Saturday, July 31, 2010

This Months Trivia Question Answer

This months CarLotta Credit and Car Sales monthly newsletter trivia question was....

Question: What problem did Leonardo DiVinci, Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison and General George Patton have in common?

Answer: Dyslexia

This amazed me, that these people could accomplish what they did with this as a liability.
If you did not get the answer, try again this month.
CarLotta, http://www.carlottacredit.com/

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

6 Ways To Make Extra Money

At CarLotta Credit and Car Sales we know this is a tough economic enviornment, and all of us could use a few extra dollars. Here's 6 ways to do just that.

1) Do Odd Jobs In Your Neighborhood. You can do every thing from cutting grass, weeding, moving furniture, painting, sweep driveways, take out the garbage and more. Anything that is to small for contractors and maybe too hard or time consuming for your neighbors. Use your imagination.

2) Good at Computers? There are still many people that are struggling to work with their home computers. If you are good at this, advertise and see if there is a need in your area. Craigslist is free to advertise.

3) Dog Walking Service. Dogs just don't need to go outside to poop you know. They need exercise also. Do several at once. In fact, the exercise may be good for you too.

4) Sell Unneeded Items. EBay, Craigslist and the local newspaper. Get rid of it all. Junk to you may be treasure to someone else.

5) Garage Or Tag Sale. Clean out your garage or basement. Your neighbors may even want in on this and be willing to do it the same weekend you want to. It will draw more buyers this way.

6) Get A Part Time Job. It could be some nights or weekends. Think of it as temporary until you get back on your feet. Walmart, all the fast food restaurants, the mall, and the temp agencies can all use a few good people.

You may be able to come with more ways.
CarLotta Credit, http://www.carlottacredit.com/

Friday, July 23, 2010

How To Clean Your Cars Interior

At CarLotta Credit and Car Sales this car care tip can save you money...
One of the easier things you can do to maintain your cars value and appearance is to keep the the interior clean.

* Remove all garbage and trash, if not daily at least weekly.
* Vacuum carpet well, and remove floor mats to vacuum underneath if need be. Don't forget your trunk.
* Vacuum the seats, and any nooks or crannys you see.
* Wipe down all vinyl and leather trim inside the car with  some kind of cleaner, such as ArmorAll.
* Clean your windshield and all window glass.
* If needed, you can buy the spray-on carpet shampoo and vacuum it up after it dries. Read the instructions, some do vary.
* Don't forget to use some kind of fresh fragrance also. It could be a spray or something like the "pine tree" scent we see all the time.

It takes a few minutes, but does not cost you much. Give it a try.
CarLotta, http://www.carlottacredit.com/

Saturday, July 17, 2010

5 Reasons To Go Back To School To Improve Your Career

At CarLotta Credit and Car Sales we know how tough this economy can be...
If you've been laid off, lost your job or if you are stuck in a dead end job, then perhaps you're considering improving your education, and going back to school.

Here's why you should go back to school to change or improve your career.
* More qualifications will help you to get a better job. Perhaps you didn't really work hard at school, and want to make up for it now.
* A career change may be in order if you were laid off or you place of employment closed. Maybe its time for something different.How about a different field...medical, office staff, legal staff, teaching?
* Returning to work after bringing up your children, you might find that your existing skills are out of date, or no longer needed . You want to get up to speed with the changes in your industry and areas of expertise.
* Specialize in something in particular, then you might need to have additional qualifications. You might have finished your forklift operator training, and now you want to switch to medical.
* Get updated on new technology in your current field. How about computer training?

Keep in mind, with todays long unemployment benefits, you might be able to complete your training or degree while collecting. In addition, there are grants and monies available to reduce your cost for any classes taken.
Don't forget about community colleges, technical schools and business schools. They are cost effective and may be just what you need.

CarLotta, http://www.carlottacredit.com/

 

Sunday, July 11, 2010

How And Why To Check Your Cars Fluids!

At CarLotta Credit and Car Sales we'd like to help you save some of your hard earned money...
A major component of car care is making sure your fluid levels are in check.
Those are... your engine oil, your transmission fluid and your engine coolant (anti-freeze).

* Engine Oil levels should be checked monthly. In your engine compartment, find your dip stick, pull it out, wipe it off, shove it back in and carefully pull it back out. Your oil should be a nice brownish color. It it's black or has "clouds in it", it's time for an oil change. If it's cloudy, you may have bigger problems and you definitely need to have it looked at. Look at your dip stick after a fresh dip and make sure your oil line is where it should be. There is an indicator on the stick that will help you determine that. If you need oil, either top it off with some new oil or bring it to someone who knows how to add oil, if you don't. Your oil should be changed out completely every three months or 5000 miles for optimal results.

* Transmission Fluid is very much like checking your oil but for most cars it has to be running and in park. Pull your dip stick, wipe it and shove it back in and pull out again. This time look at your levels, again there is an indicator to help with this. Transmission fluid should be a red color and should not smell likes its burned. If levels are low then either top it off or see your local lube shop for some assistance. Transmission fluid change intervals can vary widely for each type of car. Check your owners manual for recommendations.

* Engine Coolant (antifreeze) needs to be at a proper level. Coolant does just what is sounds like, it cools the engine.  Make sure your engine is off and that your vehicle is completely cooled before you touch your radiator cap. Make sure your car is on level ground. If your coolant is low, certainly add more but know that if this keeps happening, you probably have a leak and you need to have your radiator checked out soon. Coolant should be changed about every 2-3 years.

These are the basics, but they can save you time, trouble and money down the road. 
CarLotta, http://www.carlottacredit.com/


Monday, July 5, 2010

Care & Feeding Of Your Cars Exhaust System

At CarLotta Credit and Car sales, we know your monry is important to you...here are a few tips to help.
The exhaust system is seldom noticed by car owners until something is wrong.
An exhaust system is metal piping system used to direct burnt gases away from the engine running into the muffler and going out in the open air. It will include several of the following systems:

* Starting at the engine, exhaust manifolds are intended to gather exhaust gases spent by burning fuel and channel them into one tube. They are often made of cast iron to endure the extreme heat. They are extremely durable and will normally last the life of a car. If they do fail, it is normally a stress crack. This may be able to be welded or replaced. Any leaks in your exhaust system can be dangerous as gases may leak into the interior of the car.

* Next in line is the muffler. The main function of a muffler is to reduce exhaust noise. They are along the exhaust pipe and it uses a resonating chamber which is constructed to reduce the sound coming from the engine.These do wear out and need to be replaced. Rust from the outside, or condensation from the inside are the main culprits.

* A catalytic converter follows the muffler and is a mechanism used to decrease the amount of poisonous gas emitted from a combustion engine. Since the late 1970's , it is used today in the USA and other countries around the world. It uses a reaction (chemical or metal) to "trap" some of the worst of the pollutants emitted by your cars engine. The accumulation of the pollutants does cause them to fail every 70,000 miles or so. Your vehicle will not run properly, and some cars will not run at all if the converter is blocked. A blocked converter can also cause you "check engine" light to come on.


* The pipe and the tail pipe is the end of the exhaust pipe where it vents to open air and it is used to connect the other components together. This pipe, and its connectors do rust and may need to be replaced

Because it is located externally and under the hood the exhaust system is easy to reach and you can do the repair yourself if you have the proper equipment. Otherwise just bring your car to the nearest repair shop so your exhaust system can be fixed. We recommend the muffler chains (Cole, Mieneke, Midas) as they are usually less expensive and give a lifetime warranty. Get a quote from 2 different shops just to be safe.

With proper care and feeding your cars exhaust system will last a long time and will not need major repairs.
CarLotta, http://www.carlottacredit.com/