The Middle East Car Community

People in the Middle East are mad about their cars ask anyone how the Middle East stacks up when it comes to customizing their motors and they will tell you that cars in the Middle East are there to be pimped! There are a number of custom car communities in the Middle East available to petrol heads wishing to share their passion with others when it comes to customizing their motors. One of the most popular Middle East online car communities is Barbican Turbo with around 400 members it is the regions number one motorsports and custom car social community and supports the Barbican custom car festival talking place in the UAE in the Abu Dhabi exhibition centre. At the show you will find a large number of motor sports mad consumers crawling around hundreds of custom car exhibits and exhibition showcases from all over the world.

If you want to talk about your car in an ideal forum with fellow petrol heads from all over the Middle East then you can join Turbo.ae the online motors community, the Middle Easts custom car community is free to join and discuss customizing your car.

Automotive enthusiasts can come together to meet new people with similar interests online and the culmination of the online community activity is the regions number one custom car festival based in Abu Dhabi. On the online community you can:

Create your own profile page

Browse through other members’ profile pages

Show off your automobiles in your own gallery

Browse through other members’ galleries

Write your own automotive related blogs

Read other members’ automotive related blogs

Chat, make friends, talk shop, or find help in our community forum

Create or join Clubs to enjoy a club atmosphere with similiar minded or geographically close members (equipped with its own gallery and forum)

So you want to customize cars… Did you know, Jay Leno, the popular Tonight Show host is a custom car enthusiast? He’s got some real super custom hotrods but its nothing when compared with some of the Middle Eastern collectors that are car crazy! The custom car business in the Middle East is booming and with more and more collectors customizing some of the most expensive and luxurious cars in the world the Barbican Turbo festival is the absolute number one forum where community members can meet online and offline to discuss and share experiences about customizing motors.

Of course customizing cars is a huge business as well as hobby, with a multitude of sub-groups, from urban customizers to street rods, V8 muscle cars to classic roadsters. Customizing can be as simple as adding a new set of wheels to building your own custom vehicle from scratch – the possibilities are almost endless, limited only by your budget and imagination. On the community you will find useful information about customizing cars, articles and tips on designing and building your own custom motor you can register and use the community for free.

So if you want to learn more about customizing your motor in the Middle East then simply search in Google or Yahoo for the regions leading custom car community and get help and advice from other enthusiasts.

Windshield Replacement – The Difference Between Dot Certified (oem Glass) And Aftermarket Glass

Consumers looking for a high-quality windshield replacement should understand the major differences between the various types of auto glass available to them. Common options include original equipment manufacturer (OEM) distributor glass, dealer glass, and aftermarket glass. Which is the best for your windshield replacement?

If you purchase a replacement from a manufacturer-authorized dealer, you will get the same brand as your original windshield. But if you purchase your window from an auto glass shop, you will get it from a reliable OEM distributor who manufactures windows to the same exact specifications. These windows are the same shape, size, thickness, durability and color as original specifications. They are practically identical to the dealer versions and are also DOT-certified, meaning they are approved by the Department of Transportation.

Since this windshield was not manufactured by the original company, it is not exactly the same as what the dealer had on the car when it was manufactured, but it is comparable. The similarity is enough that if you were to return a leased automobile with an OEM replacement, the dealer would accept it.

Glass that you buy from a manufacturer-authorized car dealership is sourced from the exact same distributor that originally created your window. In this case, it will oftentimes have the car’s make stamped directly on it. If you absolutely must have the brand logo on your replacement window, you will have to go to a dealer to get it.

It is very common for automobile companies to change the supplier that they purchase their windshields from. It is a highly competitive business, so as contracts expire, the work may go out to bid. The bidding process is very competitive since these contracts are lucrative. This can result in a different company producing windshields from year to year for the same auto manufacturer.

Aftermarket glass is manufactured by businesses that don’t contract with any automobile manufacturers in particular. Because of copyright and licensing laws, these businesses are not allowed to produce windows for vehicles to the same specifications as OEM distributors. While aftermarket windshields are considerably less expensive than dealer or OEM products, having them installed can sometimes cause issues for the car owner, as some aftermarket products do not meet manufacturer and/or dealer requirements.

In addition, aftermarket glass is typically a different thickness than its counterparts. The vast majority of dealers will not allow you to bring back a leased automobile that has undergone aftermarket windshield replacement because the quality varies so much from the initial design; they don’t go through the same processes or meet the same requirements that OEM products do.

Of course, not all windshield damage requires a full replacement; any reputable automotive repair shop that handles glass repair or replacement can tell you if chips or cracks can be repaired. If a replacement is needed, consumers have a variety of windshield companies available to them, each offering services ranging from mobile installations to repair. In order to avoid leaks, outside noise or other potential problems that come with aftermarket products, be sure your window is being replaced only with OEM- or dealer-quality glass.

Pull-Behind Motorcycle Trailers

If you are a rider and youve been used to hauling your gear for long trips on side-bags and inside bunjee-jumped bags hitched to the back of your seat, you might want to rethink the possibilities.

Trailers for motorcycles are coming in all shapes, sizes and colors and they are making it possible for riders to hit the open road with ease.

Weve all see it: driving behind a motorcycle out on the highway, somewhere between nowheresville and the next gas stop, with large bags hanging from both sides of its back end. Not only does the extra baggage add weight to the motorcycle itself, they also just look plain clunky.

Rethink the travel trailer and imagine a sleek, shiny black egg-shaped trailer that hitches quickly and easily to the back of your motorcycle. Pull-behind motorcycle trailers are making it possible for riders to hit the highway for days at a time, carrying everything from camping gear to work tools and other items behind them, rather than on the back of their seat.

You can virtually tow your luggage or gear behind any Harley, Goldwyng, Can Am Spider or Victory or any motor bike, trike or tricycle. Many pull-behind motorcycle trailers can be customized to match the color of your bike, trike or tricycle and come with accessories, including spare tires, covers, chrome trim and packaging and more.

These beautiful new pull-behind travel trailers for motorcycles are not your old-school side-car looking numbers in any way. They are hitched to your trailer hauler and the back of your bike and come in stunning colors and materials, including fiberglass and aluminum.

Your travel trailer hauler can also come with top racks for extra storage space or designed with platforms for putting other items on, such as ice chests, tool boxes, camping gear, photography equipment and more.

Why are pull behind motorcycle travel trailers and storage units so popular? Simply put, they make the art of road travel by motorcycle fun and convenient. They help take the hassle out of travel altogether because, as is the case with a trailer behind a car, for example, there is no constant un-packing and untying of bags to get to what you need as you make your stops along the way.

With pull-behind motorcycle trailers, you simply pull over and open up your travel hauler to get to what you need, fast and efficiently. Close it up and hit the highway!

There are even travel trailers being manufactured for motorcycles today that have top-rack capability for storing a bicycle! That means you can take you motorcycle out on the road, find a camping spot and then enjoy your other favorite sport: mountain biking or city touring by bike!

Motorcycle pull-behind trailers and storage units are redefining what it means to be a biker. There are no special requirements for licensing involved in operating a trailer for your bike, but of course you may want to make sure you practice driving with it, parking and maneuvering before you hit the road. Because they add length to your motorcycle, you want to know how the trailer feels and how much room you need to put it into a parking space, park it curbside and also how to safely make those lane changes on the freeways and highways.

Automotive Mechanic Checklist-(your Checklist To The Right Automotive Mechanic)

Automotive Mechanic Checklist-(Your Checklist to the Right Automotive Mechanic)

Your car is a precious investment to you. You probably use it everyday. Just like when your sick you go to a professional doctor, the same to true for your car when it is sick or needs repair. You need to go a professional mechanic.

Finding the right mechanic for your car repairs is not as difficult as you may think. All you need to do is to know what a good mechanic is made of. Have your checklist handy and you will be all set to choosing the right mechanic for your car repair needs.

Relevant Training and Knowledge
Whenever you are trying to check out a good mechanic it is better that you do your homework first before going in and bringing your car for repair or service. You should research if the auto mechanic has acquired the correct training which is being offered in their shop. Training, educational, or specialization certificates or some proof of their achieved grades is of essence. This may seem like a high-standard but this will be surely helpful knowing that the mechanic you are about to entrust your car to is knowledgeable and competent on his field.

Experience and Time
Another good point to add in your checklist is the experience the mechanic has in this field. You may inquire how long have they been in the specific specialization they have, how long have they been doing car repairs as well as what other specific auto repairs have they already accomplished. Having the knowledge about this assures you that your car’s problem will easily be solved and that your car is in good hands. Also, for car repair shops you can inquire how long they have been in business as good businesses providing honest, high-quality service usually endure time and last longer than those other lesser car repair shops.

Services Offered
You may also want to, of course, check what services are being offered in a specific car repair shop. Every car has different needs and not all repair shops may have the specific auto mechanic you want for your car’s needs. Always check if the service you want done is being offered or not.

Cleanliness and Orderliness
Aside from those mentioned, you must also observe and take into consideration how organized, clean and orderly a mechanic or their shop is. This will tell you a lot about your mechanic’s work ethics and personality. It is ideal and advisable that a mechanic must be trustworthy and honest, as well as hardworking. In most cases your will only know this after your car service or repair, unless you have been recommended by a friend or relatives. For beginners, observation is your tool. Observe how clean and orderly a shop is from the lobby and the work area. This simple test will surely help you decide on how careful, orderly, and organize your mechanic is, as well as how their shop is being managed.

There are still other things you may want to add but for the basics, the above mentioned are a must in selecting the right auto mechanic for you.
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Sheet Metal Stamping In The Automotive Industry

Historically, sheet metal stamping has been used extensively to produce automotive body panels. Although sheet metal stamping use has decreased with the advent of fiberglass body panels, sheet metal stamping is still the most popular material for manufacturing automobiles today. The addition of lasers and robotics to the automobile manufacturing process has further expanded the way that sheet metal stamping is processed.

Lasers

Lasers have been used in production facilities since the 1960’s. Today, they are used to cut, form holes, engrave, weld or heat treat sheet metal stamping for use in automotive production.

Lasers are used in applications that rely on precise measurements and exact alignments.

The adjustment of lasers is measured in micrometers, or millionths of a meter.

There are many different types of lasers used to alter sheet metal stamping and plastics in the automotive industry.

Carbon dioxide laser- uses a mixture of carbon dioxide, nitrogen and helium to produce a continuous laser output

Continuous-wave laser- this type of laser produces light beams continuously rather than in controlled pulses

Excimer laser-emits light in a UV spectrum that is used for producing high quality edges on parts that are prone to cracking or thermal damage; it falls into the category of pulsed-gas lasers

Gas laser-any laser that uses a gas mixture as the lasing medium; common gases are argon and carbon dioxide

Pulsed laser-emits light in controlled pulses and is preferred for thin materials ; it can be used to create intricate details and work in tight corners without burning

Ruby laser-a solid state laser that uses a synthetic ruby crystal with a chromium impurity as the lasing medium

Solid-state laser-a type of laser that uses a crystal or glass as the host for an impurity to produce the lasing action; especially useful for precise measuring and spot welding

Yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) laser-ranges in power from a few milliwatts to more than 400 watts; used for cutting, drilling, heat treating and welding operations

Robotics

Robotics are often used for repetitive tasks, monotonous jobs or those parts of the manufacturing process that are physically difficult or take place in environmentally unpleasant conditions. They are directed by computer programs and perform precise operations without human intervention.

Lasers and robotics have significantly increased the speed at which sheet metal stamping can be processed in the automotive manufacturing process. Continued technological advancements in these two areas will further increase the cost effectiveness and productivity of automotive manufacturing facilities.