When I got the news from Adam that Shift.com wanted us to try out their used car buying service, I browsed through their site and thought to myself, this is just going to be just another Carmax experience. Boy was I wrong.

Choosing to buy a used car is usually the soundest thing to do with your money. It saves you from the instant depreciation once you drive off the lot, though you can’t help but think if the car your buying might have some problems with it.

If you don’t know what you’re doing, used car buying can be scary.

Generally, folks choose between three popular options when buying a used car. The most common would be to head over to your local used car dealership where there is a chance you might get screwed over on financing or end up with a lemon. Then there’s Craigslist, as you know I have been very familiar with. This option can be sketchy if you’re clueless.

You might meet up with someone untrustworthy that “forgets” to tell you the issues about the car. You might also get a chance to test drive and purchase a potentially stolen vehicle. Worst of all, there is a high-risk chance of buying a lemon, which actually happened to me in my latest Will It Flip project.

You’ll have to wait for that story.

Lastly, there is Carmax. This is a popular one. The place has warranties, no-haggle pricing, and pretty good customer service. But all three of those options have one big inconvenience: You’re going to spend a good chunk of your day to see the car.

What if I told you there is a much better and easier way? Shift is a new used car buying service that is unlike any other I’ve experienced. I will break down for you. I was told that I could test-drive any used car I desired on their site. Of course to me this meant either finding the most expensive car, one with the most horsepower, or both. Upon first browsing their current stock, I narrowed my choices down between a 911 Carrera S or a Hellcat Challenger, I went with the latter since I’ve actually never driven a muscle car before and also because, c’mon man, Hellcat.

Now what’s game-changing about booking a drive through Shift.com is that you can actually choose the meeting location of your test drive. That means you can summon the car you’re interested in to your house, your job, your ex’s place, or anywhere you want. Aside from the obvious choice of choosing the Hellcat, I figured it would make sense to have the car delivered to an inconvenient location; some random beach in Malibu close to Neptune’s Net.

Within minutes of completing the booking form, I received a call from a real life person from Shift.com verifying and confirming my drive. This is also the part where they would ask to verify your credit score. This is to make sure you can actually afford the car you booked and you’re not just some kid like myself who wants to take some fancy car out for a drive. Following this call, I received an email confirming the date, time, location, and the phone number of the delivery guy or as they call it, “car enthusiast”, who will be delivering the car to you, my guy’s name was Colston.

The morning of the drive I received a call from Colston to verify that it was still a go. He also called me again when he was on the way to the location and when had arrived. If calls were inconvenient, you can also request for a text conversation instead. This transparency in communication opens up the ability for you to request a different time or location depending on how your day goes. They are flexible will pretty much work within your schedule to your convenience. Like I said, this is a used car buying experience unlike anything I’ve ever heard of. When he arrived, I was actually expecting someone in uniform to show up with a car on a trailer, because that’s what you usually get when you’re buying a used car from a company. Instead Colston drove the car to the location himself and was dressed in vans and casual attire with a Shift branded jacket. I dig this because I believe that casual attires always give off a more personable vibe.

He gave me a detailed rundown about the company, the car, and the buying process. I also received a 200-point inspection report, brief about the car, and the Carfax history report. With the inspection report, you are shown all of the issues with the car if it has any. If there is anything that needs attention, Shift will pay for it on behalf of the original seller, that way you will never get a lemon from them. You get about 45 minutes to test-drive the car and maybe even more if their day is not packed with clients. During that time you have the ability to drive it as if you had already owned the car. That meant you could have it delivered to your home in the morning and drive it to work, vice versa, drive it to your friends and family members’ place for their approval, see how it sits in your drive way, or even fit test a baby seat you already own. I chose to take the hellcat down PCH to feel all 707 horses.

Another interesting point about the experience was that Colston was not at all pushy about selling it during our time together. Instead he would show off features and facts about the car. The reason behind this is because Colston is not a salesman; instead he is more of a car concierge, Shift is not a dealership but more of a liaison between the actual owner of the car and you. You decide if you want the car or not, the buyer is in complete control of the whole experience.

After driving around in the Hellcat on a wide-open part of PCH doing the speed limit, we went back to the parking lot and he explained the process if one were to move forward in buying it. As a buyer, you have the option to purchase the car up front with cash or check and if you don’t have stacks of money to shell out, they have several financing options to choose from. Two of which you can get on the spot. If you’re not ready to purchase for whatever reason but want the car, you have the option to hold it for three days with a $95 deposit. Shift will take care of the registration and all the paperwork making the buying process as easy for you as possible. If you took the chance to click the link and visit the site during this review you might have noticed that they have pretty competitive prices. That is because the company is a liaison between the seller and buyer. It is like having all the benefits of personal interaction from buying through craigslist without the sketchiness and the ease of mind from buying through a dealership without the haggle or hassle.

I can honestly say if I were to ever buy a newer used car in the future, I would seriously consider looking at Shift.com first. It is the ultimate VIP experience for buying used cars. The process of booking, driving, and buying a car is purely catered to the customer. Maybe the fact that I drove a Hellcat made me a little biased but if I were to compare the customer service experience to how the Hellcat drives on a straight, I’d have to say it’s on par if not better. Thanks to shift.com, the future of buying used cars is very bright.

Photos: @reu.j and @theblownbulb

The post Shift.com is a Revolutionary Used Car Buying Service appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Since the beginning of this year I have been on a mission to finish off what the 12 year old in me had always wanted, a clean daily driven RPS13 that can hunt the curves on the canyons with ease and bears all the right parts. This is a story of how I fell in love with my car and the progress of my build from beginning to end… for now.

As a kid I was always obsessed with car culture. I remember going to the hot rod and lowrider shows that occasionally happened around town. At home I played with nothing but car related toys from Hot Wheels, Matchboxes, and Micro Machines to the Gran Turismo series on Playstation until the Internet came about. Now there wasn’t much you could do with dial-up but when DSL became available, it gave me the ability to stream videos with reasonable load times. It was almost natural for me to find out about the world of Initial D, Best Motoring, Smokey Nagoya, and the illegal drifting in Japan all before high school. From car buying in Gran Turismo 2, I learned about the Supras, Skylines, and a handful of other Japanese and Euro cars that were forbidden fruit to the USA thanks to the strict import laws.

As I drooled over the early generation Lancer Evolutions, Impreza’s, and Skylines, I realized, due to price and legality, that most of these cars are more of a dream than a reality. Fortunately for me there was one car that stuck out from the sea of 90’s Japanese glory. This car also happened to fit my budget when it came time to own my first car. That was the 240sx, which yields many variations. Some of you might know it as the Silvia, Onevia, 180sx, 200sx, Sileighty, Type X, S13, S14, S15…I mean the list goes on but I’ll save you the explaination between variants because Wikipedia can cover you on that. Now it wasn’t the girlfriends from Impact Blue driving the Sileighty, or the white 180sx Chuki hatchback, or even the white S14 Keiichi Tsuchiya drove in the Drift Bible video that made me fall in love with the S-Chassis. What made me like the car so much was the plethora of body and engine variations that came with the S-Chassis. The idea of owning a car with so many versatile options of customization symbolized the freedom and ease of tailoring the car to my taste. This picture I saw in middle school of a red Type X with Blitz wheels probably also played a small part in convincing me.

Coming from my part of town, I had to earn my keep and make something out of nothing. Once out of high school, my options were either to buy a car or use that money go to college, I chose the latter and put my car dreams on hold. Being undocumented also meant that owning a car was too big of a risk. It would pain me to have my car taken away off a technicality or be slapped with a big fine that I couldn’t afford. By my third year of college I was commuting by bike to my community college and worked several freelance jobs. Public transportation sucks around my part of town and without a car it made it very difficult getting anywhere on time. Fortunately my parents were nice enough to match my savings so I can purchase my first car. All the while Deferred Action had also just been implemented by Obama’s executive action meaning I finally had the ability to get my drivers license in California. My eyes were set on getting a RPS13. Although the prices of the 240sx’s had plummeted in the early to mid 2000’s, by 2011 people were starting to realize how much potential of track car it can be and prices slowly inflated. The drift scene was picking up in the states and it was slowly getting difficult to find a car that was not abused, engine swapped, or gutted. A clean blank canvas would cost a few hundred more and this was known as the dreaded drift tax.

My goal was to find a chassis that didn’t have any detrimental dents and was not gutted or abused. It had to be a hatchback, a sunroof, and most importantly a manual transmission. Although it isn’t as hard as today to find a clean untouched sample for a decent price, it still took some effort. I remembered searching online for about four months before I had found what could potentially be “the one” and even then, the seller was a three-hour drive away. I remember being excited because it was exactly what I was looking for, a grey hatchback with a sunroof and manual transmission with a few nice surprises on top. It had rare un-cracked dashboard, clean title, and only 112k miles on the dash. I managed to score the car for much less than the asking drift tax price due to it having some simple maintenance issues. The car was an early 89-90 model therefore holds the single cam engine. Despite it not having the better dual cam motor it was match meant to be because it was made the same year I was born, 1990. Those pleasant surprises made me instantly attached to the car. When it came time to register the car, it actually got better. According to the DMV records, I was officially the second owner, making it a rare two-owner RPS13. This was verified by my friends’ Carfax report. Not bad for a 21 year old car at the time.

Stage 1 of my build was to make it a reliable daily driver; doing tune-ups and only fixing things that were broken. I completed that within the first two years of ownership. Being a broke college student at the time, I didn’t believe in doing heavier modifications until I got my first career out of college. I didn’t like the idea of building a car when I wasn’t financially stable. I patiently planned my build through an Excel sheet and tried to stay away from buying cheap knockoff parts. No shortcuts here. With the post 2010 trend of 240s being stripped down into drift missiles and unloved by many of its newer owners, I had a different goal in mind. Horsepower didn’t matter to me, so an engine swap or turbo is off the table until this one dies. The idea was to make mine a reliable, period correct, daily driver with only a few hints of modern amenities. Suspension is important because I want it to handle tight corners and small roads with ease. Throughout the past two years, I’ve been crossing off many parts from that long list which brings us here now.

I will get into more details of what parts are on the car in part two. In the mean time, my goal of completing stage 2 of my build is almost done. All the suspension, interior, and exterior upgrades I wanted were purchased and installed. It was finally time to send it off for paint at SoCal Auto Image in Long Beach to make this a rare, non-drift slutted 240sx with color-matched panels. Now we wait.

The post Running in the ’90s: Period-Correct 240SX Build Part One appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Sound is one of my all time favorites of the five senses. A song has the power to instantly change the way you feel about a picture, video, and environment. Being that we are in the age of booming technology, a set of headphones is the most second most important mate to my laptop next to its charger. I usually own three sets of earphones at any given time. I own two decent quality earbuds usually with durable rope wiring, one for the gym and one to leave in the car for the days I forget to pack my good one. These ear buds are durable but will one day fall into planned obsolescence therefore replacing them in a matter to 6 months or a year is a given.

My third pair of earphones however, is the pair I consider an investment. This is the pair that I spend a little more time researching before purchasing and cost significantly more than my other two pairs. It is the pair that I look forward to using when working out of the house. Within the past several years I’ve been on a mission shuffling from different brands searching for the perfect pair. Many I’ve had were great but uncomfortable after several hours of use. Some had great build quality but lacks sound quality. Some had really great marketing and endorsement deals but lacks overall quality and can be considered a sham. I haven’t ran into a brand that I would consider buying over and over again until I got my hands on these earphones from Master & Dynamic, specifically the ME05.

Whenever I’m introduced to a new brand, I pay close attention to how it’s packaged. As a fan of design, I’m a sucker for great packaging because in most cases, the way an item is packaged is a preview to how much care and quality was focused in building the product. Now I understand that is not always the case because there are plenty of shitty items that come in great packaging but in this case, the ME05 Master & Dynamic is not here to fool you.

At first you pull the tab to slide the product out, you get a black felt box that holds a dusting cloth, wire clip, and a leather circular case that holds the earbuds. Underneath is another carrying bag, and user pamphlet. As you lift up the leather circular case, the earphones are coiled up in a convenient package that includes various sizes of silicon earpieces and a replacement acoustic filter. When a product provides these extra accessories, you know it’s been built to last.

My favorite part about getting a new set of earphones is plugging them into my laptop and listening to an album that I currently have on repeat to see if it can pack up any sounds or instruments that didn’t make its way out of my MacBook speakers. In this case, Chance the Rapper’s Coloring Book. The earphones picked up all the highs and lows and indeed unveiled some sounds that were hidden behind my laptop speakers. Now when it comes to earphones, it is a given that the bass and treble will never be as great as studio speakers but in areas where most earphones lack, Master & Dynamic excel. Somehow Master & Dynamic manages to capture the bass and treble quality even without ear bleeding volume levels and it does not stop excelling from there either. I wore these earphones for about three hours straight and not once did it feel uncomfortable. In conclusion you can bet that I will be looking into more Master & Dynamic products in the future but most importantly, these set of earphones helped me fall in love with the Coloring Book mixtape all over again, and for that I thank you.

The post Searching for the Perfect Third Pair – Master & Dynamic ME05 appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

I’ll be honest here, one thing I never understood as a kid was why do dress shoes always had to be uncomfortable when they’re brand new. No matter how expensive or cheap those dress shoes were, they are always unbearable until it was broken in. I mean I get it now as an adult. I understand what it takes to create a one of a kind bespoke dress shoe and endure a painful few weeks until it’s the best shoe in your closet and I appreciate that. Despite that, I don’t buy those shoes regularly and I definitely won’t spend a painful few weeks just for a shoe I plan to wear seasonally. This is where Samuel Hubbard shoes come in. Never have I experienced a chukka low shoe so insanely comfortable right out the box. This nubuck sky blue leather chukka lows is from their limited collection and have to say I am astounded by the quality of materials they used to make these. The nubuck leather is consistently buttery throughout the shoe, the sole has more grip on the ground than a set of dirt tires on a rally course and is thick for maximum support for a full days use. The leather insole has you feel like you’re walking on clouds. They are even more comfortable than some of the running shoes I own. In the shoebox it also comes with a small pamphlet on Hubbard’s shoe making history. Briefly summarized, they were in business from the 1930’s until about 1970’s and recently opened its doors again in 2014 still as a family business. If you want other colors or just looking for something more traditional they have plenty of options to choose from on their website. You can count on me scouting their collection for my next pair of oxfords.

The post Samuel Hubbard – Business, Comfort, and Colors appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Well, as almost all car related stories go with me, nothing is ever easy. On the day we met up to take a look at the car, we got a call from the owner telling us to turn back and go home. He was stuck at the gas station after filling up the car and said it wouldn’t start; the owner felt bad and didn’t want to sell us a car that had problems. Being that we were already five minutes away from where he was, we asked to see the car anyways. There was probably also a really good chance we can get the car for almost next to nothing. Upon arriving I told my buddy it was a good sign that he was kind enough to let us know about the issues. This means that though the car has obvious problems, at the least the seller seemed honest about it, a key factor when buying anything used from anybody; an advice that you will see I myself forget in a later article.

By the time we arrived at the gas station, the owner was able to get the car started again and we all took it turns for a test drive. The engine has a little over 200k miles and noticeably needed a tune up, the transmission flush, but despite the issue relating to the car not starting up, everything else seemed to be fine. It was actually really strong and well kept considering the mileage. To top it off, the owner had a master binder of maintenance receipts dating back from the first owner. This is like the car enthusiast equivalent to finding a second pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Seeing how transparent everything was, my friend insisted in purchasing the car and was able to knock off a little more than 30% of the asking price due to the unknown issues. The only stipulation we had was that the current owner is to keep the car at his garage until the next week. I figured it should have a tune-up as we try to debunk the problem at my place in the South Bay before Josean makes the 30-mile trek back to the Valley.

Now here’s where the real adventure happens. The following week Josean showed up to my place with the necessary parts for a quick tune up. We met the guy at his work and brought upon us the good news that he drove the car there and it worked fine. He handed over the keys and we got in our respective cars. The MR2 fired right up. As we left the parking lot it started raining. We presumed that it would make the three-mile trip back to my place with no issues. Just as we were two main streets away from my place, it started to rain harder as we were stopped at a red light. Once it turned green, I shifted into first gear and accelerated only to see Josean in his newly owned MR2 in my rear view mirror getting smaller and smaller. It died.

As I quickly realized what happened, I parked my car and helped him push the car to the closest lot nearby a baseball park. Since the both of us didn’t have AAA and the car was still too far to push it back to my place, I suggested that we take a chance and try the doing the tune-up in the parking lot while it rains. It was a crazy idea but at the same time we figured since we had the parts with us, why not roll the dice and see if it works. I quickly grabbed my toolbox and an umbrella from my place and we went right to work as soon as I drove back. The rain shifted and started to pour heavily as Josean and I started wrenching on his new car. We spent a total of two hours working in the rain swapping out the spark plugs, spark plug wires, and distributor. The trickiest piece of the puzzle was getting the distributor lined up since it was halfway down the bottom of the block; that alone took an hour. Eventually all was in place, we greased down, dried up, and he got in his car. The key turned and the engine cranked immediately into life. The all mighty MR2 lives!

We quickly packed everything up and made our way to my place. Ironically it stopped raining once we left the parking lot. All the joy in the world was felt. The car finally made it up my driveway only to idle oddly rough…and die. This time around it didn’t even start. Well, at least we tried and sometimes you got to know when to throw in the towel. I got in contact with my local mechanic and had him order us a tow truck to his shop.

The week after that, we learned that the timing was off on the distributor and the reason why it died afterwards was due to an electrical issue somewhere in the fuse box. Fair enough. Since this debacle, Josean has been daily driving the MR2 with no issues and at the end of it all; the amount spent on the parts, towing, and shop repairs was still under the original asking price of the car. A rough win but a win nonetheless.

The post Car Buying: Don’t Forget to Invite Your Roadside Mechanic appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Use really shitty cellphone pictures and don’t bullet list the details. Otherwise, your post will automatically get flagged by the Craigslist bot within the hour, because it’ll think you’re a dealership selling in the private party section. Apparently, Craigslist currently has a problem with asshole dealerships listing cars as if they were selling them privately, which results in buyers getting a letter in the mail to pay taxes.

Super shady. Thanks dealerships.

I made the mistake of taking photos for this listing using my DLSR and properly listing all of the car’s positive and negative issues. And although my photos were mediocre, when paired with my initial post format, everything looked professional enough to trigger the bots—and possible Craigslist newbs—to flag my post. I made five variations of my listing, and all five times, it got taken down. But I was determined not to give up on Craigslist, so in a fit of rage, I went on a caps lock-cursing rampage and created a sarcastic, R-rated version.

Miraculously, that listing stayed up. My obnoxious ad even made it on Reddit.

Since Craigslist was proving a questionable place to list the Audi, I went ahead and posted it on other websites and Facebook groups, which was something I was going to do anyway. When listing a car, it’s always a good idea to post it on multiple sites and forums to expand your reach, or even open up the idea for a potential trade. The proper forum etiquette version of my ad went up on Zilvia.net and a few Los Angeles Nissan owner’s Facebook groups, since I’m currently active there.

Quickly, I came to conclusion that if I didn’t sell the car, I’d be content if I got a trade offer for a 300zx, another 240sx, or a Pathfinder. Hence the multiple listings on Nissan-related groups.

But within two days, I actually heard from a very interested potential buyer via the local Nissan BST Facebook group. He turned out to be a Hawthorne local, and within hours we met up at a plaza two miles from my place. He took the car for a spin and explained this would be a first car for his college-bound daughter, and how he details cars for a living. As we continued talking, as any good person should, I told him everything that was wrong with the Audi when I got it, and what had been fixed since. I was honest, straight to the point, and blunt.

Seriously, If you’re buying a car from someone who doesn’t tell you about the maintenance they’ve done and just runs their mouth about the positives, they’ve likely hiding something. So if you find yourself in that situation?  Run.

A few hours after the test drive, he gave me an offer for $2400. It was a few hundred dollars less than what I’d hoped for, but I figured I could live with it if he gave my other car a detail, and he agreed. We met up later that afternoon, he buffed my Lexus, and we signed all the paperwork. I was happy, he was happy.

After adding up the initial cost of the car and repairs, my total was around $1630. The Audi sold for $2400, making my total profit $770 in a mere three months. Fortunately, at the end of this, I can say yes, it did flip!

The post Will It Flip!? 2001 Audi A4 Quattro Part V: The Conclusion appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Why choose electric?

Electric cars are great for the environment as they produce no emissions, but other benefits are also. Electric cars feature better acceleration and shorter braking times than petrol or diesel alternatives, meaning they’re more fun to drive. As they’re lighter than normal cars, they also offer better handling. Finally, because electric engines are so simple and require fewer moving parts than petrol or diesel engines, the overall running costs of an electric car will be lower.

Do your research

Before you leap into a dealership and sign on the dotted line, take some time to do your research. It’s really easy to search the internet and find the best deals, and it’s always a good idea to look at the best electric car salary sacrifice scheme to make purchasing an EV more affordable. The more informed you are about what electric cars have to offer, the better able you’ll be to make the best-informed decision about which model best suits your needs.

Additionally, it’s important to debunk usual electric car myths that might misinform your decision-making process. Myths like “electric cars have limited range” or “charging infrastructure is inadequate” should be addressed with accurate information to make a well-informed choice.

Consider what features are most important to you, such as how many miles per hour your car can do or whether it matters that your local speed limits go over 70mph. How much boot space does your family need? How often will you need to charge your car, and where can you do that? Will any of these things change over time?

It’s important to consider these questions and ask which make and model best suits your needs.

Set your budget 

Electric cars aren’t necessarily more expensive than petrol or diesel alternatives, but they are expensive to buy in the first place. So before you start researching different models, set yourself a budget and work out how much you can afford to spend on your car. You can also consider buying second-hand or opting for an EV salary sacrifice, which involves a modest lease payment deduction from your monthly salary.

You’ll also have to factor in costs that will come later down the line. For example, repairs. These can be incredibly expensive, so it’s important to consider how best to pay for them. The benefits of a car repair loan from companies like OneMain Financial versus paying out of pocket include reserving your cash for other expenses while still being able to get your car fixed now. Consider this option when thinking about how much you’ll spend on keeping your electric car on the road.

Have a test drive 

Once you’ve found the electric car that best fits your needs, it’s time to take it for a test drive.

Even if you know very little about cars, don’t be afraid to ask the dealer lots of questions during your test drive. For example, ask how long the battery will last before recharging and how long it will take to recharge. Ensure the dealer also explains anything else you need to know about the car – such as whether all four of its wheels are powered by the engine. This is important if you have a hilly property or live somewhere particularly windy!

Invest in a home charger

If you have a garage or driveway, investing in a home charger can be a great way to recharge your electric car while you sleep. If the garage isn’t already wired for this, it may be possible to add an additional room with power sockets so you can plug in overnight. In addition, having your own charger should save you money on recharging at public charging points.

Sort your tax

Always check local and federal tax for vehicles and see which brackets your new electric vehicle will fit into. If you buy a second-hand electric car or a new one that qualifies for a tax credit, make sure to keep the receipts so you can offset your costs.

Find some charging ports near you

Electric car charging points are cropping up all over the place. So if you’re planning to buy an electric car (or e-bike), check where local charging ports are and whether they’re free or if there will be a charge for using them. This is incredibly important when it comes to long journeys outside of major cities – you don’t want your car to run out of juice halfway between your house and the place you want to visit!Electric cars are becoming more common on the roads, and it’s easy to see why. They’re cheaper to run and kinder to the environment. It’s easy to find models that suit your needs, whether you live in a hilly area or have lots of kids who need space to sit. Make sure you set yourself a budget before buying, so you don’t overspend! After that, it’s a matter of finding the model that best fits your lifestyle.

The post The ultimate guide to buying an electric car  appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

About three hours after the sun had set, I hitched a ride back to the lot where I left the steaming Audi. I popped the hood to examine how low the radiator fluid was. Indeed it was low, but there was no puddle underneath the car. If there was a puddle it could not have dried up that quickly as it wasn’t a hot day. Confused but too tired to care, I filled it up with distilled water, capped it off, and drove home carefully without trying to question what mechanical failure it might be this time.

Now at this point I had spent a little over $790 on top of the $800 value of the car. What killed me was the wheel bearing repair job but I really couldn’t avoid that. Any more shop related repair was going seriously to eat into my profits. By then, I desperately just wanted to get the car running flawlessly. I even called up local mechanics for a quote before looking up the problem. Desperate. One mechanic gave me a quote of $350 to ‘fix it’ although he described it as a “Mickey Mouse” fix, perplexed I asked him how much it would cost to fix it correctly, he told me he would need to remove the dash and quoted me at about $900. What the fuck, and what the shit is a Mickey Mouse fix.

From there I decided to use the power of Google to figure out what exactly was going on. Although the car was overheating, I can rule out that it had nothing to do with the engine bay itself since the steam was coming from the interior. After scouring through the interwebs and forums, I eventually found out that any white smoke coming from the dash vents point to a faulty heater core. Indeed there were two ways to fix. The proper way is to drop the steering column, remove the dashboard, center console, and radio to fully expose the heater core, which you can then replace. The Mickey Mouse method is to completely bypass the heater core and connect the two hoses together. Granted, this method means I will no longer have a working heater, but I live in Southern California. There is never a need for a heater.

Within thirty minutes of looking up how-to remove the dashboard videos, I decided to just go with the half assed bypass method and made my way to Home Depot. I found the elbow pipe that I needed in the sink department for less than $5. With the pipe installed and the heater core successfully bypassed, I let the car idle for about 15 minutes. No smoke was coming out of the dashboard. There was no more coolant smell anywhere. Is everything finally fixed? Although I wasn’t sure, I felt adventurous, so I took the car around for about an hour worth of errands. During the time I drove, it didn’t overheat, it didn’t sputter to a stop, the check engine light never came back on, and most importantly no smoke was arising from anywhere and it didn’t blow up. Instead it was running smoothly. I even hit redline twice, on second and third gear. Both times the turbo spooled up releasing enough power to push me back into my beige leather seat. The car felt great, I felt great. Not to mention I saved $345 from that bypass job. Suck it mechanic shop. Talk about finally coming out on top.

Since the heater core bypass was technically a temporary fix, I went ahead and bought a new one as it only cost about $25. I figured if even if I don’t find time to install it myself, it would be nice to have the new owner know what exactly needs to be replaced, because nothing beats a honest and transparent seller on Craigslist. Besides, I believe in karma.

Now I actually skipped writing about the very first fix I did, that was the rear driver side passenger window. When I bought it, that window had permanently fallen and no amount of tape or fluffing would keep it up. With removal of the door panel the problem was apparent, the cable that runs through the motor was as broken as an unraveled cassette tape. The previous owner attempted a sad half-assed fix of sticking a block of wood to hold it up which had fallen down the door panel. I threw away the wood block but you can see the wood shavings still on the door panel below. I half-assed fixed it with a few zipties but it properly did the job. I additionally unplugged the harness to prevent any more damage to the unit. Now if this car gets sold for an amount that satisfies me, and if the new owner decides they really want the window fixed, I will gladly replace it for them for free considering they provide a working motor. Fair enough right?

Well that’s it! Hood strut, valve cover gasket, spark plugs, coil packs, mass airflow sensor, rear coolant flange, coolant temperature sensor, center wheel cap, and wheel bearing all replaced and fixed. As of now there are only three very minor issues with the car: the temporary rear window fix, the heater core bypass, and a small crack on the windshield that was there since initial purchase. I’m not going to count the minor cosmetic damage since this is a ten year old car that was daily driven to just about 130k miles. None of these issues affect the performance, legality, or drivability of the car.

Since the release of Part III, I have actually been daily driving this car for the past four weeks with no issues. The check engine light hasn’t been on since the coil pack swap, it hasn’t overheated or stalled, and three weeks ago it California Smog legally with flying colors. Despite that all of these fixes, the cost of purchase and maintenance totaled just a little over $1600. I highly believe that there is potential for profit or even a trade up. This car has came a long way since its state of despair. Destined to have its parts stripped and shipped to the junkyard, it is now a fine running and reliable automobile that is serving my temporary needs as well as teaching how how to flip a car.

This week I will be prepping to post it up for sale. Will It Flip!? Check back here soon for the final installment of this saga where we learn how to flip a car.

The post Will It Flip!? 2001 Audi A4 Quattro – Part IV appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

After several days of beating my head against a wall for threading the screw hole on the engine block, I finally found the drive to start work on the car again. I started with spending about twenty minutes under the car trying to find the dropped bolt only to find it resting behind the lower control arm. Great, I guess. Now during those days I didn’t work on the car, I was reading all I can about fixing a stripped hole in a tight spot. Here are some of things I could have done: stuff the hole with copper wire and hope the bolt screws in tight, JB weld the screw on without thought of ever needing to remove it again, or use a power drill to create a new hole which due to space would be impossible unless I remove the engine. There was no way in hell was I going to do the latter and all the other options didn’t provide practical solutions, considering that this is a high temperature part that might need future replacement. I figured the next smartest move would be to go to the hardware store and ask what I could do about the stripped hole. After a few conversations with some helpful employees, I was directed to fix it by hand with the purchase of a tap and die set. A tool that lets me hand make a new thread from a 6mm bolt hole to a 7mm.

Of course when I came home and got to wrenching, the handle that came with the tap and die set wouldn’t fit due to the tight spot. Luckily, I managed to accomplish tapping my 6mm hole to a 7mm using an adjustable wrench acting as a handle. Since everything on this project seemed to abide by Murphy’s Law, for precautionary sake I sealed the unit with blue locktite and gasket sealer.

Finally with the new rear coolant flange bolted safely down, I reassembled the engine bay back. I started up the car and the moment of truth happened. I let it idle for about five minutes and everything seemed fine. With the hood popped I inspected the problem areas. All the leaks were gone. I invited my friend Ted out to the gas station across the street to fill up. I figured it would be a great idea to have him come along since he’s pretty familiar with Audi’s. We were discussing the differences between my A4 and his S4 when right as I pulled up to the gas station he pointed out steam coming from the engine bay. Fuck, again!?

I turned off the car and popped the hood only to have my shirt meet lukewarm coolant spewing from the plastic coolant line closest to the firewall. Despite the set back I was thankful that the coolant wasn’t hot; and despite that this infinite coolant leak won’t go away, this was an easy fix. The answer was to JB weld the plastic piece. That’s it.

About ten hours later, with the pipe sealed and hoses reconnected, I decided to take it for a drive around the block…only to have the car rumble like a boxer engine and sputter into limp mode after the first corner. The check engine light flashed repeatedly at my face mocking all my efforts of fixing it. As I cursed the car while making a U-turn, it must have heard me because it died midway. I had to push it back into a safe spot. Fortunately, Ted owns an OBDII reader. Once plugged in, the computer threw a misfire code along with three other codes, but of course being that this was my first time using this reader, I accidentally accomplished a reset before reading the other codes; Murphy’s Law.

That that night I called up Richard and gave him a rundown of what’s going on. He suggested that the problem was either my coil packs or spark plugs. Being that I just swapped the spark plugs, coil packs were undoubtedly the answer. For $25 bucks a pop, my new set of coil packs came in within a few days of ordering. I gleefully installed them. Now if you ever need to do this on your car, never pay anyone to replace them. All you have to do is just unplug the existing coilpacks from the harness, pull them out, insert the new coils in, and plug it back in. Literally plug and play. I started up the car and viola! The check engine light was gone, the car didn’t shake, and gone was the Subaru boxer engine sound.

Now, for the rear wheel bearing fix. Although my initial goal of fixing this car was to work on it purely with my own tools in my garage, there was one job on this car that was beyond my skill level and equipment. That job was replacing the rear wheel bearing. After some researched I only had three real options. The first option was purchase the wheel bearing ($25) and own a bearing presser which I obviously don’t have; and the second option was to purchase a whole hub from a donor A4 (~$150), which can be sketchy as I would be running the risk of installing a faulty bearing. The third option was to give it to the shop. I went with the dreaded third option, shelling out a whopping $280 to my local mechanic for parts, labor, and peace in mind. Despite the job taking a deep cut into my future profits, I really didn’t want to take any more chances.

I got it back the following week, additionally installed the missing wheel cap. During the short eight block drive home, it didn’t overheat and the engine ran smoothly. Being that the car felt great as I drove it back from the shop, I went for victory drive and afternoon run at the beach. I live about six miles from the Redondo Beach so I expected the drive to be a piece of cake. I was looking forward to knocking out some photos while I was at it, albeit Murphy’s Law doesn’t visit me again. But it does.

On the way back, just about seven neighborhood blocks away from home, the car started smoking, this time from inside the cabin. The temperature gage was yet again reading higher than Snoop Dogg narrating Animal Planet. Bewildered and exhausted, I made a turn into a supermarket lot, parked it, and walked home.

The post Will It Flip!? 2001 Audi A4 Quattro – Part III appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

M.R.K.T. bags use socially conscious vegan-friendly materials that feel expensive to the touch without the shocking price point. All of their bags are priced well below $200 and have thoughtful and functional designs to cater to your everyday needs. Both the Carter and Frank have two pockets that accommodate both 15-inch laptops and tablet. The textures feel great and durable while providing enough protective padding for your precious electronics. The simple and clean design leaves you with just enough pockets for your functional needs without overdoing it.

I’ve been personally using the Frank Briefcase for about two months now and it still looks new. What I like most about this bag aside from how fashionable it looks is the durability and comfort of using it on a day-to-day basis. The handle on the Frank is strong and soft enough that I never really needed to clip on the shoulder strap. Most importantly, I’ve spilled water on the bag and my laptop did not get wet. With just from one week of daily use, I can tell that there is a purpose to every bit of design. Nothing irks me most than a bag that looks great but is far from comfortable or practical. This is one bag I wish I had started using a long time ago. The coolest part about the Frank briefcase has got to be the removable laptop sleeve.

Be sure to check out their website for a wide variety of bags and colors to choose from. http://www.mrktstore.com/

The post M.R.K.T. Bags – Modern Bags For The Modern Gentlemen appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

In the dead center of DTSA lies the 4^th Street Market, a patio where foodies can rejoice. From craft beer, ice cream sandwiches and tacos, this indoor and outdoor food court has everything you want to eat. This past week I was invited to try their newest addition to the court, Pig Pen Delicacy, a savory take on American comfort food. Now if you love bacon and pork, this place is a must try. I got the chance to have their Maple Bacon Jam burger, which consisted of a medium cooked patty, Havarti cheese, caramelized onions, onion strings topped with chive aioli sauce and bacon jam. Now I don’t know what exactly bacon jam is but I would definitely have it again because if could define the burger in one word I’d have to go with umami. You can never go wrong with a savory burger. With every great burger to be eaten, there needs to be great fries to pair and these fries are far from disappointing. Every single fry was crispy at every bite. Though what I wish I had tried before they sold out were their Crispy Pork Belly Fries topped with a fried egg. I mean look at the pictures of it on their Instagram. You can count on me coming back for that.

Pork belly fries topped with an egg #PigPenDelicacy | : @jessicamtl

A photo posted by Go HAM (@pigpendelicacy) on Feb 26, 2016 at 7:54pm PST

For those of you too manly to want traditional dessert from around the market, Pig Pen Delicacy has you covered with their candied bacon. A brown sugar caramelized bacon strip with spices will fulfill your needs.

If you’re in the area be sure to give this place a try before you explore all the other food places down this strip. You won’t be disappointed.

Pig Pen Delicacy

201 E 4th St Santa Ana, CA 92701

The post Bacon and Pork Lovers Unite in Downtown Santa Ana appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

In memory of driving a smoking car home, I can recall that the white smoke seeping out the hood was from the back of the bonnet closest to the firewall the day I drove it home. If you look back at the last photo from Part I, there was a coolant leak that streamed from somewhere behind the front wheels. After a few days of digging around the interwebs trying to figure out why I have a coolant leak, it seemed that this is a common occurrence in all Audi’s. I spent an evening taking off the engine covers and inspecting the leak and all the symptoms point to the rear coolant flange. Interestingly enough, this flange is isn’t visible at glance and is located in the back of the engine block. You see that red arrow? Well it’s under that rubber hose and a bunch of other shit right before the first firewall just for your inconvenience. Yes, I said that right, first firewall. This car has two firewalls because German engineering or something.

Feeling confident I went ahead and purchased the necessary parts along with some of the items the previous owner’s mechanic recommended. Being that I didn’t want to spend too much money on repairs, I made sure to calculate my spending and keep it under $300 if possible. So off to the parts store I went. I purchased the rear coolant flange, mass airflow sensor, coolant, and spark plugs, at just shy of $220. As I was walking away from the store I remembered that the hood strut had a tendency to fail. My cheap ass was contemplating if I really wanted to spend another $30 on a hood strut, but I recalled working on a car in the past with a pole jammed into the fender supporting the hood was not a good idea. I shelled out the extra cash to prevent decapitation and a potentially expensive medical bill. This was probably the smartest idea I’ve had in the past few weeks.

Following with more smart ideas, when working on a car usually you want to get easy stuff out of the way first. So with the hood strut replaced I went to town on the engine starting with the mass airflow sensor (MAF) which is located somewhere in the intake box away from the major work I needed to do. Within a few minutes into working, it dawned on me why it cost so much to service these cars. Changing the MAF sensor on a Japanese car usually takes about 10 minutes with just a few screws to remove. This car took about 30 minutes. It he time to get to the part that needs replacing far exceeds the time to actually replace the part, it’s mechanical surgery at best.

With the mass airflow sensor replaced, I noticed that the area surrounding the valve cover was abnormally dirty and quite possibly looked like it needed a new gasket. My grease monkey senses told me to replace that as well, and good thing I did. Once removed, the old gasket looked like it was probably never changed and was crustier than a teenage boy’s sock. When replacing a valve cover gasket you’ll want to make sure that the back of the cover and the parts where the gasket lay is properly cleaned and degreased before you reinstall. This will prevent any possible leakage upon replacing. Also if you plan on tackling this job yourself, I’d like to point out that once replaced and you start the car, it is normal for smoke to rise from cover due to the excess oil drips in the surrounding area.

Now we come to the dreaded job to find this coolant leak. After removing about a thousand hoses and bolts to get to the back of the engine block including the coolant reservoir tank, I was greeted with a wet and faulty coolant flange. With the flange removed, I saw clearly that the bottom part of the plastic bracket that is responsible for holding the exit hose rightly tightly in place had a big crack in it. I’m pretty sure that has to be the problem. But before installing the new one a new problem arose. The new coolant flange had two holes whereas the stock one that only had one.

This is because all of the new aftermarket flanges that you buy from Autozone or Oreilly’s were created with the intent to also work for newer model Audi’s and VW’s. My patience was tested as I read online and found out that I would need to buy a dummy plug. I decided to just go straight to the VW dealer since it seemed like such a specific part and I didn’t want order online and wait a couple days. Little did I know that stupid fucking dummy plug cost me a whopping $27. It ain’t called a stealership for no reason. By this time I just wanted to get back to wrenching before the sun goes down and I didn’t feel like MacGyverering a makeshift plug because doing a job twice on anything, especially a car, sucks. If you can afford to do it right the first time around, do it.

Feeling good about this coolant flange swap, I plugged up the flange and started screwing the first two bolts connecting the rear coolant flange to the engine block. Except that after about 3 minutes of wrenching the top bolt kept on spinning. Something wasn’t right. I removed the bolt and saw tiny shreds of metal on it. The fucking screw stripped the hole in the engine block at the worst possible location. How did I manage to do this? I was wrenching hard to reach places with my gloves and must have miscalculated the angle of the bolt. Lesson learned, don’t ever wrench tiny bolts with gloves on again. The sun was setting and I was beyond pissed. As I aggressively unscrewed everything to pack up, the other bolt that was supposed to hold the flange dropped somewhere down the engine bay and never met the floor. Feeling defeated with a lost bolt and stripped engine block, I just left it at that and called it a day. So much for this car being ready to go in less than a week.

The post Will It Flip!? – 2001 Audi A4 Quattro – Part II appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Well since I foresaw a future where my daily driver will be out of my possession for a few weeks I had to ask myself, what is the most sensible thing to do? Borrow a car from a friend? Share a car with a family member? No. The answer is to buy a piece of shit off Craigslist for as cheap as you can of course! Which leads to the first installment of Will It Flip!?

But wait, I need to be smart about this. There are a few criteria’s I need to follow. My maximum budget for a temporary daily driver would be $1000, it has to be able to drive, and I can’t loose money on the resale. Which means no blown head gaskets! Here at the Factory, Adam likes to tell me that I have a bad habit of looking up cheap cars on craigslist on my free time. I thought it would be the perfect time to provoke this habit and see if I can make use of it. After about 10 minutes of coming up with this idea and 40 minutes of browsing craigslist. I found a mechanic’s special 2001 Audi A4 Quattro 1.8 liter Turbo for $800 about five miles from me.

Though this whole idea may sound bad, I was convinced that this might be a decent purchase being that this car usually sells for about $2500 in decent running condition. The ad mentions that it only has been through 2 owners and even provided the VIN number. I had a friend do a VIN check and the provided information provided stands correct. I felt a growing sense of trust here. The life of the car has predominately been in Texas and just made its way to Los Angeles last August. No rust. The seller even mentions that it needs ‘minor work’; the front lip fell off and was in the cabin, the rear windows wouldn’t roll up, it needs a new mass airflow sensor, and has some cosmetic wear and tear. Easy fixes. All things I can live with.

After feeling the engine on a quick test drive and a really hard-ball-no-haggle-price of $800 later, I became a proud new owner of an all wheel drive, four-cylinder turbo, sedan in boring beige. The car ran decent for the price. I felt content as I drove home. That was until literally a stop sign away from my driveway, the temperature needle was reading higher than Donald Trump’s nose and the car started smoking out of the hood. That damn bastard didn’t mention about an overheating problem.

I made it just in time to get to my garage. Whatever, it’s okay. I think I’ve done enough work on my car and friends’ cars to trust that I can get to the bottom of these problems. The next morning as I reinstalled the front lip, I noticed the Audi gave me a small gift. It peed a little green. A coolant leak it is!

I’ll be taking you along the process of repairing the car, polishing it up and ultimately finding out if I can break even, trade up, or even sell it for more. Follow me on this multi part journey of…Will It Flip!?

The post Will It Flip!? 2001 Audi A4 Quattro – Part I appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

The last three months of last year was one rough ride for me. I left my stable job for a new exciting career path that is relevant to one of my passions…only to comprehend a month in that it was a toxic work environment with a dead end future. To top it off, I soiled some friendships over unnecessary issues,made minimal significant progress to meeting my end of the year life goals, and bought a totally wrong tire size for my 1990 Nissan 240sx project car. Nearing the end of December I realize that I was far from happy and would be ending the year on an all time personal low.

No job is worth your self-confidence consistently shot down to the point where you start questioning your self worth. Nor is any job worth trading your morals and what you stand for the sake of fitting in. With red flags flying everywhere, foreseeing no growth despite working over fifty hours a week, and almost forgetting how I really am outside of work, I called it quits on the last week of December.

I found it amusing that right when I thought I had post grad life figured out, I started off the New Year without a full time job and no definite future plan. As a person who finds relief in an organized and outlined future, I was frustrated and lost. I found myself in a state that many people consider necessary in your 20’s. Uncomfortable.

A few weeks into January, a family friend of mine told me she needed a ride to Berkeley. Being that I live in Los Angeles, I seized this as an opportunity clear my mind and reflect on the past couple months during the solo drive back home. The day before we left, I raised all four coilovers about an inch and a half to clear my new but overly huge 245/45R17 Yokohama S Drive tires. I’ve driven to the Bay several times in the past few years taking the usual routes but since life doesn’t always go as planned, I took it as an opportunity to try something new. Get there and back with minimal GPS usage, instinct, and take the roads less traveled.

On the way up, I knew I wanted to take Route 33 from Ojai and Route 198, zigzagging between the 101 Freeway and the 5. Although getting there took about twice as long, every mile was absolutely worth it. Route 33 rewarded us with never ending curvy corners and even snow at the peak of the mountain, a beautiful sight considering that California has been experiencing severe drought. Once at the top we were fortunate to catch golden hour. Amazing photographs ensued.

For the solo drive back down, it was a no brainer to take PCH from Monterey and figure my way back to LA using just road signs. I wanted to take it back to the old days, the days even before the Thomas Guide. When taking the Bay to LA via PCH, stops are a given. Being that I’ve done this trip once in the past, I took the opportunity stray away from the typical Bixby Bridge and Big Sur stops and just find places on the fly instead.

On the foggy morning of my drive back home, I set my phone on airplane mode and vowed to only use my phone for wide-angle shots as I only brought a 50mm lens with me. Taking a road trip with a friend is one story, but if you love your car and you happen to own a sporty one, taking a fourteen-hour trip down PCH alone is a whole different experience.

As the first 90-degree corner approached after a long straight, I down shifted and rev matched all the way to second gear. My bucket seat held me in place as the fresh tires gripped the apex of my lane. I stepped down on the accelerator and let my throttle open. At 4k rpm, I hear my intake, followed by the uproar of my aftermarket exhaust as I crept to redline. My Beirut album was playing low enough that I can hear the waves crashing down the cliff. I shifted up, and smiled. I had become lost in the moment. I felt free. It was then that I had a genuine glimpse of my inner peace again.

As the sun was setting, I took a random turn east bound in hopes to eventually find my way back to the 101. Although I felt lost, I insisted to not turn on my GPS. I was content with that…eventually I became lost in my thoughts. I concluded that when you pursue certain goals or career paths, things might not work out the first time around, or the second, or the third. But you know what? That’s okay, because life doesn’t always work like that. Sometimes things go south and occasionally it can be beyond your control. Sometimes it is under your control and you made a huge mistake and find difficulty coping with it. What’s important is the ability to thoroughly learn from the mistakes and quickly adapt to unplanned challenges. After about an hour of following what seemed like following mainstream traffic through isolated cities, I eventually saw the sign for the 101 south towards Los Angeles.

Although the last few months of last year were rough for me, I wouldn’t trade my hardships for anything less. To truly understand and appreciate what is good, you have to experience what is bad. Ultimately understanding these concepts are gentle reminder that you are trying to improve yourself every day. Similar to the routes I took to go up to the Bay and back, I decided to try an unconventional road for my career goals. Last month I managed to snag several awesome relevant part time jobs that left me with enough time to pursue my personal passion projects. Will I last taking the less traveled path? I don’t know, but one thing for sure is that my drive will.

One of my first victories after this trip? Being able to get a refund on those oversized tires.  

You can follow my photography @alvidee

The post California: The Road Less Traveled appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Their newest bags for Spring 2016 are clean, functional, and durable enough to handle the abuse of your regular travels. You have your selection of premium materials from herringbone plaid to wax coated canvas and different materials in between. My favorite part about their bags is the attention to detail. No zipper is left without a leather tab, the compartments for storage essentials are tucked neatly away for maximum capacity, and the laptop pockets are lined with faux-fur to protect your device from scratches, there’s even padded tablet pockets strategically placed on the outer part of the bag for easy access. As a freelancer myself, I find their backpacks perfect for accommodating my essentials safely with enough room for all my other necessities without loosing its shape. For the business trips, Hex has a plethora of bags to choose from including my travel bag of choice, the sneaker duffel. A bag that holds all your needs including an extra two pairs of my kicks to go because you might just need to step into a pair of oxfords from a pair of Air Max 90’s. Whether you need a duffel bag for your vagabond weekend needs or need a backpack that can hold its own, Hex has you covered. I’ll leave you here with words from the source itself:

We want freedom – freedom to wander through life on our own terms.  Feeding that wanderlust while controlling our destiny is the new brass ring.  We wander, not because we are lost, but because we enjoy the adventure.  But on our journey, flop houses and dirty hostels have instead been replaced with stunning visions in glass, steel and stone.  We blur the lines between nature and civilization, between the rat race and chasing down our dreams.  Each stop along the way scratches an itch, and plants new seeds of imagination.  We take time to watch colors unfold across a landscape lit with possibility.   So come along with us as we explore the sights and mark time to the soundtrack of our souls.

http://www.shophex.com/

@shophex

The post The Right Bags for your Vagabond Lifestyle appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

You are going to be sharing the road with problematic drivers no matter what. There’s also the possibility that your car will get stolen or some kind of unexpected freak accident will occur with the engine or the tires which will mess everything up.

The right car insurance policy will ensure that if any of that stuff happens, you don’t have to worry about it from a financial perspective. It will also keep you protected if you happen to suffer any injuries while driving due to the negligence of another person.

The fact that it’s illegal in most places to drive without insurance should also probably be an incentive for you. This is primarily because it’s not fair for you not to be financially liable if you are responsible for damage or injury to someone else while driving. 

The trouble with car insurance is that it can be quite expensive, and it’s also difficult to ensure that you are buying from a reputable provider who is going to offer you genuine protection while not ripping you off. 

Depending on your circumstances, you aren’t going to be applicable for just any kind of insurance either. Factors include your age, your level of experience, the kind of car you’re driving and how many others use the same car.

So a policy which a friend or family member of yours has and is happy with might not be one that you can get, or even that you should get. There are many people out there who don’t give enough consideration when deciding on a policy and end up with the wrong one.

Here’s what you should think about to figure out if you have the right policy or not:

Are They a Top-Rated Provider

There are so many car insurance providers out there vying for your business and as mentioned, some of them are reputable and some of them aren’t. You have to pick one though, and that means doing a lot of research.

In general, it’s not too difficult to find out who the most popular and recommended providers are at the moment and you will see the usual suspects pop up when you’re researching. What puts people off the most well-known ones is usually going to be the price.

But the fact is, the best insurance isn’t going to come cheap for anyone, and that’s why it’s important for you to set aside a chunk of your budget for it. Not everyone will afford the absolute top rates, but if you have the right mindset during your search you can find a balance of price and quality.

There are online resources which keep a tally on high rated providers and you should keep an eye on those.

Are You Missing Anything in the Fine Print

An insurance policy is a big complicated document and it’s something that it’s pretty easy to hide things in. What you might find from your provider is that they try to use long descriptions and technical jargon to blind you from the fine print.

You should familiarize yourself with what an insurance policy actually looks like and what information should be included within. Auto Insurance Org has a good rundown of what you can expect to find. It’s important for you not to be caught off guard by the content of the policy so that you can better analyze it.

And then you need to read the entire document thoroughly before signing off on anything. There are a few specific things to look out for when you’re checking the policy over, common ways the provider will try to pull the wool over your eyes.

Check for specific date restrictions. You might be led to believe that you are covered for accidents, but the fine print of the policy may only provide it if you have a specific document filed by a specific date.

Just an overcomplicated restriction which allows them to avoid having to pay for something. You should be looking for clarity too. As I said, they may try to use obscure insurance terms to confuse you and so if anything doesn’t completely make sense, make a note of it.

When you find this stuff, you can try and discuss it with the provider and see if they scale back on it, but it’s probably better to go in search of a different policy instead, especially if there is a lot of obvious fine print.

Reading the entire policy and working hard to find discrepancies and stuff like that is a tall and intimidating order, but it will be worth it to avoid being messed around.

Are You Getting Discounts

There are a lot of discounts that are available to people looking for car insurance and you are almost guaranteed to be entitled to at least one of them. The trouble is that they aren’t offered by every provider.

If you aren’t searching for a policy with discounts in mind, you could find yourself selecting a provider that you think is giving you a good price, without realizing that you’re not getting several discounts you should be getting.

Know what discounts you are entitled to and look for providers that offer them. Here’s a few to think about:

• Payment History Discount. This is for people who can prove that they consistently pay their insurance bill.
• Good Student Discount. If you’re a high school or college student and you maintain a consistent ‘B’ average, you could be eligible for this.
• Driving Course Discount. Completing a defensive driving course entitles you to this one.
• Driving History Discount. An accident-free driving history will often entitle you to a fairly sizable discount on your policy.
• Federal Employee Discount. Being either an active or retired federal employee can often get you a bit of a discount too.

There are several more which you can do your research on. Many providers won’t be eager to give you these and will take advantage if you are unaware of them, so make sure that if you should be getting discounts, you only sign with a provider who offers them.

Do you know what is covered?

When it comes to car insurance it can cover a lot more, or often a lot less, than you actually thought. Together with reading the fine print be sure to take note of exactly what is covered within your insurance policy and whether the price you are paying justifies the inclusions or lack thereof. It is always a good idea to research other policies available on the market to see if they include the same provisions and to see the comparable cost. To help you here are some common insurance policy inclusions you could expect to find as part of your policy. 

• Bodily injury liability coverage; covers other people’s injuries and medical bills if they were involved in a car accident that you were deemed to be at fault for. 
• Property damage liability coverage; covers the damage you cause to another person’s property while driving. 
• Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage; will help to cover medical bills or repairs costs if you are hit by a driver who does not have insurance or an underinsured driver.
• Comprehensive coverage; covers a wide range of circumstances inclusive of damage caused by theft, fire, weather, or vandalism.  
• Collision coverage; covers you when you are involved in an accident with another vehicle or object. 
• Medical payments coverage; covers drivers, passengers, or family members driving the insured’s vehicle ad who are involved in an accident that results in medical expenses being incurred. 

So there is quite a bit of stuff to look into when you’re trying to determine whether or not you’ve got the right car insurance policy but it’s better to be thorough with this so that you are actually protected while also not paying more than you should be paying.

The post Is Your Car Insurance Under the Right Policy? Here’s How to Find Out appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.