Archive for the ‘Auto Trends’ category

Auto Body Hammers – Repair Your Own Car

June 28th, 2011

The auto body hammer was created shortly there after the vehicle was, which have helped autos correct any body work problems. We will cover how you should use a auto body hammer in your garage or shop and what the best strategies are. Auto body hammers may in fact seem simple, but working with an auto hammer isn’t easy. Auto hammers are used to help “motivate” tight objects to come undone as well as helping manipulate the shape of metals sheets.

Most people think of a traditional hammer when we mention the term auto body hammer although that’s not what these hammers are for. A traditional hammer has a jagged edge on one side designed to take out nails, and the other a flat or curved smaller surface to nail in nails. Since most autos don’t require removing nails, they really don’t require a normal hammer and require a flatter, which is why they are also called soft tipped hammers. Auto body hammers are designed in a wide type of weights and strengths so that you can manipulate many different type of body panels.

While you are working on your vehicles, you’ll come across a wide variety of problems like rust and other body problems which means you may need other tools as well, fiberglass blasters, sanders, and base paints. A lot of the problems with body work are dents. The first thing thing that you will need to do is purchase a dent puller, the reason that dent pullers do what they do is because of how they pull the dent back out. An auto body hammer will most likely be needed to fix the very small problems that are left after using a dent puller. » Read more: Auto Body Hammers – Repair Your Own Car

Predicted Car Reliability 2011 – Consumer Reports’ Top Ten Autos

June 28th, 2011

Recently Consumer Reports released charts of its predicted short-term reliability of sedans, coupes, convertibles, wagons, minivans, sport-utility vehicles, and pickup trucks. Its predicted reliability is based on the infrequency of serious problems within the three preceding model years – 2008, 2009 and 2010 – or fewer when an insufficient data history limits model year inclusion.

In this article I list the Top Ten by CR’s predicted reliability for model year 2011. Not included in this list of CR’s most reliable are those automobiles with only a one-year data history, as a reliability predicted on the basis of one year may be quite inaccurate.

The Top 10, 12 by tie or near tie, are:
The Toyota Yaris, a small sedan or 2-door or 4-door hatchback
The Honda CR-V, a small sport-utility vehicle
Toyota Motor Corporation’s Lexus LX, a large luxury SUV
The Honda Fit, a small 4-door hatchback
Toyota’s Scion xD, a small 4-door hatchback » Read more: Predicted Car Reliability 2011 – Consumer Reports’ Top Ten Autos