Car Insurance

Windshield wipers deteriorate after 6 to 12 months exposure to the elements of the weather and should be replaced. Most of the time, only the rubber squeegee (this is called a refill when buying the part) needs replacing. If the swivels in the blade assembly are worn or corroded, the entire unit must be replaced. Rubber covered snow blades keep ice out of the blade assembly. Occasionally, the arm must be replaced; the usual cause of arm failure is a rusted tension spring.

Replacement blades always come with installation instructions. Getting the old blade off is the first step. Take the old blade along with you when you buy a new one, so that you can match it up with the correct sized one. Wash away grime from the windshield and squeegees periodically with a mild soap and warm water.

A dirty or worn wiper will streak and smear. Clean or replace the rubber squeegees. A brittle squeegee or twisted arm will chatter. Replace squeegee or straighten the arm if possible.

Wiper arm replacement-

Pry wiper arm off with a coin or screwdriver. Pivot releases latch on cars so equipped with this feature. On some imports, arm is held by a nut. Position new arm on shaft so that it does not hit windshield frame when in use, and rests about one inch from cowl when not in use.

To fix a chattering blade, turn off engine when wiper is at midstroke. Twist arm until it stays parallel to glass. Otherwise, replace the arm.

Squeegee replacement-

On a brand of blade called Anco, push the red button, remove the link, and pull out the squeegee. Thread the refill through both links. Snap loose link back into place.

On other blades, squeeze ends of metal clip together and pull out squeegee. Thread refill back into the blade assembly and push clip home.

How to remove various other assemblies:

Bayonet arm-

Press release lever under connector, pull blade off.

Side-Pin Arm-

Depress release lever, slide blade off the pin.

Locker arm-

Pull out side lock, lift off blade assembly. Push blade toward base of arm and lift off.

Shallow hook-

Pull out side lock, rotate blade and remove. Press blade against arm, rotate and remove.

Shepherd’s Crook-

Squeeze spring arms together; slide blade off.

Push lever down until arm unlocks; slide blade off.

Remember, in order to keep your windshield wiper blades and arms running like new, always use windshield wiper anti-freeze and not water in your windshield washer system. This helps to keep your squeegees from freezing and drying out.

If they dry out they will crack and turn brittle.

This is the reason we have to change them in the first place. Also keep them clean and free from wax, when waxing your car. If wax gets on the squeegees, the wax will cause them to stick to the windshield, thus causing the arms to stick, and replacement of the squeegees will be needed. You will then wind up having to re-bend the arms also if they get bent out of shape.

We’ve all been there. You’re driving along the highway, minding your own business, when suddenly a huge truck in front of you kicks up a rock and hits you right smack in the middle of your windshield. After you’ve cursed and wailed, you wonder, how the heck am I going to afford to replace this windshield? Or maybe you’re thinking, my deductible for my comprehensive insurance is five hundred dollars and a windshield costs less than that!

Working for several years at an automobile insurance company, I learned one thing. Insurance companies are cheap. Well, o.k, I learned two things, windshields don’t have to be replaced, they can be repaired. The reason I learned these things is because, when a customer would call in a claim to our company of a cracked windshield that they wanted replaced, the cheap insurance company would refer them to a company that repaired windshields at a fraction of the price, therefore saving the insurance company a lot of money and saving the customer a bit of time.

You can find one of these windshield repairing companies in the yellow pages of your local phone book. Most of these companies work with insurance companies and are equipped to come to your vehicle and repair it wherever it is. You can have your windshield repaired from the parking lot of your office or in the driveway of your home. These mobile windshield repairing wizards will go anywhere.

Through a magical process, your windshield repairman will make your chip or crack disappear and you won’t even be able to tell it was ever broken. If your windshield is only chipped it is a good idea to get it repaired anyway before your chip turns into a crack that stretches across your whole window. The whole process doesn’t take very long and you’ll be glad you didn’t have to take your car to a garage to replace the whole thing and your wallet will be happy too.

The windshield repair process involves the drilling of tiny holes into the glass and using special glazing techniques, the cracks are filled in with a substance that hardens and stops cracks from spreading. The substance used is a kind of liquid resin, which is then hardened with ultraviolet light, much the same as your dentist uses. Making sure that the repair has the same refractive qualities as the rest of the windshield to minimize distortion, the windshield repairman can cause your windshield’s crack to disappear. Sometimes, you will be able to notice a slight blur at the sight of the crack, but it should be fairly minimal.

The price for a windshield repair is on average about sixty dollars, depending on the size of the crack. Compare this to the cost of a replaced windshield at around three hundred dollars, and you can really be saving some money. Most services also warrantee their work so you can be sure that your windshield will be fixed right. Some companies even sell windshield repair kits, you can start your own business!

Having your car professionally detailed can be expensive, but when your car is detailed, it looks like new again. If you are ambitious, you can keep your car looking freshly manicured without spending a lot of money or just give your old car a facelift. Detailing your car is different from simply washing it and touching up paint, when you ‘detail’, you get every single little nook and cranny which will make a huge difference in the appearance of your car. The little things really do matter and you will see the difference when you are finished.

To begin your detailing, start with your tires. WD-40 or a similar product works great for spiffing up your wheel wells. Spray the product generously on every visible part of your wheel well and let it sit. Use a simple household grease-cutting cleaner like Fantastic, 409, or one of the new citrus types of sprays and douse your tires, rims and hubcaps. Use old toothbrushes, Q-tips and scrub brushes to get every single speck of dirt and grease from your tires.

Next, you will move on to areas of your car where road dirt, grease, etc. accumulate such as your grill, bumpers, the lower part of your windshield where leaves and small bits of assorted junk can accumulate. Use Q-tips, toothbrushes, etc. to get the dirt and grease and debris from every tiny crack and corner. Clean the inside part of your door where it latches with a good degreasing spray. Touch up any scratches or nicks with touch-up paint you can get from your dealer or auto parts store. Completely wash and hose down the exterior of the car and give it a good waxing. Polish all of the windows inside and out with glass cleaner and paper towels or old newspapers.

Now that you have the outside of the car looking good, move to the inside. Clean out your trunk and vacuum it. If you have a lot of junk rambling about in the trunk, use an inexpensive milk crate container to hold things. Inside your car, clean and condition your dash board, insides of doors, consoles, etc. Wash your ashtrays and coin holders. Spray a carpet stain remover on any stained carpeting and spray an upholstery cleaner on your seats. Use a carpet deodorizing powder or baking soda before you vacuum your vehicle.

Rent an upholstery steam cleaner or rug cleaner with small attachments to shampoo your carpet and upholstery.

To keep your newly detailed car clean, always keep a trash bag in the car for travel waste and drive your car through the car wash at least once a week or wash yourself!

Rust is every car owner’s worst nightmare. It can eat away at your vehicle like a sinister, unseen plague. Rusting is a natural process and cannot be eliminated. It can, however be slowed down. By regularly checking over your car for rust spots you can hone in on problem areas. Rust is caused when mild steel come into contact with water, which is slightly acidic.

Treating small rust spots is quite simple. These are normally caused by road stones flying up and chipping off the top coat of paint, leaving the bare metal exposed to the elements. In damp conditions the spot will rust very quickly. Here’s how to treat such areas:

(1) Wipe the rust spot and an area about an inch around it with a cloth which has been moistened with white spirits. Scrape away the loose paint. Now rub down the rust area with coarse sand paper until you reach a sound area of paint.

(2) After clearing off the dust, apply primer(not rust remover) using a fine paint brush. Overlap beyond the affected area by about a quarter inch. Allow the primer to dry thoroughly.

(3) Use an old knife to smooth on a thin layer of cellulose stopper. Try to make a clean job in smoothing over the affected area, without leaving any excess.

(4) Use medium grade sand paper to smooth the job down until it is completely flush with the surrounding areas.

(5) Having purchased some touch up repair paint, shake the can thoroughly. Then stir it with a piece of thin wire. Apply the paint smoothly and quickly. Overlap the paint onto the existing paint work. After 24 hours, apply a second coat.

When searching for an exact color match, look under the car’s bonnet and find the identification plate. You will see a section marked paint color or trim code. Take this number along to the accessory shop. They should have a color chart showing which color this corresponds to. This will give you the exact shade of your paint work.

The most vulnerable areas to minor rust as a result of chips are the lips of the wheel arches and the area immediately behind the wheels. You can prevent much of this damage by investing in mud flaps. You may also find that areas around the doors and locks are vulnerable to rust. This is because your car keys are likely to chip paint when they knock against the paintwork. Being aware of this can make you more cautious.

It’s true that rust never sleeps. Neither should we when it comes to treating rust. Get onto the problem smartly and you will avoid what could develop into a major repair bill.

Rust is every car owner’s worst nightmare. It can eat away at your vehicle like a sinister, unseen plague. Rusting is a natural process and cannot be eliminated. It can, however be slowed down. By regularly checking over your car for rust spots you can hone in on problem areas. Rust is caused when mild steel come into contact with water, which is slightly acidic.

Treating small rust spots is quite simple. These are normally caused by road stones flying up and chipping off the top coat of paint, leaving the bare metal exposed to the elements. In damp conditions the spot will rust very quickly. Here’s how to treat such areas:

(1) Wipe the rust spot and an area about an inch around it with a cloth which has been moistened with white spirits. Scrape away the loose paint. Now rub down the rust area with coarse sand paper until you reach a sound area of paint.

(2) After clearing off the dust, apply primer(not rust remover) using a fine paint brush. Overlap beyond the affected area by about a quarter inch. Allow the primer to dry thoroughly.

(3) Use an old knife to smooth on a thin layer of cellulose stopper. Try to make a clean job in smoothing over the affected area, without leaving any excess.

(4) Use medium grade sand paper to smooth the job down until it is completely flush with the surrounding areas.

(5) Having purchased some touch up repair paint, shake the can thoroughly. Then stir it with a piece of thin wire. Apply the paint smoothly and quickly. Overlap the paint onto the existing paint work. After 24 hours, apply a second coat.

When searching for an exact color match, look under the car’s bonnet and find the identification plate. You will see a section marked paint color or trim code. Take this number along to the accessory shop. They should have a color chart showing which color this corresponds to. This will give you the exact shade of your paint work.

The most vulnerable areas to minor rust as a result of chips are the lips of the wheel arches and the area immediately behind the wheels. You can prevent much of this damage by investing in mud flaps. You may also find that areas around the doors and locks are vulnerable to rust. This is because your car keys are likely to chip paint when they knock against the paintwork. Being aware of this can make you more cautious.

It’s true that rust never sleeps. Neither should we when it comes to treating rust. Get onto the problem smartly and you will avoid what could develop into a major repair bill.