With carjackers and wiser thieves preying on vehicles today, the need to be safe and secure with various initiatives has become a growing need. However, the problem is that some car owners fail to be well-oriented on the preventive measures for such incidents, something that Lo Jack and the National Insurance Crime Bureau want to enhance with the Third Annual Vehicle Theft Protection Education Initiative.

“In today’s challenging economy, many people are keeping their vehicles longer, which is creating a brisk business for thieves who steal popular cars, trucks, motorcycles and heavy equipment, strip them down and sell off the parts,” said D.J. Thompson, Law Enforcement Director for LoJack and theft prevention expert.

As references to help motorists to become aware of such threats, added resources have been put up by the two groups:

• New Audio Podcast: In LoJack and NICB’s latest educational podcast (http://bit.ly/4raiEx), a victim of vehicle theft details how his 2000 Honda Civic was stolen, taken to Mexico and later recovered.
• New Twitter Page: LoJack and NICB’s Vehicle Theft Protection Twitter page – http://twitter.com/TheftProtection – is designed to help drivers better understand how to protect their cars, trucks and motorcycles from theft.
• Downloadable Booklet: “Get in the Know” – http://bit.ly/kZt94 – is an educational booklet co-produced by LoJack and NICB that details the steps owners can take to protect their vehicles from theft.

(Source) Press

Tags: brisk business, car owners, education initiative, educational booklet, heavy equipment, honda civic, lo jack, lojack, motorists, national insurance crime bureau, nicb, popular cars, preventive measures, theft prevention, thieves, twitter, vehicle theft protection

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Due to slumping demand, Ford Motors has halted operations for its plant in Russia. For now, it seems that workers will have to make do with the one-third pay from their normal wages for the duration of the shutdown phase. Operations are said to continue in June although this will only be for a four-day work week until October.

“We have suspended production at the Vsevolozhsk factory because of the market situation and forecasts for falling sales in the automobile industry,” spokeswoman Yekaterina Kulinenko

Ford’s assembly line in Vsevolozhsk, near Russia’s second city, has produced the Focus and Mondeo models for sale on the Russian market since 2002 and employs about 200,000 people.

The highest selling vehicle of Ford in Russia is the Ford Focus. However, due to the spreading economic turmoil, Ford is also experiencing a sales slump thus the need to make the necessary preventive measures to avoid adding more loses for the embattled U.S. car making giant.

(Source) AFP

Tags: assembly line, automobile industry, duration, economic turmoil, Ford, ford focus, ford motors, ford plant, giant source, market situation, models, mondeo, phase operations, preventive measures, Russia, russian market, second city, spokeswoman, wages

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Spring may be just another season for us, but it is also a time where proper maintenance for your car takes a change. With a little love and tender care, your ride can be ready for spring in no time. CarMax, Inc., the nation’s largest retailer of used cars, and its master technicians, offer advice on how to spruce up your car for spring during National Car Care month.

“Spring is one of the most critical times for vehicle maintenance,” said Tom Damon, ASE Master Technician for CarMax. “Harsh winter conditions can adversely affect your car. Regular vehicle maintenance avoids unexpected costly repairs.”

To help your car recover from the damaging effects of winter, CarMax technicians suggest that drivers perform the following five tasks in the spring:

1. Take your car to an automatic car wash that has an under-carriage wash. This can help remove corrosive residues left behind by winter road treatments used to melt ice and snow.
2. Wash and wax your car. The wax will protect the paint from damaging UV rays.
3. Change the oil and filter every 3,000 miles or at the manufacture’s recommendation and have the air filter and PCV valve checked and replaced if needed. Winter temperatures can cause the formation of harmful condensation and acids in the engine oil.
4. Have your vehicle diagnosed by an automotive professional. If the engine is not running smoothly or any other conditions arise, preventive measures can help extend the life of your vehicle and improve gas mileage.
5. Have a qualified automotive technician check:

• The condition of the engine coolant, belts, and hoses; hoses deteriorate from the inside out and summer driving gives your cooling system a workout.
• All the lights and lenses for cracks; you should also replace wiper blades each spring and fall to ensure optimum visibility in all weather conditions.
• The tires for any abnormalities (including the spare); the tire pressure should also be set at the level specified for your vehicle.
• All the wheels and inspect the brakes thoroughly for damage due to corrosion since most states use salt, sand or other chemicals to melt snow and ice on the roads. During this process, it is also a good idea to have the tires rotated.
• Your vehicle’s steering and suspension for loose, worn or damaged components often caused by potholes and other road irregularities.
• The car battery, since it works much harder in the summer months and you’ll want to be prepared.
• The air conditioner, so you can avoid the wait if you need to have it repaired during the summer.

(Source) Press

Tags: automatic car wash, carmax, costly repairs, critical times, engine coolant, gas mileage, master technicians, national car care month, preventive measures, snow wash, vehicle maintenance, weather conditions, winter road, winter temperatures

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After getting a failing grade by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for rear collisions, it seems that Toyota has learned its lesson and added some new preventive measures to spare Toyota 4runners from road accidents.

Since 2008, all Toyota 4Runners come equipped with side curtain airbags to help prevent head injuries. They also added front-seat-mounted side-impact airbags thus providing added protection for all 4Runner vehicles.

At least now, Toyota 4Runner owners can look forward to safer motoring since you never know when a freak accident may suddenly occur on the road.

(Source) Ask Cars

Tags: Cars, collisions, curtain, head injuries, Insurance, insurance institute for highway safety, preventive measures, road accidents, Toyota, toyota 4runner, toyota 4runners

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