In my business, I get a lot of calls from moms and dads. People whose sixteen to eighteen year old sons are begging them to put a lift kit on their trucks or SUVs. People who want to know if it’s safe, economical and responsible to lift their teenagers’ vehicles for recreational or visual purposes. If you’re having these or similar questions, be assured that you are not alone.

A lift kit can be a very good present for your teenage son’s or daughter’s truck or SUV. Lift kits can increase ground clearance, lessen the jarring of the automobile that is caused by irregularities in the road, and give the vehicle a unique and beefy look. However, before you jump into the world of lifted vehicles, there are a few things you should consider in finding the correct lift kit for your young driver.

Suspension Lifts vs. Body Lifts There are two main types of lift kits available today. Suspension lift kits are a system of springs used to raise a vehicle by suspending the frame, body, engine and power train above the wheels. Body lift kits are a system of blocks used to raise a vehicle by suspending the body above the frame. I recommend suspension lift kits for the performance-minded customer, and body lift kits for the cost-minded customer.

If your son or daughter is only interested in a lift kit for the visual effect, I normally recommend the body lift kits. They are easier to install, do little to nothing to effect the ride quality of the vehicle, and allow for the addition of bigger tires if desired. A body lift kit can make a vehicle look tough at a cost-effective price.

However, if your son or daughter is also interested in the performance capabilities of a lift kit, or would like to learn to drive skillfully off-road, I would recommend a suspension lift kit. Although a bit more expensive, suspension lift kits give a vehicle the capabilities to crawl through dirt roads, rocks and trees, and even mud and water. They give a vehicle the capability to go where most vehicles cannot, and see awesome natural wonders.

The Best Lift Kit Manufacturers Once you’ve decided on either a suspension or body lift kit, you will need to know what type you want. Now when it comes to body lift kits, there is one world-popular company that I always recommend: Performance Accessories. Performance Accessories offers high quality components, easy-to-follow installation instructions, and low prices.

When it comes to a suspension lift kit, the decision becomes a little more difficult. There are many great suspension lift kit manufacturers that offer many different features. In choosing the correct one, you will need to consider cost, performance capability, ride quality, warranty and customer service.

Cost If pricing is your major concern, I normally recommend either Pro Comp or Trailmaster. For what you get, these two companies offer among the best prices around. Both companies have comprehensive lift packages, including all necessary components and hardware, with tough trail-ready parts.

Performance Capability If your truck’s performance in muddy or rocky conditions is your major concern, I normally recommend either Fabtech or SuperLift. Although a little more expensive than many of the other manufacturers, these companies build kits for hard-nosed off-road fun. With quality components and multiple packages, Fabtech and SuperLift will give a truck or SUV high performance capabilities in any off-road situation.

Ride Quality Most people already know that a suspension lift will affect your vehicle’s ride quality. If this is a concern, there are manufacturers whose lift kits get great reviews for on-road ride and comfort. Personally, I hear the best testimonials for Rancho and Skyjacker. Rancho and Skyjacker are two of the oldest and most respected lift kit companies in the world. Their kits are created for good off-road capabilities without negatively effecting ride quality. Their kits will help a lifted vehicle maintain at least some of its factory feel.

Warranty & Customer Service And finally, when purchasing a suspension lift kit, you must do some research into the company with which you plan to make your purchase. Lift kits of any kind can have problems, missing pieces or defective parts. I highly recommend checking each company’s warranty guidelines, as well as seeing how easy it is to get them on the phone or reach them via email in case of an emergency. It is essential to find the company you feel will backup their product the best.

Overall, purchasing a lift kit for your teenager can be a great learning and bonding experience. If you follow these rules, you should be able to maximize that experience by choosing the best lift kit for you and your child’s needs.

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Technorati Tags: automotive, autocare, auto care, car care, auto repair

Deal Breakers? Everyone’s got them. You know: the instant turn-offs that can turn a romantic dinner for two into an immediate request for the check. Whether we keep ours in an easily accessible mental list, or are surprised by them every time, most discerning folks will have encountered a deal breaker at some point during their dating career.?

For Evan, 26, the issues is smokers. “Lighting up is about the least sexy thing a woman can do. No matter how hot she is, cigarettes are an instant turn off. Everything about it, the smell, the look, the health hazard, just doesn’t do it for me.” For Rebecca, a thirty year-old musician the answer is obvious. “If I am out with a guy and he makes racist, sexist or homophobic comments, I know I will never see him again. I just don’t have time to school a guy after only meeting him once.” Thirty-five year-old Amanda lists several deal breakers including: living at home, being unemployed and having significantly different politics. “At this stage in my life,” she says, “I need someone who has their life in order and who I won’t have to fight with every time I open the newspaper.”

Some deal breakers don’t become apparent until a date is already in progress. Jeremy a twenty-nine year old massage therapist recounts his worst dating experience. “I asked out a woman who I work with. We had dinner and then went to a local bar. I was having a really good time but when we got the bar, the bouncer asked to see her ID. He took one look at it and declared it a fake. Then he confiscated the thing and warned us never to come back unless we wanted him to call the cops! She was mortified and admitted she was only nineteen. I really liked her, but I couldn’t imagine going out with a teenager.”

Some deal breakers can make perfect sense. Being rude to a waiter, stinginess and incessant ramblings about an ex are clear mood killers. Others are less obvious. People cite everything from a date owning a dog, to being a caffeine drinker, suggesting a vegetarian restaurant or refusing to see anything but art-house flicks, as reasons that a second date will not be in the cards.

For those individuals who know what they can and cannot tolerate in a potential partner, internet dating can be a lifesaver. It is pretty easy to state on a profile that the person you are looking for needs to be employed, able to figure out an appropriate tip and not turn up in sandals and socks. For those who are less sure of a deal breaker until presented with the request for a personal medical history, suggestion that the second date be held at a nudist camp or a car radio tuned into smooth jazz, the situation can be a little trickier. But, think of it this way: you can always tuck these deal breakers away as fodder for the amusing stories that will inevitably be told after your current date wonders, “I have to ask you, why on earth did you write please do not respond if you have any interest in ornithology, whatsoever!”

Ellen Friedrichs is a dating advisor for MetroChai. To read more articles and tips visit our blog at http://nydating.blogspot.com/ For free online dating visit http://www.metrochai.com

Copyright Ellen Friedrichs - http://www.metrochai.com

Technorati Tags: automotive, autocare, auto care, car care, auto repair

A question you might ask yourself is: why must we carry auto insurance? Hopefully one answer you should hear is to protect yourself and your car. For those same reasons the government also requires you to have car insurance.

The state of Florida requires you to carry at least the minimum requirements, which is property damage at ten thousand dollars and personal injury protection at ten thousand dollars. Property damage covers another person’s vehicle if you are at fault in an accident. Personal injury protection covers 80 percent of medical expenses and 60 percent of loss wages as well as up to a five thousand dollar death benefit for you and your relatives (that reside with you), minus the deductible if it applies. This coverage would protect you in case there is any damage to other vehicles and gives you medical coverage for yourself.

There are many different types of auto insurance coverage to choose from, depending on what you want covered and what you can afford. Where should you get started?

First you should ask yourself if you have enough coverage in case of an incident occurring. Besides the minimum requirement coverage previously mentioned, there is another type of coverage that is very important, bodily injury.

Bodily injury coverage is not required by the state of Florida until you get into an auto accident. This would cover you if you were at fault in an accident and the person in the other vehicle suffered injuries exceeding their personal injury coverage. If you did not have this coverage the other party has the right to sue and the state may place a financial responsibility on your motor vehicle report, which you would have to carry for 3 years. That financial responsibility is called an SR22.

Uninsured motorist is another coverage you may want to consider. Uninsured motorist covers you if the other party was at fault and you were injured (exceeding your personal injury coverage) and they did not have bodily injury coverage. You may use this coverage to cover the difference of your injuries.

Where does you car fit for injury theft and collision? What about your dream car? Take a look at this run down based on 2000-2002 HLDI data:

There are two more very important types of coverage that you might want to explore they are: comprehensive and collision.

Comprehensive coverage would cover your vehicle in the event of fire, theft, vandalism, hail storm damage or any natural causes minus the deductible you agreed upon when purchasing your insurance.

Collision coverage would cover physical damage to your vehicle, if you were at fault in the accident, minus the deductible. The insurance company would pay the actual cash value of your vehicle. If your vehicle is financed comprehensive and collision coverage are possibly are required by your lending institution.

Extra medical payment coverage can also be provided if you are interested and the list goes on. All types of coverage are important but the reality of it is, what we can afford? Keep in mind your life and your family is very important so having insurance should be one of your main priorities.

With the web easily accessible you have a vast amount of knowledge at your fingertips to help you choose the best coverage for you and your lifestyle. Life is too short, get good advice and get the right insurance coverage for you and your family.

Visit http://www.carinsurance.com For Auto Insurance Quotes

About the Author

Belinda Ramos is a representative of CarInsurance.com. You can visit CarInsurance.com at http://www.carinsurance.com or contact them at 1-877-327-8728.

Consumers can receive quotes from many insurance companies, in some states you are able to purchase your insurance instantly, online. You don’t have to drive your car to buy car insurance. Buy online…anytime!

Technorati Tags: automotive, autocare, auto care, car care, auto repair