6 Things To Unlearn From Your Driving Test
The traditional driving test is an archaic system that’s desperately in need of an update. So with that in mind, here are six driving test techniques that you should forget as soon as you get your license!
5 Awesome Mods People Get Badly Wrong
Bottom line… mods are awesome! Have you or a friend ever “wronged” a mod?
7 Must Have Vehicle Storage Products
With cold weather approaching just around the corner, you start to think about proper winter storage for your really, really nice vehicle. And if you don’t have a really, really nice vehicle – you might get one, so read on.
Here’s a quick list of must-have winter storage products that will help get your ride through those cold long months. And when we say “must-have”, we mean that you can do fine without them, but your life will be less fun.
You Must Have Antifreeze
Just like with motor oil (and most other vehicle fluids) antifreeze can become corrosive when it gets dirty. So, to avoid a problem, top of or change your antifreeze before storing your vehicle for the winter. And don’t forget to remove the coolant inside the radiator as well. When choosing your new antifreeze, look for one with anti-corrosion properties which is rated to provide protection below the freezing point.
You Must Have Antifreeze Hydrometer
Why do you need a hydrometer? To measure your antifreeze density, and inspect it for rust or sediment. For the cost of a few dollars, you will be able to ensure proper cooler concentration to avoid coolant freeze-ups or boil-overs. Nice!
You Must Have Battery Chargers
If you’re still working on your ride, or it’s already a finished project, it’s probably going to hibernate through the winter. And if it is, you need to maintain its battery’s charge. Why? To wake up your baby at the first sign of warmer weather!
You Must Have Jack Stands
It’s a good idea to remove your ride’s wheels and tires while it’s parked for the long winter. Rest it on a set of jack stands, instead. This will take your vehicle’s weight away from its suspension components and premature wear.
You Must Have Car Covers
A word of warning: don’t cover your car with a low quality car cover. Your vehicle’s exterior will thank you for it. So, when you’re choosing a car cover, get one with a breathable fabric. This will prevent moisture build-up and condensation forming on your ride’s surface. And if you spring for a multi-layer cover, your ride will also be safe from the elements, flying debris, and UV rays.
You Must Have Fuel System Additives
You don’t want to leave your tank empty during winter storage. Otherwise your risk problems, like possible corrosion damage caused by condensation inside the fuel system. To avoid any issues, fill up your tank and add a fuel system stabiliser to ensure your fuel won’t break down. After adding the stabiliser, take your car out for one last drive to circulate the fuel through the system.
You Must Have Car Dollies
Once your vehicle is hibernated for the winter – it’s going to be there… for the duration of winter. And if you’re like most, your garage is already cramped. Good car dollies can help you with this by allowing you to move your ride when you need it out of the way. In any direction!
Facelift Your Engine on a Budget
Think about it – what’s the first thing you do at a car show?
And I’m not talking about finding yourself a good spot to park. You’ll agree that the first thing you do is popping open the hood. And it makes sense. You’re there to show off your ride, both inside and out. Lifting the hood open should be a moment of pride.
But if you’re tempted to keep the lid closed, or if you open it grudgingly, it’s time to start transforming. The good news is making your engine into a show-quality piece is easy and affordable.
And when I say affordable, I mean it. Check out this list of 6 aftermarket parts and accessories that will transform your tired-looking engine into what you’ve always wanted.
Chrome Dress-Up Kit
A chrome dress-up kit is the perfect way to bring some shine under the hood. Most kits come packaged with chrome valve covers, air cleaners, and chrome timing cover. And they also include all the hardware and gaskets you’ll need to complete the install.
Aluminium Oil Pan
You shouldn’t ignore the bottom-end of your engine. That’s right – a nice aluminum oil pan is a sure way to complement your engine bay and bring it a complete finish. Yes, not a many people will see it. But when the do, they will be amazed.
Aluminum Pulleys
The pulleys will bring shine your the hood. And with a good choice of finishes, like chrome-plated or stylish black, you’ll have the opportunity to truly customise the look of your engine compartment to show your own personal style.
Chrome Water Pump
It’s time to upgrade your worn-down water pump with a shiny chrome mechanical water pump. They feature premium quality heavy-duty bearings and seals for improved performance. You also have the choice of a standard-volume and high-volume pumps.
Chrome Alternator
A chrome alternator will give your engine the finish you’re looking for, while the improved wire setup clears up clutter in your engine compartment. If you spring for a nice model, you’ll also enjoy added power for any extra aftermarket electronics you’re thinking of adding.
Spark Plug Wire Cover
A machined, show quality mirror finish aluminium wire cover will bring that finishing touch to your engine bay. The easy bolt-on design means you can transform your engine quickly and easily. This cover will set your car apart from the rest and show off your true style.
Still not sure of the best way to dress up your engine? Drop us a line in the comments below and we’ll help you figure it out!
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Still not sure of the best way to dress up your engine? Drop us a line in the comments below and we’ll help you figure it out!
How to Shop for an OPTIMA Battery
If you’re looking to get your hands on new automotive or marine batteries, you can’t go wrong in trudging a name like OPTIMA Batteries. The brand’s products are easily ranked at the top of the battery food chain thanks to their quality and longevity. So, it’s only natural to take a closer look at what they have to offer.
OPTIMA manufactures three main series of batteries: RedTop, YellowTop, and BlueTop. All are AGM-styled (absorbed glass mat) batteries, while each series is developed for a specific application.
The OPTIMA Factor
Not sure that OPTIMA has the best batteries on the market? Well, we’re not writing this guide to convince you. But whatever your brand preference, you can’t argue the facts.
OPTIMA AGM-styled batteries are constructed from only premium materials. But this isn’t the only thing that sets them apart from the common lead acid batteries and gel batteries.
The latter two types are basically made up of negatively and positively charged lead plates which are suspended in sulphuric acid. That’s well and good. Except these lead plates are very susceptible to cracking and breaking. And if that happens, your batteries would start to spill hazardous chemicals. And even if you’re not an avid environmentalist, or don’t care much about the danger of spilled sulphurous, you will have to replace this type of battery more frequently which can really run up its cost.
On the other hand, OPTIMA batteries are constructed with extremely pure lead (and we mean 99.99% pure). This is what guarantees their superior longevity, durability, and performance. Higher lead purity also means lower resistance inside the battery. And lower resistance delivers more power. To further improve on their design, these pure lead plates are not suspended in a liquid or gel acid bath like in other batteris. They are actually compressed and firmly fixed in place. This means the plates won’t be bothered by any vibrations and movement. And this also allows them to deliver more power…
…if you’re looking at cranking power per pound, OPTIMA batteries are the exceptional choice.
OPTIMA RedTop Batteries
The OPTIMA RedTop battery is manufactured with high-powered engines in mind. This battery is perfect for any vehicle sporting a high-compression big block engine which is not burdened with a lot of power-hungry accessories, like a huge audio system, a heavy winch, or high-output exterior lighting.
If your alternator has the capacity to keep your vehicle’s electrical equilibrium, your top choice should be a RedTop battery. It will always give you the high-power cranking you’re looking for to get your big block started.
Choose RedTop if:
– you need high-power cranking
– your vehicle is not modded with a lot of aftermarket electronics
– your vehicle does not have a heavy electrical load
OPTIMA YellowTop Batteries
In comparison to the RedTop, OPTIMA’s YellowTop battery is designed to take on a much heavier electrical load. This makes it the ideal choice for drag racing, winching and off-roading, lowriding with subwoofers, and… you get the idea.
YellowTops will pick up the slack and take on the electrical load which your alternator or charging system is not able to. Yes, you’ll be sacrificing a little cranking power. But don’t worry, this battery is constructed to be drained and recharged again and again for reliable starting and operating power.
OPTIMA YellowTop batteries are designed with a unique chemistry and internal make up which give them a lot more power-storing capacity. They are also better at tolerating repeated discharge to a lower voltage compared to competitors’ equivalent batteries. And batteries that aren’t properly equipped to handle an up-and-down deep cycle usage will have an extremely short life.
Choose YellowTop if:
– you run key-off electronics
– your vehicle is equipped with power-hungry aftermarket electronics
– your battery needs to recover from deep power drains
OPTIMA BlueTop Batteries
BlueTop batteries differ from the rest of OPTIMA’s lineup in that they feature automotive-type posts and male-threaded studs. And this makes them perfect for marine or RV applications. Other than that, BlueTop batteries feature the same design and internal workings as RedTops and YellowTops.
BlueTops in a dark grey case serve an identical purpose to RedTops – these batteries are designed for high-power engine cranking applications.
BlueTops in a light grey case serve an identical purpose to YellowTops – these batteries are designed for deep-cycle applications.
Choose BlueTop if:
– you need more cranking power or deep cycling for your marine or RV application
Still not sure which Optima Battery to choose? Drop us a line in the comments below and we’ll help you figure it out!
Not sure that OPTIMA has the best batteries on the market? Well, we’re not writing this guide to convince you. But whatever your brand preference, you can’t argue the facts.
OPTIMA AGM-styled batteries are constructed from only premium materials. But this isn’t the only thing that sets them apart from the common lead acid batteries and gel batteries.
The latter two types are basically made up of negatively and positively charged lead plates which are suspended in sulphuric acid. That’s well and good. Except these lead plates are very susceptible to cracking and breaking. And if that happens, your batteries would start to spill hazardous chemicals. And even if you’re not an avid environmentalist, or don’t care much about the danger of spilled sulphurous, you will have to replace this type of battery more frequently which can really run up its cost.
On the other hand, OPTIMA batteries are constructed with extremely pure lead (and we mean 99.99% pure). This is what guarantees their superior longevity, durability, and performance. Higher lead purity also means lower resistance inside the battery. And lower resistance delivers more power. To further improve on their design, these pure lead plates are not suspended in a liquid or gel acid bath like in other batteris. They are actually compressed and firmly fixed in place. This means the plates won’t be bothered by any vibrations and movement. And this also allows them to deliver more power…
…if you’re looking at cranking power per pound, OPTIMA batteries are the exceptional choice.
OPTIMA RedTop Batteries
The OPTIMA RedTop battery is manufactured with high-powered engines in mind. This battery is perfect for any vehicle sporting a high-compression big block engine which is not burdened with a lot of power-hungry accessories, like a huge audio system, a heavy winch, or high-output exterior lighting.
If your alternator has the capacity to keep your vehicle’s electrical equilibrium, your top choice should be a RedTop battery. It will always give you the high-power cranking you’re looking for to get your big block started.
Choose RedTop if:
– you need high-power cranking
– your vehicle is not modded with a lot of aftermarket electronics
– your vehicle does not have a heavy electrical load
OPTIMA YellowTop Batteries
In comparison to the RedTop, OPTIMA’s YellowTop battery is designed to take on a much heavier electrical load. This makes it the ideal choice for drag racing, winching and off-roading, lowriding with subwoofers, and… you get the idea.
YellowTops will pick up the slack and take on the electrical load which your alternator or charging system is not able to. Yes, you’ll be sacrificing a little cranking power. But don’t worry, this battery is constructed to be drained and recharged again and again for reliable starting and operating power.
OPTIMA YellowTop batteries are designed with a unique chemistry and internal make up which give them a lot more power-storing capacity. They are also better at tolerating repeated discharge to a lower voltage compared to competitors’ equivalent batteries. And batteries that aren’t properly equipped to handle an up-and-down deep cycle usage will have an extremely short life.
Choose YellowTop if:
– you run key-off electronics
– your vehicle is equipped with power-hungry aftermarket electronics
– your battery needs to recover from deep power drains
OPTIMA BlueTop Batteries
BlueTop batteries differ from the rest of OPTIMA’s lineup in that they feature automotive-type posts and male-threaded studs. And this makes them perfect for marine or RV applications. Other than that, BlueTop batteries feature the same design and internal workings as RedTops and YellowTops.
BlueTops in a dark grey case serve an identical purpose to RedTops – these batteries are designed for high-power engine cranking applications.
BlueTops in a light grey case serve an identical purpose to YellowTops – these batteries are designed for deep-cycle applications.
Choose BlueTop if:
– you need more cranking power or deep cycling for your marine or RV application
Still not sure which Optima Battery to choose? Drop us a line in the comments below and we’ll help you figure it out!
Should You Always Press The Handbrake Button?
Should you always press the button when applying the parking brake? Will the parking brake wear out if you don’t press the button? What’s the best way to apply the emergency brake? Will not pressing the handbrake button cause it to wear out?
It’s time to find out!
Are My Car Mods Illegal?
If you plan on spending thousands of dollars (or already have) on modding your vehicle, you also want to make sure that your mods won’t void your warranty. But even if your warranty is not an issue, the law might be. So do some research before you get those new rims and tires, lower your suspension, or upgrade the air intake system.
To get you started, we’ve put together this list of the most common mods people make to their stock vehicles and weather they’re considered legal in Ontario, Canada.
Common Exterior Mods
Tinting the Windows: If you want to tint your rear windows you can do so in whatever colour of intensity you want. That’s given your vehicle has side mirrors which provide a clear view if the rear. What about the front windows? You probably shouldn’t touch them if you want to stay within the law. You are required to have a clear view out of your front windows and windshield. And a police officer needs to have a clear view in.
Changing the Gas Cap: Your gas cap’s seal needs to meet certain emission standards. Put simply, all of your vehicle’s stock emission control equipment should stay the way it is.
Lowering the Suspension: Go ahead. But keep in mind that your tires should not be coming into contact with your vehicle. Your front wheels need to be visibly aligned. And no part of your vehicle can touch the ground.
Oversizing Tires: That’s allowed, as long as your new tires have been approved for highway use. You might be required to also install mud guards or flaps on oversize tires. And again, your tires should not be coming into contact with your vehicle.
Changing the Paint Colour: That’s not a problem at all, as long as you apply for a new vehicle permit within the legal time frame. The same rule applies to changing your engine, fuel system, doors, axles, or chancing the vehicle body style.
Adding Green Side Marker Lights: To do this, your vehicle needs to be longer than 6.1 meters. The lights cannot be visible from the front of the vehicle, or the rear of the vehicle. And they should not be flashing.
Adding Coloured Lights or Turn Signals: The only legal colours for the front of your vehicle are white and amber. Keep in mind that red lights are restricted to police cars, fire trucks and ambulances, green is restricted to Volunteer Firefighters, and blue is restricted to snow plows.
Installing Racing or Drag Slicks: The law requires you to drive with tires that are marked for highway use and are DOT approved.
Adding Graphics to the Top of the Windshield: This may or may not be illegal. Size is key – you should not have anything obstructing your view of the road. Try to avoid the area that’s swept by the windshield wipers.
Replacing the Windshield and Door Glass: If you’re looking to get rid of some body weight, you might look to replace the heavy windshield and other glass. Keep in mind that installing non-safety glass is illegal.
Removing the Wipers or Replacing With 1-Blade: You’re required to have a system for removing moisture from your vehicle’s windshield. You can replace your wipers with a one blade wiper as long as it doesn’t obstruct your view of the road and keeps the windshield clean.
Installing Smoked Headlight Covers or Masks: It’s against the law to cover your headlights with tinted or coloured materials.
Adding a Tail, Fin, or Spoiler: That’s perfectly legal. The only thing you need to worry about is securing it safely to your vehicle, and keeping it out of the way of your mirrors.
Installing a Nitrous Oxide System: It’s legal to possess nitrous oxide. But… there are a ton of rules around it. To begin with, the system needs to be mounted securely. The bottle of nitrous should be mounted securely as well inside the mounting brackets, and kept away from crumple zones. If you have a hatchback, your vehicle needs to have a blow-by tube routed underneath. And you’re not allowed to remove the bottle’s date of manufacture.
Installing Neon Lights Around the Licence Plate: It’s actually illegal to have any light other than white on your licence plate. And the light needs to be directed at the licence plate alone.
Upgrading the Exhaust System: You can do this. But it is illegal to install a muffler cut-out, straight exhaust system, gutted muffler, Hollywood muffler, or by-pass.
Adding White, Blue, or Green Turn Signals: It’s illegal to have white lights in the rear (excluding the reversing lights and the licence plate light). Green lights are restricted to volunteer firefighters and blue lights are restricted to snow plows.
Common Engine Mods
Disconnecting the Oxygen Sensor or Charcoal Canister: Like with any other Emission Control Equipment manufactured on the vehicle, the oxygen sensor and the charcoal canister cannot be removed legally.
Installing a Breather Filter or Cold Air Intake: Emission Control Equipment manufactured on the vehicle needs to stay in place and operate as intended. That being said, you can make changes to the positive crankcase system as long as it remains a closed loop system and all emissions are routed to be burned off by the engine’s combustion components.
Common Interior Mods
Replacing the Instrument Cluster or Steering Wheel: You can make these changes to your vehicle’s interior. But make sure that your odometer works as it should, and if you’re installing an aftermarket steering wheel, keep your horn switch.
Replacing the Seats or Install Racing Harness: There are no restrictions on replacing your seats, except that they cannot be marked as “not for highway use”. Replacing your seatbelts with a racing harness is also allowed. But again, the racing harness cannot be marked as “not for highway use”. If you’re going to do this, check that your their anchor points are strong enough.
Installing a DVD Player or TV on the Dash: This is probably illegal. You’re not allowed to have any distractions in the front of the vehicle to avoid endangering yourself and others while driving. There is one exception here – if the DVD you’re looking to install has a kill switch which allows it to work only when your vehicle is is parked. Back seats on the other hand are allowed to have TVs and DVD players.
Installing a Super Loud Sound System or Exhaust System: You already know this – unreasonable or unnecessary noise or smoke coming out of your vehicle is illegal. If you want to be sure you’re within legal limits, carefully read through an exhaust’s (or other performance products’) specs.
5 Easy Steps for Choosing the Perfect Tires
You’ve already spent a ton of energy into upgrading every aspect of your vehicle. Or maybe you’ve just started modding your ride. Whatever the case, you can never go wrong with investing in a good pair of tires.
Think about it. Tires are key to your vehicle’s overall performance, handling, and safety. So whether you’re looking to improve your hot rod, daily driver, or work pickup, following our 5 easy steps will help you find the best tires!
Step #1: The Need
Obviously, the single most important reason for getting new tires is safety. We all know that driving around with an old, worn pair of tires is detrimental to traction control and stopping power. Especially if the weather’s not great.
If you’re not sure if your tires are considered worn, consider the following:
– If your tires have a tread depth of 1/16 inch or less
– If your tires have a tread depth of 1/8 inch or less, you don’t have reliable wet traction
– If your tires have a tread depth of 3/16 inch or less, you don’t have reliable snow traction
– If you notice any irregular wear on your tires, you should replace them.
The rule of thumb when replacing tires is to replace all four. But, if they still have life in them and you’re looking to only replace one (because of a defect, irregular wear, or other damage), then go for a tire that is as similar in its speed rating and load capacity as the original.
Step #2: The Ratings
If you want to upgrade your tires to improve your ride’s performance, you have a wide choice of options to choose from. Tread designs cater to traction, wet-weather handling, and cornering ability. So a tire’s unique combination of tread blocks, sipes and grooves, and tread shoulders should give you the performance level you’re looking for.
With all the freedom that you do have in choosing new tires, there is one thing you should pay special attention to. And that’s the speed rating. If you get tires that have a lower speed rating than your OEs, you would be hurting your ride’s handling and high-speed performance. Going for tires with a higher speed rating brings will reign in the performance benefits you’re looking for.
Use this list to decipher your tires’ speed rating (keep in mind – these are test speeds and not recommended speeds):
– Q-rated: under 100 mph / 160 km/h
– R-rated: under 106 mph / 170 km/h
– S-rated: under 112 mph / 180 km/h
– T-rated: under 118 mph / 190 km/h
– U-rated: under 124 mph / 200 km/h
– H-rated: under 130 mph / 210 km/h
– V-rated: under 149 mph / 240 km/h
– W-rated: under 168 mph / 270 km/h
– Y-rated: under 186 mph / 300 km/h
– Z-rated: over 149 mph / 240 km/h
Step #3: The Size
It’s custom to replace your tires with new ones in the same size. To find out your current tire size check the number on the sidewall. You can also find this information in your vehicle’s manual or tire placard. But… if you really want to improve your vehicle’s performance, it might be a good idea to change your tire size. You can go up, or go down, depending on what you want to achieve.
If you get a lower-profile tire size you’ll also get improved handling, stability and overall ride quality. If you plus-size your tires (tires with shorter sidewalls), you’ll get an improved tire response and handling, as well as an awesome look. Especially if you pair your new larger tires with larger rims. Upsizing the tire size is a popular option for pickups and SUVs, and it also improves the vehicle’s performance.
But, if you’re thinking about upsizing, consider this first:
– Your new tires’ load carrying capacity needs to be at least equal to what the vehicle placard calls for
– Ensure your rims’ width can accommodate bigger tires before making a purchase
– Ensure your vehicle can accommodate bigger tires – you want to avoid any and all rubbing
– Check the required ratios for tire-to-vehicle clearance, lock-to-lock steering, and suspension clearance
Step #4: The Driving Conditions
Where you live and drive is a big factor when choosing your new tires.
All-season tires are great for rapid changes in weather conditions and temperatures. They will provide good traction whatever the weather, so you’ll always feel prepared on the road. But keep in mind that all-seasons are not made for any specific driving condition, so you’ll get “good” performance.
Seasonal tires are the best option if peak performance is important to you in a particular season. For example, winter tires offer amazing performance over all-season tires in the cold months, but perform poorly compared to all-season tires in the hotter months. If you don’t experience much snowfall or freezing temperatures where you live, sticking with summer tires all-year round could be the appropriate and affordable option. Summer tires will deliver excellent handling in both dry and wet conditions.
But the weather is not the only factor to consider. Your typical driving terrain dictates what traction design you should choose for your new tires. This is even more true when you’re shopping for a pickup or SUV that you plan to take off the road. Tire traction designs are ranked for aggressiveness and rank from HT (highway tread), up to AP (all-purpose tread), AT (all-terrain tread), and finally MT (mud terrain tread). A more aggressive design will greatly improve your traction, but will also hurt your highway ride quality.
So, be honest about your driving habits and plans to strike the correct balance.
Step #5: The Price
Just like with most things, an item’s price isn’t the most important thing. But it does say a lot about the product you’re buying. So, if the price is surprisingly cheap, so is the tire. To get a good sense of the value of a tire you’re considering, divide its price by the guaranteed miles of service. The number you get is a fair value for the cost-per-mile of the tire.
Still can’t find the right tires for your vehicle? Drop us a comment below and we’ll help you figure it out!
Still can’t find the right tires for your vehicle? Drop us a comment below and we’ll help you figure it out!
18 Detailing Tips To Make Your Ride Shine
You love it when people turn their heads after your sparkling ride. It just feels so good. So, let’s talk about detailing your ride.
We’re here to give you 19 sweet detailing tips that will make your car or truck so awesome, people’s jaws will drop.
When you’re washing your ride…
If you love your ride, you should be washing it weekly. It really is important for removing dirt and other contaminants to keep your paint looking fresh and to protect your vehicle’s wax.
Just be mindful of what you clean it with. Soap and water is okay… but if you don’t want to be wasting your cleaning effort, go with Sonax Car Shampoo. It’s the prefect product for a deep clean, without being too harsh to cause any damage to your vehicle’s paint and wax coats. And for a true clean always use the right cleaning tool. We recommend Sonax Microfibre Car Wash Sponge for the best results.
Tip #1: Don’t wash your vehicle in direct sunlight.
Tip #2: Don’t wash your vehicle if it’s hot on the surface. Wait for it to cool down first.
Tip #3: Constantly rinse out sponges to ensure no dirt or debris will scratch into the paint.
When you’re drying your vehicle…
You should be drying out your vehicle directly after washing. And you should start with the windows. Use a microfibre drying towel to do this. They are cushiony enough to hide away any remaining dirt and debris that would otherwise smear or scratch your paint. A good option would be Sonax Microfibre Think Drying Cloth.
Tip #4: Don’t remove leftover dirt with your drying towel or you could scratch your paint.
Tip #5: Don’t use squeegees for anything other than glass to avoid dragging out dirt.
Tip #6: After you’re done, wash your drying towels with hot water and rinse them with cold water. Don’t use any fabric softener in the process because it contains chemicals that would be harmful to your vehicle’s wax next time around.
When you’re waxing your vehicle…
Please, please, please… don’t wax your vehicle if you haven’t cleaned it first! For the best results, prep the surface before waxing with a specialty cleaner, like WeatherTech TechCare wax prep clay gel cleaner. This will remove oxidation, salts, airborne pollutants, and stains
Tip #7: Use a clean microfibre cloth, cotton towel, or foam wax pad to apply any waxing product.
Tip #8: When using a liquid wax or polish, apply it to your applicator instead of directly onto the vehicle’s surface (unless you’re using a spray).
Tip #9: Wax and polish your vehicle in sections.
Tip #10: Mind your pressure and use a soft hand when waxing. Allow the product to dry to a haze before rubbing it off.
When you’re trimming you’re vehicle…
Don’t overlook the trim. It needs to maintained just like the rest of your vehicle, to improve its appearance and longevity. So whether you have plastic, rubber, metal, or chrome trim, the proper treatment will keep it looking like new.
Tip #11: Clean your trim weekly along with your regular vehicle maintenance.
Tip #12: Use the proper polish for your transparent plastics, including headlights and single lenses.
Tip #13: Don’t forget to spend some on cleaning your chrome pipes and bumpers.
When you’re caring for your wheels and tires…
Just like with the rest of your car, routine maintenance of the wheels and tires is necessary for a longer lifespan and better appearance. A good cleaning can be done with a bucket of soapy water, or if you prefer better results, try washing your painted or coated aluminum wheels with a specialised product.
And, finally… remove road debris and thoroughly clean out your tires from dirt. To help make this job easier use a firm bristle brush. This will save you time, effort, and will give better results. If you want to go one step father, consider applying long-term protectant on your tires, like WeatherTech’s TechCare tire gloss action kit.
Tip #14: Always keep a hose close to hand when applying cleaners to sensitive coated wheels so you can was out the chemicals within minutes.
Tip #15: Do a spot test in a low visibility area to figure out if your wheels are uncoated aluminium (if you’re not sure).
Tip #16: If you have uncoated wheels don’t let your polish dry out before removing.
Tip #17: Avoid using tire protectants that need to diluted as they might contain distilled petrochemicals which are damaging to your tire’s integrity.
Tip #18: Start your cleaning routine with the wheels and the tires because they are the dirtiest. By doing this, you will avoid getting dirty water splashes on any surface you’ve already cleaned.
Have any more cool tips to share with us? Drop us a line in the comments below!
Have any more cool tips to share with us? Drop us a line in the comments below!
Mirrorless Cars Are Now Legal?
The short answer is… yes – mirrorless cars have been approved. In Japan.
And if that sounds strange to you, you’re not the only one. We’re so used to linking our ride’s mirrors with safety and viewing our surroundings as drivers, that it might sound ludicrous to legalize mirrorless cars. But if you think about it, side view mirrors have gotten bigger and bigger with time. And while that does give you more visibility, it also means your mirrors are more susceptible to damage. And did you realize they also hurt your fuel economy by dragging down your vehicle’s aerodynamics?
There have been a few concept cars in the past sans mirrors. And automakers have picked up on the trend by introducing more and more video cameras to give drivers improved visibility, while also enhancing the vehicle’s exterior and interior appearance. So why aren’t all manufacturers ditching mirrors? Well… it’s illegal.
At least it was, until now. Japan’s transportation ministry has actually approved mirrorless cars. They reason that the use of cameras instead of mirrors offers improved visibility, safety, and is in tune with today’s rapid advancement of video technologies. And it looks like everyone’s looking to ride the wave, with companies already starting to develop video systems for the automakers. One of these companies, Ichikoh, recognizes the trend and the opportunity to capitalize on this new law. “It’s a really new segment with higher content, and that means higher revenue opportunities,” says Ichikoh’s CEO, Ali Ordoobadi. “This is the trend, and we have to be in front of the others.” Bosch is also looking to expand in this segment, and has already developed special video display systems built into the A-pilllars of commercial trucks. And the 2016 Cadillac CT6 actually comes with a rear-view mirror that can be switched to a video display.
Sounds cool, doesn’t it?
A video display system offers safety benefits which conventional mirrors can’t measure up to. The top benefit of video displays is that they offer more visibility, so the driver can have a view of any blind spots. And they can be mounted anywhere on the vehicle. If your ride has a video display, you won’t have to hurt your eyes with annoying glare, or strain them in low light. The systems will be lighter, and more aerodynamic for improved fuel economy. And they will help automakers with meeting stringent emissions standards.
With its new law, Japan is definitely giving its laptop-service automakers the advantage. And this is one of the main reasons we expect the EU to alter its laws this year, followed by the US in 2018.
What do you think about this new trend? Would you drive a mirrorless car?
