A motor vehicle service is a series of maintenance procedures carried out at a set time interval or after the vehicle has travelled a certain distance. The service intervals are specified by the vehicle manufacturer in a service schedule and some modern cars display the due date for the next service electronically on the instrument panel.

The completed services are usually recorded in a service book which is rubber stamped by the service centre upon completion of each service. However at least one manufacturer now records services electronically on a database and prints them out for vehicle owners on request, so that it is not necessary for them to retain a stamped service book. A complete service history usually adds to the resale value of a vehicle.

1. Car Buying
2. Car Saleing
3. Car Finance
4. Car Exchange
5. Car Mechanical Repearing
6. Car Accidental  Jobs
7. Insurance Clames
8. Car Accessories
   
   

Car audio/video (car AV) is a term used to describe the sound and video system fitted in an automobile.

A stock car audio system refers to one that was specified by the manufacturer when the car was built. A custom car audio installation can involve anything from the upgrade of the radio to a full-blown customization of a car based around its audio equipment. Events are held where entrants compete for the loudest or most innovative systems.

The most common and familiar piece of audio equipment is the radio/tape player/CD player/DVD Player which is generically described as a Head unit, which also can be called a head deck, after older tape decks. It is also the most likely component to be upgraded with an after market item. A recent development in head unit technology has been the addition of CD players with MP3, Ogg, WMA, AAC, and USB, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi support. Even with the rampant ubiquity of solid state MP3 players, car audio systems with line-in jacks and other standards are only in their infancy, and that since tape adaptors are often used with tape players, people are now viewing car radios with built-in CD players as "misfeatures" of the audio system since people now often "rip" their CDs onto their computers.Other types include the video touch screen capable of controlling; navigation, dvd movies, mp3 players back up camera and other accessories.

Most modern cars include at least a CD player/ CD recorder, and some have the option for a CD changer, which holds multiple disks either in the head unit itself or in a separate unit usually located in a trunk or console.

More recent is the addition of DVD players and LCD screens. Depending on the head unit, the LCD screen is either integrated such that it slides out and folds up, or integrated into the instrument console. Otherwise, the DVD head unit feeds video output into separately mounted displays, either folding down from the roof, or mounted into the headrest for viewing by rear seat passengers.

The video screen may also show video output of an integrated component such as a navigation system, 3G cell phone or parking cameras that could be automatically activated when the car is put into reverse.

Speakers are generally located in doors and rear parcel shelves of a sedan in modern cars. High-end or competition stereo systems often have speakers mounted in "kick panel" enclosures, allowing for larger drivers and better driver placement. Before stereo radio was introduced, the most common speaker location was in the middle of the dashboard pointing through perforations towards the front windshield.

High-end audio systems include Component Speakers that consist of a matched tweeter (small, high frequency), midrange (medium, medium frequency) and woofer (large, low frequency) set. These component pairs are available in two speaker and three speaker combinations, and include an audio crossover which limits the frequency range that each component speaker must handle. This allows each cone to produce its optimal frequency for maximum sound quality and volume. In addition subwoofer(s) are provided for bass and sub bass (ultra low frequency), which is felt more than heard depending on the sub frequency, the lower the frequency the less the human ear picks it up, however the chance of "feeling" the vibration becomes greater. Sub bass is omni-directional, meaning that the human ear cannot distinguish where the sound is coming from. Humans can not hear subsonic frequencies (below the frequency of 20hz), we are however able to feel it (eg. An air rush when closing a door cannot be heard, it can be felt however). Crossover systems can be active or passive crossover networks. Active electronic crossovers divide the signals before they are sent to the amplifiers giving a dedicated amplifier channel to each individual driver in the component system. Passive crossover networks divide the signal after amplification, making it possible to run multiple speaker component sets using just one channel.

5.1 and even 7.1 channel surround sound systems, as well as THX II Certified, are now being integrated into some cars by both aftermarket enthusiasts and car manufacturers themselves. These systems include the full complement of front left, right and center speakers along with rear right and left surround speakers (7.1 systems include left and right side surround speakers) along with digital surround sound processors. They can allow you to turn your car into a virtual rolling theater. This is becoming increasingly popular with the advent of SACD and DVD Audio which contain music encoded in 5.1.

Engine tuning

Engine tuning as of late has been marketed as the replacement of basic engine components with after-market versions that perform the exact same functions as those replaced while promising an increase in power output.

Suspension tuning

Suspension tuning involves modifying the springs, shock absorbers, swaybars, and other related components of a vehicle. Shorter springs offer an improved lowered look and a lower center of gravity. Stiffer shock absorbers improve the dynamic weight shifting during cornering and normally have shorter internals to stop them from bottoming out when shorter springs are used. Stiffer sway bars reduce body roll during cornering improving the grip that the inside tires have on the surface thus improving handling response. Other components that are sometimes added are strut bars which improve the body stiffness and help better maintain the proper suspension geometry during cornering. On some cars certain braces, anti-roll bars, etc can be retro fitted to lower spec cars from sports models.

For offroad vehicles, the emphasis is on lengthening the suspension travel and larger tires to increase ground clearance.

Lowriders with hydraulic/pneumatic suspensions use another unique kind of suspension tuning in which the height of each individual wheel can be rapidly adjusted by system of rams, even to the extent that it is possible to "bounce" the wheels completely clear of the ground.

Body tuning

Body tuning involves adding or modifying spoilers and a body kit. Sometimes this is done to improve the aerodynamic performance of a vehicle, as in the case of some wings or bumper canards or to lighten the vehicle through replacing bodywork components such as hoods and rear view mirrors with components made from lighter composites such as CRFP. More often however, these modifications are done mainly to improve a vehicle's appearance, as in the case of non-functioning scoops, wide arches or any aesthetic modification which offers no benefit to performance. Very rarely does an after market body kit improve performance, the majority add weight and increase the drag coefficient of the vehicle and thus reduce its overall performance.

Another common body modification is called "shaving" or "flushing". This involves removing door handles, bumpers, emblems, chrome trim pieces and key locks. The reason for this is to make the appearance of the car look smoother and cleaner with less disruptions on the body lines. The doors and trunk are alternately opened with keyless remote.

Another popular major body modification is to alter the way in which the doors open. Examples include Scissor doors (or "Lambo doors") and Suicide doors. "Lambo doors" open outwards until clear of the body of the vehicle and then rotate upwards. Suicide doors open in a similar way to conventional doors except that they are hinged at the rear edge of the door and therefore open in the opposite direction. Most of these modifications are done with aftermarket kits which have become commonly available due to the large increase in demands for such parts in recent years. The hood and trunk can also be modified to open differently, a very common modification in the case of large car audio systems being installed within the trunk of the vehicle.

This section of vehicle modification has now by far the largest market share of aftermarket parts throughout the world , with a vastly extensive option of parts available for example neon under body lights, tinted windows, Iridescent and "Flip Tone" paints, Body Decals and Custom Shaped Muffler tips. Essentially every conceivable form of aesthetic modification is now possible and widely available allowing for each owner to customise their vehicle right down to their very own personal specifications and tastes without entering the realm of more complicated, mechanical modifications associated with engine and suspension tuning.

Detuning

There are few things that can ruin the good looks of a car quite as fast as an unexpected dent or ding. Whether the dent originated from a runaway shopping cart at the supermarket or from a careless driver on the freeway, having a dented car is certainly no fun, and repairing those dents at the local body shop can be very expensive indeed.

Fortunately for drivers with dented cars and dented wallets, there are some methods you can use to remove those inevitable dents, dings and scrapes with little out of pocket costs. While not all dents and dings will respond to the do-it-yourself approach, it is certainly worth a try, and it may end up saving you a great deal of money.

There are a number of things you will need in order to attempt these do-it-yourself dent repairs. There are a number of dent repair kits on the market, and many of these kits include everything you need to remove and repair small dents quickly and easily. Many of these kits use suction cups and similar implements, and thus have the advantage of eliminating the need to drill holes in the finish to remove a dent.

Before getting started, be sure to borrow or purchase a dent pulling kit or dent pulling tool, along with a dolly, which is a specially designed tool made for flattening and reshaping metal. A metalworking hammer will be necessary as well.

The steps needed to complete the dent reapir are as follows :

1. Locate the center of the dent, and drill a hole in the dent with a 1/8" drill bit. Alternatively, you can use a hot glue gun to glue a plastic adapter to the center of the dent. These plastic adapters and glue guns are included in many dent removal kits.
   
   
2. Thread the dent pulling tool into the newly dilled hole, or attach the dent pulling tool to the plastic circle that is glued on the dent. After the dent pulling tool is in palce, pull on it to flatten the dent or pull it out.
   
   
3. Carefully hammer the front of the dent using the metalworking hammer, while at the same time holding the dolly firmly against the back of the dent. It may be necessary to go underneath the car, or to open the trunk or hood of the car, in order to reach the back of the dent.
   
   
4. Use a medium grit disk mounted on a drill to grind the paint down to the bare metal, extending the area out at least one inch around the dent itself. Then fill the entire area with a good quality body filler.
   
   
5. Allow the body filler to dry completely, then carefully sand the area with sandpaper which has been wrapped around a block of wood. When sanding, begin with a 36-grit sandpaper and work up to a 120-grit sandpaper.
   
   
6. Use a spray primer to prime the area, being sure to use a primer specially designed for automotive use. Six coats of primer should be used, allowing each coat of primer to dry completely before applying the next coat.
   
   
7. Sand the primer using a 600-grit wet and dry sandpaper. This will help to remove any scratches. The area should then be touched up with a matching automotive paint. If the paint is not smooth, resand and repaint the area until you have a smooth surface.