Compare Your Car Stuff

Is  selling car in Sydney become a tougher process than you always imagined! But now you can forget all the hassles related to selling a second hand car ! Thanks to the advent of online sites, selling a used car today is a smooth process which will help you to get the fair price for your car. You can also search for that special model that you always aspired for  on these websites.A car loses its value with every passing day and hence it is very difficult to determine the exact value of an old car. Moreover the dealers always try to understate the price of the car due to their own vested interests. However this can prove to be a losing proposition for you as you will not be able to get what your car actually deserves. For these reasons there is a need for a standard procedure which helps in determining the exact value of the car.The online valuation is a holistic process which takes into account all the factors which can affect the price of a car. It is a logical process which calculates the true value of the car based on certain inputs like the model of the car, engine type etc. The online system provides the value of the car based on a comprehensive calculation. This value can help you to deal with your dealers with more confidence.The online sites also provide you with an exciting option to buy your favorite car. With its extensive network of dealers the company provides you an opportunity to search your favorite models. You can even get the car at an exciting price as the online sites bring together sellers from the entire state on one platform. The representatives from these companies also come done at your place to do a proper analysis for your car and provide you with a fair quotation.Carsneeded.com.au offers options for car sale in Perth. The company also provide online assessment of your car. It also offers car sell and car trade option by providing you door steps services for assessment of the value of your car.   The website carsneeded provides complete information about the company and its services.

Make sure your car is locked and your windows wound up.

This sounds ridiculously obvious but make sure you secure your car carefully wherever you are parked. Research shows loads of people leave their doors unlocked and/or their windows open a large proportion of the time.

Check all your entry points are secure – are all the doors locked, the trunk locked and the sunroof locked? If not a thief will be quick to take advantage of the opportunity.

Make sure your windows are wound all the way up. Even if you leave a small gap a thief can easily force it down to either access the door lock or break the window.

Keep your keys safe – even when you are at home.

Today with factory and after market alarms getting smarter it is becoming harder for a thief to quickly and easily hotwire your car. That has led to a surge in home break-ins purely so thieves can steal the car keys. Then they simply come back later and drive off with the car.

So, while you’re at home keep your keys safe. Don’t leave them in the car, in your handbag, or sitting on an entrance table or bench in the house. Secure them in a drawer or somewhere safe that is out of sight.

Don’t ever leave the keys in the car.

It sounds simple enough but is still a common mistake people make. Never leave your keys in the car, even if you’re only leaving the car for a few seconds. It takes even less than that for a thief to grab the opportunity and drive off with the car.

Here’s a few scenarios that catch people out:

Don’t leave your keys in the car while you pay for your petrol at the garage. This used to be the cause of a huge number of thefts and even with modern day alarms that immobilize your car (this was a big reason immobilization became important) if you leave the keys in there the alarm can’t do anything to protect your car.

Don’t leave your keys in the car when you’re not at home (or even when you’re at home.) If a thief breaks into your house and your car is nicely sitting there all open with the keys in the ignition you’ve just given them the best Christmas present – a way to take as much of your stuff as they can fit in the car AND the car itself.

Don’t go back into the house during winter while you let the car warm up. Yes, we understand it is freezing cold but thieves take advantage of this time of the year. And don’t leave the car running but lock it with the spare key – a thief is most certainly going to forgo the cost of replacing the window to smash it when they’ll have possession of your car. Put your coat, gloves and scarf on and stay with the car!

Be careful where you choose to park – even if you have an alarm

Always make the choice to park in a secured area whenever possible – it’s worth the extra money – both for your own personal safety as well as your car’s.

Another tip – take your parking ticket with you when you leave the car. That way, even if a thief gains entry into your car if they have to front up for a lost ticket they’ll be getting themselves noticed even if they do have the cash (which they probably won’t).

If you have to park on the street make sure you park in the most well lit, busy area possible.

Be particularly careful if you are attending an event such as a football match or concert because lines of cars outside an arena is a dead giveaway to thieves that you’re going to be away from your car for a set period of time. Never leave ticket or event information in the car that would indicate to a thief how long you’ll be gone.

And if you do have an alarm fitted it doesn’t mean you can park down a dark alley on a deserted street in the middle of nowhere and expect your car to still be there when you get back. All an alarm can do is make a noise if a thief attacks it – which still means someone needs to be there to hear it. And while an alarm will slow a thief down, given time and isolation they’ll either take the car, tow it, or strip all the good bits off.

And if you don’t have a garage make sure you park with awareness at home – whenever possible park off the road and under a porch or house light that is left on (or comes on when movement is triggered.) If you have a high risk car try and park it closer to the house than a less valuable vehicle – that way a thief will have to try and get the other cars out of the driveway first if he wants the one closest to the house.

Some alarms today have a programmable feature that will turn the interior light of the car on when the alarm is disarmed – that way you can check that the cabin of the car is safe before nearing the vehicle. Ask your alarm retailer about what models are available that will do this.

Don’t leave ANYTHING visible in the car – even with an alarm

So many more cars are broken into rather than stolen (especially with the good factory and after market immobilizer alarms available now) and that’s because people continue to leave items in the car. Simply DO NOT leave ANYTHING visible in the car.

If you leave your radar detector attached to the windscreen, your cellphone in the front console, or your handbag on the seat then do not expect sympathy when it gets stolen. An alarm will not, ever, protect from a smash and grab. It takes a thief 5 seconds to smash the glass, grab the item, and be around the corner. Even with your alarm sounding he’s gone.

And it’s not just valuable items – don’t leave empty gearbags, shoeboxes, shopping bags or anything in the vehicle. If your stereo has a removable faceplate get yourself into the habit of taking it off every time you leave the car. If a thief sees there might be something in there chances are he’ll take the risk and leave you with the cost and hassle of replacing window glass and door locks.

Fit an alarm with immobilizers.

Today there are so many excellent alarms on the market that will give you loads of handy features (such as central locking from the remote) as well as protecting the car. Always choose an alarm with a minimum of a single immobilizer so the car cannot be started until the alarm is disarmed via the remote.

If you already have an alarm and want to try fitting it yourself you can download our How to Install Your Car Alarm ebook for only $19.95 by visiting www.carsecuritytips.com.

Be aware of what might tempt a thief and secure it.

You can add all sorts of additional security features to alarms today including GPS tracking, pager systems and additional sensors and sirens.

And don’t forget the easy stuff. If you have wheels fit a tilt sensor and get a set of lock nuts. Get a steering wheel lock as well as an alarm – it gives the thief a clear visual warning that there are security measures in place.

Make your car look protected.

A huge part of the job an alarm does is to give a visual warning to a thief that the car has security measures. Make sure you put the alarm warning stickers on the window and the LED warning light in the dash is fitted. (And if you don’t want to get an alarm you can buy these little extras separately.)

Use a steering wheel lock. Don’t leave anything visible in the car. Take your stereo plate with you. Have your vehicle rego number or the VIN number etched onto the windows. Mark your stereo and anything else in the vehicle with the number as well.

None of these measures on their own will protect your car if a thief takes a shine to it. But if they’re just strolling along a line of cars looking for a bit of fun or something to sell if your car looks secure and empty they’re much more likely to go to the next one and leave yours alone.

Don’t register your car to your home address.

In many countries car registration details are easily accessed by the public. If a thief likes the look of your car all they have to do is take the registration number, find out where you live and come shopping. This I especially important if you a female living alone. Don’t make it easy for the freaks to find you!

Don’t leave your keys in an obvious place.

Do you walk in the front door and throw your keys on the side table? Alarms and immobilizers are so good now thieves will often break into your house to get the keys and remote rather than try to bypass the system. Don’t leave them somewhere they can be spotted from outside or where someone can open a door or window and grab them.

Look after spare remotes.

Rolling code remotes will get out of sequence if the button is pushed too many times while out o range of the car. Make sure spare remotes are not in a draw full of junk where the button can be held down or it may not work when you need it.

Lost your remote? Delete it!

If you have lost a remote of had it stolen make sure you delete it from the alarms memory otherwise anyone can use it to access your car. If you don’t know how take the car to your local installer.

Always have a spare remote.

Some alarm system will not let you easily learn a new remote in with a working remote. It may have to be sent back to the manufacturer to be reset and a remote learnt in which will not only be expensive but you may be without your alarm for up to a week. If you lose a remote replace it immediately.

Bought a used car with an alarm in it? Get it checked and serviced.

If you buy a car with an alarm already fitted there are several things to be aware of:

1.         Did you receive all keys, remotes and override keys? If not the old owner can access your car anytime they want.

2.         Book the car in with your local dealer/installer for the type of alarm in the car. Have them check everything is working, delete all old remotes (and add a spare if you don’t have one) and reset the PIN override code so you know you’ll be secure. Make sure you have override keys for the battery backup siren if fitted.

Factory remotes and immobiliser keys.

Most late model cars come with a transponder immobilizer built into the key. This I like an electronic pass key which confirms the key is valid before allowing the car to so start. These are great as they make it much harder to copy a key and steal the car as even a key cut the same will not start the car unless a new transponder is learned into the system. The are however some points to be aware of:

Some make have a master and slave keys for each car. If you lose the slave key, no problem just take the car and master key into your dealer and have a new key learns in for a couple of hundred bucks. If however you lose the master key you will sometimes need to replace the cars computer, think thousands of $$$$$. Read your manual or check with your dealer as it is not widely publicized.

Smash resistant window film.

Alarms can only do so much. These days you need to make the car more difficult to access through it’s weakest point –the side glass. Clear or tinted security film (not normal tint film) is applied to the inside of the side glass and cover right to the edge of the glass. Security film is a multi layered, up to several millimetres thick, cross laminated product specifically designed to resist impacts.

The film works by creating a thick shell on the inside of the glass. When an intruder smashes the glass the concaved shape of the cars side window held together by the film creates an arch shape than is very strong. The shattered pieces of glass cannot be compressed so the window retains it’s shape.

This type of product is great for resisting a car thief but also protects you in a road range or car jacking attempt and even reduces flying glass in the event of an accident. A great compliment to a good car alarm system.

Fit after market dead locks.

Much the same as the security film above, dead locks are a great compliment to a good alarm system. The idea is once activated the locks cannot be unlocked from the inside of the car or by forcing the key barrel. Some cars come standard now with deadlocking, if yours does make sure you know how to activate it.

After market deadlocks will usually replace the lock barrel in the door. The dead lock barrel has a high security rounded key to prevent the lock being forced and the backing plate is much stronger meaning the lock can’t be pulled out. We always recommend using epoxy to secure the backing plate to the inside of the door. That way it will not come out!

If a thief breaks a window they will not be able to unlock the door to gain easy access. Making by passing the alarm system or hotwiring you car even harder.

Tips and tricks for the more serious:

The more serious you get about car security and car alarms you will often be trading convenience for security. Some of these tricks can cause some inconvenience if something goes wrong (like you lose a remote or the battery goes flat) but all will help keep your car safe.

Fit two hood switches. –Low Risk

Fitting two hood switches makes it harder for a thief to use a credit card to hold down the hood switch or cut the switch wires. Some cars can be pretty easy to get under the hood by removing the front grill or a side light and pulling the release cable. Once they are under there they can disable the siren before entering the cabin.

Move hood release lever. –Low Risk

Another hood trick is to move the hood release lever from it’s normal location so if some one breaks in they can’t easily pop the hood to disable the siren.

Remove door lock rods. –High Risk of lock out

By removing the linkage between the key barrel on the door and the latch you take away one of the cars security weaknesses. Lock barrels are an easy access point to the car as a screw driver forced into the lock and twisted will often unlock the door.

As you will be relying on the car alarm to lock and unlock the door it is VERY important you take some safety precautions to avoid being locked out.

First, make sure you always have a spare remote for your alarm in case you lose one. If the remote starts playing up at all, replace it immediately.

Second, ensure there is another way into the vehicle, maybe you can open the trunk and fold the seat back from inside the trunk?  Remember a thief can also use this access method so think carefully about how obvious it is. Or run an emergency power wire from the battery to somewhere you can access it from outside. If your battery goes flat and the alarm cannot unlock the door you won’t be able to get under the hood to jump the battery. With an emergency wire you can hook another battery up to give enough juice to unlock the car.

A further step with this trick is to completely remove the lock barrel and have the hole welded up and repainted. Gives a super smooth look!

Fit latch protection plates –High risk of lock out

To remove yet another weakness in some door lock systems make up a cover to stop a “slim jim” being slipped down the inside of the door popping the latch.

If you take off the interior door panel you will see how easy it is to pop the lock mechanism on the door latch, unlocking the door. By making up a protection plate covering the latch from the top the car thief won’t be able to slim jim the lock. Just remember, if you lose your keys or remote or get a flat battery the AAA won’t be able to either!

Buying a new car is not like any other shopping. Car buying not only involves a great amount of money it involves great risks too. Whether you intend to buy a brand new car or a used one good research on the car model and little bit study on current car market is necessary prior buying. To avoid costly mistakes remember what experts say before you actually buy a car. Here are some simple car buying tips to help you choose the right car.  Choosing the Right ModelBefore you visit the car market in person just do a complete research on the current models available. Take your time to decide what you exactly want in your car and why do you want to buy a new car. For instance, big families with greater hauling needs better opt for an SUV. Again you need to think about the long term effects regarding fuel consumption and mileage of the car. It is better to select makes that have higher resale value such as Toyota, BMW and Honda.Homework on Chosen Model Once you have decided what type of vehicle suits your purpose the best you need a specific research on such car models, their makes, features and the prices different companies offer. With fuel prices hike it is wise to choose fuel efficient hybrid cars with alternative powertrain options. If you are not a big fan of sports cars or do not have allegiance to any brand the task of choosing car gets tougher. Hence you need homework before you visit the dealer’s store. Fixing BudgetDetermining the budget is a necessary step to avoid all sorts of confusion and unpleasant situations later. You have two options – cash and car loans. If you want to buy your car on loan make sure you know all the nitty-gritty of payments and installments. There are plenty of institutions ready to finance your car buying. Knowing the pros and cons of conventional financing as well as modern concept of leasing will help you take the right decision. Don’t forget to compare interest rates and modes of payments offered by banks and different car finance companies.  Finding the Right DealerIt is not true that the nearest dealer is always the best for you. A reputed dealer is always good for buying any car model is not true either. When you go to a car dealer for a particular model there are a number of factors you need to consider and these include dealer’s location, after sale services and the price they offer. Make sure you know the total cost of the car from the dealer. Apart from its price, the total cost of the car includes warranties, insurance, repair and maintenance services. If you have any confusion get a price quote prior buying.      Making a Checklist Making a checklist for your new car will save you from making costly mistakes. Check the car’s EPA rating and crash test ratings. Make sure it has the latest safety features to ensure safest ride for your family. Easy handling and navigation facilities are the other things to check while you go for a test drive before you take the final decision.

Shop around. The internet nowadays makes this task effortless. Whilst traditionally it could take you a whole day to compare the market it can now be done in a few minutes. You will be able to compare more the market therefore this should give you more choice at a cheaper rate. Much better deal for you.

2. Be cheeky. Pick up the phone and give the contract hire and car leasing companies a call. All the contract hire companies will have a sales team who should be able to help you and they will no doubt try and get a sale and therefore may offer you a special rate.

3. Check the small print. It is essential you check the small print of any contract hire or car leasing deal. Even though you may be offered an outstanding price there may be things in the small print you will make this an unsuitable deal for you.

4. Trust. Only use a company or individual you can trust. During a contract hire or car leasing deal there needs to be a high level of communication to ensure the deal and delivery is to the customer’s satisfaction. Therefore it is essential that the company you choose to do the contract hire deal for you are trust worthy to ensure that you receive a smooth transaction.

5. Short length of contract. Many companies traditionally have contract hire deals which are for one or two years. Always negotiate to ensure you receive the shortest possible contract hire deal. The benefits of this are that you will have less problems with the car as the contract is shorter, the company will work harder to rectify any problems and you will have a new car every two years.

The above 5 tips should ensure that you receive the best deal on your next Audi contract hire or BMW car leasing deal.

Thinking of buying a car during an economic downtrend? Now may be a perfect time to get a great deal on a new car. Car buyers who have been there cite some rules to ensure that you get the best deal for your money.

The first thing you, as car buyer, must do is do your homework. Dealers may be rolling out cash rebates and low-rate financing. Some dealers who get the rebates directly from the auto manufacturers do not advertise this fact. It’s only revealed to buyers who inquire about them and learned about them through some research. Among the other car buying tips that may help you is to determine the true market value of all the extras like rust proofing, security systems, wheel locks, and so on.

There are several other car buying tips that consumers may benefit from. Another one is not to be afraid to buck current trends. When most shoppers are veering away from sport utility vehicles and trucks, you have higher chances of finally get an amazing deal on the capacious dream SUV you and your wife may be planning to buy.

When you get to the negotiation part, be wary of the devious tactics that may be employed by the sales person. Some salesmen like mixing financing, leasing, and trade-in negotiations together, and then urging you in a subtle way to negotiate around a monthly payment figure. The dealer ends up obtaining more latitude to present a figure that meets your approval in one area but tends to inflate the figures in the other areas. State clearly that you plan visit other dealers selling the same type of vehicle and will buy from one with the best possible price.

In the current economic climate, starting a small business can be a scary undertaking. There are so many unknowns that just the idea of starting a business can stymie a person’s initiative. But what if the unknowns were solved, and what if you were in a market where there is plenty of demand? If you found a business that you could earn money with right from the start, what then?Well, with the right knowledge and the right product (something in demand), you might be able to not only make a go of it, you might even thrive in it. What business am I talking about? The used car business. Buying and selling cars, especially used cars, because there is money to be made in this business. If you can wrap your mind around the concept of “buy low and sell high,” then you can be successful in this business. The next question to be answered, then, is, “What do I need to know to sell used cars?” The answer to this might surprise you. Not as much as you may think. The used car business, in terms of its profitability, has been flying under the radar for years, according to one expert in the business, Stephen Hobbs. It’s a business that is not going to go away anytime soon, and there is still plenty of profit to be made by all who become involved in this business. The simple fact of the matter is: people want and need reliable, inexpensive transportation; and someone has to provide them with that. You might be wondering, “Well, how can I compete with the used car dealers? Don’t they have this market sewn up?” The reality is that you can choose to be low key and sell just one car at a time. It’s up to you how you handle your business. It is suggested that you start small and get some experience. This way you will learn how this can be done in a profitable way. You don’t have to have a big car lot or become a licensed dealer to make money (and I mean plenty of money) with this business. So, get that thought out of your mind right now! Your next question might be, “Don’t I need lots of money to start? I mean, how do I obtain an inventory?” The truth is that you can begin to invest in your own business starting with only a few hundred dollars (the price of your first used car) and by knowing what kinds of cars to bid on in the first place. It also helps to learn about a few rarely-talked-about secrets of negotiation which can help you to close a deal and get the price you are asking for, both on the buying and the selling end. So, when it comes to answering the question — “Is there a lazy way to buy and sell cars?” — you might be able to say that there is certainly a smart way to buy and sell cars if you can learn how it is done. If you have common sense and you are willing to put in the time learning about and perfecting your knowledge of this business, you can certainly reap a return on investment that will blow you away, and that’s no exaggeration either. There are plenty of people who earn money in this business, and you can be one of them if you have what it takes: a determination to succeed and the right knowledge going in. It may not always be a lazy way to make money, but it is certainly a smart way that may provide you with a source of income for years to come doing something you enjoy and leaving you with plenty of time to enjoy your life.

In this era of inflation and economic recession, used car market has grown tremendously in India. When the new car market is suffering from intense credit crunch, used car market is rejoicing the success. Infact, this liquidity crunch has become a blessing in disguise for the market.

Many people today are considering buying used cars that may save them a few bucks. In the market you’ll find a number of used cars but to find the best used car is a trickier job. You need to be more careful while buying a used car because it may have unexplained faults and damages. If you are not aware of the technicalities of a car, then you may end up buying a worthless used car for a comparatively higher price.

Here are the top 7 used car buying tips:

1. First make up your mind with the kind of car you need. Decide whether you wish to buy a used sedan or a hatchback based upon your requirement or need. For making a perfect decision you can consult your friends and relatives as well as read reviews and consumer reports. Examine ratings for reliability, fuel-efficiency, and running cost.

2. Once you have made up your mind with few options, browse for used car advertisements on the internet, magazines, and newspaper. You can even contact used car dealers. Today, even leading car manufacturers like Maruti Suzuki, Toyota, Hyundai, and Honda also have their established used car business.

3. Decide from where you’ll buy the used car and then test-drive your selected cars to have a better idea of which car is perfect for you. While test driving try to examine and compare the condition, power, performance, and pick-up. Also recognize if there is any kind of transmission problem.

4. Examine the final car chosen in detail. Look for hidden problems under the hood and others that are mostly not disclosed by any used car seller. Check for the car history in terms of car accidents, insurance, depreciation, and ownership. It is not advisable to buy if the car has a history of multiple owners. Single hand cars are better and more reliable than those that are driven by multiple hands.

5. Then go for a thorough check of the interior and the exterior of the car. In the car exterior you need to look for dents, rusting, scratches, tyre condition, and oil leaks. Peep into the car interior to ensure well-maintained condition of the car seats, dashboard, steering wheel, and the instrumentation.

6. If you are really satisfied with the condition of the used car you examined, go ahead with it and get to know the actual value for the car. Try and contact the dealers or manufacturers to know the actual price of the car and even the resale value.

7.Once you are confirmed with the price tag, finalize the deal and try to make about 30-40% of the used car price.

When the economic climate is in a state of recession and unemployment is rising, it only makes sense to starting looking for an at home business. If you have your own business, you don’t have to depend upon having an employer to earn money. You can be your own boss and set your own hours. And one business that is not going away anytime soon is the used car business. People have been making money buying and selling cars ever since the automobile was invented. The used car business is a ready made market with plenty of demand for low cost, reliable transportation. In today’s modern society, transportation is a must, no matter how you look at it. People need transportation. This means there’s always going to be an in-demand market for cars. And having a business where there is a definite market is the first thing you look for when considering running your own business. One way to earn money selling used cars is outlined in Stephen Hobbs’ e-book The Lazy Way to Buy and Sell Cars for Profit. But, does his method of marketing really work? How difficult is it to buy and sell cars for profit? Do you need a license, and can you do this out of your home? The answer to these questions — and many more — are all contained in Stephen’s e-book. In the book Stephen sets out to destroy some of the myths around this business that has kept others from even attempting it. You can set up a profitable home-based business without having to obtain a dealer’s license. “You don’t need to get a car dealers license unless you want to and getting one suits what you want to do with this,” Stephen points out. He suggests that you start out small. And he reveals a completely legal way for you to buy and sell cars for profit while retaining all the advantages of having a car dealers license, yet without any of the disadvantages. It’s all up to you how you want to work it. Once you know how to deal with sellers of used cars, you can get the price you want. Stephen’s book teaches you the secrets of negotiation. He also teaches you which cars to look for in the cars you buy and which to leave on a sellers lot. Armed with this knowledge, you will soon become an expert on what cars are in demand and will sell for a premium profit, and what cars to stay away from. Having this knowledge is key to becoming successful in this business. If you are looking for a business that you can be up and running with in a relatively short time period, buying and selling cars is something you will want to seriously consider. With over 150 pages of no-fluff realistic content, Stephen’s book will help shorten the time frame between buying your first used car and closing a sale with a ready-made buyer. You will soon learn what others have already learned, that “consistent demand makes this the perfect recession proof business.”

If grit, muck and other assorted filth figure in your waking dreams and daily thoughts—often with a bit of prominence—then they must find their way into your BMW quite regularly. As you may have already learned from frequent encounters with these kinds of rubbish, they have the annoying trait of being amazingly persistent. In most cases, the mud splatters that have already dried and solidified on the doors and sides of your vehicle simply don’t have the good grace to melt away—peacefully—at the touch of a soaked rag. Even drenched rags can’t exercise any sort of power over them. Mud, in particular, is a crafty adversary—it seems.

Take note of their behavior. When a mud spot finally finishes drying itself out along portions of the car, sometimes on the doors or by the sides, it doesn’t simply stick to the surface of the vehicle, it attaches itself with incredible might. In these instances, it seems entirely likely for the mud spot to stay exactly where it is—bonded to the chassis—all through the end of the current century till Kingdom Come. The only maneuver that appeared to have been met with a relatively high measure of success is the sort that employs vigorous rubbing motions—though you may be tempted to sidestep the violence for now, such aggressive tactics seem the only possible manner by which to get the job done.

Dirt. Muck. Grime. It seems that these ever-present elements in nature have seen it fit to reduce a considerable number of us to mild states of violent reminiscently-psychotic behavior. Luckily, effective means through which we can conquer these villainous enemies that turn our shiny, newly washed BMW cars into mud-decorated rides now exist—in the form of car covers.

What does a car cover do? Of course, by the very meaning of the word “cover”, the main points of this vehicular accessory manages to give itself away quite easily, without any sort of prompting. Equipping your auto machine with a BMW car cover—it has to be a BMW auto cover if that’s the ride you have—will ensure that the following round of battles with the next breed of stains, grunge and dirt you come across while on the road—and off it—won’t find it as easy a job as before to scorn and deface your vehicle. BMW car covers also offer admirable fortification against the effects of too much sun exposure—often the cause of paint cracks in vehicles—as well as moisture troubles from rain drops that can cause engine problems if they happen to enter critical points of your engine system.

With a car cover to protect your ride from the worst of mud splatters and grime sticking instances that urban driving adventures often bring, your car can retain that new and spanking aura that is so much a joy and charm to see while simultaneously preventing your ride from acquiring the looks of a sullied and shabby rattletrap.

We can get by with less stuff. This will help us to spend more time and energy on God’s kingdom goals.

Much of God’s kingdom is made up of the relationships we share with one another. We live out heaven on earth as we pray and grow together in His Spirit. This requires time and energy.

Let’s give all-out obedience a try. If God fails to show up we can always go back our same-old, self-destructive lifestyles. We can always take up our worldly trails again if Christ fails to lead us into something better than worldliness. But I don’t think that anyone will turn back from sincerely following Him after catching even the slightest glimpse of His awesomeness, otherwise I wouldn’t be writing this.

Here are some simple possibilities: Use the things you already own until they wear out. Own two pairs of pants instead of ten. Own two pairs of shoes instead of twenty. Own one car instead of three. Reduce your monthly expenses. Whittle your bills down to one instead of six.

The less you own the less you have to worry about losing. The less you owe, the less you have to worry about being enslaved to debt. The less you invest in this world, the less you have to lose in general. But God’s people are called to invest themselves into that which will truly last.

The less clutter we own, the less susceptible we’ll be of this deception, that there is any security at all in possessions. Another related presumption is that we mortals have ever provided for our own needs.

I think that Christ might have a good-natured laugh at the silly, busy-body mentality of average men who see their lives from one bill or one meal to the next. He still asking, “What am I to do with you all? How many times must I tell you and show you by signs and miracles that there is so much more to Me?”

To be sure, the simplicity of a Christ-centered outlook strikes fear into anyone who hides behind a veil of life-complications. It is commonplace for both churched and un-churched people to suppose they are as complicated as their swirling clouds of merchandise.

Consider the benefits of using public transportation. It can be a humbling experience at times, but it opens up one’s life to another world of possibilities. There’s a whole city full of interesting people you will encounter in your travels, whom you would have never met had you stayed in your tightly-sealed, air-conditioned, privacy-bubble-on-wheels. Of course, you may miss the good old days when you could carry on whole conversations about your terrible car, those terrible car mechanics and that terrible rush hour traffic. And you might miss out on a wealth of conversations that start with something like “Whoa, buddy, how ‘bout them soaring gas prices?” “What gas prices?” you would have to say, “I haven’t paid for gas for over a year now.”

Without your car you won’t be able to drive to the gym, which is ten miles out of the way, so you’ll have to cancel your monthly gym fees, which you weren’t using anyway, which will work out better than if you were imagining yourself going to the gym because you’ll be getting real-life exercise from walking everywhere. You’ll be forced to cut down on impulsive plans and spend more time with your family, whether at home or as you escort them to wherever they need to go. You’ll be forced to reduce your impulsive shopping, because everything you buy, you also have to carry. And, because you can only carry so many groceries on the bus, you will learn not to waste so much food. If you must buy furniture, or anything particularly large, don’t worry, most of these stores have ways of shipping large items directly to your door for a minimal fee.

Then again, personal transportation comes with its own set of advantages and possibilities. You might help other people move their stuff. Depending on your situation, any combination of planes, trains or automobiles might be most appropriate for you. God’s kingdom is spiritual in nature, therefore we should have freedom to drive, ride, fly or swim, whatever needs be.

On a similar note, you might be better off living in either an apartment, condo or house. There are different advantages to each, whether location, price or size. Again, it depends on what Christ requires of you. He will be your main real estate Agent in any case.

In general, we have nothing to lose and everything to gain while we actively seek God’s kingdom. You might experiment with these things, in all humility, going so far as to move you and your family’s home base or change your basic day to day living. In any case, wherever God calls you, there also your needs will be. There are a variety of things you might minimize in order to concentrate on Christ more as you get by with less.

If the prospect of downsizing seems offensive to you, then it probably remains for you to let Christ detach you from your enslaving love of money. Let’s all of us be wary of any impulse to defend our lifestyles. Why so defensive? It’s a matter of spiritual practicality that we should check ourselves in every aspect of our living, to see whether or not Christ is truly our All in all. Only after Christ is our All in these little things will it be appropriate for us to look beyond our immediate surroundings and see if He might send us elsewhere.

It is within the Almighty’s reach that this gangrenous limb of material-dependence be amputated from our lives. Genuine spiritual maturity is accessible in Christ if we simply ask Him and then wait for Him to do things His way.

by Patrick Roberts

This is an excerpt from To the Church of the West, Scattered Throughout the World. Find this book and similar articles at www.BooksByPatrick.com