Detroit – the Motor City is synonymous with vehicles of all types.  This makes it an interesting place to take a driving tour.  The city is renowned for urban decay and neglect – but it has got a lot going for it.  It use to be one of the wealthiest cities in the country, and now slowly things are coming back.  Areas are being demolished and urban renewal is underway.

The Woodward Dream Cruise is held in August and it celebrates the cities connection with motor vehicles.  Attend this for a super parade and all kinds of goodies to eat and drink.  If you’re a motor enthusiast it’s a great time to visit.

One of the biggest attractions is the Detroit Institute of the Arts.  It opened its doors after the first world war when the city was financially in a good place.  It is a large building featuring over one hundred rooms.  The galleries feature collections of many of the worlds most renowned artists.  Other galleries have moved into the same downtown area and it is now a Mecca for art lovers.

Near to the city is Belle Isle which is situated in the Detroit River close to Canada.  The landscaping can be attributed to the designer of Central Park in New York – Frederick Olmsted.  Entry is via the MacArthur Bridge.  A trip to Detroit would be incomplete without a visit to Motown Museum which celebrates the cities great musical heritage.

And after your tour if you are hungry head on up to Greektown where you will find lots of restaurants and bars.  This old Greek neighborhood also has a famous casino.

Information provided by the Detroit DUI Attorney

Driving in the Motor City is a post from: KizaPark

Chances are we pass them every day on the highway, but when you see a tractor trailer pass you, do you ever wonder what a typical day in the life of a truck driver is like?

Much like the world of corporate office jobs, there are some truck driving jobs that are fairly routine, these typically have drivers with dedicated runs, and then there is expedited trucking where the driver is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. For the latter, there is no typical day. One week, it may be totally dead; the second week, the same run on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with nothing in between; and the third week, a run from Chicago to New York City, followed by pick up in New Jersey and going to Oklahoma City, and then driving back home, tired.

But supposing we can generalize the typical truck driving day, here is a small snapshot of a likely day behind the wheel.

Today, the telephone rings at 8:30 in the morning, and the dispatcher has a load that picks up in two hours approximately 30 miles away in Rockford, Illinois, and delivers straight through to an automotive plant in Kansas City, Missouri. Agreeing to take the load, the driver takes a shower, eats a quick breakfast, packs a travel bag, and heads out the front door.

Upon approaching the truck, the driver does a visual walk-around inspection, pops the hood of the truck, and checks the oil. After all, this truck is six years old and has nearly 700,000 miles on it: Good trucks only make it this long without any major engine overhauls because a good driver takes care of it.

The driver programs the GPS with the destination address and takes off, down the road. After making the pick up on time and securing the load, another walk-around inspection and entering the next address into the GPS, the driver sees that this 480 mile trip will take approximately seven and a half hours of driving, not including a stop to fuel up the truck. At this point, the driver has a cushion of when it has to get there of almost two hours.

The basic route is I39 south to I88 west to Iowa, where the driver will pick up I80 west to I35 south into Kansas City. Runs like this are routine as most of it is interstate highway. Some runs require extensive travel on secondary two-lane highways that go through many small towns.

The driver pulls into the automotive plant in Kansas City at 6:15 p.m. The customer is delighted that the package arrived safely in good time. As the customer signs for the freight, the driver’s phone rings. It is the dispatcher eager for an update on the driver’s progress.

Whether being a truck driver interests you or not, learning more about what other’s do on a day to day basis can help provide you with a better understanding of people and the diversity of jobs out there.

Shelly is a contributing writer for truckertotrucker.com, a site where people can buy and sell used trucks and learn about options for bad credit semi truck financing.

A day in the life of a truck driver is a post from: KizaPark

There are many options available when it comes to buying new tires for your vehicle. Whether you drive an antique Ford Motel T, a vintage BMW motorcycle , a four wheel drive Chevy Pickup or a small economical Honda, the tire that is just right for your vehicle can be easily researched and found online. Many companies advertise and sell their products online and finding great package deals on brands such as Vredestein tires , is just simply not as difficult as it used to be. Finding information on anything is easy by simply searching the Internet, and this is true in the case of car tires as well. There are a few things to consider when looking for the best deals out there. One thing to consider is your own driving habits and how hard you will be driving your vehicle. This means under what conditions, road conditions and environmental conditions will you putting the vehicle and the tires through consistently, as well as how much weight you carry in your vehicle on a consistent basis. Consider the way you drive. Do you cut corners? Do you peel out or come to a screeching halt? While there are other factors to consider when this a person’s driving habits , one of those factors it that this kind of driving requires a tougher tire that is built to take this kind of treatment. Once you know the information regarding the size that is recommended, which by the way can be found on the door placard or in the car manual, then you can begin to compare and contrast the different tires and the deals that are available to you. Check out the websites for companies such as Dunlop tires , and take notes. These are useful when purchasing online, and are extremely helpful to bring along when deciding to buy from a retail dealer. Tires are an investment. An investment in keeping the vehicle and the drive safe. But they do not need to cost an arm and a leg, the deals are out there to be found.

Getting the Best Deals on Tires is a post from: KizaPark

For some people, driving in snow and navigating on icy roads is second nature, they grew up this kind of environment, and it is one in which they are familiar.  I however grew up in the Southwestern desert city of Phoenix, Arizona.  So as my first winter approached after I had moved to Chicago, I was a bit nervous.  My Chevy Tracker, not a Chevrolet Cavalier, repair manual offered tips on the engine and the battery, but some of the other aspects of cold weather driving I had to live and learn, not without advice however, from those who knew what to expect.

My first experience with driving in snow, was not bad…as the snow had just started falling.  I was on the Dan Ryan Freeway heading home one night and there were light flurries.  The most that this did was to affect my sight, as the snow and the wind caused the flurries to swirl and I struggled to just not become hypnotized.  However, when the snow really began to fall I consulted the Chevrolet pickup repair manual for items that I was in need of.

When driving in cold weather it is good to have a backup of supplies, such as extra hats and gloves.  As well as traction mats, bags of sand or kitty litter, for extra weight as well as for use getting out of snowed in situations, and of course, the ever necessary window scraper.  A GMC pickup repair manual I had read, also suggested that once you are finished driving through snow and slush, it is good to wash out the wheels of your vehicle with a high pressured hose.  The accumulation of snow, slush and debris may cause your vehicle to ‘vibrate’ as you drive, adding to the potentially hazardous road situations.  All of these tips helped me out on that first, and very scary winter driving on the streets of the city of Chicago.

Avoiding Hazards When Driving in Cold Weather is a post from: KizaPark

I left Chicago in May of 2006.  Gas prices were up to $3.68 a gallon in the city.  And I was embarking on an 1800 mile journey back to Phoenix and I knew nothing of automotive repair. This will be a key element as the story of the trip progresses.  So we leave Chicago, with “She’s a Rainbow” by the Rolling Stones playing on the car stereo.  All of my belongings, including Jack the junkyard dog were in my 1993 Chevy Blazer, an SUV of the old school days, with more that 250,000 miles on it.

The night before I left, the door would not shut, and although I looked through manuals, including motor cycle manuals, just because I thought anything may help…I secured the door with an extension cord taken from my computer.  So we load up and head out at about 4pm.  My turn to drive came in St. Louis, in the middle of heavy duty construction taking place on the highway, and in the middle of a mid-western rainstorm.  I made it through okay, knuckles were a bit white, but I was doing just fine.

At about 3am we decide to pull off to sleep, and as I was exiting the freeway, the ‘check engine’ light came on.  I slowed for the traffic light of the off ramp, and the Blazer died.  Turned the ignition, and managed a few more feet, and the Blazer died again.  As I sat there with everything I owned–a wooden chair, an easel, some paint tubes and canvas, in Lebanon, Missouri,and with the one creature-canine whom I loved, I wished that I had some idea of just what to do next.

I wished that I had remembered to bring along one of the small engine repair manuals a friend had suggested before I left Chicago.  We managed to make it to a hotel, where the canine Jack made me smile as he saw himself in the mirror for the first time.  The front desk clerk suggested a mechanic.  The next day, I was told that it was a simple matter of a piece of carbon–as I recall–that just needed to work its way through the engine.

With more than 1600 miles to go, I was nervous and skeptical, but the Blazer with my belongings and my dog, made it to Phoenix just fine.  And as I pulled into my new house in Phoenix, I was thankful for the mechanics in Lebanon, and I was thankful for beat up Chevy’s with miles still yet to be traveled, and I was thankful that Jack, the easel and the paints made it home.

Automotive Repair in Lebanon, Missouri is a post from: KizaPark

I never realized how exciting choosing rims for a particular car or truck could be until I agreed to go with my boyfriend to buy new custom car wheels with 20 rims. I didn’t realize or even think about how many different options there were while we sat at Olive Garden and had lunch.

He of course talked about the Boss wheels he was thinking about, which I remember because I had lied to my own boss about why I wasn’t going into work that day. I also remember the Racing Hart rims he was in love with just because I liked that name, and also I wanted him to be in love with my own racing heart. Silly maybe, but I would rather have been talking about the violin recital I had coming up so I had to get creative during this wheel and rim discussion.

Once we got to the store where we could by the car tires I thought it would be as simple as walking into a strings store to pick up some new rosin. A soon as we walked in I saw the glazed look come over John’s eyes and I looked around at all the tires and wheels that were hanging and stacked everywhere. I quickly realized this was more like picking out a new bow and knew we would be there for some time, which made me wish that I had at least brought my sheet music to look over. I do have to admit that while Bach’s Chaconne was playing in my head and I was mentally going over the double stops I was really pretty captivated by the detailed styles and various designs of some of these wheels.

Also, at the risk of sounding too girlie, okay I probably did that back when I mentioned the Racing Hart rims, I was really impressed with the different colors that were available and thought many of the designs were kind of fancy and elegant looking. It seemed like in no time at all John was telling me it was time to leave and I was still looking around. I’m starting to think that maybe after my recital I’ll treat myself to some knew tires and wheels.

Choosing Car Wheels During Lunch is a post from: KizaPark

I think it’s wise to ride in a sports car for sale when facing the dreaded family get-together. It will help make the gathering less tedious and make the leave you took from work in order to attend this infamous crowd, more precious. As you drive up in, lets say a Porsche 911, you won’t mind the forced interactions with people you wouldn’t normally have anything to do with. All the neurotic in-laws, that vacuous cousin or the eccentric uncle with a penchant for impromptu quizzes after lunch has been served, will simply be a blur once you get back inside the Porsche and leave. As torturous as the kinsfolk are, the sports car will be a balm for the wounds caused by that young upstart nephew with the trendy haircut and the bronzed physique. You’ll be less annoyed and your hard earned alpha maleness will retain its supreme realm.

Once you’ve escaped and slide into the cabin of the Porsche, get back out on the road and head for the ones that sweep through lush green landscapes. This will only intensify the levels of excitement and satisfaction in knowing that you are not apart of a crowd. You be rewarded with sensations that never cease while driving and benefit from the supreme dynamic handling capabilities of the Porsche. You’ll flick around corners with surprising ease and smile all the while the glorious sound system fills the cabin with music not even heard of back at the family gathering.

Let’s face it, you can not compare being around family to riding in a sports car. There’s no comparison. Once you have had the experience in driving a sports car, family, job stresses and those blind dates will become a pleasantry, because you now have a remedy that will sooth away all anxieties and one that will fill in that hole created from family drudgery.

Drudgeries Removed with a Sports Car is a post from: KizaPark

Regularly checking on the workings of your vehicle will save you a lot of money and headaches in the end. These are not major repairs, just simply monthly checks that will bring you a closer knowledge of your own car, making you more aware of when big things may actually be going wrong and need a attention by a professional automotive repair specialist. These routine inspections of your own vehicle should include the exterior as well as the interior. In taking a look, you will ensure that your car will life a longer life, and have less breakdowns.

This should not be something to dread, as small engine repair manuals are very easy to read these days. I carried the Volkswagen Repair for Dummies in my bus throughout college, and although I was no car expert and still am not, this helped me out of situations many a time. One very easy step to home car maintenance is to just simply check the tires regularly. Uneven wear could signify that your vehicle is out of alignment or that the air pressure fluctuates too much. This is important for the family car as well as the motorcycle. Manuals that are published by the manufacturers will state the proper amount of pressure for any given motor vehicle. It is also wise to keep an eye on the driveway, for evidence of leaks and seepage of the fluids of the engine.

Anti-freeze levels are as easily checked as checking the oil,  and the dipstick is usually easier to read. It is also important to keep an eye on the transmission fluid, as replacing a blown transmission is extremely expensive on any vehicle. And hotter, dryer climates such as those found in Arizona and California, it is a good idea to check the windshield wipers regularly, as there is nothing worse than a rainy day coming out of nowhere, only to have the wipers crumble and fall apart. These are simple steps to ensure that you remain safe on the road and their your car will last you a good long while.

Home Car Maintenance is a post from: KizaPark