Embbio Innova

Archive for January, 2012

Audio accessories are a recurring trend that have never ceased in popularity. As the trends in technology change, the great new things that you can acquire for your car continue to get better and better. Whether you are a newcomer to the vast world of audio components or you happen to be a seasoned expert, the hottest accessories are always changing. Keep your eye on sites and sellers that will have the latest information regarding all that you need to know about audio equipment.

Some of the latest technological accessories are focused on iPods. They are the hottest new music player these days, outselling most of the competition. There are a variety of docking stations that can be purchased for the safe keeping of your iPod. Get docking stations with certain logos or in fun shapes that make your iPod an original. Dock it in your car and turn the tunes on.

Satellite radio has grown greatly in popularity since it first burst on to the market. Sirius and XM are the two leading satellite radio providers. Many vehicles will even come with one of these systems already installed. However, if you do not have one installed it is rather inexpensive to purchase one from Wal-Mart or anywhere else that sells one. Installation is also relatively easy.

FM transmitters are another fantastic car accessory. It plugs in to your iPod and turns the output into a low strength radio station for a better sound output. Though it is not required to play music in your car, it does enhance the sound which may be of interest to some drivers and music lovers.

Speaker systems are among the most purchased audio item. Many music lovers are not content to stick with their factory speakers. An upgrade to a better system can greatly increase the sound quality. Brands like Kicker and Pioneer are known for being optimum choices for those seeking quality at a reasonable price.

If you have a portable music player like an mp3 player or an iPod, you will need a charger for it. Though they often come with a house charger, auto chargers often need to be purchased separately. Keep one handy in your glove box to avoid the disappointment of dead batteries.

If you want to do something a little funky yet original to your car, consider something like neon speakers. They are brightly coloured and add an eye catching feature for your passengers. Speakers that are designed to be different may not be as easy to come by and that is what makes them unique. Choose whatever you like, something that fits your personality.

If you are not sure what type of accessories to get try searching for items made specifically for your make and model of car. There are a lot of items that are unique to certain brands. See what is available for your ride to help you cruise in style. Buying something made for your type of car may also improve the quality and the results you are seeking.

The brake fluid is probably the most important lubricant in your car. However, the other fluids are just as important too, since they must be in good condition to make sure that your car is totally winterized. In this article, we will be discussing the other fluids that make your car work, including what you can do to make sure that will continue to work well even when subjected to the extreme cold of winter.

Wiper Washer Fluid
In summer, the wiper washer fluid is usually composed of nothing but water. It is automatically sprayed in front of the windshield to remove stuff that impedes the driver’s vision. During winter, where temperatures can go as low as a -25 degrees, pure water will freeze.

Thus, it is important to put anti-freeze into the wiper washer fluid container.. If some level of fluid resistance can still be observed, try adding more anti-freeze gradually. This is to make sure that the whole mixture will have a lower freezing point.

Replacing the wipers with brand new ones is also recommended. Unlike rain, snow may come with various particulate matter like sand, that may give your wipers a hard time. Thus, it is advisable to replace the wipers as soon as the first snowflake falls.

Engine Oil and Gear/Transmission Oil
First off, one question: What should be used, synthetic or Traditional oil?
Most car experts will tell you to switch to synthetics for greater efficiency.
Traditional oils are derived from crude oil, which are made up of literally hundreds, if not thousands of substances. Even if unwanted components are almost wiped out through various chemical processes, there are bound to be some impurities that can damage your car, such as asphalt, sulfur, and nitrogen compounds. Synthetic compounds, on the other hand, are entirely created from scratch, which means that their chemical composition is much more pure traditional oils. In short, synthetics have much less of those that a car doesn’t like to have.

The most common synthetic oils for winter are 0W-30, 5W-30, and 10W-30, where W denotes that the particular oil is made for cold climates. The part to look out for in these names is the number before W. In general, lower numbers mean a lower viscosity (i.e. it is more freely flowing) when subjected to drastically lower temperatures.

Hence, of all three common types, 0W will be the best for extreme cold. Take note that a car warms up as soon as the engine runs, so that viscosity in winter counts when the car is being started. Furthermore, viscosity grades of oil do not refer to their actual viscosity. Rather, they refer to how much the viscosity changes given a certain change in initial operating temperature.

With that issue settled, check your engine oil and see if an oil change is due. This is to prevent any damage from being dealt onto your car because of increased friction among the engine parts. The same goes for gear or transmission oil. Driving during winter is more complicated than driving in any other season of the year. Always ensure that the transmission oil level is topped up.

When shopping for the right kind of gear and engine oils, look for the ones with very low viscosity. Oils become more viscous during winter because of colder operating temperatures. Having low viscosity will help the fluids flow more freely, ensuring that your engine and transmission system are still well lubricated.
Take note however, that it is best to refill transmission fluid with an identical type and brand to prevent any incompatibility. There are many kinds of chemicals that make up transmission fluids, and the composition in each brand may vary widely. To prevent unwanted chemical reactions, this should be done.

Radiator Anti-freeze
A lot of people think that since winter implies the coming of very cold weather, the car’s engine should have a much easier time at keeping itself cool enough. However, this is not true. A car’s internal combustion engine is usually sheltered to some extent, so that the radiator is still a very essential part in as far as keeping your engine in a good working condition.

Just like the wiper washer fluid, the radiator is typically filled with nothing but water. However, a radiator that has nothing but water inside it will inevitably encounter much difficulty when winter comes because the water content will freeze. Thus, adding an anti-freeze mixture is also important.

Mix 1 part of the anti-freeze mixture to 1 part of water, to ensure that the fluids will not freeze during winter. A ratio of 1:1 is also recommended for the radiator, with slight adjustments if your area experiences extremely cold weather. In even more extreme scenarios, a radiator is sometimes filled with pure anti-freeze. Thus, observe your radiator in the first few days of the winter season for you to have a better clue on what to do next.

Gasoline / Diesel
When water vapor is exposed to cold temperatures, it typically turns back into its liquid form. This principle, called condensation, can happen to your car’s fuel tanks since water vapor is almost always present in outside air. This makes water mix with the car’s fuel, which will cause damage to the engine due to moisture buildup. If this happens continuously, an engine breakdown may occur, pretty much like what happens when a car gets submerged in a flood.

Thus, it is good practice to always make sure that your fuel tanks are full as often as possible, to prevent air from entering the tanks at all. Furthermore, since gas prices always go nowhere but up, you can save a few dollars by buying gas earlier than usual. You’re going to buy it anyway, right?

Automotive direct mail is one of the most commonly read types of direct mail. In fact, an article by DM News cites a survey showing that 73% of car buyers respond to direct mail.

Why do so many auto dealers and manufactures use direct mail marketing?

1. Direct Mail is Cost-Effective

Automotive direct mail campaigns can be shaped around any marketing budget. Direct mail can be as simple as a 4″ x 6″ postcard, or as complex as multi-part letter kit. The smart automotive marketer can use the more affordable pieces for lead generation, while reserving the more expensive pieces for current or past customers.

Automotive direct mail is also cost-effective due to volume factors. Most direct mail companies offer price breaks with increased volume. Under such a system, the more you mail the more you save. Automotive direct mail volumes can be easily scaled up or down to coincide with budget cycles or limitations.

Then there’s the ROI factor:

When used effectively, direct mail marketing can yield a favorable ROI. It has for decades, and it will for many more years. Sure, direct mail strategies have changed with advances in technology, the Internet, etc. But the fact remains that automotive direct mail produces results. Why else would the vast majority of auto manufacturers use direct mail?

2. Direct Mail is Flexible

Automotive direct mail can support any marketing goal. Whether it’s a lead generation program for potential customers, or a service reminder to existing customers, automotive direct mail can produce results. Here are some of the most common uses for automotive direct mail marketing:

New model announcements Lead generation campaigns Customer rewards / loyalty programs Inventory updates Service reminders

These are some of the most common uses for automotive direct mail, but they are by far not the only ways to use the medium. Forward-thinking automotive companies are finding new ways to use direct mail every day. Direct mail is a dynamic, versatile marketing tool.

3. Direct Mail is Measurable

Direct mail is one of the most measurable of all marketing channels. Once you have a response-tracking mechanism in place (like special 800 numbers, web page tracking, or business-reply cards), the rest is simple math. With television or radio advertising, you have no way of knowing how many people saw your ad, even if you can count responses.

Conclusion

Automotive direct mail can be an effective marketing tool, but it requires a good deal of research and planning. We hope this resource has increased your knowledge of automotive direct mail, and we wish you well in your direct mail marketing endeavors.

* You may republish this article online if you retain the author’s byline and the active hyperlinks below. Copyright 2007, Brandon Cornett.

When Toyota launched its Scion brand five years ago, it was received with critical acclaim. Geared toward serving the youth market, the boxy and compact Scions were an instant hit, attracting a fresh group of buyers for the ever expanding Toyota Motor Corporation.

Fast forward five years and the Scion picture has changed dramatically. A temporary spike in May and June sales followed a seventeen-month dip, but when July 2008 rolled around sales began to drop yet again. With a fleet full of economical, low cost models the question to be asked is this: what is dragging down Scion?

Well, in a recent interview that appeared in Automotive News, featuring Scion’s former corporate manager, Brian Bolain, several missteps over the past few years have conspired to sully the Scion image. Namely, Bolain shared a few clues:

Scion was marketed as a youth brand, aimed at 18-24 year old drivers. Youth trends change almost over night, making it difficult for Scion to keep up with what the current crop of young motorists prefers to drive.
Young people aren’t the only ones attracted to the Scion brand including members of the senior set who like the size and standard equipment offered on the various Scion models. Nothing is more of a turn off for young drivers to see their grandparents enjoying the same rides that appeal to them. Over a three month period earlier this year the average age of the Scion xD buyer increased from 37 to 42, likely as a result of higher gas prices driving older drivers to smaller, more economical cars.
The latest models are bigger. The last few years has seen the release of somewhat bigger and heavier Scions, not the types of vehicles youth want. On the other hand, the sporty tC still interests young people with the average buyer’s age being just 24.

In response to the brand’s slow ebb, Toyota is considering building a fourth model, perhaps a hybrid or small SUV. Interestingly, the Toyota brand is about to introduce a five-door version of its subcompact Yaris, a car that will appeal to the Scion set and shift buyers from Scion to Toyota.

Regardless of what path Toyota chooses for Scion, the brand’s setback is a startling reminder that even the world’s largest volume automaker can also stumble especially when it seeks to balance multiple brands. Could this be shades of General Motors?

Winterizing your car means that you are getting your car ready for the colder winter weather that may bring sleet, snow, ice, hail, and freezing temperatures. As nearly any Canadian can attest – the winter weather can be quite hard on a car. Not only can the engine require special attention in order to get it purring in freezing temperatures, but the exterior of your car can take a beating as well.

Winterizing your car is important because it means that you are getting your car ready for anything that the winter conditions may throw your way. Ideally, a winterized car will have the proper fluids to continue running in all weather conditions, as well as the right mechanics to get you over those frozen hills and through the city slush without damage to your car or your passengers.

What are some of the things that we will take a look at when it’s time to winterize your car?

Fluids

We will make sure that all of your fluids are full, including your anti-freeze and oil. Antifreeze will help to keep your engine and systems from freezing as temperatures get colder. Your oil should also be clean and match the oil requirements for your car so that it runs smoothly through the engine at optimal levels. Did you know that you may need to use different oils at different temperatures? Don’t worry – we’ll check on that for you.

Tires

Have you ever been roaring down the road at a high rate of speed when you suddenly run into a patch of black ice? If so, then you know how dangerous, and often deadly, black ice can be for drivers. While having the proper tires will not prevent you from hitting a patch of ice, the right tires may make it easier for you to control your vehicle as you glide over the ice. We’ll check your tires as well as your tire pressure and alignment to make sure they are ready for anything.
Contact us today to learn more about the many ways that we can help you winterize your car. Winterizing your car is not only recommended for drivers in Canada, but it can also save your life.

With the rising level of automobile production and its corresponding worldwide stocks based on the rapid industrialisation in Asia, Africa and Latin America plus the rising demand in Eastern Europe, the proportion of textiles in a motor car is increasing in response to more stringent comfort and safety needs in industrialised countries like the USA, Japan and Western Europe.

Automobile textiles, which are non apparel textiles, are widely used in vehicles like cars, trains, buses, aircrafts and marine vehicles. Hence, the term automobile textile means all type of textile components e.g. fibers, filaments, yarns and the fabric used in automobiles.

Nearly two third of the automobile textiles are for interior trim, i.e. seat cover, carpets and roof and door liners. The rest is utilized to reinforce tyres, hoses, safety belts, air bags, etc.

It is projected that nearly 45 square meters of textile material is utilized in a car for interior trim (seating area, headlines, side panel, carpet and trunk). According to a survey, the percentage of textile in a motor car amounts to 2 per cent of the overall weight of a car. Apart from this, visible textile components, eliminating hidden components such as in tyres and composites, hoses and filters; amount to 10-11 kg per vehicle in absolute terms. Industrial textiles are largely utilized in vehicles and systems including cars, buses, trains, air crafts and marine vehicles. In automobile textile industry, four types of fabrics are used, namely:

. Air bag fabrics

. Fabric used as a basis for reduction in weight of body parts

. Tyre cord fabrics

. Automotive upholstery and other textile fabrics used inside the vehicle

The airbag and seat belts used as safety measures are one of the latest types of textiles in automobiles and have a potential market for technical textiles that has a considerable scope for growth and development. Because of government legislation and consumer interest, the applications have been extremely successful over the last ten to fifteen years.

In the last decade, airbags or inflatable restraints have received noteworthy significance as a safeguard for the driver and the passengers in case of an accident. Initially, the bags were made for head-on collision, but now, there are many other safety devices like side impact bags, knee bolsters, side curtain, etc, available for safety in any type of crash. Because frontal collisions are a main reason of accidental deaths, airbags are being presented as a standard product in vehicles by legislation, which has given the quick increment of airbags business in the last decade. NHTSA and HHS report that airbag systems have played an important role in saving thousands of lives since 1985. In 2002 alone, due to the airbag system a 20 per cent reduction in fatalities resulting from fatal collisions has been observed.

In 1999, there were 55 million vehicles with 81 million airbags. In 2004, the number of frontal airbag units was nearly 100 million and the number of side-impact airbags nearly 65 million. In the same year, nearly 23 per cent of the new vehicles in North America had side airbags for chest protection and 17 per cent had side airbags for head protection. By 2005, this has increased to 180 million airbags and 65 million vehicles.

Fabric application demand has increased to 325 million square meters in 2005, and 83 tons of fibre, mostly nylon has been used.

The world airbag market is estimated to rise from 66 million units in 1996 to over 200 million units in 2006, a compound annual growth rate of 12 per cent. Over this decade, Europe will put in 60 million units, Asia-Pacific 30 million units and North America 24 million units.

While North American and Western European markets are growing, considerable development is also seen in the international market. As new applications are developing for airbags, including rear seat bags, inflatable seat belts and an outside airbag system for pedestrians, new fabrics and combinations are being applied. The front and passenger bags have different requirements because of the distance from the occupant, but they both have rapid increment and deflation in a very short time span.

Rollover bags must remain inflated for five seconds. In addition to new uses, expected trends include lighter fabric for use with newer “cold inflators,” blended with materials like fabric and film, new coating polymers (Silicone now dominates having replaced neoprene).

Growth of safety devices in the car interior

Increasing electronics and safety devices require more space in the interior together with new concepts for arrangement.

Worldwide market for PA airbag yarns

The fibre manufacturer Accordis Industrial Fibres BV, Arnhem/ Netherlands reported that the global market for PA airbag was 84,000 tons in 2005.

Airbags

Airbags were first introduced in the late 1960s, but it is only in the 1990s that their use increased amazingly and it is set to grow further. This validates the research and development still being made on design, deployment and base fabric material.

The prospects for the textile and making-up indus