends to be the mechanical equivalent of the blue screen of death on a PC; and an opportunity for the mechanic to drive the price up.

The thing is when your brakes sound as if they are on their last legs, whatever the mechanic suggests to fix the problem you will probably accept it. So if you want to avoid this type of situation, here are the two key reasons why your brakes may start to cause such an awful sound.

Brakes Squeal

Brakes Squeal

Vibrating Brakes

The irritating hum and squeal you hear coming from your brakes may be due to vibration. This might seem like amateur hour on the part of the manufacturers, but a vibrating brake pad may be the reason for this noise. Whilst most vehicles come with an absorber for the vibration, they eventually thin down and become less effective – and require replacing. Thankfully this problem is less expensive and a lot easier to cope with financially, than many of the suggestions a mechanic might just decide to try and scare you with.

General Wear and Tear

If your brakes are coming to the end of their lifespan don’t fret. This is something that happens regularly with all vehicles and therefore is a common and cost-effective problem to get sorted. So long as you get the pads replaced before your vehicle starts to chew up the brake disks, you’ll be fine. The brakes squeal that we’ve been discussing is the most common indicator of a change being required. If you are a decent DIY mechanic, this is easy to sort and can be done with relative ease otherwise it’s a fairly cheap to have the repair carried out by a mechanic.

As you can see, your brakes squeal and sounding as if they are on the verge of death is probably because they are. But the be warned, the issue might not to be because of the terrifyingly expensive reason a devious mechanic may tell you.

To health and vehicle happiness,

Your fearless mechanic,

Phil.

The post Why Do My Brakes Squeal Like a Pig? appeared first on Xavier Auto Clinic.

]]>
Five Bad Car Habits That Will Cost You http://www.xavierautoclinic.com/bad-car-habits-2/ Wed, 25 Mar 2015 17:14:15 +0000 http://www.xavierautoclinic.com/?p=3693 Bad car habits can put a hole in your pocket if you don’t keep them in check. As you might […]

The post Five Bad Car Habits That Will Cost You appeared first on Xavier Auto Clinic.

]]>
Bad car habits can put a hole in your pocket if you don’t keep them in check.

As you might imagine, car maintenance is very important because the majority of cars can be relatively fragile if you don’t look after them. Bad car habits tend to be entirely self-inflicted, and therefore can cause vehicle damage that may prove to be expensive. So if you find that your car is beginning to incur problems a touch quicker than you are used to, it maybe it’s due to the way you drive.

Okay… so this post isn’t a dig, or a way to preach about road safety, it’s a legitimate concern, as certain bad car habits can directly cause crashes and accidents. Equally, the following bad car habits are going to put a severe dent in the lifespan of your vehicle.

Bad Car Habits

Bad Car Habits

Dodging Maintenance

If you were to go through life without ever doing any exercise, or looking after your body in any fashion whatsoever, it would no doubt lead to shorter lifespan than normal. Right? Well a car is the exactly same. Delaying going for regular service checks ups and maintenance may turn into one of those bad car habits, meaning that your car will never get its proverbial exercise check up. If you want to avoid this dilemma, you should take your car for a regular service for things like oil and filter replacement, transmission fluids, air filters and replacement brake pads.

Head ups! Your vehicle should have come with a maintenance manual. If you can’t find it, you may be able to pick one up online. Following the advice found in your vehicle manual will help you to create a nice maintenance routine to follow.

Shifting When on the Move

Gear shifting when on the move is a foolish tactic, it’s another one of those bad car habits, it’s costly, and will wear out the transmission fairly quickly. Don’t shift from drive to reverse whilst you are moving as it’s like a kick in the face to the transmission. Too many of these jerks and jabs, and you will eventually need to replace the transmission. In many cases, this can almost be as expensive as buying a new car outright!

Computer Game Driving

Do you tend to drive at the maximum speed possible, only to come to grinding halt at every stop you encounter? If so be prepared to put your car in the scrapper early. This type of driving will accelerate the deterioration of the key parts of your vehicle, it’s again another one of those bad driving habits, and eventually it will leave you with a hulking mess of a vehicle. For a good car life span, take it nice and smooth and don’t make computer game driving a bad car habit.

Ignoring Dash Lights

It’s fairly self-explanatory – if you decide to ignore the clear warnings that your vehicle is giving you, then hands down you will eventually regret it! Bad car habits are not paying attention to dashboard warning lights, they are there for a reason. And if you do come across a legitimate problem, please do yourself a favor and hot foot it down to the local garage or your trusty mechanic to have the problem repaired.

Tire Replacements

Are your tires balding or damaged? Then you need to bite the bullet and get replacements. It might be expensive, but it may cost you more than and “arm and a leg” in the long-term if you decide to just ignore it. Bald tyres are dangerous full stop, and if you live in weather torn areas it’s asking for serious trouble. You’ve been warned, if your tyres are balding pick new ones up as soon as possible or you run the risk of having no car at all!

To health and vehicle happiness,

Your fearless mechanic,

Phil.

The post Five Bad Car Habits That Will Cost You appeared first on Xavier Auto Clinic.

]]>
Girly Car Accessories http://www.xavierautoclinic.com/girly-car-accessories/ Thu, 26 Feb 2015 13:53:40 +0000 http://www.xavierautoclinic.com/?p=3590 Girly Car Accessories As a female car owner, you might find that the girly car accessories market is somewhat skewed. […]

The post Girly Car Accessories appeared first on Xavier Auto Clinic.

]]>
Girly Car Accessories

As a female car owner, you might find that the girly car accessories market is somewhat skewed. You might not want to buy all of the laddish stuff out there for your car, so what girly car accessories should you be looking for? In a market that can feel like a boy’s toy shop at times, it can be tough for female drivers to personalise their car properly.

However, if you’re struggling to find inspiration here you will find our list of what we think are brilliant girly car accessories. All of them are extremely easy to use, and can be found online in abundance. So if you want to enjoy the world of driving in distinct female style take a gander at the following girly car accessories:

Car Eyelashes

Girly Car Accessories

Girly Car Accessories

 

The first time anybody see’s your car with eyelashes, it makes them double take! If you ever watched that kids TV shows with the talking cars you know what we mean. Giant, girly car accessories eyelashes for your headlights can be absolutely hilarious, and will certainly give your car that girly, female charm that you may just feel is missing!

Driving Shoes

If rich blokes in their mid-40s can have a driving glove, then surely you young ladies are allowed a pair of driving shoes!

Tucked under the passenger seat, driving shoes can be perfect girly car accessories! Classic loafers maybe the best driving shoes as they give comfort in abundance while making it easy to drive in. At the end of the day why not treat yourself, and if the hubby asks where the shoes came from, just tell him you brought them so that you both enjoy leisurely drives together! (Yeah I said it).

Ice Mit

You don’t WANT to be out there in your dressing gown at 6am morning scraping the ice off your car – hell…nobody does.

Unfortunately, the winter can bite quite hard and your glass windows can feel the brunt of it. To cover yourself, be sure to get yourself some ice mits to help make those mornings ice scrapping sessions a touch easier. Insulated and waterproofed, these mits come in all styles and colours and are perfect for clearing the ice from the windscreen.

Sunnies

Sunglasses may spend more time as an ornament above your mirror, but these girly car accessories are good to for those horrible winter mornings where the sun can catch you out and blind you. Sunglasses can make driving more enjoyable, less strenuous on the eyes and can make your driving experience far more enjoyable, plus you can look super “cool and the gang.

Flower Vase

An absolute trademark of any self-styled “girly” car is the flower vase. It’s perfect for any car that wants to be brightened up a little. Why not make things that little bit more comical by getting those little plastic, girly car accessories bees that you can buy along with them too!

Making your car to look suitable girly… can be a lot of fun. So for maximum effect, why not let your creative side really flow through.

To health and vehicle happiness,

Your fearless mechanic,

Phil.

The post Girly Car Accessories appeared first on Xavier Auto Clinic.

]]>
4 Famous Cars of All-Time http://www.xavierautoclinic.com/famous-cars-of-all-time/ Thu, 26 Feb 2015 13:01:33 +0000 http://www.xavierautoclinic.com/?p=3565 Famous Cars of All Time If there’s one thing that can make a car brand successful it’s a movie or […]

The post 4 Famous Cars of All-Time appeared first on Xavier Auto Clinic.

]]>
Famous Cars of All Time

If there’s one thing that can make a car brand successful it’s a movie or TV show. We all love to have our favourite movies or TV characters, but nothing makes them cooler than when they drive a badass car.

If you’re looking to see what kind of cars have inspired us, and become famous cars over the years, we have compiled a list of the top TV and Movie famous cars of all time. So sit back as we take you through some of the classics.

Goldfinger – 1964 AM DB5

Ever since I can remember, Aston Martin has been a big name in the world of cars. And the Bond films helped set that in motion with the car featured in the imperious Goldfinger. In typical Bond style, these famous cars came with a hilarious arsenal of “badboy” weapons, bulletproof glassing and even a radar screen. The DB5 is considered to be the best of the Bond cars over the years, combines class, style, speed and features into one absolute killing machine.

Knight Rider – 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans AM

famous cars

Famous Cars

Knight Rider is right up there with the most famous cars. Okay I’ll be honest – I loved the TV show. Saturday afternoon with my bro, waiting for Michael to press “turbo Boost” whooo hooo!

As an American TV hit series, even to this day Knight Rider has a huge cult following. It follows Michael Long, an undercover cop who gets shot in the face. Saved by a philanthropist, he is given a new face – and a talking car – changes his name to Michael Knight and drives his car KITT and the rest as they say is history. The famous cars outrageous features – and banter – make it one of the best-loved culture cars in history.

Dukes of Hazzard – 1969 Dodge Charger

Ahh, the Dukes. It ran for six years as a TV show and even had a 2005 movie, and followed Bo and Luke Duke and their wild run through the most outrageous happenings and events from episode to episode. With two cars literally wrecked on average per episode, the title “Hazzard” certainly seems to be appropriate. The Dodge Charger is the most notable car of the show, known otherwise as “General Lee”. If you’re a petrol head and your into TV’s famous cars and have never watched Dukes of Hazzard, you really should!

Back to the Future – 1981 DeLorean DMC-12

One of the most famous cars for sci-fi fans, is the DeLorean In Back to the Future, a car turned time machine! The 1985 hit – Back to the Future followed the story of Marty McFly (Michael J Fox) and his insane friend Dr Emmett Brown. Throughout the movie trilogy, the characters go back to various parts in time to make significant changes and save certain aspects of their worlds. The DeLorean’s unique look and style makes it one of the dream cars even for people reading this today – it’s a truly magnificent piece of auto history.

So there you have it –some teasers of the most famous cars in TV history, that I’m sure will provide you with TV and Movie entertainment for years to come.

To health and vehicle happiness,

Your fearless mechanic,

Phil.

The post 4 Famous Cars of All-Time appeared first on Xavier Auto Clinic.

]]>
4 Ridiculous Common Car Faults http://www.xavierautoclinic.com/common-car-faults/ Thu, 26 Feb 2015 11:54:14 +0000 http://www.xavierautoclinic.com/?p=3546 4 Ridiculous Common Car Faults As a car owner, you will no doubt be aware of the massive dirge of […]

The post 4 Ridiculous Common Car Faults appeared first on Xavier Auto Clinic.

]]>
4 Ridiculous Common Car Faults

As a car owner, you will no doubt be aware of the massive dirge of common car faults that can befall drivers at any given time.

Whether it’s a car garage giving you an eye-watering bill for a “simple repair”, or one of the common car faults where your car fails to start en route to your biggest conference of the year. Common car faults are a problem that most of us could do without.

While some of us driver cars that run with pristine authority, some drivers just cannot seem to get out of the street without something going wrong!

So… to try and get yourself prepared for auto life, here are five of the most common car faults you are likely to make or witness at one stage:

A Lack of Life

Battery problems are the bane of any driver’s existence.

Common car faults like draining the battery by leaving the lights on overnight can be a terrible mistake, especially if you can’t get to work because of a flat battery.

The problem is that you don’t hear of these common car faults regularly as you should – but they happen all the time!

Common car faults like this have been a long-term problem for many motorists over the years. The best way to dodge this problem is to buy a charge kit so that you can get yourself going in the morning, or to live next door to the world’s friendliest neighbor who happens to have a jump lead pack.

Flat Tyres

Common Car Faults

Common Car Faults

Doh! This is one of the most common car faults issues you’ll see on the roads. In fact, on any typical work week you’re likely to see at least one absolutely raging person standing by their car waiting for vehicle support to arrive, usually in the rain. A flat tyre can be dodged, by making sure you go for a car service regularly and getting your tyres checked out.

Fuel Problems

Ah, fuel – one of the most costly resources on the planet. Fuel problems are part of the common car faults pack. For a typical driver and the best way to deal with these problems is to make sure that you ALWAYS use the correct fuel in your vehicle. Sound stupid? Okay well hands up how many have put the wrong fuel in their car?

Damaged Cabling

Common car faults can also entail damaged vehicle cables. This can be so infuriating because they can literally put you off the road. A car with damaged brake cables, a weak throttle cable or a useless clutch cable is effectively a massive danger on the road. Here’s some advice: get those cables checked pronto. Find a good garage and get those cables looked at and replaced.

Another suggestion is to try a buy a solid car from the get go. This may sound obvious, but you would be surprised at the level of poor electrics that are found in cars. However a good car garage should be able to sort you out with an easy and reliable fix fast.

To health and vehicle happiness,

Your fearless mechanic,

Phil.

 

The post 4 Ridiculous Common Car Faults appeared first on Xavier Auto Clinic.

]]>