vehicle | Oregon Custom Auto

Key Things To Know When Buying A LED Light Bar

2018-04-12 by Maribel Brown

Introduction

A LED light bar is essentially a strip of LED lights that can be easily installed on pretty much any motor vehicle. These bars are lightweight, energy efficient, and highly durable, with a long life expectancy that numbers in thousands of hours. In general, LED light bars can be used for some purposes. However, these days, they are mainly used to supplement and enhance vehicle headlights and taillights. They have proven greatly effective at lighting dimly or poorly lit areas in the back and the front of the vehicle, as well as adding important distance illumination.

Key features

Drivers, especially off-road aficionados, greatly appreciate the added safety they get from LED light bars, as well as the aesthetic appeal they bring. Also, these accessories are also popular due to some advantages and benefits they have over halogen or HID lights. These advantages include a longer life expectancy, mainly because LED lights are not reliant on filaments to light up. They are also much more energy efficient and emit a minimal amount of heat, in addition to being eco-friendly and highly durable.

However, when looking for the right LED light bar for your car, SUV or truck, you should not purchase the first one you come across. Since there are a plethora of models out there, you should pay attention to some factors, before making a choice.

The size

The sizes of LED light bars can range from 6 inches, all the way to 50 inches. When considering the size of the light bar, take into account the width of your vehicle’s roof, its grille, and the mounting method.

The beam angle

If you need long-distance lighting for on-road driving, go with a light bar that features a spot beam. On the other hand, if you need a LED light bar for off-roading, go with a model that features a flood beam. A flood beam light bar will provide you with a much wider cone of illumination, which is very important when off-roading. You can also find models that combine both angles, as well.

The shapes

LED light bars come in three major shapes – square, round, and rectangular. The shape of the bar can affect the distribution of light. However, more importantly, it will determine the most suitable place on your vehicle for mounting the bar and the appropriate method of mounting.

The color

These LED accessories can come in a variety of colors, including blue, amber, amber white, white, and red white. While you can freely choose a color that suits your taste the best, keep in mind that all of them have their pros and cons. For example, while being the brightest, white bars can also be fairly blinding. Consider the options, and pick the one you find perfectly functional and suitable for your vehicle.

The brightness level

The LED bars’ brightness is measured in lumens, and their values can vary from one bar to the other. Determine the amount of brightness you need and then check some bars and their lumen values.

In addition to these, there are also other considerations you should keep in mind. These include the water-resistant levels, the arrangement of the lights, the design of the bar, and its voltage. By taking into account all of these, you can be sure you will make the best purchase.

Vehicle maintenance tips

2017-02-14 by Graciela Hudson

A vehicle is rapidly becoming a must-have in the modern lifestyle. Surprisingly. Very few people take the time to learn about the few vehicle maintenance tips that will help them keep their precious cars running for a longer time. Most people view vehicle maintenance as a very technical endeavor that requires specialized knowledge. To some level, there is some truth in that, but there are basics that every Tom Dick and Hurry can learn to undertake on a daily basis. Vehicles have so many parts, and if just one fails, it could render the vehicle useless. Therefore, we rounded up a few tips to help you take care of your vehicle.

Tips to help you maintain your vehicle

Check the pressure

After numerous hours or even days of driving your car around, make sure to check the pressure on the wheels. You can simply drive to a gas station, and use their free pressure equipment to check the pressure. Most wheels will have a value engraved on to them, indicating the right amount of the pressure you need to inflate to. The values are usually in PSI. Good thing is that the inflating equipment will have a meter to help you measure that. If the gas station is very far from your place, or you just like to be self-sufficient, you can get yourself a portable pressure readers and use it to read the pressure.

Oil

Oil is critical for any vehicle. It helps the vehicle move efficiently, especially for the moving parts that are always endangered by the effects of friction. It is, therefore, crucial to making sure that you take your time to study and understand how it all works. The best way to learn is to ask your trusted mechanic to demonstrate how it works. The process is straight forward and should not give you problems in any manner.

Wash your vehicle

One simple vehicle maintenance routine that is often overlooked in washing. Make sure that you find some time and take your vehicle to the car wash at least once a week. If you have the time, you can even do it right at home. All you need is soap and water, maybe a bucket and sponge too. It will help make your paint last longer, and have an overall appealing look, enhancing your personal and professional life, in meaningful ways. Washing your vehicle is the most basic maintenance routine.

Questions to ask your auto repair mechanic

2017-02-14 by Graciela Hudson

When most people take their cars for repair, they spend most of their time there nodding to everything they are told and acting confused. This is not an excellent idea because once the mechanic notices that you know nothing, they can provide substandard work quality while under the impression that you will not be able to notice. It is, therefore, crucial that you have a few questions to ask so as to indicate to the mechanic who will be working on your vehicle that you know what you are after. Learning some of these issues will also teach you something about vehicles and help you get the best results. Below are some issues to ask your car mechanic.

Questions to ask your vehicle mechanic

Are consultation and troubleshooting free or paid?

Before they examine your vehicle make sure that you clear with the charges of troubleshooting the vehicle and consultation. Most of the repair shops will charge you nothing for these, but some shops are very busy, and time is money; so do not be surprised to be charged. It is best you ask and determine if it is a service that you can afford. Make sure that you are well aware of the payment time frame, for instance, if they charge per hour or is just a flat fee. Either way, you will be well aware of how much you will be required to pay.

Will the repairs use new or second-hand parts?

In most cases, the mechanics will simply replace your vehicles broken parts with those of a used vehicle. In most cases, shops will have vehicles that are not functional but with parts that are perfectly in good shape. However, it is important that you know about this because the price of the repair will immensely change based on the part that you use. Obviously, the new part should cost more, therefore choose wisely.

Will you be informed of new charges and discoveries?

It is understandable if new damages are discovered during the repair process. Therefore, it is very important that you get notified rather than just take care of it and charge you. Most people get invoices with prices that are much higher than what they were aware of or expected. So make sure that you get informed of any additional charges to prevent confusion later on. This will help you prepare financially for the repairs.