Category: Articles

I hope that all of you had a safe and healthy Halloween, but I but that it was surely different this year.

For me, the cruiser stayed mostly in the garage. I did take it out on a few runs, but it was nothing like in years past. In years past, it was up close and personal, enjoying the kids expressions when they looked upon the hearse.

This year was nothing like the past and will likely never be repeated. There are many reasons to think that next year will be oh so much better. I expect 2021 to be one of the biggest Halloween events  in decades. Here is why.

Why 2021 Will Be Better

There are so many reasons to anticipate next year.

• There will be a vaccine for Covid.
  As of the beginning of November 2020, there are 2 vaccines that have proven to be over 90 percent effective. It will take time to ramp up production but there should be enough to go around by next summer. This means that anyone who wants to be vaccinated should be able to have it done before next Halloween.
• Treatments are getting better.
  Doctors and scientists are understanding the virus more each day. This has allowed them to improve treatments for those who do come down with Covid. Hospitalization times are nearly half as long as they were when the virus first came around and it is only going to get better.
• People will be ready to celebrate.
  There is no denying that people were reserved this year. Celebrations have been kept under control and in most cases were held responsibly. That will all change once we can get out again. You can expect all of that pent up energy to explode, in a good way, next year.
  I myself will probably double or even triple my Halloween budget for next year.
• Because we deserve it.
  By the time the second half of next year comes around, we will all deserve to get out and celebrate. I expect most of us to take advantage of it fully.

There you have it. Just a few reasons why you should be looking forward to next years celebrations. Just stay safe, be patient and do the right thing. Mask up.

So the season is over. If your ride is like mine, you know what I mean by that. Halloween is the busiest season and as such, I usually do not get to blog much. So, now I am here to make up for that.

I have a little downtime so I figured now would be the time to do a little tuneup and get some more power out of my ride. It has been feeling a little sluggish lately so I was thinking about changing the plugs, plug wires and adding a high performance air filter. Little stuff, but sometimes these things can make a nice difference in the seat of your pants.

Spark Plugs

First, the plugs. As you may or may not know, spark plugs play a huge role in the efficiency of your engine. They light off the fuel mixture and if they are not working properly, you get an incomplete burn. This means less fuel efficiency and less power.

Changing the plugs is also a great way to monitor the condition of your engine. If they are damaged or burnt, you could be having a problem with detonation and if they are covered with oil, it is a sure sign that a piston ring may be going south on you.

As far as plug types go, it is Bosch platinum for me. I do not want to have to do these every year, even if it is a simple 30 minute job on an old school V8. The Bosch will keep ticking for years to come, come pre-gapped and are less than $5 a piece.

Plug Wires

Next, you have to get the power to the plugs and upon examination the other week, my wires were starting to look a little cracked. These things live under harsh conditions, seeing extreme heat and extreme cold. This time of year is particularly bad on wires since the temperature under hood will range from 10 degrees to 300 degrees.

There are all kinds of wires out there and you can spend as much as a few hundred dollars on a set. Waste of money if you ask me. I would rather replace my wires more often and go with a more inexpensive set. My choice is the house brand from Autozone. Duralast wires are about $30 a set, hold up well and do the job of moving electricity under my hood just fine.

It takes about 5 minute to replace a set and, if yours are as worn as mine, you will notice a difference.

Air Filter

Enough with the maintenance, let’s add a little power to the machine. K&N air filters have been around for ages and they have a bunch of benefits.

First, they flow more air and while it will not completely transform your engine, it can give you one or two more horsepower. In addition to the power also comes a bit more fuel economy which is also nice when you are used to low teens in the mileage department.

Second is the cost of the filter. While it is more expensive than a paper filter, it lasts much longer. In fact, it comes with a million mile guarantee so it will be the last filter you ever buy. This means no more annual or semi annual paper filter replacement. At $10 a pop, it will not take long for the K&N to pay for itself.

That’s It

So, that’s it. This is what I have been up to since Halloween. Be sure to let me know in the comments what you have been up to and send me pics so that I can post them.

What is a hearse without a wicked tint job. The problem is that you have a lot of window space to tint. If you want that dark tint without paying a fortune, consider tinting your hearse yourself. It really isn’t that hard. It mainly comes down to two things. Prep work and quality film. Here is what you need to know.

First, you need to gather the supplies that you need. You will need ammonia free window cleaner, window film solution, a spray bottle, a squeegee, film and a razor blade. The first important thing that you need to know is to not skimp on the window film. Buy only 3M window film and avoid lesser quality brands. When it comes to adhesive, 3M is king and if applied properly, your tint will last forever.

When it comes to tint shade, you need to consider both your personal taste and local laws. I personally love dark limo tint but in my areas you can only apply it to the rear windows. This would make tinting more expensive because I would have to buy two different shades. Buy the appropriate shade of film for your situation.

The best time to do your tint is when it is cool and shady. You do not want to apply tint in direct sunlight because it would dry up your tint solution too quickly.

Now, for the install. Be sure to follow manufacturers directions but here is the basic install. First, you want to thoroughly clean your windows with ammonia free window cleaner. Clean them several times to make sure they are squeaky clean.

Next, cut a piece of tint to size and test fit it onto the window. You will then spray the window with tint solution and then remove the backing off of your piece of tint. Apply it to the window carefully, adhesive side down and then spray tint solution on the film’s outside. Smooth the tint out with your squeegee and you are almost done. All that is left is to cut the film around the window edge and then allow the film to dry.

Make sure that you do not roll down your window for at least a day to make sure that the tint sticks.

 

I recently got the itch to do some modifications to the old girl and it got me thinking about everyones priority when it comes to modifying their rides. Do you like to prioritize your sound system, looks or perhaps speed is your thing. Here is what I decided to do with the $500 loan I got from Loan Monkey. Enjoy and tell me what you think.

My priority has always been sound and I was in desperate need for a new head unit so I went down to my local Car Toys and picked up a new one. My Choice, a Kenwood Double Din head unit with Android Play.

I got the whole thing installed for just under the $500 budget that I had. Even had a little left do pay for my Pandora subscription for the month.

The sound quality is great and I definitely recommend this unit by the Android Auto function is the greatest thing ever. I finally have something high tech in my vehicle again. It completely changes the feel of your hearse.

So What Would You Do With $500?

Would you do audio like me or would you have done an exhaust or perhaps put the money into custom upholstery. Let me know and lets discuss it below.

If you are thinking about renting a hearse, you might be wondering just how much you can make. Can you make a fast $200 a day renting hearses. The answer might surprise you. eep on reading and get an idea about how much you can make.

The truth is that with a specialty vehicle like a hearse, you should be able to make far more than a 200 a day. What exactly you make depends on what market you are in and your location. For the sake of this article, we are going to assume that you are renting hearses as a novelty and not to be used as an actual funeral hearse.

Making money renting hearses as a novelty depends on several factors. The first of which is the intricacy and rarity of your hearse. For example, if your hearse is decorated and painted properly to represent a slightly creepy experience, you will probably get more in the novelty market. Don’t expect an otherwise stock mid nineties Cadillac hearse to get much respect in the rental market. If people are renting a hearse as a novelty, they want creepy. If you have the right creepy hearse, you should be starting at $200 a day and going up from there. If you have some money in your hearse, $500 might be a more appropriate rental rate in addition to an acceptable deposit.

Location is another strong factor in how much you can get as well as how often you can rent your hearse out. If you live near a studio area for example you might be able to get movie business. Slasher, horror movies will pay big bucks for the right hearse. Live in another part of the country, you might have to make do with seasonal Halloween parties and the occasional wedding rental. Movie business will be the most profitable of rentals generating far in excess of $200 a day potentially.

Renting a hearse will probably not make you a fortune but an occasional $200 a day is nice. Look at it as a way to support your hobby giving you the money to pay for things like upgrades, gas, insurance, maintenance and all the little things that can add up in a hurry. You will never become rich renting hearses but as long as you enjoy what you are doing it will be well worth it.

Quick Tips To Make More Than $200 a Day

Make your hearse nice and unique.
The better condition it is in, the more that you can get. Also, blow people away with custom and creepy touches.

Reach out to studios.
This is where you will make the most money, way more than $200 a day. Reach out so that they can find you when thy need you and be prepared to deliver your baby to them.

Be willing to travel.
The further your delivery area, the more likely you are to make some nice money. A nice radius is one hundred miles and do not be afraid to charge for delivery, you have a unique service that should be paid for.

 

Another hearse has become famous, helping to lay the 41’st President Of The United States to rest. In this case, it is a classic 2018 Cadillac XTS hearse. It received some exterior and interior updates prior to its use to make it a bit more prepared for the occasion.

The official model of the vehicle, as far as GM is concerned, is the Cadillac XTS Coachbuilder Funeral Coach (model B9Q-6GB69).

Are you thinking about renting a hearse? Do you have a hearse and are you thinking of ideas on renting it out? Here are some of the top reasons to rent a hearse whether you are a hearse owner or a hearse seeker.

Do note that if you lan to rent a hearse, you should treat it like nay other business and not a hobby. Have proper insurance and a good legal contract.

1. Halloween
   This is so obvious that it is hardly worth mentioning, but I will. A hearse parked outside your home makes the perfect decoration. Your guests will gt into the Halloween mood and will love taking pictures with it. Rent a hearse for this holiday and you will be the talk of the neighborhood for months, even years.
   If you are a hearse owner this is a simple way to make money. All that you need to do is dive to someones house and park your vehicle. Then just come back the next day and pick it up.
2. Prom
   Got a weird sense of humor or style? If you answered yes, then you might want to take a hearse to prom. You will for sure get noticed.
   As a hearse owner, you can either simply rent the hearse out or you can drive and make some added money as a chauffeur.
3. Weddings
   Who wouldn’t want to drive away from your wedding in a hearse. As a guy, you know its over so why not show the world that you understand this.
4. Business Grand Opening
   Opening a new business or restaurant? Park a hearse out front for some added traffic. People always notice a hearse and when they stop for a look, they will see your business.
5. Office Party
   A good way to give your employees or fellow coworkers a photo op. A hearse can make the event something different and special.

When it comes to financing your Hearse, you have many options. Really, it is just the same as any other vehicle although some loan providers might not value your ride as highly as you do. What I mean by this is that the bluebook value of the car might not accurately describe the true value of the hearse. This means that you might have to shop around and you might have to come with some cash to the table if you want to obtain financing.

Choosing a finance company is easy enough. I recommend applying with at least three different loan providers. Capital One is a great one to consider as they usually have pretty competitive loan rates and make quick decisions. You can also look at companies like Wells Fargo and if you are desperate, perhaps even Loan Monkey could get you the seriously needed money for your hearse. The key is to shop around and do not just accept the first loan offer that you see. Rates and terms will vary tremendously from one company or one website to the next.

When you are preparing to apply for your loan, you must also do a few things to get the best rate possible. It is best to start preparing for your new loan at least three months in advance. Here are some things that you can do to get your credit score as high as possible.

• Pay Down Debt
  Try to pay down your debt so that you are using less than 30% of your available credit. This can easily add 10-20 points on your credit score. Cutting down your credit card debt can also lower your estimated monthly payments allowing you to qualify for a higher loan.
• Do Not Seek Other Credit
  Do not seek any other new credit before you go after a hearse loan. The more inquiries that you have, the lower your score will go. It might only be a few points, but every point counts when you want to get the best interest rate.
• Make All Payments On Time
  This goes without saying but make sure that you are making your payments on time to avoid a credit score plunge. If you are not making payments on time, you might think about the need for getting a luxury item like a hearse anyway.
• Check Your Credit Report
  Pull your credit and check for any errors. Dispute errors and do it quickly. It can take several months to get errors removed from your credit report. Their are free resources like Credit Karma that allow you to do this and you are entitled to a free credit report once a year so you can got directly to the credit bureaus.

Take care of the above things at least three months and preferably six months before applying for a hearse loan to get the best rate. Increasing your score as little as 10 points could save you several percent on your next loan. That can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars over the full course of a 4 to 6 year loan.

Good luck to you. Hopefully you can get a nice pre-approved loan and have a great time hearse shopping knowing that you already have credit arranged. A pre approval will make things more fun for you and will give the seller some peace of mind, knowing that you are a serious buyer.