For some drivers, their cars have become money pits. Higher fuel prices have been the monkey wrench that has spoiled many a motorists driving experience. No longer can any of us count on cheap fuel, high gasoline prices are here to stay. However, you can save money on your overall car expenses and restore your driving pleasure quickly. Here are some tips to guide you along the way:

Regular Gas v. Premium Gas – Very few vehicles built today require premium gasoline. Thanks to knock sensors, which adjust the mixture of air and fuel to your engine, many cars can run on “87″ octane fuel v. “91″ octane fuel. By selecting the cheaper priced grade of fuel, you can save a nice amount of money over one year’s time.

Wash it Yourself. No one does a better job of washing and waxing your car then you do. Avoid those all too frequent trips to the car wash and save some money today. Of course, if you live in a more northerly climate where snow and road salt usage is pervasive, going to a car wash is a must in order to protect your vehicle’s body. Buy a coupon book to save on multiple washes.

What’s in Your Wallet? If you aren’t already using a rewards credit card for your gasoline purchases, you should be. Some cards are designed to give you an instant price reduction at the pump. Shop around for the card that is right for you.

Check Your Tires. Under inflated tires can reduce gasoline mileage by as much as 10%. In addition, under inflated tires will wear out faster too.
Review Your Insurance Policy. You may be paying for too much insurance on your car especially if it is worth less than $3000 and you still have collision coverage. Drop the collision coverage and bank the savings toward a down payment on your next car. Make certain that all of your other personal information is accurate too as an incorrectly listed zip code can impact your rates.

Change Your Oil. Granted, not too many people change their car’s oil anymore. With ten minute oil change shops so widespread, the convenience factor is a big consideration. Still, if you have someone else changing your oil, you do not need to change it every 3000 miles unless you subject your car to severe driving. Check your manufacturer’s recommendations and change it according to their specifications, not Jiffy Lube’s.

Do the Work Yourself. Some maintenance you can do yourself thereby avoiding having to pay high labor charges and too much for your parts. Air filters, oil filters, belts, batteries, and many other smaller parts can be changed by most motorists. Shop online through a discount wholesaler and you can save even more money on premium automotive parts.

Gas prices are likely to remain high, so saving money elsewhere becomes even more important. A wise consumer shops around for the best deals and there are plenty of them out there. In the face of a fuel crisis, you may have to curtail some of your driving or at least change your driving habits, however the “Great American Past Time” is alive and well and cruising down a freeway near you. Safe driving!

Copyright 2006 - For additional information regarding Matt Keegan, www.thearticlewriter.com/service.htm“>The Article Writer, please visit his www.thearticlewriter.com/blog.htm“>blog for wit, quips, and freelance writing tips.

One of the most dangerous things you can do as a driver is to neglect your vehicle’s suspension system. When it is time for you to swap out your shocks or struts don’t wait or you could cause significant safety problems for you, your passengers, as well as for pedestrians and other drivers and their passengers. Taking your car to a shock replacement store is always one way to solve the problem, but if you want to save yourself some money as well as take pride in a job you finished yourself, there is nothing more rewarding than saying to yourself, “I did the work!”

So, why should you replace your shocks at the first sign of trouble? Well, properly working shock absorbers keep your car’s tires in contact with the road and provide a cushion from road impact. Shocks stop unnecessary rebound, diminish sway, and improve the handling of your vehicle when braking, cornering or driving on uneven roads. Shock absorbers limit the travel and the extension of your vehicle’s springs by putting a halt to unremitting bouncing.

Finding the right shocks or struts for your car involves asking yourself a few questions:

Does my car come equipped with shock absorbers or struts? Both do basically the same thing, but they are different in that shocks are simply one part of your suspension system while struts are your entire suspension system comprising of upper ball joint, shock, and spring in one unit.

What type of ride am I hoping to achieve with my new shocks or struts? Monroe Shock Absorbers, one of the leading names in the business, offers a variety of shock and strut models depending on what your desired ride comfort level is, the type of vehicle you own, or whether you are regularly pull something or not.

Bilstein Shocks are standard equipment on Mercedes Benz automobiles and on select General Motors models; they are considered by some as offering a premium level of performance capabilities.

For off roading purpose, Rancho Shocks are the leaders in providing heavy duty shocks for light trucks and SUVs. Many consider Rancho Shocks as being the best trail duty shocks on the market. Both Monroe and Rancho are owned by the same company, Tenneco-Automotive, but their market emphasis is quite different.

Purchasing shock absorbers or struts can involve some serious shopping around for the weekend mechanic. When you purchase directly from an online wholesaler, such as Car Parts Stuff, you are likely to realize the greatest savings as the better ones purchase directly from the manufacturers, cutting out the middle man and his high mark ups. Aftermarket stores will likely carry what you want, but if they use third party suppliers, you will pay extra for the convenience.

Wherever you go, please make sure that you can return the parts, if needed, and only shop those online retailers who have free shipping available and online assistants standing by. Don’t mess around when it comes to replacement shock absorbers and struts. Your car and the lives of you and others are too valuable for you to ignore by cutting corners.

Matt Keegan is a contributing writer for Car Parts Stuff, an online supplier of high quality and well priced automobile parts.

TOUCH TIME! Yeah! Its touch time once again. It’s the time to
polish maintain and accessorize our bikes. This is the moment
when we can have quality maintenance and repair time with our
bikes. We’ve got to feel the mean and affable machine up close..

To lay our very hands to our loyal companion make us certain
that the motorcycle parts are great and in good shape. It makes
us secure and confident of our every ride.

Motorcycle parts play a critical role in the motorcycle’s
performance and safety. It does not make sense if you try to
save a few bucks on cheap motorcycle parts in lieu of an
accident. The savings is not that valuable compared to your
life. Thus, you must purchase the best quality motorcycle parts
at your most trusted motorcycle parts store.

There are several reasons why you have to select the best
quality motorcycle parts. So do not be tightfisted in buying
motorcycle parts. They can save you from an otherwise
complicated and terrible ride. The best choice of motorcycle
parts are those of OEM parts. They are same as those originally
attached to your bike. However, if you want to deviate from the
ordinary, aftermarket motorcycle parts can be resorted to.
Aftermarket parts are those that you can utilize when you
customize your bike to achieve a more stylish and unique look.
Some of these parts have same quality as OEM parts. However,
there are also some that are of lesser quality. Be careful with
your choices. They can harm you and your bike if you mishandled
them.

OEM motorcycle parts feel and look different than aftermarket
parts. Taken in that perspective we can form query like - do
they perform differently? Well, the answer goes back to their
level of quality. Quality motorcycle parts perform excellently.
On the other hand, in so-so parts expect a lesser quality
performance. Thus, if you want to have a unique and stylish
motorcycle look, be meticulous about the quality. Next to
quality, you can now consider the price.

In ordering motorcycle parts and accessories, make sure that you
order the right ones. Better yet, just visit your motorcycle
parts store to personally throw queries and examine the parts.
That way you can be sure of its quality plus the chance of being
enlightened.

As a passionate rider, you must spend necessary touch time to
make sure everything is exactly what it is expected to be! Then
you can expect a fine performance.

Get your hands to work…