Mar 23, 2022 | Electronics |
Need a car jumper cable or want to know how to connect a jumper cable correctly? On this page more information about jumper cables and how you can connect them safely. Starting cables are used when your car does not start because the battery is empty. In such a case, you can ask for help from another motorist with a car of a similar size to yours. They will most likely have a battery with the same capacity as yours. You can then use a jump lead to start your car on the other car's battery. Below is a step-by-step plan for the correct connection of the jumper cables.
Correct car jump lead
Jumper cables are used to generate enough voltage to start the engine of the faulty vehicle so that it can then continue charging the battery on its own. What sounds simple in theory requires the right approach in practice. Diesel Engines are more powerful than petrol engines, which is why the required amperage is higher for diesel cars. Therefore, to withstand the current to be transferred, the jumper cable for a diesel vehicle must have a thickness of at least 25 square millimetres. Thinner cables are not suitable for this and thus do not provide sufficient protection to the user. Therefore, starting assistance may fail or, in the worst case, damage to the vehicle or injury to the user may occur if a cable that is too thin is used. Jump leads for petrol cars In contrast, only 16 mm² need be thick, as the current is weaker in this case.
How do you use jumper cables?
When using jumper cables for starting problems, make sure the vehicles do not touch each other!
Connecting the jumper cables:
- Turn off the engine of both vehicles
- Switch off all power consumers (such as radio, heating, air conditioning, etc.).
- 1: Connect the positive terminals of both batteries by connecting the red cable to the +pool of the flat battery.
- 2: Then connect the red cable to the +pool of the good battery
- 3: Connect the black cable to the -pool of the full battery.
- 4: Attach the other black clip to MASSAGE of the breakdown vehicle, e.g. a metal part of the engine or (unpainted) bodywork part.
- Start the car engine with the battery fully charged
- Run the engine at a slightly higher speed
You can try to start the vehicle's engine immediately or wait a few minutes to do so. If starting the breakdown vehicle is successful, wait a few more minutes before disconnecting jumper cables. Please note that when disconnecting the cables, a peak voltage may occur. After starting the auxiliary vehicle, switch on the rear window heater and heater (temporarily) to accommodate the high charging current.
Disconnecting the jumper cables:
- First disconnect the black jump leads from the body of the car with a flat battery.
- Remove the black terminal from the -pool of the full battery.
- Now disconnect the red battery terminal from the +pool of the good battery
- Finally, remove the red terminal from the +pool of bad battery
Make sure that the red and black cable clamps do not have contact with each other at any time.
Now that the car has started, it is important not to turn the vehicle off immediately but to drive it for a few kilometres so that the alternator can generate enough current for the battery. You can also connect a car charger to the battery. However, a short drive in city traffic is not enough to charge the battery.
Buying the right jumper cables
If you need jumper cables unexpectedly, you cannot use just any cable. Which jumper cables you can use depends on the type of car, length, thickness and core material of the cable. Do you drive petrol? Then our 16-millimetre jumper cables are suitable. Do you have a diesel car? Then jump leads of 25 millimetres are perfect. Tip: if you use your jumper cable in a breakdown situation, find a rescue car that runs on the same fuel as your car so that the jumper cable also works on the other car battery.
Always use jumper cables wisely and responsibly. Possibly under the guidance of an expert. Using jumper cables is always an emergency solution and it means something is wrong with the battery. It is necessary to charge the battery with a proper battery charger and otherwise replace it for a new battery. So our advice is to replace the battery for a new one as soon as possible!
Alternative to cables: battery booster / jump starter
Short circuits caused by using a jumper cable do not occur easily, as long as you know what to watch out for. Nevertheless, for example in vehicles that only drive short distances or have not been used for a long time, it is necessary to charge the battery not with jumper cables but with an external charger. Sometimes you do not need the whole jumper cable, but only the battery terminals. There are many different products for sale, from individual clamps in red or black to whole sets. These clamps are not suitable for all voltages. Therefore, always read the product info carefully to find out how many amps (A) the battery clamp or battery clamp set you have chosen is suitable for. This differs per vehicle category; for example, there is often a difference between diesel and petrol engines.
Mar 2, 2022 | Maintenance and polishing |
Polishing pads come in different shapes, colours and sizes. Which polishing pad should you use for the desired effect? On this page we try to give more clarity.
Which polishing pads are there?
Roughly speaking, we can divide the polishing pads into 3 types:
- Pads for pre-polishing (cutting pad)
- Pads for polishing large defects (polishing pad)
- Pads for restoring the gloss (finishing)
Hard foam polishing pads (pre-polishing)
For heavier polishing work, you need a hard foam polishing pad. This is often referred to as a cutting pad or a heavy cut pad and has a high cutting power. This means that this pad removes, as it were, a small layer of the car's paintwork, and in this way you can remove scratches. These pads often have more hairs and are often used in combination with a heavier polish to remove most scratches.
Medium-hard foam (polishing pad)
A polishing pad is more suitable for restoring the gloss of the paintwork and is actually an intermediate step between coarse and fine polishing. This pad is less coarse and will also have less effect on any scratches. This medium-hard polishing pad is used in combination with a medium-hard polishing agent.
Fine foam (finishing pad)
These finishing pads are suitable for restoring the high gloss of the paintwork. This is often the last step in the polishing process. These pads are used in combination with a fine polishing agent. A fine polishing pad, in contrast to coarser pads, does not have any cutting properties and is therefore used, for example, to spread wax or sealer evenly across the surface.
Size of polishing pads
The pads are available in different sizes, which is the diameter of the pad. The smallest pads start at 75 mm and the largest at 200 mm. The 125 mm and 150 mm pads are very popular and well-suited for polishing the entire car. The 75 mm pads are suitable for smaller and fine surfaces.
How do you know which polishing pad to use for the desired result?
Before you start, it is advisable to carry out a small test to get to know the paintwork better. Choose a spot of approx. 50 x 50 cm to determine the right combination of pad and polish. This way you also quickly know how many steps you need to take to polish the paintwork. You can do as follows to determine which pads and polish you need:
- It is best to start with a light/fine polishing pad and polishing agent.
- Start by polishing the small surface to see if the desired result is treated and, of course, if it is scratch-free. If it is, then you can treat the entire surface with this combination of pad and agent.
- Is the test not successful and would you rather see a different result? Then you can change the pad and use a heavier/coarser pad and/or a heavier polish. On a pad that you have used with a light polish, you can always apply a heavier polish. If you have used a pad with a heavier polish, do not use it with a lighter one, as there is a chance that it still contains residues of the coarse polish. Start polishing again to see if you have the right combination.
- The combination of polishing pad and polishing agent may vary from one panel/surface to another, so we recommend carrying out a small test for each panel before polishing the whole one.
Pads for random or rotary polishers
The important thing to remember when choosing polishing pads is that they are suitable for the polishing machine you are using. For a rotating machine you can use the traditional pads without centre hole. If you use an excentric polishing machine, you need pads that can handle the excentric movement (and vibration). These pads have a centre hole to dissipate the heat that is released during polishing. Also, the pads for eccentric machines often have a slanted edge, this is to prevent you from hitting the paint with the machine's backing pad due to the eccentric movements.
There are also special pads for the forced polishing machine. This machine combines the power of the rotary polisher with the safety of the eccentric polisher. The pads for the forced polishing machine are often thin pads.
Pads made of wool, foam or microfibre? When to use which pad?
There are many different types of materials that can be used for cleaning. For example, wool, foam, microfibre, felt and denim. The first three are used the most. Time to highlight these three guys.
Polishing pads of wool
A woollen pad or polishing fleece has a corrective effect and is mainly used for coarser polishing work. This is because the hair has a very coarse structure. Woollen pads are usually made of real sheepskin. In addition to these real sheepskins, there are also wool pads that are partially or even 100% made of synthetic (artificial) hair. In general, wool pads made from real sheepskin perform best. With such a wool pad you can easily remove deep scratches.
Foam pads
Foam pads come in many different varieties and are probably the most common type of polishing pads. From very hard to very soft foam and from very coarse to very fine cell structure. The harder the foam and the coarser the structure, the deeper the abrasive power and the faster scratches can be removed. However, the risk of holograms increases enormously with a coarser structure. The softer the foam and the finer the cell structure, the higher the level of gloss and the fewer holograms.
When to choose foam polishing pads?
- If the lacquer is soft or difficult to polish, we recommend the foam pads
- If you are not an experienced polisher yet, the foam pads are a safe choice.
- The pads are mainly suitable for perfecting and not necessarily for correcting (large) scratches
- The price for the foam pads is often cheaper, so you can immediately buy more pads and thus alternate between the pads.
- With foam, there is less chance of holograms.
Microfibre/ microfibre pads
Microfibre is a very fine material for polishing if the right quality is chosen. Just like the wool pad, it has many hairs that absorb the product well. This makes the microfibre pad very suitable for cutting and it has just a bit more power than foam pads. At the same time, the hair is much softer than wool. Therefore, in addition to the high cut, a high shine can also be achieved. The microfibre pad is mainly used for eccentric polishing of deep scratches and hard lacquer. Microfibre is also available in various types, namely with a short fibre or a somewhat longer fibre. With a hard interface layer or a softer intermediate layer.
When to choose microfibre pads?
- Microfibre pads are especially recommended for hard lacquer
- Often these pads are used by the more experienced polishers as you have to master the heat that comes with these pads.
- When you want to polish correctively and get rid of deeper scratches.
Microwool pads
Finally, we have the combination of microfibre and wool, the microwool pads. The wool is there for the corrective effect and the microfibre for a good finish.
How do you ensure that you can work with the pads for a long time?
It is, of course, nice if you can use the pads for a long time. Therefore, it is important not to let the pads get too hot and to let them cool down regularly. You can do this by cleaning the pads under the tap or by using a padwasher. What's always important to remember is that the pad has to do the work, so you don't have to put pressure on it while polishing. If you do, the life of the pad will be shorter. If you notice that you have to put too much pressure, it's better to use a coarser pad and/or a coarser polish.
Mar 1, 2022 | Maintenance and polishing |
Need tips for car polishing? Do you want to repair paint scratches or do you want your car to look shiny again? All you have to do is polish your car. In this article, we'll tell you how to do it. Are you ready to go? Then the car polishing can begin!
The basics of car polishing
The car's paintwork has to endure a lot every day. Sunshine, stone chips, insect remains, bird droppings, dust, dirt or whatever. Over time, the paintwork begins to look dull and scratches spoil what was once a perfect finish. This is where car polishing comes in. Car polishing means nothing more than bringing the paintwork back into top shape with an appropriate, gentle polishing process that only treats the top layer of paint. The base coat and primer remain untouched.
Did you know. Unsuitable cleaning agents or some car washes can also damage car paint. Brushes that are too scratchy or solvents that are too strong corrode the paint and leave marks. To remove these scratches, you can polish the car and seal the paint.
When and how often to polish your car?
When (and how often) should I polish my car? It is important to know that the layers of paint are not infinite. In other words: If you polish your car too often, you damage the paint, but if you treat the paint too little, it's not good either. Untreated damage and dirt can lead to worse damage and, at worst, corrosion and rust. So what guidelines can you follow? We recommend the following:
- It is best to polish car paint once or twice a year.
- After the winter is a good time to polish the car. The car has often had to endure a lot during the winter and can use a boost during the spring service. It can also be advisable to do this just before the winter starts so that the paintwork is well protected going into the winter.
Polishing supplies
For polishing with a machine you need several things, make sure you have at least the following on hand:
- Polishing machine: eccentric or rotating? If you want to treat the car with a polishing machine, we recommend you to buy an eccentric one. It is perfect for home use and is also cheaper than the rotating version.
- Polishing pads that are suitable for the purpose you want to achieve.
- Pads are available in different sizes. Smaller pads are suitable for the finer work and larger pads for the larger surfaces. Of course, you can change the pads in between depending on the surface to be treated.
- A cutting pad is suitable for coarser polishes. These pads often have more hairs and are mainly suitable for removing scratches.
- A polishing pad is more suitable for restoring the gloss of the paintwork. This pad is less coarse and will also have less effect on any scratches. These pads are mainly to make your car shine again.
- Polishing agent: There are various polishing agents available, all of which have a different application.
- A standard polish mainly provides more gloss and has a fine structure.
- Abrasive is suitable for removing scratches and has a coarser structure.
- A combination of the above polishes is suitable for both removing scratches and bringing back more shine to the paintwork.
- Car shampoo for proper cleaning of the paintwork.
- Car clay for removing stubborn dirt deep into the paintwork. You can use Sonax clay for this purpose, for example.
- Microfibre cloths for wiping paintwork. Good microfibre cloths absorb a lot of moisture and do not leave scratches.
- A water spray.
- Painting tape for masking off lights, rubber, frames and other surfaces adjacent to the paintwork.
Wash the car thoroughly
Probably needless to say but before you start polishing the car, make sure that the paintwork is clean and that you have clayed the paintwork to make sure that no dirt is left behind that could cause damage during polishing. Before washing the paintwork, you can use car shampoo that will allow you to thoroughly clean the paintwork. After washing the car, you can further clean the paintwork using cleaning clay (car clay) such as Sonax clay. With this clay, you can still remove stubborn dirt left behind. When this is done, dry the car well with microfibre cloths so that the paintwork is completely "naked". There should be no agents left on the paintwork such as wax, grease or other protective agents.
Additional precautions
Before you start, you should take the following precautions:
- As a precaution, check whether you recognise any scratches on the car that need pre-treatment.
- If the scratches are very superficial, there is no need to do anything else. Because such scratches can easily be removed during polishing.
- If you recognise small stone chips, this is usually not a problem.
- You can pre-treat and repair damaged spots, deeper scratches or rusty areas before you start polishing.
Covering with tape
Take the time to tape lamps, rubbers, frames, stickers and other surfaces adjacent to the paintwork. Make sure that you apply the masking tape neatly, this prevents the car polish from affecting the rubber and causing new stains or the like. Of course, the paintwork must remain accessible so that you can polish the car properly.
Stay away from heavily adhesive tape, duct tape and the like! You would only damage the paintwork - and you don't want that. For your paintwork, definitely use adhesive tape that is suitable for polishing cars. It is best to do it with, for example, painter's tape or special masking tape so that you can protect the spots perfectly.
Step-by-step plan for car polishing
Now that you have finished the preparations, you can use the following steps for successful polishing of the paintwork.
1. If you are going to use a polisher for the first time, it is advisable to first turn the machine on without putting it directly on the paintwork. Let the machine run for about 10 minutes before using it, make sure you attach a pad to the machine during the trial run.
2. You are now ready to start. Apply the polish to the pad, a few drops are enough. For a new pad, up to 6 drops are enough, for a used pad, 4 drops are often enough.
3. Spray a small amount of water on the surface to be treated, this will ensure less dirt gets into your pad. Make sure the water does not drip off the panel as you will have used too much water.
4. Press the pad containing the polish onto the part you want to treat. The machine is not on yet! Start with a small area no more than 5 to 10 times the size of the pad and apply small amounts of polish here. Make sure the compound is fairly evenly spread over the area you want to polish before turning on the machine.
5. Place the machine on the surface and turn the machine on. Start on setting 1 so you can start polishing calmly and spread the compound evenly over the paintwork so that everything looks greasy. Let the machine do the work and do not apply force while using the machine.
6. Make sure you make overlapping movements so you don't miss a spot and always keep the machine moving. Move slowly back and forth across the paint, first from left to right, overlapping the lanes you create with the machine. Repeat this from top to bottom as well.
7. Finish the entire car and try to follow the lines of the car as much as possible. If there are spots that need extra attention, make sure you polish them. If necessary, put the machine on a higher setting for deeper scratches. After polishing, the polish should be completely spread out and dissolved. A white haze remains on the paintwork.
8. Now that polishing with the machine is finished, it is important to clean the surface. Do this with a microfibre cloth (insert link) to ensure that no streaks are left behind and that any residual polish is removed.
9. Once this is done, move on to the next part of the paintwork you want to polish. Repeat the above steps for each section until the entire car is polished.
10. Are there spots on the car that are difficult to reach with the machine? Then polish this by hand. Put some polish on a microfibre cloth and treat the surface. Then clean this surface again when you are done.
11. Now that everything is ready, you can check the car, hopefully the result is a shiny car and you are satisfied. Still not completely satisfied? Then repeat the process. If there are any scratches that you have not been able to polish away, you can opt for harder pads on the 2nd treatment that will hopefully be able to remove the scratches. However, remember that polishing will not always remove all scratches. Polishing is especially suitable for light and less deep scratches. A common rule is: if you can hook your nail into the scratch, then the scratch is probably too deep to polish. If you have really deep scratches in the paintwork, then you can really only solve this by sanding, polishing, spraying and varnishing.
12. Are you finished polishing and satisfied with the result? Then we recommend waxing to protect the paintwork. Apply a little wax to a microfibre cloth and apply it to the car in circular movements. Let the wax dry for about 1-2 minutes and then remove the excess wax with a microfibre cloth so that no residue is visible.
Jan 24, 2022 | Sales |
You want to sell your car and preferably as quickly as possible. Nowadays, there are many ways to sell your car. In this article we will discuss the most common ways and highlight some of the pros and cons.
Selling a car to a private person
In the Netherlands, hundreds of cars change hands every day. Private individuals arrange this among themselves and use websites such as Marktplaats, Autoscout24, Autotrack etc. to offer their cars for sale. This usually goes very well and in most cases you get a better price than when you offer your car to a dealer or trade it in for a new car. This also makes sense because the garage or dealer also wants to earn something from your car.
Advantages of selling your car privately
Offering your car is a piece of cake these days. This is of course due to the use of smartphones. Using Marktplaats's app, you can have your car online within 10 minutes and receive messages from potential buyers and make an appointment.
As indicated, you will often get a better price from a private individual compared to a dealer or garage. Of course, this does depend on the make and model. Older diesel (Euro 3), for example, fetch very little as they are no longer welcome in most inner cities. In addition, large and heavy cars often depreciate faster than more compact models. After all, the market for a Volkswagen Polo is much bigger than that for a Volkswagen Phaeton, which is why it can take much longer to sell the latter.
Disadvantages of selling your car privately
The biggest disadvantage is "you just have to feel like it". And by this we mean that it can simply take a lot of time to sell your car to a private individual. First, you have to answer questions and probably meet several times before someone finally ties the knot. Finally, you need to have a bit of a trading spirit, as most people will negotiate the price. So with this, you need to be comfortable.
Selling cars to a trading platform
Your sell a car on a trading platform is usually simple; you register the car and, if necessary, drive to the location to have it inspected. OSW is an example of this, the system is simple and you do not have to spend much time on the hassle.
Depending on the make and model, the amount you get for the car will be slightly lower than when you sell it privately. Nevertheless, it can be worthwhile because you can get rid of your car quickly, as the road tax and insurance costs are almost immediately cancelled.
Selling a car to a dealer
When you put your car on, for example, Marktplaats, you will almost always be approached by traders. They usually approach you with a low price and don't say much about it. Some people find these traders irritating and put in the advertisement that they do not want to be approached by these types. This can be a missed opportunity, first of all you should not take the low price personally. These people do nothing else all day and see it as a game. Therefore, if you make a reasonable offer, you can often get the price up. If they are really far below your asking price, it is better to thank them. Finally, you can check how much residual BPM there is on your car. As soon as a dealer exports a car, he gets the remaining BPM back. If you know this, you can tell the dealer and he will have an extra argument in the negotiation.
Jan 21, 2022 | Buying advice |
Are you dreaming of a new car, or do you simply need a new car that works properly in the short term? Then you are facing expensive times ahead. How will you finance your new car? To help you make this choice, we will discuss several options. Each method of financing has advantages and disadvantages. And besides, in almost all cases there are costs associated with borrowing and leasing. On the other hand, with today's negative interest rates, saving can also cost money.
Savings
Of course, saving is one of the best ways to finance a new car. This means you spend money that you actually have. But it does mean you have to be patient. To be able to buy your dream car, there is little wrong with being patient and saving up, but if you need a new car at short notice, it is not a matter of patience but necessity. That is why we have described some alternatives below. This will save you from having to save up to buy a new or used car.
Paying off or borrowing money
Paying for a new or used car directly from the dealer is not necessarily the only way to finance it these days. At many dealers it is possible to buy a car on credit. Be aware that in doing so you are actually taking out a loan and that borrowing money costs money. Even if you are aware of this, it is still important to make a good consideration. Often you have no choice in the conditions of the loan. Often it can cheaper are to take out a personal loan themselves with the lender. These parties often have the most favourable conditions and the lowest interest rate, so it is worth considering.
Financial lease
Financial lease is a form of lease where you become the owner of the car yourself. You pay off the car through your monthly lease payment. Various constructions are possible when it comes to financial leasing, in most cases there is a final instalment. Because the car becomes yours, there is often no limit to the number of kilometres you can drive it annually. However, you are also responsible for things like insurance, maintenance, repairs and motor vehicle tax. With private leasing, these responsibilities are not yours.
Advantages of financial leasing
- You can write off for tax purposes
- You are entitled to the investment deduction
- You are immediate economic owner of the car
- No mileage limitation
Private lease
Another way to be able to drive your desired car is private leasing. This is similar to leasing as business drivers often do. With private lease, you are no You are the owner of the car and do not buy it. However, you will be completely relieved of all worries because matters such as vehicle tax, insurance, maintenance and repairs are the responsibility of the leasing company and are included in the monthly fee you pay. The fuel costs, however, are at your own expense in the case of private leasing. You only have to agree with the lease company on a maximum number of kilometres you can drive with the car per year. As the number of kilometres increases, the monthly fee will increase. When you choose this type of lease, it is wise to think carefully about the number of kilometres you drive per year. If in practice you drive more than is allowed in the contract, the extra costs per kilometre will be substantial.
Operational lease
At Operational Lease you drive a business car for a fixed all-in monthly fee. So it's like renting. Thanks to the all-in monthly fee, you have arranged car insurance, road tax and maintenance in one go. The car remains the property of the lease company and you return it at the end.
Advantages of operational leasing
- You run no economic risk because the car remains the property of the leasing company.
- Healthy for the company's balance sheet: no impact on your company's solvency, liquidity and working capital.
- All costs are included: repairs, car insurance, depreciation, maintenance, interest and road tax.
Difference between financial and operational lease?
The biggest difference between operational lease and Financial Lease is in ownership. With operational lease, your business car remains the property of the leasing company. With the monthly amount, you pay for the use of the car and additional services. Do you opt for Financial Lease? Then you do become owner of the car at the end of the lease term. So you pay off the car each month.
Example: business financing at Seat
Are you looking for a business car with unexpected comfort, looks and sporty handling? Then take a look at SEAT's business cars. From spacious SUVs to sporty hatchbacks. Available with business operating lease and financial lease. Check out the models now and discover the attractive lease rates.
The above options cost money, but of course you get something in return. Besides, many of us cannot live without a car. So you can consider it a necessary expense.
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