Given their role in bringing your two-ton car, truck, or SUV to a stop, you can really never be too careful ensuring your brakes are in good working order. We all know the standard maintenance checklist when it comes to the brakes—keeping an eye on brake fluid, replacing brake pads every 20,000 miles, and brake […]
Year: 2023
Diesel vs. Gas: Choosing the Right Engine For Your Next Pickup
Diesel and gas engines have a great deal in common, but there are also some key differences. Both diesel and gas engines use internal combustion to create power. Both employ pistons to drive a crankshaft to send power through the drivetrain and, ultimately, to the wheels. The main difference comes down to some specific steps […]
What Makes Nissan’s VC-Turbo Engines So Special?
Every major automaker has something noteworthy about what they provide with their vehicles that they want to stand out—from design cues and interior technology to performance capabilities or off-road features. There is always something that sets a company’s series of models apart from the competition. In Nissan’s case, it’s their VC-Turbo engines. You may have […]
Buying Used? Don’t Forget to Check…
Are you looking at used cars, trying to decide which one fits your needs? A used car is a great way to save money while getting some premium features without hurting your wallet. But, every experienced car buyer knows that buying a pre-owned car can present a few potential risks to drivers. That is why […]
Understanding Your Honda’s Maintenance Needs
For your Honda to last a long time and function at its best, regular auto maintenance is necessary. In addition to ensuring your safety while driving, maintaining your Honda provides a number of advantages. Above all, regular maintenance helps avert possible problems before they develop into serious and expensive repairs. Following the recommended maintenance for […]
More Than Hot Air: A Look at the Modern Airbag
From waxing the hood to deep-cleaning the wheels and giving the dash a healthy coat of Armor All, drivers tend to obsess over the smallest details. That said, there’s one common vehicle component that no driver is in a rush to get acquainted with: the airbag. This vital piece of safety equipment is the last […]
How to Keep Your Cool When Your Engine Gets Too Hot
There you are, minding your own business, when suddenly you smell something like burning sugar coming from your vehicle, and what appears to be smoke starts to pour up along the sides of your hood. Safe to say, your day just got a whole lot worse—but it’s not the end of the world. An overheating […]
What Is Power Steering and What Are Some Causes of Power Steering Failure?
From performance upgrades and safety systems to convenience and comfort features, there have been countless advancements in automotive technology since the first gas-powered car was produced in 1886. We tend to take such features for granted, but it’s hard to imagine getting behind the wheel of a vehicle that lacks an electric ignition starter, seat […]
A Lifted Truck for an Off-Road Advantage
If you’re an avid off-roader, you know the value of good ground clearance; putting a little extra space between your vehicle and the road can mean the difference between a successful excursion and one that ends in frustration. Coil spring spacers can add between 10 and 12 mm of ground clearance, while a set of […]
9 Moto-Must Haves for This Holiday Season
Are you shopping for a motorcycle enthusiast this holiday season but are stumped on what to get them? Maybe you considered getting them parts or gear, but you had no idea where to start? Motorcycles are very personal, and so is riding gear, so it can get a little hard to figure out exactly what […]
Fuel Economics 101: Why Do Older Cars Lose Efficiency?
While horsepower and torque are certainly important, fuel efficiency tends to be the most critical metric for the average driver. Having plenty of power is always nice, but on a day-to-day basis, your vehicle’s fuel economy will be a far more relevant statistic. If you’re shopping for a new or pre-owned vehicle, fuel economy can […]
What Can You Fix on Your Own, and When Do You Need a Pro?
Few things are quite as satisfying as working on your own vehicle, either making repairs or simply keeping up with maintenance to ensure it runs as well as possible. There are plenty of relatively simple tasks and repairs that just about anyone can do at home with minimal investment in tools or supplies, but there […]
Modding Your Way To Better Fuel Efficiency
Driven by technological innovation and tightening efficiency standards, fuel economy has been on a steady rise for decades. In 1970, the average vehicle posted a lowly 12 MPG, which rose to almost 17 MPG by 2000. The last twenty years have seen even more impressive growth, with an average MPG of 25.4 in 2020—an increase […]
Cast Versus Forged Wheels: Which One Is Right for You
Wheels come in all shapes and sizes, from run-of-the-mill designs straight from the factory to custom styles that can turn a vehicle into a one-of-a-kind work of automotive art. While style is certainly important, so is construction, which is why all drivers should familiarize themselves with the different types of wheels on offer. Wheels are […]
What Accessories and Parts Do You Need for Your Chevy?
So you’ve just driven away from your local Chevrolet dealer in a shiny new (or used) vehicle, and you’re happy with everything your car has to offer. You want for nothing, right? If you’re anything like me, even when you’ve found the vehicle you’re looking for and got the bells and whistles you wanted, there’s […]
Shopping for the Holidays? Here Are the Best Car Tools to Buy
If you are looking for the perfect holiday present for the gearhead in your life (or are looking for ideas to treat yourself for the holidays), then you might not know where to start. After all, there are a ton of options to choose from. While car parts are intensely personal, high-quality tools for the […]
Battery Trouble? How to Test Motorcycle Voltage Regulators/Rectifiers
The motorcycle world is full of its own jargon, which can easily lead to some confusion when it comes time for repairs or maintenance work. A bike’s electrical system is a great example. While cars, trucks, and SUVs charge their batteries through an alternator, motorcycles work a little bit differently. Instead of a traditional alternator, […]
EV Batteries 101: Understanding Electric Power
Electric vehicles aren’t a modern invention, with the first electric vehicle (EV) developed over a century ago. However, it hasn’t been until recently that electric vehicles have finally proven themselves as a viable alternative to gas-powered cars reliant on internal combustion engines. Today, the burgeoning market has popularized the search for EVs for sale across […]
No Fuss, No Muss, No Dust: Cleaning Your Car’s Air Filters
There are a number of essential aspects to automotive maintenance, and one that often can be overlooked is your car’s air filters. The integrity of your filters is paramount for several reasons, and you have far more of them than you may realize. Knowing what each one does is critical to the well-being and performance […]
Unpacking the Basics of Crate Engines
If you’ve been around automotive magazines, blogs, and vlogs long enough, you’ve heard about crate engines. But if you’re like me and haven’t spent a lot of time in a garage, you might have questions about what that term means. In my case, the pronoun “Krait” has been subconsciously associated with a spaceship marque in […]
PowerStop Versus DFC: Who’s the Aftermarket Brake Boss?
The stock brake pads that come on most vehicles are thoroughly tested to ensure reliable, consistent stopping power. They’re often relatively quiet, produce little dust, and are designed to make the braking process feel as smooth as possible. These are all great qualities when it comes to a daily driver, but once you start adding […]