Accessorizing your car is a great way of showing off your unique personality to anyone else on the road. From custom paint graphics to after market wheels and rims, you have the right to transform any car you buy into its own unique snowflake. But sometimes it can get a bit out of hand, and your car or truck passes from cool and unique to just plain weird. While of course all of this is subjective, there are some accessories out there that will make you scratch your head and wonder, “Who would spend money on that?”
So what are these outrageous add-ons that are looking for your unnecessary dollar? Here’s a selection from a top ten list that carinsurancequotes.net compiled.
Fake Bullet Holes: Plastering fake bullet holes all over your hoopty is pretty gangsta, and may even prevent you from encountering more road rage incidents — who wants to mess with someone who’s already apparently survived multiple gun fights? But, if you’re driving a car that you actually care about, one that you might even drive to work, then why would you sacrifice its appearance for a few laughs (which are, by the way, at you)? The other extreme is those personalized decals that represent each member of your family that are on every other minivan or SUV.
French Fry Holder: Sixteen years ago, no state had an obesity rate higher than 20%. Today, all but one state have surpassed that benchmark — Colorado, is teetering on the edge at 19.8%. It’s safe to say that items such as the car French fry holder, akin to the cup holder, haven’t helped. The inconvenience of driving no longer has to limit your gluttony, and you can eat at a much more efficient rate. Gone are the days of using your cup holder or legs to hold them in check, which, in all honesty, is good for road safety. We’ll never stop people from eating while driving.
Scented Tires: After miles upon miles of pounding the pavement and coming into contact with things such as bloated animal carcasses, your tires tend to accumulate a not-so-pleasant smell — one that you’d never notice unless you got on all fours and put your nose against the rubber. To most people, this is a non issue. To others who never skip the details, it’s something that must be addressed. In 2008, Kumho Tires, a company based in South Korea, released a lavender-scented tire called the Ecsta DX Aroma. Priced at $81, it blended synthetic oils into the rubber compound, maximizing viscoelasticity. Perfect for your Challenger or Camaro SS.
So feel free to add or modify your car however you see fit. Just remember, car accessories can become addicting, and before you know it you are buying expensive aromatic tires. If you are looking for a new car to accessorize, then be sure to come into Superior Cars.
With summer winding down, now is the best time to give your car a thorough waxing while the weather is warm enough to work outside. The purpose of waxing your car is to give it a layer of protection from the sun and rain to keep your paint and clear coat strong. Choosing the right kind of wax sounds easier that it is. With new high performance waxes, liquids, pastes, and everything else on the market, it may make you second guess what you need for your car. So which one is the best?
Well, the first thing you should know is that a higher price does not always mean higher quality or protection. Consumer Reports just tested a batch of waxes and wax agents for cars and they found out the the lower priced waxes perform just as well as the ones that are described as maximum performance. If you are unsure about what kind of wax will best protect your car, you may generally looking for a higher price and think that it is a higher quality, but just remember that is not always the case.
With new liquid waxes on the market, the ease of use makes people think that it is not doing as good of a job protecting your car. Well here’s some more good news. In the tests, the liquid waxes had a negligible difference between the pastes that take more work to apply and use. In fact, if you are an owner of a car with a darker paint job, you may do more damage with paste based waxes because it may cause micro scratches in your paint while application. So what it all comes down to is ease of application and a better price. Both of these things well not make much of a difference in the amount of protection they provide.
Waxing your car before the long fall and winter months will really help keep your car looking good all year long. If you are looking for a new car that already looks great, then come into Superior Cars.
It’s amazing to see technology progress so quickly before our eyes. A decade ago, GPS units changed the way that we get around in our cars, and Tom Tom has made a new device that adds even more break through technology to the average GPS. While getting from one place to another is still the primary function of GPS devices, companies are using new mobile technology to allow you to know what to expect along the way. Knowing upcoming traffic, weather, and up to date construction zones will allow you to be prepared for any experience along your route, and the new Tom Tom Go Live 1535 does just that.
Consumer Reports has a great article on where the future of GPS devices are headed with this brand new unit coming out in the near future.
Of course, it could be argued that all dashtop navigators are intended for travelers, but this one bundles a few interesting features and a real twist with the applications. For example, the Twitter app allows the user to send a pre-set message when they leave announcing a destination, and the device can send an update, with an adjusted arrival time, as necessary. The function is option, and despite the implied distraction the name “Twitter” implies, as described, this is a one-way means of communication, not a means to follow a Twitter feed.
This traveler-targeting navigator includes maps for Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Starting at $250, the well-equipped device has upscale features such as lane guidance, Bluetooth connectivity, and voice recognition. Lifetime maps are included.
So if you are in the market for a better, faster, more connected GPS unit than the one that you currently own, be sure to keep your eyes open for this new device coming in the fall. If you want to match it with a new car to get around town in, then come into Superior Cars.
In the world of YouTube and Twitter, companies are now looking for new ways to reach their audience. The word viral used to be a bad omen, but today it means millions of new fans and a way to show off a great product. Well, Kia has found a way to make a great, affordable car, and a fresh way to show it off with their 2012 Kia Soul. While you may ask yourself what dancing hamsters has to do with cars, then you are not alone, but if you are a fan of Kia and like to see it make a bigger push in the American market, then this commercial is sure to please you.
The Kia Soul was introduced a few years ago to rave reviews. It’s great handling, excellent fuel economy, and enough size to haul your groceries and the kids comfortably have made it a great car to own. Not only does it come with all of these things, but it looks great and is very reasonably priced. You can watch their new ad with their now iconic pitch men below.
If you want to get out of the rat race and into a new Kia Soul, then come into Superior Kia and we can get you moving in the right direction. While it may come short from ending wars, it’ll still make you feel like dancing.
Summer vacation has come to an end, and your kids are probably not too excited to get back on that school bus to go to school. This means that you should take care to pay attention to your surroundings during you morning commute to work to your surroundings more so than you would during the summer. With more kids outside waiting for the bus or walking into their school, it is very important to pay heed to school zones and bus stops.
During the summer it is easy to drive by schools and not pay attention to those school zones because they are not in use. This can create driving habits where you are driving on auto pilot and not slowing down when you need to. Many school zone signs have flashing lights that are activated when they are in use to help grab your attention, but after three months of not having to slow down it can be easy to miss. Be sure that you heed all school zones, and pay extra attention around you to make sure that there aren’t any little ones crossing the street to begin their school day. Also, many cities have strict laws against using your cell phone in school zones, so be sure to not use your phone while driving to work.
While nobody likes being stuck behind a school bus, with its frequent stops and slow driving speed, you should never pass a bus with it’s stop sign out. Whether you are moving in the same direction, or come across one in another lane, you need to stop for buses. Even if there is no bus in sight, if you see kids waiting at a bus stop, slow down and give clearance. You never know when the kids may start playing near the road or if they may run out of no where to get to their bus stop.
While you may be happy that summer is finally over, please pay attention at all times when you are making your morning drive. If you are looking to start off the new school year with a new car, then come into Superior Cars.
When you go into a car dealership, the price of the car and it’s fuel efficiency are on a label that is on the window. We are all familiar with this, and the two kinds of fuel numbers that are given, both being city mileage and highway mileage. Well new regulations are coming soon to these labels, and they will give you a lot more information on the fuel economy of the prospective cars that you are looking at. While it may look like a lot of unfamiliar jumbled information, it will actually help you figure out exactly what you can expect out of the car’s gas tank.
One of the new numbers that will appear is how many gallons of gas you can expect to use to drive one hundred miles. This inverse miles per gallon number will give a better comparison between smaller and larger cars in a real world driving sense. Another set of new numbers is the annual fuel costs you can expect to pay for this car per year. While this is of course a large approximation depending on the amount you drive and the cost of fuel, it is still good to use when comparing two cars against each other. This number is accompanied by the amount you will save over five years compared to a car with an average of twenty miles to the gallon.
These new labels will also show you the amount of carbon emissions your car will produce along side a number rating (between one and ten) that the EPA gives for its air pollution score. If you are looking for for a more customized set of numbers based on your personal driving habits, then there will be a QR code, which is a type of bar code, that can be scanned with your smart phone and let you enter your own driving stats to see what each car will do for you personally. While it may take a little while to get used to, these new stickers will be a great way to see which car is right for you, and may help you save hundreds of dollars on fuel costs.
These new stickers will be coming in the next year or two, but if you can’t wait for that to happen, then come in a get a great car at Superior Cars.
With oil prices still near all-time highs, it has become more and more important to find alternative energy to get our cars from one place to another. Countries all over the world have poured hundreds of millions of dollars to develop new technology to reduce our dependency on oil, and in the past decade many advances have been made. The cleanest energy choice that is on the verge of becoming commercially viable and more inexpensive for consumers has been the growth of electric vehicles. The problem still exists though of being able to drive as far on one electric charge that is equal to what you would expect out of a gas powered engine.
Well, in Germany a group of automotive students have set the new standard mark for travel on one charge at 1,013 miles. This is equivalent to over two tanks of gas in most mass produced cars. While this new electric car is far from capable of being driven on any sort of public roadway, it is still a very promising development in the future of electric car technology. The car is able to get so many miles on one charge due to its extremely light weight. The vehicle itself weighs 700 pounds, and extra passenger weight is kept to a minimum due to it only having space for one driver only. The car uses two electric engines which are housed in the front wheels.
Don’t expect any land speed records to be broken in it either, since it took 36 hours to hit the one thousand mile mark with its driving speed of 28 miles per hour. While that is far from the average speed limit on American roads, it was only tested for distance achieved by the battery and engines. We are still far away from having mass produced electric cars that can handle a long road trip on one charge, we are taking steps in the right direction.
Until then, if you are look for a car that gets great mileage then be sure to check out our selection at Superior Cars.
When you are driving down the road there are few sounds that are more disheartening than hearing a small rock, pebble, or other piece of debris crack against your windshield. These small little chips and cracks that often result from this may not seem like something you should worry about, but it is something that you need to fix as soon as you can. These little cracks can soons tart to spread, and before you know it you have a windshield that has to be replaced.
I found a great article from Auto Product Review that give good tips on why and how you should get these small dings replaced, and if you are driving with a chipped windshield you should definitely read on.
1. Lower costs – windshield chip repair cost is much less than the cost of replacing an entire windshield. And depending on the type of chip that occurs, it is possible that the chip will quickly spread until repair is no longer possible. Today’s technology has improved to the point where even small cracks can be safely repaired. And in most cases, insurance will cover your windshield chip repair cost with no money out of pocket to you, precisely because having to replace an entire windshield is so expensive.
2. Increase your safety – the windshield for most modern cars has become an important structural part of the car. In order for it to function correctly in the event of an accident, it must have structural integrity. Auto windshield chip repair is not only a cost saving measure, but also an important safety measure.
3. Reduce visibility issues – whenever you have a chip or crack in your windshield, there is a good chance that it is going to be in your field of vision. Chips can obstruct your visibility making it harder to determine what is happening on the road ahead in time to be able to react. Cracks become a new surface in the glass and glass surfaces reflect light. This means that at inopportune times you might be distracted by light shining in your eyes from an unexpected angle, which might slow down your reaction time or cause you to flinch or hesitate. Making sure that your windshield doesn’t have any of these visibility issues is an important safety factor.
4. Quick and convenient – windshield chip repair services can now be done very quickly and conveniently in as little time as having your oil changed. This is one of the reasons that many oil change shops have started offering the service as part of their standard services. They will often times find small chips and dings before you have even become aware of them, and will handle contacting your insurance to have the repair covered. Remember to check on the warranty to see how long the repair is guaranteed to last.
5. Do it yourself options – You can even find kits to do your own repairs if you have a mind to. This is a good option if your insurance doesn’t cover windshield chip repair. If you are going this route, be sure to check out what other users have said regarding the ease of installation and the long-term effectiveness of the repair. You’ll also want to check to see what kinds of tools and equipment are needed and whether the costs of buying or renting them make sense compared to simply paying for the repair out of pocket.
So don’t wait too long for a larger problem to develop, because it is not only unsafe, but it will cost you a lot more down the road. If you are looking for a new car with pristine wind shields, then you should come in to Superior Cars.
We all like cranking up the stereo and driving with the windows rolled down some times. Sure, it’s not great for every occasion, but the feeling of a bumping bass can be enough to satisfy that urge for short periods of time. Most people who upgrade their cars with a premium audio system will put a few sub woofers in the trunk between ten and fifteen inches to get plenty of boosting power for their ride. Well, there are some people who build cars that are packed to the gills with speakers and sub woofers, and they probably wouldn’t be used to listen to some tunes while cruising down an open road.
Cars like these are made for competitions to see who can get the most bass and sound out of their car. In the video below you’ll be able to see what 40,000 watts of bass power can do. It’s a hair raising experience!
While some people may like having enough bass to sound like a bomb going off, it is definitely not for everyone. If you are looking for a new car with a great sound system, that will still allow you to actually enjoy your music, then be sure to come into Superior Cars.
A lot of dirt and grime can accumulate anywhere on your car. The easy fix is to wash your car, but you may not be cleaning everything that you need to. If you pop your hood, you will probably notice a white or green residue on your battery. While this is very common, it can start to suck the life out of your battery and make the connection weaker from your battery to your engine. While it may look like a hard thing to fix, it is surprisingly easy, and you probably have everything you need to do the job in your house already.
The first thing you want to do is keep mind of your safety. You will be dealing with corrosive chemicals, so be sure to wear rubber gloves and some sort of protective eye wear. After you have donned your protective gear, you need a small scraper or hard bristled brush to start taking off the main corrosion. After this is finished, mix one tablespoon of baking soda per pint of water and, using a funnel or turkey baster, apply this mixture to your connections. The corrosion will start to bubble, and while this is happening, use your brush or scraper to clean the rest of the area. When you are done, use some clean water to rinse off the battery. You can use a gleaner such as 409 to clean off any dirt or grease, and then dry your battery with a towel or rag.
Keeping your battery clean will not only add life to your battery, but it will help prevent problems from occurring in your car. Just give your battery an inspection every month or two, and you’ll be able to keep corrosion at bay. If you are looking for a new car, with brand new clean batteries, then be sure to come into Superior Cars.
The Superior Automotive Group and Mike Albert Direct have been serving Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky since 1928. We care about you, your cars, your safety, and our community.
If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask and any suggestions are always welcome at SuperiorAutomotiveGroup@gmail.com
Click To Subscribe In A Reader
Please Visit Us Online At Any Of Our Social Networks Anytime!!
