Seriously, How Hard Can It Be?

It amazes me, over and over, how incompetent some people are when it comes to parking. Here is another one to celebrate the end of June.

This is one serious flaw...

Nadav

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Fly By

Last week I was driving around. As I was approaching an intersection the light turned red, and I stopped at the line. Then, about five seconds after the light turned red, another car flew by me, crossing the intersection at full speed on a clearly red light.

If this had happened a second after the light turned red, it would have been understandable (barely). But this was a clear and brutal violation of the red light law (and dangerous too, there were other cars crossing), and I regret that the police weren't there to see this.

Drive safe!

Nadav

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A Tippy Friday

It's another Friday and once again the time for some driving test tips. Here they come!

Driving Test Preparation Tips - Steps to Take for Learning How to Drive and Passing the Test

Are you getting tired of sitting in the passenger's seat? If you can get your driver's license, you will get to be the one behind the wheel! You will have the freedom to go just about anywhere.

You can make your friends jealous by passing on the first try, just as long as you take studying and practicing seriously.

Many people dread taking their driver's exam because they are afraid they will mess up. It's common knowledge that a lot of people fail on their first try.

What can you do to ensure you pass?

Here are the steps you need to take.

· You can begin by practicing on an empty road. Try to find a road on which there are very few other cars and practice driving on it. You should have a responsible adult with you to direct you and to point out any mistakes you might be making.

· You should be practicing every single day. Don't waste one minute of your allotted practice time. If there is something you have a problem with, such as parallel parking or driving in reverse, watch how-to videos on the internet.

· After the first week or so of driving on an empty road, you can move on to a busier road. Your teacher should help you determine when you are ready enough to move on. Ideally, you should only practice in slow traffic. Never venture out onto a highway during rush hour.

· Once you get comfortable behind the wheel you can try driving in reverse. Make sure you are able to move maneuver the vehicle properly forwards and backwards before scheduling your road test.

· Practice every form of parking: up a hill, down a hill, in between cars at the mall, parallel parking, etc. You can practice parking with the use of boxes or crates. Try parking between them from a variety of angles.

· Look online to see if you can find any information about the testing routes where you live. On which roads and streets are student drivers usually required to drive during their exam? Look for some maps and print them out. Go out and drive along those roads and streets several times before you take the test. Take note of all of the signs. Make sure you know the speed limit on each and every road.

As long as you follow these steps, and practice with a responsible adult, you should be able to get your driver's license on your very first try!

There are so many helpful resources for student drivers online: interactive guides, maps, quizzes, how-to videos, and more. You can learn all of the rules in your state. Check out these driving test guides so that you can pass your driver's test!

I hope these tips will help you even more.

Nadav

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First Time Driving: Xuan

Today's first time driver is Xuan, who drives much better than the video description.

This video is from last week, so Xuan still has a very long way to go until he can get his license. Hopefully people won't be scared any more with him.

Good luck!

Nadav

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Top Gear Sandblast Challenge: Part 2

Here is the second and final part of the sandblast challenge. Enjoy!

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Test What Humans Can't

The Ford engineers want to run some tests on their cars that can't be run by humans (or so they think). To overcome that, they are using robots.

I wonder when these robots will actually drive the cars instead of us.

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Finding the Right Commercial Auto Insurance

Commercial auto insurance, as mentioned here several times, is a must if you want to be a commercial driver. Here is an article by James R Collin about this topic.

How To Find The Right Commercial Auto Insurance Policy

Whether you have a sizeable fleet or driving a personal car for business purposes, you may need to get a commercial auto insurance policy to provide you and your business financial protection against road accidents, theft, vandalism, and car damage arising from reasons other than a crash. Here are some answers to common questions about this kind of vehicle insurance.

I am a sole proprietor of my business and only have one car, do I have to get commercial auto insurance?
A personal car insurance policy may be adequate in such cases. That is, if you only use your vehicle once in a while for business purposes. However, if you use it frequently for business travels and activities, getting a commercial auto insurance policy is a wise choice. You will also want to get a commercial car insurance policy if your car is operated by someone other than yourself, a manager or another worker, for instance.

How can I get cheap car insurance for commercial vehicles?
Commercial auto insurance premiums can be lowered by hiring competent drivers with safe driving records, choosing vehicles that insurance companies regard as not as risky to cover, setting up safety and anti-theft systems, and by committing to pay higher deductibles.

Your business location may also impact your car insurance premiums. For instance, if vandalism and theft are widespread, or earthquakes and flooding happen frequently in your area, you may be required to pay higher premiums. Your insurer can discuss with you what measures you can employ so you can bring your premiums down. For instance, if theft is a problem in your area, having a secure parking space can help you obtain lower premiums.

What other variables will impact commercial auto insurance costs?
The use of the cars and the distance that these vehicles will usually travel will also be taken into account. Cars which are frequently traveling in heavy traffic, long trips, or passing by high crime areas tend to demand higher premiums than those traveling short trips.

What other coverage issues should I be mindful of?
Do not forget that commercial automobile insurance policies cover physical damage to the car, but not the things transported inside it. What this means is that if you are transporting valuable supplies, you have to obtain additional coverage for such. In case you are moving products to a different state, there are specific government requirements that should be met.

Some pointers on obtaining the best commercial car insurance policy

Shop around before you settle with a provider. When going over your insurance requirements with an agent, make sure to be honest by not downplaying the specifics of your vehicle usage. If you're not covered adequately, you find yourself paying significantly more down the road.

Whether you have a fleet or a single company car, it will be wise to invest in a commercial car insurance policy. This will ensure that in the event of vehicular accidents, your business's finances and operations will not be significantly affected. To know more about commercial auto insurance and its benefits, click here best commercial auto insurance.

Source: EzineArticles.com.

Thank you James! That was a great article!

Nadav

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Handle a Timing Belt Compression Failure

Once again, we're in the timing belt business. Today: how to diagnose a timing belt compression failure.

 

 

Hopefully you won't need it,

Nadav

 

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The Noon Rides

Since two weeks ago, I started driving on Thursday at noon. This may not seem as such an important change, but before that I used to leave three hours later, and traffic was much, much worse.

 

Now I can enjoy an almost empty road. Of course, there are always trucks and people who never heard about the speed limit, but I can handle these much better than crawling traffic and buses overtaking trucks.

 

Fortunately, my vacation will start soon. No more weekly driving for a long time.

 

Nadav

 

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The Longest Day for Tips

Today, June 21st, is the longest day of the year. You can enjoy plenty of sunlight today, and starting tomorrow the days start to get shorter. To celebrate that, here is an article full of tips for you to use when you practice your driving today.

 

Pass Your Driver's Test on the First Try by Following These 7 Tips

 

Passing your road test on the very first try and getting your driver's license isn't the easiest thing in the world to do. Luckily, it isn't the hardest thing either.

There are many reasons why people fail. Some student drivers are too confident in their abilities that they miscalculate something and mess up. Some new drivers are too nervous behind the wheel and can't concentrate. And then there are those who aren't prepared and make every mistake possible.
What can YOU do to pass?

Here are a few helpful tips on how to pass your driving test.

1. Do not attempt to operate a car until you know what every single control is for. Familiarize yourself with both the interior and exterior of the vehicle. Know what everything is for and how to operate them.

2. Get comfortable behind the wheel. Know how to hold it correctly. Do not grip it too tightly. When you are driving, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is to jerk the wheel or hold it too roughly. Position your hands correctly at all times and hold on to the wheel firmly, yet not roughly. The correct hand position is at two o'clock and ten o'clock.

3. Get in the habit of signaling - even when there are no other cars around. Always turn on the correct signal to indicate when you are turning and in which direction you plan to make the turn.

4. Know when and how to change lanes properly. Be sure to check your mirrors first to ensure that no cars are in the process of overtaking you. When your way is clear, turn on the proper signal, carefully change lanes, and turn the signal off after you've safely changed lanes.

5. When the car is in park by a roadside, check your mirrors AND your blind spot before driving off. Make sure there are no pedestrians hanging around. They usually have the right of way. Only move out when the road is clear of pedestrians, animals, bicyclists, and other vehicles.

6. When you take the test, do not allow the examiner to trick you into breaking the rules. It may sound mean, but they only want to make sure that you know the rules and the laws.
7. Arrive at the DMV early with all of the documents you need. Hopefully, you'll have a few minutes to spare. Use those minutes to go over your handbook one last time.

As long as you study and practice, you should learn how to drive. You should feel confident in your knowledge and abilities, yet not so confident and sure of yourself that you lose focus.
 

If these aren't enough, you can check out a driver's exam guide online. Preparing for your road exam isn't all that difficult if you have access to resources, videos, maps, interactive guides, practice quizzes, etc. You really can pass the driving test on the first try if you use all of these helpful resources.

 

I hope this article will help you prepare,

Nadav

 

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First Time Driving: Sydney

Today's first time driver is Sydney whose mother seems pretty cool about her driving (at least at first).

 

 

This video is from June 15, so Sydney still has a very long time to go until she can get her license. She does pretty well here, so I don't see any big issues in the future.

 

Good luck!

Nadav

 

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Top Gear Sandblast Challenge: Part 1

Today's show is the Sandblast Challenge. Enjoy!

 

 

Nadav

 

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A Weird Way to Quit Smoking

If you ever tried to quit smoking, you probably know it's not easy (I personally never smoked). Here is a story of someone who quit by failing a driving test.

 

Hopefully you'll pass the test and quit anyway (unless you don't smoke at all, which is better).

 

Nadav

 

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Commercial Auto Insurance Basics

If you plan to drive a commercial vehicle, you should be prepare to insure yourself properly. Here is an article by Andrew M Moyers about this very important topic.

 

Commercial Auto Insurance Basics To Consider

 

Running a service oriented business will most likely require you to use a vehicle in order to complete basic tasks. As your business starts to grow you'll probably add more vehicles so that others can get basic tasks done, that requires you to have a special insurance policy that will protect them and the vehicles from issues that can occur out on the road. You may not think you need a commercial auto policy because many people around you may use their regular auto insurance instead. Personal policies do not always cover what you need them to. A commercial auto insurance policy can protect you from a great number of perils, keeping your business safe against issues that may arise.

Liability insurance is an extremely important coverage to have when operating a business vehicle, it's very crucial that you're protected. If you have employees or you're driving on the open road and are involved in an accident while using a company vehicle other drivers can sue you and take the assets of your company with relative ease. That's why these policies exist, to cover damages, health care, and much more to ensure that the business doesn't get levied to a point where you are out of business.

There are a lot of things that you can protect yourself from in these modern times, but one thing that you can never really prepare for is what someone else is going to do. Even if you and your team are great drivers, someone could easily slam into your vehicle and that could cause a wealth of issues. Not only will you have to deal with the hurdles that are placed by others, you'll need to fix your vehicle and help employees get back on their feet. This can definitely hurt business flow and revenues can become diminished as a result. For this reason you should be looking into getting a well rounded commercial auto policy that protects you.

When you start going through commercial auto insurance basics, you'll realize that you can get coverage from just about any sort of accident that can occur on the open road, whether you're driving the company's vehicles or an employee is. This is one of the main issues that many find to be amazing about policies of this type. Commercial policies can cover the damages that you're liable for and help you maintain a sense of ease during any trial and tribulation that could result.

When it comes to dealing with accidents, it's best to have coverage limits that reflect the needs of your business. With this in mind, you'll need to consider commercial grade protection. Driving vehicles specifically for commercial purposes requires more coverage than the average motorists, this is due to the higher amount of risk you're exposed to. Don't leave this to chance and assume your basic coverage is going to help you when something outside of your control happens to the company's fleet. Gain peace of mind, talk to an agent and understand options available to you.
 

Andrew is an Orange County CA insurance broker that specializes in commercial auto insurance in Lake Forest Ca. Feel free to contact him if you have any questions in regards to your auto, home, or business insurance needs.

Source: EzineArticles.com.

Thank you Andrew! That was a useful article.
Nadav

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Fuel Leaks to the Oil

If you have fuel leaking into your motor oil, you have a big problem. Here is a video showing how to handle such situation.

Hopefully it never happens,

Nadav

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It Finally Happened

The entrance intersection to my town has a traffic light for many years. Until now, one side of it had two lanes turning left and one lane going forward. The funny thing about it was that there is a freeway in the other side of the intersection, the one with one lane.

Three weeks ago, a miracle happened. The geniuses at the Public Works Department finally came to their senses and changed the traffic light so the middle lane is now also a straight lane. Now there are two left turn lanes and two forward lanes.

Government owned infrastructure can be really bad sometimes.

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Practice, Prepare, and Calm Down

Being quiet and calm is very important for your driving test success. Here is an article I wrote about this topic.

Driving Test Guide - Make Sure You Practice, Prepare, and Calm Your Nerves

Being able to legally drive in this country means that you have to pass two tests: a written exam and a road test. You must demonstrate your knowledge and skills in order to get your driver's license. The written test is fairly easy. The road exam is what most people have trouble with. Even student drivers who have been practicing for a long time can end up failing their road test if they're not properly prepared. Feeling overwhelmingly nervous is an issue that some people have to deal with as well.

What can you do in order to pass your exam so that you can get your driver's license? For starters, you need to make sure that you get plenty of practice. The amount of practice needed varies from person to person. It might take you just a few days to perfect something that might take another person months to perfect.

Getting a Good Teacher

Having a professional driver's education teacher helping you practice is perhaps the best thing you can do. However, if that isn't an option for you, you can still learn from a family member or a responsible adult that you trust. The person you practice with should be able to point your mistakes out to you without sounding mean. He or she should help you to understand what you are doing wrong and what you can do to improve.

Taking an Online Driver's Course

Another thing you can do to practice is sign up for an online driving course. Technology has evolved to the point at which one can learn how to drive online. While nothing beats actual practice, you can still learn the rules of the road and safety tips. You can take practice tests and be given an assessment on your weaknesses and strengths.

An online course can be tailored to suit you and your driving education needs. For instance, you can select your state and the intuitive guide will teach you the rules of your state. The practice quizzes will be based on your state's laws as well.

Learning to Stay Calm

After you take your course and get several practice hours in, you still might feel very nervous about your upcoming test. Some people fail on their first time taking it because they let their nerves get the better of them.

One of the easiest ways to calm your nerves is to remind yourself that it won't be the end of the world if you fail, and that you can keep taking it again and again until you pass. In actuality, it will be one of the easiest tests you ever take. Why? Because you can keep on taking it until you finally pass. You can always start over. This is more that can be said about many other tests you'll take in life.

Last but not least, try to get some sleep the night before the test. Eat a big breakfast. Before and during the test, take some deep breaths. As long as you do your best t stay calm, you should be able to focus on the road well enough to pass.

Want to learn more about online driving courses? You really can prepare for your driving test with just a few clicks of the button. There are so many tools and resources available to help you, so be sure to check them out!

I hope this article helped you,

Nadav

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First Time Driving: Shelbie

Today's first time driver is Shelbie who goes out for a drive with her parents. You can literally hear how excited she is.

This video is one week old, so Shelbie still has a very long time until she can get her license. If she keeps up the excitement, she'll be there in no-time.

Good luck!

Nadav

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Top Gear - Death Valley 4x4 Challenge: Part 2

Here is the second and final part of the Death Valley 4x4 challenge:

Enjoy!

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Great Pre-Test Experience

Some people don't settle for plain old driving practice before their driving test. Michael Gough, for example, decided to lead the police to a 70 mph chase just before his driving test.

I don't think he'll take his test soon.

Nadav

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Old Drivers Can Get Better Insurance

Very often, drivers over a certain age can receive large discounts on their auto insurance premiums due to their great experience. Here is an article by Dino M Visitacion about this topic.

Saving Auto Insurance Rates For Old Drivers

Auto insurance rates do not depend only on factors such as the person's driving record, daily mileage, and the kind and type of car they drive. In writing premiums, car insurance companies will also base the rates on the driver's age considering the risk that a particular age group entails.

In the auto insurance business in the United States, young drivers who are in their teens and early 20s usually pays more for their premiums. Their cost of insurance will somehow decline when they reach their 40s until the early 60s. However, this will go up slightly when they reach 70 and above. To give a much clearer picture, a young driver may pay for around $2,000 and this may go down to around $1,000 when they reach the age of 40, and will go up a little bit, at around $1,400,when they are near 80 years old.

Experts view that the sweet spot for car insurance consumers is when they are in their 40s until their 60s. Upon reaching that age bracket, drivers are now viewed to be more matured and experienced. When they reach their 60s, they often have lower rates as people on that age tends to drive less than while they were young. However, as they grow older, their vision might already be impaired and may experience some medical conditions than contribute to having higher probability for insurance losses. It is in this reason why old people might have to pay more for their premiums.

To back that practice, a study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety will show us that fatal crashes and rates are more likely to increase on people who aged 70 and above. Older people too are more prone to having injuries after a car accident and such injuries can be more severe compared to younger people and may also have grave complications.

To augment the rising cost of insurance among older drivers, insurers have instituted some mechanics for senior citizen drivers to avail discounts and enjoy cheaper car insurance. These mechanics may include updating your information to your insurer and declare that you now driver lesser mileage, or that you have taken some driving courses that adheres to accident prevention. You can also opt to drive a much safer car as insurance companies also consider the type and kind of car people drive in writing premiums. Other means also to enjoy much cheaper auto insurance rates is to opt out other drivers in your policy.

Dino Visitacion is a social media expert and a researcher for InsureDirect.com, one of the oldest internet-based auto insurance agency in the United States. You may visit their website at http://www.insuredirect.com.

Source: EzineArticles.com.

Thank you Dino! That was a great explanation.

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Handle a Replaced Timing Belt

The timing belt is a crucial part of your car, and after you replace it there are several facts you should know. Here is a video showing exactly what.

Hope it helped,

Nadav

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Officially Too Hot

It's now official - the weather outside is too hot, and driving becomes impossible. My air conditioner is always on level 3 or 4 (out of 4), and even that's not enough.

The worst part is the start, when the wheel is too hot to touch and steering out of parking becomes nearly impossible. To add to that, the air conditioner needs a minute to kick in and start cooling the air instead of just throwing hot air in my face.

Just four months until October. Just four months...

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Be Calm and Positive - and Pass

One of the most important things to do before taking your driving test is calming down. Here is an article I wrote about this issue.

Driving Test Tips for Staying Calm and Positive for Your Upcoming Exam

Is your driving test coming up? If it is, then you need to take a deep breath and stay calm. Remember: even if you fail, you can always try again. It's one of the most important tests you will ever take, yet you will have plenty of chances to take it. It's not like it's a one-time shot. Keep telling yourself this and you will be able to relax.

You have been practicing every day for weeks. You've studied the material. You've gone over just about everything with your instructor. So why are you feeling nervous?

Here are a few tips to help you stay calm before and during your exam.

· It never hurts to go on one last practice drive the evening before the test. Make sure you get some practice in the vehicle you will be driving when you take your exam. Drive around all of the streets and roads near the DMV. These are probably the very same roads you will be asked to drive on during the test.

· Always think positive. The second you start to think a negative thought, do something to take your mind off of it. Sit down at your computer and watch a few instructional videos. Review the written material a few times. If you are still feeling nervous, just do something to take your mind off of the test all together. Take a bubble bath. Read a book. Go for a walk. Just do anything you can to keep yourself from worrying.

· Make sure you know before you go in for the test what exactly you will need. Every state has its own rules regarding documentation. At the very least you will need proof of registration for the vehicle and your learner's permit. Find out if you will need anything else so that you can gather what you need the night before. This will help reduce your overall stress.

· Before you begin the test take some deep breaths and relax. Make sure you and the examiner both have your seatbelts on. Don't let him or her trick you. Also, don't let the examiner make you nervous. Driving test examiners are people who are just doing their jobs.

· During the test, if you make any mistakes, don't panic. Keep on going. if you spend the entire time fretting over mistakes, you won't pass. In fact, you'll probably end up making more mistakes due to lack of focus. Just keep telling yourself that everything is going to be okay.

It won't be the end of the world if you fail. Just ask the examiner what mistakes you made. Work on those mistakes in the future so that next time, you will pass.

You can learn some more tips on how to prepare yourself for your upcoming driving exam. Getting your driver's license doesn't have to be as hard as you might think it is. As long as you maintain a positive attitude, you should do fine. The internet has plenty of information and driving test tips to help student drivers prepare.

I hope this article helped you,

Nadav

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First Time Driving: Nia

Today's first time driver is Nia who gets super-excited when she starts her car.

 

This video is from May 30, so Nia still has a very long way to go until she gets her license. She really needs to calm down by then.

Good luck!

Nadav

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Top Gear - Death Valley 4x4 Challenge: Part 1

This time, the Top Gear guys try to reach Las Vegas through Death Valley with a used 4x4 vehicle. Enjoy!

Nadav

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Drunk Driving Can Be Expensive

Two and a half years ago, a car salesman drove drunk and killed a man in Lancaster County. Last week he was required to pay $4.3 million in a settlement.

Hopefully this fine will remind everyone to avoid the wheel after alcohol.

Nadav

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What to Know About Insurance

When you insure your car, there are a few details you should know. Here is an article by John G. Baugher that will clarify this.

Some Things to Know About Auto Insurance

Knowing the details regarding auto insurance can be quite challenging. If you've saved a large amount of money, getting some liability insurance will be a good idea. At times, having to answer for the repairs, even the minor ones, for the other individual's car could cost more compared to spending for your own injuries. In case you don't have enough coverage, you can be sued for the differences. Thus, having total coverage pays off for the long-term.

In obtaining auto insurance, it's vital to remember that it only insures the driver of the vehicle that's on the policy, i.e. you and you only. If there are other people who drive your car regularly, you can get coverage for them. Doing so might save you the need to spend on any repairs whenever you've no hand in any incident but this does come at a higher cost.

Bundling plans may let you pay less. Simply put, bundling these offers can be beneficial, just make sure that you do some computations so you'll know if the premiums are affordable enough. In case they're not, you should just get separate policies instead.

You don't need to switch cars to keep premiums low. Getting better quotes means only needing to have just one name on every car. Even if the car already has had several repairs, the goal here is to keep premiums manageable.

You can begin saving money ASAP by raising your deductibles. It's risky since you're going to be responsible for the payments of higher deductibles if there's a claim. You could save more on premiums once you pay higher deductibles.

The rates relating to auto insurance fluctuate and depend on where you're living. Rates differ because of the chance of accidents and/or thefts. The more times you get to visit your car repair professional, the higher the max price will be. Both suburban as well as rural areas are usually cheaper compared to cities.

You could save a pretty sum if you've got into an accident and have excellent coverage. A policy is going to have an individual pay predetermined amounts, known as deductibles, plus any costs over the deductibles are going to be taken care of by the insurance.

This ought to take care of the car repairs that your car might need. Getting affordable auto insurance shouldn't be that difficult since you'll be able to lower those premiums by knowing just what to do.

You deserve only the best insurance. Get the plan the best fits your needs by checking out Connie Rutz Insurance. Many clients will attests to they best insurance Kennewick WA the company provides.

Source: EzineArticles.com.

Thanks, John! That was an excellent article.

Nadav

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Troubleshooting a Water Pump

Water is a necessity for your car. It keeps the engine in the correct temperature and helps it avoid overheating. Here is a video showing how to troubleshoot a water pump thermostat heater.

I hope it helped,

Nadav

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License Anniversary

The first of June is a very special date for me. Not because it's the first day of June, but because it's the day I passed my first driving test in California.

I remember it like it was yesterday. At 2pm the examiner introduced himself, asked me to show the hand signals and point to the parking brake and told me to start and turn right at the DMV exit.

Exactly fifteen minutes later I returned to the DMV, and he told me I passed. I had six minor errors, but they were minor enough to let me pass.

If you're still in the process, I wish you to pass soon. You can try my guide, it already helped many people to pass.

Nadav

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