November 10th, 2008 admin
Front, Rear, Or All – What Drives Your Car?
There was a time when most cars were designed as rear-wheel drive (RWD). Whether due to customer preferences or platform limitations, car manufacturers seemed hesitant to pursue other options. Over the years, that changed. Today, vehicles are built with front-wheel drive (FWD), rear, and all-wheel drive (AWD). While car enthusiasts might intuitively know what these terms mean, neophytes may not. In this article, I’ll provide an overview of how each works along with their inherent advantages.
Front-Wheel Drive
By far the most prevalent, FWD cars place the majority of the vehicle’s weight (up to 70%) in the front. While it can feel “slippery” to a driver who is unaccustomed with FWD vehicles, it actually provides more traction and better safety. Plus, there’s another benefit. Because the engine is located in the front of the car, transferring its thrust to the front wheels is more efficient than connecting a drive shaft to the rear wheels (as done with RWD cars). The result is that more performance is retained and fewer parts are required.
Rear-Wheel Drive
RWD cars used to be much more common than they are today. In many ways, they work in the opposite fashion of FWDs. Because most of the engine’s power is allocated to the rear wheels, a drive shaft and rear differential are required. The good news is that a car with RWD can accelerate quickly, which is why they’re commonly used in race cars. The bad news is that RWDs are inefficient in transferring horsepower from the engine to the wheels. Drivers who enjoy the feeling of fast acceleration will appreciate RWDs. However, it’s important to note that this type of drive also reduces the amount of controllable traction.
All-Wheel Drive
By now, you might be wondering why automakers allow half the wheels on their cars to basically lay dormant while the other half does the heavy lifting. AWD cars answer the question by allowing all 4 wheels to participate. In effect, the engine’s power is transferred through the entire wheel base. This provides better traction and more efficient performance, arguably the best of both worlds. AWDs are more expensive than RWDs and FWDs, and they use front, center, and rear differentials. That means more parts, added weight, less fuel efficiency, and greater complexity to the drivetrain.
Which Drive Is Right For You?
Most car experts agree that none of the 3 options above are necessarily the best type of drivetrain. It depends largely on what the motorist is looking for. FWDs provide more traction and less performance. RWDs offer fast acceleration and less traction. AWDs provide traction and performance, but do so at a higher cost while sacrificing efficiency. Use the overview that I’ve provided above to understand each drivetrain’s respective advantages and limitations. That way, you can choose the best option for your driving needs.
Muscle Cars
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Tags: Car Tips, Driveshaft
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November 3rd, 2008 admin
Car Repair Despair
As your car slowly rolls to the side of the road, with you struggling behind the wheel, trying to make it to the shoulder before being slammed by another (or several) vehicles, it dawns on you that your entire day has just taken a different path. You are in need of car repair. And as you are probably aware, nothing else can be done until this problem is solved.
Frustrated because you now realize that you are late for work, or for picking up the kids before the daycare starts racking up your already high bill, or even worse-you are on a road trip in unchartered territory-nowhere near your mechanic or dealership; your mind is forced to focus on your very next step.
If you had the foresight to purchase Emergency Road Service or carry it on auto insurance policy (many offer this service), you will automatically call them. These services offer on-site minimal car repair such as jump-starting a dead battery or changing a tire. But if you have a larger car repair problem they will also tow you; usually within a fifty mile radius of where your car is parked. This obviously poses a larger problem…where to take the car. Don’t despair. There are a few precautionary steps that you can take before you are in this predicament.
First of all, when you move to a new area, immediately find someone that can repair your car if the need arises. A lot of new car owners neglect to do this until it is too late and the situation is imperative. You find a new doctor, dentist, dry cleaner, etc. You should follow the same rules for finding a good mechanic that will suit your car repair needs. Inquire at work, ask friends, check in the yellow pages, and call around. Doing this will alleviate a lot of frustration later.
If you happen to be on the open road when you are in need of car repair, you should plan ahead. By this I mean-you take the time to check out reputable hotels and good restaurants, and possibly even medical care options-do yourself a favor and take the time to seek out emergency car repair options. If you know that you will be driving for a long distance-check out places that offer affordable, fast car repair. If you belong to a automobile club, they will be able to help you do this. If you have Emergency Road Service attached to your auto insurance policy-your insurance company will also have a list of reputable establishments that will be able to take car of all of your repair needs.
If you don’t have emergency roadside assistance, you can easily go on-line and check out your itinerary map. After planning your route, find the major cities you will be passing through. Next, find familiar nationally renowned names in car repair and auto dealerships that sell your car. Either print up the addresses and contact numbers or program them into your cell phone. This hour of work could save you hours, money, and aggravation in the long run.
Whether a in your hometown, or on the road, the key is to plan ahead, plan ahead, plan ahead. When you get your car safely to the shoulder of the road you will probably still be frustrated, but you will be able to rest easier knowing that you will not be stuck without a good repair service to take care of your car.
Muscle Cars
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Tags: Auto Maintenance, Car Maintenance
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