It’s that time again!. NorCalCars.com has added the new car show calendar for 2012. Over the next few months we will be adding the dates and times for all of your favorite shows. If we have missed a show that you are organizing be sure to check out our sign up page for the information we will need.

We have already added the time and date for many of the major events in Northern California like the Silicon Valley International Auto Show, the Pacific Coast Dream Machines Show, Redding Kool April Nites, and the Sacramento Autorama.

So, don’t forget to take a few minutes to drop by our NorCal Car Shows calendar!

Towing an electric vehicle behind your motor home for use while staying in an area is becoming more and more popular. Electric Vehicles are often seen as a way reduce your foot print when using motor homes for traveling. However, for this to work you need to have locations where you can get your electric vehicle charged. NorCalCars.com has started a new section listing the various ev charging locations by city or county and giving maps to the location to help you find them.

You will find these in our new EV Charging Locations section starting with San Francisco EV charging. Collecting this information is a big job so we will be expanding to new areas on a regular basis.

No doubt we will miss a few locations, so if you find one that we should know about be sure to let us know.

Norcalcars.com has added a new dealer location. One of our long time dealers North Valley Autos has expanded to also have a location in Fairfield, Ca. You can find those vehicles in our new Fairfield Used Cars section.

Fairfield is located on Highway 80 between Sacramento and San Francisco. You can stop by and see Dan of North Valley Autos on your way to the Bay area, Napa Valley area or even if you want to do a day trip to the Fairfield Jelly Belly Factory, Budwiser Brewery (although you already missed the 2011 Bud Classic Car Show), or Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo just south of Fairfield.

Dan also has a new section on the North Valley Autos website with his Fairfield Used Car selection if you would like to check them out there. That’s also a good place to check out his selection of Chalet RVs.

Some of his recent additions include a:

• 2003 Ford-F250
• 2000 Dodge Dakota
• 2003 Hyundai Tiburon
• 2004 Ford Explorer
• 2002 Suzuki XL-7
• 1999 Lexus ES
• 2002 Dodge Ram
• 2004 Honda Civic
• 1991 Toyota MR2
• 1996 Toyota Celica
• 2003 Nissan Centra
• 1995 Toyota Camry
• 2002 GMC Sonoma
• 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier

If your live in Redding and want to check out a car in Fairfield or you live in Fairfield and would like to check out a car that he has in Redding, Dan travels back and forth frequently and I’m sure he would be happy to work something out so you can do a test drive. Either way it would be good to check out his entire online inventory and not just the vehicles closest to you.

2002 Jaguar For Sale

Not what you are looking for? How about a classic 1983 Porsche 944? Needs a little work, but what can we say, but everyone would like to own a Porsche.

Maybe fixing up a 1956 Cadillac is something you’ve dreamed of, or the 1967 Ford Mustang might be your next car show baby. Speaking of muscle the 1966 Plymouth Fury ll with a 440 engine should add a little excitement to your life.

These are only a few of the cars currently for sale by owner in our automotive classifieds section so stop by today and see if we have the right one for you!

This year we are starting something new and we are rather excited about it. The car shows section of NorCalCars has done so well we have decided to expand the idea to a whole new website CoolCarShows.com. You will still find the Northern California car shows here at NorCalCars.com and Southern California car shows at SouthernCalCars.com, but now you can find car shows for every one of the other 49 states of the USA at CoolCarShows.com.

From Hawaii to Alaska, from Oregon to New York you can now find the car shows nationwide in our new site. Even if you are not planning on going all the way to New York for a car there is good chance you will find CoolCarShows.com of interest. Many of the car shows in Oregon and Nevada are within a couple hours driving distance from Northern California.

Your Passion

Into car shows directed at certain makes of cars? You will also find many specialty shows within the other 49 states. Whatever your passion is you are bound to find a car show for you. You can find car shows that are just for Corvettes or just for Mini Coopers. There are also shows specifically for European cars or hotrods. What ever you are looking for, there is probably a car show for you.

Maybe your like cars but need a little more to keep your attention then just cars or more likely you love cars, but you are trying to convince the old ball and chain to go with you so you need something to get her attention. If this is the case you might to be interested to know there are many theme based car shows that include other activities besides just cars.

What Things You’ll Likely Find

You will find many that are based around the 50’s and 60’s. These shows often include dances that feature the music of the time, clothes of the time and a general atmosphere of 50’s and 60’s.

In the mid-west you will find many car shows that that involve another important element. FOOD. It is not hard to find events that include car shows and cook offs. BBQ cook offs with tons of different booths to try different foods are very common. Even if it is not a food-based event, you are sure to find plenty of good food at most of these events.

There many shows that are fully based around cars, but they don’t stop at just a car shows. Many include cruses, drag racing, stunt competitions and things of the sort.

For just about anything you can think of, there is car show. You just need to find it and CoolCarShows.com can you do just that.

It’s a new year and it’s time to start lining up the Northern California Car shows again!. Last year was a great year for car shows. Our list started in February last year with 3 great shows one in Sacramento: the Autorama and two in San Francisco: Wekfest and the Rod, Custom & Motorcycle show.

This year is shaping up to be another great year! January started off with the Silicon Valley International Auto Show on January 7-10 and will once again have the Autorama, Wekfest, and Rod, custom & Motorcycle shows in February.

What made our list great last year were the many shows that sent in information and pictures so we could add them to the list. We hope to get another awesome showing this year!. If you know of any Northern California car shows that didn’t make it to our list last year, contact the organizer and remind them to send us their information.

In addition to Northern California Car Shows, this year we are starting a new list of Southern California Car Shows. So if you’re in the southern part of the state be sure to chick it out.

You do have a choice! Many insurance companies will “recommend” going to a collision shop that they feel comfortable with. Often their choice is not based on who will provide you with the best work, more like who is offering them the best break. While the two may be compatible with each other, it is best for you to check out a repair shop before having them do the work.

One company that should not be overlooked when choosing a collision repair company is Bailey Motors of Redding. Jake Bailey is now offering his 10 years experience in collision repair to the general public for insurance repairs. Here are a few tips to help you choose someone to repair your accident damage vehicle.

What should you look for in a good Collision Repair company?

1. Check that other vehicles coming out of the workshop look good. Are there any signs of a ‘patched’ job on the bodywork, does the color look the same all over?
2. How long have they been in business? Do they have a good reputation in the area?
3. Ask if you can have your vehicle checked over by another mechanic or body shop.
4. What do they offer if there is a problem with any of the work done?
5. Have their vehicles been test-driven by someone experienced to know how to spot any faults?
6. Have the electronics and wiring been checked? Often automobiles that have been in an accident can have problems with these areas further down the line.
7. Can you have a print-out from a reliable alignment shop?
8. Are they giving you a reasonable quote for the job? Often a dealership will inflate the price of a job if they know its for insurance purposes.

Click here for more information on Bailey Motors and their automotive accident repair service

You Can Do it!

An unfortunate part of owning a vehicle is the inevitable need to maintain it (or fortunate part if you happen to like to work on cars!). For those of us without a lot of experience in troubleshooting automotive problems that means a trip to the mechanic, even it the problem is likely a small one.

Many automotive problems are well within the range of the average car owner and learning even the basics of automotive diagnostics and repair can save a ton of money. Some of these basic repairs and maintenance items include:

• Checking and maintaining fluid levels
• Checking and replacing ignitions parts
• Replacing head and tail lamps
• Checking and replacing belts
• More advanced – Brakes

Some of the more fun items that most back yard mechanics can handle include customizing your vehicle with new:

• Custom Headlight fixtures
• Custom Taillights
• Complete Dash Gauges

Doing the work yourself gives a sense of satisfaction and can help keep your money in your wallet, a win-win situation!

Jeep Wrangler

Jeep has set the standard for 4×4s for many years and has obtained an almost “cult” following. Most of us already know our favorite Models and options, but it can be tough to find what year particular options were offered. NorCalCars has compiled a summary of the options and models available in the different years, when features were dropped and when Models were added or dropped.

So if you’re trying to find a particular model with the features you want we have the page for you! Check out our Jeep Comparison page.

Can’t remember when the Jeep Wrangler offered the “Rio Grande Package”? What was the first year the Wrangler came as a Rubicon? What was the last year for the Wagoneer? Check out our Jeep Comparison and find out!

Honda Ridgeline

Thinking of buying a used Honda SUV, Minivan, or Truck? It helps to know ahead of time when certain models and options came out so you can get what you are looking for.

For instance when did Honda first introduce the Honda Element, The CR-V Or the Honda Ridgeline (Honda’s Truck)? NorCalcars has complied its latest comparison on the Honda SUV’s Minivans and Trucks. Check it out in our Honda Comparison.

Image complements of Honda