mityvac 7400
If you've googled the term, engine oil extractor, you've probably discovered the Mityvac 7400. The Mityvac 7400 is the most often used and reviewed car engine oil extractor on the internet. But the Mityvac 7400 is more than just an engine oil extractor. Read the rest of this entry
Top-10 Auto Insurers
The latest 2010 Car Insurance Ratings are now posted online from JD Powers. Previously, we posted the Car Insurance Ratings for 2008, here: 2008 Car Insurance Ratings. Not a whole lot of details are given on the JD Powers website about how they come up with these particular car insurance ratings. The results this year are very similar to their Car Insurance Ratings from 2008 and 2009. Every year, JD Powers rate the best automobile insurers on 5 different criteria:
Read the rest of this entry
Black Toyota RAV4
You've seen RAV4 after RAV4 Review for the last 5 years, now that I've had a chance to drive one for a while, it's time for me to weigh-in and add additional insight to the many other RAV4 Reviews. To begin with, I leased a 2011 Toyota RAV4 for a couple of reasons:
While these were the two factors that led me to look this SUV, the RAV4 Reviews from Magazines and Consumers convinced me I’d be happy driving one for the next 3 years. When the current generation of the RAV4 was released 5 or 6 years ago, I test-drove a 4 Cylinder model at my local dealer before I even looked at any of the brand new RAV4 Reviews. Like all Toyotas, the RAV4 had a solid, quiet ride with great handling. . What I didn’t care for was the anemic power of the 170HP 4 Cylinder engine and the outrageously high lease payment from $400 - $500 per month. RAV4 Reviews consistently fail to mention that the upgrade in price from the 4-Cyl to the 6-Cyl is not too steep and uses up very little extra gas. The salesman at the dealership accurately stated that because the new model had just been released, the RAV4 resale value had not yet been established resulting in a higher than average lease payment for a car in the $23,000 to $27,000 range. This was something the very positive RAV4 Reviews would soon help. Raising the demand and raising the residual value. I decided to wait for those RAV4 Reviews to pile up before going back for another look. Read the rest of this entry
Turtle Wax Leather Conditioner
Turtle Wax Products always seems to give me the most bang for the buck when it comes to car care. A month ago, my Best Car Wax review revealed that Turtle Wax outperformed many of the more popular, highly publicized brands like Mother's and MeGuire's. The same seems to be true for Car Leather Restoration and Car Leather Conditioner products. I've tried a few of them. I was very underwhelmed with Armour All Leather Wipes. In fact, I think I'll stay away from all car car cleaning products in the wipe form. In my opinion, wipes should be found in the bathroom and diaper bag, not your garage. After wasting 3 or 4 of the leather conditioning wipes on the front and back seats of my car, I had a hard time noticing any difference in their appearance. What's worse, after a few months resting in my garage, the leather conditioning wipes by Armour All completely dried out and were unuseable. I decided to stay away from wipes and go back to sprays. Leather Conditioning wipes simply don't bring back the apperance and softness of the leather. Now, on to a product that does. Read the rest of this entry
Car Wax Reviews
The Best Car Wax isn't always the most expensive. Are there a lot of good car waxes on the market? There certainly are, but what's best for some may not be best for all. On the other hand, there may be one really great car wax out there that we could all agree to know and love, if we only knew about it. So, what is the best car wax? As someone who likes keeping my 1997 Silver, 540i BMW looking its best, I decided it would be interesting to find out what other people are saying about car waxes. Is there a best car wax? Is there truly a favorite out there that does the best job whether you've got an old 1967 Buick, a 1997 BMW or a 2010 Subaru Tribeca. What is the Best Car Wax for everybody? Before I get to the Car Wax Reviews, it helps to get familiar with some of the various types and brands.
Synthetic and Natural. Synthetic Waxes use polymer and other types of chemical sealants to shine and protect the car finish. Carnuba Wax is a natural product that comes from Palm Leaves. Both synthetic and natural waxes have their pros and cons. The synthetic waxes are much easier to apply and they wipe off easier leaving less dust and residue on the surface. Synthetic waxes last longer as they have a higher melting point in the sun. So, why use Carnuba Wax? Because it gives your car a deep, rich, high-gloss shine not possible from synthetic waxes. Also, some of the synthetic waxes out there use cleaners which somewhat detracts from the glossy shine and also hinders its protective qualities. On the other hand, these cleaners can help remove fine scratches and swirls. As you can see, using a car wax is not a science so much as an art. A best car wax for some is not necessarily best for all. If you want your car well protected and looking its best, I recommend using both a synthetic wax and a natural wax. Give your car a thorough washing, then thoroughly wax it with the synthetic polish. Then, to give it that brilliant shine, put a Carnuba Wax on top of that. Your car will look better than ever before. On to the Best Car Wax Brands... Read the rest of this entry
Automotive Battery Tester
I never thought I could use an automotive battery tester, but a few years ago, I was stranded in a mall parking lot because my 1996 Infiniti G20 would not start. Thinking I needed a new battery, I walked to my local Checker Auto Parts store and replaced the battery. It worked for about two days and the car died again. I needed a new alternator. I wished I had known this before I wasted money on the new battery. Some car problems can behave like a dead battery even when the battery is fine. There have been other times when I was certain I had a problem with a car starter or alternator and all I needed was a new battery. While you can certainly take the battery into your auto parts store and have them test it for you, there are some other reasons you might want your own Automotive Battery Tester with you at home. A good Automotive Battery Tester will tell you the condition of the battery. Is it charging properly and fully? Will your dead battery take a charge or does it need replaced? Using a Battery Tester is a proactive way to prevent being stranded somewhere on a cold winter night. My advice is to test the batteries on your cars once a month and avoid the frustration, fear and inconvenience of this experience altogether. I did some research on Automotive Battery Testers and Chargers and learned a few things: Read the rest of this entry
