Diesel Versus Gasoline

A diesel engine will go much farther on a gallon of fuel that the standard gasoline engine because of their designs, and due to the higher energy density of a gallon of diesel fuel.  But, it also takes a bit more oil to manufacture a gallon of diesel than a gallon of gas, with  the production and refining processes for  diesel producing more gases that trap heat.

Therefore, when you consider the relative merits of deisel and gas cars, try knocking the MPG estimates for the diesel car down by 20 percent. A diesel vehicle will cost you a bit more,  so you'll get more bang for your buck from a gasoline vehicle. 

The nasty rumors you hear about diesel are  true as well - diesel is less refined than gas, or in other terms it's dirtier.  Diesel  vehicles also emit more particulate matter and NOx, both of which are serious health hazards and air pollutants.  Current diesel engines are more polluting per each mile they are driven than gas engines. 

Using biodiesel on the other hand, will improve this situation.  If biodiesel is available in your area, you'll still need to examine  whether a diesel is the right vehicle for you.

When you consider the facts, you have to ask yourself which models you can afford, what is the MPG, will engine be succifient for you, and the number of passengers the vehicle will accommodate.  Then, given your budget, you can go from there.

There are numerous gas and diesel vehicles available, all you have to do is decide which one is right for you.  If you research carefully, you'll have the perfect vehicle for your entire family.

Diesel Fuel Quality

 

The designs of diesel engines striving to increase performance have made a lot of advancements in engine fuel delivery to the combustion chamber.  The diesel engines of today are much quieter, smoother, and also more powerful.  The quality of diesel fuel on  the other hand has not advanced at the same rate as the improvements of engines. 

As soon as it is produced, diesel fuel begins to deteriorate.  Less than 30 days of refining, all diesel fuel, regardless of the brand, goes through a natural process called oxidation.  This process forms varnishes and gums in the fuel by causing the molecules of the fuel to lengthen and start bonding together. 

Now, these components will drop to the bottom of the fuel tank and form diesel sludge.  The fuel will begin to turn very dark in color, smell bad, and cause the engine to smoke.  The engine starts to smoke as some of these clusters are small enough to pass through the engine filtration and on to the combustion chamber.

As the clusters begin to increase in size, only a small amount of the molecules will get burned, as the rest will go out the exhaust as unburned fuel and smoke. 

Its estimated that eight out of every ten diesel engine failures are directly related to poor quality and contaminated fuel.  The build up of contamination in the fuel systems and storage tanks can clog filters, thereby causing the engine to shut down, and damage to the engine to occur.

The number one reason for bad fuel is due to the increasing popularity of diesel power and the accompanying increased demand for more diesel fuel. Long ago, diesel fuel remained in the refinery storage tanks long enough to naturally seperate and begin to settle, allowing the clean fuel to be drawn apart.  Now, with the demand getting higher than ever, the fuel is never stationary long enough to settle, and the suspended water and solids are passed on to the person buying the fuel - you.

The changes in refinery techniques is also a problem.  In order to get more products, diesel fuel is being refined for more marginal portions of the crude barrel.  This results in a lower grade product that is thicker and also contains a lot more contamination.

As time continues to pass and technology gets better and better, one can only hope that the quality of diesel fuel improves.  As it stands now, the quality isn't good at all.  If you run diesel fuel, all you can basically hope for is that the fuel you are getting isn't contaminated.

Diesel Engines Forgotten Treasures

There are very few engine configurations that promise increased fuel economy and power.  There are few engines that offer this in addition to reliability. Today, those across the ocean are enjoying the  fruits of diesel technology revolution.   

Diesels have experienced a great history here in the United States.  In 1980, General Motors modified their 350ci gas V8 to run on diesel fuel.  The result however, wasn't that god.  These engines offered better fuel economy but little else.  

They were very slow, and not very reliable.Mercedes Benz on the other hand, had better luck in the 1980s with an array of vehicles available with diesel engines.  

These great vehicles offered amazing durability although they were rough, noisy, and smoked quite a bit.  Volkswagon offered diesel as well, although they had a habit for spewing blue smoke from the tail pipe.

Throughout the 90s, Benz and Volkwagon offered diesel vehicles in the United States, with each generation becoming cleaner, smoother, and more powerful than the last.  Overall, they were a  tough sell as they still lacked the horsepower that many were seeking.

Today, Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar, Volkswagon, Ford, and many other manufacturers are offering diesels to many markets throughout the world.  To put it simple, forget everything you know or think you know about diesel engines in the United States.

These newer engines benefit from hundreds of technical innovations.  There are several diesels in Europe that offer better acceleration than their gasoline counter parts.  BMW's 120d has 163bhp, goes 0 - 60 in under 8 seconds, and achieves 49.6 miles per gallon.

Benz offers the C320 CDI SE that has 224bhp, and over 360 lb foot of torque.  This car gets just under 48 mpg on the highway, with an acceleration of 0 - 60 in under 7 seconds.  Throughout North America, you won't find a gasoline engine that offers this unique blend of fuel economy and  excellent performance.

The reason why diesels haven't caught on in  North America comes down to one word - sulfur.  We have too much sulfur in the diesel here in the United States.  This cheap grade of diesel fuel will run havoc on the more sophisticated diesels offered overseas and cause an increase in emissions.  

There is hope however, as refiners will soon be producing what is known as ultra low sulfur  diesel fuel.  This will help to reduce the sulfur content from 500ppm to 15ppm. 

Diesel Engines And Well Known Gas

In passenger cars, the diesel engine has never really caught on.  During the middle to late 70s, diesel engines in passenger cars did notice a surge in  sales due to the OPEC oil embargo, although that is the only real significant penetration that diesel engines have made in the market.

Although diesel engines are more efficient, there are eight historical problems that may have held them back.

1.  Due to the higher compression ratios, diesel engines tend be heavier than the equivalent gasoline engine.
    

2.  Diesel vehicles and diesel engines tend to be more expensive than gas.
    

3.  Because of their weight and compression ratio, diesel engines tend to have lower RPM ranges than gas engines.  This gives diesel engines more torque rather than higher horsepower, and this tends to make diesel vehicles slower in terms of acceleration.

4.  Diesel engines have to be fuel injected, and in the past fuel injection was very expensive and less reliable.
    

5.  Diesel engines tend to produce more smoke and smell very funny when compared to gasoline engines.
    

6.  They are harder to start in cold weather and if they contain glow plugs, the diesel engines may require you to wait before you start the engine so that the glow plugs can heat up.
    

7.  Diesel engines are much noisier than gas engines and tend to vibrate quite a bit.
    

8.  Diesel fuel is less available than gas.

Although one or two of these disadvantages would be acceptable, a group of them is a big turn away for many people.

Even though the list above are reasons in the past as to why diesel never really took off, you can expect these reasons to get corrected and improved in the future, meaning that you will see more and more diesel vehicles on the road.

Diesel And Gas Prices

Over the years, the prices of both gas and diesel have experienced some drastic changes.  Many years ago, the price of gas was around a dollar or a little more, nothing like it is today.  Back then, gas wasn't high in price although the demand for vehicles wasn't what it is today either.

As the demand for vehicles grew, the demand for  fuel grew as well.  Other actions and events have played into the equation as well, resulting in the rising costs of fuel.  Fuel is something we all need to run our vehicles, as we wouldn't be able to go anywhere without it. 

As you may know, a majority of the gas we get at local gas stations comes from overseas, primarily the Middle East.  Therefore, we have to pay taxes and such on the gas we use, which pays for the gas as well as the shipping.  If we got our gas from within the United States, one can't help but wonder whether or not the prices would indeed be lower.

Diesel on the other hand, has always managed to keep a price lower than gas.  Diesel comes from within the United States, so the prices are of course going to be lower.  The only problem associated with diesel fuel is locating it, as many gas stations don't sell it.

When it comes to the choice between the two, diesel fuel is obviously cheaper to buy.  Gas is in supply more, which means that you can find it almost anywhere.  If you own a gasoline vehicle, you obviously don't want to put diesel in it.  If you own a diesel vehicle, then you of course wouldn't want to put gas in it either.

Advantages Of Diesel Engines

If you've owned a diesel powered vehicle in the past or if you own one now, you no doubt appreciate the qualities this engine provides you with.  More torque, better fuel economy, and easier maintenance are but a few of the attributes of owning diesel powered vehicles. 

However, there are some motorists that still complain about the engine's weak power, especially when accelerating from a full stop.  What you may not be aware of is the fact that a diesel engine can be tweaked to give more power without harming the fuel economy. 

Diesel engines use air compression to create combustion versus the fuel/air mixture that is required by gas engines.  This attribute means that diesel engines don't require spark plugs and therefore don't need to be tuned up.

Diesel fuel has a much high fuel density than gas, which results in fuel economy increases of 20 - 30% over gasoline powered vehicles.

Diesel engines are also cheaper to maintain as they have less parts than that of a gasoline powered engine.  The life span of a diesel engine is also much longer.

If you're looking for torque, for pulling a boat or other equipment, then the diesel engine has the supreme advantage.  Diesel engines are surely slower, especially when starting from a dead stop, although when you climb hills or go over bridges, the diesel engine is surely up to the task.

With trucks, diesel is normally the leader over gas engines in terms of performance and miles per gallon.  Diesel trucks will get  more miles than gas trucks, and the price for diesel is a bit cheaper than gas these days. And with gas prices on the rise, diesel will continue to dominate for a long time to come.

Detailing your Car Wheels

In order to effectively detail your car, you have to know the categories first. There is the non-painted wheel and the painted one. Both of these wheel categories have one thing in common and that is have a brake dust. There is no way that dust can be an exemption. Even the most expensive car is not exempted from acquiring as much dust as there is. 

Brake dust is something that is responsible for coating the outside portion of your wheel and goes to detracting appearance. Sources of brake dust are the part that is close to it which is the brake pads. When these pads wear off, they become the dust that coats the brake. 

Fear not, for there is a solution to these pesky brake dusts. Special cleaners meant for wheels are very much available in automobile stores which are designed to extract brake dusts and are to be purchased accommodate non-painted and painted wheels.

Not sure about the paint of your wheels? You can take some polish, it should be the lighter one, then put it on the white towel, rub it on the area of your car’s wheel. If you see a black color from your rag, then you have a wheel that is non-painted which means its surface is made of metal. 

On the other hand, if you have see that your towel has the same color as your wheel, then it must be painted. If you don’t see any black but then again the wheel seems to have a metallic surface, there is a possibility that you have a wheel that’s clear coated. On encountering clear-coated wheels, you can just treat it the way you would treat painted wheels.

In case you have a wheel that is non-painted, you have to determine the kind of material that was used in order to use the appropriate cleaner. The treatment of the surface can make considerable difference which should not be disregarded. If you’re not sure about the requirements of different surfaces, you can consult the manual of factories which supplied your car with its wheels. 

It is more advisable that you separate your car’s surface washing from cleaning of your wheel. This will lessen or entirely avoid any kind of scratches because the tires and wheels tend to contain large amounts of dirt particles. If you use the same sponge or mitt, you can transfer the particles coming from the wheels to the surface paint of your car which, in turn, may cause scratches.

You have to keep in mind that wheels are the ones that get all the dirt and are considered as one of the dirtiest places of your car therefore, you have to give a more aggressive cleaning attention. If you clean your wheels in a separate manner, you can use a detergent that has a higher concentration which you should not use on the car’s actual surface because it will cause wax removal.

You have to make sure that all parts of the car are removed from the area to be able to effectively clean all parts. Washing the parts separately will give you a more efficient car detailing job. Be sure that you don’t lose the parts that you have removed to be able to put them back in proper places. And, try to remember the way you removed it in order for you to put it back on properly.

Putting Up Your Own Car Valeting and Detailing Business

With so many business owners of car valeting and detailing service today, if you ever decide to put up the same kind of business, you must be able to come up with new ideas so as to exceed your customer’s expectations. 

This is the only way to make the most of referrals. For starters, don’t spend too much money on advertising through the yellow pages and instead allocate the money for their respective technicians as incentives for a good job done. 

Another thing that you might want to consider is applying for a telephone line. Your business should have a contact number so that it’ll be easier to reach customers and for customers to reach you. Once you have the phone line, you must have someone who will answer the phone when someone calls. 

That person should have excellent communicating skills to encourage the prospects. This is also one way to ensure that all calls are handled properly. You must hire a person who will take care of all the inquiries or may be, if you’re a good speaker, you could be that individual (at least you know your business quite well, right?)

Go into the details of the shop. Your car valeting and detailing crew or technicians should wear their uniforms with the business logo. The technicians and crew can simply wear dark blue or black shorts and a polo shirt with logo as their uniforms. When a customer happens to drop by, he or she will see that your crew and technicians are presentable. 

As the owner of the business, you should also give proper attention to the bays in your shop. If your business is divided into wholesale and personal detailing services, you should have two bays for it. By designating two bays for the wholesale and personal services, your shop will be more organized. 

Advertising is still essential for the success of the business. If you’re business offers quality services, your customers can already promote it by word of mouth advertising. But you should still consider direct mail ads to supplement the customer referrals. 

When a customer asks for a personal car valeting and detailing service, don’t forget to leave a heartfelt thank you note because this will surely capture your customer’s attention and heart, especially the ladies. 

Owners of the business, even the crew and technicians, should never appear arrogant or egotistical to a customer. Don’t forget to provide a clean waiting area for the customers and probably a TV set and some magazines to entertain them. 

Your business should be in a strategic location which customers can easily access. It should be too far from the main streets so that the shop will be easier to locate. If you consider all these things and incorporate it in your car valeting and detailing service, your business will soon be booming. 

Customers will surely come flooding your shop especially if your technicians are among the best. Give your technicians and service crew some form of incentives so that they can improve their services. That way, they will be encouraged to work hard to impress you and the customers as well. 

Car valeting and detailing can be a worthwhile business but only if you know how to handle the different aspects of the business. Don’t forget to follow the things mentioned awhile ago because it will be of good use to you. 

Profits out of Auto Detailing Hobbies

For car owners who put their auto on an upscale position, auto detailing is definitely on their list. As cars are growing, as so is the demand for better care. That is why auto detailing is generating income of about eight billion in revenue.

 Who says that there is no income in the knowledge of cleaning and fixing cars? It is all in how things are done and managed. What are the things that you should have when putting up a business like this?

Knowledge

You must know something about cars either small or big. Customers consider their car as part of their family because they have worked hard just to bring in the bacon home. That is why it is of utmost importance that you know something about cars before venturing in the business. 

If you already have the idea, then all you will need is some background on running the business. Money is just secondary but interest should be a must.

Parking

You need to have a place to do the work. You can do it inside your garage and yet, that would be pretty messy. You can get yourself an executive parking lot to nest your business. You have to get a permit from the city office to form the business in order to acquire permission and authority over that place. This is very much convenient to employees who have no time to drive their cars that would take those 2 hours to drive just to achieve detailing.

In this kind of mobile operation, you will need a pickup truck or van and running water access. There are companies in some cities that customize and convert trucks into auto shops for detailing with its own portable generator and water reservoir.

Million Dollar Cars

Detailers will state that the bulkiness of their business comes from the dealers but in reality, to be able to have a car announced in an auction, one must have their cars detailed first. That is how competitive the market is. However, the market still depends on the cars driving through and from every angle. These are the cars that needs for a detailing job for twice in every year.

Budget

You have to consider that for a business to rise from its steeps is to have a sufficient budget. Without money to run the detailing job, it is impossible to expect a lot. You also have to consider the people who will be working for you.

On the other hand, once you have constructed your business, you have to introduce a competitive price that would be accepted by the people who wanted a reachable price. You have to offer what other car wash services do not offer. Comparing prices, it usually ranges from $35 to $70 every detailing service. These prices will also depend on how the customer wanted your their car detail should turn out.

Prices that are this reachable will open a competitive market that provides customer’s stream.  Furthermore, you can provide a list of priced services for the people to know what they will avail. If you achieve a quota of at least 5 customers a day, it’s a living.

If the budget still demands, you can go on advertising your auto detailing shop locally so that people will know and maybe, in time, you can expand it.

Making Your Car Look New Again With Car Detailing

Every time you use your car, it is subjected to the harshness of the environment. In fact, even if you don’t use your car, it will still accumulate dust and dirt that can definitely affect your car in a negative way. 

Bird droppings, tar and other contaminants can ruin the paint job of your car too and you also need to consider the heat of the sun, rain, and other factors which can affect the exterior as well as the interior of the car.

Surely, what you want is to maintain the same brand new look of your car when you just got it out of the show room. You also want the leather seats to be as soft as it was before. Even if you are the most cautious  driver in the world, your car will still be subjected to wear and tear. 

From scratches, to dents, to chips, to nicks on the paint, you have to remember that the environment is the number one enemy of your car's finish.

However, although these things are what you can consider as the car owner's nightmare, there are ways on how you will be able to provide a remedy for it. With the available car valeting and detailing services today, you will see that your car will still have a chance to get that brand new look.

You need to remember that cheap car shampoos, soaps, and brushes can wear down the quality of your car's finish. In fact, it will make the paint look dull and remove its luster. This is why you may want to try avoiding cleaning your car with cheap stuff as it contains harsh chemicals that will affect the luster of your car's paint finish.

Also, you have to remember that you can scratch your car if you don’t take care in polishing it. You have to remember that if you want a car polished the right way, you have to use chamois as this is one of the softest fabrics that will never scratch the surface of your car.

If you want to make your car look like new again, then you might want to consider getting the services of a car detailer or a professional car valeting service. They are trained professionals that know everything there is to know about car maintenance, especially when it comes to maintaining the aesthetics of the car.

From the paint job, to the chrome, to the leather seats as well as the carpeting, you will see that they will be able to recondition it to the point that it will look good enough to put in a car show.

They will be able to remove everything from traffic film, to grime, to tar, to squashed bugs to minor rust buildup in your car's body.

Also, they will be able to clean and detail the engine. By getting rid of the grime, dust and grease from the engine, you will see a much more detailed engine that is shiny and looks like that it just came off the line from the factory.

So, if you really want to make your car look like brand new, you should try getting the services of car detailing and valeting professionals. With their skills and expertise, you can be sure that you will have a car that looks and feels like brand new.