Automotive Parts Guidelines

By Theodore Olson

The automotive industry is slowly expanding its vocabulary. For decades service customers were accustomed to such greetings as “Yeah, wudda ya want?” Or such in-depth diagnostic explanations as “It’s all set!” The industry is learning that it can’t get away with this “Joe’s Garage mentality” of service. What the industry has learned is to pack its vocabulary with value–real or fabricated.

Most service facilities get the repair description from the technician. A typical technician’s description of a repair is quite brief. He may write: “Changed oil.” If one is lucky, he may add, “and filter” too. For an oil change this may be a good enough description to justify the $29.95.

However, what if there was a serious diagnostic problem such as a car not shifting gears properly? What if the technician determines the vehicle needs a new transmission for $3700. A description stating: “Replaced trans,” for a whopping $3700 does not justify the expense–it doesn’t show the value. Read the rest of this entry »

By Austin Poepin

If you’re finding problems with affording gas, there are ways that you can lessen the amount of gas your car uses. Improving the performance of your car not only makes it run better, but it helps save on gas as well. A lot of ideas to save gas is common sense. For instance, always park your car in the shade if you can. The hotter your car becomes, the more fuel it’ll be using. If you have a garage, make sure you keep your car in it. Make sure you keep that gas cap tightened up, as well. The more secure the cap is, the less you’ll have to worry about gas leaking out or evaporating.

Pump up your tires every chance you get. Your tires will wear down quickly if you drive around with them being flat. This will cause your car’s gas mileage to decrease up to 15%. Obviously, the engine will have to work harder to keep your car going, thus burning the fuel more quickly. Speaking of tires, you should check their pressure at least once a month. You can simply buy a digital gauge. Look in your owner’s manual to find out the recommended pressure for your model. Use that as a basis to go by when using your digital gauge. You should keep your tires inflated, even if the pressure is just a little bit below what it should be.

Keep a close eye on your air filters as well, and replace them when needed. Air filters in the engine can become clogged with insects and dirt, causing the engine to work harder. According to experts, a clogged air filter can decrease your gas mileage by 10%, and will cost you an extra 15 cents a gallon. Read the rest of this entry »

By Gregg Hall

Tires are a very important part of a motorcycle. Without them the motorcycle would not be able to move in the first place. This is why it is very important that every motorcycle owner possesses general knowledge about what they can expect from the tires they plan on using from their vehicle. Choosing the wrong type of tire could adversely affect how the motorcycle drives. It may even cost a motorcycle owner more money, trying to repair flats or replace the tire all together. That’s where this article comes in. From this article motorcycle owners can get a basic overview of what they need to look for when they start investigating which tires are right for their vehicle. All of these guidelines are explained in greater detail below.

Size

To determine the size of a potential set of tires, you need to evaluate their rim width. What does this mean? It means that the tires cannot be any wider or narrower than the initial equipment tires. If they are the handling of your motorcycle could get distorted. Read the rest of this entry »