Carsut – Understand cars and drive better

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  • How to find out who owns a car by the license plate number

    license plate number
    Do you know that you can actually perform a license plate search to find out the owner of any cars? Tracing any license plate numbers is no longer something hard with advance technology we have today. There are a few websites provide license plate lookup services online. Some of them are free while some of them are with reasonable price. A free search is good enough to tell you who own the car by the searching license plate number or the registration number. License plate lookup services can be very useful especially if you are involved in a hit-and-run accident. All you need to do is bring out your phone and capture the license plate number.

    In the UK, the most trusted website to perform a license plate lookup is dft.gov.uk – Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). DVLA is a government-owned website that consists of millions of vehicles information in their database. You can check a vehicle details through their online portal or by telephone.

    In the US, a privately owned website that helps people to find out the owner of any vehicles is DMV.org. Other than owner’s identity, you can also search for vehicle history reports, criminal records, court records, vital records, traffic tickets, driving records, suspended license and anything that is related to a vehicle. FromTexastoFloridatoCalifornia, the website covers all states in America.

    In certain situations, the Federal law in theU.S.protects any citizen from obtaining the owner’s identity of any vehicle if you are not able to provide a good reason. If a car hit you or your vehicle and run off, you should go to a nearest police station and log a report. Local police are able to help you to trace the owner and look for compensation. This is the best, safest and free way, why not?

    There are times where we need to find out the owner of a car, for example, a suspicious car is parked in your neighborhood for a long time or you saw someone texting while driving or drive crazily in your town. Although there are many reverse license plate searches online, the best way is still go to the local police station, department of motor vehicles, or local government authorities.

  • Texting while driving

    texting while driving
    Texting while driving is a very bad habit that most teenagers get used to do it. In Carsut’s car driving lessons, we often discourage anyone to send text messages while driving because it leads to a high risk of having car accidents. Distracted driving is dangerous especially when your concentration is not on the driving but something else – composing a text messages, trying to play a song from your car stereo, listen to loud music, trying to style your hair, or simply talking to other passengers. In that case you are driving irresponsibly. Thus, it should be strictly prohibited and not allowed to text and drive although the law in certain countries isn’t saying you can’t compose or send text messages while driving.

    Most people go into the “chatting” mood when they are texting each other. If the conversation is about Hawaiian Pizza, you may start imagine about pizza and relatively forget that you are actually driving. What if the conversation is about sexy girls? Will you still be able to drive a car properly? Moreover, with the advance technology we are having today, messages can be reached in seconds. Be it LINE, WhatsApp, email, Facebook chat, IM, or Yahoo Messagers, all these apps in your smartphone will certainly influence your driving when they beep or informing you a message has reached. Let’s look at some statistics and facts that related to texting and driving.

    Texting and Driving Statistics

    • About 50% of teenager drivers admit that they used to send text messages while driving.
    • Roughly 14% of drivers admit that they are surfing the internet while driving. What a dangerous act!
    • Approximately half a million car accidents are caused by texting while driving.
    • There are pedestrians were killed by young driver due to texting while driving each year.
    • The risk of car crash for drivers who text and drive is approximately 20 times higher than non-distracted driving.

    Texting and Driving Facts

    • Most drivers especially teenagers drive out of their lane while they are texting or playing with their phones.
    • When a teenager is over into the phone, he or she is not able to see if any vehicles come close by.
    • At the speed of 120mph, if you were distracted by a message and it takes 5 seconds to read it, your car will travel 0.17 miles without a driver.
    • Majority people understand that they shouldn’t be texting while driving but they are addicted to it and still do it.

    Distracted Driving Story

    Here we have got a story told by an American R&B singer Alicia Keys when she shares some of her firsts with PEOPLE contributor Kelly Carter. “The first time I heard my music on the radio… I was driving down the BQE (Brooklyn-Queens Expressway) in my first car and I almost out of control.” said Alicia Keys “Oh my God! I’m almost crashing into the orange construction things on the road. I was screaming… by myself, by the way.”

    Safety always comes first. Whether texting while driving has been outlawed in your state or your country, you should not do it under any kind of circumstances. You are just look like an idiot by doing so. For more safety driving tips, see also driving in the rain and how to parallel park a car.

  • Driving in the Rain

    Driving in the rain
    Driving in the rain can be challenging, exciting, and difficult especially during heavy rain day. This is because the road surface is wet and your car tires will lose traction and do not grip the wet road as good as dry road. During raining day, drivers feel harder to see incoming vehicles, vehicles at the back, road signs, and may not notice if someone is giving signals. Thousands of car accidents happened every year during raining day. Thus, if you are often driving in the rain, these tips are just so useful to you that might save your life.

    Tips and techniques

    • Many holes have been covered with water during raining day and you will never know if it is a huge hole or just water. If you are not sure whether there is just water in front of you or a huge hole, try to avoid it. Be smart, avoid it better than going through it and crash your own car.
    • Hydroplane could be happen if your speed is too fast, tread dept, water dept, or some other reasons. In case your car starts to hydroplane, remember, DON’T PANIC. Do not accelerate or brake the car suddenly. The biggest mistake people did is applying the brake suddenly due to panic. Hydroplaning is a lost of traction in front tires, sudden brake will lock the front tires and this could cause a spin out for any front-wheel-drive (FWD) or rear-wheel-drive (RWD) cars. It could be dangerous if you accelerate the car suddenly if there are other vehicles traveling in front of you or you are heading the edge of the road. The correct way to deal with hydroplane is to ease off the gas, look for open space and try to steer to the direction.
    • Never use cruise control during raining day. This is because cruise control will automatically provide more gas to the fuel system when the car slows down. In case of emergency happen like hydroplane, the system may try to provide more gas.
    • It is inevitable if someone else hit your car but you can avoid yourself hitting others during wet day. Try to stay in the middle lane or second lane during wet day because water tends to pool in the lower side (both outside lanes). Also, do not keep your car too close to other vehicles. Remember the 3 seconds rule need to change to 5 seconds during raining day.
    • Defog your windows if you are driving in a rainstorm. It helps you to see the road clearly.
    • Turn on high speed wiper if the rain is very heavy. Otherwise, use the minimum speed if the rain is little. High wiper speed is disturbing if the rain is very little.
    • Brake earlier with less force when you see something isn’t right happen in front of you. Emergency brake is always not encouraged during wet day.
    • Avoid following large vehicles or vehicles with wheels larger than 20-inch. Water will spray to block your vision if you are behind them. Either drive slower to avoid them or overtake them.

    Safety

    • Slow down boy! Driving in high speed will increase the risk of having an accidents because the road becomes slick with water. It is easier to stop the car if your speed is below 50 mph compared to above 100 mph. So, please slow down.
    • Switch on your headlights or double signals if the rain decreases your visibility to others.
    • Get a complete emergency kit for your car if it doesn’t have one. Do not buy those cheap emergency kits that don’t have enough equipment.
    • Other than knowing what to do in the rain, it is a must to check your car tires thread. In our car buying guide – inspect a used car before buying it, we mentioned before that a good way to check the tire tread is to use a penny to go through the tread. If you are able to see Lincoln’s head, it is time to get a replacement. Other than tire tread, tire rotation, tire pressure, balancing and alignment should be checked on time too.
    • Be more alert. Watch out for signals, high beam, or brake lights from other vehicles.
    • Rushing in the rain is definitely not a good thing. Give your self more time to travel by leaving the house of office earlier.

    Unforeseen circumstances

    • Old wiper may suddenly stop working while you are driving in the rain. First, do not panic. The best way is to turn on the double signals, pull over and stop your car at the emergency lane. We do not recommend you to continue drive the car especially heavy rain. The best way is to check if your wiper is functioning properly from time to time and replace your wiper blade when it is in bad condition.
    • Always notice your car dashboard symbol and see if some warning lights have turned on. Here you can find some of the common dashboard symbol and explanation at learning to drive a car.
    • If your air conditioning (AC) or defrosters is not working or your car doesn’t have an AC, the windscreen will mist up when the inside temperature is higher than outside temperature. Try to wind down the window a little bit to allow the colder air flow in from outside. If it is not working, stop the car beside and use a rag or tissue to clean it up.

    Besides several points mentioned above, there are many other things where you need to be more cautious. Why not hang around in a shopping mall, restaurant, 7-11, coffee shop, grocery stores or reschedule your appointment if you are not in hurry for your journey? Well, we know that’s in the perfect world otherwise no one will need the art of driving in the rain.

  • Honda CRV problems

    2012 Honda CRV
    This page is a collection of all Honda CRV problems shared by CRV owners from around the world. Some problems are provided with solutions while some remains unsolved. Over the years, the 2007 Honda CRV received the most complaints especially wheels and hubs problems and electrical problems. If you own a Honda CRV and you would like to report a problems or share your experience, please contact us and we will have it include in this page. Now here is the list of reported common Honda CRV problems.

    Model: 2012 Honda CRV
    Problems: Rear hatch won’t open (Not a big problem)
    Description: The rear hatch won’t open for sometimes and it seems like it is lock. I have to try it out few times.
    Solution: Sent to the dealer and have the electric lock replaced.
    Report By: Anonymous

    Model: 2012 Honda CRV
    Cons: Engine upgrade is not available, only a 2.4L four-cylinder available; Honda does not offer manual transmission for the 2012 model; Rear seats don’t slide fore and aft.
    Report By: Edmunds

    Model: 2011 Honda CRV
    Problems: Air-conditioning (A/C) not working
    Description: The other day when I am about to leave the gas station, a car came from behind in a very fast speed. I did not notice it and I step on the brake very hard to stop my car. My car speed at the time was about 20 mph. Since then, my AC is giving problem. The AC blower is still working but the air is hot and no cold air. I checked under the hood and found both fans are working.
    Solution: I sent the car to a private mechanic which is also a friend of mine in Virginia. It took him only 10 minutes to diagnose the problem and another 5 minutes to replace a blown fuse. I do not know why this happened but thank god the solution is so simple and it cost me less than $50 including labor charge.
    Report By: Cecilio, Virginia

    Model: 2010 Honda CRV
    Problems: The car is underpowered and lack of torque
    Description: I’ve owned a Honda CR-V for almost a year. Overall, the car satisfied me with the interior design and spacious trunk. The only problem I have with the car is that it is seriously underpowered. The car is lack of torque when climbing up hill or to overtake cars in front.
    Solution: What can I do except Honda make it better in the future?
    Report By: Denver, Malaysia

    Model: 2002 Honda CRV
    Problems: Air conditioning malfunctions, engine and transmission problems.
    Description: Leaking transmission fluid is one of the most common problems for Honda CR-V with automatic transmission.
    Solution: Send the car back to dealer.
    Report By: N/A

    Model: 2001 Honda CRV
    Problems: Vibrating Noise from the underneath
    Description: First I would like to clarify that this was a used car, so I am not sure if the car has gone through any serious accident before. However, I can feel the loud vibrating noise and it seems coming out from the underneath.
    Solution: It could be rubber boots, protectors, axle boots, tie rod boots, driveshaft, or bad bearing.
    Report By: Twitch, United States

    Honda CR-V’s competitor or similar cars: Ford Escape, Mazda CX-5, Acura RDX, Hyundai Tucson, Toyota RAV4, Subaru Outback, Subaru Forester, Nissan Rogue, Kia Sportage, BMW X3, and BMW X1.

    The Honda CRV has gained its popularity in the late ‘90s when it was first introduced in the United States in 1997. With more 5 million units of CR-V sold over the last decades, majority CR-V owners are satisfied with the performance and design of the car although there are minority of owners experienced the uncommon Honda CRV problems. If you are still in dilemma choosing the right car, why not follow our step by step car buying guide to choose the right one?

    See also some other interesting topics in the Honda family: Honda Insight vs. Toyota Prius, 2012 all-new Honda Civic, 2010 Honda City Review.

  • List of Chinese car brands

    Chinese car brands
    From clothing to yacht to electrical goods, we have seen a lot of things are now “Made in China” including cars, trucks, and commercial cars. Approximately, there are about 19 million cars were built in China over these years. Therefore, it is a must to know all the Chinese car brands and recognize their logos although not much of them are available in the U.S. right now. Currently, there are 61 Chinese car brands listed here from A to Z. Please contact us or drop your comment here if you found any car brands in China that is missing from the list.

    B

    Baolong
    Beijing Automobile Works (BAW)
    BYD Auto

    C

    Chang’an (Also known as Chana)
    Changfeng
    Changhe
    Chengan
    Chery (Pronounce as Qirui in Chinese)

    D

    Dadi (Professional pick-up and SUV manufacturer in China)
    Dongfeng (East Wind – One of the largest automaker in China)
    Dongnan (South East, also known as SEM)

    E

    Everus (Li Nian)

    F

    FAW Tianjin (Xiali)
    First Automobile Works (FAW)
    Forta
    Foton (Fu Tian,
    Fudi
    Fukang
    Fuqi
    Fuxing

    G

    Geely (Jili – It means good luck in Chinese)
    Gonow
    Great Wall Motor
    Guangzhou Automobile Industry Group (GAIG) (One of the most famous car brands in China)
    Guizhou / Yunque

    H

    Hafei (Famous for manufacturing minivan and small passenger cars in China)
    Haima
    Hawtai (Huatai)
    Heibao (It means black panther in Chinese, meaning the car run fast like it?)
    Hongqi (Red Flag)
    Huachen (Brilliance)
    Huali
    Huayang

    J

    Jianghuai (JAC)
    Jiangling (JMC) – Official website: http://www.jmc.com.cn
    Jiangnan
    Jinbei
    Jonway

    L

    Landwind
    Li Nian (Everus) (?? – It means idea/concept in Chinese)
    Liebao
    Lifan
    Liming

    N

    Nanjing Soyat

    Q

    Qingling – Official website: http://www.qingling.com.cn/

    R

    Roewe (Technology acquired from Rover)

    S

    SAIC (China’s largest car manufacturers)
    Shuanghuan

    T

    Tianma (Heavenly Horse)
    Tongtian

    W

    Wuling

    X

    Xinkai – Official website: http://www.hbxk.com/

    Y

    Youngman
    Yuejin
    Yutong (Mostly focus on bus manufacturing)

    Z

    Zhong Tai (Electric Cars)
    Zhonghua
    Zhongshun (Polarsun Automobile – http://www.polarsunmotor.com/)
    Zhongxing (Zxauto)
    Zhongyu
    Zotye (?? in Chinese)

    After seeing all these Chinese car brands, how much you wish to own one of these Chinese cars?

    See also: list of car brands