Certified pre-owned, a checklist to help you buy your next
Certified pre-owned, a checklist to help you buy your next

There are number of things you should tick off your checklist, before you can actually go ahead and sign a deal with the dealership. This is very important and even more crucial when it comes to buying preowned vehicles.

Of course, it goes without saying that you should do proper research, but where to start and what are the factors that should be taken into consideration before you go ahead and check out that new car or bike for that matter is the challenge.

Here is an extensive checklist that will help you narrow down the important factors that make up a pre-owned vehicle inspection.

There are a number of exterior check to be done on the body of the car you are planning to buy. Although you may not be an expert when it comes identifying automobile related problems, there are a few easy indicators for which you don’t necessarily need an engineering degree. Walk around and take note of all the minute scratches, dents, dings, that you can find. Open and close all the doors, windows, boot spaces, engine hood.

Check for the tires and make sure they are of the same brand and that the seller is not cutting corners in order to save a few bucks and raise his profit. Tires are the most essential part of the vehicle and they should be in drivable condition in order for you to have the safest ride possible. Wheel balancing and tire rotation are regular maintenance procedures, check the vehicles maintenance report to see if they have been done on a regular basis. Lights are again a very important component, for night driving and while driving through foggy areas. Make sure the components are in order and wont fail you out on the road.

Check the interior of the car you are buying, make sure there is no funky smell which might be the result of some coolant leak or oil leak, the fumes being vented through the air conditioning. This can cause serious problems while driving and hence you have to ensure the cab of the vehicle is smell free except for the fresh pine you will put up on the rearview mirror.

Check the seats, instrument panels, every tiny little component on the dashboard. If your vehicle has a sunroof, check to ensure its proper working. All the mechanisms that control these little gadgets and gizmos should be examined to ensure proper working order. Check under the hood also, to ensure the belts, engine hoses, radiator components and all the fluids needed for the engine to function properly are there.

The final thing left to do is take a test drive and figure out for yourself whether the vehicle is worth putting up the investment and only then, do the necessary paperwork.

  • Adjustable beds – What you need to know

    Also known as the semi-fowler beds, the adjustable beds are gaining wide popularity with more and more people finding them a worthy investment. As the name suggests, these beds are typically those that can be adjusted at an angle that is most suitable for the user to derive maximum rest and comfort. For people with chronic medical conditions that require them to sleep in a certain position, these sleep number adjustable beds are no less than a blessing. Of course, these beds are also great for those who are temporarily bed-ridden due to an accident or health condition.

    What makes adjustable beds a great choice?
    Typically, these sleep number adjustable beds can be alteredsleep num to a comfortable position as per the sleeper’s requirements. These beds are ideal if you are someone who likes to get cozy in your bed while reading your favorite book or watch your favorite movie or TV shows. Also, stress and body strain can cause a lot of body aches which can be relieved to a great extent by getting good sleep in the right position. These adjustable beds ensure that you sleep in that right position.

    The adjustable beds come in two variants – the standard and the heavy-duty styles. The two main compartments of these beds are the mattress and the base itself.

    The mattress of the sleep number adjustable bed is designed in a manner that it functions as per the bed, which means that these mattresses can also be adjusted to perfectly fit the bed even when its position or angle is changed. Split-top mattresses or adjustable beds are perfect for couples wherein they can easily alter the angle of the mattress of their respective side.

    Apart from the comfort and convenience that these adjustable beds offer, it is also the fact that these beds help in relieving back, shoulder or neck pain and ensure proper blood circulation.

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  • Why buying midsize luxury cars is beneficial?

    Midsize luxury cars do not only have more space than small cars but are more efficient than their bigger counterparts. They offer you four doors with comfortable seating but at the same time do not cost as much as the full-size sedan. This is the most practical type of car where you have to sacrifice on neither comfort nor design. Most people find this to be the best type of car for driving their family, friends or business associates around the city. Larger cars are great from long drives, but for everyday usage, there is nothing like the midsize luxury cars.

    Here are the reasons why the midsize luxury car is a must have.

    Fuel-efficient
    Midsize luxury cars offer money saving opportunity due to their fuel efficiency as compared with big cars. With the saved amount, you get the freedom to ride the car more often without having to think about the cost. Your contribution to the environment is also counted as you are using way less fuel than other vehicles.

    Hybrid vehicles
    It used to be only compact cars which enjoyed the status of being truly hybrid models. But with the advancement of technology, even mid-sized cars are also being made a hybrid. The combination of battery and gasoline to drive a car makes it all the more fuel efficient.

    Better handling
    When you drive a midsize vehicle, you can rest assured of enjoying better handling than smaller or bigger cars. The weight is appropriately distributed over its axles creating a stable center of gravity. This helps the car to turn easily without leaning too much on one side thereby decreasing the chance of it turning over during a sharp turn.

    Family friendly
    Most families consist of a maximum of four members these days. And midsize sedans are perfect for families of this size. Thus, without having to pay extra to buy an SUV or minivan, you can get a four-door car where your entire family can fit in comfortably. The best thing is that these cars have quite a big trunk space. Thus, you need not worry about carrying stuff with you in the car while traveling.

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  • Top four budget cell phone carriers

    Are you strapped for cash and need a cell phone plan that’s cheap and will get the job done? Do you find yourself searching for the best wireless phone plans but find them too expensive to opt for? What if we told you that you can get decent prepaid cell phone plans starting at just $10 a month?

    When going shopping for the lowest cell phone plans make sure you get yourself an unlocked phone since major carrier phones may not work with these plans. The plus side to these is that unlocked phones are more adaptable to different plans laid out by lesser known cell phone carrier networks. Plus, this means that you can opt for plans as low as $10 which can save you a lot of money.

    Opting for the best unlimited cell phone plans doesn’t necessarily mean you get unlimited data. Sometimes the best wireless phone plans can give you unlimited calling minutes and texting features. More importantly, you should look for prepaid mobile plans which suit your needs and save you money.

    Here are the top popular budget cell phone carriers for new users, amongst others

    RedPocket: RedPocket has awesome plans with regard to budget cell phone plans. If your monthly budget is $10, you can try their $10 essentials plan which offers up to 500 talking minutes, 500 texts, and 100MB of LTE data per month through any of the four major U.S. cell phone carriers. Verizon and T-Mobile are included in their list of carriers as well.

    Consumer Cellular: Geared mostly towards senior users, Consumer Cellular offers plans for $17.50 a month and their cell phone plans make use of the AT&T network. It’s lowest plans offers 250 calling minutes, 300 texts, and 30 MB of data per month and the pricing starts reasonably at $17.50 a month. Little expensive but still works great.

    MintSIM: MintSIM sells from three to twelve months of cell phone subscription plans through the AT&T networks, and offer massive discounts on them. The best part is that they offer limited-time discounts too on existing cell phone plans. One of their popular unlimited plans includes a 12-month plan with unlimited calling, texts, and 2GB of data, for only $199, or $16.58 per month. They also offer 5GB and 10GB data plans at affordable rates annually.

    Republic Wireless: Republic Wireless’s best plan involves a monthly $20 fee for which you get unlimited calling, texting, and up to 1GB of cell phone data on T-Mobile or Sprint networks. If you don’t surf the web a lot and are mostly interested in texting or calling unlimited, then the Republic Wireless plans can be a great fit for you.

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  • Turning your baking hobby into a successful business

    One of the best things in life is to have a job that you love. Not everyone has it and the reasons can be many from lack of capital to lack of time, lack of knowledge to the fear of failure and fear of losing your investment and your already-established source of income from a job-in-hand. But with some careful planning, there is no reason for you to put off your dreams of becoming an entrepreneur. Let us look at the initial planning to start your own business, selling baked goods.

    Research:
    Research is the first step to starting any new business venture. You may excel at baking, but there has to be enough demand for your baking products for the business to work.
    – Find out the state of your competition in your local area. Is anyone selling baked goods that are similar to what you plan to sell? What special skills can you bring to your baking business to stand out from other bakeries? What makes your baking products special? Make a list of such questions that pop into your head and answer each one honestly.

    – See where you stand in terms of your business idea vis-a-vis your direct competitors in the baking business. Do you need to tweak your product offering? Can you switch your ingredients to make your baked goods healthier or different than what is available in the market? Think of all the ways you can add a unique touch to your products and be realistic about it.

    Plan:
    When making a switch from hobby to business, you need a proper strategy.
    – Begin with the scope and size of the business. If you want to test the waters first before taking the full-time plunge with your baked goods business, it is always a good idea, to begin with a business on the side while staying put in your current job or profession.

    – Consider your costs. You need capital to buy ingredients, equipment and for packaging. Find out about the laws in your state regarding small businesses and home businesses. You will need money to pay for licensing or registering your business. Depending on how many hours you are putting in your new business and cutting from your old job, you will also need some savings for your other expenses.

    Sell:
    You don’t have to straight away open your own shop to sell your baked goods. You can put your new business on solid footing by trying different avenues to market and sell your products.
    – Begin with occasional or weekly business opportunities. Farmers’ markets are a great way to start selling your fresh baking products and build a loyal customer base. You can also pay for stalls in local fairs or take orders for special occasions such as birthday parties and such. Later, you can approach local grocery stores, cafes, and restaurants.

    – Create a social media page to market your business. Network and attend as many industry events you can as possible.

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  • Two main types of stackable washers and dryers

    Small-sized apartments do not offer the convenience of installing the washing machine and the dryer separately due to a lack of space. In such cases, stackable washer dryers come in handy. Both the washer and dryer can be piled in one corner of the room to free up floor space. These stackable appliances make it possible to do your laundry at home saving the time and money spent visiting a laundromat. There are two ways you can use to facilitate a stackable washer and dryer in your home.

    Laundry units or centers
    These models of stackable washer dryers come packed as a unit and constitute as a single purchase. Here you need not fret about the compatibility of the appliances. They can be mounted seamlessly in any corner of the room. When these types of stackable washer dryers are concerned, a feature worth noting is that they have a smaller capacity as compared to the standard models as they are designed to meet the requirements of small spaces. Therefore these types of laundry units also do not occupy as much space as the basic models.

    Front loading washing and drying machines
    If you prefer shopping for your washer and dryer separately, then ensure that you choose front loaders so you can stack them one above the other for accessing the door of the units to load or unload your laundry. You must also shop for a stacking unit and make sure that the washer and dryer can fit comfortably. The benefit of opting for front loading stackable washers and dryers is that you can pick your choice of these appliances.
    There are various drawbacks when selecting this option because it may turn out to be an expensive affair if you have to purchase these units individually. Also, it is a tedious process to ascertain if the units pass the compatibility test. Moreover, this option requires greater power outage for the machines to operate.

    The above-listed details are sure to help you make up your mind on which stackable washing and drying machines are more suitable for your needs. Remember to consider all the factors and make an informed decision.

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  • How to Choose the Best Cell Phone

    Nowadays, the cell phones have become advanced and provide amazing services to you. Gone are days when the phone is only used to send a message and get in touch with your friends and relative. Nowadays, the Smartphone is a small word in itself. The accessibility of internet connection allows you to access many things including your bank account, e-mail id, and more.

    The many apps allow you to get everything with a single touch. The uses of a phone are increased and the demand for the best cell phones is dramatically raised in past few year. Many providers are available in the market, which promises to provide the best items at an amazing price rate. But, buying a phone is not as easy as you think.

    If you are looking for the best options and want to get the best value for your investment, it is important that you put in some research to get the best cell phones. You should follow few simple steps to get the best item for you. Here we have arranged a few simple steps, which will help you to buy the best cell phones.
    Know your needs

    The first thing that you need to do is, you have to identify your requirements. What features will work amazing for you? What specialty do you need on your phone? All these questions will help you to choose a right option for you and keep you safe from getting confused. So, always clear your needs first before buying a phone.

    Good suggestions

    If you can’t decide between too many options, then you should go for the help. You can take help to one of your friends who recently bought a new phone. He/she can tell all the details of the phone, which is they recently using and suggest you some good names. So, go with suggestions to make your job easy.

    Limit your budget

    Yes, a limited budget makes a list short and helps you choose the best cell phones and keeps you focused on the top models, which come with amazing features along with the best price. If a budget is a bar for you, then make sure you choose a phone, which has many functions and great processor along with a good price as well.

    Choose quality

    The quality of a phone is one of the top essential that you should take into your consideration. Never compromise with the quality if you don’t want to waste your money. Make sure, the phone has a good life along with amazing features, and you don’t have to replace it because of technical issues. The strong processor always keeps all issues away and provides the best quality to you.

    Compare prices

    Apart from checking the quality, you should also compare the price of two brands. The most of the features are same in many brands. So, why you pay extra when you have the same quality at a reasonable price?. This is why you should compare the price of a product. Apart from this, you can also check online to get a big discount on a deal. There are several comparison websites that can help you get the best deals.

    These are the five steps that you should follow while buying a phone. All these steps will help you to get the best option without losing your mind. and get the best cell phone for yourself today.

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  • A significant technological advancement in the world of television

    TV is the most common source of entertainment for people out there. It will be quite surprising to find a household without a television. Back in the day, the first television screens were black and white. Then slowly they developed colored tv screens. It was another few years before flat television screens were available.

    These flat panel TVs have been in labs since 1964. It wasn’t until the early 2000s that they finally made their debut in the market. Wherever they were launched, their cost would be quite high initially. It took another few years to make flat screen TVs available at a reasonable price. Today, they are all we have in the name of TV.

    At first, LCD TVs were launched in the market. They had a very elegant look and boasted an improved performance. So, they were the kind of TVs preferred by all. But the cost was high. Slowly, the costs were brought down, and the market roared. Since then, the development of the flat screen technology has been continuously happening, and we have a lot of options to choose from today. There is Wifi connection available in LEDs. You can watch any show you want by accessing various apps. They are super light and do not occupy much space. They look beautiful on a wall and have the capability to give you a proper feel of sitting in a theatre.

    To sum up, it can be said that technology is making progress day by day in nearly every field and television market is just one of them. Also, it is one of the best markets. The advanced technology has given us more choices than we could think of a decade ago. We have got so many brands to choose from, oh and talk about the sizes! You can choose a low-cost TV if you do not want to spend much on your TV. But, if you are a telly addict and would like to enjoy movies and TV shows at home getting a proper theatre feel, you could choose as big a screen as you want.

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  • Narcissistic personality disorder, understanding the symptoms

    Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental illness, which causes the person suffering from it to exhibit behavioral traits of being selfish, boastful and completely obsessed about one’s self. Too much self-confidence coupled with complete disregard for other peoples feelings or ideas or even completely ignoring others needs are identifiable traits.

    However, it is imperative to understand that some people are narcissistic by choice and exhibit such behavioral traits. Having a narcissistic personality disorder on the other hand is a mental illness over which the affected person does not have much control. The latter is a medical condition while the former is a personality trait.

    The common symptoms exhibited by someone who is suffering from narcissistic personality disorder include:

    • Obsessing about oneself and putting his or her needs before others, while craving attention and admiration without any regards or concern for other peoples feelings, needs or emotions is one of the glaring symptoms.
    • Believing he or she is extra special and setting unrealistic targets and goals for oneself while fantasizing about success, money, and power beyond limits and capability.
    • Suffering from a wide range of mood swings and not being able to ground oneself, constantly talking about his or her achievements is another indicator of someone who has this mental condition.
    • People who suffer from this condition may also exhibit symptoms of borderline personality disorder which include antisocial behavior, compulsive behavior, hostility, social isolation and lack of restraint. Mood swings will be a dangerous and uncontrollable mix of anger, anxiety, discontent and dissatisfaction, loss of interest and pleasure in activities.
    • General behavioral traits include behaving in an arrogant manner, which might be caused due to you being envious of others in your surrounding. It might also be due to you over thinking that others are envious of you. This is a classic indicator that you value and hold yourself in high esteem while others are inferior to your intellect.
    • Often people who have this mental illness will tend to take advantage of others to get their way and can go to any lengths with a complete disregard for their feelings and the possible consequences of their actions.
    • Certain defense mechanisms might trigger violent behavior in a feeble attempt to suppress one feeling insecure, shameful, humiliated and or even vulnerable. It is not uncommon for people o to lash out just because they are unable to deal with how they are feeling in a normal way.

    Medical consultation is advisable since a proper course of treatment will be recommended which will benefit in the long run.

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