Fuel additives – are they worth the money or are they just another scam without the evidence to support the claims?
Before we get started, it’s good to remember that car manufacturers don’t support – or even recommend – using any fuel additives. They suggest that you rather stick with their manufacturer’s service schedules and keeping your car in good running order.
Fuel additives can claim to do everything from boosting the octane rating of your fuel, cleaning your engine to even removing water from the fuel. While following the manufacturer’s instructions should not lead to any damage to your fuel system and engine – we do recommend not making your own fuel additive cocktails! Tipping half a dozen bottles of additives into a tank of fuel will seriously compromise the chemical structure – and will more likely cause damage.
While many may admit that additives do in fact work – how well they work will still depend on the problem you face. For instance, newer models probably don’t require any additive cleaners – you probably won’t see any improvements as these are designed for older higher mileage cars.
Certain additives, such as the ones designed for diesel engines driven in colder climates, can be a necessity to some. Diesel can actually gel in very cold climates – making the use of these types of additives necessary to properly maintain your vehicle.
Others however, have had every test fail – these include the fuel additives that claim to boost performance or octane ratings.
Keeping your child safe in your car is a priority for most parents – here are a few ways that you can keep your child safer.
Car Seats
With so many child car seats on the market, it can be overwhelming and frustrating to pick one from over 200 types. From forward facing, rear facing and booster seats, ChildCarSeats.com.au lets you easily and quickly compare your options. All children must be safely fastened in a car seat suitable for their age and size. Car seats should also be properly fitted, and it is advised to carefully read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions when fitting any car seat.
National child restraint laws
These guidelines are provided by the Centre for Road Safety
· Children up to the age of six months must be secured in an approved rearward facing restraint
· Children aged from six months old but under four years old must be secured in either a rear or forward facing approved child restraint with an inbuilt harness
· Children under four years old cannot travel in the front seat of a vehicle with two or more rows of seats
· Children aged from four years old but under seven years old must be secured in a forward facing approved child restraint with an inbuilt harness or an approved booster seat
· Children aged from four years old but under seven years old cannot travel in the front seat of a vehicle with two or more rows of seats, unless all other back seats are occupied by children younger than seven years in an approved child restraint or booster seat
· Children aged from seven years old but under 16 years old who are too small to be restrained by a seatbelt properly adjusted and fastened are strongly recommended to use an approved booster seat
· Children in booster seats must be restrained by a suitable lap and sash type approved seatbelt that is properly adjusted and fastened, or by a suitable approved child safety harness that is properly adjusted and fastened.
Never leave your baby or child alone in the car
Cars can get very hot, very quickly – even on cool or overcast days.
If you haven’t already seen check out part 1 here.
April
Toyota Prius – the refreshed Prius showcases a more streamlined, sleek and stylish look.
SsangYong Musso LWB – a stretched ute with a longer wheelbase offering a claimed biggest load space on the market
May
Toyota RAV4 – The 2019 revamp offers a bold new look and powertrain changes.
Volkswagen Touareg – Designed to handle trailer weights of up to 3.5 tonnes, the third generation Touareg SUV brings more luxury to the market.
So how do you know which car is best for you?
With so many options releasing in just the first half of the year, the choices seem to be endless. How do you choose just one that will best suit your day to day needs – and cater to all of your wants.
There are many categories to choose from – including mirco, light (under $25k and over $25k), small (Under $40k and over $40k), medium (under $60k and over $60k), large (under $70k and over $70k), upper large (under $100k and over 100k), people movers, sports cars, small SUVs, medium SUVs, large SUVs – and finally upper large SUVs.
First off, you need to decide on the car body style that will best suit you – how many people are you going to be carrying on a regular basis? Will you need to carry child seats or have a bigger luggage capacity?
Your next consideration is the engine size and type – from petrol, diesel to electric or hybrid, manual to automatic. How far will you be driving each year? Will you need to take it off road or out of the city?
Not sure which car will suit your needs? Call us and we will help you find the perfect car for you!
2019 is set to bring a lot of excitement for new model reveals. With 2018 having come in short of a new record for new-car sales numbers, 2019 is said to have the 60-odd automotive brands in Australia holding their breath that their latest models will bring excitement and inspiration amongst local buyers.
Here are a few new models that we can expect to see in the first half of the year.
January
Alfa Romeo Stelvio – the Italian brand’s first crossover competes in the increasingly popular and competitive luxury medium SUV segment. Priced from $78,900 plus on-road costs.
Kia Cerato hatch – sticking by its value pricing plan for the latest edition, the Cerato hatch continues to be a good option for budget-conscious buyers.
Mitsubishi Triton – The 2019 Triton brings more than a few tweaks. This versatile ute aims to lure aspirational buyers as well as the value-shoppers in 2019.
February
BMW i3 120Ah – offering a higher-density battery and a few visual tweaks, the BMW i3 120Ah may just be the electric car for you.
BMW X5 xDrive40i – the fourth generation of the best-selling luxury SUV in Australia.
Citroen C3 Aircross – a small French-made SUV offering a solid ride and a good option for those seeking a smaller and compact SUV.
March
BMW 3 Series – codenamed G20, this seventh generation 3 Series is set to deliver in a big way.
BMW X7 – the upgrade to their seven-seat SUV flagship, the X7 will be offered in four different trim grades.
With so many different types of car batteries, it can get confusing as to which one your car needs.
Lead-Acid battery
Lead-acid batteries consist of lead-plate electrodes in a sulfuric acid electrolyte fluid. Lead-Acid batteries power the car’s initial crank cycle – and are the most affordable battery on the market. These batteries are heavy and relatively delicate – the amount of charge is also affected if they are powering too many auxiliary systems.
Absorbent Glass Mat
Absorbent Glass Matt or AGM batteries are similar to lead-acid batteries, however, the electrolyte is absorbed into a porous glass mat inside the battery. AGM batteries are suited to being discharged and are more robust than lead-acid batteries. They are more expensive than lead-acid batteries and more vulnerable to heat.
Gel Lead-Acid
Gel Lead-Acid or Gel Batteries mix the electrolyte with a gelling agent. They are more resistant to damage and can be cycled more often.
Enhanced Flooded Battery
Enhanced Flooded Batteries or EFBs are a modern version of the regular wet lead-acid batteries. They are capable of supporting the demands of stop-start systems and are a more affordable alternative to Absorbent Glass Mat or Gel batteries.
Deep cycle batteries
Deep Cycle batteries can be any of the above types of batteries but they are specialised for a long-term discharge – rather than a burst of sudden power like a starter motor. Deep cycle batteries are used in dual-battery setups, and are suited for powering auxiliary systems over longer periods of time of between 5 to 20 hours.
Driving can become a mundane activity – but every now and then you could probably use a few advanced driving tips. A few minutes into an advanced driving course and you’d come away with useful tips – here are just a few that an advanced driver could teach you
Steering wheel control
Holding your steering wheel correctly is so important to having control when driving. Many use a 10 to 2 position but another position to consider is holding your steering wheel at a ‘quarter to three’ position.
Sitting correctly
Many drivers get their sitting position incorrect – to sit properly, you should not be too high in the seat or too far from the pedals. Your legs should have a slight bend in them as to protect you from serious hip damage should you have an accident.
Look ahead when driving
An important tip is to look as far ahead as possible – instead of only concentrating on the car in front of you. Train your eye to always look at the very last piece of road that you can see.
Know your brakes
If you have a modern car, then your car is probably fitted with ABS or an Anti-lock Braking System. It’s important that you experiment and get the feel of it – preferably with an advanced driving instructor in a controlled and safe environment.
So, you have probably heard of – and most likely used – cruise control when driving. The ability to maintain a set speed without keeping your foot on the throttle or brakes is a great way to relax your legs and let you focus on other things on the road.
Conventional cruise control adjusts the throttle, maintaining the car’s speed on both flat stretches as well as on hills. The throttle is adjusted by fuel being injected into the combustion chambers to produce more torque – speed is set from switches usually located on the steering wheel. While older systems allow the vehicle to creep about the chosen speed, newer systems come fitted with a speed limiter – ensuring that you are kept within a range of your chosen speed.
Mercedes-Benz made this idea popular almost 20 years ago with its radar-based Distronic system. This system lay the foundation for autonomous motoring and became a useful labour-saving device.
But what about the ability to also maintain a set distance from the car in front?
Distronic and other ACC systems added computer processing power to adjust the set speed up – or down – thereby matching the varying pace of the car ahead. This ability to read traffic and observe speeds is done from input via one or more sensors.
While distronic systems rely on radar, there are other systems including LiDAR – which is essentially a laser system, bouncing a laser off the back of the car in front of you.
The festive season brings many enjoyable moments – however, it can also set to bring on traffic jams, long road trips and rushed trips to the local shop. With this holiday season in full swing, aren’t you interested in learning how to become a safer driver?
Here are our top tips to becoming a safer driver this holiday season
Being a good driver and being a courteous one go hand in hand – small gestures go a long way in being a better driver but also at keeping yourself and others safe on the road. A few small things that you can try to do include anticipating is someone is attempting to merge in front of you and leaving a gap for them, or slowing down to let a fast vehicle overtake or pass you.
Road rules are necessary in ensuring that everyone using the road is kept safe. You should know all the rules that you are taught when applying for your licence, but it’s really great practice to learn and relearn the road rules from time to time.
Take an hour or two and get to properly know your car – read the owner’s manual or do some research into all of the features of your car.
Distractions easily happen – from a conversation with a passenger, your phone beeping through to an interesting broadcast on the radio. It’s best however to keep distractions to a minimum and to focus solely on driving.