How to remove stone chips.

Keeping your motor in good condition should be at the top of your list. A well looked after car will fetch a much higher price when it becomes time to sell it. In fact resale values can fetch a premium hike of as much as 10 or 20% when the car has been detailed and kept in excellent condition throughout its life. So we will look at how to repair stone chips.

The most obvious area to care for is the paint work. It seems that there are a plethora of problems and issues determined to ruin your paintwork. Even cleaning a automobile if not done right can cause scratches and swirls to appear. Those circular swirls in your paint are nearly always caused during cleaning. The round motion people use in cleaning is the only thing that can cause round swirls. If the paint is very swirly you should use a cutting polish to remove these but this is best done after cleaning and ideally you should use a random action polisher as it is very time consuming to do by hand.

Firstly to keep the car in good condition you should wash the car on a weekly basis, this prevents the grime and dirt from eating into the paint work. You should use a lamb’s wool wash mitt as this keeps scratchy grit away from the paint instead of allowing it to scratch the paintwork as is the case with a sponge. Use plenty of water too and rinse the automobile off before you even begin to loosen the dirt. There are some really good foaming sprays that can be used to lift the dirt from the paintwork.

Cleaning the alloys is very important as the brake dust and road salts can eat into the paint causing it to bubble and crack and corroding the wheel beneath. Be careful with some off the shelf wheel cleaning products as these can be very harsh and are little more than acid. Leaving these on the alloys and not rinsing off is just asking for trouble.

In winter time a lot of areas put salt on the roads and this is extremely detrimental to paintwork and wheels so regular cleaning in the winter months is of vital importance.

You will notice stone chips appearing in the automobiles paintwork and over time these will just build up. Eventually the deeper stone chips will corrode and start to rust. So stone chips are best treated sooner rather than later.

First clean out the damaged area motorefully with a fibreglass tipped pen, knife or very fine wire brush. If there is any rust it will need to be removed immediatly and treated with a rust inhibitor.

Then with a touch up pen build up the paint in layers to just below the surface of the existing paint. Then touch up with a clear lacquer coating so this is just proud of the surface. Leave about 1 hours drying time between each coat.

Finally with a fine grade of wet and dry sandpaper on a small sanding block, rubber, piece of chalk or similar sand the area so it is flat and matches the surrounding paintwork of your car. On most motors with solid paints you can get a near invisible repair done, on some metallic’s the best you can hope for is a close match. Even pro body shops will struggle to get a perfect paint match.

Then use a cutting paste on the area, usually labelled polish to blend the repaired new paint in with the slightly faded automobile paint around the area.

When you've finished cleaning and repairing your motor it is worth applying a good wax coating to protect the paintwork. Beware of bird guano as this will eat through your paint and MUST be removed immediately.

Beware of claims of paint protection waxes that last for years. These invariably need to be topped up every 6 months or so with a "care product" and even the best waxes typically only last for 6 months. On modern paint we suggest using a sealant rather than a wax and these are sometimes called synthetic waxes.

Online MPG calculator

With rising petrol prices we note that lots of our visitors like to keep track of their fuel costs and fuel economy.

This is why we originally supplied our mpg calculator and it is proving to be more popular than ever before.

Adjustments and refinements to our mpg calculator have seen many new features added. In addition to tracking your last 4 fill ups and mpg to allow you to see trends (which is now a selectable feature rather than automatic due to a silly EU directive on cookies), you can see what your annual fuel cost is.

The cost per mile proves useful to people who are couriers and need to charge a cost per mile basis and a few have emailed us thanks as they would have been running at a net loss without this information.

You can alter the annual mileage to give an approximate annual fuel cost.

We have also updated our fuel saving tips on this page allowing you to get more miles out of every gallon of fuel you use.

There are also a few other new MPG related calculators including one that gives the annual fuel cost of 2 cars from MPG and price of fuel allowing you to make an informed choice on your new car purchases.

We nearly bought a diesel because of the extra MPG but the extra fuel cost didn't add up to a saving overall so we stuck with a petrol with a lower purchase price and lower running costs.

It's amazing that most people pay around £2000 per year for fuel and still don't think of it as being a major part of their budget.

The more fuel we all save the lower the demand and this will help keep down prices and if you are believing the hype save the planet!

A new look for TorqueCars

We wanted the readers of this Car tuning blog to be among the first to know that TorqueCars has an exciting new look and feel on their modified cars site.

It was long overdue a makover with the original design and graphics dating back about 6 years or so! We have tried to keep the images used exciting and fresh and reflect TorqueCars cutting edge approach to car tuning. Unlike other car tuning sites and blogs TorqueCars gets regular updates as old articles are reviewed, refined and updated with the very latest tips and tricks.

To keep pace with the developments in modding cars you should also join thier car forums where you can read and swap ideas and tips with other car tuners with experience in the same make and model of car that you own.

We hope you like the new look and we promise that there is a lot more to come in the near future. So watch this space and keep up with the latest car modification trends.

BHP Performance cars show video.

Just got back from the car tuning and styling show at Lydden Hill in Dover Kent, known as the BHP performance show.

It was a very very good show. We will be uploading pics of the hot show cars to our car styling tips.com website and featuring some of the cars in detail on www.torquecars.com

To whet your appetite here is a video we took from the show! A stunning 10 minutes of inspirational cars of all shapes and sizes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ3V_-GQqd8

TorqueCars now have a Twitter feed.

Catch up with the latest Car Tuning and car styling news on the TorqueCars twitter feed, perfect for anyone interested in cars and car tuning. We have posted an extract below of the upto date news items and snippest collected in our Twitter feed.

Style - Who says estate cars are not cool?: If you think that estate cars are boring and driven by people with no ... http://bit.ly/aNPR2y

about 6 hours ago The following Car Tuning news item was posted to Twitter

Posted By Power tips - Hybrid turbos http://bit.ly/dtlo4A

6:33 PM Apr 9th The following Car Tuning news item was posted to Twitter

Posted By Style - Drift Nissan Skyline: Today we feature another of the amazing drift cars from GDA sports cars. This Nissan... http://bit.ly/djvxYO

5:02 PM Apr 9th The following Car Tuning news item was posted to Twitter

Posted By Style - Full Drift style bodykit: This Nissan typifies the drift style bodykit – the lower sills and bumpers have ... http://bit.ly/9XoPbN

5:02 PM Apr 9th The following Car Tuning news item was posted to Twitter

Posted By TorqueCars: Tuning the cars engine for better MPG means reducing power. :- Tuning for Stingy people http://bit.ly/dpgpdK

2:37 PM Apr 8th The following Car Tuning news item was posted to Twitter

Posted By TorqueCars: Tuning the Alfa Romeo range of cars :- The national Alfa Service! (Sorry for the pun!) http://bit.ly/cBNSlq

2:37 PM Apr 8th The following Car Tuning news item was posted to Twitter

Posted By TorqueCars: Delocking - How to Delock a car :- Locking yourself out. http://bit.ly/943FOL

2:37 PM Apr 8th The following Car Tuning news item was posted to Twitter

Posted By Style - A cool BMW with quad bonnet vents: Underbonnet temperatures can really affect a cars performance so it is ... http://bit.ly/9NtCET

3:54 PM Apr 7th The following Car Tuning news item was posted to Twitter

Posted By Style - Nissan S15 drift car styling: The Nissan S15 is favoured by drifters, the Nissan engines give plenty of tu... http://bit.ly/9w0gnS

3:54 PM Apr 7th The following Car Tuning news item was posted to Twitter

Posted By TorqueCars: EVO 6 Tommi Makinen No 2 :- Ian's Mitsubishi Evo VI http://bit.ly/cZTu0F

4:58 PM Apr 6th The following Car Tuning news item was posted to Twitter

Posted By TorqueCars: Bonnet vents. :- Performance. Bonnet vents. http://bit.ly/bRputZ

4:57 PM Apr 6th The following Car Tuning news item was posted to Twitter

Posted By TorqueCars: Tuning and mods for the Citroen Saxo :- SAXOn warrior http://bit.ly/cXagFw

4:57 PM Apr 6th The following Car Tuning news item was posted to Twitter

Posted By TorqueCars: The quest for cleverer cars. :- Hi tech - Hi Cost - Hi Stress. http://bit.ly/d9XymU

4:57 PM Apr 6th The following Car Tuning news item was posted to Twitter

Posted By TorqueCars: Add It To The Wish List :- Parotec 206 CC Body Kit http://bit.ly/c2oayv

4:57 PM Apr 6th The following Car Tuning news item was posted to Twitter

Posted By Style - BMW drift car from the Netherlands: Drifters love BMW’s. Not quite as much as Jap cars but there are many ... http://bit.ly/clYEKK

2:49 PM Apr 5th The following Car Tuning news item was posted to Twitter

TorqueCars: Engine oil and the importance of good lubrication. :- Oil: Oils well that ends well. http://bit.ly/dq7kjJ

12:15 PM Apr 5th The following Car Tuning news item was posted to Twitter

TorqueCars: Blow off valves, dump valves and screamer pipes :- Do I look BOV'd! http://bit.ly/dtB2I6

12:15 PM Apr 5th The following Car Tuning news item was posted to Twitter

TorqueCars: Frugal, Quick and Ready To Mod :- 150bhp Diesel Astra Sport Hatch http://bit.ly/bbFTMZ

12:15 PM Apr 5th The following Car Tuning news item was posted to Twitter

TorqueCars: Eclipse Tuning :- It's a total Eclipse http://bit.ly/9IDIUG

Car tuning and modified cars update

We have not been idle, although the blog has not been updated for some time. We'd like to thank all of our loyal car tuning fans for thier support, kind comments and words of support.

Most of my efforts have been devoted to the car tuning forum at TorqueCars.com and we have seen phenomenal growth with over 13,000 members and lot of very interesting car tuning projects on the go.

We have also created a Squidoo lens on modified cars and another on car tuning myths and are hoping that we can dispel a lot of the bad information out there when it comes to car tuning.

If you want to keep up with the latest and greatest car tuning trends and modifications please visit the sites listed in our blogroll.

Our own car tuning projects are also moving on a pace and we will have some very interesting features on TorqueCars.com soon so stay tuned for updates.

TorqueCars in the press.

TorqueCars are proud to be featured as the website of the month in the September issue of Performance BMW Magazine.

We have been recognized as a very useful resource for those looking for an introduction into the often mystifying world of car tuning and car styling.

The articles on TorqueCars have been written with the intention of making complex tuning principles easily understood.

The world of car tuning certainly moves quickly with new developments that continually push the envelope further. Sadly though the number of innovations is matched by the new scams and downright over optimistic claims about car modification parts.

There are new articles appearing on the site and the latest ones cover electric water pumps, exhaust wraps and we examine cryogenic engine treatments in detail.

The forum has seen a dramatic explosion of new registrations and there are many new active topics and threads starting all the time.

Tuning the Toyota Supra

The Toyota Supra is one of the most impressive production cars in terms of its tuning capabilities. It would appear that the engineers created an engine that were suitable of handling 600 BHP. The final power output of the engine know was reduced to around 350 breach BHP due to pressure from executives who didn't want to be accused of releasing an uneconomical and dangerously powerful car.

Quite simply with a minimal outlay you can produce one of the fastest cars on the road. The first thing you should look at is a the turbo, many Supra owners opted for a larger turbo which increases the mid and high range output of the engine. Select a turbo with a ball bearing rather than a thrust appearing as the spool up quicker, and last longer.

The next step of the tuning project involves the sports computer which manages all aspects of engine timing and boost. With the simple modifications you could be looking at power gains of double your starting baseline. See torquecars for more index tuning advice on the Toyota Supra and the benefits and drawbacks of the many different types of modification on offer.

Biofuels good bad or ugly?

Biofuel has been hailed by many as the answer to our dependence on oil. A bio fuel is one which can be produced from biological matter. The theory is that the fuel crop grows and absorbs Co2 and then it is processed, turned into fuel and burnt in our engines.

Biodiesel is popular with some people starting to produce their own bio-diesel at home with kits. The nearest you can get to petrol is ethanol which is a form of alcohol but a petrol engine needs extensive modification to reliably use ethanol. The latest thinking is that a small percentage of our petrol can harmlessly contain ethanol and this will reduce oil dependence by 10-20% a year for the average motorist.

The downsides though which are some what ignored.

1. Damage to engines. Ethanol engines are different to petrol one due in part to the corrosive nature of ethanol within an engine. Even a watered down mix will potentially cause damage to an engine, research is currently being conducted into this assertion but the early indicators are not good. Ethanol is also hydroscopic meaning it absorbs water easily so it will mean the average driver without a permenantly full tank will have fuel and water pumping into his engine.
2. Ethanol is difficult to produce and requires a great deal of energy for the distillation/filtration and processing. We seem to be robbing Peter to pay Paul.
3. Ethanol produces less energy per equivalent volume of petrol. This means that our fuel consumption/gas mileage is reduced and we end up burning a greater volume of fuel.
4. Modern diesel engines are not happy to run on unprocessed vegetable oil and again there is an energy overhead in the conversion/manufacturing process.
5. Crop space is taken up producing fuel crops instead of food crops. This could impact on farming and food production. Where new land is ploughed and used the trapped Co2 in that virgin land is now released into the enviroment.

We clearly need more research into bio-fuels and their future impact before we start switching over to use them. Bio Fuel can only ever be a partial solution to the problem. Our consumer led lifestyles have more impact on Co2 than even a high mileage drivers car emissions. The UK are potential going to introduce compulsory introduction of bio/mineral fuel blends at all pumps. This has already been a policy in the USA and already lobbyists are calling for a reversal of this misguided attempt to save the environment.

The future of tuning?

The new Nissan GTR is certainly turning some heads. It would appear that the gadgets and wizardry that make the car work can perform magic.

We are talking supreme levels of traction and power throughout the rev range. Despite it gargantuan size it handles like a car half its weight. The Nissan R&D boys have turned out something special. The car at is stands is a very complete package. However there is a down side for the car tuner.

To produce such amazing power levels the car has been hardwired to resist tuning. The GTR contains one of the most anti tuning and aftermarket modification defence array we have ever seen. This step was taken to placate the Japanese authorities that the car would not become a 1000bhp monster like the previous incarnations of the Skyline in the hands of Japans premier tuners.

The main ECU is pretty damn hard to open and reprogram due to encryption. Further to this the car has accelerometers and GPS receivers and it is able to work out if the car is faster than it was designed to be. So too much acceleration, faster cornering or sharper braking all trigger the "anti mod" warning, invalidating your warranty at best and at worst the car will start to protest.

This is only the surface, try fitting larger wheels and you again hit the anti tuning defense grid. The speed is also restricted unless the GPS pinpoints your location to a Nissan Recognised track so the car will actually police your speed limit depending on where you are.

I'm sure that many tuners will find ways around all of this and I can't wait to see what extra power and performance can be extracted from this monster. I know the guys at TorqueCars are keenly watching and waiting for updates. This does show the car makers attitude to car customisation and personalisation and it is certainly a worrying trend in automotive design.