Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Ride Height shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Ride Height offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Ride Height at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Ride Height? Wrong! If the Ride Height is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Ride Height then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Ride Height? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Ride Height and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Ride Height wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Ride Height then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Ride Height site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Ride Height, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Ride Height, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.

Ride height (ground clearance or simply clearance) is the amount of space between the base of an automobile tire and the underside of the chassis; or, more properly, to the shortest distance between a flat, level surface, and any part of a vehicle other than those parts designed to contact the ground (such as tires, tracks, skis, etc.). Ground clearance is measured with standard vehicle equipment, and for cars, is usually given with no cargo or passengers.

Ground clearance is a critical factor in several important characteristics of a vehicle. For all vehicles, especially cars, variations in clearance represent a trade off between handling and practicality. A higher ground clearance means that the center of mass of the car is higher, which makes for less precise and more dangerous handling characteristics (most notably, the chance of rollover is higher). However, it also means that the car is more capable of being driven on roads that are not level, without the road scraping against and likely damaging the chassis and underbody. Higher ride heights will typically adversely affect aerodynamic properties. This is why sports cars typically have very low clearances, while off-road vehicles and SUV's have higher ones. Two well-known extremes of each are the Ferrari F40 and the Hummer.

For armored fighting vehicles (AFV), ground clearance presents an additional factor in a vehicle's overall performance: a lower ground clearance means that the vehicle minus the chassis is lower to the ground and thus harder to spot and harder to hit. The final design of any AFV reflects a compromise between being a smaller target on one hand, and having greater battlefield mobility on the other. Very few AFV's have top speeds at which car-like handling becomes an issue, though rollovers can and do occur. By contrast, an AFV is far more likely to need high ground clearance than a road vehicle.

Lowering a car's Suspension (vehicle) is a common and relatively inexpensive aftermarket modification. Many people prefer the more aggressive look of a lowered body, and there is an easily realized car handling improvement from the lower center of gravity. Most passenger cars are produced such that one or two inches of lowering won't increase the probability of damage significantly. On most automobiles, ride height is modified by changing the length of the suspension Spring (device), and is the essence of many aftermarket suspension kits supplied by manufacturers such as Eibach, H&R and Spax.

Self-leveling suspension systems are designed to maintain a constant ride height regardless of load. Vehicles not equipped with self-leveling will pitch down at one end when laden; this adversely affects ride, handling, and aerodynamic properties.

Some modern automobiles (such as Audi's Audi Allroad Quattro) have height adjustable suspension, which can vary the ride height by locating the suspension mounting points, depending on road conditions and/or the settings selected by the driver.

Other, simpler suspension systems, such as coilover springs, offer a way of manually adjusting ride height (and often, spring stiffness) by compressing the spring in situ, using a threaded shaft and adjustable knob or nut.

References

• Ride Height Info (Retrieved 27 March 2007)

Ride height (ground clearance or simply clearance) is the amount of space between the base of an automobile tire and the underside of the chassis; or, more properly, to the shortest distance between a flat, level surface, and any part of a vehicle other than those parts designed to contact the ground (such as tires, tracks, skis, etc.). Ground clearance is measured with standard vehicle equipment, and for cars, is usually given with no cargo or passengers.

Ground clearance is a critical factor in several important characteristics of a vehicle. For all vehicles, especially cars, variations in clearance represent a trade off between handling and practicality. A higher ground clearance means that the center of mass of the car is higher, which makes for less precise and more dangerous handling characteristics (most notably, the chance of rollover is higher). However, it also means that the car is more capable of being driven on roads that are not level, without the road scraping against and likely damaging the chassis and underbody. Higher ride heights will typically adversely affect aerodynamic properties. This is why sports cars typically have very low clearances, while off-road vehicles and SUV's have higher ones. Two well-known extremes of each are the Ferrari F40 and the Hummer.

For armored fighting vehicles (AFV), ground clearance presents an additional factor in a vehicle's overall performance: a lower ground clearance means that the vehicle minus the chassis is lower to the ground and thus harder to spot and harder to hit. The final design of any AFV reflects a compromise between being a smaller target on one hand, and having greater battlefield mobility on the other. Very few AFV's have top speeds at which car-like handling becomes an issue, though rollovers can and do occur. By contrast, an AFV is far more likely to need high ground clearance than a road vehicle.

Lowering a car's Suspension (vehicle) is a common and relatively inexpensive aftermarket modification. Many people prefer the more aggressive look of a lowered body, and there is an easily realized car handling improvement from the lower center of gravity. Most passenger cars are produced such that one or two inches of lowering won't increase the probability of damage significantly. On most automobiles, ride height is modified by changing the length of the suspension Spring (device), and is the essence of many aftermarket suspension kits supplied by manufacturers such as Eibach, H&R and Spax.

Self-leveling suspension systems are designed to maintain a constant ride height regardless of load. Vehicles not equipped with self-leveling will pitch down at one end when laden; this adversely affects ride, handling, and aerodynamic properties.

Some modern automobiles (such as Audi's Audi Allroad Quattro) have height adjustable suspension, which can vary the ride height by locating the suspension mounting points, depending on road conditions and/or the settings selected by the driver.

Other, simpler suspension systems, such as coilover springs, offer a way of manually adjusting ride height (and often, spring stiffness) by compressing the spring in situ, using a threaded shaft and adjustable knob or nut.

References

• Ride Height Info (Retrieved 27 March 2007)