There are few trends more frustrating than so-called “shrinkflation.” While pure inflation, the gradual decrease in purchasing power, is a necessary evil in a healthy economy, shrinkflation is more of a money-making scheme that serves little purpose aside from padding a manufacturer’s profit margins. For those who have been lucky enough to avoid the experience, […]
Category: Tires
All-Season vs All-Weather Tires: Which Should Be on Your Car?
Road and weather conditions are seldom ideal, and most drivers need tires that can adapt to various conditions. Specifically, you need tires that will best handle winter conditions in your area, whether they involve cool temperatures and rain or regular snowstorms. Preferably, you won’t need to constantly change tires throughout the year. All-season and all-weather […]
Nokian Retractable Studded Tires: What Are They, and Should You Buy Them?
Studded tires have been a winter-weather option for decades, and it appeared the technology had hit its limit. However, as serious car people learned in early March, there’s always room for innovation even in a seemingly mature field. That’s when Nokian Tyres, the Scandinavian company that released not only the first true winter tire in […]
Tread Lightly: Everything You Should Know About Retreading Tires
If you’ve ever seen Forrest Gump, you may remember a line about a special school that taught kids how to retread tires. I had no idea what that meant through my early years, but that was my introduction to the word. As I got older, I’d see a semi on the side of the highway […]
Run-Flat and Self-Sealing Tires: Should You Have Them on Your Vehicle?
Few things feel more devastating than being stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire, especially in the middle of the night with no cell phone service. (Yes, it’s happened to me.) Trying to change a tire or arrange a tow truck can be time-consuming, expensive, and potentially life-threatening. Even if you […]
Getting Your Car Ready for Spring and Summer
Soon enough, the temperatures will warm up, the snow will melt, and the weather will be perfect for spring and summer cruising. Before hitting the highway, though, your car needs some TLC. Winter weather, especially in the Northeast and Upper Midwest, wreaks havoc on vehicles. The right maintenance will resolve small issues before they become […]
The Grinch’s Guide to Winter Car Care
Everyone on the road loves the holidays a lot, but cold weather can put drivers in a tough spot. Most drivers hate snow, ice, and road salt, which can bring your Christmas travel plans to a halt. It could be you don’t know your way around a shovel, or think clearing your roof is just […]
Choosing a Spare Tire vs an Inflation Kit for Emergency Repairs
It’s practically inevitable you’ll eventually find yourself with a flat tire. Multiple sources report that roughly 220 million flat tires occur in the US every year—and on average, a driver will experience five flat tires in their lifetime. Although roadside assistance and towing services can get your car to safety, this will take a lot […]
Get Ready for Snow: Prep Your Winter Emergency Kit
It’s that time of year again to make sure your vehicle is ready for the winter. There are quite a few ways you should go about this, including making sure your battery is in good shape, checking and replacing your windshield wipers, and perhaps adding antifreeze to your washer fluid. This is also the time […]
Get a Grip With Our Guide to Tire Chains
If you want to improve your vehicle’s traction in tough winter conditions, you have two options. The first is switching out your regular all-season tires for a set of snow tires. This annual rite of passage might make sense for those living in the colder reaches of the country, but for those who are less […]
A Buyer’s Guide to Portable Tire Inflators
It’s easy to take care of low air pressure at a gas station, but what if you’re out in the middle of nowhere and don’t want to risk causing more serious damage during the miles you’ll have to drive to get to an air pump? Having a portable tire inflator in the trunk can give […]
Get Pumped With Our Guide to Tire Pressure
Along with refilling the windshield washer fluid and checking the dipstick, using a tire pressure gauge is often one of the first basic car maintenance tasks that every driver will learn. When compared to changing your oil, rotating your tires, and replacing belts and filters, this simple chore might seem relatively inconsequential, but that couldn’t […]
What Do Tire Wear Patterns Say About Your Alignment?
Proper car care often requires a holistic approach, where the entirety of your vehicle needs to be considered rather than just individual parts. Different parts of your vehicle are interconnected and affect each other. While you sit inside your car, the steering wheel you hold is connected to a steering column, which goes to the […]
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 […]
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 […]
It’s That Time Again: Get Your Car Ready for Winter
The days are getting shorter, the air is getting colder, and the hordes of insects that plagued us all summer have made a retreat. All of this can only mean one thing: winter is right around the corner. Before you start hearing holiday tunes everywhere you go or begin having stressful dreams about family dinners […]
What to Know When Customizing Your Wheels
Your wheels are some of the most important parts of your vehicle, but that doesn’t mean you can’t also use them to express yourself. The wheels put on your car by the factory work just fine, of course, but there are numerous reasons you might want to customize your wheels or swap them out for […]
Take These Critical Preventative Actions to Prepare Your Vehicle for Colder Temperatures
As the days get shorter and the leaves start to change, it’s not only time to dig out those cozy sweaters and grab yourself a pumpkin spice latte – it’s also a sign that your vehicle needs attention. As you say goodbye to summer, it’s a great time to prepare your car for colder temperatures. […]
Brake Rotors 101: A Critical Component for Stopping Your Car
Did you know the average American applies their brakes approximately 200 times each day? Whether stopping at a red light or using your brake to reduce your speed, your brakes are critical to your safety behind the wheel and everyone else’s safety on the road. Because of this, finding a reputable team to handle brake […]
Rubber Match: Comparing Summer and All-Season Tires
A dedicated set of summer tires can have a noticeable effect on overall vehicle performance, control, and comfort. Summer tires—also commonly known as performance tires—might not be as versatile as the all-season tires typically found on most vehicles, but if you’re looking to unlock the potential of your sports car, performance vehicle, or EV, they’ll […]
Track Tires, Compared: What’s Right For You?
Breathe in. Breathe out. Your fingers flex around the wheel. Your feet twitch on the pedals. Your eyes dart between the track ahead, and the signal holding you back. The light changes, and in the blink of an eye you spring into action! Your foot slams the accelerator, tires scream as they spin, and spin, […]