Go to your nearest auto parts store and purchase the right air filter for your car. Most places will have a list or be able to determine the right part for your year, model, make etc. My car, which is a 2000 VR6 Jetta, took a Fram filter-- (Height 1.25, ... more >>

Being a do it yourselfer means that sometimes you'll need to buy special tools or equipment to work on a project with. Cheap products have a reputation of malfunctioning easily and often. Afterall, like the saying goes, "You get what you pay for." So, for your safety's sake, as well as the sake of ... more >>

We've all seen them at one time or another-the jet black $70,000 Jaguar in a restaurant parking lot or the $40,000 Earth Destroyer 3000 screaming down the highway. Most of us probably muttered 'Don't hurt my car!' or 'I wish I had one of those!' under our breath as we headed towards our 20 year ... more >>

Ask a driver who survived a head-on collision about air bags and he or she might say they were the greatest lifesaver a helpless driver could ever hope to have. Ask another driver who just paid $3000 in repairs because an air bag deployed in a 25 mph fender bender and he or she might call air bags ... more >>

With the add-on options, the financing and interest rates and the overall cost of the vehicle itself, buying a new car can put quite a dent in your bank account. Reduce the size of that dent by checking out the following steps to become a smart car shopper.Be Prepared:Use this handy checklist to ... more >>

Some of the most serious accidents involving vehicles happen when the driver is nowhere near the car. A car can fall out of gear and drift directly into traffic or strike another parked car or unwitting pedestrian. Gravity is not always a driver's best friend, and that fact becomes very apparent ... more >>

Hooking up your satellite radio in your car is easy and there are several methods to go about it. The positives of doing this are that you do not have to pay someone to hook the system up and you often get similar quality results to those of professional installation. The obvious downside is that ... more >>

You going to want to safely remove your A/C refridgerant, and several other things before you can access the Timing belt to change it. Remove the negative battery cable, right front wheel and inner splash guard, accessory drive belts, ... more >>

Here are suggested actions to take if you witness a major automobile accident.First, call 911 and report the accident. If you don’t have a cell phone, ask others on the scene to call, or try to find a phone in a nearby house or business. If you cannot locate a telephone at or near the accident, ... more >>

The signal that emits from a car’s tape or CD deck or player does not have the strength to physically move the cones of a speaker. Hence no audible sound is produced. The role of an amplifier in a car is to transform weak electrical signals from a source cassette or compact disc to more powerful ... more >>

For many, the idea of buying a car is a distressing task. From the salespeople running to grab your attention to haggling over the price, car shopping is not a fun event for most people. However, it does not have to be a bad experience at all.The most stressful part of the car buying experience ... more >>

Thousands of car wrecks - big and small - take place everyday across the world, even in the most ideal road conditions. Weather conditions can increase this number by much more. When roads become ice or snow-covered, driving is not only tricky, it’s hazardous. Some people think that they can ... more >>

Raise your vehicle and secure it on jack stands. Remove the wheels, only after the car is safely secured on the jack stands and the back wheels are blocked. Open the hood of the car and remove the cap to the brake fluid reservoir.Remove the bolts keeping ... more >>

Checking the transmission fluid is not difficult and should be done once a month. Another reason to check the fluid, and the situation that most people find themselves in, is when the car begins to have shift roughly. This could be because the fluid is low due to a leak or that the fluid is ... more >>

Manual transmissions shift by means of shifter forks. The shifter forks ride in a groove that is cut into a synchronizer assembly and sliding gear. The shifter forks are connected to the cam and shaft assembly in a vehicle. There are spring-loaded steel balls that pop into the notches cut in the ... more >>

This is a relatively easy task that can be performed in a short amount of time, usually in one afternoon. The in-dash radio has to go, and a new one will be replacing it. But how does one go about figuring what will fit into that empty space? A few simple steps, a phone call or two, a bit of ... more >>

Note the two ends on the rubber portion of the blade. The open end is the lead end. It doesn't have any stops or blocks inside. The other end is the trailing end. It has a divot, which is where the metal portion of the blade locks into the rubber ... more >>

The application of sound deadening material to your car is a very effective way to make your driving experience more comfortable. It will serve to keep out road and engine noise, and keep the sound from your stereo inside the car. Asphalt based sound deadening generally comes in peel-and stick ... more >>

Even if you plan to drive your new vehicle until it will go no more, you should consider the resale value of previous year's models when making a decision on this major purchase. Resale value is often an indication of reliability and longevity -- if two cars with similar price tags when new are ... more >>

The car stereo has been installed, everything seems to have been done correctly, but there is still a problem. What can be done about it? If a trip to the dealer, or installer is not part of the available solution, or if the job was done by a friend, how should the troubleshooting be done ... more >>

As your vehicle begins to lose that new car look and feel, you may start noticing new things that deserve a second thought. Some changes are to be expected as normal wear and tear, such as a scratched seat, scuffed floor mats, or even a chip in the windshield from a stray pebble. But other ... more >>

The easiest way to add low-end punch to your car’s stereo is to install a subwoofer. This guide will cover the installation of one or more subwoofers in a pre-fabricated enclosure. It will also cover the process of hooking up an amp to power the sub. The first thing to do is to put the woofer ... more >>

There are several different types of satellite radio receivers available. This guide will cover the basics of installing plug and play tuners as well as hardwired in-car tuners. Plug and play tuners are units that mount on the dashboard of the vehicle. They typically come with one or more ... more >>

Drain and flush the cooling system to begin with the proper ratio of coolant to water in the system.Check the capacity of your cooling system in your owner's manual to calculate the amount of coolant to add. In most cases, manufacturers recommend a ... more >>

A "seatbelt" is a strong mesh lap belt that has a shoulder belt connected to it. The seatbelt and the shoulder belt are securely attached to the frame of the auto. Basically, to make a seatbelt work properly, you should sit in an upright position on the seat of the auto. Reach up and pull the ... more >>

Driving home from work after dark, you notice a vehicle following you closely. Turning down a different street than usual, you can see that the person turns as well. Weaving through an unfamiliar neighborhood you notice that the driver behind you is sticking close and you question his motives. What ... more >>

For most people, their automobile is one of their most prized possessions. This is not necessarily because it is a cool or new car or because it is the latest or most expensive model. If you live in a city where you work thirty miles from home or where the nearest grocery store is ten miles away, ... more >>

Regular preventative maintenance, including cleaning, increases the life of an automobile. Exterior cleaning prevents damage from dirt, salt, insects and other contaminants. It is important to remove insects quickly since some are acidic and can damage automobile paint and trim. Shellac is a ... more >>

BEFORE YOU START...General license plate law is that the plate cannot be obstructed. Specific plate laws vary from state to state and usually pertain to the requirement of a front plate as well as a rear plate. Consult your department of motor vehicles requirements before you install any vanity ... more >>

The first sign of the flashing lights in the rear view mirror has some panicked and others hot under the collar and demanding the reason they’ve been pulled over. But the reality is that for most of us, our driving records have some infraction we’ve committed, been sited for and paid a fine on at ... more >>