By Adam Singleton

If you are trying to sell your car and you aren't having much luck, maybe it's time to take a fresh look at what you are offering. You obviously want to let potential buyers know that you have been a reliable and safe owner, and a big part of giving them that impression is making sure the car looks presentable and tidy. Luckily there are several ways you can achieve this without spending lots of money in the process.

If you buy and sell cars regularly you might not worry too much about what each one looks like; it's simply a case of selling them on as quickly as possible for a profit; the same applies to bikes and vans. But if you merely want to sell your old car in order to put the cash towards a new one, an hour or two spent on making sure it's up to the job could well reward you with more cash in your pocket.

The first and most important step is to depersonalise your car. Get rid of your fluffy dice, all those stickers collected from your various days out, and the nodding dog on the back shelf. People want to see the car, not your personal belongings, and they will only distract from the overall impression the buyer will get.

Next, make sure the car is clean and tidy. Vacuum the interior thoroughly and polish the dashboard. This all helps to give the impression that the car has been well looked after. You should also clean the outside of the car and replace any old or broken wipers. You can easily buy car accessories online if there is anything you need to complete the job.

Don't forget to clean the less obvious places. We stash all kinds of things in the boot of our car, so make sure there's no evidence of the fresh bread you bought the last time you went shopping, or a handful of sticky boiled sweets from last year's summer holiday. You should also move the front seats right forward to vacuum underneath them as best you can.

Before you show the car to anyone, make sure you check every single compartment and clear it of belongings. Check under the seats to ensure there are no credit card receipts, spare coins, old sweet wrappers or other items which would not only make the car look untidy, they could also present a security risk to you.

When you're done, give your car the once over in the same way you would if you were a potential buyer. Ideally, get a friend or relative to check it out for you. This will help to ensure you don't miss anything obvious, and you get the quick sale you want at the price that's right.

By Alexus Devon

One common problem faced by all car owners is keeping the interiors of their vehicle spick and span. The most exasperating aspect is cleaning and scrubbing the car mats. Plain and dry dust can be easily vacuumed, but tough stains like spilled liquid (milk, cola or juices) or muddy shoes take considerable effort to go away. The stains and the dirt pinch more if the car mats are costly and stylish.

The other problem that people face is that too much scrubbing of the car mats can make them look worn and old within a short span of time, and this can affects the swank look of your car. Hence, people are always looking for ways and means to protect these car accessories, and at the same time maintain the clean and stylish look of the vehicle.

A solution to these problems is that it is better to go for car mats that are not only good in quality and looks, but at the same time are cheap and easy to maintain. It is advisable to buy car mats from departmental stores and box mart stores, rather than car dealers, because they are comparatively lighter on the pocket. But, more often than not, these mats do not fit the vehicle perfectly.

The easiest and the most effective way of protecting your costly car mats and preserving their new and fresh look is to buy some plastic runner material, and cut it exactly in the shape and size of your car mats to create a very tight custom fit. Be careful while cutting around the area that runs around the seats. In case you are afraid of cutting your car mats by mistake, while cutting the plastic, it is advisable to place a piece of cardboard underneath the plastic while cutting.

This will make the mats easy to clean. Put just a little water and some soap, and scrub for really tough stains; and with very little effort, your mats are squeaky clean once again.

By Pamella Scott

Imagine a situation, you are getting late for your office, you run towards bus stop in hope of getting bus, but when you reach there, you find that the bus has left. Then you again start finding taxis to reach your destination. This is the story of most of people these days. A car is the most convenient and accessible way to eliminate such situations. But financing a car on your own is not everybody's cup of tea. Sometime you have to rely on financial support in form of secured car loan when you are lacking enough finances.

People consider a secured car loan only for buying cars but the truth is that you can use the secured car loans to cater any of your expenses related to car. You can use the loan amount for engine upgrade, paint work, buying accessories such as music systems, interiors, power windows and power steering, repairs and any other modification for your existing car.

You must be thinking about banks and financial institutions for financing your car, but do you know that private lenders are much better option to get the secured car loans. How???........ The answer is private lenders are private lenders are more open towards borrower point of view and offer you loans at low rates with faster approvals.

Secured car loans are secured by the car itself so you should be very attentive in making the repayments on time to avoid the collateral and credit loss. It is recommended to borrow amounts which you can able to repay afterwards out of your sources as other than repayments, cost of maintaining your car (i.e. petrol etc) are also added to your monthly expenditure.

You need to plan your purpose before going for any deal in secured car loan to ensure the efficient use of the money. This is done by going to car dealers, getting the prices of the car, comparing the prices, negotiating with dealers for discounts, additional accessories and car insurance which most of the car dealers provide these days. Also determine your share in financing your car to know the exact amount which you need as a loan.

Every this is done???......now comes the most important task of searching for a good secured car loan dealer. Instead of visiting lenders personally you can visit the large number of loan websites to get the free quotes which you can compare easily with the help of online comparison tools to get the deal of your choice as a secured car loan.

By Mary Fitzpatrick

There are some things that don't happen often, but when they do, it is hard to think of ways around them. We are going to talk about some of these problems in this article. Hopefully they won't happen to you, but if they do, here's how you solve them:

Rubber and Vinyl

There is a lot of rubber and vinyl in our cars. Just about every area has one of these types of surfaces. Both rubber and vinyl are extremely susceptible to sun-provoked deterioration and UV damage. Evidence of this is dry, brittle, fading, cracking and peeling surfaces. So keep them conditioned and use dash covers, and sun shields as often as you can.

High quality reflective sun shields not only protect the dash and fabrics from direct sun bleaching and damage, but lower the temperature of a closed car up to 50 degrees. When the temperatures can easily reach 120 to 150 degrees, this can make a huge difference in the longevity of your interior rubber and vinyl areas.

Scratches

Sometimes no matter what you do, the scratch happens. Maybe it was the dog (or cat), maybe the kids, maybe it was you, but its there now.

Getting a scratch out of vinyl is a bit of a process, but most folks can handle it. First we need a good hair dryer, something that kicks out a good deal of heat, without putting direct heat on the vinyl.

Heat up the surface around the scratch real good, then use a gloved hand to gently press the scratch area, pushing enough to rub the area smooth again.

If the scratch is deep, then use a filler, such as a wax source that is the same color as your vinyl. Crayons, believe it or not, work well. Heat the area up, rub in the wax filler, then (as before) use a gloved hand to rub the area smooth.

Polish the area with a good vinyl cleaner and inspect.

If the dash is cracking or very brittle, you can put on fitted molded dash covers, which basically replace the entire dash with a new one.

How to get rid of musty smell from the air conditioner

If you experience that unpleasant musty smell from the vents when the air conditioner is turned on, you can try one of the odor treatments you can buy in your local auto accessories store. They kill bacteria and remove mildew smells. Simply spray into outside air intake vent (check directions on your can).

Clogged air conditioner drain tube and accumulation of leaves and other debris under the cowl cover also may cause damp mildew smell. Ask the mechanic to check it when you do your next oil change.

Rust stains

You don't see these often, but they do happen. Rubber cargo liners save you from most of the sources, but if you got surprised and have the rust stain now, here is what you do.

To remove those stains, get a fresh lemon or two from the grocery store. Roll the lemon then slice it lengthwise. Squeegee the juice onto the rust spot and sprinkle it with salt. Keep the area damp with the lemon juice for several hours. The next day use a damp cloth and blot to remove.

Salt Stains

If you have gone through a winter in the salt belt, you'll find salt embedded in your carpeting. Good floor mats are a life saver here, but none the less, let's get the carpet clean now, and get the mats after.

"Salt" stains are usually caused by calcium chloride and magnesium chloride, not sodium chloride, according to the Carpet and Rug Institute. Rock salt has small amounts of both of these salts imbedded in it. The problem comes with solubility. Patience and lots of rinse cycles are the key and sometimes calcium carbonate forms and this is fairly insoluble. Try to vacuum most of the dry residue off before using cool to warm water and a very small amount of carpet shampoo. Once the cleaning solution has been applied, allow time for it to dissolve the deposit. Blot, do not scrub, the spot. Sodium chloride is more soluble at lower temps than at higher ones. Then rinse with clear lukewarm water, blotting up the excess moisture and follow with another water rinse and blot dry. This should work. If not, try a cleaning mixture of 1/2 white vinegar to 1/2 lukewarm water, allow to stand 15 minutes and rinse with clear water.

Tree Sap

The hardest thing to get off a car's finish is tree sap. I suggest that you avoid it altogether by avoiding parking underneath trees, and using a good car cover.

Since you already have it however, here's what you do.

To remove the tree sap from your vehicle's surface, you can use finger nail polish remover on a cotton ball. After the sap is removed, make a paste of water and baking soda to wash the affected area, then apply wax.

Another method to remove the sap is to use mineral sprits (it will also remove tar). Use a soft, terry towel, or wash cloth dampened with mineral sprits. After removal, wash the car and apply wax to the affected area.

Tree sap can also be removed by using a water-soluble paint brush cleaner. A common household solution is bacon grease or lard. Just rub it on, and off comes the sap. To get tree sap off of your hands, simply rub mayonnaise on them and wash it off. To remove tree sap and other substances, you can use common solvents like lighter fluid, rubbing alcohol, WD-40 or even Skin-So-Soft bath oil.

The way to use those materials is to let them do their work of dissolving (in the case of alcohol) or softening (in the case of oils), enough to rub off the remaining sap. If you use the oil, wash the car afterwards to remove it.

You can also use commercial wax and grease-removing products available at auto supply stores. Be sure to wash and dry the car before applying the wax and grease remover. Then dampen a clean cloth with the solvent and rub the affected area. It may require several attempts if the sap is very thick or extremely hard. The surface may appear hazy after the solvent evaporates, but a good wax application will eliminate the haze and complete the job.

Removing tree sap from a car's finish is a bit more difficult than tar, as hardened sap can scratch your paint. I've found that by hand-rubbing the sap spots with mineral spirits or denatured alcohol, I'm able to easily remove the sap without damaging the finish. Mineral spirits and denatured alcohol acts as a solvent to break up and dissolve the sap.

If there is a large amount of sap on the car, or if the sap has been left on the finish for an extended period of time, it can be a lot of work to remove. For these cases, you can try hitting the affected areas with a light-duty buffing compound to remove the hardened surface on the sap spots. Then you can use mineral spirits or a similar solvent to remove it. The light duty buffing compound softens the sap so the solvent can do its job. The goal is to use the least pressure possible to reduce the risk of scratching the paint. After removing heavy sap, always buff the treated areas with a good polish to clean up any marks created during hand-rubbing with solvent. The treated area must also be re-waxed.

Insect Honeydew

Parking under large trees can result in unwanted deposits of a sticky substance on the car. Most people assume this is tree sap, but the real culprit is far more likely to be insect honeydew, excreted by aphids or scale insects that infest the leaves and branches.

Composed of sugars and other waste products that pass undigested through the insects' bodies, honeydew becomes harder to remove the longer it's left on the car.

If you remove the honeydew and park under the tree again, you'll just end up with more sticky stuff dripping down on your vehicle. You may be able to dislodge and reduce the numbers of offending aphids in the tree by blasting overhanging branches with a forceful stream of water from a hose. Unfortunately, a hard stream of water does not help much if the source of honeydew is scale insects.

Spraying with insecticides is rarely needed to protect the health of the tree.

By Kent Pinkerton

People have been spending money on cars as a means of expression and an extension of their personalities for almost as long as cars have been in production. Different accessories are available to do just this and a lot of people have contributed greatly to the success of novelty car accessories. Car mats may be one of the ways to personalize one's vehicle and is actually preferred since car mats may be among the cheapest ways of personalizing a car. Novelty car mats are preferred by younger car owners and adds a dash of any vehicle, personifying the personality of the car and its owner.

Aside from doing its job to protect the car's interior, novelty car mats may also be custom-made to fit cars perfectly. They come in a variety of materials such as rubber, plastic or leather and are backed with gripping and durable materials to keep them in place and to prevent slippage. They also come in a variety of colors that are sure to match the car's existing color scheme. Depending on the construction, novelty car mats can also be pretty indestructible. Cleaning them depends on the material used to make them -- rubber, plastic and nylon car mats being the easiest to clean, while leather can be a challenge to keep looking good.

Novelty car mats can have the owner's name embroidered on it and can be edged using different materials. They can even have cartoon characters or witty quotes emblazoned on them -- adding to their novelty. Colors are no longer confined to basic blacks and grays and can be attractive and bright. Although most novelty car mats are designed to cater to younger car owners, you'll be surprised at the number of more matured individuals who order them as well. Novelty car mats offer a sense of youth to the car and the owner, and gives everyone a reason to smile.

By Mark Clarkson

You can further the interior of your car's capacity to produce much better music by getting it some subwoofers. Along with that, you do have to have some subwoofer boxes to go with that. You see, subwoofer boxes could be sealed, ported, or bandpass. And these three are just a few of the styles that these boxes could have.

Consult first with the manufacturer or the retailer of your subwoofer speakers. Ask them about the dimensions of the box. Then, ask them also if the given dimensions are interior or exterior. Interior dimensions would have to include the ¾ inch thickness of the wood. On the other hand, for exterior dimensions, the manufacturer has already took that into consideration.

To start off, you should have these tools and materials for you would be using them as you proceed with this task: a ¾ inch medium-density fiberboard, a jigsaw, a router, a power drill, a down spiral or a spiral bit, a ¾ inch bit, a file, some sandpaper, a razor blade or a scalpel, some spray glue, a tape measure, a pencil, some screws, silicone, a solder, a solder gun, a calculator, some scratch paper, and your car's carpet.

Start the constructing process by using your pencil and tape measure to trace out the patterns of the enclosure on the fiberboard. Trace out the patterns for the six sides of the box. Also add in a center divider for inside the box which would serve as the separation between the two speakers. Cut these patterns out with the jigsaw.

Take the pattern for the top portion of the subwoofer enclosure. Use the frame of the grille of the subwoofer speaker and a pencil to trace the outer and inner portions of this. Do this on the location of the board where you would like to put in your speakers. Use the router with a ¾ inch bit and cut a depth of 3/8 inch. Do this between the inner and the outer circle, and this area would be the place where the frame of the speaker will be flush mounted.

Cut the holes for the speakers using the jigsaw. Later on, use a file to smooth the edges. You can also use the sandpaper to smooth out the area. Then, cut out round holes measuring two inches. Do this on each of the side panels. These holes will be filled with the connectors for the speaker wires.

Using screws, assemble the box. Seal the joints with silicone. This is to ensure that air will not leak out. Leave the front panel off first. Then, spray glue on the outer portion of the box as well as on the back of the carpet. Wrap the carpet tightly into the box. Put in some carpet at the top panel. With the use of a razor blade or a scalpel, cut vertical, horizontal, and angled lines in a star pattern into the carpet. Then, cut out the carpet that covers the connector holes.

Place in the connectors and make them run through the holes. Make sure that the two prong terminals are inside the box. Then, screw down the connectors. Seal around them with silicone. Solder the speaker wires to the speaker and connector. Also solder the positive wire to the positive lead of the speaker. Do the same with the negative ends. After everything has been done, put in the front panel on the box and screw them in. Push the speakers into the star pattern cut out on the carpet that covers the speaker holes on the front panel. You can now install the box inside your car and enjoy the music.

By Stacey Wilson

Okay, I know you love cars, but it doesn't mean you have to buy a new one every now and then just to have something new and more exciting car to drive. Admit it, cars are valuable investments and I'm pretty sure you don't want to spend your entire earnings for an expensive and flashy sports car.

By adding or replacing your stock Mitsubishi parts with aftermarket parts, you can breathe in new life to your auto and make your driving routine a lot more fun and exciting. Compared to buying a new car, installing aftermarket auto parts is less costly, so why suffer the burden of paying for a new car when you can get all the advantages of owning the latest model, say a 2006 Mitsubishi Galant, without getting thousands of dollars poorer.

Let your Mitsubishi car reveal who you are, personalize it so you can enjoy it more. You can make the car's interior more conducive for long drives and more pleasing to the eyes every time you slip into the driver or passenger seat by replacing your old Mitsubishi carpet and Mitsubishi floor matsor by adding some interior lights and other accessories.

You can change the way your Mitsubishi looks by replacing exterior auto parts as well. These parts give others a lasting impression about your car so make them attractive as much as possible. Also, if you are going to resell your car in the future, you have to pay attention even to slightest details in your car's exterior, including the Mitsubishi door handle, Mitsubishi headlight covers and Mitsubishi hub caps. These parts can make or unmake an impression about your car, too. Wouldn't it be frustrating if a customer rejects your offer only because of a broken door handle or some unsightly scratches on your Mitsubishi tail lights?

By Meena Singh Shah

Tata car is the second largest auto manufacture company in India. The company is promise to give the better performance, world-class accessories, value added services and lots more. The aim is to satisfy the customers by giving them delightful comfort and drive. Tata cars always introduce the new technologies to keep their cars update in the market. It has full range of cars like passenger cars commercial vehicles and multi-utility vehicles.

Tata cars are very famous among the category of commercial vehicles. This category vehicle has a very dominant presence in the domestic automobile market. The other categories are also having the strongest positioning in the market. The two most demanded cars of Tata are Tata Indica cars and Tata indigo cars. Both are the mid size cars and targets the middle class segments.

Tata indigo--> Indigo is the most admired sedan model in the Indian auto market. The car comes in various variants and gives the high competition to the other brands in terms of price. Tata Indigo variants are available in both petrol as well as diesel. Some are Tata Indigo GLS, Tata Indigo GLX, Tata Indigo LS, Indigo LS Dicor, Indigo LX, and Indigo LX Dicor. Indigo cars come between the ranges of rupees four to eight lacs.

Tata indigo is well equipped by the comfort interiors and its all variants are associated with all comfort and safety features like Power windows 3-link rear suspension air conditioner, European leather seats etc. The car has established itself as premium car brand in the Indian market.

Tata Indica--> Indica is the cheap and smallest car in India and the car is known for the low maintenance and high mileage. It is the best sold car in the India. In 2008, the new model Tata Indica Vista is launched which is powered by most powerful petrol as well as diesel engines. This Tata Indica has equipped with very stylish and interested Interiors and exteriors. The car will provides you the dynamic driving and the car is associated with comfort ride, excellent handling, braking and the superior fuel efficiency of 20km per litre.

Some features includes in this car are 83 mm stroke, 4 cylinders, front window, power steering etc. The price set of this Tata Indica car is around Rs. 3, 40, 608 in India.

By Dan Bodrero

When the economy gets tight, most people have to make do with what they have, including their cars. Instead of replacing their vehicle every year or two, they instead have to work with the car they already have. For most, this means taking steps to spruce up older vehicles. Here are some tips on how to make your old car feel new again.

- Invest in a set of seat covers: Seat covers can not only preserve the life of your existing seats, but they also add some new color and zest to your car. You can find seat covers in a variety of different fabrics and price ranges, so choose one that works best for you, in terms of style and price. You might also opt to invest in several different sets that you can change out depending on your mood, the season, or just on a whim. Most car seat covers are machine washable, which means they are fairly easy to clean and only need to be cleaned every three months or so.

- Get it detailed: Nothing makes your car look more shiny and new than a good detailing job. Treat your car to the works, meaning a good, thorough washing, interior cleaning, waxing, etc. You will enjoy driving it again because it will look like the car you bought so long ago.

- Install a new stereo: New technology of any kind always improves the value of a car. Most people invest in a new stereo because the car is where drivers listen to most of their music. Install a top-of-the-line stereo system, complete with new speakers, to make the tunes vibrating from your car sound clear, crisp and cool.

- Invest in a paint job: If you have the funds, a paint job is hands down the best way to make an older car look much newer. However, it is important to note that you must maintain a paint job to ensure it continues to look as nice as it did the day you had it done. A good detailing company can give you guidance on how to do this, and inform you of the proper products to purchase to make your car's exterior look as good as your car's interior.

All of these tips can help your car look brand new again, without the hassle -- and expense -- of investing in a completely new vehicle.