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We have all heard a few crazy things when it comes to cars and the myths that surround them. Maybe you have told the legend of James Dean’s cursed car, cleaned your wheels with Coke, or had the misfortune of using kerosene instead of car wax for a better shine. There are tons of car tips and tricks floating around out there, but how many are true? Believe it or not, most of what you think you know about cars is wrong. Here is a quick list of the most common things said about cars and what we t...

Your vehicle has hundreds of parts that work together in an intricate way. All these parts have to operate smoothly or you might end up stuck on the side of the road. Your vehicle works hard, takes a lot of punishment, and unfortunately, maintenance is often neglected. Don't let your car or truck go without the vital maintenance and fluids it needs.Just like when we work hard, our vehicles get thirsty when they work hard. Maintaining the fluids in your vehicle is often a critical but inexpen...

Alignment Center in Anchorage wants to remind you just how hard your oil is working and what happens when you don't change the motor oil on schedule.  On an average ten minute trip to the grocery store, your engine spins about 30,000 times and every time it does, the engine oil is responsible for protecting all of the bits and pieces moving around inside your engine from damaging friction, heat, and corrosion.  That's a lot of work and it's hard on your motor oil.  Add hot weather and stop and ...

Don’t you hate it when you try to find ways to save on gas and the first response you get is “drive less”?  If that was an option, I wouldn’t be looking up solutions. Unfortunately, we all depend on our vehicles and we all have to drive. Which means we all have to buy gas. But how can we do all this and still save money?    You can’t make it far in search results without coming across dozens of tips on how to make your gas go further. In case you’ve missed out, here are some of the best t...

It used to be as common as falling leaves in autumn for people to work on their own cars.  And while this red-blooded American pastime has not completely disappeared from our world, the expense and complexity of newer cars make some repairs best left to the professionals.  Here is a quick list of, "Don't try this at home"' auto repairs: 1.  Check Engine Diagnostics - With everyone from big box parts stores to smartphone app developers making it possible to talk to the computer in your car, many...

I can think of several things I would rather buy, but it looks like a new set of tires is going to be at the top of the list. There are many factors to consider before making this investment. Here is a quick guide to finding, buying, and maintaining your new tires. Do you need new tires?  Take a close look at your tires and determine if you actually need new tires. Tread is the best place to look. You can measure the depth using an old penny or by looking at the tread wear indicators b...

Have you ever gotten a little too excited using your parking brake? At some point, most of us pull up just a little too hard and get our brake lever jammed.  There are several situations that require a little extra braking power. Knowing when and how to use your brake will help you avoid sticky situations.    When should I use my parking brake?   If you drive a manual transmission you might use your emergency brake every time you park your vehicle. You might even be using it when you are drivin...

Do you have a spare tire in your car? If you have to think twice about that question, I bet you either don’t have one or the spare you have needs attention. Your spare tire is one of the most important accessories on your vehicle, but it is often the most neglected.   If you never check your spare tire, it might not be useful when you need it. Here are some general steps you should take to make sure your spare tire will be ready when disaster strikes.   Think about the most basic thing you che...

Your vehicle is made of many different parts. In fact, a single vehicle can have 30,000 components or more! With so many parts, it’s hard to keep track of what they all do. In order to maintain your vehicle’s performance, your belts are something you should be familiar with. They might not be good at keeping your pants up but the belts in your car play a big role in your vehicle’s performance. The major belts in your vehicle are the serpentine belt and timing belt. Serpentines are responsibl...

How much do you remember about tire maintenance from your driver’s education class? I bet you don’t remember much. Most courses cover the rules of the road, not how to maintain a vehicle. As a new driver, there are many things to learn. Taking care of your car is one of those things. Let’s start with the one part of your vehicle that touches the road, your tires. That’s right, your tires are the only part of your vehicle that actually touch the road. That makes them ...