Fitting Different Wheels For Different Seasons
Often, drivers are not aware of how much of an impact driving with winter wheels during the colder months can have. The effect is massive and it’s a great idea to invest in some wheels. When preparing your car for the winter, you will need winter wheels, winter tyres and a snow emergency kit, this will give you piece of mind when travelling.
Preparation is key, it’s vital when trying to stay safe throughout the winter. It’s a good idea to think about buying your winter wheels in the autumn, that way you’re not leaving it until last minute and you’re sure to be able to purchase the correct type of wheel for your vehicle. Industry experts recommend that you should use winter wheels within the months of October to March – during this time period is when the weather slips below 7 degrees C.
There are two different types of wheels for winter. The first type is winter steel wheels, they are very effective, can improve performance massively during winter, and they’re extremely cost effective. However, they are not the most aesthetically pleasing wheel on the market! Winter alloy wheels are a better looking alternative to the steel wheels. Along with this marked improvement in appearance, the price of the wheels also increases! If you like your car to look good, the alloy variety is the best investment for you. Winter wheels are very easy to clean as they don’t have little rivets or multiple spokes that can gather dirt and mud.
It’s a good idea to use winter-appropriate wheels with winter tyres too, as they work really well together. Winter wheels can improve performance in slushy and icy conditions, there’s a common misconception that winter wheels and tyres are merely to be used when there is heavy snowy and unbearable weather conditions. In adverse weather, winter tyres function very well because they are made with a unique rubber compound to standard tyres. The silica-base mix makes sure that the tyre stays soft at lower temperatures. They provide excellent grip which means you can handle your vehicle better.
It’s important to make sure that you fit your vehicle with standard wheels once the season has changed back to summer; this is because the wheels suitable for use in winter will not aid the best performance in the warmer months. By installing winter tyres and wheels to your car or van you are instantly making it safer on the road. However, you should consistently be cautious whilst driving throughout the winter – other drivers may not be as well prepared!
There are many different types of winter wheels available, it’s important to do some research on winter wheels before you buy them to ensure that they’re the correct type to suit your vehicle.
Lexus LFA Nurburgring Package Sets Highest Production Lap
The Lexus LFA seemed to be an extremely fantastic, exotic supercar for only about the first 3 seconds that I initially heard about it. Performance figures aside (for the moment), the LFA seemed to just pop up briefly in automotive news as Toyota’s premiere luxury supercar. I’ve seen slight mentions here and there about the LFA but other than that, there has not been any buzz about the car. Until now.
You see, in today’s times, the best way to truly get buzzing about a car, to truly convey the performance capabilities, to truly let your fans know that you built a one-of-a-kind car, is to snag the number one production car spot around the Nurburgring Nordschleife. The Lexus LFA did just that. In a recorded time of 7:14.64 the Lexus LFA ranks amongst the top production cars in the world. Competing for first place with a 911 GT2 RS (7.18), a Corvette C6 ZR1 (7:19.63), a 2011 Nissan GTR (7:24.22), or the Ferrari Enzo (7:25.7); the LFA managed to outdo all of those cars, which range from hyper exotics to American muscle by at least 4 seconds.
Lexus made one little tweet and the online world suddenly burst with buzzes as the LFA snatched the best production car time away from these other buzz-hungry manufactures. But I haven’t told you the full story yet. You see, the original 2011 Lexus LFA was introduced as Toyota’s attempt at doing something beyond a Lexus IS or Toyota Supra to tell the car enthusiast world “See – we are passionate about and can make supercars too!” The original LFA wasn’t designed to compete with IS models, or Supras, rather it was made to surpass the highly esteemed Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini badges.
The Japanese car originally aspires to do so with a 4.8-liter V10 producing (an oddly large engine for the Japanese in my opinion) 553 horsepower and 354 ft-lb of torque that would push the car from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 202 mph, but would it create enough buzz and performance figures to crush it’s Italian and German counterparts? Based on the very little buzz that I’ve heard over the past few years, I would say — hardly so.
However, fast forward to today and reintroduce the LFA with its “Nurburgring” package and you get a rare, 50 unit car that produces 562 horsepower and 354 ft-lb of torque, along with handling, aerodynamic, suspension, and transmission enhancements that ultimately help push this Lexus to the top of the Nurburgring charts. At a pocket change increase of only $70,000 over the already small MSRP of $375,000 for the regular Lexus LFA, one would hope that Lexus could deliver a time that would beat the GTR or ZR1, cars that roughly hit the 6-figure price tag.
But the real question still remains, is the LFA still a worthy contender to compete with Lamborghini, Ferrari and Porsche? I’m still not sure myself, but I certainly know that I definitely spent more than 3 seconds thinking about the LFA today and I’m sure that it’s 7:14.64 Nurburgring lap time will certainly earn the Lexus brand a little bit more supercar respect.
How Roadside Kit Ensures Safety While You’re on the Road
If you travel in long distances and drive late at night, a roadside kit should be your buddy. Along your travel, you may not know what’s going to happen. You can’t anticipate emergencies. Perhaps you happen to be stranded in an isolated and strange area and you have no way to ask for help or buy the things you need to fix your car. Your roadside kit will be of great help.
The Importance of Keeping a Roadside Kit in your Vehicle
Keeping a roadside kit in your vehicle is a way of making sure that you and your company is safe just in case any trouble might come your way while you are on a road trip. In the middle of your trip, your tire might go flat or you might get stranded to an isolated and unfamiliar place. In times like these, tools needed to mend the problems in your car. You also need first-aid kits and food to keep you well while you are stuck temporarily, especially during the night.
What’s in a Kit?
Your roadside kit depends on what you really need while you are travelling. Of course, your car repair tools are a must. Screwdrivers, spare tires, grips, pliers, tire pressure gauges, tire inflators, adjustable wrenches, jumper cables, tow ropes, and extra fuses are the examples of car repair tools that drivers include in the list of their tool sets. It is important to keep flashlights, batteries, warning lights and reflective vests if you know you’d still be on the road on twilight. Also, you should bring your mobile phone with you so you can call for help when an accident takes place. Just don’t use it while you are driving. First-aid kits are needed for the treatment of cuts, burns and other minor injuries that you might acquire. It must contain disinfectants, gauze pads, bandages, life-saving and pain-killer medicines, antiseptic wipes, thermometers, medical gloves, tweezers and bandage scissors. Pen and papers always come in handy too. They could be used for writing down pieces of information that your emergency help provider may ask you to do while you are talking to him via phone. To complete your kit, you can add your extra clothes, blankets, rags, tissue paper, adhesive tapes, pocket knife, bottled water and instant foodstuff on the list.
Sorting out for Easy Usage
The things that you included in your roadside kit must be sorted out according to their uses so that you can find them immediately when they are needed. They may add to your heavy loads that you put inside your car, but arranging them the right way can give you convenience. After all, you need to bring all of them for your peace of mind.
Emergencies are unpredictable but preparations can be done. The presence of roadside kit in your car will help you deal with unexpected injuries. You will not know where you might be stuck up and this circumstance gives you the reason to bring along a roadside kit.