E-Car Central » Parts & Accessories

Not So Smart with Car Parts

ecar — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:03:00 +0000

I know that most people will not admit when they are wrong because it can be a little embarrassing. There is nothing worse than being ridiculed, but sometimes it is okay to admit that you are not perfect all of the time, right?

Well, I would like to think so. I recently made one big mistake and my husband had a big laugh out of it. I suppose I deserved it, but I felt a little silly when it happened.

You see, he was working on his Mustang in the garage and he needed some extra parts, so he asked me if I could get them for him. Being the loving wife that I am, I agreed and he gave me a list of the Ford parts he needed and sent me out to buy them.

Instead of going to a Ford dealer, I went to a Mitsubishi dealer instead.

Whoops!

Anyway, when I returned home with the parts I bought he opened the bag to find the wrong stuff. He wasn’t mad, but rather he rolled his eyes at me.

How was I supposed to know that I was supposed to get Ford parts? He didn’t write that on the list.

Needless to say, I have learned my lesson and I pay more attention when I go out shopping for car parts now.

Technorati Tags: Ford parts, Mitsubishi dealer

Choosing an Automotive Repair Career

Writing my Thesis on Car Dealership Business Model

ecar — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:54:47 +0000

It seems like I have been in school forever, but I know that I will have a great career someday. That someday is getting a little closer now that I have finished my undergraduate degree and have started my masters. I know that there are a couple more years yet, but the end seems a lot closer.

Needless to say, I needed to come up with a topic for my thesis paper and I decided to do it on the car dealership business model. I wanted to compare and contrast how new and used dealerships operated, and what an entrepreneur would be looking at in terms of investment and return on that investment.

I had decided that I was going to check out as many places that sold new cars in Fort Worth to see if the owners or managers would be interested in doing interviews with me. I had good responses from all the dealerships I visited there and a big thank you goes out to all who participated.

I had to look in the phone book to find a used car dealership in Fort Worth since I didn’t know where to find one. Once I made a list and contacted the owners, I had good participation with them as well.

Now that I have most of my research completed, all I have to do is write up a 40 page essay. Doesn’t that sound like fun?

Technorati Tags: car dealership in Fort Worth, new cars in Fort Worth

Choosing an Automotive Repair Career

Uniqueness

E-car — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 05:00:37 +0000

One of the downsides to modernity is the corporations and factories. I’m not really a hippie, and this certainly isn’t going to be a tirade aimed at modernity and the establishment. Deep down, I have to admit to myself that I’m glad to have easy access to the means for satisfying all of my material needs. People make factories because it’s a fabulously efficient way to produce goods that people want and need. The downside, to me, is a lack of customizability.

I like to think of myself as unique, and it’s depressing to think of everyone using, wearing, driving, everything made from the same mold. I customize where I can. For example, I drive a Corolla that’s twelve years old, but I added my own Toyota accessories to it. The result is a car that doesn’t look quite exactly like everyone else’s. I mean I also switched out some more basic Toyota parts for ones that I think are enough better to warrant the effort. But I really like my wacky green seat upholstery. People always comment on it if they ride in my car. Yes, they’re all genuine Toyota parts, but it almost looks like I did it myself, since you can find such weird parts online that you never see in a car lot.

Technorati Tags: Corolla, Toyota accessories, Toyota parts

Getting Catch All Floor Mats for Your Truck, Car or SUV is a Good Investment

carC — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 13:12:07 +0000

Some of the best car, SUV, or truck accessories you can invest in are a new set of heavy-duty catch all floor mats and cargo floor mats. They can keep your vehicle’s interior looking nice for as long as you own your car. Aside from enhancing the look of your vehicle’s interior, they also protect your carpeting from spills, tears and other damage, so they also aid in keeping your vehicle’s resale value as high as possible. They’re really one of the best investments you can make after you’ve bought your truck or car. Floor guards, floor mats and cargo totes make it a breeze to haul any kind of cargo, no matter how messy, bulky, or dirty it is. And if your lifestyle or job call for rugged durability in everything that you buy, it’s hard to go wrong when you add sturdy aluminum floor shields. They’re flexible and tough and can protect the carpeting in your truck cab or car interior even if you’re hauling around heavy metal tool boxes and other gear that could puncture vinyl or plastic floor mats. Really, why go with half-measures and buy ordinary floor mats, when for only a little more money, you can get heavy duty floor guards that are really tough and durable and able to last for as long as you own your truck or car? Other automotive experts agree on the value of interior accessories like floor mats and cargo bay liners: http://www.strattonfinance.com.au/car-finance/learn/articles/protecting-cars-resale-value.aspx.

Technorati Tags: catch all, truck accessories

Tips for Increasing Value

E-car — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:36:56 +0000

You know, people always say that vehicles are one of the worst investments you can make. You’ve heard the saying that your vehicle drops in value the second you drive it off the lot. But I don’t always believe that’s true. I think there are several things you can do to increase the value of your truck so that you get the most from your investment.

Add the Right Truck Accessories- Adding a few truck accessories, like a truck bed liner, can add both style and value to your vehicle. It’s the little custom touches that make your truck more valuable than a basic one just driven off the lot. Also, an accessory like a bed liner actually protects your truck from damage, helping you fully maintain its value.
Keep it Clean- As simple as it sounds, one of the best things to do to keep your vehicle at peak value is to keep it clean. Don’t leave it exposed to the weather, and don’t leave the inside full of trash and stains. Cleaning your vehicle on a regular basis helps it stay in like-new condition, thus maintaining a higher value.
Service it Regularly- Lastly, you should always follow the recommended service plan. These plans are designed specifically to help your truck last as long as possible. If you fail to service your vehicle on time, you can do serious damage to your engine.

Technorati Tags: increasing truck’s value, truck accessories, truck bed liner

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The Most Useful Accessory

E-car — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 21:04:51 +0000

I have a Chevy Silverado crew cab pickup truck that I bought last year which I have added several truck parts and accessories to. I try to stick to the practical accessories too such as step bars and bed mats. On the other hand, I try to avoid the superficial stuff like hood ornaments. Recently I added what has to be the most amazing and useful accessory ever invented.

I bought a Garmin GPS navigator. I’m telling you that this is the greatest thing to come down the pipe since the invention of duct tape. You can turn it on so it just pulls up a map and shows you where you are in real time. But it does so much more than just that. You can plug in your destination whether it be a town or an actual address and it will give you turn by turn instructions how to get there. It actually talks you through it! Or if you get someplace and you want to find something like a restaurant or a motel, just hit a few buttons or use the touch screen and it will pull up whatever it was you were looking for starting with the closest one and working its way out. I don’t know how I ever lived without this thing.

Technorati Tags: bed mats, hood ornaments, Silverado, truck parts and accessories

Choosing an Automotive Repair Career

carC — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 22:36:01 +0000

Having a career path lined up for high school students is essential these days. I’m really proud of my brother because he is just a senior now and already has his career path started. He is going to college to become an automobile mechanic and will be working with my father at a local car dealership in Fort Worth in the service department. He has always been interested in auto repair and has worked on all of our Toyota and Mitsubishi cars with very much success.

Since my dad already works with a Fort Worth car dealer, he has arranged for my brother to start working there as soon as he gets his degree. Then he will work towards achieving his Automotive Service Excellence certification that will allow him to buy certain Mitsubishi parts that most mechanics may not be able to buy. Also, he said that the most trusted mechanics are A. S. E. certified and that would be a bonus for him when servicing vehicles at the dealership. Now that he has his future planned, he is on his way to a happy and secure life. I guess I should follow his lead and decide what career that I want and do it, as he has.

Technorati Tags: car dealership Fort Worth, Fort Worth car dealer, Mitsubishi parts

Getting Hella Lights

E-car — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 22:04:05 +0000

I am in the market for some hella lights. If you have purchased these in the past, what did you think of them after you got them, installed them and used them? For many people, these are the best choice out there and I think that this is true, too. Yet, if you look at just all the different types of trucks on the market, it can be hard to know if you need this light or another type. The good news is that you can find a good selection of options on the market to choose from.

In addition to buying them, I am also thinking about a few extra additions to my vehicle. One of them is the brush guards on the market. These are great and I plan to invest in them long term. I have not used them in the past and look forward to benefiting from them now. Of course, the one thing that I just have to get is going to cost me. That’s the truck bed covers that every truck owner should have. Do you have one? Do you have any advice on which to select? Taking care of my truck is important since I don’t know when I’ll get another.

Technorati Tags: brush guards, hella lights, truck bed covers

Got in an Auto Accident

E-car — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:02:09 +0000

Let me start by saying today just isn’t my day. I woke up late for work; couldn’t find any clean clothes; and then I got in a fender bender on the way to work. This huge truck decided he didn’t feel like stopping at a red light, and he rear-ended me.

He had a very nice truck full of truck tool boxes, fender flares, and mud flaps. Instead of asking me if I was alright, he instantly ran around examining his precious truck to make sure it was in perfect condition. Of course, he didn’t seem to notice that the back of my tiny car was crushed.

Thankfully, the police arrived shortly after the accident, and the guy in the truck was held responsible for the wreck. We exchanged all of our insurance information, and I was told everything should be handled quickly. Now, I just have to wait a few weeks for my car to get repaired, and then everything should be back to normal.

In the meantime, I have to go find a rental car to drive around until mine is fixed. Knowing my luck, I’ll get stuck in a mini-van or something like that. I need to relax. Today was just too crazy!

Technorati Tags: fender flares, mud flaps, truck tool boxes

Why Fit Should Be Important when Buying New Covers and Mats

carC — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 21:48:08 +0000

You probably know that you have to be careful to get a diesel exhaust that fits your truck and is made for the make and model of your truck. However, a huge mistake that is often made in truck customization is choosing the wrong size or type of tonneau covers and bed mats.

When you get a tonneau cover or bed mat that does not fit your truck you are opening up a world of trouble. An improper fit will defeat the whole point of having the cover or mat. You want a cover or a mat to protect your truck bed. When the fit is wrong that protection is diminished. Over time it will be like you do not even have a cover or mat on your truck.

There is no sense to wasting money on a cover or mat that does not fit. You would be better off just forgetting the purchase. If you do not want to pay the price for the proper fit then try shopping around or saving up the money to get the right cover or mat.

In the end you will be happy that you did to go with something that does not fit. You will benefit from the projection of proper fit in many ways.

Technorati Tags: bed mats, diesel exhaust, tonneau covers