Buyers Guide

Maintenance is key to long life for your vehicle—and here’s the scoop on its replacement parts and fluids.

Your guide to changing your oil at home and all the tools you'll need to make it easier.

Uncertainty is a key source of stress in the used-car shopping process, and smart shoppers take effective steps to avoid it. Recently, we published this story on how to test-drive a new car like a pro.

So, you’re in the market for a used car. Congratulations. Whether trading up or acquiring your first car, car-shopping is one of life’s biggest milestones.

All-terrain (A/T) tires are a segment that spans a broad swath of options from various manufacturers and in countless different models. Choosing the best all-terrain tires for your 4x4 vehicle involves considering several factors to ensure you get the right balance of performance, durability, and cost. Here’s a guide to help you make an informed decision.

Owning a dog is a lot of fun, especially if you live somewhere that allows you to get out and do things with your pet. Whether it’s heading out to the backcountry for some camping or down the street for a drink, you probably need a car to get there. Thing is, some cars are better for dog owners than others. That’s exactly what this list is for, so take a look at the best new cars for dog owners.

The decision to invest in a Level 2 home electric vehicle (EV) charger depends on various factors and personal preferences. This type of charger isn’t for everybody, but it can be a very beneficial way to improve the convenience of owning an EV. Here are some considerations to help you make an informed decision:

If you’ve set out to do a bit of at-home auto maintenance, you’ve probably noticed some of the parts commonly found online can vary greatly in price.

Being the so-called "car expert" to all my friends and family means I'm often the one fielding questions about car care.

Like full-size rigs, radio-controlled (RC) cars and trucks come in a varying array of shapes and sizes. Inside the rock crawling subset alone, the range extends from massive 1/6 and tiny micro crawlers. But by far the most popular are the middle three: 1/10, 1/18, and 1/24 scale.

The Chevrolet Equinox EV is open for business.

The Toyo Celsius II all-season tire will supersede the Celsius and Celsius CUV tires. As you’d expect, the new tire is designed to provide good year-round service. It departs from the norm with a Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) designation, which means it’s qualified for severe snow conditions. 

When you need car-related information quickly, a picture can be worth way more than a thousand words. That’s why we’ve put together six easily digestible infographics you can refer back to time and again, wherever you’re at in your automotive journey. PRO TIP: Save yourself time and stress down the road by downloading these infographics to your computer or phone.

You may find the idea of your teenager sitting behind the wheel of your car slightly terror-inducing, but you’ll actually increase the chances of an accident if you don’t allow them to practice. Driver’s education programs are an excellent place to start, but they may only amount to 7-10 hours of actual drive time. The experience needed to become reasonably proficient is closer to 50 hours and that can vary from state to state. Still that’s around two hours per week spread out over six months! You’ll be responsible for ensuring your young driver not only learns the basics of driving, but also gains enough experience to drive with confidence.

One of the joys of the holiday season is the opportunity to see family and friends that live far away. Unfortunately, this often involves more than a simple journey of “over the river and through the wood.” Crowded highways are the new normal, resulting in greater exposure to potential accidents. Many drivers will be travelling in unfamiliar areas, which could lead to distractions from checking the GPS. Winter weather can be unpredictable, making the roads themselves dangerous, and there is always the unfortunate possibility that revelers will hit the road before they’ve completely sobered up. The best defense against unforeseen misfortune is preparedness. If you take the time to prepare your vehicle and make sure your coverage is up to date, you’ll be able to hit the road with confidence!

According to the EPA, “greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation account for about 27 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, making it the largest contributor of U.S. GHG emissions.” And with almost 95% of American households owning at least one vehicle, it remains vital that American drivers—particularly those with traditional, gas-powered cars—try to adopt eco-friendly driving and car-care habits. The good news? It’s a lot easier than you might think.

There’s nothing like feeling the wind on your face, whether you’re cruising down the highway on your motorcycle or riding the waves on your boat or jet ski. The last thing anyone wants is to have a perfect day on the road or water ruined by an accident, but the situation will be made even worse if you find yourself without the proper insurance coverage to help you in the aftermath. Due to their unique natures, boats and motorcycles require special insurance coverage in addition to your existing homeowner and auto policies. Read on to learn what to look for in a policy, tips for shopping around, and more.

Strict travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders at the beginning of the pandemic led to decreased sales of Recreational Vehicles, but the mobile lifestyle has since experienced a resurgence as more jobs become remote-friendly, social distancing becomes a feature of everyday life, and people are looking to make up for lost travel time. The perks of RV living, whether it is full- or part-time, are appealing to many—it offers individuals and families easy access to travel, flexibility, and a more affordable lifestyle. But how do you protect your home-on-wheels, as well as the people and property inside? The answer is RV insurance. This coverage is a unique combination of the coverages you find in auto and homeowner insurance policies that will help with peace of mind on and off the road.

Whether you are paying a mortgage or rent, it is important to insure your home against potential disasters. But it is also vital that you understand the difference between homeowner’s and renter’s insurance—though similar, the two are tailored to fit the unique needs of your living situation. Below, you will find an overview of each type of policy before we dive more deeply into renter’s insurance and the ways it can help protect you (and your possessions) regardless of the coverage provided by your landlord.

Buying a home is a lengthy, complex process that tests the patience of even the most organized individuals. When it comes to protecting the place you call home, it is imperative that finding appropriate insurance coverage is part of the home buying process. If you are financing your home most banks and mortgage lenders require home insurance to approve your loan, but regardless of how you go about purchasing, home insurance is a practical step you can take that can help you mitigate financial hardship down the road. Like car insurance, not all policies are created equally, making it important to shop around to find the right combination of coverage and price. To help, we have put together a practical overview of all the information you will need to decide on a policy that fits your lifestyle and budget—read on and shop with confidence!

When purchasing car insurance, we all hope we’ll never have to use it. And while there are several steps you can take to avoid accidents, the reality is that an average of six million car accidents occur every year in the United States. Sooner or later, most of us will experience an accident, be it a fender-bender or a more severe collision. So, what do you do in the aftermath? Committing this information to memory can help keep an incredibly stressful situation from becoming overwhelming, so let’s go through the steps you should take.

Gas and diesel engines still power most vehicles and look poised to be with us for some time to come, even if their dominance is waning. Any engine that develops its power from burning fuel depends on vast amounts of air for the combustion process and efficient operation.

Driving has become such a normal part of our everyday lives that it’s easy to forget the risks we take when getting into a vehicle.  While some take safety to heart at an early age, it can be an eye opener for others when they become parents and begin a journey with their precious cargo. Luckily, the rules for keeping your children safe while driving are the same for safe driving in general, but car safety also extends beyond on-the-road practices. Knowing how to keep your family safe in, out, and around your vehicle will help instill good safety habits in children, ease stress and worry in parents, and reduce the number of accidents your family is involved in overall.

Here are the best car waxes you can buy that will give you great results and help protect your paint.

Not everyone has the time to wax their car regularly. Traditional paste wax can take over an hour to apply, with a thorough process of rubbing, buffing, and cleaning up afterward. If you’re looking for an easy and efficient way to give your car’s finish a layer of wax protection, consider spray waxes. While spray waxes don’t last as long as traditional paste wax, they can be applied in as little as 15 minutes, depending on the size of your car. Spray waxes are designed to offer a good level of protection with less effort; they work better if your car already has a layer of existing wax protection.

All passenger vehicles in North America have had polycarbonate plastic headlights for decades, and they all have one thing in common: They are constantly exposed to the elements and over time they turn dull, yellowed, or foggy. Not only does this look bad, but it can cut down the amount of light dramatically. Fortunately, headlight restoration kits can restore almost all old headlights, or at least bring make them bright enough to be safe again.

What does the future of driving mean for the future of insurance? As automotive technology continues to evolve, the needs of drivers, automotive makers, and insurance companies will also shift. With researchers predicting the autonomous vehicle market will be worth 400 billion U.S. dollars globally by 2025, and in advanced economies, highways will be nearly driver-free by 2050 1, it’s important to begin digging into the implications of this transformation for your own insurance needs and the future of driving as a whole.

In the internet age, it’s quicker and easier than ever to gather loads of information on any pre-owned vehicle. The license plate lookup tool at Bumper.com is one information source worth looking into.

Welcome to AutoGuide’s Deals of the Week. Do you have the time to scour the internet to find the best deals on auto parts and accessories?

So you think you’ve found your dream car, or at least your ideal example of your next car. While it may not be the cheapest example on the market, it sure seems to tick all the boxes. It features significantly lower mileage than most other examples. It has all the options you could possibly want: heated seats, automatic climate control, adaptive HID headlights and a branded premium audio system. The vehicle history report comes back as clean as a freshly pressed pair of fine Italian slacks and the vehicle is verified to be free of any liens. You’ve pressed every button you could find and all the electrical gadgets and gizmos seem to be working perfectly. The body appears to be in phenomenal shape, as does the interior. It’s even in your favorite color combination. Oh what a savvy shopper you are. But wait, isn’t there something you’re forgetting? It may seem perfect, but is it actually perfect or is it all a facade? Shouldn’t you get verification that it is indeed the real deal? Of course you should. Here are six reasons why you need a pre-purchase inspection.

We all love the idea of travelling with our best friends—whether they have two legs or four! But before you hit the road you need to make sure you understand how to keep your pets safe in the car, as well as how they fit into your insurance coverage.

We think open discussion and information is good for the insurance business. Otherwise, it’s easy for misconceptions to spread and become common knowledge. Misunderstanding the ins-and-outs of your insurance policy could be a costly mistake, which is why we’re taking the time to tackle some of the most common myths when it comes to auto insurance.

Just 25 years ago car buying was relatively simple, if still a headache. Unless you were after a high end luxury, sports, or collector car, all your new car choices were on the lot at your local dealership; and there were 100 pages of used car classifieds at every checkout. Or you could always bring your wallet down to Yetarian’s Premium Deluxe Motorsport and take your chances with their low, low, prices. Only a few diehards would think about having a car shipped in from somewhere or taking European delivery of their Volvo or BMW.

Every vehicle has a story, and before you pull the trigger on any pre-owned car, truck, or SUV, a VIN lookup can help you learn what that story is.

Shopping for insurance has changed dramatically in recent years. Smaller companies have entered the marketplace (there are now nearly 6,000 insurance companies and 39,000 independent agencies serving consumers across the US!), new technologies have made pricing more accurate, and comparison shopping has become a regular part of the insurance buying process. Some consumers prefer to work with an insurance agent and others are content to complete the entire process on their own online.

You’ve heard the promise in every insurance commercial: bundle your policies and save!

Do you tend to stay on cruise control when it comes to renewing your auto insurance? You could be leaving money on the table if you aren’t taking the time to shop around for the best rates and coverage tailored to your needs.

It’s hard to think of a more important automotive component than brakes. The ability to stop your car quickly, consistently, and repeatedly without losing control is crucial to keeping you and others safe out on the road. If your braking system isn’t well maintained, your chance of being involved in something “unfortunate” increases significantly.

Thinking about buying a new sports or performance car? The cost of insurance is probably one of your top concerns. However, performance car insurance may not necessarily make your premium skyrocket. In short, be careful how you shop, choose the right agency partner, and understand what insurance carriers consider potential risk.

Looking at bringing home a new truck? It might be time to review your insurance policy to make sure you have the right coverage. Truck insurance for your pickup is largely the same as car insurance for your car. So, switching to a pickup doesn’t necessarily mean you have to switch to a different policy, but there are differences. Here are some tips to help you shop for truck insurance that fits your needs.

You may have an image of washing a car in a driveway with a hose and a bucket of suds, but the best foam cannons are a much easier way to do it. Not do they take less time and water, they also takes out some of the risk of rubbing grit into your finish. Even if you’re not that passionate about detailing or washing your car, owning a pressure washer and a foam cannon to use with makes the job a lot faster, easier, and can give you better results.

You know the scene… You’re driving along, taking in the sights, when suddenly – WHAP. A pebble, or stone, or other piece of road debris flies into your windshield, putting a chip or crack in the glass. Go to  Safelite.com and schedule an appointment. It could start spreading immediately, or maybe you say to yourself  “I’ve got time – I’ll take it to Safelite® next week”. And before you know it, the damage has spread. Now it’s obstructing your view and distracting you while you drive.

The biggest leaps in automotive technology over the past few years haven’t been in propulsion; they’ve been in driver safety. The average new vehicle is safer than it’s ever been, with highly advanced, sophisticated systems that can literally “see” the road and warn of – or react to – potential threats.

If you are an experienced off-roader, you have likely used a winch more than a few times. If you have vast experience pulling yourself or others out of sticky situations, you have likely had a traditional winch hook slip and cause an even bigger problem. The little safety latch that holds a rope or cable in place will help in some situations, but that piece is not load bearing, so if the line shifts, that little latch quickly breaks. When that happens, you can suddenly lose your load, but this can be prevented with a closed system winching set up from Factor 55.

When it is time to shop for car insurance, the most common way to do it is through an agent. But not all insurance agents are the same. Some work directly for one insurance company, while others are independent insurance agencies that can help you find the best value for your specific insurance needs. Here’s how you can get the most out of your auto insurance by using an independent insurance agency.

Steam cleaners clean differently from any other method you might use. Because of this, they are often the only tool to get rid of stains and dirt that nothing else will touch.

Data. It’s changing the world, from smartphones to airlines to connected appliances, every industry needs information to survive. Customers demand personalized experiences and businesses demand analytics to make the right decisions, from “anytime, anywhere” home delivery services to industrial manufacturing. Without a doubt though, very few applications can match the advantages you gain when you use your own data from a connected vehicle to help you save money on your car insurance.  

Trailer theft is no joke. It seems as if one goes missing every week in every major city in America. What’s more, getting your trailer back is far from easy. There’s often mountains of paperwork to get through, impound fees to pay and trailer damage to repair, and that’s assuming your trailer actually gets recovered. As such, it’s no surprise that many trailer owners are turning to trailer locks, and  AMPLock offers some of the strongest trailer locks in the business.

Getting the best ceramic coating on your car was once only a job for the very best specialty car detailing shops. They were only introduced in 2010, and for the first years weren’t really available for home users. Only professionals used the best ceramic coating for cars, and if you ever visited a shop for a quote, you might have left shocked with an estimate that can easily be over,$1,000 for a quality ceramic coat using products from a professional-only brand such as Ceramic Pro. Few normal people can spend that much money on ceramic coating, so thankfully, car detailing brands have formulated their own products at a much more affordable price.

Nobody ever wants their vehicle to be damaged in a crash, but we all know it’s possible. That’s why we carry insurance, to help make sure that our vehicle is brought back to its original condition without a large one-time cost to us. But, after being worked on, can you be sure that your vehicle comes out of the shop with repair parts that meet factory specifications? You can, with the right insurance coverage.

If you’re hauling more than one trailer, you already know that it can be a real pain in the hitch. One drop height for your boat trailer, one for the quads, one for your RV, and another for the work trailer, and that’s before you decide you want a new truck or that it’s time to give yours a new lift and some bigger tires. Uriah Products and its Aluma-Tow has what you need to make changing trailers and even changing your truck quick and easy, making sure you don’t have a cargo box full of spare hitch parts between uses.

If you spend much of your free time off-roading with your truck or SUV, the odds are good that you are familiar with closed system winching products like the lineup offered by Factor 55. If you are not, you should be, as closed system winching is safer, preventing the cable or D-ring from shifting against the passive latch in a traditional winch hook. The closed system winching components also look a whole lot nicer than the hook that came with your winch, tucking neatly against your fairlead.

If you’ve entered the rideshare side hustle game, or are considering it, you’re not alone.  More than one million Americans are already driving for at least one of the two big rideshare companies, Uber, and Lyft. You’ll need to think about your ride as well as gas prices and more vehicle maintenance, but are you properly insured for rideshare driving? You should be, and products like  Toyota Auto Insurance can help you make sure you are.

If you want to dress up the engine bay of your performance car while also adding serious durability and convenience, the upgraded aluminum cooling system tanks from Canton Racing Products are a great option. The welded aluminum construction looks far better than the plastic tanks that come from the factory and they are also far more durable, while the remote mounting aspect makes for easier coolant system filling.

Not everyone can say that they discovered their lifelong passion at the age of nine, but this racecar driver has always been a gearhead with a need for speed. As a pro drag racer in the Top Fuel category of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), Alex Laughlin was bitten by the adrenaline bug at a young age, starting things off with go-karts and continuing to ramp up the speed from there.

With sizes ranging from a mild 32” LT Metric to a wild 37” tall Flotation for wheels ranging from 16” – 22”, the Atturo Trail Blade M/T is a performance tire for your truck, Jeep, or SUV that’s built for off-road duty. Proven through Atturo’s motorsports efforts, the Trail Blade M/T is an affordable replacement tire, delivering superior performance, be it for daily driving or fun in the mud.

If you drive in the winter, it’s going to happen sooner or later. Your car gets stuck in the snow. Don’t panic, you can usually get your car, truck, or SUV out of the snow without needing a tow truck or other heavy equipment to do the work for you. Here are eight steps for when your car is stuck in the snow.

It’s a cold, dark night and you’re walking out to your car. You get in, press the start button, and instead of the usual sound of your engine bursting to life you hear nothing. Just a small click comes from the front of your car as dim gauges cast a dull glow onto your distraught face. You need a boost, but do you know how? Here’s what you need to know to jump-start your car, truck, or SUV.

Your car’s battery is what makes everything in your car go. From your ignition to your radio, if you have a bad battery, none of them will work properly. A car battery, even the best one, won’t last forever. Five to seven years is the typical lifespan of a high-quality battery, less in areas of extreme heat and cold. When it’s time for a new one, you can change your car battery yourself. Here’s how to do it.

Psst! Hey, you. Yeah, the gearhead with the modified car. Bet you’re tired of pawing though various and sundry online classified sites trying to find decently priced speed parts, right? After sifting out the help wanted ads, fake dating profiles, and that guy who’s still trying to sell those beat up frying pans, there’s a chance that maybe – just maybe – you’ll find the Holley carb you heard the guy across town has for sale.