Archive for the ‘Automotive’ Category

Forza Motorsport 4 shown off at E3 2011

Wednesday, June 15th, 2011

Turn 10 Studios’ Forza Motorsport 4 was demoed for eager members of the press and game community last week at E3 2011. The E3 2011 trailer, which is all in-game footage, shows off more of how players can virtually explore every aspect of the cars featured in the game called Auto Vista. The trailer states that the game will have over eighty car manufactures; however, a full car list, which many fans were finally waiting to hear about, has still not been announced yet. Forza 4’s head tracking feature was officially unveiled too, which will allow players to look to the left or right in the car just by turning their head.

Forza has always been detailed and real, but Turn 10 Studios might want to put disclaimer that reads “that this game shouldn’t be used as guide for automotive repair.” Although you might be tempted because of its good looks if your planning on changing your Holley carburetor you might want to just stick to reading a manual. Forza 4 features 16 player online competitive multiplayer, community car clubs, a world tour, and something called Rivals Mode. Rivals mode, is most likely Forza 4’s equivalent to racing the “ghost” cars of other top drivers. The game also features full body damage for all of the cars in the game, which can be seen clearly in the trailer by the Yellow McLaren F1 that is going to be in need of some serious auto repair. Lucky, it’s only a game. No word yet if any of the car customization can be performed in Auto Vista mode, though. Check out more the game’s Auto Vista Mode from Game Trailers in the video that shows how players can expect a car even down to the 19” aluminum alloy wheels on a 2002 Ferrari Enzo.

Rumor has it though that Microsoft’s Kinect and the size limitation of the Xbox 360’s DVD format may have reduced the number of cars featured in Forza 4. Adding the ability to virtually explore every car in the game with Kinect has most likely increased the space requirements of each car, possibility limiting the amount of cars that will be featured in the game. The DVD format used by Xbox 360 games may also be hindering the amount of cars that are included in the Forza 4. More and more games on the Xbox 360 have been running out of disk space and force to use multiple disks like Lost Odyessy, Mass Effect 2, and the recent hit, L.A. Noire. However, if Microsoft approves the large capacity DVD that they have been testing for the last couple of months then perhaps the Forza developers will be able to squeeze in a bit more cars, if space is an issue. Forza’s main competitor, Gran Turismo 4, shipped with over 1,000 cars for the Playstation 3 on November 24, 2010. Though, Gran Turismo 4 utilized Playstation 3’s high capacity Blu-Ray disk format, but also required a 6.4GB install, taking upwards of 40 minutes. A lot of Forza fans will probably be disappointed if the game does not ship with at least as many cars as Gran Turismo. 5. Although, the trailer states that there will also be monthly (epic) expansions; maybe these expansions will include new cars and courses. In any case, October 11 can’t come soon enough as millions of people are anxiously waiting for Turn 10 to kick the tires on Forza Motorsport 4.

Tire Pricing

Friday, April 1st, 2011

It is easy to get confused when looking at tire prices. This is because in most cases shoppers are comparing different things, sometimes without realizing it. Buying four new tires and separate chrome wheels is not the same as purchasing a tire and wheel package from a different manufacturer.

Of all the elements that go into the pricing of tires, construction is the most important. Don’t compare the price of dual belted steel radials with tires that have a single belt. Cheaper tires will have a less durable construction while tires designed to offer high performance will be more expensive. Construction will affect not just performance and the life of the tire, but how safe it is to drive under different weather and road conditions as well as whether or not it helps improve gas mileage.

The other major thing that affects price is style. Fancy sidewalls and custom rims are going to increase the price of the tire package purchase. If appearance is important, these things will be worth the costs, but for the average driver it’s not worth paying extra money simply to make the car look better.

There are a few other things that will affect the cost of new tires. These include things like extended warranties and services like free tire rotation.

Tips for Buying Tractor-Trailer Parts Online

Tuesday, March 15th, 2011

Buying truck parts can be an expensive endeavor. However, you don’t have to go straight to the local dealership or supply house to get your tractor-trailer parts anymore. The Internet is ever expanding with more and more options for shopping in every industry, and buying tractor-trailer parts online can be a great way to save some money. The following tips will help you locate a few places you can try to find the parts you need along with some tips to keep in mind when buying online.

The first thing most people do when looking to buy parts online is to do an Internet search which should return several specialty retailers. This will probably return big dealers with fixed locations along with small companies who primarily do all of their business online. More than likely you will get a better price buying from the smaller companies, who often have lower overhead and can pass the savings on to the consumer. If you find a good price on a part but you are not quite sure if you can trust the retailer, try searching for the company name or their website. This will usually turn up reviews or complaints.

Another great place to find tractor-trailer parts online is salvage yards. Junkyards have become high tech and if you are in the market for used parts it is easier than ever to find what you are looking for without driving around and stopping at each one in person. There are many large sites which will allow you to type in the part you are searching for into a database of thousands of participating salvage yards. Also, there are some sites which allow you to enter your part along with your e-mail and several different salvage yards will get back to you with quotes. This can be a great timesaver.

Finally, auction sites such as eBay Motors can be a great place to find a deal on your tractor-trailer parts. Always be sure to check out the feedback before purchasing from a seller. If they are a large volume seller and they have a great price on a part you need do not be afraid of a few negative comments. All sellers, no matter how good they are, will get a few bad comments from people who are impossible to satisfy.

Buying your parts online can be a fast and easy way to get the part you need and save a little money in the process. Whether you are buying new or used parts there are a number of options available besides the ones listed above. Always remember to check return policies before making your purchase. Also, remember to factor in shipping when you are doing price comparisons. To learn more about the trucking industry, read more at thetruckersreport.com.

Common Engine Troubles for an Early 90s Jeep Comanche

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

Before you buy a vehicle you should take a few notes on what are some of the common problems with that type of vehicle. In this case I am looking at am early 90′s Jeep Comanche and the problems associated with a large engine. The first thing you need to know is that older Comanches such as one from 1990 to not have a check engine light. This means that the other problems I describe may have to be diagnosed by their symptoms instead of being given a heads up. The valve cover gasket, oil pan gasket and timing cover commonly will develop leaks. This can be a big problem and very expensive. If you are looking at an older Jeep Comanche you may want to steer clear of it if it might need any of these repairs soon. When these get old they also sometimes develop ignition wire failures that could lead to backfiring or a rough start up. If this is happening it is a pretty easy fix and can be done on the cheap if you are handy in the garage and have a Jeep Comanche repair manual. If you don’t have a Jeep Comanche repair manual find a repair manual similar to it. Since this is a larger engine, do not try to use any small engine repair manuals .

Some models from the early 90′s such as the 91 or 92 are also susceptible to failures in the rear main oil seal if the car sits in dirty or dusty conditions. This can be prevented by regularly washing the car, and making sure to clean the underside as well. If you don’t do this, dust and dirt will collect on the oil seal. As the car moves, this will cause abrasion, wearing through the surface of the seal. Usually regular maintenance and keeping this area clean is a hassle, so a plug has been made and is available from MOPAR which can be installed at any time to fix this problem.

The last thing to know is that the head gasket in these early models will bust. This can mean the death of your engine if not taken care of right away. It is easy to take care of this and all you need to do is get it to a mechanic right away. If you are worried about this happening there is a newer head gasket that can be installed.

Holy Motorcycle Manuals: The Byronic Batmobile

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

The motorcycle is an image of freedom and independence. How many teenagers go through that period and discover the classic movies like Born to Wild and Scorpio where Peter Fonda epitomizes the very freedom the American flag is supposed to symbolize with a helmet? The motorcycle is a part of the American consciousness, an almost Jungian collective consciousness in the United States. Romantic, the motorcycle has almost become an extension of the Byronic hero. That lone figure who fought the man and anything that made society stable, who was dark and brooding, who often had innate darkness in him driving him to do the things he did. Victor Frankenstein with his creature is perhaps one of the best examples, but a more modern version would perhaps come from a comic book.

Batman is a Byronic hero. He with his Batmobile , a kind of motorcycle, epitomizes that haunted loner. That was why my coworker, Simone, wanted to get a motorcycle. She didn’t just want to get a motorcycle, she wanted to get it as the symbol represented. She wanted to know all of what went into creating its mechanical gizzards, its gas and oil bodily fluids. Simone initially started with an automotive repair Manual , but soon the information in it was not enough to satiate her need to understand how a motorcycle works. It was not just the motorcycle she wanted to understand: she hoping in figuring out the motorcycle and what went in making she would somehow start to grasp the independence it represented for so many riders before her.

A motorcycle repair manual was her subsequent purchase and it suited her. It was a while before she could afford a motorcycle. Student loans and bad credit hurt more dreams than help them. Instead, she had to be satisfied with trips to the junkyard where a man named Sam indulged her in her passion for the vehicle of independence. He taught her on old motorcycles how to change the oil, how to dissect an engine and then stitch it together using a wrench for the needle and bolts and nuts for the buttons.