Posted by Mario in Dodge | 0 Comments

Using HID Headlights on Dodge Vehicles

Dodge has manufactured millions of vehicles over many decades, leading to the very diverse selection of Dodge cars, trucks, and more that you see out on roads today. Many of these vehicles are equipped with typical halogen headlight arrays, which provide for adequate, if underwhelming light coverage for the drivers depending on them. If you’re considering a switch to HID headlights instead of using more conventional headlight bulbs, you’ll need both a Dodge HID kit and some basic knowledge about what to expect from utilizing this new lighting technology on your car.

For starters, let’s discuss installation. The time to complete installation is generally around one hour to 90 minutes, though that may vary widely depending on your automotive tech know-how and the type of vehicle you’re modifying. Unless your vehicle was pre-equipped with HIDs, this means you can’t just unplug the old bulbs and screw in the new ones. You’ll have to arrange an interface for the new HID bulbs to hook up to, and that can involve the installation of relay harnesses and HID ballasts. So long as you have all the proper parts and know where they should go, you won’t have to worry about messing up installation. The ballast, for example, should always sit as far away as possible from the vehicle’s engine, and should also be mounted on a cool, flat surface. On older Dodge vehicles, particularly those using smaller headlight arrays, you may also need to divert additional time to physical fixes, as cuts in the body of the vehicle may need to be made in order to fit the more modern lighting equipment.

You also need to pay attention to what Dodge vehicle you own. HIDs are immensely bright headlights, and if they’re not properly aimed, they can blind drivers in oncoming traffic and increase driving risk for them. These headlights often need to be set lower than typical headlights, so if you own a Dodge Neon, the lights will aim slightly lower than you’re used to, while the difference would be even more dramatic on a Dodge Ram because it sits so high off the road.

Once installed, there are numerous benefits to using HIDs. Light brightness can end up multiple times that of what was produced by the stock headlights (up to three times as much), while the lights themselves can often last nearly 10x as long as the stock ones did. That means greater lighting effectiveness and efficiency, even if it does come at the expense of a more intensive installation process. Plus, these lights don’t expend as much energy as heat (which is wasteful) as do the stock halogens, instead focusing their available energy directly on light emission. There may be minor problems, such as flickering on HIDs installed on Dodge Magnums, which can be corrected using a couple of wire relays for amp reduction to avoid systemic shutdown of the wire by the vehicle, among others. Typically, these problems can be corrected quickly, while other apparent issues, such as uneven headlight colors, actually adjust to normal on their own over several hours of use. Issues aside, HIDs perform better as a whole and last longer too, so if you plan on owning your Dodge for a while, these are lighting replacements you should at least consider using.

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Posted by Mario in Audi | 0 Comments

LED lighting is the new trend in the auto industry

Because of global recession and the degradation of the environment, more and more car companies are switching to energy-saving and environment-friendly parts and accessories for their newer models. Like in the recently concluded Frankfurt Motor Show, you can see vehicles which have these characteristics, powerful, fuel-efficient and equipped with LED technology.

LED Fog Lights, for example, are addressing the problem of pollution because of mercury, which are found in other lights. Other than that, LED bulbs use less power and can last up to 100,000 hours. It also does not have filaments, glass and UV light. So a LED fog light, those lights that gives your car visibility at night are actually great inventions that will help you, not only to avoid accidents, but to also help you contribute to the environment.

Back to the IAA, the LED technology was promoted. Audi, for example, has LED headlights, which they call the matrix beam. The high beam light is non-glaring and is produced by LEDs and microreflectors. Meanwhile, for daytime running, the low-beam light is also in the car. Another company that equipped their cars with LED, is Kia, both the new generation Rio and Soul have LED clusters and LED side repeaters. Volkswagen was not left behind, as the E-Up! Car that they showcased at IAA was also equipped with LED daytime running lights in the bumper.

Other than VW’s LED lights, the Up! Models also has a technology that adds up to its “green” features. The BlueMOTION technology creates less than 100g/km CO2 emissions. On the other hand, BMW, with its i8 concept car, has a unique plug-in hybrid designs that has an electric drive and an internal combustion engine that promotes extremely low emissions and fuel consumption.

Most concept cars at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show were geared to make the future “greener”. Most of the cars are using electricity, have LED lights and have other technologies that promote lower emissions. Mercedes-Benz F125, VW Nils, Opel Ampera and Chevrolet Mi-Ray all have some things in common, they are aiming to make the future brighter and healthier, for their future owners and for the environment.

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Posted by Mario in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Vans more affordable than the competition

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans have great success in the European market, so naturally Mercedes-Benz is pushing hard to have the Sprinter line of vans succeed in the US market as well.

While the competition from Ford, Chevy and GMC is stiff, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinters are able to persuade new buyers with a few very important facts. The cost of ownership is 7.7 to 9.1 percent lower than for its competitors.

When one calculates that in dollars, that would be savings of approx. $6,000 to $7,000 over a 5 year period. Lower fuel consumption will save the owners around $2,500 a year, plus of course the longer maintenance intervals for the Sprinter vans.

The Sprinter Vans are ideal not only for service and repair companies, but shuttling services and long term van rental companies.

While they are certainly more expansive than the competition, over the long-run, the Sprinter van family is not only safer on the road, but they are cheaper to maintain.

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Posted by Mario in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

New Corvette cheaper than used one

Deciding what type of car or brand to buy is one thing, but deciding whether or not to buy a used or new is usually the easiest decision. Common sense tells you that used cars for sale are cheaper, but as we’ll tell you in a moment, it isn’t always by a big margin.

Let’s take the Chevy Corvette for example, it is $12/month cheaper to buy a new one when compared to a used one. According to Edmunds.com, another good example is when buying a new BMW M3, it costs just $34 a month more than buying a one year old.

The decision to buy a news vs used car is getting harder and harder, especially when you factor all the rebates manufacturers and dealers hand out when buy a new car. Even the luxury car manufacturers are having great sales numbers these days, even with the recession in tact.

BMW has risen 13% and Mercedes-Benz has also sold 7.3% more cars this year compared to last, which is another indication that new cars are not only more desirable, but they are also affordable enough for buyers.

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Posted by Mario in Porsche | 1 Comment

Brand new and barely disguised Porsche 911 Carrera (991)

Just received a tip from one of readers who was lucky enough to catch a glimpse (and record it) of the brand new and barely disguised Porsche 911 Carrera (991) at a gas station in Stuttgart, Germany. Given the next 911’s longer wheelbase, we expect a more supple ride without a corresponding sacrifice in dynamic competence. The power comes from a 400bhp version of the 3.8 liter flat six found in today’s 380bhp Carrera S.

Thanks Toldi for the tip

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