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Are you in the market for a new truck and trying to decide between a diesel or a gasoline engine? When it comes down to it, it is truly a driver preference. There is no clear “winner” between the two types of engines, but there certainly are some pros and cons to each. The type of truck best suited for you will depend heavily on your budget and what you will be using your truck for. Is your truck going to be your daily driver on your 40-mile commute, or will you regularly be using it to haul ...

I can think of several things I would rather buy, but it looks like a new set of tires is going to be at the top of the list. There are many factors to consider before making this investment. Here is a quick guide to finding, buying, and maintaining your new tires. Do you need new tires?  Take a close look at your tires and determine if you actually need new tires. Tread is the best place to look. You can measure the depth using an old penny or by looking at the tread wear indicators built int...

I can think of several things I would rather buy, but it looks like a new set of tires is going to be at the top of the list. There are many factors to consider before making this investment. Here is a quick guide to finding, buying, and maintaining your new tires. Do you need new tires?  Take a close look at your tires and determine if you actually need new tires. Tread is the best place to look. You can measure the depth using an old penny or by looking at the tread wear indicators built int...

Have you ever gotten a little too excited using your parking brake? At some point, most of us pull up just a little too hard and get our brake lever jammed.  There are several situations that require a little extra braking power. Knowing when and how to use your brake will help you avoid sticky situations.    When should I use my parking brake?   If you drive a manual transmission you might use your emergency brake every time you park your vehicle. You might even be using it when you are drivin...

Don’t you hate it when you try to find ways to save on gas and the first response you get is “drive less”?  If that was an option, I wouldn’t be looking up solutions. Unfortunately, we all depend on our vehicles and we all have to drive. Which means we all have to buy gas. But how can we do all this and still save money?    You can’t make it far in search results without coming across dozens of tips on how to make your gas go further. In case you’ve missed out, here are some of the best t...

Do you have a spare tire in your car? If you have to think twice about that question, I bet you either don’t have one or the spare you have needs attention. Your spare tire is one of the most important accessories on your vehicle, but it is often the most neglected.   If you never check your spare tire, it might not be useful when you need it. Here are some general steps you should take to make sure your spare tire will be ready when disaster strikes.   Think about the most basic thing you che...

Your vehicle is made of many different parts. In fact, a single vehicle can have 30,000 components or more! With so many parts, it’s hard to keep track of what they all do. In order to maintain your vehicle’s performance, your belts are something you should be familiar with. They might not be good at keeping your pants up but the belts in your car play a big role in your vehicle’s performance. The major belts in your vehicle are the serpentine belt and timing belt. Serpentines are responsibl...

How much do you remember about tire maintenance from your driver’s education class? I bet you don’t remember much. Most courses cover the rules of the road, not how to maintain a vehicle. As a new driver, there are many things to learn. Taking care of your car is one of those things. Let’s start with the one part of your vehicle that touches the road, your tires.   That’s right, your tires are the only part of your vehicle that actually touch the road. That makes them an important safety fe...

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 pu...

North American roads cover millions of miles of landscape through habitats that vary from desert and grassland to mountain or forest and everything in-between. While we enjoy the freedom of the open road, we are nearly always crossing through the homes of wild creatures which may venture out on the road at the worst time possible.  Follow these tips to avoid a collision with our natural neighbors. 1.  Pay Attention - It may seem like the most basic of instructions, but in our tech-crazy world t...