Finding a Fault in the Car

Servicing your car regularly you prevent it from becoming unreliable. Of course, you can't foresee everything. Having failed to start the car in the morning you had better check three things first: the battery, the fuel level and the spark plugs. It is quite easy to repair these faults.

If the battery appears to be flat it is necessary to recharge it. If this doesn't work, you should replace it.

An empty tank is another common fault in the car. Having noticed a fuel warning light on the instrument panel of your ear you should fill up the tank with more petrol.

Dirty spark plugs are also certain to cause a problem. To drive the car it is important to clean them regularly and adjust the gap in the spark plugs to the proper width. If the gap is not correct the engine will not run well.

If your car still does not start, the petrol pump may be broken, or the fuel pipe may be blocked. Having discovered a broken pump, it is a good idea to repair or replace it. If the fuel pipe is blocked, take it off and unblock it.

Having heard a loud CLICK I when you turn the key, you are sure to realize that the starter motor may be jammed. If it is. you can try to release it pushing the car forwards and backwards (in the 2nd gear). If the car still doesn't start, the starter motor should be repaired or even replaced.

And don't forget about the air filter. Its function is to remove particles of dirt, dust and other Impurities from the air passing to the carburettor. A blocked (liter decreases the airflow to the carburettor thus increasing the amount of fuel in the mixture. This causes the engine to operate inefficiently. Cleaning and changing filters regularly you prevent a considerable damage that is certain to be caused inside the cylinders. In this case the engine will need a thorough overhaul.

If you are a poor mechanic, stopping at service stations periodically you will save at least time and money. As they say, 'prevention is better than cure.

Car Giants' Single Online Supply Store

General Motors, Ford Motors and Daimler Chrysler companies have announced plans to open the online auto marketplace, poten­tially making it the largest Internet business yet created. It will allow suppliers and buyers to automate routine transactions and streamline¹ the bidding process for everything from car windows and fuel-injec­tion parts to paper clips and paint through electronic sales, auctions; and "reverse auctions" in which buyers state their needs and receive bids from sellers.

Consumers are not likely to see massive price cuts because of the new system. But it should help automakers keep a lid on retail prices as new features are introduced, such as electronic steering, comput­erized transmission systems and weight-sensitive air bags. It will also make it possible for customers to order more personalized vehicles and to take delivery of them faster.

General Motors, Ford and Daimler Chrysler will have an equal share of the new company, which is expected to be running by the end of June. They will also open their virtual marketplace to other automakers and could eventually expand the service into other indus­tries, such as aerospace, construction and office supplies.

The joint marketplace is the most powerful sign of the migration of commerce from the old world of salesmen and brick stores to the new virtual world of electronic commerce (e-commerce). It is going to change the way businesses interact with each other by taking out the huge inefficiencies that have been built around the old methods of using the phone and mail.

By using the speed of Internet communications and the power of large computerized databases to handle global sales and purchasing, the companies hope to control costs, slash production inefficiencies , and reduce the logistical nightmare of tracking million of parts.

"The Internet is transforming every piece of our company and our industry," Ford president said in a statement.

In one of the first purchases made by Ford on its own online mar­ketplace the company was reported to save more than $10 million.

There will ultimately be more than 100,000 supply companies on the system. The company could become a profit maker since it will collect a fee or commission for every transaction that takes place over the network.