Automedia.com - CarCare - General Articles

Dumb Things Drivers Do to Their Cars

Some people make a lot of mistakes with their cars. Not on purpose, but because they just don’t know the damage that can be done when assuming certain, simple things about their vehicles. Here are five particularly dumb things drivers should NOT do to their cars...

Smart Battery Chargers

Battery chargers are battery chargers. Need one for a common 12-volt battery? Buy one and hook it up. Done deal. Some of those chargers have automatic trickle functions. Others don’t. If they don’t, you’ll likely need a trickle charger. What if you have a deep cycle battery in your boat or RV? You’ll likely need a specialized charger. If you have a racecar, there’s a chance you’re using 16-volt batteries. That too means you’ll need a special charger for the application. But there’s more: If you trickle-charge batteries, and you forget the charger is in place, or if you charge the battery too fast, you run the risk of toasting the battery (or worse). So what’s a body to do?..

Finding Auto Repair and Service Manuals

In our travels into automotive repairs and time spent with wrenches there is often mention of consulting the service or repair manual. When it comes to a removal and replacement of something fairly straightforward and simple like an air filter or an oil and filter change, the procedure is more or less universal. A service or repair manual is probably a good idea when it comes time to tackle a more esoteric task like finessing the SPICA fuel injection system on a 1973 Alfa Romeo Montreal into a steady idle...

10 Top Tools from SEMA 2006

The Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas rolls out every year the latest and greatest of what the world of aftermarket automotive performance has to offer. From super dorifto sport compact cars to land speed diesel pickups powered purely by peanut oil, SEMA has something for everybody. While gawking at diamond encrusted dubs and just-finished project cars is all fine and good, some of us are just as interested in a set of wrenches as we are a flamed Mustang. Tools may not get the same media fanfare at SEMA, but should never be left out. Here are 10 of the more interesting tools we saw out at SEMA in 2006...

Adding Tubular Sidesteps

Even the most rough-and-ready off-road enthusiasts don't mind dressing up their 4x4s, especially if the components make them look all the more tough and rugged. These mods may or may not be all that practical, but as long as they look good, all the better. Brush guards, sidesteps and bed extenders are typical examples. Yes, they keep away errant twigs, help you get in and out of the cabin easier, and provide more cargo capacity, but they also add some pizazz to your pickup, which is probably the main reason for their popularity. Given that, here's how to install some really snazzy and useful items to your truck using this Dodge Ram as an example...

Air Conditioning Troubleshooting I

Even though it's stifling-hot inside your vehicle, you know that relief is just a twist of a key, a push of a switch, and a few blocks of driving away. Except that this time, something is amiss: Only hot air is coming out of the dash vents—or no air at all. So now, besides the discomfort you're feeling, you're also anxious over the thought of a visit to the repair shop...

Air Filter Fundamentals

There is no great mystery to the operation of an internal combustion automobile engine. An automobile engine is essentially an air pump. The pistons and valves work together to draw in and expel air into the combustion chambers as the engine assembly spins round on the crankshaft. The faster this assembly spins, the more air the engine can draw through. Add fuel—in the right amount and spark at the correct moment to this air pump—and the internal combustion equation is complete. Power! With so much air being drawn into the engine from the outside, it is of utmost importance this air enters the engine as clean as possible. It is also important that this flow of air is not restricted in any way...

Auto Accessories for Moms

Ask men what automotive accessories women want and you'll get answers like cup holders, vanity mirrors and safety enhancements. Ask women, more specifically, mothers, what accessories they're considering for their daily drive and you'll get something a little more interesting. That's what the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) did, recognizing the impact of women on vehicle and accessory purchases...

Automotive Chemical Disposal and Recycling

Professional mechanics and businesses that deal with fixing cars are held to the strictest of rules concerning disposal and recycling. These rules apply whether the business just changes automotive oil or only sells tires. In fact, automobiles are one of the most recycled consumer goods on the planet. Fluids, metals, plastics, and every other part of the modern automobile is salvaged and reused—sometimes even for another car or truck...

Back-to-School Car Care Tips

Selecting and maintaining back-to-school vehicles is a somewhat difficult undertaking, fraught with the usual battle of wills and wallets. Be it a high-school hauler or a college cruiser, this choice is one to be made wisely. Given the choices themselves, every kid in the world would go off to school in a brand new convertible that could also do his or her homework to boot. Parents, on the other hand, would most likely elect to send Junior off to school in Grandpa's old Ford Pinto with Dad saying something like, "This old crate will run forever," as he hands over the keys and a 2X4 with a notch in it required to prop up the deck lid...

Bed Extender Installation

If you have more stuff to contend with than your truck can carry, a bed extender may help to increase your cargo capacity. This cargo system is ideal for when you have to haul motorcycles, personal watercraft, large tools, landscaping equipment and practically anything else that can fit in your truck bed. Depending on how it's positioned, it can also help to secure loose items. If you flip the bed extender outward it creates a long bed truck, two feet longer than stock. Flipped inward with the gate closed, and the bed extender safely keeps gear like tools, gas cans, or camping equipment from sliding around. Whether your load is little or large, you can get more from your truck with a bed extender. And if it gets in the way of a particular load, it can be removed in seconds...

Big Wheels

Custom wheels and cool tires adorn more new vehicles than any of the never-ending menu of aftermarket products. Makes you wonder why the auto manufacturers don't just have their new models sitting on chocks in the showroom, so customers can customize right there. In fact, the OEMs have responded to the wheel craze by upping the stock size on their top-line light trucks and sport compacts...

Bolt-On Brush Guards

In another article, after installing a bed extender we briefly covered how to bolt on brush guards for the taillights since those are relatively easy to install. Front brush-guard installation is more complicated, however, largely because they're part of a massive piece with big, police-style push bars. These are not your basic black units found on cop cars, but instead made of chromed stainless steel, which should inspire envy among the local constabulary, not to mention your fellow 4x4 enthusiasts...

Bumper Safety

In the olden days, bumpers protected a vehicle from body damage in low speed collisions. Don't get us wrong, they still do; but, as bumper designs have evolved, so have their level of protection. To make the bumper even more vulnerable, the federal government's impact-test requirements were dropped from 5 mph to 2.5 mph in 1982. Think about that: a healthy person walks faster than 2.5 mph...

Buying Used Auto Parts Online

Recently, a friend needed a rearview mirror for a classic car. Trouble was, it was the dead of winter in Michigan, and this guy is a tightwad against which all other tightwads can be measured. He wasn't about to lay out cash for a new part, but there aren't any swap meets when the snow flies...

Car Care Quiz

With the sheer number of automobiles in the world, it's only natural that a number of myths, untruths, and misconceptions surround modern motoring. Some of these myths are harmless, while others can actually be dangerous! A blowout caused by an under-inflated tire can cause an accident. Other mistruths can result in neglect and end up as expensive repairs...

Car Care Tips

Most people take pride in owning a reliable, attractive car or truck. The key to keeping a vehicle dependable and aesthetically pleasing is a normal maintenance regimen. To some, taking their vehicle to the car wash every two weeks and to the quick-lube joint every 3,000 miles is their idea of routine maintenance. But cars and trucks need more than this to maintain their showroom appearance, to continue to run correctly, and to optimize the factory's safety features...

Car Covers

All vehicle covers are not created equal. There are many types and weights of fabric, all designed to do a specific job. Selecting a vehicle cover is not something to be taken lightly, particularly if you're serious about protecting your favorite ride. Various factors should enter into your selection, but the most important is where you are parking or storing your vehicle. Do you need a simple dust cover or a super cover that can stand up to seriously bad weather? Both types, and everything in between, are available from several suppliers, but here we'll look at some of the criteria surrounding vehicle covers and how to select the right one for your application...

Car Modification Style Trends

The huge 2003 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas was the ideal place to see what the most radical cars and trucks will look like in the near future. Over 1,800 exhibitors, from major vehicle manufacturers to trim fabricators, showed up with products and services that will (hopefully) define the coming Cool Look...

Car Theft Prevention

Every 26 seconds someone in the United States becomes a victim of auto theft. If you become one of the statistics, the chances of your vehicle being recovered are slightly more than one in two, so protecting your property is well worth the extra effort and expense. While no one is immune from auto theft, those who live in large metropolitan areas, close to a major port or international border, or own a sports or luxury vehicle (including SUVs) are statistically more likely to be a target for theft. Ownership of an older vehicle will not rule your vehicle out as a possible victim. Newer vehicles may come equipped with theft deterrent devices, so the professional thief is more inclined to go for the easier mark, an unprotected vehicle that's six to eight years old...

CD Player Maintenance

It's impossible to imagine zipping down the highway without the dulcet tones of Kid Rock, U2, or Keith Urban being wafted through the car. To make sure you keep rockin' while you're rollin,' we have a few tips on the care and feeding of your CD player. First, though, a brief look at the history of automotive audio...

Choosing a Vehicle Rack

It's winter. It's snowing. You've got your car, your friends, everybody's stuff, and you're ready to roll. Except that you can't see out the back of your car because the gear is piled so high. And it's hanging out the back. And it's bungee-corded together. And if you make one quick turn, everything will go flying. Scratching your head, you watch as your buddies make a valiant attempt at solving the problem by tying everything atop the vehicle with some kind of rope-through-the-window get-up. Then, from behind the trees, through the snow, a ray of light strikes the shiny steel of the rails on your roof, and the bright beam of sunshine illuminates your imagination: what you need is a roof rack...

Choosing Tire Chains

People who live in snow country are all too familiar with tire chains. They know the agony of painful fingers experienced when installing chains in a blizzard. Many other drivers only deal with chains during occasional ski trips. "Chain laws in effect" prompts people to buy tire chains, then hope they won't actually have to install them...

Dealer Add-Ons for Customizing Your Car

Personalizing a plain-vanilla production vehicle with all sorts of eye-catching toppings is more popular than ever. About $27 billion worth of accessory items were sold last year to vehicle owners, according to SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association. The range of products available to vehicle owners is astounding, including everything from roof racks to custom wheels, front bumper bars to taillight guards. You can add performance parts under the hood and entertainment systems for the interior, whatever you want to enhance the performance and appearance of your vehicle...

Fighting Vehicular Rodent Damage

Nobody believed my tale of woe...

Garage Storage and Working Space

When you wander into pretty garages stuffed full of expensive autos and tools with everything on display, is your first question, "Where's the dirt—" Does a sparkling three-car garage that doesn't appear to have ever witnessed a wrench turned leave you wondering what the owner is supposed to be proud of? When a garage is just a pretty car hole, the items you keep inside need only look the part, nothing more. But when your garage is the center of a fully actualized automotive experience, it has to be functional. This includes the all-important supporting cast of shelving, drawers and countertops—they have to W-O-R-K. Pretty is immaterial when functionality is the rule, and $14,000 of special-order cabinetry won't solve your industrialized shortcomings...

Hands-Free Car Care

Effective car care doesn't require oil on your jeans, busted knuckles or burned fingertips. Just as you can keep your own body healthy without owning a scalpel, you can keep your vehicle running better without being able to able to identify a ratchet in a lineup of kitchen tools. Call these hands-free car care tips. For both cars and humans, knowing when professional attention is needed a key to longevity...

How Air Conditioning Works

There was a time not all that long ago when automotive air conditioning was considered something of a luxury. Today's drivers don't share that view. Now standard on just about every make and model of car, truck and SUV, air conditioning is as familiar as, well, the steering wheel...

How Automatic Transmissions Work

Transmissions have a tough job. They must help keep the engine in its powerband (usable rpm range) and transmit that power to the drive wheels over a huge speed range. Pulling power must be available when towing a trailer from a dead stop, yet the engine rpm must be at a comfortably low speed for efficient high-speed cruising...

How Brakes Work

Your vehicle's brake system is one of those things you only think about when it fouls up (or you do). Like when the service guy says, "You need your rotors ground and it's gonna cost $200," or you're surprised by a yellow light at an intersection. Suddenly your brakes are of acute interest. Why wait for unpleasant surprises? A general understanding of your vehicle's brake system can save you money, and may allow you to drive more safely and save a lot more than just cash. After all, the more you know, the better you can care for your car...

How Gasoline Engines Work

Gasoline is incredibly powerful stuff. Just a single soda can of it packs enough energy to blast a typical car close to three miles. Not in one huge explosion, of course (that would definitely spill your latte), but in a series of about 13,000 small explosions contained in your engine. Still plenty impressive, albeit somewhat less dramatic...

How Gauges Can Save Your Engine

The average driver could really care less about what's going on under the hood of whatever they're driving. Around they drive, oblivious to their engine's operation. Enthusiast drivers, however, want to squeeze as much reliable power out of the engine as possible. So if performance is your game, then learning to improve upon your engine's fuel and air delivery systems should be as well. S quality set of automotive gauges is, therefore, the first step on the path to more horsepower...

How Manual Transmissions Work

Transmissions can be a bit baffling. That's understandable, since your vehicle's transmission must convert the engine's power (which is delivered over a fairly narrow range of rpm) into something usable at the drive wheels over a huge speed range. Strong pulling power must be available when accelerating away from a stop, yet the engine rpm must be at a comfortably low speed for efficient high-speed cruising. How does your transmission do that? Depending on the anticipated use and price point of a given vehicle, manufacturers draw on a wide assortment of technologies to fit each application. Knowledge is power, and the more you know about how your vehicle works, the better you can maintain and care for it. Let's pop the clutch on the discussion, shall we?..

How Run-Flat Tires Work

Decades ago, the steel belt tire revolutionized the auto industry by making tires and cars safer than ever thanks to their increased resistance to puncture. Despite this giant leap forward, thousands of accidents still continue to occur on our roadways every year as the result of tire failure. Responding to the need for improved auto rubber, tire makers have developed the next generation of on-road safety in the form of run-flat tires..

How Steering Works

Back when we were kids, we were happy to steer our home-built go-karts with a piece of rope. Add a few decades of personal driving experience, a few thousand pounds of metal and a lot more speed, and suddenly the issue of vehicle steering becomes far more critical. Making a modern automobile answer a driver's fingertip commands takes a significant amount of technology...

How Suspension Works

Ask two drivers—a regular driver and a racer—to explain the purpose of suspension, and you may get two different answers. The regular Joe says it's easy: suspension keeps your teeth from rattling out over bumps. It's a comfort thing. The racer looks perplexed with that answer, and pipes up with the assertion that the job of suspension is to keep the wheels on the ground over bumps so you can drive faster. It's a control thing...

Kid-Proofing Your Car

Finding a gummy worm or collection of worms permanently fused to the rich Corinthian leather of Grandma's Cordoba, or syrupy soda staining the utilitarian fabric seats of your station wagon is but one of many examples of just what can happen when kids and cars come together. While completely kid-proofing a vehicle against things spilled, hurled, tossed and sprayed is one of those "we can send rockets to the moon, but can't protect leather seats against gummy worms tasks," the best bit of advice is this: remember when...

Malfunction Indicator Lamps

My, how times have changed. Back in the days when leaded fuel was sold at "service stations," as they were quaintly called, motorists had to be concerned with only a few warning lights that each monitored the condition of an important vehicle system. Colorfully dubbed "idiot lights" by the gauge-reading contingent, these did little more than indicate it was time to get your car off the road as soon as possible. Today's instrument panels, however, display a Christmas tree of warning lights that provide a wealth of information (some might say too much). Question is, what do those lights all mean? Are life, limb, and property at risk if you continue to operate your vehicle? And isn't it going to take a lot more than an idiot to interpret them all?..

Oil Filter Form and Function

Oil is often referred to as the lifeblood of an automobile engine. The thin layer of oil molecules that rides in between engine parts is in reality all that prevents the friction between these moving parts from creating excessive heat and turning the engine into a useless heap of expensive scrap metal. If oil is the engine's lifeblood, then the oil filter is the liver. Like the liver, the oil filter takes in dirty oil and removes the particulates and crud. This engine damaging crud remains trapped in the filter media and the oil filter returns the clean oil back into the engine. This is important for in addition to providing essential engine lubrication oil also scrubs the inside of the engine clean. Changing the oil and filter on a regular basis gives the engine a fresh transfusion for longer life...

Parts and Labor

As an individual that ekes out a living writing about automobiles, I often get asked a question followed quickly by another question. Something like: "Oh, you know about cars, can I ask you a question"? This loaded question then leads into a story about how someone's car or truck went to a mechanic or dealer for repair, and whether the price they paid, or are about to pay, was worth the services rendered. The underlying implication is that most mechanics are somehow crooked, and that there is some sort of bamboozling going on. While there may in fact be some unethical behavior going on out in the garages and service bays of the world, this is an unfortunate aspect of any industry. The key to avoiding misunderstanding and unnecessarily high repair bills is communication and common sense...

Pinstripes and Vinyl Graphics

Pinstripes and fancy automotive graphics have origins that stretch back, really, to cave paintings. We humans like to make things our own, and automobiles are no exception. A plain paint job on a plain old car says simply, "I'm a plain old person." Add some pinstripes or otherwise differentiating accents and another picture emerges. A subtle stripe around a gas cap sends one signal, while a full-blown flame job sends another. Either way things are no longer plain...

Ramping Up to Under-Car Fun

When it's time to change the oil or flush the radiator in your car the usual drill is to bust out the big old heavy jack and jack stands and do the whole pump it up, balance it out, and lower it back down onto the jackstands procedure. For serious automotive monkey wrenching tasks such as brake, suspension, or drivetrain work, a jack and jackstands (or even an overhead hydraulic rack) is the only way to go...

Shade Tree Safety

While getting covered in motor oil may seem like a great idea to the do-it-yourselfer or driveway mechanic, the facts of the matter are that bathing in petrochemicals is not the world's best idea. Solvents and even some caustic cleaners that work fine with automobiles are not very compatible with humans. Being safe while working on automobiles involves not only adherence to the rules of common sense, but also remembering things that despite being put all over warning labels and in the instructions, often go unheeded. While some automotive maintenance accidents can bring a minor scratch or bruise, others can result in serious injury. The good news is that all of these injuries are preventable with some basic equipment combined with useful knowledge...

Simple Spoiler Install

There are many paths to choose from when it comes time to changing the appearance of a car with performance in mind. Some consider modifying their car in a way to broadcast their performance intentions to the world and possibly even outer space. Wings extending three feet off the trunk, racks of lights, and more body kit than there is actual car underneath is apparently the way to go for space alien performance. Others value subtlety and actual performance gains—even if small. Sometimes the most effective path to take is a simple blend of subtlety and effectiveness...

Snow Tire Sense

To most folks tires are things that wear out, go flat, or just cost a big pile of money when it comes time to replace them. While all these things are true to a certain extent, the important thing to remember about tires is that they are where the rubber meets the road. The four small patches of rubber making contact with the tarmac are all that keep the car on the good part of the highway and out of the ditch. When it comes to choosing tires, the old maxim of the right tool for the right job holds true. Choosing the right tire for the driving task at hand is the key to happy motoring...

Sound and Heat Shield Install

Everybody appreciates a quiet car and that solid "thunk" you hear when the door slams shut. But there's more to sound insulation than just personal comfort. High levels of noise can also interfere with your reaction time and driving ability. Also, with good insulation, not only are decibel levels lower, but temperatures are, too. Your air conditioner can operate more efficiently, reducing fuel consumption and the risk of radiator boil-over on a hot day. And your audio system should have better fidelity with extra cabin shielding. Quite often, it's the stuff you cannot see that makes for a cool and quiet ride...

Tactical Tool Buying

It's said that behind every great man is a great woman. Well, behind every great mechanic is a great set of tools. A great tool set can help any professional-garage or driveway-amateur mechanic get the job done better, and in less time than with no tools at all. But investing in the proper tools can stretch any wrencher's budget to the limit, especially when getting started...

The Cooling System

When you consider that the typical six-cylinder engine has something in the neighborhood of 6,000 fiery explosions inside it every minute when operating at typical cruising speed, it's a wonder engines hold together at all. With combustion temperatures registering in the neighborhood of a couple thousand degrees, its obvious that something has to be done to manage the tremendous heat if there's going to be any hope of keeping metal parts from melting—and getting to Grandma's house without walking...

Timing Chains Explained

Pistons traveling up and down inside an engine are only half of the internal combustion story. While the pistons are responsible for the grunt work of spinning the crankshaft, it is the intake and exhaust valves that allow each one of the cycles crucial to the operation of a four-stroke engine to occur. The intake valve opens on the intake stroke. The piston draws air and fuel into the cylinder as it travels downward. The intake valve then closes. The piston moves up to compress the mixture on the compression stroke. The spark plug ignites the mixture at the very top of piston travel. As the confined fuel-air mixture burns, it pushes the piston back down for the power stroke. The exhaust valve then opens. The piston pushes the spent gas out of the cylinder for the exhaust stroke. In this way the internal combustion creates power using the Otto cycle, so named for German engineer and inventor of the internal combustion engine Nicolaus Otto...

Tire Buying Basics

Driving to and fro, it's often easy to forget about the most basic of things that make the motoring miracle possible. One of the pivotal innovations in the history of the modern automobile was that of the pneumatic tire. Invented for use first on bicycles, the pneumatic tire eventually found its way onto the wheels of the then new automobile. The air-filled tire has proved an invaluable part of automotive progress. Oddly enough solid rubber tires were preferred over their air-filled pneumatic counterparts by the horse-drawn Brougham and Buggy crowd. So it goes...

To OBD II Or Not

It's no secret that "retro" is a driving force in modern pop-culture. It affects everything from fashion design to the entertainment industry, and many points in between. But did you ever consider that it could be having an effect on the used-car market, too?..

Top 10 Car Care Tips

If everything on TV were true, then keeping a vehicle running great, looking good, and lasting a long time would be the easiest thing ever. Advertising will tell us over and over that all we really need to do to keep that car or truck running forever and looking brand new for years is to pour some bottles of miracle liquid into the crankcase, sprinkle magic dust on the paint, or spray some sort of ionized wonder water on the interior. Unfortunately this is not the case...

Top 5 Car Care Prep Tips

If you're reading this you're likely one of those hearty few that revel in fixing things yourself. You enjoy the satisfaction in knowing that you made or fixed something. While that crooked spice rack in the kitchen may not be your finest work, it represents valuable lessons learned for the next spice rack. When it comes to working on things with engines and four wheels, it helps to know a few of these lessons going in. There is also a very real factor of danger that must be considered. Some errant coriander falling off a crooked shelf may cause a bit of a mess. A mechanical misstep in the automotive world can cause expensive damage or injury. Protecting your vehicle and yourself from harm is easy if you follow a few simple steps before starting work on an automobile. We've made plenty of the automotive equivalent of crooked spice racks over the years. Here are a couple of the things we've learned to save you from making work for yourself...

Torque Converters and Fluid Dynamics

While not at all new technology, the automatic transmission is the stuff of miracles. Step on the gas and engine energy is converted into forward motion, just like that. No clutch. No fuss...

Turbocharging Basics

There are proven ways to generate more horsepower with any given engine. One way is to make the engine bigger. While this is the most obvious path, it also has its disadvantages, painfully evident while filling up the fuel tank. Another way is to increase the volumetric efficiency of the engine, and spin the heck out of it in order to get more fuel and air into the cylinders. This is a fine way to go about making more power, but usually involves spending a pile of money on connecting rods, pistons, and cylinder head work. Also, the strains placed upon these various parts are increased along with the rpm...

Ultra High Performance Tires

There is no one change that can affect the overall braking, handling, and cornering ability of an automobile more than a set of tires. For most drivers, getting a new set of tires is a dreary affair punctuated by a muzak-filled waiting room and six-month-old magazines. For sportier drivers, choosing a new set of tires can be an agonizing decision. Unlike certain racing teams bound by a contract or series rules to run a specific type or brand of tire, today's corner carving motorists can choose from a vast array of street legal ultra high performance [UHP] tires. Some of these tires are even thinly disguised DOT approved R-compound racing tires. Before running out and shodding your ride with the stickiest of shoes, consider that driving on public roads in harsh weather and driving on a prepared racecourse on a sunny day are two entirely different things...

Update the Look of Your Older Car

Just because this Buick is a Century doesn't mean it has to look a hundred years old. At least that was our goal as wanted to illustrate how you can freshen the looks of any older car. Before we get to that, though, we should reveal a bit of background on this particular car...

Used Cars: The Old and Faithful

beat-er \'bee-tur\ n (20c): A used automobile which is outstandingly capable and cost effective, esp. when compared to a new automobile of similar function...

Used SUVs: The Tried and True

beat-er \'bee-tur\ n (20c): A used automobile which is outstandingly capable and cost effective, esp. when compared to a new automobile of similar function...

Used Trucks: Low-Dollar Haulers

It's probably fair to say that we'd be preaching to the choir if we told a group of potential pickup buyers that what they need is a rugged, dependable "workhorse." Even so, that statement is especially true if you're looking for a reliable used truck. More often than not, the truck of your dreams has seen some work days, and may have been "ridden hard and put away wet" more than once...

Vehicle Cover Folding and Care

The advantages of a car cover are obvious, especially to those who can't garage their vehicle, or the parking lot at work is without shade or any defense against bombardier bird droppings. A car cover will protect a vehicle's finish from the elements, shield the interior from UV radiation and even deter theft of personal property...

Vehicle Storage Tips

Cars are meant to be driven. Leaving a vehicle unattended for a long period of time can cause something akin to automotive atrophy, a slow deterioration of the vehicle that can create problems when you try to drive it again. Rust and corrosion can form on the body or inside critical components, gum and varnish can clog the fuel system, sludge and acids can form in the engine oil, mildew can grow in the interior, and constant sunlight can slowly fade the paint and deteriorate vinyl, leather, and rubber parts. That's why if you need to store your vehicle—whether for the winter or because it can't be driven for an indefinite period of time—certain precautions should be taken before you put it into mothballs...

Windshield Wipers Washer System

It's such a simple thing: flip on the windshield wiper switch and you assume the wipers will do their job. Press the button for the washer fluid and it sprays out, dissolving dust and bug anatomy, so the wipers can whisk it all away. Vision is restored, safety improved. You probably take this deceptively simple system for granted, but what do you do when it doesn't function properly? Here are some preventative steps to keep it working smoothly...