MAS DE LOS COMPAÑEROS

Esta vez,nos han escrito varios anónimos(animaros a poneros pseudonimos y así os podemos poner fotos),luisvi(en la foto como Luis VI) ,bípedo y nuevamente conductor cansado y Patiño,sin pseudonimo.

Aquí va lo que han escrito y lo que el intercambiador les ha contestado.Ni que decir tiene que ha habido algún comentario mas de los que publicamos,pero como dijimos,los que faltan el respeto no saldrán en esta pagina.El resto todos.
ANONIMO DIJO:

Ante todo quisiera dar mi enhorabuena por la creación de este espacio para que los conductores de Continental-Auto podamos decir todo lo que nos está ocurriendo y pasando en nuestra vida laboral. Hechos los halagos expongo mi comentario para que me déis una explicación al porqué no podemos disfrutar de un abono transporte anual como disfrutan los conductores de la EMT o los trabajadores de METRO. Me explico mejor: Dichos trabajadores de EMT y METRO disfrutan de un abono anual casi gratuito y casi subvencionado al 100% por el consorcio de transportes. Continental-auto trabaja para el Consorcio. ¿No podría existir la posibilidad de que los sindicatos hicieran presión a la empresa para conseguir esa ayuda que no supondría nada para el Consorcio de transportes de la Comunidad de Madrid?. Este abono nos vendría muy bien porque muchos conductores de Continental no viven cerca de las cocheras y el gasto en combustible de su coche particular supone un pastón al cabo del mes. Esta claro que nosotros podemos viajar gratis en los autobuses de la Continental pero hay veces que tenemos que utilizar el METRO para poder hacer los relevos de Granada o desplazarnos para coger coche en Plaza Castilla o simplemente porque vivimos en Coslada, San Fernando, Loeches, Arganda, Pozuelo, Alcorcón, Fuenlabrada, Madrid centro y nos viene bien coger otras líneas de autobuses que no pertenecen a Continental-Auto. Muchas gracias por publicarlo y espero vuestra respuesta.

EL INTERCAMBIADOR LE DICE...

Primeramente,gracias por los halagos y esperamos no defraudarte,ni a ti ni a ninguno.En cuanto a lo que propones,sinceramente creo que no se le ha propuesto nunca a la empresa.Creo que tienes razon en cuanto a que estamos un poco discriminados con esos compañeros que nombras y desde aqui nos comprometemos a por lo menos proponerlo y mediante la revista comunicarte la respuesta que hemos recibido de la empresa.

ANONIMO DIJO:

Me parece vergonzoso, que algunos "compañeros", critiquen y falten al respeto tan libremente sin tener pruebas, con comentarios tan desagradables y comparaciones de niños de 5 años, claro está que detras de un pseudonimo todos somos muy valientes, me gustaria ver que hacen estos personajes delante de las personas perjudicadas, estos charlatanes, en vez de usar esta pagina para arreglar situaciones y problemas más interesantes en nuestras respectivas empresas, lo único que hacen es realizar estas desagradables acusaciones que no tienen ni pies ni cabeza Quiero dejar claro que no soy ninguno de los que han acusados en las lineas anteriores tan valientemente, simplemente un compañero, que al igual que muchos, se han enterado de esta pagina y han sentido vergüenza ajena. Por último, quisiera decir que a todos estos trabajadores, a los que han llamado pelotas y palabras similares como (Ricardo, Bautista, Celestino ...etc), estan desarrollando el trabajo que otros no podrían desarrollar, o simplente porque se lo merecen, debería cada uno realizar sus trabajos lo mejor posible y no en estas niñerias, seguramente para las personas que se sientan ofendidas en esta opinion,sere un pelota, asi que no dare mi nombre, espero que esta pagina se lleve por buen cauce, ya que puede ser útil para todos, 1 saludo .

EL INTERCAMBIADOR LE DICE...

Casi que no tenemos que añadir nada a lo que has dicho.Simplemente que en este nuevo articulo de la pagina,zanjemos el tema y como ya se ha dicho anteriormente todos los que contengan insultos ue no critica respetuosa,no seran publicados.

ANONIMO DIJO:

Me cuesta entender,como un conductor como es el caso del sr.Patiño,puede tener un turno en las Veredillas,estar haciendo (siempre de mañana)un turno de Torrejòn a Coslada en vez de el suyo.Haber tenido el mes de agosto de vacaciones entero y que los miembros del comitè todo esto lo consintais.No lo entiendo ni yo,ni la mayorìa de los compañeros.¿podriais darnos una explicaciòn a esto?,no me vale que si la empresa hace ò no.aquì se trata de una igüaldad que os saltais a la torera a mi parecer`por ser quien es este señor.Gracias.

EL INTERCAMBIADOR LE DICE...

Que tienes razon solo a medias.Nos explicamos.Sin conocer con detalle el tema en cuestion,el turno que esta haciendo el SrPatiño,como tu le llamas,es un turno de nueva creacion.Todavia no han salido a tablon.Nos imaginamos que lo haran ahora en la tanda de Noviembre.Ese turno,si es evidente que lo esta haciendo Patiño porque le han mandado hacerlo.¿si a ti te desviaran de tu turno para hacer uno mejor,dirias que no por que lo consideras injusto?Ademas,el turno de Patiño(asi o Miguel Angel es como nos gusta llamarle a todos)¿ lo debe de estar haciendo otro señor que tambien estara saliendo beneficiado?En cuanto a lo que te refieres sin decirlo, de que Patiño,es monitor y deberia dejar su turno,no es asi.Te explicamos.A Patiño y a otros señores,les ofrecieron ser monitores y dijeron que sí,pero esa figura,todavia no tiene trabajo todo el año y mientras no sea así,es decir,que los monitores tengan trabajo asegurado todo el año¿porque Patiño ni nadie,va a perder su turno y en las epocas del año que no hay cursos,que hacen estos señores?¿estan sueltos con 25 años de antiguedad?.Te aseguro,que en el momento que los monitores tengan trabajo asegurado todo el año ,estos turnos saldran a tablon.

En cuanto a lo de las vacaciones,creo que te equivocas en como lo cuentas.Luego a lo que preguntas de si os podemos dar una explicacion,creo que ha quedado bastante aclarada y ademas,desde aqui,nos comprometemos a que si con todas estas explicaciones no te queda lo suficientemente claro,a ayudarte a plantear tu demanda en el Juzgado por lo que creas conveniente.Te aseguro que estamos a tu disposicion.
PATIÑO DIJO:

Hola compañero "Anónimo", creo que no es necesario que pidas explicaciones al Comité sin haber hablado conmigo antes, (no me como a nadie) y luego, si no te parece bien lo que yo te diga, estoy seguro de que cualquier compañero del Comité te ayudará a poner una denuncia contra lo que consideres injusto o, incluso contra mí. Claro que, ahí no te va a quedar mas remedio que poner tu nombre.De momento te adelanto que no es cierto que haya estado todo el mes de agosto de vacaciones y, para tu información, Continental no tiene ninguna línea que vaya a Coslada. Como ves, es mejor que antes de nada hables conmigo. Esperando verte pronto, te mando un saludo.Miguel Angel Patiño.

ANONIMO DIJO:

Hola compañeros: cuando oí hablar del intercambiador y lo que en él se nos brindaba,me dió una sensación, que como he comprobado fue equivocada, de que podíamos sacar partido a un medio mucho mejor de lo que lo estamos haciendo. Me da mucha vergüenza y siento mucho asco de la condición de algunas personas y la falsa valentía que puede llegar a provocar una opinión (que no es tal) amparada por el anonimato. He comprobado tristemente línea tras línea y con la boca abierta cómo se falta al respeto a algún que otro compañero y compañera. Señores, por favor, si no nos respetamos nosotros... ¡VAMOS DANDO PENA! esto se va a parecer a los programas cutres de la TV. Y yo me pregunto, este es el buen uso que hacemos de este medio?

EL INTERCAMBIADOR LE DICE...Que estamos contigo en el asqueo que nos producen esos comentarios,pero que como ya se ha dicho anteriormente aqui no saldran.Respecto a tu estado de animo,te sugerimos que sigas visitando la pagina y leyendo la revista que te llegara todos los meses para comprobar que poco a poco vamos a expulsar a los que no tengan estilo.No nos cansaremos de decir,QUE LA CRITICA NO TIENE QUE IR ACOMPAÑADA DE LA FALTA DE ESTILO.Un saludo.

BIPEDO DIJO:

VIVIR PARA TRABAJAR O TRABAJAR PARA VIVIR.Cuando empezamos a formar parte de esta empresa, normalmente venimos de otras del sector.Tenemos una gran ilusión puesta en esta nueva etapa de nuestra vida laboral.Hemos arribado en una de las grandes.Nos mueve la motivación por la estabilidad laboral que se ofrece.Justo al inicio de nuestra andadura en esta empresa, en esta etapa la exigencia es máxima.Nos ponen a prueba la resistencia, la paciencia y la capacidad de sufrimiento, siempre condicionados con la renovación y mezclado con nuestras ganas de demostrar, de agradar y de encajar en este sistema de trabajo que yo diría que es único. Así, nos podemos encontrar, con turnos que además refuerzan, turnos partidos que hacen largo recorrido, turnos de interurbanos que además hacen largo recorrido, largo recorrido que refuerza en interurbano, turno partido con más de cinco horas entre las partes, turnos partidos en tres etc... .La motivación económica es otra parte de las razones de venir a esta empresa, por que hemos oído.... (los perros se atan con longaniza), lo que nadie cuenta es cuanto nos va a costar en SALUD, BIENESTAR y por supuesto TIEMPO.Si alguien hiciera una estadística de los estresados, infartados, depresivos, con problemas gástricos por desordenes en la alimentación, obesos, con problemas de sueño etc... . De los problemas de relación con la pareja (¿Cuantos divorciados tenemos?), con los hijos (No nos ven ni en pintura), Con el reto de familiares y amigos, que no tenemos tiempo de atender.LAS CIFRAS ASUSTARIAN.Por otro lado, tengo comprobado que no, por trabajar más, se cobra más. Cuanta más variedad y cantidad de apuntes en nuestros partes de trabajo, más errores humanos se producen en la valoración, como si hubiera un tope impuesto y de ahí nunca pasarás, hagas lo que hagas.Por último, hagamos cada uno de nosotros, una reflexión, que queremos, hasta donde queremos llegar, que merece la pena y pensar que hay alternativas.Trabajemos firmemente por la reconciliación de la vida laboral, con la vida familiar y social.Y yo apuntaria,con el sueño reparador. Saludo a todos mis compañeros.VIPEDO

EL INTERCAMBIADOR LE DICE...

Chapeau.Que no tenemos nada mas que decir.Solamente una cosa.La necesidad de cada uno en su casa,solo la sabe ese uno y de eso se aprovechan las empresas.Por lo demas,nada mas que darte la enhorabuena y decite si tu no nos dices lo contrario qe tu comentario saldra en la revista impresa en el Mes de Noviembre,porque en Octubre esta completa.Esperamos tus noticias,por si no esas de acuerdo.

LUISVI DIJO:

Hola a todos compañeros es la segunda vez que escribo, en este periodico una para felicitar a mis grandes compañeros del vip de bilbao y otra para decir que creo que este periodico no lo han puesto para criticar los unos de los otros sino para expresar problemas que hay en la empresa, y que creo que todos debemos de luchar por esto y no por criticarnos entre nosotros. Cada persona tiene sus defectos y sus virtudes .Un saludo para todos y espero que este periodico sea una de las puertas para solucionar nuestros problemas en la empresa y mas ahora que tenemos que estar unidos por la venta de la empresa.

EL INTERCAMBIADOR LE DICE...

Que esperamos que poco a poco,esto se convierta en lo que tu estas pidiendo,que es para lo que se creó.Paciencia y poco a poco todo llega.
ANONIMO DIJO:

Hola compañeros, no os habéis fijado en la parada de Pegaso, dirección Madrid, que al caer la noche y al estar llegando a dicha parada los focos que alumbran el aparcamiento de las inmediaciones deslumbran bastante no permitiendo ver con claridad si hay viajeros en la misma? O soy yo al único pisapedales que le molestan? Podría tener solución?

EL INTERCAMBIADOR LE DICE...

Lo de pisapedales lo has dicho tú.Respecto al problema que nos comentas,me temo que poco se puede hacer,ya que son elementos externos a la Empresa y al Consorcio y por lo que cuentas,deben de ser de propiedad privada,quiero decir con esto que ni Fomento,debe poder hacer nada.A esto y como broma se me ocurre lo siguiente:¿has visto los lunes al sol?...

ANONIMO DIJO:

A ver, me dirijo a esos compañeros que no tienen ningún reparo en dar el nombre de sus compañeros a la hora de criticar pero si esconden la mano; sois peor que el perro del hortelano. En cuanto a lo de la compañera Carmen, que pasa, ¿que hay quema de brujas? Menuda falta de respeto.

EL INTERCAMBIADOR LE DICE...

De acuerdo con todo y desde ya, queda zanjado el tema.

CONDUCTOR CASADO DIJO:

¿se podrìa hacer algo para que en el sitio de descarga de viajeros no parara ningun autobùs sea quien sea EMT,CONTINENTAL etc....?.Con la excusa de ir al baño,paran y estan tranquilamente leyendo el periodico,charlando......Estoy cansado de ver siempre autobuses parados y no dejar bajar a los viajeros.El dìa que se nos caiga algùn viajero fuera de la parada nos lamentaremos.Gracias.

Creo que este periòdico se ha hecho para ayudarnos y dejarnos de crìticas entre nosotros.Cuando alguien tiene un problema con alguien,lo mejor es decirlo en la cara.A todos los que insultan,probar a hacerlo en la cara de la persona y vereis que desahogo,al menos yo lo suelo hacer asì.Probarlo y dejar de esconderos bajo un anonimo.VIVA LA BUENA GENTE DE CONTINENTAL-AUTO.Por cierto,¿esta navidad habrà cesta de navidad?,desèo que los nuevos propietarios se estiren y el jamòn de la cesta sea de pata negra.Saludos.

EL INTERCAMBIADOR LE DICE...

Respecto a lo de la bajada de los viajeros,es una cuestion de respeto entre nosotros.Si entre nosotros mismos no nos tenemos respeto,mal vamos.Es cierto que hay muchos compañeros,que tienen un par de minutos,para hacer el pis de la vuelta y fumarse el cigarro;pero no es menos cierto que hay otros que con bastante tiempo entre vuelta y vuelta,no hacen nada mas que molestar al resto de compañeros con una falta evidente de compañerismo.Ante esto,no hay nada mas que hablar con el compañero¿? y si no accede a razones pues habra que actuar con los cauces que la empresa nos permite.

Lo del estilo ya esta contestado con el resto de mensajes que se referian a lo mismo.En cuanto a lo de la cesta de Navidad,dejanos que nos riamos un poco.Y a lo otro ¡¡¡VIVA!!!

MANCHA AMARILLA

VALORACIONES EN MINUTOS
FECHA 20-01-10

1. ¿POR QUE UNA NUEVA FORMACIÓN OBLIGATORIA PARA LOS CONDUCTORES?

How To Resurface Headlights

Last time we covered some important tips for driving atnight. Having clear and working headlights is essential in any low-lightsituation; one cannot rely on a car navigation system with an in dash navigation screen alone. Most modern headlights are made out of polycarbonate, which is greatbecause it is durable and will not break easily in a minor fender-bender. Thedownside to polycarbonate is it oxidizes over time and turns cloudy and yellow.Hazy, yellowed headlights do not provide proper visibility – good news is youcan easily resurface your existing headlights instead of having to replacethem. Here is a quick guide for restoring your headlights.

 There are many kits out there for restoring your headlights,but they all have the same basic tools you can get from anywhere you like. Themain choice you have is whether you want to polish them by hand, or use anelectric drill. Using an electric drill makes the job go quicker and easier,but some people do not have this tool so it can be done by hand.

Start by masking off the area around your headlight. Use twolayers of thick masking tape around the headlight itself.  Then thoroughly scrub and clean yourheadlights, making sure they are free from dirt or caked on tar and bugs. Afterthey are scrubbed and dried, get them extra clean by wiping the surface withrubbing alcohol.

Most kits include several different grits of sandpaper orbuffing wheels. They polish the surface of your headlight using polishing discsand compounds. You can also polish your headlights without a kit bywet-sanding. We will cover the wet-sanding method first. 

Buy wet/dry sandpaper in 1000, 1500, 2000, and 3000 gritincrements. Soak the sandpaper in cold water for 10 minutes or so before youbegin. Spray the surface of the headlight with water, and begin with the lowestgrit sandpaper first,  sanding in onedirection back and forth over the surface of the headlight. Make sure thesurface remains wet – if it starts to get dry, spray it down again.

Next once the headlight sheds the yellow color but is cloudyfrom the sandpaper, switch to the next grit of sandpaper, working in the exactopposite direction of the first grit and keeping the surface wet.  Do this again with every grit, switching thedirection, until you get a nice, polished surface. The last step with 3000 gritsandpaper will probably take quite a while without a buffing wheel, but willmake your headlight look like new.

After resurfacing your headlight, wash them off thoroughlyand wipe them dry. Then apply a UV Plastic sealant to the headlights so theydon’t oxidize so quickly in the future. This should keep them looking nice andbright for years to come.

 Using a kit with an electric drill is much the same assandpaper, just a bit quicker. One main difference is that you often do notneed to wet the surface, and instead will use a polishing compound. Each kithas specific instructions so make sure to read them carefully to get the bestresults. Work with the drill on a low setting and use light to medium pressure– if you press too hard, you can heat the plastic and cause it to warp.  After you have finished with the last andfinest polisher, your headlights should look like new. Make sure to clean thesurface well, dry thoroughly, and apply a UV Sealant the same as you would ifusing sandpaper by hand.

The end result should be a shiny, brand new-lookingheadlight that is protected from UV and thus further oxidization. You can cleanand re-apply the sealant at the intervals suggested on the product to retainyour headlight’s clarity and shine. With clean and clear headlights, you’refree to enjoy night driving as much as you like.

The Five Door Audi A1 Sportback

Audi has announced that they will be launching a five door version of their premium hatchback the Audi A1. First deliveries should be in Spring 2011 – the five door A1 Sportback commands a premium of £560 over the three door model.

According to Audi there is room in the five door A1 for five people, and there is slightly more head and shoulder room, despite having the same exterior footprint as the three door.

Peugeot 3008 HYbrid4 - Tax Benefits

HMRC has confirmed that the new Peugeot 3008 HYbrid4, the world’s first diesel electric car, will not incur the 3% diesel surcharge and benefit from the 10% threshold for personal BIK taxation.

This will also apply to the all the HYbrid4 vehicles in the Peugeot range, that will include the 3008, 508 RXH and 508 Saloon.

Daihatsu Appoints Newcastle Upon Tyne Dealership

Daihatsu's plan to increase dealer development continues to move forward with the appointment of Alexandra Cars, Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Established in 2009, the North Shields family-owned dealer employs more than 10 staff and will offer a full range of new and used Daihatsu products from their bright, warm and welcoming purpose-built showroom.

Tune-Up Tips- When to Get Your Truck or Car Tuned up/Spark plugs etc.

When to get your car or truck tuned up is not a very hard question if you look at a few things. The first thing you can do to find out if your car needs a tune-up which is the easiest thing here is to pull a spark plug out and examine it. After 20-30 thousand miles the center electrode will begin to wear down forming an increased gap and begin to round off. At this time if you determine that a car or truck tune-up is needed, remove the rest of the spark plugs and replace them with new ones.

Auto Repair Savings

Examine each spark plug as you remove them and look for signs of a black shiny substance on them. If you find one then this tells you that you are leaking oil into that cylinder from either your piston rings or your valve guide seals. A white chalky appearance would let you know that your engine is burning on the lean side which is good. Now on the other hand if you noticed a black carbon appearance this means your engine is running rich which is a bad thing and you need to have your car or truck looked at by an engine performance expert hopefully ASE certified. Here are a few more ways you can tell if you need a tune-up on your vehicle.

1.      If your car or truck has over 30,000 miles on it.

2.      Your “check engine” or “service engine soon” light comes on.

3.      You just purchased a used car and you want to keep track of your vehicle maintenance schedules.

4.      If you noticed that under a load such as driving up a hill and you feel the engine cutting out, you need a tune-up.

5.      Planning a road trip and you want to make sure that your car or truck is going to make it to your destination ok.

Important Reminders: Car and truck tune-ups can be classified in 2 categories. You either need a minor tune-up or a major tune-up depending on the mileage on your vehicle. I will discuss the difference in my next article. Most of the newer cars and trucks built today require the use of platinum plugs which auto makers claim should last you up to 100,000 miles before needing to be changed out. My experience tells me that this just isn’t true. For more auto repair savings and tips please visit my blog at, “Auto RepairSavings And my Special Links.” Happy driving!

Tags: car and truck, tune-up, spark plugs, vehicle, mileage

Autonomous Vehicles

If you’ve been reading the news in the last few months, youmight have seen mentions here and there of the autonomous vehicles. Autonomousvehicles are cars that drive themselves without human input. The vehicle would be used much like a car with a car navigation system with an in dash navigation screen - you would climb in, input your destination, and the car would take you there. This is not a newconcept, but lately the concept has garnered a lot of attention because a fewcompanies have built working models. Have you ever stopped to think about whatchanges autonomous vehicles might bring?

 There are a lot of advantages to taking the human out of theequation of everyday driving. Computers are much more precise and do not gettired, upset, or distracted. There would be drastically less accidents becauseof this fact alone. These cars would merge perfectly with other vehicles andmaintain an exact distance between the cars in front of it. Have you ever seenthe Pixar movie Wall-E? Imagine cars like all of the robots neatly slippingonto marked highways and speeding off in perfect regulation.

Problem is, humans driving on the road with autonomousvehicles would be a lot like antiquated Wall-E himself. Humans do not have theprecision necessary to execute merging into a tightly knit freeway. Will therebe a time where laws discourage, or outright forbid, people to drive their owncars on public roads?

 Another advantage however is getting to relax while the cardrives for you. Even spending the night out drinking would not prevent you fromclimbing in your car and telling it to convey you safely home. The interiorcabins of cars could look very different from automobiles today – the steeringwheel, gauge panel, and shifter would all be unnecessary. The inside of a carcould look like a cozy living room where people relax and chat while they getto where they need to go. You could lie down and take a nap, or text message toyour heart’s content.

Many of us can think of instances where we have seen driverson the road that should not be driving at all. Using autonomous vehicles,  being too young, too old, disabled, or justplain bad a driving would not bar anyone from safe and effective travel. Theonly people who might choose to drive their own vehicles are those that enjoyit – people who typically know the ways of the road well.

It is true that for the majority of Americans, cars are usedas purely a mode of convenient transportation. Taking the stress out ofcommuting would improve quality of life for many people. There are biggerissues at hand, of course, like who is responsible in an accident whenautonomous vehicles are involved. Nevertheless I feel autonomous vehicles willbecome a reality in the not-too-distant future.

10 Tips for Driving After Dark

Driving at night can be a soothing and enjoyable experience; there are less people on the road, it’s much quieter, and you can’t see muchbeyond what’s directly in front of you. Pop in some of your favorite music on your car stereo, forget any destinations on your car navigation system, and just drive.  Driving at night can be a great experience,but it can also be dangerous – here are some tips for driving after the sun goesdown.

Aim Your Headlights – Many people are unaware that yourheadlights can be aimed a certain direction, much like your mirrors. Also likeyour mirrors, if they are not aimed correctly it can greatly affect theirutility. Make sure your headlights are aimed properly so that they illuminatethe road well but do not blind oncoming traffic. You can check your owner’smanual for instructions how to do this.

Also make sure that your headlights are free from haze andgrime. Over the years the plastic surface of headlights can become yellowedand hazy, reducing the amount of light coming from your headlamps. If they arefoggy or yellowed you can have them re-surfaced, polish them yourself, orreplace them to regain proper visibility.  

Dim Your Instrument Panel – The many bright lights on yourdashboard can be distracting visually from the road. To make sure you can seethe road clearly, make sure to dim your dash lights quite a bit when driving atnight. Also, avoid leading interior lights on as most illuminate the entirecabin and can also be a distraction.

Wear Proper Eyewear – There are yellow-tinted “night drivingglasses” sold that claim they help you see better at night. These claims arefalse. There is no evidence to substantiate that wearing any kind of tintedsunglasses will help your vision in low light situations. Save your money andskip the glasses; pay attention to the rest of these tips instead.

 Watch For Retinas – If you live anywhere with trees, therealways seems to be woodland critters about waiting to jump into the road. Beforeyou see them however, you can usually spot your headlights reflecting off oftheir retinas. Watch far ahead for two little balls of green or yellow light inthe distance. If you see them ahead you can slow down to make sure you don’thit them. If it seems like it’s too late and you see a deer in front of you,slow down as much as possible – if you try to swerve to avoid the deer theywill often follow your headlights and you’ll end up hitting them anyway, justfaster, and possibly swerve into oncoming traffic.

Don’t Stare at Oncoming Lights – It seems like a no-brainer,but in the quiet, dim hush of your car interior while driving at night, brightlights from oncoming traffic or bright street signs can be a distraction andyou can be lulled into staring at them before you realize it. 

Keep Your Windshield Spotlessly Clean -  Windshields that appear clean in the day canreveal greasy streaks that cloud your vision at night. One trick to remove thestreaks is to polish your windshield with newspaper to remove all of theresidue. It’s mostly oil that’s the culprit so take care not to touch theinside of your windshield with your hands. In addition, do all you can to avoidgetting interior dash conditioners on your windshield – they can be difficultto get off completely.

Bolt-On Fog Lights – Fog lights help drivers see in foggyconditions by directing light low and wide in front of the car. Thisilluminates a wide swath of road without reflecting the light off of the fogand visually blinding the driver.  Foglights can be useful in clear conditions as well – the positioning of the foglights casts large shadows over objects and potholes in the road.

 Add Auxiliary Lights – If you spend a lot of time driving on country roads at night with little other traffic, adding auxiliary lights may help you see the road properly. They must be exercised with caution however because they are so bright that turning them off requires your eyes to re-adjust, taking up to 30 seconds. A lot can happen in 30 seconds when you’re driving so it’s best to only add and use auxiliary lights when you absolutely need them.

Clean and Adjust Exterior Mirrors – If your mirrors are dirty they will reflect light from cars behind you in a wider, diffused manner that produces glare. Make sure they are clean and pointed slightly down so light doesn’t reflect directly in your eyes.

Keep Your Eyes Healthy - If your own vision is impaired, all of the proper lighting in the world won’t help you see the road clearly. If you wear corrective lenses, make sure your prescription is up to date and that your vision is crisp and clear. If you do not wear any type of corrective lenses, make sure to visit an eye doctor and take an eye exam to make sure you vision is still in top form, especially as you get older

Source: Popular Mechanics

The New Honda CR-V for the US Market Unveiled

This is a quick look at the new Honda CR-V for the US Market – we understand that the European version of the fourth-generation Honda CR-V will be built at Swindon and will be launched in Autumn 2012

Car Title Loans/ Midwest Title Loans Saint Joseph, Missouri/ 603 S. Belt 64507

Car Title Loans/ Midwest Title Loans Saint Joseph, Missouri/ 603 S. Belt 64507

Have you ever wondered how the car title loans work and could you lose your car, truck, or vehicle to places like Midwest Title Loans of St. Joseph Missouri? Well the answer to this is YES you can lose your car to these individuals who call themselves business people. Midwest Title Loans reap the benefits of sometimes over 300% interest rates and when for some reason you can’t make a payment, Midwest Title Loans and places like them will reposes your vehicle when you least expect it. Your best bet is to shop around first to find the best interest rates available and ask questions like when will they reposes your car or truck. Car title loans should be your last resort! And as far as choosing a place to get your loan from, Midwest Title Loans in St. Joe Missouri should never be an option to do business with.

Midwest Title Loans

 Unfortunately I had fallen prey to this car title loan shop in St. Joseph Missouri. I had no idea Midwest Title Loans would move so swiftly and pounce on my 7 year old son and me to repose our car. We were followed from our home in Kansas through 4 counties then into Nebraska before they saw an opportunity to use the extra key I supplied them and take our vehicle from us within minutes. The police were called only to find out Midwest Title Loans informed them they were a bank and will be repossessing our car. I immediately called Midwest Title Loans and offered to put our rent on hold and use that to pay the $300 owed to fulfill our obligation to them. Midwest Title Loans informed me that the total due now was $1,200.00, and had to be paid NOW or our vehicle will be put on their auction block.

MIDWEST REPO SPECIALISTS

 Car title loan places like, Midwest Title Loans in Saint Joseph Missouri should be used with extreme caution! Although these places smile and encourage you to take out more money each time you return, do not do it. If you happen to fall prey to these con artists here is an idea you can do to protect yourself from being repossessed. Go to the other guys down the road and have them pay off your loan and start paying them instead with lower interest rates. Be prepared to lose your car or truck even if you are current with your payments. What I mean is, for some unknown emergency down the road you cannot make a payment, know that your vehicle will be taken from you and placed on their auction block. Good luck!

labels: midwest title loans, saint joseph, missouri, car title loans, 64507 belt,

Turbochargers in Family Cars

Turbochargers are used to make small engines putout a lot of power while still remaining fuel efficient. Beyond BMW turbochargers and Audi turbochargers, even family cars offer turbocharged models these days. Before you get aturbocharged vehicle there are a few things you should be aware of.

Hyundai Sonata Turbo

 A turbocharger or “turbo” is a purely mechanical device thatboosts engine power by pushing air into the engine. This allows the engine toburn more fuel with every revolution, making it more powerful. Cars withoutturbochargers are referred to as “naturally aspirated.”  Turbochargers allow automakers to decreasethe size of the engine while maintaining the same amount of power and improvefuel economy.

A turbo is attached to the engine near the exhaust manifold.Gasses coming directly out of the engine pass through the turbo first, spinninga turbine inside at thousands of revolutions per minute. The turbo uses thispower to pressurize the fresh air going into the engine, forcing more air inthan it would normally.

It’s like a pair of big fans, one being driven by theexhaust gases and the other pushing air into the engine. The fans are connectedso the exhaust gasses spinning the first fan also spin the fan pushing thefresh air into the engine. The cars computer reads the increased oxygen cominginto the engine and thus compensates with more fuel to create the properair-fuel mixture. This makes the explosions in the cylinders bigger and morepowerful, thus making the engine more powerful.

It is desirable because you get an increase in power andfuel efficiency. The turbo is driven by the exhaust gasses so it only goes asfast as your engine’s output of exhaust; so basically it only works hard whenyou need it to.

The downside is, in the beginning turbos got a badreputation for failing frequently. They had also been known to “lag,” meaningthere was a slight delay between the driver pressing on the gas and the turbopushing more air into the engine. Both problems have since been addressed throughadvanced new designs and modern technology. It is true however that turbos havemore parts than naturally aspirated engines, which make them more expensive tomanufacture. This usually translates to a higher price tag.

Many modern vehicles come with turbocharged models.Volkswagen, Ford, and Chevy all have family cars on the market that haveturbocharged models for sale. By providing more power and greater fuel economy,turbocharged vehicles are a great option for today’s families.

Source: Aol Autos

Collision Avoidance Systems

Collision avoidance systems are the next development invehicle safety. Since the legal requirement of seatbelts, most safety featureshave focused on protecting the passengers in the event of an accident. It's easy to get distracted talking or texting on a cell phone, going through menus on your car navigation system, or changing the track on your car CD changer. Looking away from the road for just a few seconds can cause a serious car accident. Movingforward, automakers are looking to avoid accidents altogether with new collision avoidance technology.

 Collision avoidance systems usually involve adaptive cruisecontrol. This is like normal cruise control, but with radar sensors that candetect traffic ahead of you to maintain a certain distance away. They can alsosound alarms or flash warnings on the windshield if the sensors detect you’regetting too close to the car in front of you too fast. If you don’t react intime, the system will automatically apply break pressure. If the computers andsensors determine that you are going to crash, they will tighten seatbelts,adjust headrests, and close power windows and the sunroof to make the car saferin the collision.

Collision avoidance also includes other technology likesensors to tell if you’ve drifted into another lane or to monitor your blindspots. These use cameras instead of radar to watch the road around the vehicleand alert the driver of any dangers.

 Having these systems in vehicles make cars smarter than drivers.It alerts sleepy drivers if they’re drifting around the highway and distracteddrivers if they’re about to turn into someone in their blind spot. It alsoprevents serial tailgaters by forcing a safe distance between you and thevehicle ahead. These systems could save many lives as the computers reactfaster in crucial situations than we do.

There is a potential for the system to overreact, causingirritating warning lights to flash when there may not be present danger. Someargue this would be a small price to pay for the lives that could be saved bycollision avoidance systems.

Today this technology is primarily available for luxurycars, like BMWs, Cadillacs, and Audis but it has begun to appear in mid-levelcars as well, like the Ford Taurus and the Dodge Charger. It will only be amatter of time before these systems are widely available for even lower pricedvehicles so everyone can benefit from the added safety collision avoidancesystems provide.

Source: AOL Autos

Automakers eye next huge market: Iraq

While many have been extolling the huge market potential forautos in China, a few automakers have set their sights in what is quicklybecoming the fastest growing market for autos in the world – Iraq. This is certainly good news for all of the OEM manufacturers for AC compressors and air conditioning parts. They havethe fifth-largest oil reserves in the world, and a population bigger than SaudiArabia’s. Western vehicles were banned while Saddam Hussein was in power, butwith that issue taken care of, VW GM and Ford have flooded in to providevehicles for an expanding market.

 Rising incomes and declining violence are the main factorsaffecting this huge change in lifestyle for Iraqis. Although things are betterthan they were six years go, 1500 people were killed last year because ofbombs, sniper ambushes, and other related violence. That is shocking, butcompared to the 34,500 death toll in 2006, the improvement is felt in thequality of daily life for Iraqi citizens.

Iraq’s economy is set to grow by over 10% this year as oilrevenues and foreign investment boost the economy. Minimum wage has risen from$2.60 a month during Saddam Hussein to $400 a month now. Rising incomescombined with a population of more than 30 million people create a veryattractive potential market for automakers.

Underpass in Baghdad

 There are still many hurdles to overcome before Iraq’smarket potential can be realized however. Poverty and violence still persist.Iraq’s economy will probably grow to the equivalent of $3528 per person thisyear; compare this with Saudia Arabia’s $20214 per year and you understand howfar Iraq still has to go. Unemployment is an alarming 40%, four timeshigher than the official report of 11% according to the World Bank.

Even so, things are definitely looking up and automakers aretrying to get in on the ground floor. As Iraq’s economy continues to rise VW,GM, and Ford will be poised to take advantage of a growing middle class inIraq.

Source: Bloomberg

Essential Vehicle Maintenance: Exterior Care

Aside from keeping your car running great, maintenance needsto be performed to keep your car looking great too. After you've repaired your worn out diesel injectors and diesel fuel pump, your exterior needs some TLC. Keeping your car clean andwaxed will prolong the life of your paint job and make your car more fun todrive. Here are some tips to properly washing, waxing, and detailing yourvehicle.

 Beyond the normal dirt and dust that collects on the surfaceof your car, there are other, harder to see contaminants that can damage yourclear coat over time. Airborne pollutants, bugs, tree sap, and bird droppingscan all degrade your paint so it’s important to scrub it all off frequently. 

Before washing and especially before waxing, make sure yourcar is parked in the shade if it is sunny outside. The sun can prematurely dryyour car leading to water spots, or hamper your waxing efforts. If you plan onwaxing your car you may even want to wash your car twice because dirt isdifficult to see when the car is wet.

Make sure to use the right solvents for washing anddetailing your car. Dishwashing soap is not good for your paint. Buy some kindof actual car wash, and make sure to buy a high quality wax like Turtle orMeguiar’s. Wash your vehicle thoroughly, using a soft sponge or towel, payingspecial attention to the front grill of your vehicle where bugs and debrisoften collect. Rinse and dry your car carefully, inspecting the paint foranything left behind. Make sure to go back and scrub spots that did not comeclean – if you attempt to wax the paint with dirt or debris on it, you willscratch the clear coat of your car.

 In decades past itwas agreed that the best wax to use was very-hard-to-apply carnauba wax – the“wax on, wax off” kind; nowadays technology has advanced enough to provideexcellent, more easily applied waxes that are just as effective at protectingyour clear coat. Some of the more advanced systems currently require just sprayon application and spreading evenly over the paint, no buffing required. 

If you decide to use a more traditional paste wax or creamwax, use the applicator recommended or provided by the wax manufacturer. Ifthey don’t have a recommendation, use a foam applicator pad to apply the wax.Work in small areas, rubbing a small amount of wax and spreading it to the surroundingareas. Apply the wax in a back and forth motion, not in circles, and make sureyour applicator and buffer are clean before you begin. If the wax residuedoesn’t buff off easily, switch to a very clean towel or cloth.

After you are done buffing, use a soft toothbrush ordetailing brush to clean the wax out of the cracks and crevices of your car.After you’re done waxing, your car should have a smooth, glossy finish thatlooks almost wet. 

Paste wax systems require you to re-apply the wax every 30-90days to protect your paint, depending on weather conditions. Newer syntheticsystems can last up to 9 months without re-application, but some people saythey don’t give off the same “three-dimensional” shine that carnauba waxprovides, so you’ll have to make a judgment call on what is most important toyou.  Either system will protect yourpaint and keep your car in excellent form for years.