The historical prestigious car manufacturer, the Bentley Motor Car company has always been at the pinnacle of British automotive engineering and up there with Rolls Royce when it comes to prestigious luxury car manufacturing and design. Even Queen Elizabeth II has two of the “Bentley Arnage R” models as her ‘State Limousine’.

Even Bentleys’ roots stem from its early years in technically advanced engineering and development practices, coupled with the company’s phenomenal start in the motoring racing world with its run of successful victories at the famous 24 hour Le Mans race in France, with a staggering five time race victories during a “10 year” time span.

Bentley have always tried to push the envelope where automotive excellence is concerned and aims to give the best luxury driving experience possible, so its no surprise to learn that Bentley have now announced the development for a new vehicle in their new luxury line-up. The announcement came from the new Bentley motors boss “Wolfgang Durheimer” and confirmed months of speculation that Bentley will be producing a 4×4 SUV model, which should be launched sometime in 2014.

The luxury car marque which is owned by The Volkswagen Group, will be using some its parent company’s technology and also using the chassis from the new forthcoming Audi Q7 4×4 SUV. This step into the SUV market is an aim at the upper luxury end of the spectrum and to fill the gap in the current range.

Many of the other luxury car marques are currently producing SUVs in this prestigious motoring sector, although none that should be able to rival Bentley’s planned esteemed four-wheeled drive offering. This is also a good move financially as like many of the other luxury car manufactures Bentley Motors are enjoying growing car sales in all of the new and emerging automotive markets, like China, India, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates to name a few. This new addition to the Bentley stable is sure to be welcomed in the USA which is another big market for Bentley motor cars, where in recent years certain car brands have struggled, but Bentley seems to be bucking the trend.

The new Bentley SUV will be likely to feature a newly developed Audi V12 TDi engine with immense power that will suit the Bentley SUV and the loyal Bentley car buyers across the globe. As this diesel will undoubtedly return a better average mile to the gallon economy, but also mean is slightly greener option as a power unit for the planned 4×4.

Today’s automotive paint is durable and resistant to stains and has a high gloss. Vehicles of today primarily utilize a two stage paint process know as base coat, clear coat. There are a number of three stage colors that have become popular. The best example is the pearl white that General Motors uses on the Cadillac. When viewed from different angles the paint color appears to change. This is due to the mid coat, which is applied after the base coat and before the clear coat. The mid coat contains pearlescent powders that cover a broad color spectrum. If you look closely, you can see the small flakes of purple, reds, blues and other colors that give the pearl look to the finish. This type of refinishing is also known as” Tri Coat” with some paint manufactures.

This three stage process drove painters crazy when attempting to match colors. Typically, when a fender replacement was needed, blending the color back into the door to achieve a proper color match was required. In preparation for the blending operation all items are removed from the door such as handles, glass, moldings and trim. The base coat or first stage was applied to the fender and partially into the door. The second stage is the application of the clear coat, which is applied in two coats over the fender and complete door.With the addition of another spraying process after the base or first stage, the blending into the door did not produce an acceptable color match. The industry had to come up with a solution to this problem. The answer required a procedure known as zone refinishing.

The same type of damage that previously required blending into the door now includes the preparation and refinishing of additional undamaged panels along the same side as the repairs. Depending on the color and location, it may be necessary to paint the entire side of a vehicle in order to achieve a proper color match. There are also custom colors that appear to change drastically when viewed from different angles. One example is changing from a rust color to a deep purple and the car actually appears to undergo a change of color as it moves towards or away from you. This is due to the addition of special pearls and xirallic effects.

Xirallic effects are aluminum oxide platelets which are then coated with metal oxides. These platelets are manufactured synthetically using a new crystallization process. The cost of this type of additive is expensive compared to typical pearl type applications. The addition of the three stage refinishing process takes considerably more time to complete. In conclusion the three stage refinishing process is here to stay and adds pleasant visual affect to the cars of today.

Automotive repair is a large industry. There are many unsuspected things that can go wrong with a car, and if you do not have a warranty, you will have to find the right repair shop to trust with your car. Another thing to consider is the amount of regular maintenance people have performed on their car each year. This would include oil changes, brake jobs, flushing of fluids, or could simply be having your tires rotated for you. This type of work is typically left to the professionals because automotive repair work takes a degree of knowledge and a lot of experience to be able to be done correctly.

One thing to watch for when you are getting your automobile repaired is to make sure you are shopping around for the best prices available on parts. If you are using a shop, feel free to check online for part prices that they claim you need. Usually your mechanic will be honest with you on part pricing, but there is the occasion that they are trying to make money of the parts you need. Another thing to look out for is that the right parts are being replaced. Getting second opinions for auto repair is a smart practice unless you use the same shop for all of your needs and they are trusted amongst your family and community.

Another misconception is that any type of auto repair will cost an arm and a leg. Many simple things break on cars instead of catastrophic failures which make it very affordable for people to have their cars fixed, instead of spending more money on a new car. A trusted mechanic will be able to tell you what is wrong with your car and the best options for you to fix it. They will also offer maintenance to prevent catastrophic fixes in the future.

Maintaining a car properly is what will keep you away from getting many automotive repairs. Have your trusted mechanic create a schedule of maintenance for you if your car does not already have one. Minor maintenance such as an oil change will go a long way in keeping your car’s engine at its full potential. Maintenance is very affordable and is spread out with months and months separating you from each scheduled visit, which also helps people on a budget. The key factor either way though is to choose a reputable local repair shop for any of your automotive needs, no matter how big or small.