6 Effective Ways To Combat Car Depreciation

A car is a significant investment. In fact, it’s one of the largest you’ll likely make throughout your entire life, usually second only to real estate. However, unlike many other investments, a vehicle won’t hold it’s value. Instead, it begins to depreciate the moment you drive it away. This means that, if you were ever to sell your car, you’d lose a lot of money in the process. There’s no way to avoid this, but you can reduce it. With that in mind, here are six ways to combat car depreciation.

Choose A Neutral Color

Bright colors and bold patterns may reflect your personality, but they’re not to everyone’s tastes. This means that they could affect the resale value of your car, or, worse still, make it incredibly difficult to sell. Because of this, you should stick to neutral tones when purchasing vehicles or, if you can’t, give your car a standard color paint job before putting it up for sale.

 

Pick The Right Modifications

Most would assume that modifications and customizations are an effective way to increase the value of your car, but that isn’t always true. Although some do this, like upgrading the engine or replacing the number plate, many more that fail to carry their value. These include larger wheels, costly sound systems, and other typical boy racer type add-ons.

 

Follow The Maintenance Schedule

The very best way to increase your car’s resale value is to look after it. This means sticking to the maintenance schedule in the owner’s manual. Ideally, your vehicle should be serviced by a specialist. If you have a Land Rover, for example, that would mean a company like LRC 4×4 Limited. Their diagnostic equipment and knowledge mean your car would be in safe hands.

 

Keep A Low Mileage

The number of miles that your car has seen plays a big part in its value. Because of this, it’s vital that you keep the mileage of the vehicle as low as you can. The simplest way to do this is to avoid long distance journeys. Use your car for driving to work and around your city alone and rent a different one if you need to go any further. At the very least, you should steer clear of road trips.

 

Watch How You Drive

Unfortunately, it’s not just how far you drive, but how you drive that affects depreciation. Cars that have been driven badly are usually discovered during test drives. They don’t brake, accelerate, or turn corners effectively, which would naturally put off any buyers. To avoid this, you must learn how to drive better. This means stopping any harsh braking and sticking to the speed limits.

 

Credit

Store In The Garage

Cars that are left on driveways or roads are put at a lot of risks. They could be stolen, vandalized, or damaged by other drivers and the elements. For this reason, you should keep your vehicle in the garage instead. This is particularly important if you live in an area with high crime or harsh weather. If you don’t have a garage, then consider renting one or investing in better security.

 

No car owner can avoid depreciation completely, but with the advice above, you can significantly reduce it.

Bring Your Banger Up to Date in Five Steps

While many covet brand new cars, there are plenty of reasons you’d go for an older model. Sure, there might be more miles on the clock, and more wear technically means they’re less reliable, but if you have a particular type of car you love then it might be the older version you’re after. Even old bangers can be brought up to date with a little care and some new features added, here are some of the ways you can go about it.

 

Sound system

Newer cars almost always have great tech and sound systems built in, meaning a vehicle lacking these features will be a huge giveaway of its age. But you don’t need to settle with an out of date stereo as there are so many third party models on the market that can be installed into your existing console without too much hassle. Apple Carplay and Android Auto stereos are some of the best on the market. You can also find models with built in dash cams, reversing cameras and navigation too.

 

Plates

You can spend time and effort modernising your car inside and out, but one thing that’s always going to to give away its age is the number on the plates. Not only are private plates a great way to personalise your vehicle but disguise the age of it too. Companies like www.theprivateplateco.co.uk offer this.

 

Paint

Unless the car you’ve purchased has been looked after extremely well, chances are there will be some level of damage or wear to the paintwork in the form of minor rust, scuffs or scratches. A full respray can be really expensive, and often isn’t worth the investment unless the car is rare or something you plan on keeping forever. If only one or two panels are damaged you could look into having them repaired separately. In other cases, you might be able to correct damage such as fine scratches and swirl marks which are a result of improper washing using polishes and compounds. This can take years off the look of the paint. Ceramic paint coating is gaining in popularity, this hard coating is more durable than wax and protects it from scratches, dirt and chemical contamination. A proper ceramic coating will need to be done by a professional, but there are some products out there you can apply yourself if you have the time and patience.

 

Wheels

Updating the wheels can really change the look of a car. If yours don’t suit the modern style you’re aiming for, consider replacing them. If they’re fine as they are but are just in need of some TLC, have them refurbished. Lots of companies offer this, if you want to change the colour of them this can be achieved with powder coating.

 

Security

Keyless entry might seem like a new feature, but it’s been used on some cars right back from the late nineties. But as convenient as it is, it opens up your car to thieves who can amplify the signal and access your car. Security features like a Faraday cage block the signal and increase security.

Star Wars Jedi Challenges

Star Wars Jedi Challenges: Become a Jedi

Star Wars Jedi Challenges: Feel The Force!

Star Wars Jedi Challenges is the piece of tech for all Star Wars fans in 2018. With the help of augmented reality you’ll be transported into the Star Wars universe! There’s an array of cool VR/AR tech coming to our homes in the coming weeks and months! However, this has got to be one of the best things we have seen here at the office! We cannot believe that someone hasn’t thought of this before. Augmented and Virtual reality is perfect for the Star Wars franchise. Helping to bring nostalgia to a lot of men and women around the world. So we think that this is going to be used a lot more by the parents than the children!

With the help of the AR headset, complete an array of challenges to become a Jedi! Train to become a Jedi Master, have Jedi Battles with the Sith, play HoloChess, complete strategic combat right from your table! This sounds absolutely incredible and we LOVED it when it came into the studio!

So, how does this become reality? By using the smartphone-powered Lenovo Mirage AR headset and a Lightsaber controller, that is all, to transport you into space and fight to save the universe! The Lightsaber controller enables you to experience what it’s like to yield a lightsaber. So you can feel your opponents attacks with the force feedback! Whilst a tracking beacon ensures accurate and detailed tracking of yourself and the lightsaber controller. Furthermore allowing the AR headset to fill your environment with an immersive universe. While not just a video image displayed in front of you.

Click here to complete the challenges and become a Jedi Master!

Click here to purchase your own!

Star Wars littleBits

You can now build your very own R2 with the littleBits electronic blocks and the companion inventor app, you’ll be able to teach your very own R2 tricks and take on 16+ Missions! The Droid Inventor Kit is very easy to use straight out of the box with initial assembly easy to understand for kids with step by step instructions of both to build their Droid but to control it in Drive, Self-Nav and Force mode.

The littleBits Droid has a ton of features such as:

  • 6 Bits and 20 Droid Parts
  • 20 Authentic R2 Sounds from the Star Wars universe
  • Reconfigure the Droid parts to reconfigure your R2 in a range of different ways and create brand new Droids
  • Companion app promotes creativity via a series of challenges and customisation using items around the home

To buy your own Star Wars LittleBits kit please click here!

Robot Caregivers?

Elderly people in Japan are dealing with social isolation and loneliness are at an increased risk of ailments, such as cardiovascular disease and elevated blood pressure. It is here where Robots are stepping in to provide company for the aging. They are designed for the elderly who live alone rather than a care facility.

Support robots are springing up in Japan, with the robotic industry expected to boom to nearly $4bn annually by 2035, with the current generation of support robots within 3 categories, serving and fetching, communications and emotional support.

Such as the Take Care-o-bot from Fraunhofer IPA. This robot has been deployed in a number of German assisted living facilities, is able to grab food and drinks and keep them entertained with games, to keep their minds sharp.

Honda’s Asimo Robot can jump (and not fall downstairs) and even use sign language, with their research team hoping that Asmio will serve as a gofer for people with limited mobility to complete tasks such as fetching glass of water or turn off a light switch.

The Dinslow ($2500) from CT Asia Robotics acts as a personal assistant, reminding users to take pills, tracks health and even answers calls from family and doctors, the Dinslow Mini, it’s smaller version of the Dinslow, sits on a night stand of bedridden patients.

The MiRo is a robot dog, that is a companion but also does the stuff like regulate pill regime and appoint reminders. MiRo’s designer, Sebastian Conran, told The Guardian:

“It tries talking to you (asking if you’re alright)…….then it will send a signal to the hub saying there seems to be a problem. The hub will then broadcast on the home speaker, asking again if you’re all right, and telling you to slap your wrist.” That refers to a biometric sensing wristband that the user wears which tracks their vitals……..If you slap your wrist the process will stop but will be logged…….if you don’t slap your wrist it will… go to a carer, who can see your heart rate and body temperature, and rewind your life using the cameras in the home to see what happened. So when the ambulance gets there, they’ll know what they’re working with.”

It hasn’t come without it’s criticisms though with Susan Madlung, gerontologist and Clinical Educator for Regional Programs and Home Health Re-Design at Vancouver Coastal Health, told AgingCare, feeling that it may take several generations before people are comfortable being cared for by a robot:

“Social isolation of seniors is a significant concern amongst gerontologists and caregivers alike. Robot care, in my mind, would only compound that issue…Although robots might seem like a good response to the growing need for caregivers, I could see this as being quite detrimental to the emotional and psychosocial well being of anyone, not just seniors……Humans need humans.”

Star Wars Drones By Propel

Anchor Cable

Anchor Cable

Check out the Anchor Cable. It's not only made out of stainless steel but it's 4ft long, tangle free and FAST charging. Credit Music: Mate Lyons – Instrumental Hip Hop soundcloud.com/lyonsss/instrumental-hip-hop

Posted by How To Kill an Hour on Sunday, 30 July 2017

Anchor cable is a USB-C cable (with lightning adapter) that is strong and versatile so it doesn’t fray on you and eventually fall apart, it’s magnetic so say goodbye to your expensive smartphone flying off the table when someone walks past. It has 2.4a fast charging and is wrapped in super strong steel casing, is 1.2m and tangle free!

When can we get our hands on some Anchor!?

Back this project by clicking here!

Nope Sound and Webcam Blocker

Nope Sound Blocker and Webcam Cover

Do you want more security on your devices? The 'Nope' sound blocker and webcam cover would be perfect for you! Music Credit: instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden).mp3

Posted by How To Kill an Hour on Tuesday, 8 August 2017

Anyone can hack into your computer and turn on the microphone/webcam without you even knowing, the best way to guarantee privacy is to block these from being accessed, the way Nope do it is not via software but via hardware, small thin pieces of metal and tape, which is slid across the webcam, blocking the camera when not in use and a 3.5mm jack to stop sound from being heard!

Back this project by clicking here!

SnappyScreen

SnappyScreen

SnappyScreen – The worlds first touchless sunscreen application system!

Posted by How To Kill an Hour on Monday, 7 August 2017

The SnappyScreen can apply sunscreen on to you in 10 seconds, full body too! It’s completely weatherproof and will be able to withstand extreme climates!

The sunscreen is:

  • Alcohol Free
  • Hypoallergenic
  • Has the highest water resistant rating
  • Safe for clothing
  • Safe for the reef
  • UVA/UVB Broad spectrum rated

HP VR Backpack

There’s a backpack that will help you get the training you need on the job!

HP are launching the Z VR backpack that’s designed for professionals on the job, creatives, or soldiers who want to train on a virtual battlefield (and we’re not talking call of duty here) The backpack is incredibly powerful packing , vPro-enabled quad Core i& and a Quadro P5200 graphics card card with 16gb of video memory! It works primarily with HTC Vive Business edition, but you don’t have to use it with it, if your company uses Oculus Rift then it will play nicely.

HP are partnering with a bunch of companies to create a Mars Home Planet Project that focuses on VR for around the world collaboration to create infrastructure that will build a strong colony, from building massive structures to designing clothing. The sense is to give a user what it’d be like to live on mars. The sense of this ‘game’ is to give the users a sense of how powerful the backpack is and the uses that your company could use this for, such as designing a car or planning architecture, either in the same building or around the world.