Don’t be fooled into thinking shop vacuums should only be used at a car mechanic shop. These versatile vacuums are great to keep around the garage, making the task of cleaning your car a lot easier when compared to a traditional hand vacuum. Shop vacuums are designed to be more heavy duty than your run-of-the-mill vacuum, but more importantly, they can be used for both wet and dry pickup.

If you have a new addition to your family on the way, it’s probably time to research car seats. Convertible car seats are a great investment, as they’re designed to last for years since they can change from a rear-facing seat for infants to a forward-facing seat as your child grows. Not all parents will start with a convertible car seat however, although many can accommodate toddlers as little as 4 lbs, so they are capable. Other parents may want to start with an infant car seat before switching over to a convertible car seat, once their child reaches the seat’s minimum weight and height recommendations. Unlike infant car seats, convertible car seats are designed to be installed into your vehicle and aren’t ideal for portability and transport outside the car.

We believe every car owner should have access to a set of sockets, even if you don’t often work on your own car. Our vehicles are full of nuts and bolts and even if you’re trying to do something trivial, chances are you’ll need a ratchet and socket. Like all tools, there are plenty of options for socket sets and you should pick one based on your needs. The main factor to consider is whether you need standard or metric sockets, although most of our recommendations cover both bases. We also include tool sets that come with ratchets and other wrenches to make your life easier when it comes to loosening those nuts and bolts.

These days, nearly every car leaves the assembly line with cup holders. Some car owners however, may need more cup holders inside their car or wish the cup holders accommodated larger bottles. Thankfully, there are numerous car cup holders available that expands on your current storage, whether by adding more cup holders to your interior, or adapting your current cup holder so that it can hold a larger bottle. If you’re one of those car owners that needs better options for cup holders inside your car, you’ve come to the right place.

“Where are my keys?!” It happens more often than we’d like to admit, but most of us have been guilty of misplacing our car keys. It seems to always happen at the worst time, causing frustration and stress as you’re trying to rush out the door. Thankfully, now there is an entire category of products designed to make finding your misplaced keys within seconds. Key finders are pretty basic and easy to use. You simply add one to your keyring or keychain and when you can’t find your keys, you either use an app or push a button on a transmitter to locate them.

If you’re getting ready to welcome a newborn baby to the world, you’re likely staring at an overwhelming list of items you need to buy. An infant car seat should be towards the top of the list, especially since most hospitals won’t even discharge you and your baby without a proper infant car seat. It’s completely understandable if you’re overwhelmed by all the options out there on the market, it is a product designed to protect your baby after all. So needless to say, you’ll want to purchase the best one possible to keep your infant safe.

Many of us endure long hours sitting at a desk before getting into our cars and dealing with traffic on the way home. All that sitting can take a heavy toll on your back, which is why it’s a great idea to invest into a seat cushion for your car. Car seat cushions aren’t complex products, and many of them will boast similar construction and features. There is a small variety of styles out there, depending on what’s most comfortable for you.

Do you find your factory car stereo a bit lacking when it comes to audio quality? If your vehicle is equipped with 4×6″ speakers, you’ve come to the right place. The aftermarket offers plenty of speaker options, many of which can replace your factory speakers with no additional power for a better listening experience. But shopping for the right speakers can be cumbersome, with a myriad of options and features. Here, we’ll explore great 4×6″ speaker options that are ideal factory replacements.

Many automotive enthusiasts treat their garage as a home for their car. While most garages have some empty space for storage, not very many of them come equipped with versatile shelving options. Expand and organize your garage with a quality garage shelving unit, whether you’re looking for a better way to store all your car detailing supplies and tools, or the junk you have lying around the house.

The engine is the most important component in your car. If it fails, not only does your car not function, but it’ll be costly to repair. While routine maintenance and oil changes will keep your engine running in good shape, you’ll also want to consider using an engine flush from time to time. This way, your engine stays as clean as can be, helping to run for hundreds of thousands of miles.

The wheels on a car can be extremely frustrating to clean, since they come in a variety of finishes and many have intricate designs filled with tiny crevices and hard to reach areas. Multi-spoke or mesh design wheels are notoriously difficult, especially if you’re just using a standard hand mitt for cleaning. Do yourself a favor and get a quality wheel cleaning brush, this way every inch of your wheels are spotless after a wash, without requiring a significant amount of effort.

We here at AutoGuide.com believe every garage should have a cordless drill lying around. Not only do they come in handy when you’re working on your car, they’re great for use around the house. But shopping for a cordless drill is no easy task, especially when there are dozens of options to choose from and a list of features that might read like a foreign language to you. So how do you choose the right cordless drill?

Driving during the daytime without proper sunglasses could be dangerous, especially if your commute keeps the sun in front of you. Enhance your safety and the safety of others with a quality set of sunglasses for driving, which will also protect your eyes from harmful UV rays.

We understand that most car owners will never touch a welder in their life, but there are some situations when welding is necessary while working on a vehicle. A proper pair of welding gloves can make a huge difference when it comes to welding, contributing to how quickly you can weld, agility, and most importantly, safety. When shopping for welding gloves, you’ll want a pair of gloves that offer flexibility, protection, and comfort.

On the surface, wiper blades appear to be a fairly basic component of your car. Every vehicle leaves the assembly line with them, and they’ll all work just fine straight off the dealership lot. But after a few months of use, you may start noticing that your wiper blades aren’t performing as well as you remembered. That’s because all wiper blades will degrade over time, which means you’ll eventually be shopping for replacements.

If your car’s factory audio system isn’t satisfying, you’re probably considering speaker upgrades. One of the more popular sizes of car speakers out there is 6×9, large enough to deliver quality audio, but small enough to fit in nearly any vehicle. But shopping for speakers is never an easy task, especially since there are several variables to consider. Are you planning to upgrade your factory head unit? Do you want to install an amplifier for more power?

Now that we live in a connected world, tracking your car’s location has never been easier. Using GPS technology, affordable trackers are available in today’s market, allowing you to know where your car is at all times. In addition, many of these GPS trackers have additional features that can monitor driving habits, which is great for keeping an eye on a teenage driver.

The Nintendo Switch may not be as powerful as the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, but it still delivers tons of fun. Instead of focusing on 4K capabilities like other current-generation consoles, the Switch lives up to its name by allowing you to take it on the go as a handheld system, or dock it at home to play on your TV. It’s quickly become one of the top-selling consoles of all time, thanks to its focus on family-friendly fun. You may not find extremely realistic driving simulators on the Switch that rival the likes of Gran Turismo or Forza Motorsport, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its fair share of racing games. In fact, the Switch is the only console you get to play Mario Kart, and for many people, that’s all that matters.

There are several good reasons why you often see car mechanics wearing gloves while working on a car. For starters, cars are extremely dirty being on the road all day long. Mechanic’s gloves are designed to keep your hands clean, but also to protect them from cuts and bruises, especially since most cars are packed with sharp edges. In addition, gloves provide a better grip of your tools and can keep your hands warm if you’re working in the cold.

It’s often overlooked, but using a quality brake cleaner from time to time is a cost efficient way to ensure your brakes stay in good condition. Brake cleaners can help extend the life of your brakes by removing harmful debris, grease, oil, and other contaminants that can shorten the lifespan of your brake drums, rotors, or pads. In addition, these cleaners can often fix brake squeals by getting rid of that debris lodged in your brakes.

For those unfortunate enough to have driven a vehicle without power steering, you’ll know how much of a struggle it is compared to a modern vehicle with a power steering system. Of course, there are those automotive enthusiasts that will argue power steering takes away from a “true” driving experience—but let’s be honest, very few would want to actually drive a vehicle daily without power steering. That’s why it’s extremely important to keep your power steering system in good condition, and that means using quality power steering fluid.

Want to start saving some money by changing your own oil? Most vehicles can have their oil changed from the comforts of your garage or driveway with a little bit time and labor. Some of the tools you’ll need to change your own oil include a floor jack, jack stands, oil drain pan, and an oil filter wrench. While it’s possible to take off most oil filters with your bare hands, spending a few bucks on an oil filter wrench will make your life a lot easier. Some oil filters feature a slick finish, and depending on where it’s located on your car, could be a pain to grip.

Giving your engine fresh spark plugs should be part of your car’s regularly scheduled maintenance. But you don’t necessarily have to go to the dealership or pay a mechanic to swap in a new set of plugs. Instead, get yourself an affordable spark plug socket and do it yourself in your garage or driveway.

Stroll down the oil aisle of a typical auto-parts store and you’ll be confronted with a literal wall of lubricant.

Cost is often the first thing that comes to mind when motorists think of gasoline. Many will drive halfway across town to save a couple cents per gallon. Additionally, purchasing regular-grade fuel to save money can be an exercise in false economy, especially if your vehicle is designed for premium gas.

Updated August 2019

Certified Pre-Owned or CPO cars might look expensive compared to other used cars, but there’s a reason for that; they’re inspected and checked to ensure that it’s a quality car. But if you’re looking to buy a new car, a CPO car will look like a bargain.