Buyers Guide Car Care

You may find the idea of your teenager sitting behind the wheel of your car slightly terror-inducing, but you’ll actually increase the chances of an accident if you don’t allow them to practice. Driver’s education programs are an excellent place to start, but they may only amount to 7-10 hours of actual drive time. The experience needed to become reasonably proficient is closer to 50 hours and that can vary from state to state. Still that’s around two hours per week spread out over six months!1 You’ll be responsible for ensuring your young driver not only learns the basics of driving, but also gains enough experience to drive with confidence.

One of the joys of the holiday season is the opportunity to see family and friends that live far away. Unfortunately, this often involves more than a simple journey of “over the river and through the wood.” Crowded highways are the new normal, resulting in greater exposure to potential accidents. Many drivers will be travelling in unfamiliar areas, which could lead to distractions from checking the GPS. Winter weather can be unpredictable, making the roads themselves dangerous, and there is always the unfortunate possibility that revelers will hit the road before they’ve completely sobered up. The best defense against unforeseen misfortune is preparedness. If you take the time to prepare your vehicle and make sure your coverage is up to date, you’ll be able to hit the road with confidence!

According to the EPA, “greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation account for about 27 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, making it the largest contributor of U.S. GHG emissions.” And with almost 95% of American households owning at least one vehicle, it remains vital that American drivers—particularly those with traditional, gas-powered cars—try to adopt eco-friendly driving and car-care habits. The good news? It’s a lot easier than you might think.

There’s nothing like feeling the wind on your face, whether you’re cruising down the highway on your motorcycle or riding the waves on your boat or jet ski. The last thing anyone wants is to have a perfect day on the road or water ruined by an accident, but the situation will be made even worse if you find yourself without the proper insurance coverage to help you in the aftermath. Due to their unique natures, boats and motorcycles require special insurance coverage in addition to your existing homeowner and auto policies. Read on to learn what to look for in a policy, tips for shopping around, and more.

Strict travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders at the beginning of the pandemic led to decreased sales of Recreational Vehicles, but the mobile lifestyle has since experienced a resurgence as more jobs become remote-friendly, social distancing becomes a feature of everyday life, and people are looking to make up for lost travel time. The perks of RV living, whether it is full- or part-time, are appealing to many—it offers individuals and families easy access to travel, flexibility, and a more affordable lifestyle. But how do you protect your home-on-wheels, as well as the people and property inside? The answer is RV insurance. This coverage is a unique combination of the coverages you find in auto and homeowner insurance policies that will help with peace of mind on and off the road.

Whether you are paying a mortgage or rent, it is important to insure your home against potential disasters. But it is also vital that you understand the difference between homeowner’s and renter’s insurance—though similar, the two are tailored to fit the unique needs of your living situation. Below, you will find an overview of each type of policy before we dive more deeply into renter’s insurance and the ways it can help protect you (and your possessions) regardless of the coverage provided by your landlord.

Buying a home is a lengthy, complex process that tests the patience of even the most organized individuals. When it comes to protecting the place you call home, it is imperative that finding appropriate insurance coverage is part of the home buying process. If you are financing your home most banks and mortgage lenders require home insurance to approve your loan, but regardless of how you go about purchasing, home insurance is a practical step you can take that can help you mitigate financial hardship down the road. Like car insurance, not all policies are created equally, making it important to shop around to find the right combination of coverage and price. To help, we have put together a practical overview of all the information you will need to decide on a policy that fits your lifestyle and budget—read on and shop with confidence!

When purchasing car insurance, we all hope we’ll never have to use it. And while there are several steps you can take to avoid accidents, the reality is that more than six million car accidents occur every year in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Sooner or later, most of us will experience an accident, be it a fender-bender or a more severe collision. So, what do you do in the aftermath? Committing this information to memory can help keep an incredibly stressful situation from becoming overwhelming, so let’s go through the steps you should take.

Driving has become such a normal part of our everyday lives that it’s easy to forget the risks we take when getting into a vehicle.  While some take safety to heart at an early age, it can be an eye opener for others when they become parents and begin a journey with their precious cargo. Luckily, the rules for keeping your children safe while driving are the same for safe driving in general, but car safety also extends beyond on-the-road practices. Knowing how to keep your family safe in, out, and around your vehicle will help instill good safety habits in children, ease stress and worry in parents, and reduce the number of accidents your family is involved in overall.

Here are the best car waxes you can buy that will give you great results and help protect your paint.

Not everyone has the time to wax their car regularly. Traditional paste wax can take over an hour to apply, with a thorough process of rubbing, buffing, and cleaning up afterward. If you’re looking for an easy and efficient way to give your car’s finish a layer of wax protection, consider spray waxes. While spray waxes don’t last as long as traditional paste wax, they can be applied in as little as 15 minutes, depending on the size of your car. Spray waxes are designed to offer a good level of protection with less effort; they work better if your car already has a layer of existing wax protection.

All passenger vehicles in North America have had polycarbonate plastic headlights for decades, and they all have one thing in common: They are constantly exposed to the elements and over time they turn dull, yellowed, or foggy. Not only does this look bad, but it can cut down the amount of light dramatically. Fortunately, headlight restoration kits can restore almost all old headlights, or at least bring make them bright enough to be safe again.

What does the future of driving mean for the future of insurance? As automotive technology continues to evolve, the needs of drivers, automotive makers, and insurance companies will also shift. With researchers predicting the autonomous vehicle market will be worth 400 billion U.S. dollars globally by 2025, and in advanced economies, highways will be nearly driver-free by 2050 1, it’s important to begin digging into the implications of this transformation for your own insurance needs and the future of driving as a whole.

In the internet age, it’s quicker and easier than ever to gather loads of information on any pre-owned vehicle. The license plate lookup tool at Bumper.com is one information source worth looking into.

So you’re in the market for a used car. Congratulations. Whether trading up or acquiring your first car, car-shopping is one of life’s biggest milestones. After all, a car is likely the second-most-expensive thing you’ll buy in your life next to real estate. Whether you’re a veteran or shopping the market for the first time, here are some tips on what to look for when buying a used car, presented as a handy used car checklist.

Welcome to AutoGuide’s Deals of the Week. Do you have the time to scour the internet to find the best deals on auto parts and accessories?

So you think you’ve found your dream car, or at least your ideal example of your next car. While it may not be the cheapest example on the market, it sure seems to tick all the boxes. It features significantly lower mileage than most other examples. It has all the options you could possibly want: heated seats, automatic climate control, adaptive HID headlights and a branded premium audio system. The vehicle history report comes back as clean as a freshly pressed pair of fine Italian slacks and the vehicle is verified to be free of any liens. You’ve pressed every button you could find and all the electrical gadgets and gizmos seem to be working perfectly. The body appears to be in phenomenal shape, as does the interior. It’s even in your favorite color combination. Oh what a savvy shopper you are. But wait, isn’t there something you’re forgetting? It may seem perfect, but is it actually perfect or is it all a facade? Shouldn’t you get verification that it is indeed the real deal? Of course you should. Here are six reasons why you need a pre-purchase inspection.

We all love the idea of travelling with our best friends—whether they have two legs or four! But before you hit the road you need to make sure you understand how to keep your pets safe in the car, as well as how they fit into your insurance coverage.

We think open discussion and information is good for the insurance business. Otherwise, it’s easy for misconceptions to spread and become common knowledge. Misunderstanding the ins-and-outs of your insurance policy could be a costly mistake, which is why we’re taking the time to tackle some of the most common myths when it comes to auto insurance.

Every vehicle has a story, and before you pull the trigger on any pre-owned car, truck, or SUV, a VIN lookup can help you learn what that story is.

Shopping for insurance has changed dramatically in recent years. Smaller companies have entered the marketplace (there are now over 6,000 insurance companies and 36,000 independent agencies serving consumers across the US!), new technologies have made pricing more accurate, and comparison shopping has become a regular part of the insurance buying process. Some consumers prefer to work with an insurance agent and others are content to complete the entire process on their own online.

Do you tend to stay on cruise control when it comes to renewing your auto insurance? You could be leaving money on the table if you aren’t taking the time to shop around for the best rates and coverage tailored to your needs.

It’s hard to think of a more important automotive component than brakes. The ability to stop your car quickly, consistently, and repeatedly without losing control is crucial to keeping you and others safe out on the road. If your braking system isn’t well maintained, your chance of being involved in something “unfortunate” increases significantly.

Thinking about buying a new sports or performance car? The cost of insurance is probably one of your top concerns. However, performance car insurance may not necessarily make your premium skyrocket. In short, be careful how you shop, choose the right agency partner, and understand what insurance carriers consider potential risk.

Looking at bringing home a new truck? It might be time to review your insurance policy to make sure you have the right coverage. Truck insurance for your pickup is largely the same as car insurance for your car. So, switching to a pickup doesn’t necessarily mean you have to switch to a different policy, but there are differences. Here are some tips to help you shop for truck insurance that fits your needs.

You may have an image of washing a car in a driveway with a hose and a bucket of suds, but the best foam cannons are a much easier way to do it. Not do they take less time and water, they also takes out some of the risk of rubbing grit into your finish. Even if you’re not that passionate about detailing or washing your car, owning a pressure washer and a foam cannon to use with makes the job a lot faster, easier, and can give you better results.

You know the scene… You’re driving along, taking in the sights, when suddenly – WHAP. A pebble, or stone, or other piece of road debris flies into your windshield, putting a chip or crack in the glass. Go to  Safelite.com and schedule an appointment. It could start spreading immediately, or maybe you say to yourself  “I’ve got time – I’ll take it to Safelite® next week”. And before you know it, the damage has spread. Now it’s obstructing your view and distracting you while you drive.

The biggest leaps in automotive technology over the past few years haven’t been in propulsion; they’ve been in driver safety. The average new vehicle is safer than it’s ever been, with highly advanced, sophisticated systems that can literally “see” the road and warn of – or react to – potential threats.

When it is time to shop for car insurance, the most common way to do it is through an agent. But not all insurance agents are the same. Some work directly for one insurance company, while others are independent insurance agencies that can help you find the best value for your specific insurance needs. Here’s how you can get the most out of your auto insurance by using an independent insurance agency.

Steam cleaners clean differently from any other method you might use. Because of this, they are often the only tool to get rid of stains and dirt that nothing else will touch.

Getting the best ceramic coating on your car was once only a job for the very best specialty car detailing shops. They were only introduced in 2010, and for the first years weren’t really available for home users. Only professionals used the best ceramic coating for cars, and if you ever visited a shop for a quote, you might have left shocked with an estimate that can easily be over,$1,000 for a quality ceramic coat using products from a professional-only brand such as Ceramic Pro. Few normal people can spend that much money on ceramic coating, so thankfully, car detailing brands have formulated their own products at a much more affordable price.

If you’ve entered the rideshare side hustle game, or are considering it, you’re not alone.  More than one million Americans are already driving for at least one of the two big rideshare companies, Uber, and Lyft. You’ll need to think about your ride as well as gas prices and more vehicle maintenance, but are you properly insured for rideshare driving? You should be, and products like  Toyota Auto Insurance can help you make sure you are.

Not everyone can say that they discovered their lifelong passion at the age of nine, but this racecar driver has always been a gearhead with a need for speed. As a pro drag racer in the Top Fuel category of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), Alex Laughlin was bitten by the adrenaline bug at a young age, starting things off with go-karts and continuing to ramp up the speed from there.

If you drive in the winter, it’s going to happen sooner or later. Your car gets stuck in the snow. Don’t panic, you can usually get your car, truck, or SUV out of the snow without needing a tow truck or other heavy equipment to do the work for you. Here are eight steps for when your car is stuck in the snow.

It’s a cold, dark night and you’re walking out to your car. You get in, press the start button, and instead of the usual sound of your engine bursting to life you hear nothing. Just a small click comes from the front of your car as dim gauges cast a dull glow onto your distraught face. You need a boost, but do you know how? Here’s what you need to know to jump-start your car, truck, or SUV.

Car seat covers are a practical, stylish accessory; they can also add value by keeping your interior in top-notch shape. A removable car seat cover can have fancy patterns and colors that spice up your interior, but its main purpose is to keep your car’s seats clean. Whether you want to protect protecting against spills, dirt, mud, or sweat, car seat covers come in a variety of prices and materials, so they’re not as easy to shop for as you may initially think. If you have a truck or large SUV, we cover those in a separate article.

Sailun’s Terramax A/T has always been a shockingly good performer from a relatively unknown brand. Now, there’s a new winter-rated version of the Terramax A/T that’s putting the whole industry on notice.

The Mazda CX-5 comes with an impressive list of standard features for an affordable sport utility vehicle. In addition to the standard and optional features, the automaker offers a variety of Mazda CX-5 accessories that make it a better vehicle for each individual owner, but there are some things that you can’t get from the dealership. Of course, if you buy your Mazda SUV from a private buyer, you cannot add accessories to the final bill and that is why the automaker aftermarket is such a thriving industry.

There are few names in the world of American sport utility vehicles which are more respected than that of the Jeep Cherokee. While the larger Grand Cherokee is the more popular model, the smaller Cherokee is a great option for someone who wants a midsized SUV that offers exceptional on- and off-road driving dynamics and loads of interior tech for a low price point. Also, thanks to the Jeep Performance Parts catalog, the brand offers scores of Jeep Cherokee accessories for the interior and exterior.

In a market awash in SUVs, the Toyota 4Runner still stands out, in that it’s one of the few SUVs that has kept its design focus on off-road capability. We’ve rounded up the best Toyota 4Runner accessories to help you tackle the roads less traveled.

Changing your own oil is the cheapest way to perform the most important piece of maintenance on your car, truck, or SUV. It’s also a great way to keep a close eye on the state of the rest of your vehicle, giving you the chance to check your brakes and other fluids as well as look for rust and other damage, every time you get under for an oil change. What if you’re not handy with a wrench and aren’t sure what to do? No problem, here’s how to change your own oil.

The leaves are turning across much of the country, and with it, the temperatures are dropping. That means it’s time to get your vehicle and yourself ready for winter, whatever winter is in your area. For many, that means,  snow, cold, and ice. For a few, that means it’s finally cool enough to step outside. Whatever your situation, this is how to winterize your car and yourself.

The Chevrolet Camaro was a staple of the muscle car scene from the late 1960s through to the early 2000s. Then, in 2002, Chevrolet discontinued its iconic pony car, citing poor sales due to a lack of demand for sporty coupes. When Chevrolet brought the Camaro muscle car back in 2010, it borrowed a page from the Ford Mustang’s playbook by styling the new car to recall the original Camaro of the late 1960s.

Why won’t my car start? That’s a question nobody likes to ask and it never seems to happen when you have plenty of time and nothing to do. If your car doesn’t start, it will happen at the worst possible time. There are countless reasons why your car, truck, or SUV won’t start, but most of them are rare. There are usually just a few common issues that will stop your car from starting. We’re here to help you find out why your car won’t start, and what you can do to fix them as quickly as possible.

Your rear differential is one of the most unappreciated parts in your car or truck. It does what might be the hardest job of all of those components, multiplying torque from your transmission and sending it to two rear tires. The whole time, it is letting those two rear tires spin at different speeds. In the case of a limited-slip differential, it’s also making sure power goes to both rear tires. It’s tough work and it’s dirty work and it is why that quart or two of fluid in your rear differential is so important to long life. Here are 5 of the best differential fluids on the market, how to change it, and when to change that rear differential fluid.

The first time, you weren’t sure if you had heard it or not, but the second time you were a little more sure, and then the thousand times after that it was impossible to ignore. A new noise in your vehicle, one that won’t go away. You could turn up the radio, or you could fix the problem, but how do you know what that noise is? Want to find the source and likely fix for that sound? Here is your guide to 10 of the most common car noises, what they mean, and what you need to do next. We’ve also listed some of the specialty tools you might need to finish the job, in addition to the usual socket set, jack, and jack stands.

Rotate my tires? But they rotate every time I drive?

Over time and miles, your car might start to slow down. It might not accelerate as quickly as it once did; the engine may not run as smoothly as you remember, or the fuel economy may dip—but everything else may work fine. If that happens, it might be time to treat your engine’s fuel system to a cleaning with the best fuel injector cleaner you can use. Fuel injection systems are high-precision electro-mechanical systems with tight tolerances that operate under very high pressures. All the fuel has to squeeze out of injectors with tiny outlets in ultra-precise amounts. Or performance suffers.

More power. It’s what almost every owner wants from their car, truck, or SUV, but the question is how do you get it? There are loads of ways to add power to your vehicle, from cheap and easy to involved and expensive. We’re here to help you with the basics, bringing you 10 easy ways to increase your vehicle’s horsepower. And when it comes to working on your vehicles, eBay Motors is an excellent source for parts, accessories and all the necessary tools for the job.

Your car, truck, or SUV – new or used – is one of the most expensive purchases you’ll ever make. It’s why you want to keep your vehicle at its best for as long as possible, because preserving value is nearly as important as keeping it out of the shop or having it be reliable for you every day. One of the most important parts of preserving your car is running your engine at peak condition, and there are a variety of ways to do just that.

When it’s time to fill up your car or truck’s tank, gas is gas, right? Or is some fuel better than others? The answer is that not all fuels are created equally, and that most cars are designed to use fuel that is better than the bare minimum. What goes into your tank matters for so many different reasons, ranging from long life to how well it’s filtered, and more. So how do you decide which fuel is fit for your ride?

The next time you go to fill up your car, truck, or SUV, ask yourself one question first: does it matter what fuel I use? The answer, according to at least eight of the biggest automakers, is yes. Important enough that those automakers developed their own Top Tier fuel guidelines to decide what needed to be in gasoline and diesel fuels to help your vehicle running cleaner and more efficiently for years to come. Sunoco Ultratech meets this Top Tier fuel standard.

Not everyone has the luxury of parking their car in a garage, and to maintain your car’s appearance (and resale value), you need to find the best car cover for it. That’s why we take a look at the best car covers available today, explaining their features and what they have to offer. It may appear that most are the same, but you’ll want to pay close attention to the material they’re constructed from and how many layers it offers. Some car covers aren’t recommended for outdoor use, while waterproof covers for your car offer additional straps and buckles to protect it from the wind. A good starting point when choosing a car cover is determining how often you’ll need to use it outdoors, since you’ll need additional features, like heavy fabric, additional layers, and waterproofing, to make sure it offers ample protection. It’s not just dust and dirt you’re keeping out, but getting protection from rain, snow, and even hail, sap, bird droppings, and accidental scratches. Covering your car also provides some theft deterrent, as a thief first doesn’t know what’s under the cover; then has to make a disturbance getting it out of the way. 

It’s never a bad time for a road trip, but we can think of at least one member of your family who might be less than thrilled about your cross-country excursion: your car.

Every new vehicle sold today has headlights made of a polycarbonate plastic that resists the impact of small debris, even in extreme conditions. Whether it’s 100 degrees or 20 below, a rock kicked up by the truck in front of you won’t break the bulb behind these plastic shields.

Washing our cars: it’s something we all do, yet some of us may wonder if there is a better way.

Caring for your car involves more than routine washing and your regular coat of wax. One aspect that is often neglected are your tires, since it’s easy to believe that they don’t need much attention. On the surface, tire shine may appear to be a purely aesthetic product, giving your tires a nice and glossy finish that does add to the appearance of your vehicle. But more importantly, a quality tire shine is formulated to protect your tires from harmful UV rays, grime, and other contaminants on today’s roadways. As a result, regularly using tire shine will protect your tires from fading and cracking, revitalizing the rubber.

Photo credit: REDPIXEL.PL / Shutterstock.com

Few parts of the car ownership experience are as vexing and confounding as fading, discolored plastic…

Interested in doing your own oil change and confused by all the different oil filters available? Given their cost, oil filters may not seem all that important to your engine’s performance but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Although they’re small and affordable, oil filters play an extremely important role in how your engine performs and its life. A poor quality oil filter could potentially cause damage to your engine and that’s definitely not something you want to experience.