automotive

Three Signs That It's Time To Schedule A Brake Job

While some components on your vehicle can wear out with little or no notice, the good news about your brakes is that they’ll provide you with plenty of signs of their imminent demise. As a driver, it’s important to be able to catch these indicators so that you can schedule a brake job at your local auto shop in a timely manner. Continuing to drive on failing brakes can put you at risk, given that they’ll reach a point that they provide poor braking response and leave you with an inability to stop your vehicle promptly.


Customize Your Flatbed Utility Trailer With These Options

When it comes to buying a flatbed trailer, you have many decisions to make. You have to decide on what material you want the platform to be made of, select an electric harness and pick your paint color. But the decisions you have to make don’t end there. There are many products you can add on to your flatbed trailer to help customize it and make it more useful for you.


Four Tips For Buying A Semi Truck

If you drive a semi truck for a living, you know that so much of your life and livelihood literally rides on the quality of the vehicle that you drive. You can help yourself out a lot by knowing when to ditch your current vehicle and buy a new semi truck. Whether you want to buy a semi truck that is brand new or gently used, there are some guidelines below that will assist you in your hunt.


Not Just For Hauling Stuff: Convert A Cargo Trailer For Recreation And Residence

If you’ve ever wanted to head to the beach or mountain wilderness but wanted living quarters a little sturdier than a tent, read on. Here is an introduction to converting a cargo trailer into a recreational trailer, whether you want overnight shelter or even a permanent portable residence. Uses for a Cargo Trailer Cargo trailers have been getting a lot of use lately for more than just hauling stuff. While they make great garden sheds, work spaces, and bunk houses when parked on-site, you can also hitch one to a pickup truck or SUV and bring it with you on your recreational outings.


Changing Your Own Brake Pads: Important Dos And Don'ts

Each time you press your brake pedal, your car’s brake pads are gradually worn down. Eventually, they will need to be replaced to ensure safe braking. If your brake pads are in need of replacing, you might want to consider replacing them yourself as a means of saving some money. It’s a relatively simple job, but there are some important tips to keep in mind if you decide to try this at home.


3 Ways To Tell If It's Time For An Oil Change

Regular maintenance plays an important role in keeping your car’s engine running efficiently. While there are many types of maintenance tasks to attend to, making sure that you get regular oil changes is essential when it comes to preventing your engine from overheating. If you don’t want to invest in an oil change before it’s absolutely necessary, here are three signs you can look for to determine if it’s time for an oil change in the future.


Three Important Factors To Consider Before You Rent A Limo

Whether you have a formal event coming up or you’re just keen on adding some wow factor to an otherwise simple activity, you might find yourself preparing to rent a limo. With many limo rental companies in large cities, you have a number of options at your disposal. It’s useful to talk to a few limo companies and have your questions answered. Although you’ll want to talk about the rental cost and the nature of the available vehicles, here are three other topics to consider when you’re going through the process of choosing a limo company.


Have Kids? 3 Features To Look For In Your Next New Car

If you are in the market for a new car, you have likely noticed the many features available on cars today. With so many bells and whistles being offered, it can be difficult to determine which are essential. If you have children, using your kids to help you decide which features are necessary can be a simple way to narrow down your options. Here are three features to be looking for in your next new car if you have children in your home.


4 Accessories That Will Make Your Pickup Truck More Off-Road Friendly

If you find yourself wishing your pickup truck were better suited for off road travel, then you’re in luck. There are lots of accessories you can choose from. These accessories won’t make your truck unsafe for highway travel, so you can install them and leave them on. Unlike off-road tires, these accessories are perfect for any road condition. Bug Shield If you’re traveling backcountry roads, then you’re going to be dealing with lots of bugs.


Three Reasons Your Old Mercedes AC May Not Be Running Efficiently

If you’ve owned your Mercedes car since the 1980s, you’re probably very proud of its durability and driveability. But what about its air conditioning abilities? If you’ve ever had the car’s AC system converted to R-134a refrigerant, you may have noticed some lessening in its cooling power. This, unfortunately, occurs in many cases of adapting, and it can be due to one of the following causes. 1. The refrigerant has been slowly leaking out of the system.


How To Manage Water Accumulation In Your Air Compressor

When you run an air compressor, one of the things you need to be attentive to is the accumulation of water both in the tank and in the lines. Since the compressed air condenses the water vapor that naturally occurs in air, this is an ongoing concern as long as you use an air compressor. The accumulation of moisture inside the tank and lines can threaten the components, causing corrosion of the metal pieces.


4 Ways To Save On Your Long-Term Car Maintenance Costs

As a vehicle owner, of course you want to do your part to preserve the value of your car–especially if you plan on selling it at some point down the road. However, if budget is a concern, spending money on certain car maintenance tasks can seem a bit daunting or may not be financially feasible. Fortunately, there are a few car maintenance tips you can follow now that could save you a significant amount of money down the road.


How To Prepare Your Crane For Transport

If you are transporting your crane from one work site to another, you might be planning on using the services of a heavy haul company like Apex Transportation to have it towed, or you might have your own truck to get the job done. Regardless, it isn’t as easy as simply loading your crane onto the truck; instead, you have to make sure that your crane is properly prepared for this move.


Exterior Repairs And Renovations To Ensure Your RV Restoration Lasts For Years

An RV can be a great piece of equipment for traveling, but it can also be costly. This is why many people are investing in old RVs and restoring them. There are many things that can be done to the interior of your RV to update it, as well as exterior improvements. When you are doing exterior repairs to your RV, you may want to do improvements like add an impermeable undercoating or install solar membranes on the roof.


Ideal Times To Purchase Specific Truck Parts

Doing work on your truck will help reduce the price of the repair, especially during a rebuild. It is possible to purchase used parts at salvage yards, but there are times when factory parts are the best route to go. Here are a few of the reasons you should spend the money and use new or specific parts. Customization When you are looking at customizing your truck, it is important that you spend the money on high-quality aftermarket parts.


5 Signs Your Transmission Is In Trouble

Whether you drive a sports car or a mini-van, the transmission is one of the most important components of your vehicle. Without it, you would not be able to change the gears on your car. If you think your transmission may be going out, you should take it to an auto repair shop as soon as possible. Here are five signs your transmission is in trouble. 1. Rough shifts If the gear shifts on your car are not very smooth anymore, your transmission is not working properly.


Choosing A Limo For Your Special Occasion

Limousines have long been associated with elegance and luxury. Consequently, it really is no surprise that so many people choose to rent a limo when celebrating a special occasion, such as a wedding, prom, or high school reunion. However, while a limo may be the go-to vehicle for these special moments in your life, not every occasion will require the same type of limousine. This is because the market now has several different types of limos to offer, all of which come equipped with very different features.


Interesting Facts About Commercial Trucks

You are likely familiar with commercial trucks; as a child, you may have even pumped your fist at a semi-truck passing on the highway in an attempt to get the driver to honk the horn at you. Tractor-trailer trucks are a common sight on the highways and interstates; however, there may be a few fun facts about these trucks that you are not be aware of. Size   Tractor-trailer trucks are massive.


3 Ingenious Do-It-Yourself Ways To Fix Small Dents In Your Car

Dent repair can seem impossible without consulting a professional, which usually means making an even larger dent in your wallet. If you have a small dent in your car fender or bumper, take a look at one of the three following do-it-yourself methods. You’ll save a great deal of time and money and more than a few headaches. Using a Plunger Using a plunger to pop out a car dent might seem almost comical, but more often than not it’s a perfectly viable solution for larger dents above the rear wheel wells.


4 Tips For Saving Money On Your Teen Driver's Insurance

Do you have a teen driver in the house? If so, you’ve probably seen a spike in your car insurance premiums. Because they lack experience, teen drivers are often viewed by insurance companies as being a sizable risk. That risk is reflected in your premium. There are steps you can take, though, to manage the cost. Your car insurance premiums don’t have to explode simply because your son or daughter is now behind the wheel.


Auto Repair Emergencies: How to Prevent Your Windshield Damage from Spreading

There is nothing worse than being in the middle of a long road trip when a pebble suddenly jumps up and chips your windshield. There is simply no way you can get the damaged repaired for at least a few days, but you know that if you do nothing the damage will only continue to get worse and you may even end up needing a whole new windshield by the time you make it back from your trip.


How On Board GPS Systems Can Reduce Your Fleet Maintenance Costs

As a fleet maintenance manager, it’s up to you to optimize the use and care of your company’s vehicle fleet. As the fleet size grows, it can be an overwhelming prospect if you haven’t set up some reliable systems to help you control costs and make the most of the vehicles that you have. One of the best things you can do for your vehicle fleet is to install GPS tracking in each one.


A Tune-Up Will Save You Money In The Long Run

It’s difficult to part with hard-earned cash for car maintenance. After all, you can’t really see or hold what you get in return for spending your money like you can shoes, clothes or electronics. Car tune-ups, however, can save you a large amount of money in the long run. Tune-ups from trusted mechanics such as Advanced Auto Care help keep your vehicle in good working condition, making it less likely that something will go wrong, costing you hundreds or thousands of dollars to repair.


When All Hail Breaks Loose: How Do You Repair The Dents In Your Car?

Getting caught in a hail storm pretty much guarantees that your car is going to have some dents and a dinged up finish, especially on the hood, trunk and roof. Even if the damage isn’t extensive, you don’t want to let the dents go unfixed. They not only ruin the look of your car, there’s usually microscopic fissures in the finish that can let rust take hold. Here’s a guide to 3 different ways to handle the problem.


How To Get The Best Deal In Auto Financing

Auto loans can be acquired from many sources. Of course, your credit rating can help or hurt your ability to get the best deal possible, but other factors affect auto financing as well. These include: Income and current debts. Your income will be the major factor in determining whether you can get a car loan, as well as how much car you can afford. However, the level of your current debt will also be considered.


Can You Repair Your Own Vehicle's Upholstery?

A large scratch or a deep hole can seriously damage the visual appeal of your vehicle’s interior. With the right supplies and a little bit of information, there is no reason why you cannot repair the minor damage on your own. Fixing Ripped Up Seats Regardless of if you know how your seat was ripped or if you bought it that way, this is a fairly easy and cheap problem to fix.


How To Perform A Radiator Flush On Your Vehicle

At some point, you are going to need to replace the radiator coolant in your vehicle. This is because, over time, the cooling system can become clogged and it needs to be cleaned out in order to work and function properly again. Here’s how to get started: What You Need: Phillips Head Screwdriver Rag Flush Cleaning Solution New Coolant A Funnel Used Coolant Receptacle How to Perform the Flush: