Believe it or not, when you take your car someplace to have the oil changed, you’re mostly paying for the convenience of someone else doing it. If you have the basic supplies at home, the only cost is the oil filter and the oil. Plus changing your oil is one of the easiest maintenance tasks there is. You will have to purchase an oil pan if you have not already, otherwise you’ll have quite a mess to clean up.

Though changing your own motor oil may sound intimidating, you can follow our simple steps to change your oil with confidence.

Step 1: Remove the drain plug and allow oil to drain into the oil pan.

Step 2: Clean the drain plug and replace it.

Step 3: Remove the old  oil filter and replace with the new filter.

Step 4: Add new oil.

Now you’ve changed your oil and you’re good to go for another 3,000-7,000 miles depending on your manufacturer’s recommendations. You’ll be surprised how much you can save by completing your oil changes yourself and following the manufacturer’s guidelines.

It seems like drivers today practically live in their cars. With the commute to work, dropping kids of at random activities, and errands to run you might be surprised at how much time we spend in our cars. Did you know that the average American spends over 18 hours in the car a week! With that in mind, it’s not all that surprising that most cars are not the pinnacle of cleanliness. Between children, pets and convenient drive-thru restaurants make it nearly impossible for any car to escape without a stain. We know that you can’t always afford to have your car detailed, so we have come up with some sure-fire ways to clean common stains from your car.

Before attempting to remove stains, we recommend thoroughly vacuuming out your car, including seats. Be sure to vacuum any stained areas especially well. This will remove any dirt and debris that could create a bigger mess once the debris is wet. For leather interior, it’s always best to choose a leather safe cleaning solution and condition the leather after treatment.

continue reading…

Many times it is hard to tell you have a headlight out. Naturally, any passing law enforcement will be happy to let you know. Before you experience an unplanned stop, why not complete your due diligence and add checking your lights to your routine maintenance list. It only takes a few minutes to make a pass around your car looking for burnt out lights.

You may be surprised at how easy it is to change out a headlamp light bulb. In fact, in most cases it doesn’t even require tools! Since you have to change the bulb anyways, why not upgrade from standard light bulbs, and see even better at night. We talked about this in our post about seeing better while driving at night. We know the unknown can be an intimidating task, that’s why we will walk you through changing a headlight bulb.

continue reading…

Sure, this seems like a pretty basic topic, but not everyone knows the right way to wash their car. It doesn’t take an As Shown on TV gizmos or a pressure washer, you can get your car professionally clean and not spend much while doing it. We are going to walk you through the steps of washing your car.

First, make sure you have the following supplies:

• Car wash soap – Don’t make the mistake thinking that dish soap will be good enough. Dish soap is hard on rubber components and can strip your car’s wax coat
• A wash mitt – We recommend sheepskin or a microfiber cloth, these are ideal materials to avoid scratches
• 2 individual buckets – one for the soapy mix and one rinse bucket
• A detail brush or old toothbrush for stubborn spots
• A hose with a spray nozzle long enough to reach around the entire vehicle
• A drying cloth – An absorbent waffle-weave drying towel or an extra microfiber towel

continue reading…

It’s a well-known fact that as cars get older they are more inclines to break down. Over time, parts in your car wear down and eventually break. The more you drive your car, the more wear and tear will occur. With proper maintenance, you can keep your car running well for years. One of the bigger issues with older vehicles is problems with the transmission. While transmission problems sound intimidating, many would be caught with regular maintenance and can be easy to fix.

Here are the 5 most common transmission problems and what to look for:

Low Fluid Level or Leaks

When you check and refill your transmission fluid regularly, you’ll notice if the fluid is continually low. Be sure to refasten and tighten all parts when finished. Leaks can be caused by punctured fluid lines, worn transmission pan gaskets, poorly secured bolts and seals on the transmission pan. To identify a leak, have your fluid lines checked by a reputable mechanic.
continue reading…