RideLust

Here’s a question for you. If you were driving down some dark deserted road, be it in an urban area or in the middle of nowhere and you came upon a motorist in trouble, would you stop to help? Instinctively I bet that you’d want your answer to be “Yes”, but just stop and really think about this for moment. 9 times out of 10 the odds that something bad could happen from your actions as a good samaritan are very small. What about if something does happen though, then what? When I was younger and saw people in trouble the odds of me stopping to help out were pretty good. I’d first assess the situation and then see if there was truly anything I could do, if not I’d usually offer up a cell phone, or a ride if the person was stranded.
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The guys over at Edmunds Inside Line always put out some great stuff. Take this quick video they did on the differences between conventional motor oil vs. synthetic. Sure it’s not that long, but it doesn’t have to be to answer a few simple questions that the general public has been asking for years. Obviously at the end of the day you want to read your cars owners manual for the straight truth as it pertains to your specific vehicle. At least now though you’ll have a better understanding of what makes your car tick.

Source: Insideline.com

When it comes to car theft and auto burglaries, college towns generally have a higher incidence of both. If you take a step back, it’s easy to see why: targets of opportunity are everywhere, and student union bulletin boards are a great place to sell stuff without any questions. Assigned campus parking is a great place for a thief to go browsing for electronics, and it’s easy for them to spot who drives their car on a regular basis and who doesn’t.

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You’ve got to hand it to Hyundai. Over the last ten years the Korean automaker has not only taken the world by storm, but they’re continuing to throw out the lightening. With quality and service marks comparable to the best in the business Hyundai is now seeking to up the ante on the Luxury front. Twenty years ago if you would have told someone that Hyundai would possibly become a major player in the luxury car market you would’ve gotten laughed out of the room. The automotive times however have changed and Hyundai is now getting ready to take on the best manufacturers from around the globe.

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I wish it were this easy to keep your car safe.

You won’t be surprised to learn that the Cadillac Escalade again tops the list of vehicles with the highest number of theft claims filed. You probably also won’t be surprised that fuel efficient car and minivans don’t appear in the top ten, but you may be surprised to read what vehicles are. According to the Highway Loss Data Institute, the ten vehicles with the highest insurance theft losses are:

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Does that price include fresh blinker fluid, too?

If you’re being charged $49.95 plus tax, as is the case in this ad from Porsche Center of San Antonio, the answer is a resounding “no”. Despite this ad’s claims, nitrogen does nothing to improve ride quality or fuel economy, and won’t prevent false tire warning lights any better than plain old air will. The key to getting a smooth ride, maximum fuel economy and no tire pressure warning lights is simple: regularly check your tire pressure when your tires are cold.

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Looks like a 'Future Collectible' to me...

One of the lessons to be learned in a down economy is this: when it comes to selling a used car, it’s buyer’s market. Prices have fallen lower than Lindsay Lohan’s moral standards, and it doesn’t look like we’ll be hitting rock bottom any time soon. If you try to trade a car in to a dealer, the results are likely to be even worse. Trying to negotiate with a car dealer on a trade in is like trying to negotiate over a pork chop with a pit bull: at the very least, it’s bound to be unpleasant.

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I don’t know whether to call Gurcharn Sahota a genius or a crook. You see he’s the 30 year old accounting graduate that charges upwards of $10,000 or £7,200 to get your car detailed. Located across the pond in Britain, Sahota claims to use over 100 different cleaning fluids and a special wax that cost £8,200 per tub or around $12,000 US. He also claims that it takes him 250 hours to do a single car. Think about that for a minute because he’s claiming it takes him 10 full 24 hour days to clean one car. Anyone else here think this smells like bullshit? Sahota says he uses a police forensic microscope to detect the smallest scratches and that by measuring the thickness of the paints clear coat he is able to provide the customer with a shine that is far superior to anything that has ever come out of a manufacturing facility.

Source: Youtube.com

One of the most common questions I get is, “How can I choose a shop to work on my car?” In some cases, you’re options are extremely limited: drive a Ferrari F40, for example, and chances are you’re not going to find a local mechanic willing to turn a wrench on it. The risk is too high, and even at steep hourly rates, the reward is too low.

I’ve been around cars and bikes my entire life, and spent my impressionable years working in the family garage. It’s gone now, a victim of changing times, but it served the local community for over 60 years. We had generations of customers, some who would even drive in from out of state to get their cars serviced. Why? Because it was a small shop that put an emphasis on quality work and customer satisfaction. That type of business is getting harder and harder to find with each passing year.

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First, if you live outside of Alaska, chances are good you don’t own a .458 caliber rifle, which is overkill for hunting anything except Kodiak brown bears in North America. You probably don’t have easy access to the Mojave Desert, either, so shooting up a brand new battery is going to be inconvenient. At the very least, it’s going to take some planning.

Anyway, it’s good to know that your truck will still start, at least in the desert, if you’re being stalked by an Alaskan hunting guide. I’m not reassured enough to run out and buy a DieHard Platinum replacement battery for my own truck, but I’ll keep it in mind when the stock one bites the dust.