Travelling abroad has never been easier - and it's not always necessary to fly. Taking your own vehicle to the continent is just as economical as flying and also gives you the freedom to choose exactly where you travel. If you're travelling on business, this also means that deadlines, meetings and other business activities can be carried out using your commercial vehicle instead of relying on a left-hand drive hire car.
But before you take your van abroad there are a few things to consider. If you are taking your own commercial vehicle across the Channel it's vital to ensure that your van insurance covers you outside the UK. The minimum level of commercial van insurance needed to comply with European road laws is third party, but it's important to be aware that this may not cover you for a number of situations. It may be advisable to increase the level of your van insurance, particularly if you are driving in a foreign country where road rules are different and unfamiliar. Remember that you will be driving on the opposite side of the road and this can be disconcerting initially, placing you at a higher risk of having an accident. Ensure that your insurance, whether that's a simple cheap van insurance policy or fully comprehensive, includes medical expenses should you be involved in an incident. Also consider that if you are taking goods or valuable equipment abroad then these items are also covered by your van insurance.
Another thing to check on your van insurance is if you are covered for breakdowns outside the UK. You may have to extend your policy to include this eventuality, otherwise you could find yourself stuck with no way of recovering your vehicle.
Driving in Europe presents a range of different situations that may be unfamiliar to UK drivers. Many major European roads (such as motorways) are toll roads. If you want to avoid paying tolls it is possible to plan your route before you set off to avoid them. However, if you do use toll roads, ensure you have enough money handy to pay the toll at the end of your journey on classified toll roads.
To avoid unnecessary breakdowns, a good check of your vehicle before you leave should be at the top of your list of priorities. The basics such as tyres, including ensuring you have a spare in case of a puncture, oil, water and electrics are all basic checks you should carry out on a regular basis but are particularly important before setting off on a long journey abroad. Making sure your vehicle is safe and roadworthy may seem like an obvious statement but many commercial van drivers do forget the basics sometimes, particularly if the van is in constant use. If necessary, have your company mechanic or machine shop check the vehicle over thoroughly before you leave.
Ensure that all documentation is in order before travelling. Make sure that your insurance provides the necessary cover to meet the laws on compulsory insurance of motor vehicles in any other country that is a member of the EU and any country which the European Commission is satisfied has made arrangements to meet the requirements of Article 7 (2) of EC Directive 72/166/EEC. This directive relates to civil liabilities arising from using a motor vehicle and should be covered by your insurance policy. If it isn't you may have to amend your policy so allow yourself plenty of time to ensure all paperwork is in order.
Driving abroad is not that different from driving in the UK. By taking the time to make sure your insurance and all paperwork is correct, that you have sufficient medical and breakdown coverage and that your vehicle is safe and roadworthy, you shouldn't have any problems whilst driving abroad.
Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/
Don't Let Jeep Troubleshooting Get You Down
by: Mark Neustedt
For some, jeep troubleshooting comes easy because of all the experience they have had over the years. But for the rest of us, trying to troubleshoot our jeeps to find out what is causing our problems could be ranked right up there with pulling teeth.
Here are some of the more common problems you may encounter with your jeep and what you can do to fix them.
*My jeep won’t start
I have run into this problem with my jeep as well as other vehicles that I have owned and the problem can usually be caused by corrosion on the battery post and battery cables.
You can fix this by disconnecting your battery cables and cleaning the battery post and connecters with a wire brush.
*My engine stalls while accelerating
The first thing you need to ask your self is, does this normally happen on cold wet mornings when the engine is cold?
If the answer is yes, then the most probable cause is moisture in your distributor cap.
If you answered no to this question, has this problem become more frequent over time?
If yes, it sounds like you may have a vacuum leak that is causing your problem.
If the problem has not gotten worse over time you more then likely have a bad throttle position sensor.
*My gas mileage is not what it should be
There are literally dozens of reasons that could be causing poor gas mileage. We will take a look at some of the more common causes.
Check to make sure that your tires are not under inflated; this could cause extra friction between your tires and the road making your jeep work harder causing reduced gas mileage.
If you haven’t had a tune up on your jeep, this is more then likely the cause of your poor gas mileage. Give your jeep a tune up and be sure to change your air filter as this could also contribute to the problem.
We have only touched on a few of the more common problems people face while jeep troubleshooting. There are many great resources out that will make jeep troubleshooting much easier and fun for everyone.
Here are some other great resources you can use.
There is a software program that you can find online called Auto Tech that is inexpensive and easy to use.
Haynes repair manuals are also a great resource to use to make your troubleshooting a breeze. You can find these manuals at most auto parts stores.
Using the resources that are available to you both online and at your local parts store will make jeep troubleshooting a much more enjoyable experience.
S: Mark Neustedt, http://www.Best-Jeep-Guide.com
For some, jeep troubleshooting comes easy because of all the experience they have had over the years. But for the rest of us, trying to troubleshoot our jeeps to find out what is causing our problems could be ranked right up there with pulling teeth.
Here are some of the more common problems you may encounter with your jeep and what you can do to fix them.
*My jeep won’t start
I have run into this problem with my jeep as well as other vehicles that I have owned and the problem can usually be caused by corrosion on the battery post and battery cables.
You can fix this by disconnecting your battery cables and cleaning the battery post and connecters with a wire brush.
*My engine stalls while accelerating
The first thing you need to ask your self is, does this normally happen on cold wet mornings when the engine is cold?
If the answer is yes, then the most probable cause is moisture in your distributor cap.
If you answered no to this question, has this problem become more frequent over time?
If yes, it sounds like you may have a vacuum leak that is causing your problem.
If the problem has not gotten worse over time you more then likely have a bad throttle position sensor.
*My gas mileage is not what it should be
There are literally dozens of reasons that could be causing poor gas mileage. We will take a look at some of the more common causes.
Check to make sure that your tires are not under inflated; this could cause extra friction between your tires and the road making your jeep work harder causing reduced gas mileage.
If you haven’t had a tune up on your jeep, this is more then likely the cause of your poor gas mileage. Give your jeep a tune up and be sure to change your air filter as this could also contribute to the problem.
We have only touched on a few of the more common problems people face while jeep troubleshooting. There are many great resources out that will make jeep troubleshooting much easier and fun for everyone.
Here are some other great resources you can use.
There is a software program that you can find online called Auto Tech that is inexpensive and easy to use.
Haynes repair manuals are also a great resource to use to make your troubleshooting a breeze. You can find these manuals at most auto parts stores.
Using the resources that are available to you both online and at your local parts store will make jeep troubleshooting a much more enjoyable experience.
S: Mark Neustedt, http://www.Best-Jeep-Guide.com
Buying Used Cars Online - Tips and Tactics
by: Hamm Morgan
The advent of the World Wide Web, or more popularly known as the Internet, has opened up opportunities unheard of before for both buyers and sellers. Never has the word global market meant exactly what it was supposed to be as the Internet literally cracked opened the world boundaries of every state on earth and in the process making everyone a potential buyer and seller.
Starting with the ubiquitous text messaging, the Internet is now growing by leaps and bounds were data uploading and downloading is almost a second nature. Buyers using this platform to sell their items are limited only in the most physical sense of marketing the product and even the stated restriction might not apply, with techno-geeks coming out with torrents of application which even enables very accurate 3-dimension rendering possible.
One sector which has yet to embrace wholly the Internet is the auto industry. At least not in a big way, although car makers all around the world are starting to tap into the huge potentials provided by the virtual reality as a marketing tool. Selling a car is a slightly trickier proposition as opposed to, say, selling books and magazine on line to faceless customers armed with only an internet connection and a credit card account.
There are of course portals which pioneers the way forward, hoping to tap into the global auto enthusiasts market as Amazon.com did for literature fan and lovers did. Among others is eBay Motors from the well-know barter trade online expert who started a site enabling users all over the world to post their items to trade - either for cash or other items.
Trying to achieve the same level of success in marketing of automobiles, however, has not been able tom achieved the same level of success with several constraints, the biggest of which the car buyers need to be up close and personal to the car of their choice. This is true even for the latest model. An online portal may just introduce the new model to the public, but there is simply no other substitute for them but to flock the showroom to see the actual car.
The one sector of the automobile which has found its niche in the new marketing tool, however, is the second hand market. Used cars sale techniques are normally the same all over the world, that is, potential buyers would have to search around for a particular model selling at a particular price which is agreeable to them. This is where the Internet\'s vast reach has been able to make a breakthrough.
Used car sellers now have the luxury of posting their used autos online instead of waiting for a potential customer to show up at their sites. The American affinity towards certain legendary models such as the Mustang or the Ford GT40, to name just two of the many superb models that had been produced by the number of car makes in the States, means that there is a market worth tapping.
Car enthusiasts looking for a specific model could simply tap into the vast online network to find the exact dream car, right down to the year of make, the engine displacement, how many miles it had gone through and, with some luck, complete with a picture of how it looks like. Ebay motors, for example, incorporate all these specifics in its portal, enabling potential customers to choose from a list of sellers all throughout the United States.
Of course, there is no telling if the auto on sale is actually what is represented on the computer screen, but once customers find what they are looking for, it is the a matter of proceeding to the showroom to view the actual car. Nothing beats the excitement of seeing a car in the flesh; being able to run our fingers through its flank, trying out its seats and imagining how it would drive even prior to turning the keys where a drive test is given, this would be the point of sale, which came courtesy of the internet.
The list of models available in the market could be quite extensive, from American car makers Buick, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GMC and Mercury to Japanese makes Honda, Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Toyota, or European makes, Volkswagen, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz, all of which has been around for quite some time, and offering a vast range of automobiles from vintage to the latest, fuel sipping hybrids.
The advent of the World Wide Web, or more popularly known as the Internet, has opened up opportunities unheard of before for both buyers and sellers. Never has the word global market meant exactly what it was supposed to be as the Internet literally cracked opened the world boundaries of every state on earth and in the process making everyone a potential buyer and seller.
Starting with the ubiquitous text messaging, the Internet is now growing by leaps and bounds were data uploading and downloading is almost a second nature. Buyers using this platform to sell their items are limited only in the most physical sense of marketing the product and even the stated restriction might not apply, with techno-geeks coming out with torrents of application which even enables very accurate 3-dimension rendering possible.
One sector which has yet to embrace wholly the Internet is the auto industry. At least not in a big way, although car makers all around the world are starting to tap into the huge potentials provided by the virtual reality as a marketing tool. Selling a car is a slightly trickier proposition as opposed to, say, selling books and magazine on line to faceless customers armed with only an internet connection and a credit card account.
There are of course portals which pioneers the way forward, hoping to tap into the global auto enthusiasts market as Amazon.com did for literature fan and lovers did. Among others is eBay Motors from the well-know barter trade online expert who started a site enabling users all over the world to post their items to trade - either for cash or other items.
Trying to achieve the same level of success in marketing of automobiles, however, has not been able tom achieved the same level of success with several constraints, the biggest of which the car buyers need to be up close and personal to the car of their choice. This is true even for the latest model. An online portal may just introduce the new model to the public, but there is simply no other substitute for them but to flock the showroom to see the actual car.
The one sector of the automobile which has found its niche in the new marketing tool, however, is the second hand market. Used cars sale techniques are normally the same all over the world, that is, potential buyers would have to search around for a particular model selling at a particular price which is agreeable to them. This is where the Internet\'s vast reach has been able to make a breakthrough.
Used car sellers now have the luxury of posting their used autos online instead of waiting for a potential customer to show up at their sites. The American affinity towards certain legendary models such as the Mustang or the Ford GT40, to name just two of the many superb models that had been produced by the number of car makes in the States, means that there is a market worth tapping.
Car enthusiasts looking for a specific model could simply tap into the vast online network to find the exact dream car, right down to the year of make, the engine displacement, how many miles it had gone through and, with some luck, complete with a picture of how it looks like. Ebay motors, for example, incorporate all these specifics in its portal, enabling potential customers to choose from a list of sellers all throughout the United States.
Of course, there is no telling if the auto on sale is actually what is represented on the computer screen, but once customers find what they are looking for, it is the a matter of proceeding to the showroom to view the actual car. Nothing beats the excitement of seeing a car in the flesh; being able to run our fingers through its flank, trying out its seats and imagining how it would drive even prior to turning the keys where a drive test is given, this would be the point of sale, which came courtesy of the internet.
The list of models available in the market could be quite extensive, from American car makers Buick, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GMC and Mercury to Japanese makes Honda, Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Toyota, or European makes, Volkswagen, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz, all of which has been around for quite some time, and offering a vast range of automobiles from vintage to the latest, fuel sipping hybrids.
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