Category: Car

Sometimes, windshield repair is no longer enough and you just have to go for total replacement. If you ever need to have windshield replacement or any other auto glass installation, you will have to choose from three types of car glass. There is dealer glass, original equipment manufactured (OEM) distributor glass and aftermarket glass.

Dealer glass is the most expensive type of car glass. This is what you get from the authorized car dealership of your automobile brand. It is expensive because it is made by the exact same manufacturer that produced your vehicles original car glass and it usually bears the stamp of your car brand. Those who just need to have everything branded will not go for anything less than dealer glass.

Original equipment manufactured distributor car glass means original equipment manufactured car glass. It is identical to dealer glass and has exactly the same specifications, including thickness, color, durability, size and shape. The only difference is that it is made by a different manufacturer.

Manufacturers of original equipment manufactured car glass are contracted by the different car brands and are authorized to produce car glass to those exact specifications. Most are well-respected in the industry and their product is recognized as being of equal quality as dealer glass. Among the top OEM manufacturers are Pilkington, Pittsburg Plate Glass (PPG), Carlite, Ford, Safeguard/Mopar, Asahi, AP Tech, Triplex, Sekurit, Sicursiv, Scanex, Crinamex and Guardian. Keep the list as a handy reference for when you need to check your car glass choices against them.

There may be some unscrupulous OEM manufacturers, though. Be careful of claims that the glass is “from an OEM manufacturer”. Unless the glass itself is described as OEM glass, it may be substandard glass which just happened to be produced by an OEM manufacturer.

Aftermarket car glass, also called original equipment equivalent (OEE) car glass, is manufactured by companies who are not legally authorized to make car glass to the exact specifications copyrighted and licensed to car brands. Aftermarket car glass, therefore, has specifications different from your cars original glass. This may include variations in thickness and quality. Of course, it does not have the same guarantees as dealer glass or original equipment manufactured glass, and may have imperfect fit, leakage, optical distortion, low solar performance and wind noise.

In comparison, therefore, original equipment manufactured car glass is your best choice. It has all the qualities of dealer glass but at a much lower cost. In fact, original equipment manufactured car glass is made according to standards higher than those of the Department of Transportation. Whereas the DOT requires only 80 percent windshield retention in frontal barrier crash tests, original equipment manufactured car glass has 100 percent.

It is imperative that certified auto glass technicians work on your auto glass installation. They should be knowledgeable on the auto glass manufacturers specifications and instructions.

Aside from making sure that OEM car glass is used for your vehicle, you should also make sure that OEM auto glass parts and adhesives are used. This is for your utmost safety. With mobile windshield replacement, for example, you are sometimes made to believe that your car is ready to be driven in a while. The problem is that inferior adhesives may not dry in time, leaving you unprotected in case of an accident. Even with the use of an OEM adhesive, you should check the safe drive away time indicated in the product. Furthermore, demand lifetime warranty on auto glass parts and workmanship.

Whether for car glass, glass parts or adhesive, or for auto glass installation services, always put safety first.

There are not too many feelings as unnerving as when you lose your car keys. Most people have experienced that at one time or another but in the worst case scenario is that it is rather easy to remedy. People losing their car keys over all the past years have necessitated more and more locksmiths being certified at automotive locksmith as well. Locksmith in the Chicago area is a certified automotive locksmith who can help you out when you encounter a situation like this.

In addition to replacing your lost car keys, locksmiths can also help you if it is becoming difficult to turn your key in the ignition. Experienced locksmiths can assist you and replace the following types of car keys:

o Electronic and Transponder Keys

o High Security

o Key Duplication & Replacement

o Laser-Cut Keys

o Transponder keys

The majority of the newer model vehicles typically feature entry and ignition keys that have a computer chip in them and can handle replacement of those as well. Locksmiths give, reliable, and trusted services in the Chicago area and with the state-of-the-art computerized equipment, can easily replace your vehicle keys and you have you back on the road efficiently and effortlessly so you don’t have to keep stressing.

Steps You Should Take Once A Locksmith has Replaced Your Keys

Loosing your car keys oftentimes create uneasy feelings of desperation and helplessness. Although this is a hassle to deal with, just remember that Chicago locksmith can help you in this situation. However, we recommend that you consider the following steps to take once your keys have been replaced and you are back on the road:

Try to retrace all your steps from the past few days – start by asking yourself when the last time was that you had your car keys. Sometimes this can help you pinpoint where you may have lost them. You may have already searched through your home and through all of your personal items, but it is always a good idea to try to remember where you last had your car keys. The bottom line here is that you still want to locate those keys, especially if you have other important keys on the key chain or key ring.

Contact A Locksmith immediately – replacing those car keys might be a bit costly, especially if they are one of the types listed in the first section above. So be prepared. Calling emergency key service will benefit you in that you will know what it is going to cost you prior to us arriving on the scene to help solve your dilemma.

Contact the automobile dealership – realize and understand that some people might be skeptical of dealing with an automotive locksmith, regardless of them being trained and certified at replacing vehicle entry and ignition. If this is the case and you are not sure about letting us help you, you should contact the automobile dealership as soon as possible and talk with someone who is knowledgeable in this area.

Getting your vehicle to the dealership – once you have decided on taking the vehicle to the dealership, you will be confronted with getting it towed there – which creates another expense for you. Tow truck services are expensive, and if you don’t have that coverage with your insurance policy, you could be forking out big bucks. The bottom line is that contacting a locksmith in Chicago will save you a lot of unnecessary expense. It will cost you considerably more to go through the dealership and you will have the towing expenses on top of that. Save your money and contact us whenever you find yourself in a situation where you have lost your car keys.

Plain white golf cars are a thing of the past. Today, there are literally thousands of extras that can be added to your car that will not only change the look, but also how you use your golf car as well. One of the latest, and most popular uses for a golf car is hunting.

Golf Carts can be turned into awesome off road, or hunting vehicles with little effort! When you combine the light weight of the cart, with the lack of engine sound, golf carts have great potential to be a valuable resource to the everyday hunter. Turn your ordinary golf car into a hunting or off road vehicle with just a few modifications.

Traditional golf carts are becoming more popular with hunters for several reasons, but one of the most notable is the difference in the sound coming from the vehicle. It is difficult to be quiet when the ATV you are sitting on it so loud. Carts put out substantially less noise, and therefore are better for hunting when sound is an issue.

There is also a plectra of hunting accessories available, from items that help mount your guns, to camouflage to hide you from your prey.

But how can you get it into the same places that you would traditionally take an ATV? You can not find All Terrain tires that will allow you to take your golf car into places that you not traditionally take it. These all terrain tires are very similar to the tires found on ATVs and UTVs.

Do you not have the time to complete the modifications needed to turn your plain cart into a hunting machine? Many dealers are not offering these carts ready made.

Costarica-RentalCar.Com, Costa Rica’s leading car rental company, is today announcing to visitors to Costa Rica they offering the the best terms for car rentals, among Costa Rica car rental companies.

-If you are looking for a very affordable Costa Rica car rental from a reliable company, look no further, as Costa Rica Rental Car provides all you need for -no hidden fees-, hassle-free travel, combined with exceptional service -and free extras besides,- said Juan Luis, CEO of the Rent a car Costa Rica.

-It begins the moment you arrive at our San Jose airport,- he added.

For persons who are planning to travel to Costa Rica for any extended period of time, renting a Costa Rica airport car rental is usually the most economical way to get around, as it allows the visitor the freedom to explore the country as and when they can, as well as plan activities according to their convenience and leisure.

-Whether visiting for a day, a week, a month, or even a year, according to Luis, it would be a wise choice to first check with San Jose Costa Rica rental Car Company. Our Rent cars Costa Rica services are being prominently displayed at San Jose airport, where we offer our visitors free ride to and from the airport at the end of your stay,- explained Luis. You can click here to visit their website CostaRica-Rentalcar.Com to look for details about their service and offers.

Arguing that renting a car in Costa Rica can generally become expensive, but Luis said that’s not the case with them. -At car rentals Costa Rica, we offers the most affordable packages throughout the island, and is readily available, making the entire process both easy and affordable,- he said.

With their -no hidden fees- guarantee, Luis said car rentals Costa Rica helps visitors track their budget, as the price they quote is the price the visitor will pay, and there is no surprise additional fees.

-No matter your itinerary, Costa Rica Rental Car has the exact vehicle to suit your rent a car Costa Rica needs, including a fleet of Costa Rica car rental 4×4 vehicles, to take you safely on your off-road adventures,- Luis said.

Visitors to the island may also rent a car Costa Rica by choosing an economy Costa Rica car rental, to ensure that your trips will not cost you a fortune in gas. -Our great fleet of mid-sized SUV cars will set you up for a smooth business trip, allowing you to travel in comfort, with all the space you require for your luggage,- he added.

For further information, please contact: Juan Luis, CEO, 1-800-580-3691, or email at , or Click at Fleet and Rates to check for their offers.

Floor plan financing is a key element of the auto industry in both Canada and the United States . Exactly what is floor plan financing and how does it work?

This type of financing is in effect a short term inventory financing for both new and used car dealerships . Traditionally the floor plan industry was geared towards what we know as franchise dealers, i.e those dealers representing product for the likes of GM, CHRYSLER, FORD, etc .

The financing allows the dealers to carry sufficient inventory to satisfy customer needs and demands re model types, accessories, options, etc . It is an extremely large market in what is of course a multi billion dollar industry .

When floor planning financing works properly it is effective, has a reasonable cost attached to the financing, and is totally transparent to the consumer . As consumers when we drive past auto dealerships, either new or used, we don’t care how the inventory got there, we just know its there for us to examine and purchase .

Floor plan financing is executed on both a small and large basis . It is not unusual for finance firms to use more esoteric finance vehicles such as asset backed commercial paper, Special Investment Vehicles ( commonly called SIV’s ) etc. to finance the billions of dollars of inventory that the industry needs to move product through .

Naturally, whether we are talking about the largest GM dealer in town, or a small used car dealership with multi lines of vehicles there has to be a finance program that can grow and backstop that inventory .

In the Canadian marketplace as an example, with which this writer is more familiar , the independent dealers have as much need as franchise dealers for this valuable type of financing .

We have all read recently that many of the tier one floor plan firms such as GMAC and CHRYSLER CREDIT have withdrawn substantially from the market . This has allowed a number of private firms to enter the market and capitalize on the withdrawal of the ‘ big boys ‘ . Additionally, as the banks perceived the auto market as significantly more risky in the current 2008-2010 economic turmoil they also have scaled bank in their previous focus on floor plan financing for car dealerships .

Finance firms that execute well on floor plan financing initiatives are those that of course properly funded ; they also know how to collateralize the inventory through proper legal documentation and registration. The average term for a car being on the auto lot tends to be within 30-90 days . The floor plan financier registers liens on the vehicle, and when the vehicle is sold that lien is removed . The finance firm of course profits from the ability to charge the dealership interest over that 30-90 day period . Naturally this process repeats itself continuously . Lenders must have reasonable confidence in the financial viability of the dealer, more experienced and financially solvent dealers can naturally command larger floor planning facilities . Dealers also are subject to rigorous audits of the inventory . The lender wants to know the car is still there and hasn’t been sold and not paid for of course! Therefore VIN ( vehicle identification numbers ) are checked regularly by finance company personnel , insurance is validated, and random inspections are common

Overall the auto floor plan facility is a key aspect of the automotive market , and is a significant benefit to both new an car dealers alike .