Antique Auto Insurance

By Matt Hellstrom

Antique vehicles or collector automobiles are those that have been around for quite some time and have retained their appeal. Therefore it is unthinkable to go without proper antique auto insurance. These vehicles are usually worth much more than their original price owing to their antiquity. The older they are, and the better the condition, the higher their price tag. Their value continues to increase with each passing year and the usual depreciation rates that many automobiles are subject to, do not affect them.

Whereas the ordinary automobile faces depreciation in its value over the years, a vintage automobile's value appreciates with each passing year. The older it is the more value it has to the collector. Some very rare automobiles of such kind are priced so high that they are many times over their original market value. The existence of this anomaly creates a lot of problems when it comes to determining a value for such automobile before they can be insured.

In ordinary cases, an insurance company only pays for the actual cash value of the automobile. With each passing year this value depreciates. Antique auto insurance providers do not determine the value of a vintage or classic vehicle based on its utility value nor do they consider depreciation with age.

Antique auto insurance companies have come up with three different methods to determine the value of a vintage automobile. The preferred method is to determine a value that is agreeable to both the owner as well as the insurance company. This takes into consideration the appreciation in value as well as the original price of the car.

The price of an antique or classic automobile can be arrived at by employing the services of an independent appraiser as well. This price that is arrived at is invariably much higher than the original price of the automobile. This value can also be arrived at through comparing the automobile in question with others in its genre as listed in trade magazines that list out price indexes for vintage automobiles.

One less-used method is to fix the value of the automobile as the sum total of the actual cost price plus the many up gradations and enhancements and amount spent on repairs etc over the years. The last method is to fix the value of the vehicle as the amount arrived at after deducting the depreciation with age from the original cost price of the vehicle.

Most antique auto insurance companies put up a few conditions, the satisfying of which the policy can then be issued. Antique auto insurance companies require most owners to have a driving experience of at least 10 years with an impeccable record. Some others require the vehicle to be kept under lock and key with adequate measures of protection in place. It has to be proved that other members of the household are using other vehicles for transport and that the antique car is not used for every trip. Another stipulation is that these automobiles should not be used for racing or transportation purposes. - 21393

About the Author:

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Electric Pocket Bikes Are Thrilling To Ride

By Scott Maxwell

Everyone knows that motorcycles, while being a fun and efficient vehicle, can also be somewhat dangerous. Unfortunately, many people will get into accidents involving motorcycles because they do not take themselves seriously enough while riding them, feeling that a motorcycle is simply a vehicle for fun. Anyone who feels this way should consider investing in electric pocket bikes instead of a motorcycle, because it gives them the chance to still have the fun of a motorcycle without the larger risk.

When a person buys a pocket bike, they are getting a smaller version of a typical motorcycle. They will still be able to find a number of classy styles of pocket bikes, not sacrificing any class in the tradeoff. These smaller bikes will typically get up to 15 miles an hour, which is much slower than a real bike but still enough to enjoy oneself.

Even though the pocket bikes look small, riders can traditionally ride them as long as they are under 6 feet tall. Some models of the bikes can handle riders who weigh up to 170 pounds, letting many adults have the same thrill as younger children might. Electric pocket bikes are made for many people, not just younger ones.

The pocket bike is completely electric as well. Installed with the unit are 12 volt batteries which will charge off of electricity out of the wall. A completely dead battery may take up to 12 hours to charge, but ones with a partial charge should complete after a mere 4 hours. You won't need to use gasoline for this bike, saving time and cutting back on pollution.

You won't make a great deal of noise riding one of these bikes. The electric power will reduce the noise that a louder gasoline engine usually makes. Electric pocket bikes will easily be a great solution when you want a fun escape that will give you the same fun that a motorcycle will without all of the maintenance. - 21393

About the Author:

To find electric pocket bikes for sale, check out the Electric Pocket Bikes web site.

Spray Paint Polishing For Cars - The Easy Way

By Mario Goldstein

It isn't the tools that are used in a job that make it good or bad, it's the person using those tools that makes the difference. In car polishing a good technician can make that finish look better than when you bought the car, and you wouldn't think twice about how they could do that. In this short article, I will go over some points that technicians know, or should know.

The main problems when it comes to auto finishing are things like paint runs, sags, dirt nibs and just plain old polishing in general. To start with, make sure that the finish is dry in accordance with the information from the product sheet as failure to do this could damage the finish, making the whole job very costly.

The proper way to polish when using a polish, make sure it is specifically or can be used for urethane finishes and not lacquer finishes. When sanding, make sure that you use the finer 1000grit paper, as course grit sandpaper can ruin a finish.

The polisher speed should be set at 1200 ? 1700 rpm?s to ensure the best result. It is also very important to make sure that you are using the right type of pad before you start. To know what the best pad types, always check the product data sheets and they?ll steer you in the right direction, remember, if in doubt, check the sheet.

On the blend edges when you are, polishing be sure to work away from the edge and never directly into it. The most recommended method for a blend edge is to hand glaze rather than machine polish. When you have to hand glaze, always a cloth that is not rough and make sure it is clean forboth the application and when taking the glaze off.

Getting Rid Of Imperfections As with polishing, always check with the right manufacturers product data sheet before sanding, or polishing, this will give you the recommended dry times before polishing. Always make sure that before you begin any work on the surface that you take off debris and material. If this isn?t done, the results will be costly and catastrophic.

It is so important that the proper prep work be done so that the surface is: Free of imperfections like dirt nibs. You can use 1500 or better grit for wet sanding to get rid of these. To make sure there are no more imperfections on the surface, sand the surface with a block sander, not necessarily the entire surface, spot sanding will do.

The Last Step Use the polisher lightly to eliminate sand scratches using the right liquid polish. When using the polisher, set it to 1200 ? 1700 rpm and use a wool pad first. Next, you will need to use a foam pad. Finally, you need a non- abrasive glaze. Always remember that if you are in doubt about what to use or how to do it, consult the manufacturer?s list of instruction and information data sheet .Don?t be in a hurry, if you take your time you won?t make the mistakes that you will only regret. - 21393

About the Author:

Learn the easiest way to learn spray painting cars with free videos and lessons. SprayPaintSecrets will give you the step by step guide you need to learn spray paint gun handling.

Learn The Art Of Paintless Dent Removal Like The Pros

By Mario Goldstein

For most car owners, the thought of restoring a car after a collison is daunting. It can be very pricey if the car has been severely damaged. However, these can be easily fixed without the expensive paint jobs and bodywork repair involved

Most minor bodywork issues can be repaired in a matter of minutes, when done by a well-trained, skilled professional. Understanding the process will help you to know what to look for in these unfortunate circumstances.

Usually, collision shops don't do these smaller repairs themselves they outsource them to a smaller mobile service or they will offer paintless dent removal as an additional service. Dents from the size of a dime to 2 to 3 inches in diameter and larger can be handled by a qualified professional in anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes.

In many cases the dent is so completely gone it will look like nothing was ever there, and in some other instances, all you would see to know that work had been done is a small black plug in the door end. Paintless dent removal is often the best way to retain the integrity of a custom paint job. In the hands of a qualified professional, 10 to 15 vehicles a day can be done with amazing results.

Not Always the Answer The main concern in paintless dent removal is how much the metal was stressed (stretched) by the accident. The reason for this concern is that if the metal is stretched too much, then pushing it as it?s done in paintless dent removal can distort the metal and ruin the paint. The other consideration in paintless dent removal is the nature of the coating. Its age can make the coating brittle, or simply its condition as it left the factory. The reason that this is a concern for paintless dent removal is that a heat gun needs to be applied, and the above conditions can be very susceptible to heat ruining the coating.

Light is also used to determine all of the intricacies of the dented surface, so that there are no flaws showing when the job is complete.

Training, Techniques, and Tools It takes more time than you might think to train as a paintless dent removal technician, it takes about 12 months to train to be a good one, and that?s because you need to know all about access to the dent. Paintless dent removal technicians need to spend around $3,000 on tools because specialized tools are needed to access difficult areas in different makes and models.

So the next time you have a dent, ding, or crease, think about the paintless dent removal system, and ask if it can be done, if it can your pocketbook will thank you. - 21393

About the Author:

Discover the secrets of custom spray painting and car bodywork repair with Mario from SprayPaintSecrets. Download your *free* car touch up paint videos and paint repair techniques from the site now.

Lubricant Testing for the True Cheapskate

By Michael Kafuman

The best way to establish realistic oil change intervals is via oil analysis. Of course, on small vehicles which require only 4 or 5 quarts of oil, the cost of the oil analysis is nearly as much as a complete oil change.

Of course, the end result is that most small vehicle owners will chose not to pay for a "true" oil analysis. However, they might be inclined to perform their own "oil analysis", if only they knew how to do it. It won't give you results as accurate and precise as results from the professional lab testing, but it can give you a pretty decent understanding of how well your oil is holding up.

In the next few paragraphs you'll find detailed instructions for 1 of 6 do it yourself oil analysis tests which could be used to determine how well your oil is holding up and whether you should be getting it out of your engine. In this way you can begin to set realistic oil change intervals for your vehicle.

You might also want to consider learning a bit more regarding motor oil and filtration in general. The following sites may prove useful for this purpose.

- No More Oil Changes - tons of motor oil information

- The Motor Oil Evaluator -

- A Motor Oil Forum for discussion of motor oils

Performing the Test

The use of this simple layman's oil analysis test can expose a wide range of potential oil problems that might necessitate an oil change: excessive particulates, condensation build-up, glycol contamination, fuel dilution, failure of dispersant additives, formation of sludge and oxidation products.

Make sure the oil is warm (not hot), allow a drop of oil to fall from your dipstick onto a heavy, white, NON-glossy business card. Lay the paper or business card flat, but so that all but the very edges of the paper is suspended. As a possible example, if you're using stiff card stock or a stiff business card you could set the card across the top of a cup or mug of some sort.

You want to be patient and wait for the oil drop to be completely absorbed which might take awhile. Once all of the oil has been drawn into the pores of the paper you should be able to begin evaluating the condition of your oil.

- A colorless circle or slight yellowish outer ring = "good" oil.

- A dense, dark deposit zone = Dispersancy failure

- A black, pasty zone = Glycol (Anti-freeze) in your engine oil

- Center of circle dark with distinct outside ring = Severely oxidized oil

- A dark center with surrounding rings = Fuel in oil, Fuel dilution

Information for this business card test in: Fitch, J.C., "The Lubrication Field Test and Inspection Guide", Noria Corporation 2000 - 21393

About the Author:

Interested in knowing what the other 5 DIY oil analysis tests are and how to perform them? Simply click over to my BestSyntheticOil.com site to read the rest of the "Oil Analysis on a Budget" article to determine your proper oil change intervals............