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Articles Matching “How-To”

• Upcoming: #carchat 26; September 2 @ 8PM EST

  Banovsky on September 2, 2009

  This week is a pretty big milestone: #carchat is celebrating its six month anniversary! This week, we'll be predicting how bad September vehicle sales will be (thanks, @raywert), the first car you'd buy after a lottery win, some driver training tips, and we'll come up with ad slogans for Jalopnik's list of cars that need to die.

  If you're confused, check out the #carchat How-To. Anyone can join us at 8PM EST September 2, but you'll need a Twitter account to ask questions and participate.

  However, if you'd like to follow things live, go here at 8 PM EST.

  And if you'd like to suggest topics for next week, please tag articles on Delicious.com with "carchat."

  This week:

  • Discussion: Our LAST discussion about Cash for Clunkers…I promise!
  • Discussion: Slogans for Jalopnik's list of "Cars that Should Die"
  • Discussion: The first vehicle you'd buy after winning the lottery, and why
  • Discussion: Useful driver training tips

  So click through and read a few links, see some photos, and check out a video related to tonight's discussion.

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under How-To, Advertising, Advice , Humor, This week, Discussion, Social Media, carchat, Twitter, vLane, Cash for Clunkers, Car Allowance Rebate System, CARS, LOL, Jalopnik

• Have Cash for Clunkers and CARS questions?

  Banovsky on July 3, 2009

  Take a look at our official Cash for Clunkers discussion thread (Discussion)

  

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under Government, Environment, Green, Mileage, News, How-To, Misc, Advice , Discussion, Grant, 2009, vLane, Cash for Clunkers, CARS

• Car care workshop part 4: Brakes

  AshleyW on June 1, 2009

  We all know how important brakes are to our vehicles. In part 4 (parts 1, 2, 3) of the Women's Car Care Workshop at Speedy Auto Service in Toronto, Canada we were told how essential it is to maintain brakes and their surrounding parts.

  

  This is how your brakes look without the drum

  Mechanic Abdul Sankar demonstrated and explained to the group everything we need to know about brakes.

  More…

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under News, Feature, How-To, Advice , Safety, maintenance, women, women, speedy , brakes, pads, rotor, brake shoe, brake fluid, women

• Car care workshop part 3: Belts

  AshleyW on May 29, 2009

  In Part 3 (part 1, part 2) of this series for the Speedy Auto Service Women's Car Care Workshop that I attended in Toronto, Canada, Mechanic Abdul Sankar spoke to the group about belts and in particular why water pumps are so important in relation to a timing belt.

  

  The V belt is on the left, the larger timing belt is on the right.

  V-belt — Fits in the pulley and forms the shape of a V. You can find them in older cars and are occasionally used in new vehicles. V belts drive the alternator, water pump, power steering. This belt can crack and should be checked often.

  Read on…

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under News, Feature, How-To, Advice , Safety, engine, maintenance, women, women, Speedy, belt, timing, serpentine, women

• Car care workshop part 2: Filters

  AshleyW on May 28, 2009

  Here is the second part (part 1 here) of the workshop I attended at Speedy Auto Service on car maintenance in Toronto, Canada. Specifically aimed at women, this workshop was all about learning how to maintain your vehicle and to know how some of these car parts actually work. Mechanic Abdul Sankar spoke to the group of women and men about filters.

  

  Sankar explains to the audience about the importance of maintenance.

  Cabin filter — For most vehicles the cabin filter is located under the dashboard and it filters the air coming from outside. There is pollen, bacteria and gases that are in the air. Cabin filters are installed for health reasons. Sankar had us inspect up close a square shaped cabin filter that was black in colour and contained pieces of sediment and leaves. Pollutants that you wouldn't want to inhale. Your cabin filter should be inspected at every oil change. Some vehicles have one cabin filter or two.

  Read on…

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under driving, News, Feature, How-To, Advice , Safety, engine, maintenance, women, women, oil, filter, Speedy, women

• Car care workshop part 1: Fluids

  AshleyW on May 27, 2009

  I was able to participate in one of the most informative workshops I have ever been to regarding car maintenance — and it was free!

  

  It's important to have your vehicle fluids checked.

  Speedy Auto Service located at 660 St. Clair Avenue West in Toronto, Canada held their first workshop for women on car care. There was so much I learned that this series will be divided in several parts, stay tuned for more.

  I filled six pages in my notebook with all sorts of tips and lessons on the best ways to maintain a car. As a female who drives on a regular basis, there was so much I discovered I didn't know at this workshop and also what to look for when choosing the best place to have a car serviced thanks to the amazing staff at Speedy Auto Service.

  The workshop was put together by Marcella-Lynne Durant-Abraham, VP of Operations, Carl Abraham, Owner and Operator, Abdul Sankar, Mechanic, Vittorio Puzzo, Mechanic, and Arman Abdollahian, Apprentice. The topics ranged from fluids to brakes and everything in between and the crowd of women and a few men in the audience were just as busy as I was taking notes.

  "A customer had come to me for an oil change and we checked his transmission fluid, and we told him that it definitely had to be changed today. He told me no I have been driving with it for this long I'm not concerned about it. He came in soon after and said you know I should have listened to ya. 'I said why is that?' He said it just cost me $3300 for a transmission. The entire transmission had to be replaced because the oil was that bad, the oil in the transmission was like water it had no lubricants in it. Stuff like that we see all the time."

  More…

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under Industry, Feature, How-To, Advice , Safety, Performance, engine, maintenance, women, women, tranmission fluid, oil, power steering fluid, speedy

• An expert's look at how to maintain your tires and rims

  AshleyW on May 15, 2009

  On a busy Friday morning I spent some time with Dave Wilson, owner of Second Time Around Tires in Toronto, Canada. He gave me expert advice on the best ways to maintain your rims and tires all year long.

  

  If you're got chrome rims, be sure to keep them clean.

  Steel wheels

  Wilson says your basic tire with a steel rim with or without a hubcap doesn't require a lot of maintenance. Checking your tire pressure is important and also looking for any signs of rust. This could happen depending on where you live. In Canada — or in the Northern U.S. states — with our famous snow storms, the combination of salt, dirt from the roads and oxygen can cause the tire to unseal itself from the rim starting a leak. Wilson also mentioned that corrosion can build up where the valve is located and depending on the weights that are used to balance a tire that can also affect a proper seal.

  Alloy wheels

  "Aluminum won't rust," Wilson said. "It will corrode but it won't rust." Tire rims are made of aluminum and steel most of the time. A method that is used at Second Time Around Tires to check for leaks is to submerge a tire in a basin of water. If there are any leaks air bubbles will rise to the surface. Although steel rusts faster it doesn't necessarily mean that you have a leak. Double check with your local tire shop just to be sure.

  "What happens sometimes is the valve core will become loose," said Wilson. That will also produce air bubbles... a little tightening is all it needs to stop the leak.

  Click through to read more about tire and rim maintenance.

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under How-To, Advice , Interview, style, tires, uniroyal, Maintenance, rims, aluminum, steel

• Want to know if you're buying a vehicle made in the US?

  Banovsky on May 5, 2009

  Make sure the VIN begins with a 1, 4, or 5. (link)

  

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under How-To, Link

• How-To: Maintain your windshield wipers

  AshleyW on May 5, 2009

  We've all had that experience of a surprising downpour of rain, hail, snow, or even a splash of mud across our windshields. Of course, you'll immediately reach to turn on your windshield wipers. An important tool when driving, here are some tips on when to change your wipers.

  

  [Photo: dnorman on Flickr.]

  Although they are only used when we really, really need them, windshield wipers are an important visual aid when driving. Maintaining them is extremely important and here are some tips on how to do that.

  Windshield wipers should be replaced once per year, and both wipers should be replaced at the same time. Depending on where you live and road conditions, you may have to change them more frequently. If the frame of the wiper is rusting, or the rubber is detaching itself from the frame and screws are rusted and loose are indications that you should change your wipers. If you notice streaking on your windshield, a good cleaning can help or replace them.

  Read on…

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under driving, News, How-To, Advice , windshield, wiper, windshield wipers, wiper arm, rubber, hook, bayonet, slide

• An auto junkie's guide to Twitter

  Banovsky on May 4, 2009

  Note: This post comes courtesy of Mark Stevenson from Auto North.ca, who shares with us what makes Twitter tick for car enthusiasts.

  Twitter has become the new big thing in the social networking space. Much like Facebook, Myspace, and countless others, Twitter merges the concept of micro-blogging into a feed form so that you can keep up with friends and things that interest you…including cars.

  

  The premise of Twitter is simple - by sending short messages of 140 characters or less, it allows for the rapid sharing of information as well as short conversations similar to that of text messaging. On top of that, it has gained a great following, not just by the general public, but by companies as well. For the purpose of this post though, I am going to assume you know how Twitter works. If you don't, then head over to The Lost Art Of Blogging's Guide to Twitter.

  "…instead of packaging information or a message that we want, we get to know right away what people want to know about. It helps us be more relevant to people" — Christopher Barger, General Motors

  Auto manufacturers, journalists, bloggers, enthusiasts, and even fake Formula 1 drivers have been getting on Twitter. Whether for entertainment, conversation, information, or anything else that can be shared through text and links, Twitter is now on the scene to give you that fix of high-octane goodness. Read on…

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under journalism, How-To, Misc, Technology, Advice , Discussion, Social Media, carchat