Guide

Fuel efficient Driving Techniques for Highway

October 24, 2021October 24, 2021 VD

The fuel-efficient car is good for both the environment and your pocket. However, you should know your driving style because the most fuel-efficient cars can consume more fuel if it is driven incorrectly. We will discuss driving techniques in order to drive efficiently and get the best mileage of a car on the highway to help you save money on fuels during long distance travelling. As a driver you can change your driving habits in order to achieve better fuel economy. When you drive in a very saddle manner. You can even achieve the top mileage claim of the car.

It is quite obvious that if load lots of stuff in the boot or rear seat of your car, it will become heavy and consume more fuel but this is not new. Also never follow tractor or trailers for great aerodynamics. It’s a dangerous and silly idea. Here are the tips that will focus on practical aspect to get better fuel economy on highways.

Maintain Average Speed

Maintaining average speed on Highway doesn’t mean you should drive below 55 KMPH which is dangerous for other vehicles and also none of us have time for that. There is a major difference in fuel consumption, when you drive at 80 KMPH and at 90 KMPH. Simply reducing 10 KMPH will significantly increase fuel economy. When you drive at 90 KMPH the amount of power that car produces increases exponentially to overcome resistance. There are two resistances that cars need to overcome first is aerodynamics and second is rolling resistance in the tires. Cars need to produce more power to overcome these two resistances and hence fuel consumption will increase. Now let’s discuss the time to reach our destination. If you are required to travel 200 Kms; it takes 2 Hours and 30 minutes to reach your destination when you drive at a speed of 80 KMPH where it takes 2 Hours and 15 Minutes when you drive at 90 KMPH so there will be 15 minutes difference but you may save a significant amount of fuel.

Engine Braking

In modern cars if you let your foot off the throttle and you leave transmission in gear the engine does not inject fuel. You can take advantage of this in different scenarios like approaching traffic signals, approaching a turn ahead.

Don’t keep on accelerating the car when you are driving on twist and turns. It’s better to look ahead of the road. If you can see turn ahead and after some time you anticipate that you need to apply brakes in that situation, always release the accelerator throttle much before the turn. Car will coast. Don’t press the clutch pedal and free the engine in this situation, clutch wear will be more. When you reach the turn and you apply brakes but you are not doing any harsh braking and also you are not using too much fuel while decelerating.

Smooth Gear Shifting

When you drive on the highway, upshift gears when the tachometer is close to the 2000 mark. When you cross the 2000 RPM band you are in a good torque band and you can upshift gear smoothly. In this torque band; car engine can easily shift to top gears and within a few 100 meters you can reach 6th gear. Always maintain speed at 80 KMPH that will not put much stress on the engine and you will get better fuel efficiency. When you change the gears at 2000 RPM mark there will be less engine noise in the cabin and you will feel comfortable during a long-distance journey.

Driving over an elevation change

When elevation changes, the rule is very clear and simple: maintain a constant speed of 40 or 50 KMPH. When elevation changes and you try to maintain constant speed at different elevations, cars will consume more fuel. In normal driving conditions, when you go up the hill you press the accelerator to maintain constant speed and when you come down you use brakes to maintain that speed. There is wastage of energy. In such a scenario, you can take advantage of gravity. The alternative during driving on difference in elevation is when driving up a hill release accelerator in this scenario, you are using engine braking. When you start downhill, press light acceleration and gravity helps you back up the speed. This is the more efficient way of driving over an elevation change. Second advantage of this technique is putting the heat from decelerating into your engine cooling system which is far more capable. It can take a ton of heat versus putting that heat into the brakes so brakes won’t overheat and need replacement of the brake pad.

Never mess with a car’s aerodynamics. People place oversize items on the car roof that will increase drag and ultimately lead to higher fuel consumption.

You should be conscious of the other drivers on the road while you are applying the above driving techniques. Don’t drive in the first lane at slower speed. First lane is meant for overtaking. Also don’t slow down too early on highways. It’s common sense to drive and apply these techniques where they make sense and where you can actually get the benefits from them without annoying other drivers on the road.

Thank you all for reading this article. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comment box below.

How To Keep Your Turbocharged Car Reliable

October 10, 2021October 10, 2021 VD

Turbo charged diesel engines are not new; they have been part of our life for a decade. Most diesel engines nowadays are turbocharged, the reason is simple for efficiency and Power.

In the year 2021, A new trend has started that is turbocharged petrol engines. Turbo charged petrol engines are exciting and hopefully they may bring motor culture in India. In this article let’s talk about how to keep your turbo car reliable. Here are a few tips and tricks which you can use to protect your turbocharged car.

#1 Avoid initial revving in turbo Cars

When you start a turbocharged car cold, do not race the engine hard. First allow the engine to warm up for five to ten seconds until your car gets up to operating temperature so that the oil starts flowing through the turbos. Engine oil has to circulate through the oil pan and need to heat up. If oil doesn’t reach operating temperatures, it will not flow as fast as it will at operating temperature. Oil is thick, when you cold start the car. It won’t circulate through engine and turbo properly. When oil is heated up, engine oil becomes thin and it will circulate through engine faster. Thinner oil provides better protection to turbo chargers. Turbochargers spin insanely high RPMs hence you need to make sure proper oil flows through engine and turbo chargers. When turbocharger and engine is not lubricated with oil then revving hard after cold start may damage your engine and turbo faster. Always wait for five to ten minutes, allow engine to warm up and then you can rev it to full power.

#2 Engine shut

Never immediately turn your engine off after a long drive or if you have been driving your car at high RPM. When you drive your car at higher RPMs, the turbo charger gets really hot and when you turn off the engine, oil flow stops immediately. Turbochargers spin at higher speeds and when oil circulation stops; turbo spins without oil circulation which will harm turbocharger ultimately affects the car performance. Second drawback is oil doesn’t settle and it sits on the hot areas of turbochargers and it starts breaking down those leaves behind a thicker oil. Thicker oil does not have good flow characteristics which will again harm turbo chargers. Hence you need to change oil more frequently. Always let your engine cool down for 30 to 60 seconds, let engine oil drop down temperature and cool off hot areas of turbocharger. It is strongly recommended to keep your car on idle for 30 seconds to a minute before turning off the engine.

#3 Engine Lugging and LSPI (Low Speed Pre-ignition)

Never lug the engine. Let’s say you are in fifth gear at 1000 to 1500 rpm and you press the throttle for immediate boost. This is a very dangerous situation. There are several reasons; why you should avoid engine lugging. When you press the accelerator at low speed, engine will inject more fuel to cylinders but it can’t ingest more air so as a result you inject more fuel but it will not burn completely and this partial burn fuel goes through your exhaust system and it harms catalytic converter and damage exhaust system of car. Many times you see black smoke; that black smoke is a result of this condition where you are at low engine and put a high engine load. Another most important reason is Low speed Pre-Ignition which actually damages car engines. It may even seize the engine. In small capacity turbocharged engines high load and low rpm conditions actually have ignition far earlier than spark plug ignites. Ignition is not happening in a controlled manner. This situation can damage your car engine significantly. It may damage piston rings, spark plugs etc. Hence always shift to lower gear before harsh acceleration.

#4 Always buy best fuel

If you have a small capacity turbo charge car, always buy the best fuel for your car. This will avoid scenarios like low-speed pre-ignition that significantly damages the engine. When you use high octane fuel, ignition happens in more controlled manner which minimizes knock.

#5 Neutral Slip Angle

Let’s understand slip angle first, slip angle is the angle between the direction in which the vehicle is actually travelling and the direction in which the wheel is pointing. Stable vehicle means the front tire and rear tire have the same slip angle. In case one of them is greater than the other; let’s say the front is greater than the rear then the car will understeer and if the rear is greater than the front then the car will oversteer. So why is it important to understand slip angle for turbocharged vehicles? In a turbocharged vehicle if you are coming out of a corner and if you accelerate hard or if you brake hard where you are increasing the slip angle of a tire. In a turbocharged vehicle when you are coming out of a corner and you press accelerator hard, there is turbo lag and then all of a sudden turbo lag is overcome and all power sent to the rear or front wheel. This scenario puts a significant load on the tires. If you have a rear wheel drive vehicle then you are putting load on the rear wheel which greatly increases the rear wheel slip angle which means rear tires slip angle is greater than the front tires. Ultimately the car will oversteer. Similarly, if you have a front wheel drive vehicle, the front wheel will slip and the car will understeer during cornering. These are dangerous conditions with turbo charged vehicles. Hence you need to be careful while cornering with turbo cars otherwise car will slide in uncontrolled manner.

#6 Engine Oil

Use high quality engine oil for your turbo charged vehicle. Generally, car manufacturers recommend synthetic oil for turbocharged vehicles. Since turbocharger uses hot exhaust gases to spin, it gets super-hot and hence synthetic oil works better in turbocharged vehicles. We still recommend reading the owner’s manual and use engine oil that is recommended by the car manufacturer.

#7 Better Fuel Economy

If you want better fuel economy with turbocharged vehicle then never accelerate harshly. Turbocharged vehicles will give you better fuel economy than non-turbo charge vehicles but this advantage is totally neglected if you are always accelerating hard. So be conservative while driving turbocharge vehicle if you want better fuel economy.

Thank you for time if you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them in the comment box below.

Simple Checks To Keep Your Car Reliable

August 18, 2021August 18, 2021 VD

Vehicle need regular check-ups and health tests but very few car owners give importance to keep their car in good running condition. Regular car inspection is the best way to prevent an expensive car repair in future. Let’s talk about some easy checks that can be done at home to make sure your car can run lakhs of kilometers and keep it reliable for several years.

Check Car Tires

Car tire depth, tire pressure and pattern of tire wearing are three things you need to check. First let’s start with tire pressure. No doubt its important to keep tires are properly inflated. You will get ideal tire pressure information inside door jamb or in owner’s manual. If tire pressure gets low that may result in uneven wearing of tire and poor fuel economy. Your fuel economy dropped by 2% when your tires are under-inflated even by 2 psi. You need to shell out more money not only on fuel but on tire replacement as well because same under inflated tire need early replacement for about 4000 kilometers. If car tires are overinflated negatively affects the cars manoeuvre and increase chance of tire skidding, aquaplaning or an accident. Hence, to avoid such emergency situations better check you tire pressure at least twice in a month. Always rotate your car tire once in 6 years.

On all tires tread wear indicators are given and you will also notice grooves on them. You figure should fall down into the groove when you roll you figures from one treat block over to another tread block. It your figures run perfectly smooth that means you need to replace your car tires.

If you notice excess wearing of tire outsides than center which means your tire pressure is low vis-à-vis if you notice tire is wearing more on center than the outside indicates tire pressure is too high. Your car need alignment if you notice that one side of tire is wearing more than the another.

Inspect Brakes

Brake is next important part After tires that you will have to check. New brake pads have 12 millimeters of pad material. If pad material is reduced to about 3 millimeters that indicates you need to replace brake pads. Metal indicators are also given on brake pads. Also, you will start hearing a screening sound from your brake if brakes pads are worn down.

Car Suspension

You need to make sure that there is no leaking of fluid out of the damper. You have to observe suspension system carefully to ensure every part is in good working condition, check for any visual damage on shock absorber or on the spring. Again, there is no need to remove the wheels to check suspension. You can simply rotate your steering wheel all the way to left side and have a look from that angle then rotate the steering wheel all the way to right side and then look in from the other angle.

Fluid Inspection

Automobile has different types of fluid in it. First thing you need to look at is the engine oil. In engine bay you will find this dipstick with yellow handle. Pull that dipstick out and wipe the entire dipstick with a towel. Then insert it and pull it out again. There are two holes given one at bottom and another just above that. Check and ensure oil level is in between these two holes. In case oil level in below bottom hole or just close to bottom hole then top up the engine oil without any delay and after top up recheck engine oil level. Always check engine oil level when engine is cool and not in working condition and car is parked on flat surface. Refer you owner’s manual to check frequency of oil change and engine oil grade.

One important thing you may need to check is engine oil viscosity. If coolant is getting mixed with engine oil, then there will be milkiness in the engine oil. It may seize the engine.

Power Steering Fluid, Brake Oil and Coolant

There are different fluids apart from engine oil. If your vehicle has electronic power steering then there will not be any power steering fluid but if vehicle have hydraulic power steering, then you need to check power steering fluid level. It has to be between minimum and maximum indicator line.

Check the brake fluid. On brake reservoir minimum and maximum indicator line is given ensure that the brake oil is in between those indicator lines.

You will notice the same thing on your coolant reservoir. Coolant reservoir is normally placed near radiator, make sure that the coolant level is in between the minimum and the maximum line given on reservoir. Also check windshield washer fluid is properly filled.

Check Both Filters

Let’s move towards Filters. Car has two air filters which needs regular inspections. First and important one is engine air filter. It doesn’t require specialize tools to remove air filter from engine bay. You can simply pull some clips, remove and inspect. If you observe dirt and debris then shake it to remove those debris and insert it back.

Second filter you need to check is cabin air filter. It is placed behind the glow box. It can be removed very easily. First remove glow box and then pop out cabin air filter. Tap it to remove debris and dirt and insert it back. If there is good amount of dirt and debris stuck then you can consider to replace it.

Don’t neglect your emergency brake while car parking

Don’t Ignore Warning/Dashboard Lights

Dashboard lights will let you know if there is anything wrong in a car. Warning light flashes after car is ignition is on when something is wrong with the engines or with the electrical system or if the brake fluid level is too low. You need to visit nearby car mechanic to save yourself from expensive car repairing in future or even emergency break down or an accident. Warning lights can indicate a lot of things like when the emergency brake is on or active safety features like airbag, abs, traction control normal functioning. If you see engine oil light flashing after ignition, take it seriously and visit nearby service centre because if you keep driving with this light on after some time your engine will get seized.

Don't overload the clutch

Those who have cars with manual transmission should never hold the clutch during traffic or during uphill driving. It just wears out clutch plate and the parts connected to it faster because they are working more instead of resting during short stops. During short stops shift gear to neutral and release the clutch.

Most importantly stick to service schedule as per owner’s manual and visit service centre to service your car at regular interval. Also keep your car clean and wash car at least once in every 15 days. This will help to avoid unnecessary accumulation dirt in car.

We hope that this article has provided you with some important piece of information to keep your car reliable that can give peaceful driving experience in long run and also you could save some money on fuel and maintenance. Thank you for reading this article. If you find this article useful then please let us know in comment section below.

Why You Should Avoid Buying All Wheel Drive Or 4 Wheel Drive SUV Cars?

July 30, 2021July 30, 2021 VD

So you are planning to buy a new SUV, watching several reviews on YouTube, you may have shortlisted few SUVs offering all-wheel drive (AWD) or 4 Wheel drive (4WD) powertrain. No doubt AWD or 4WD are highly engineered vehicles loaded with great features like multiple driving modes.

If you love off-roading adventures, climbing a steep hill or you stay in a place where you have to face snow, sand and mud daily; you should definitely pick 4WD/AWD SUV but what about other buyers? Do they really need it? Let’s understand why they should avoid buying AWD or 4WD SUV.

Aesthetic

Though SUVs come with all size and shapes but they all look the same. They are bulky box shaped wagons with rear door like a hatchback car, big wheels and big front profile. They don’t have too many colour choices; they are mostly offered in Black, Silver and White. Though manufactures tried to offer facelift version with occasional fresh designs, colour and dimension but still SUVs’ designs are boring. A big Black SUV with 22-inch alloy wheels will never beat elegant or stylist of pure Grand Turismo coupe or a luxury sedan. 4WD/AWD comes with only one or maximum two variants so there are not many options available in market.

Worse Fuel Economy

AWD & 4WD cars are bulky and hence heavier compared to 2WD driver cars. Curb weight of Toyota Fortuner is more than 2 MT where as curb weight of Skoda Octavia is close to 1.5 MT that extra mass ultimately results in poor fuel economy. Not only that AWD/4WD SUVs have to send power to all four wheels which means SUV need extra power that consumed more fuel than simple 2WD (2 Wheel Drive) Cars. Simple Powertrain of 2WD cars offer better fuel economy. AWD/4WD SUVs are complex vehicles. AWD/4WD are less fuel efficient than their 2WD counterparts as extra power and weight of AWD/4WD systems consume more fuel.

They are expensive

High maintenance

As your SUV gets old it will demand more maintenance compared to simple front wheel or rear wheel drive cars. Brand new car buyers can definitely opt for AWD/4WD SUVs with extended warranties but those who are considering used cars should keep in mind that complex system demands high maintenance cost in future. 4WD/AWD tyres wear faster compared to 2WD.

Safety

People thinks that big bulky cars mean safer cars which is understandable to some extent. Unless SUV is crashed with micro car or hatchback, SUVs are safe however unsafe part is its higher ground clearance which make SUVs more vulnerable to rollovers. Though SUVs have ESC (Electronic Stability Control) but electronic systems have their own limitation and no system can beat simple physics.

Before you put any comment, lets us clarify that extra mass of SUVs is great in passive safety but braking distance to make a complete stop increases due to that extra weight. Lighter vehicles can stop faster than bulky SUVs.

High seating position of SUVs provide good visibility over the long hood but at same time small objects, kids and pedestrians directly in front of SUVs are not visible and creates big visibility problem. Larger, higher and bulkier vehicles could trap pedestrian underneath bonnet or rear boot instead of pushing them over the hood.

Culture

SUVs were initially offered to army to drive through rough terrain and jungles. They used to offer without any luxuries but with powerful engines and rugged AWD/4WD systems. In India; we don’t have culture of off-roading, nobody takes their 4WD SUVs to off-roading. Today we have same brand and offering same SUV for completely different purpose. Modern SUVs have become family cars. In India SUVs are bought purely for show off. Daily commuting in an AWD/4WD in city is not practical. In fact, driving an 4WD/AWD SUV in traffic is cumbersome.

AWD/4WD may cause overconfidence in drivers that leads to more dangerous situation. SUVs are killing passenger car market industry by killing diversity of modern car market.

Environment

AWD/4WD SUVs are fuel thirsty vehicles. They have huge engines and these big engines requires higher fuel consumption that ultimately equals higher air pollution. AWD/4WD SUVs have lowest fuel economy among all car classes which makes them real enemy of environment.

Our advice to new cars buyers’ is always understand you needs of everyday life and also understand budget and then shortlist the cars. You should pick AWD/4WD features only if it is at most required in everyday life.

Car Washing Tips for Beginners

April 24, 2021May 16, 2021 VD

Use nice microfibre cloth or something with similar softness for cleaning. Never use paper towel, Old T-shirt, Sponge and bathing towel on paint. Use nice microfibre cloth that absorbs water well. Even for cleaning of tire rims, use microfibre cloth with lubricant or wheel cleaner. Always snap out microfibre towel, to get any loose dirt, dust rocks out that may scratch paint. Never use dropped towel directly for cleaning. When you drop towel, it picks up small rock, dirt and debris that can scratch car paint.

Always Use two buckets for car cleaning. Make sure you use clean bucket. One bucket for soap water. It’s a clean bucket and another bucket is a rinse bucket. Fill rinse bucket with water all the way to top and rinse microfibre cloth in rinse bucket after cleaning that allows all unwanted dirt, dust, rocks to settle down in rinse bucket. Soap water bucket won’t get contaminated.

Cleaning in swirling motion: Pick a direction right to left and clean in that direction. If you clean car surface in swirling motion, you are more likely to scratch car surface at different angle.

Clean from top of the car to bottom of the car: Always start cleaning your car at the top and then finish cleaning at bottom. Use different microfibre towel for cleaning rims and car body, In order to prevent all dirt getting on the towel and scratching the whole car. All car’s bottom is lot more dirty than top. Quite obvious! All road grime, dirt and mud stick up bottom of the car.

Use Shampoo made car detailing: Always use automotive soap as these products are exclusively made for car cleaning. Automotive soap foams really well and provides lubrication while using microfibre cloth against car surface. These products are pH balanced hence they won’t strip out the wax coating. Kitchen soaps/hair shampoo are not pH balanced so they may damage clearcoat of car and also can strip out wax coating.

Car surface gets hot in direct sunlight. The water you are using to clean your car will get evaporate and leave water marks on car surface that looks ugly. Shampoo and other chemical being used for car cleaning and polishing are not made for hot surfaces. Because of these are two major reasons you should never clean your car in direct sunlight.

Use lubrication while cleaning car: Never use towel against dry surface of car. Make sure the towel you are using is completely covered in soap and water, so it provides proper lubrication and won’t scratch your car. If you notice bird dung spots on your car, never just wipe this off with a towel. Bird dung has acid in it which can break down paint and clearcoat. Always spray some lubricant and then wipe out.

Black car shows scratches very easily hence it is very difficult to clean a black car. Never use power washer while cleaning. Always check water pressure before using. If you put your hand in front of car washer if it hurts your hand then it’s is too much pressure for your car.

Never use any chemical on brake pedal, accelerator, gear knob and steering wheel that makes it slippery. This could make driving dangerous and potentially cause an accident.

5 EASY TIPS FOR CAR OWNERS WHICH DO REQUIRE EXTRA MONEY

April 11, 2021April 13, 2021 VD

Always check tyre pressure after refuelling

Tires are often most neglected of all car parts. Tires play exceptional role in controlling your vehicle as well as your safety and comfort. An underinflated tire may cause various problems. Even most fuel efficient car won’t give you desired mileage with inflated tires. It may also result in lack of control. Also underinflated tires may end up with high body roll and uncomfortable ride. Maintain proper tire pressure will not only ensure your safety but you’ll get more life of your tire. Properly inflated tire will allow precise handling and cornering. Most of the petrol pumps in India have facility of air pressure gauge. You can use this facility free of cost.

Half Filling the Fuel Tank

Every car owner’s biggest concern is fuel efficiency. If you are not driving your car daily it is better idea to half fill fuel tank. Bharat Stage VI unleaded petrol has a density of 720 to 775 gm per litre. Let’s consider an average density of 750 gm per litre. If your tank capacity is 50 Litres total weight you carry with full tank is 37.5 KG. Half-filled fuel weight shall be 18 kg hence you don’t have to carry extra 18 kg of unwanted petrol weight which ultimately increases your car fuel efficiencies. This logic also applies to carrying extra luggage in boot.

Always drive minimum 7 to 8 kms after cold start

Real damage happens to an engine when it is getting hot-cold-hot. Most of the times you might have seen courier cars being driven for short period of time and stop long enough to cool down and then driven for short distance, this habit will not only cause wear and tear of engine but also poor fuel efficiency. The metal parts in an engine are expanding and contracting over and over which ultimately accelerates damages to engine.

Keep car exterior clean

Wash a car every month at car service centre. Removing dust, dirt and pollutant from car surface is one of the important reasons to keep car exterior clean. There are certain hidden benefits as well. You are keeping car paint intact which will give you better resale value. Better visibility can protect you from accident. Car fuel consumption goes up due to a layer of dirt. A clean car reduces air resistance while driving and increases fuel economy.

Check Fluids level

Check Brake oil and Engine oil once a week. It takes only a minute to check engine oil level once in a week but that one minute could save your engine from serious damage. Always check Engine oil when engine is cool and oil is settled. Along with Engine oil you can also check anti-freeze/Coolant, Brake and clutch oil fluids levels through the semi-transparent plastic reservoirs. The fluid level should be maintained between maximum and minimum mark.

Test Drive A Car Like A Pro

April 10, 2021September 5, 2021 VD

No matter you buy a used car or brand new car, always test drive on leisure day at convenient time and place.

Always test drive on leisure day at convenient time and place

Schedule a test drive preferably on Sunday or Holiday. Scheduling a test when you are not in hurry will help you to understand your next car better. It takes 2 hours to complete a test drive and pre-post discussion with sales executive.

Always test all shortlisted cars on same day

Tests drive all shortlisted cars on same day, why? Driving experience remains fresh in your mind and you can compare cars better to arrive at final decision. Also test drive minimum three to four cars in single day for better comparison. Don’t forget to reset trip meter to check real life mileage according to your driving habits.

Test drive only the version/variant you have selected

Don’t hesitate to ask car dealer to provide a variant you intend to buy. Same thing applies to power train. Generally, test drive vehicles are top variants. In case that particular powertrain and variant is not available with dealer you can try to contact another car dealership. If the variant you want is not available for test drive, you can even ask a dealer to show that variant so that you can inspect features.

Check each and every features of car

Car manufacturers offer some useful features and some gimmick features. It is important to prioritize features you want before new car booking and also it is necessary to check each and every feature during test drive. You can even ask sales executive to demonstrate car features. Obviously, you cannot ask him to demonstrate airbags functioning.

Check "A" pillar size and obstruction

Driver may face visibility problems. Tall driver may face problems if car have a fillet round A Pillar, while short drive face visibility problems if a car has quarter window.

Check Gear low end torque.

Low end torque is equally important as car BHP numbers when car is driven every day in city traffic. When your car has good low end torque means you have access to power and you don’t have to down shift the gears when accelerating from lower speed and also during overtaking, so overall drive experience is more relaxed.

Check braking

Feel the brakes. Check the brakes are too weak or too strong. If brakes are powerful then braking efforts are less.

Check handling of car

It is important to drive minimum 10 KMs during test drive. Don’t drive only on highway and good road, driving a car on rough road will let you know suspension performance and rattling noise in cabin. Test drive at different gear ratios and different speed to check engine and gear box performance.

Check clutch travel

Driving a car with more clutch travel in city traffic condition is painful. Driving in slow moving traffic can be quite a painful experience when clutch travel is more. Clutch should travel down ¾ inch to 1 inch without any efforts and after that considerable efforts require to depress down the floor. Low clutch travel can relieve driver’s stress.

Car Engine noise and vibration in cabin

Vehicle interior comfort is very crucial. Sound produced by internal combustion engine can cause irritation, stress and reduced concentrate while driving. Engine vibration is major reason behind distress. Car buyer should never neglect engine noise and vibration while considering car luxury and comfort.

Car air conditioning

We live in tropical climate where we experience humidity and heat almost 8 to 10 months in a year. Hence it is important to check car air condition performance and it is more important to check engine performance when car A/c is switch on. Some cars offer bigger compressor for fast cooling. Car air condition performance also depends of cabin size, condenser, cooling coil and blower speed.

Call test drive vehicle at home.

Single most benefit of calling test drive vehicle at home is to check vehicle can be parked in available parking space with minimum efforts. Also, you can call family to check and feel the comfort of vehicle.

You can even book OR subscribe a rental car, you can experience the car for a month or two and then you can book your next car. At the end don’t forget to carry valid driving license for test drive a car. Also, if you are not satisfied don’t feel shy to ask for second test drive before buying a car.

Driving Habits

April 10, 2021April 11, 2021 VD

That May Ruin Your Car and Dig Your Pocket

More time you spend on driving more driving skills you acquire, you also acquire certain habits. Not all habits are good one and over period of time it becomes harder for you to break it. Some common habits are listed here that will ruin condition of your car. This post will help you to avoid ruining your car and saves unnecessarily expenditure on repairs.

Frequent Breaking

Braking is a skill to be mastered. It needs regular practice to do it correctly. Moreover proper braking makes driving process less stressful for both driver and the passenger. Unnecessarily braking requires regular brake check-ups and certain cases need brake pad and disc replacement. To avoid these expenses it is always better keep safe distance while driving in traffic. If you still decided to brake frequently better keep good amount of money for brake hose, brake pad and brake discs replacement.

Harsh Braking on Bump and Potholes

Potholes are drivers’ worse enemy. Potholes can potentially damage tyres, rims and suspension. When you hit pothole and hit brake pedal at same time, there is dual pressure puts on car suspension system. This impact results in suspension system damage/bent, broken suspension components, premature wear and tear of shocks and struts. Always keep safe distance between vehicles so that you can spot pothole and slow down your vehicle that will save the car from the impact.

Resting your hand on Gear Stick

Never rest your hand on gear Knob, it puts small but constant pressure on gear knob. Transmission set is complex and they have many moving parts. Your habit might result in displacement of synchronisers and gear. Ultimately leads to a problem of shifting gears. Gear box that is not working seriously can cause serious problem on road and in car mechanics. This bad habbit may lead to huge expense on transmission repairs. Better move your hands to steering wheel to rather than resting on gear knob..

Be gentle while engaging reverse gear

It is advisable to shift reverse gear gently. In normal practice we shift reverse gear with full energy which cause potential damage to reverse gear teeth which why you may have notice noise coming from the transmission.

Refuelling only when tank is almost empty

The fuel filter starts damaging due to dirt, as fuel contains certain impurities. When car is not under use these impurities accumulates at the bottom and forms sediments. It is advisable that tank should be at least half filled with fuel.

Frequent braking while driving downhill

Many new drivers tend to keep their foot on brake pedal at higher gear while driving downhill so that car is ready to stop at any movement but this practice leads to braking system over heating and wearing out brake pads and discs. The correct method to do is to shift to lower gear and initiate engine braking; reducing engine speed reduces vehicle speed which helps to reduce use of brakes. Don’t get panic while hearing roaring engine sound that is pretty normal. Professional race drivers often use technique to slow down while taking another turn.

Neglecting to use hand brake

Car manufacturer recommend use of parking brake to immobilize any parking vehicle. When Car with automatic transmission is parked on the slope; the entire burden falls in lock gear. Also when car is in Park, Not a common but may cause car to roll away, hence hand brake is required. Hand brake helps to relieve stress and tension on transmission and other moving component. It doesn’t really matter if your car has manual or automatic transmission.

Ignoring Suspicious sound

Though most modern engines doesn’t need warming up but during cold freezing temperature it is advisable to keep engine running for 2 to 3 minutes. During that time you can adjust mirrors, adjust driver seat and clean windows, windshield.

Remember to driver carefully and patiently.

Things You Should Consider While Buying A New Car

April 10, 2021August 8, 2021 VD

According statistics Indian car owners change their car once in every six to seven years which is pretty long period. Consider these 10 tips while buying your dream car.

Resale Value

Never consider resale value of the car as important criteria while buying a new car since you buy car for your own use and not for the second hand car buyer. Even though resale value is still important criteria for you then you should consider some important features. First is the car brand matters a lot. There are brands e.g. Maruti Suzuki Cars are more popular among pre-owned car buyers. Old car sales market is bigger than new car sales in India. Don’t forget about its colour; white is most popular colour in India, one in every five cars is white followed by silver and grey. Red, Orange or green colours are not that popular here in India.

Features that you need

Make check list of features that you need right from most important one to least important. Choose car variant very wisely according to features that you need. If you don’t smoke you don’t need lighter. All active and passive safety features are important. Additional airbags, Auto dimming rear view mirrors, head restraints and ABS are important and never save your money by neglecting these features.

Car Maintenance.

Many people take car price into consideration. They forget further expense on technical service/maintenance, insurance and other hidden charges. Car maintenance cost will increase year on year. If your income is not aligned with it will be difficult for you to keep the car running.

Big car OR small Car

Always consider number of times you are going to use the car, number of passengers, think where you will be driving the vehicle, If you stay in metro city where roads are generally good think about sedan car, if you are a joint family consider MPV, SUVs can be consider for people who drive on bad roads.

New Launch Car

Never buy a car that is just launch in your country. For first three years company gather information, issues and improvements required to make car more reliable. Best choice will be a car model that is older than 3 years.

Car prestige and technical characteristics

If you can afford then go for a better car. Surprised! Better car will take you all new level of driving experience in terms of performance, safety and comfort. It’s always better to focus on technical specification, reliability and price. It’s not about prestige.

Research

Gather as much information as possible from reliable websites, consult freelancing specialist and most importantly test ride the vehicle.

Offers

Best time to buy a car is in Jan to March if you are looking for a better deal; during January and March dealer were looking for old stock to clear.

Not trying to negotiate/Lower Price

Rivalry between dealers is very high. Remember to leave different contact numbers at dealers as they have DMS system. Compare different dealers offer and negotiate to low price car.

Never show anxiety

Always spent some time to gather information, compare pros and cons, Think what is best for you and then only go for purchase.

Did I miss any point let me know in comments section below.

When Should I Change My Car

April 10, 2021May 17, 2021 VD

A lot of people get very attached to their old car. It’s just hard to say goodbye as the car become family member, but you should remember one thing very clearly that car you owned should let you reach destination safely. Sometimes you should keep sentimental value aside and go and replace the car. Make sure your vehicle is reliable.

There are other set of customers who overwhelmingly said car ownership is average three to four years beyond that period you should replace your car. These people are targets for new car buyers. These people lose lots of money in paying interest and car depreciation.

You can consider following points before you actually to replace your car.

Does your car suit your needs

If you are a joint family; it is useless to have 5 seater vehicle. If you stay in rural area where road condition is really poor it is useless to own a sedan, you will need to keep good amount for funds for car suspension work. It is more important to understand needs and if car doesn’t suit the purpose its time upgrade and move on to something else which will serve your purpose.

Safety

Car safety is the #1 important reason among all reasons listed here. Your car may have basic safety features like airbags, three point seatbelts and ABS but if it don’t have active safety features like Electronic stability control, Brake assist, LED headlamp and autonomous braking. These are the real reasons to upgrade to new car. Never get mislead by gimmick features like upmarket music system, engine push start, auto headlamps, rain sensing wipers, voice commands etc. Safety should be your top priority.

Cost of repair vs value of the car

If cost of repairs is two third of car valuation, then it’s time to look for a new car. If your current car worth is INR 6 Lakhs and it needs INR 2 Lakhs cost to fix a problem in transmission; this is the time to upgrade to new car.

Future Repairs

Good mechanic will tell you future car repairs. Check requirement beyond regular maintenance of the car with help of your local mechanic. Garage can diagnose major failure in car. Start the look at whole vehicle on the exterior. Then check the car tyres; use simple methods like measure tyre depth. Once you give general look around your vehicle. Check brakes, suspension points and try to assess with help of expert. Your car may need brake pad replacement, bushing, suspension work, tyre replacement in near future. These things need to be considered before you sell old car and going for new one.

Fuel Economy and Reliability

Fuel is getting dearer every day. If you are spending INR 5000 on fuel in month and if you get car which is 30% more efficient than current car; you can save INR 1500 on fuel per month.

If you stay in coastal states where climate is humid; car gets corrosion and you need to change your car early.

Car Payment and insurance increase

It is worth fixing your vehicle based on car payment affordability and also other things to consider like insurance payment, tax payment and car maintenance.

Above things will help you to consider and better decision making when to go for new car.