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In many parts of the US and Canada, it is common to have two sets of wheels and tires to tackle seasonal differences in driving conditions. You know what to do with them while they are on your car, but what is the proper way to store the ones you put up for the season? Here are some tips to ensure your seasonal tires are ready to go when it is time to swap them out.1.  Clean Your Wheels - Contaminants and road grime can degrade the finish on your wheels while they are in storage. Before you...

Buying a used car can be a great experience or a complete nightmare, depending on what you know when you sign on the bottom line or hand over your hard-earned cash to the seller.  While most used car establishments are reputable, there are still some that will be happy to sell you a little less car than you bargain for.  As a matter of fact, some dealers and individual sellers simply don't know the history or the problems with a car when they offer it to you. Check these ten important things be...

The cornering and rolling forces on each of your tires are different.  If you have a front wheel drive car, the power and most of the force is transmitted to the front tires while the rear tires pretty much just follow along like fixed wagon wheels.  A rear-wheel drive car or truck sends power to the back while steering forces are handled by the front wheels.  All-wheel drive and 4wd have their unique power, steering and cornering characteristics as well.  The point is, your front left tire is ...

The automotive aftermarket offers thousands of cool gadgets and gizmos to make your summer driving experience safer, more comfortable and way more entertaining. Here are the top ten coolest of the cool gadgets for 2017: 1. Dash-cam - It seems like there are cameras everywhere today, and there is no better place to put one than on your dash. If something exciting or dangerous happens while you are driving, the dash cam will catch all the action. You can use this as evidence in case of a crash, t...

With all the tires you encounter every day, it is easy to forget their humble beginning and just how far they have come since the early days of automotive development. Follow along as we recap the incredible evolution that has taken us from simple rubber rings to the products we see today. The tire had rather humble beginnings. In the late 1800's the invention of the automobile necessitated something for them to roll on. Until then, wheels were rolling around on hard wooden rims or metal bands....

You know that winter and bad weather are coming. Is your car ready? Here’s a quick checklist of things to get up to speed on: Motor oil: Motor oil has a tendency to thicken in cold weather, making it harder to circulate to upper engine parts at startup. If you haven’t ever used synthetic oil before, this might be a good time to start. The flow properties of synthetic oil are a lot more consistent, meaning it doesn’t thicken in sub-freezing temperatures or thin out when it’s hot outside. Wip...

Believe it or not, many new vehicles come without a spare tire. Manufacturers have a few different reasons for that, including weight savings, space efficiency, and cost. When you're stuck by the side of the road, though, none of that really matters much, does it?    Instead, these vehicles come equipped with an inflation kit and/or a can of sealant.    Sealant is a gooey substance in an aerosol can that's designed to coat the inside of the tire due to centrifugal force once you get rolling aga...

Believe it or not, the A/C system in your vehicle is fairly simple in principle and design. Like your refrigerator, it operates on a cycle of compression and expansion of a gas, known as refrigerant. The compressor turns the gas into a liquid, and as the gas evaporates it provides cooling. Like your refrigerator, its main components are:    Compressor Condenser  Receiver/dryer Thermostatic expansion valve Evaporator Refrigerant Blower  The good news is most automotive A/C systems...

Nobody ever looks forward to a flat tire, and nobody ever says "well, that was a really good time" after having one. You can at least minimize the damage to your tire and danger to yourself, though. Flats vs Blowouts If you get a blowout, you'll know about it right away. Sometimes the tire can fail dramatically, with a bang as loud as a shotgun going off. Other times, it might just be a loss of air and a sudden change in your car's handling, followed by vibration, noise and a pull to one side. ...

At one time, there were only a couple of choices for motor oil. Today, that is no longer the case, and hasn't been for quite some time. Here's a quick breakdown of what you need to consider when it's time for an oil change: Viscosity: Viscosity is how thick your oil is, and how it retains its pour properties at various temperatures. In this respect, synthetic oil is far superior. Conventional oils will thicken in cold weather and thin out when very hot, while the viscosity of synthetic is muc...