Pimp Up Yo’ Ride! Why You Need A Good Car Stereo System

You’ve got a nice pearled paint job. You’ve got your 18’ sized chrome mags. You’ve got an interior job that looks like a dream. But all of that would be superficial if you don’t have a good car stereo system in your ride.

A good car stereo system is a marvel to experience, just like a poorly constructed car stereo system is such a pity to look at. The price is a big factor, but not all expensive hardware perform well if installed haphazardly, or if hooked up with incompatible hardware. It is also subjective, just as some of us find black cars more appealing than other color cars. If you like your car stereo system more than any other in the same vehicle, then you have the best.

If you like some other car stereo system more than yours in the same vehicle, then that one is better. Only you can decide which is best for you. For a car stereo system to be a good or great, it must first meet or exceed the user's expectations.

The type of vehicle also plays a major part in what kind car stereo system you should build. For some people, after only being in a few vehicles their ears recognize the inherent characteristics of this unique environment. Most of what we hear in a vehicle is a recording of the original artist in a given environment, usually in two channel stereo which can be playing in a totally different environment with the listeners placed in awkward listening positions relative to the placement of speakers. A great car stereo system is created with the understanding of acoustics, basic electronics, and the different products that are to be used.

A good idea is to gain references to compare to your auto audio system or any other and experience it live in as many different environments as possible. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to go to expos’ and conventions. As you hop from exhibit to exhibit you'll immediately notice the difference in sound characteristics of each setup. You will find some car stereo systems that you prefer over others, if not a favorite and that is the way to choose a cheap car stereo system that you like. Also ask for specs, they’ll gladly give it to you.

The benefits of aftermarket speakers are: they have a larger frequency response (more music coming through the car stereo speakers), more power handling capabilities, they will brighten your highs and increase your auto audio system bass. There are two types of CAR speakers available: the dual cone and the two way. A dual cone has a small paper cone built into a larger paper cone.

Amplifiers are the backbone of your car stereo system. Weak amplifiers damage good car stereo speakers, not the other way around. Amplifiers provides musical power and contributes greatly to the elimination of distortion and the upgrade of sound clarity. The size of the amplifiers will be proportionate to the level of power you want. You can tell a good power amp by turning the auto stereo system above half volume and still hearing clear amplification. Bear in mind that the more power you have the better control you have over your system.

A good car stereo system is something to show for. It can bring satisfaction to you, the owner, and to those who will witness it. It will also raise the quality and value of your car in case you wish to resell it.

How To: A Car Stereo Installation Guide

Want to save some money? Ever wonder if you could do a car stereo installation yourself? Yes, you can do it yourself! Go ahead, spend that money on your hardware! Don’t spend it on labor. Besides, doing a car stereo installation yourself can be a very rewarding experience, not to mention you can learn a lot from it too. Nothing beats the feeling of seeing your “creation” in action, running smoothly and perfectly.

But be very careful, you really won’t want to damage your expensive hardware. Well, most car audio hardware are no-brainers to install, you’d find that most of the time the parts have specially shaped sockets and slots etc. and would only fit where it’s supposed to be installed. Still, it’s best to proceed methodically.

In a car stereo installation, you have to determine what kind of rig you’re going to put into your vehicle. If you’re a beginner, it’s best you do a car stereo installation if it’s just a simple system. You may want to leave the complicated stuff to the professionals, like installing delicate equipment like LCD panels, motorized parts etc. especially if it requires the creation of custom panels and such.

Head units are one of the easiest to do in a car stereo installation. Fortunately, most units follow the same size standards (DIN). In many cars, once the factory radio is removed the aftermarket radio will fit in the hole. In many other cars, a kit is needed if the factory hole is too big, or not deep enough. In some cases the dash has to be cut. Any car stereo store should have kits required for installation.

There are two types of mounting in a car stereo installation. ISO mounting is when the radio can be screwed to existing factory radio brackets, such as in most Japanese cars. Ring mounting is when an aftermarket radio comes with a metal ring that gets mounted to the factory radio hole or aftermarket kit via bendable tabs. In many cars, dash and trim rings have to be filed to enlarge the radio hole. Once the ring is installed, the radio slides in and is held by snaps. In most cases, special tools are required to remove the radio.

Speakers are very critical in a car stereo installation. No matter how expensive your speakers are, if they are not properly installed, the sound will not be up to par.

In a simple car stereo installation, you’ll probably be using speakers that fit into a factory location. Just make sure there are no gaps or holes. Sometimes building a wood or fiberglass baffle helps reduce holes and gives you much better sound. But always be careful when using power tools around speakers. Car stereo installation warranties usually don't cover holes in speakers.

For unconventional speaker locations, sometimes metal has to be cut. You might want to leave this to the professionals, tools like plasma cutters and pneumatics drills are required. But if you’re going to insist, a pair of metal snips (left and right cut) will do.

A car stereo installation has to put up with vibrations and other noise sources in its environment. Even though it is impossible to eliminate these completely, there are products that will greatly decrease the noise and rattling, particularly on non-luxury cars. Liners, sprays and adhesive strips and even carpeting applied onto the panels can make a world of difference.

Cheap Car Rental

In today’s world of competitive marketing and cutthroat competition, a customer can’t really predict whether the deal he/she is closing will benefit her or not, most of the time most, consumers, just go on with the deal just to avoid all the hassle of inquiring for more economic alternatives, or discounts. This also applies to car rentals, nowadays, it’s hard to call anything a cheap car rental, with the inflation rate of products, continuing gas price increase it’s hard to keep product prices down, so here are a few tips to keep your car rentals cheap, even if every other factor is making it expensive.

1.Reserve your cheap car rental internet sites instead of over the counter ones. Internet sites, offer internet only discounts which could very beneficial for you, cheap car rentals can be achieved by being witty, put discounts like these to your advantage and you’re sure to save a lot.

2.One way to get cheap car rentals is to try to get the most out of your rental. Most car rentals require you to fill the tank when you return it, so on your way to returning the rented car, fill it up with the cheapest type of gas you could find, you’ll save more than when they make you pay for the gas at an inflated rate.

3.If you can, always rent at only one Car Company, companies give you cheap car rentals for frequently renting their cars, discounts, coupons and sometimes even miles.

4.Ask the car rentals if you can exchange your flyers miles for car rental miles. This is especially useful when your flyer’s miles is about to expire, instead of just letting it go to waste, get a cheap car rental for it.

5.For a cheap car rental, try to make reservations as early as possible, car rental; companies give discounts for customers who reserve early.

6.To get your rental cheaper, pick up your car early in the morning, just as the shop is opening, so that there will be a shortage on the cheap car rentals, at this point, the renters may give you a free or a marked down upgrade.

7.Look for packages like hotels and rental packages or if you want a cheaper car rental find a package that includes air fare, car rental and hotel stay, these packages give you great discounts on all three, so if you’re planning to do all, I suggest you get a package deal to get the most out of your money.

8.To get a cheap car rental at your own, price, find rent-at-your-own-price internet sites that look for the best possible deal with the budget that you’ve given them, but be careful with this, review the company’s history first before you get into it, or make sure that there are no other cheaper means before you close the deal, remember, once you make a reservation, you can’t cancel it.

9.If you’re going to use the car for more than five days try to find weekly rates from car rentals, with weekly rates, the sixth and seventh day are almost always discounted, so look for this when you’re out for a cheap car rental.

10.Instead of picking up your rental at the airport, save money by picking it up at the shop, this’ll reduce airport surcharges.

How to get a car rental?

There’s more to renting the car than just reserving it and paying for it, to make sure that you get the best deal follow these steps and tips.

STEPS:

1.Choose three to four car rental firms that fit your wants and needs, do this either through the phonebook, or through the internet, remember to scan every possible firm before you make a choice, you don’t want to overlook the best car rental because you got bored from looking

2.Contact the agency and ask about their special offers, location, availability, pickup sites, rates, special rates, hotel and airline partnerships, extra charges, insurance, everything you can think of that can help lower what you have to pay for your car rental, or what would make the car rental more convenient for you.

3.Choose a pickup point; find one that is near you so it won’t be a hassle, some car rental companies pay for the cab ride you have to take, some pick you up at your home or at the airport to take you to your rental.

4.Pick a car, depending on your needs, find a car that could fit all the people you’ll have in it, and if you’re alone just use a compact, some rentals charge higher for larger vehicles.

5.The next thing to do, after you’ve totally decided on which to take, remember to reserve it, some car rentals include the reservation fee on the overall rent, some make it out to be an extra fee, you should also look out for this when get a car rental.

TIPS

For the best deals for your money here are some tips when looking, finding and taking out a car rental.

1.When getting a car rental check for available upgrades at no charge, you’d want the best deal so you’d want the best car, to do this, you should go pickup your car early in the morning, when the other cars haven’t been returned yet, this way there would be a shortage on economy cars and the firm might just give you an upgrade for a lower price.

2.Get an internet car rental. These types of rentals offer internet only discounts, and sometimes even accepts find a car at your own price methods where you just give them your budget and they’ll find the best deal for you, plus you wont have to go anywhere to get a rental.

3.Fill the gas tank before you return your car, car rentals will charge you, at an inflated price, the cost of the gas needed to fill the tank.

4.Look for packages like fly-drive-stay or fly-drive, these will get you great discounts on rentals, and what’s more you won’t have to worry about other details like a hotel or an airline, everything’s there. You can find these packages on must travel agencies.

5.If your frequent flyer discount or free flight is about to expire, there are some car rental companies that offer to exchange these discounts to discounts on your car rental, although its more cost effective to just fly with your frequent flyer discount, if its going to expire anyway, why wait?

These are just a few of the things you’ll need to know, but always remember to be pesky, ask questions, ask for discounts, the only reason why people don’t get better value for the things they buy is because they’re too shy to ask.

Challenges of Car Rental in Germany

In spite of not being the common favorite among tourists, Germany, a country that is totally rich with culture and heritage has somewhat been able to generate a good following still. Still trying to forget about their gloomy past, Germany hasn’t quite been able to detach itself from the awful Holocaust era during World War I. Still, as being one of the most progressive countries in the world, Germany has somewhat been able to pick itself up from the ashes of its dark and awful past to show the world that they’re not a conceited and arrogant nation after all.

With the well-balanced mix of modernity and lush country sides, touring around Germany is sure to be a wonderful adventure that you’re sure to remember – if only you have a car to use for your sightseeing. Car rental Germany isn’t really that hard to book, well, just to be safe, a good piece of advice is to book you car rental Germany, way before you even set foot in the country.

As industrialized and urban as they may be, unfortunately, Germans aren’t really that fluent in conversing in English so it’s highly likely for you to not be able to be able to communicate well with them. It’s best that you find a good, reputable and affordable car rental for Germany while you’re still planning your trip, this way, you can spare your self the hassle of ending up with a vehicle that you’re not comfortable in, much worse, nothing at all. While planning out the places you want and most likely will visit during your stay in Germany, map out the distances from each of your chosen places, try to assess if it’s really more practical to avail of car rental Germany or if it’s still best (and cheaper) to just take the mass transportation vehicles.

Also, how long are you actually going to stay in Germany? Would your expenses actually allow you to still avail of car rental Germany? Also, another very important point to remember is, driving in Germany – as well as in other European countries, requires you to drive on the right side of the road. A lot of people have actually had some difficulty with regards to this so you might as well take note of this before actually booking for your self a car rental for Germany. If this proves to be a hassle for you, ask your vacation companions if they’re comfortable driving on the right side of the road, anyone who’s more than willing to act as your designated driver will solve your problem easily.

However, if you’re traveling alone or your companions can’t drive on the right side of the road, worse, if they can’t drive at all but you’re sure that car rental Germany is what will make your stay in Germany worthwhile, prepare your wallet for booking your self a professional driver. Ask the car rental Germany agency to book you with someone who speaks good English, doesn’t need to be superb nor remarkably fluent but someone who can at least understand what you’re saying and vice-versa.

There’s nothing worse than being stuck in a foreign country with a hired driver who you can’t communicate with, aside from being a total waste of money, you’re bound to leave Germany with a big headache. Don’t be daunted by this “little obstacles”, just plan ahead and you’re sure to be able to enjoy your vacation in Germany completely with no hassles plus you’ll be somewhat of an expert when it comes to car rental Germany.

Sunny California Car Rental

California has been able to generate quite a number of tourists year after year, with its sunny skies, favorable weather and nice beaches, a lot of people have really been flocking to this golden paradise to enjoy and live their life to the fullest. Unlike other states, like New York for example, wherein it’s pretty to get around Manhattan even without the aid of a car, California however, with its wide and long streets, actually requires you to rent a car for your own vacation pleasure, independence and best of all, convenience. Here are some quick tips and reminders when it comes to California car rental.

For first time California tourists, its best if you have a friend or relative who can actually show you around the place but if not, a reputable California car rental service is what’ll help you make your vacation be an unforgettable one. Arm your self with the proper materials and information when it comes to choosing which California car rental that you wish to avail the services of.

To help get your self started onwards your quest to finding the perfect California car rental agency that’ll best suit your needs, wants and most importantly, budget, it’s best to consult your travel agent on which California car rental agency that he/she would actually recommend to you. The number of available California car rental agencies may tend to overwhelm you at the start, making you unsure whether or not you’re getting the services of a reputable agency. Well do try to heed my advice and ask around, it really won’t hurt you if you do. Apart from knowing what California car rental agencies are actually out there, you even get broaden your knowledge about travel prerequisites such as this one.

Try to map out the places, beaches, amusement parks or wherever it is that you want to go to, way before you actually embark on your trip. It really is much wiser if you plan things carefully and thoroughly way ahead of schedule because this way you get to free yourself from possible headaches and hassles that can be usually caused by not planning ahead. Try to see if the services of a California car rental is really what you need, if it’s actually a cheaper way for you to get around the city as compared to taking mass transport. Evidently, opting to take the California care rental will make your vacation a lot convenient, think about it thoroughly and assess what actually are your priorities when it comes to taking this trip.

There is really a lot that you can do to make your vacations worthwhile and fun, just always remember to plan, plan, plan ahead. Weigh out all the options that you can find and try to be practical in picking out the best possible one. California car rental, to be honest isn’t really that bad, you’re bound to get a good deal somewhere, somehow. It’s just a matter of knowing where to look and having the patience to canvass and compare prices for California car rental services. In addition to asking your local travel agent on which California car rental agency that he/she would like to recommend, you can also try asking for you relatives’ and friends’ advice. Ask them if they’ve actually availed the services of a car rental agency, more so, a California car rental agency, ask them how it went and which particular California car rental service agency would they recommend to you. Lastly, go to your ever-reliable PC and look-up California car rental in the internet. You’re bound to get a long, long list of service companies who are more than willing to give you a good and fair deal.

Getting Thrifty Car Rentals

When planning to travel to other countries or even just to a different state, car rental has always been a must especially for traveling business men who need to go to one place to another. However, is spite of whatever “status” they may have, business men as well as ordinary travelers still opt to find and avail of the most thrifty car rentals that they could find. Thrifty car rentals usually abound, whether it be on directories, the internet or wherever it is that you can find service advertisements. It really just a matter of choosing the best thrifty car rental for you and your needs.

Convenience is always a must whenever a person travels, this is pretty much while a lot of people opt to avail of thrifty car rentals, aside from having the convenience of being able to go whichever place they want without the hassle of hopping from one kind of mass transportation to another, they still get good value for their money.

A good example of a reputable thrifty car rental service company in the country is the Alamo car rental company. A lot of people actually recommend availing its thrifty car rental service, because of aside from being practical, they provide good and efficient service to their customers. From providing their customers with a wide range of vehicles to choose from, cars, RVs, basically just whatever type of vehicle that you may need for you travels. They also have various travel programs that you can choose from, this thrifty car rental has actually created various customer programs to suit each and every one’s needs and demands. From corporate programs to government contractor programs, thrifty car rentals surely is their line of expertise.

Another good reason for choosing the Alamo car rental service as your thrifty car rental option, is their strict adherence to quality of service, they’ve really made a name fro themselves by making sure that their customers needs are always kept and they’ve made it a point to keep their good customer feedback by assuring their customers (as well as those who are just browsing) that they provide quality, yet thrifty car rentals.

Thrifty car rentals should never really be a hassle to your traveling needs (or demands), it is pretty easy to land on a huge list of companies that are able to provide quality yet thrifty car rentals. Just be sure to keep a keen eye on the companies that you are choosing from, unfortunately, is spite of a lot of thrifty car rentals who really do try to make an honest living by providing good, quality service to its customers, some sleazy thrifty car rentals still circulate in the market. Be sure to be cautious still when choosing, some may offer really low rates but their cars may be not of real good quality, simply put, the reason why they’re offering thrifty car rentals may be because of their defective cars.

Look out for "signs" when you’re choosing. Ask around, from your family, friends, colleagues and especially your travel agent in which of these thrifty car rentals would they actually recommend. Weigh out your options based on your needs, wants and most importantly, you budget. Of course, having a limited budget shouldn’t really just force you to end up settling with just any thrifty car rental service, shelling out a little more may not really hurt you. In the end, when it comes to looking for thrifty car rentals, it really is more of the quality of service that they provide which should matter to you.