Car Maintenance
Regular car maintenance is one of the most important things that you can do in order to keep your car running smoothly for as long as possible. Whether it is performing regular oil changes every 3,000 miles, flushing our your radiator, or making sure your tires are inflated properly, being diligent about car maintenance can end up saving you thousands of dollars in car repairs over the life of your vehicle. For more information on the various types of car maintenance you need to know about, take some time to browse through our helpful selection of expert articles and advice.
-
Can a Touchfree Car Wash Damage Car Paint From the High Pressure?
Posted on October 7, 2013A touchfree car wash should not do any damage to your vehicle. They are designed to use high pressure water to clean the vehicle instead of abrasive brushes. Under no circumstances should the water pressure damage your vehicle’s paint. If it does, contact the owner of the car wash and file a claim with them. […]
Continue Reading... -
How Long Do Car Wash Kits Usually Last?
Posted on October 7, 2013Car wash kits typically include everything you need to clean your vehicle. Car wash soap, wax, interior cleaning solution, microfiber cloths, sponges and a washing mitt are normally included. How long these various products will last really depends on how often you use them and how well you take care of them. You will go […]
Continue Reading... -
How Does Oil Get in your Engine Coolant?
Posted on October 7, 2013When oil is found in engine coolant, it resembles the consistency of a milkshake. These two fluids mixing is very bad, because it means that a major engine gasket has failed, creating an internal leak which can quickly destroy your engine. The most common way oil and coolant mix is when a head gasket blows. […]
Continue Reading... -
How Much Do Windshield Wiper Refills Usually Cost?
Posted on October 7, 2013The price of windshield wiper refills vary according to what you buy. You can buy just the refill blades, which is just the rubber and a piece of plastic around it to add stiffness. Or you can buy a whole wiper arm refill that makes wiper replacement literally a snap. Bosch, Rain-X, Anco and Trico […]
Continue Reading... -
What’s the Biggest Sign You Should Change Your Engine Coolant?
Posted on October 7, 2013The biggest and possibly most expensive sign you need to change your engine coolant is your car’s engine overheats. Overheating is usually a sign that something minor was left to get worse. Know the color of your coolant when it is new. The three main colors are light green/yellow, orange and black. Check your coolant […]
Continue Reading... -
Can You Get Windshield Wiper Arms from any Car Store, or Do You Need to Go to a Dealer?
Posted on October 7, 2013Windshield wiper refills can be found just about anywhere automotive parts and/or accessories can be found. Chains such as AutoQuest, NAPA and Parts Plus will all carry Anco and Trico wiper refills. Autozone, Pep Boys and Kragen-Checker-Schucks will all carry Bosch, Rain-X, and a lower quality option at a lower price. Depending upon location and […]
Continue Reading... -
-
Can You Use a Cordless Shop Vacuum for Wet Vacuuming?
Posted on October 7, 2013A cordless shop vacuum can be used for wet vacuuming tasks as well as dry. There are a number of cordless wet vacuum models on the market today that are relatively powerful. Do your research before you purchase the first cordless shop vacuum you see. The updated cordless wet dry shop vacuums are portable, lightweight, […]
Continue Reading... -
What is the Quietest Shop Vacuum?
Posted on October 7, 2013The compact cordless shop vacuums, on the average, are a quiet shop vacuum compared to the larger corded models. This is due to the design and the amperage of the motor. These cordless shop vacuums are very versatile due to their compact size and light weight. Many of them are equipped with interchangeable accessories that […]
Continue Reading... -
Do You Need a Special Shop Vacuum Filter for a Wet Vacuum?
Posted on October 7, 2013When using a wet dry vacuum for picking up dry materials, you should use a shop vacuum filter to avoid damaging the motor and dispersing fine particles into the air. Depending on the style of shop vacuum being used, a filter is usually only utilized during dry vacuuming. These filters are made of a paper-based […]
Continue Reading... -
Is there a Car Leather Seat Cleaner for Custom Colored Seats?
Posted on October 7, 2013Typically, car leather seat cleaner is a “one size fits all” type of product. The purpose of this product is to remove dirt and sweat from the surface of the leather. Some products are ready to use, right out of the bottle, while others require the use of water (small amounts only). Indeed, it is […]
Continue Reading... -
Why Would You Need a Wet Dry Shop Vaccuum for a Car Garage?
Posted on October 7, 2013A wet dry shop vacuum is a handy tool to have for your car garage. Whether you use your car garage for repair work or minor car maintenance, spills cannot be avoided. A wet dry shop vacuum will enable you to take care of any type of liquid or dry spill. It is not recommended […]
Continue Reading... -
Can You Remove Car Leather Dye?
Posted on October 7, 2013Car leather dye is a chemical colorant that was applied to the leather during its manufacturing process. Since leather is like your own skin, the colors become a part of the leather, just as a tattoo becomes part of your skin. This type of colorant cannot be removed. However, if the leather was colored by […]
Continue Reading... -
What’s the Easiest Way to Prevent Constant Car Leather Maintenance?
Posted on October 7, 2013Car leather maintenance is similar to maintaining the quality of your own skin, because that is what leather is: skin. Of course, the easiest way to prevent car leather maintenance is to cover the leather with a quality seat cover. However, this defeats the purpose of purchasing those beautiful leather seats in the first place. […]
Continue Reading... -
Will Car Leather Polish Run in Hot Weather?
Posted on October 7, 2013Car leather polish is actually a misnomer. That is, there is not really a product that polishes leather. In the world of leather maintenance, there are cleaners and conditioners, and that is all. However, because these types of products restore the natural beauty and glow of the finished leather product, they are often referred to as […]
Continue Reading... -
Can Engine Steam Cleaning Damage Your Engine?
Posted on October 7, 2013Engine steam cleaning is the process of using high pressure, usually heated, water to remove dirt, oil and grease for the exterior of your car’s engine and the engine compartment. Many different companies make degreaser products to help break down, or emulsify the greases and oils and make cleaning easier. Done properly, with the proper […]
Continue Reading... -
How Does a Tire Wear Indicator Work?
Posted on October 7, 2013A tire wear indicator is a tiny nodule, or bump in the tread groove of your car or truck’s tires. This wear indicator is used by mechanics to properly gauge the thickness or depth of your tire’s tread. Every tire has wear indicators in the tread groove. On some tires, especially those with extra deep […]
Continue Reading... -
How Does Tire Inflation Pressure affect the Revolutions Per Mile of a Tire?
Posted on October 7, 2013Proper tire inflation pressure is probably the single most important factor in determining whether or not you receive maximum mileage out of your tires, and what sort of fuel mileage your car gets. Improperly inflated tires will wear incorrectly and more quickly than properly inflated tires. Tires that are improperly inflated can also have slight […]
Continue Reading... -
Is Rear Tire Wear More Common than Front Tire Wear?
Posted on October 7, 2013Rear tire wear is normally much slower than front tire wear. This is because the majority of the weight of your vehicle is over the front wheels. This is also mostly because all of the steering is done by the front wheels. So they have more stresses to deal with than the rear wheels, which […]
Continue Reading... -
What are the Most Common Reasons behind Uneven Tire Wear?
Posted on October 7, 2013Uneven tire wear is an expensive problem for car owners. This is the number one reason people will have to prematurely replace a tire on their car or truck. Uneven tire wear can be caused by a number of factors. Some of these include incorrect inflation (outer edge wear equals low tire pressure), alignment issues, […]
Continue Reading... -
What is the Tire Tread Penny Trick?
Posted on October 7, 2013You’ve heard about the tire tread and penny depth testing trick, but you don’t know what it is. Almost every state mandates a minimum tire tread depth of 2/32 of an inch for passenger car tires, as measure from the top of a tread wear indicator to the top of the tread. The wear indicator […]
Continue Reading... -
What is a Tire Tread Rating for?
Posted on October 7, 2013Every tire manufacturer stamps the sidewall of their tires with a tire tread rating. This tread rating gives you, the consumer, three pieces of information. The first is an alpha character defining how your tire held up to temperature extremes under manufacturer testing. The second is also an alpha character that shows the manufacturer’s rating […]
Continue Reading... -
Is it Ok to Have a Different Tire Tread Pattern for the Front and Back Wheels?
Posted on October 7, 2013The tire tread pattern of your car’s tires is the design the manufacturer came up with. Hopefully, it enhances the tire’s ability to channel mud, snow and liquids away from the actual portion of the tread that contacts the driving surface, while maximizing the useful portion of the contact patch of the tire. Tire grooves […]
Continue Reading... -
How Do You Determine Your Car’s Tire Load?
Posted on October 7, 2013Tire load can pertain to two different definitions or numbers. A tire’s load rating, usually expressed as an alpha or alpha-numeric value defines how much total weight that tire is able to support, when properly mounted and inflated. Whether your tires uses an alpha or an alpha-numeric load rating depends on whether you have passenger […]
Continue Reading... -
What Does Extra Tire Tread Thickness do for Driving?
Posted on October 7, 2013Tire tread thickness is measured in 32nds of an inch. Legal minimum tread depth in most states is 2/32 of an inch, measured at certain spots around the tire. The tread depth is what allows liquids, dirt, mud and snow to be pushed and/or pulled away from the contact portion of the tire, allowing the […]
Continue Reading... -
How are Tire Load Ratings Determined?
Posted on October 7, 2013Tire load ratings define how much weight each tire can safely support when properly mounted, balanced and inflated. These ratings are arrived at by extensive testing performed by the Department of Transportation and the tire makers. Testing consists of tire samples being mounted on proper wheels and calibrated weight being applied until the tire fails. […]
Continue Reading... -
How Bad Should Tire Wear be When You Need a Car Tire Replacement?
Posted on October 7, 2013Fortunately, the tire industry and federal authorities have gotten together to let us know when car tire replacement should take place. During the late 1960s and 1970s, the Department of Transportation published a series for Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards which mandated, among other things, that tires must be replaced when there is one-sixteenth-of-an-inch of […]
Continue Reading... -
What’s in Wheel and Tire Cleaner that Gives the
Posted on October 7, 2013Wheel and tire cleaner is used by people who want their tires to look clean and shiny. Shiny tires help attract attention to your car and make people say “Wow, that person really takes care of their car.” Most tire cleaners contain silicone and solvents which are what allow them to give your tires that […]
Continue Reading... -
Can Applying Tire Dressing be a Safety Hazard to Driving?
Posted on October 7, 2013Tire dressing is an auto detailing product that has gained very rapidly in popularity in the last decade. Tire dressing makes your tires look new and wet. There are two types: solvent based and water based. Solvent based dressings aren’t environmentally friendly, whereas water based are. Also, solvent based dressings have been shown to speed […]
Continue Reading... -
Where can You find a Donut Spare Tire Replacement?
Posted on October 7, 2013Spare tire replacement is rather easy, again, thanks to the intervention of the Department of Transportation and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. When the car industry moved to the donut spare as a way to save money and weight, DOT and NHTSA mandated two things: 1. That the tires be replaceable and accessible and, 2. […]
Continue Reading... -
Is there a Price Difference Between Static Balancing and Dynamic Balancing for Tires?
Posted on October 7, 2013There are major differences in accuracy between static balancing and dynamic balancing of vehicle tires. Static balancing doesn’t take into account dynamic motion of the wheel and tire assembly and is only very rarely used these days. If it is used at all, it will usually only be to get a general idea of the […]
Continue Reading... -