Advice Centre
For up to date help and advice go to : - http://lowcostcaraudio.s2.bizhat.com/Please Note: When purchasing by credit card, automatic delivery of goods can only be made to the registered address of the credit card holder or an official work address. For security reasons this information will be computer matched prior to despatch. subject to conditions. Protecting Your Car - What should you do if your car is stolen?
*Tell the police immediately and then contact your Insurance Company and/or Broker/Intermediary.
*Be prepared to wait a while to hear about recovery, many cars are found abandoned within a few hours! TEN Ways that may help beat the car thieves: -
1) We all know they are out there, so do not give the thieves ANY opportunity.
2) Lock ALL windows, doors, sunroof, and the boot EVERY time you leave the car.
3) Do not leave valuables or clothing on display. 40% of breakins involve the theft of a mobile phone. Do not leave the front panel of your car audio ON when you leave the car. Portable audio such as MP3 and iPod are very attractive to the would be thief. Driving licence, Insurance details or indeed any personal correspondence could be used in many ways by the thieves (Think Identity Fraud)
4) Always remember to take the ignition key/device OUT when the car is parked including your drive and garage. Also rember this piece of advice when you leave the car to pop into a shop or go to pay for fuel at a service station/garage. Failure to remove the ignition key/device may invalidate any claim.
5) Ensure where possible that doors are fitted with deadlocks or electronic locks. It is also highly advisable that you keep the doors locked when you are in the car.
6) Opt for a central locking system also a lockable fuel cap.
7) Have your Vehicle Identification Number etched into ALL glass surfaces and also look at other measures such as 'dotting'.
8) Invest in a few security products such as approved steering wheel locks, locking wheel nuts, locking fuel caps. REMEMBER crime statistics show that more than 50% of car theft happen at 'home'
9) Fit a Thatcham approved car alarm and/or immobiliser. Thatcham can provide a list of 'approved' vehicle security suppliers and also recommend and/or advise on suitable equipment for your car.You can contact Thatcham ON 0870 550 2006
10) When away from Home ALWAYS try to park your car in a well lit open location. Remember thieves target car parks! 20% of ALL recorded car crime happens in car parks. When parking in a public car park try to find one that is well supervised and secure, with restricted entry and exit points, good lighting and security cameras. AVOID DARK CORNERS. If you have a Vehicle Breakdown.
If you are single with children or alone REMEMBER before leaving the car to check your location, check and review your resources and decide on a plan of action.Staying safe is the priority and the best course of action will depend on the location you are in, the time of day and most importantly your instincts. CONSIDER the following points: -
a) If you have a mobile phone and are stationary contact either the policeor a reputable vehicle recovery service. Many Insurance Companies offer and may also include Roadside Assistance as part of their policy.
b) In an isolated spot you could stay in your LOCKED vehicle overnight.
c) If you find yourself a long way from a public telephone or house, you could flag down a passerby then get back into your vehicle, LOCK it and talk through a partly opened window. Ask the motorist to call for help at the next available public telephone (assuming the motorist does not possess a mobile phone) Provide the motorist with the following information: - your name, vehicle make and model, vehicle registration number, breakdown recovery number and your exact location. It is advisable that you do not give your home telephone number and address unless you feel absolutely confident to do so.
d) Wait in a secure place such as your locked car, a nearby shop or similiarly populated area. Tell the person you have called for help exactly where you will be waiting.
e) If you seek assistance at a nearby house, knock or ring a bell and stand back from the door. Ask the occupant politely to call for help on your behalf. If you are able to do so give a piece of paper with your details on such as your name, vehicle make and model, vehicle registration number, breakdown recovery membership number and your exact location of vehicle breakdown.
Disclaimer: - ALL OF THE ABOVE IS GIVEN IN GOOD FAITH only AND IN THE HOPE THAT IT MAY BE OF SOME HELP and ASSISTANCE. A commonsense approach has been taken to the content and we will not be held responsible in any way for the 'giving' of any advice. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Are DAB stereos really worth fitting yet and are there many digital radio stations around at the moment?
This one really does not have a definitive answer. In our opinion, true DAB stereos are still rather expensive but the sound quality is truly amazing and more and more stations are coming online each day. Purchase a good stereo with a DAB option. This allows you to plug in a DAB module at a later date. Then go and have a demonstration of a DAB system and see if you think it's worth the extra cost and see our new dedicated DAB section. For more information on DAB 'link to' www.bbc.co.uk/digitalradio/.
Does anybody make a CD Tuner that has a blue display to match my VW Golf? Most of the ones I have seen are only switch-able between Green & Amber?
Browse the CD Tuner section; there are currently plenty of options to choose from.
What exactly is GPS and how is it used in car navigation?
GPS stands for Global Positioning System. This is a series of 12 satellites orbiting high above the earth and sending out a signal that a receiver can pick up. By measuring the difference between the signals it can work out exactly where you are on the planet, if you are moving, how fast and in which direction you are going. Using this, the computer in the navigation system works out your position on a digital map usually stored on a CD or DVD.
When I switch off my car stereo I lose all of my station presets and the display goes back to amber and I have to reset it to green again. Any ideas? I fitted the stereo myself after a previous one was stolen. It's a Sony unit and the old one did not have this problem.
The most probable cause of this is that you have wired up the permanent live wire to a switched +12 volt supply. The YELLOW wire on the stereo is USUALLY the permanent live that holds the memory and settings when you switch off the engine. Get a multi-meter and check to see if this wire is live when the engine is off, if not, find the permanent live feed that was used before and connect it to the permanent live wire, reset your settings and hopefully that should be it. If not, make sure that if you have an inline fuse on the permanent wire, it has not blown.
I've recently been given a new car stereo as a birthday present and a friend has kindly offered to install it for me. However, after removing the original radio he tells me that because the plugs on the unit do not match the ones left in the car, he needs to chop these off and connect each wire individually. Is this necessary as I'm a bit reluctant for him to start cutting away at my vehicles wiring?
You will be pleased to know that we offer a wide range of car specific adaptors that will allow an aftermarket head unit to be connected to your vehicles existing wiring without chopping off any plugs. These pre-wired looms will not only save you lots of time but also makes sure you don't get it wrong.
Remember if you decide to sell the car you'll still have the original plug to connect the manufacturer's head unit back up to.
I've just purchased a new car and the original radio is a completely different size and shape to the CD player I was hoping to upgrade to. Is it still possible for me to change or am I stuck with this unit?
You don't mention what type of vehicle you purchased but I'm sure we can help you out. A lot car manufacturers are doing this because they want you to keep using them (and their prices £££) however, we do a large selection of professionally designed facia panels which makes it possible for you to install a standard size unit without leaving any gaps in the dashboard. |
