Roundups

Shopping for a car lover isn’t nearly as difficult as it seems, especially when you focus on the small, useful gear they’ll actually appreciate.

If your weekend plans involve trails, campsites, track days, or anything that shakes lesser gear into early retirement, YETI’s Hopper M15 Soft Cooler is built to keep up. This is the cooler you buy when you want something portable but refuse to compromise on durability or cold retention. Ahead of the holidays, Bass Pro Shops is selling the YETI Hopper M15 Soft Cooler for $100 off.

Husky’s 280-piece Mechanics Tool Set is the kind of kit that immediately upgrades your entire workflow.

If you wrench on your own car or do any kind of home improvement work, DEWALT’s new 20V MAX XR High-Torque Impact Driver kit feels purpose-built for the kind of jobs we all put off until absolutely necessary. Ahead of the holidays, Home Depot is selling the DCF860B 1/4-inch impact driver for 52% off, savings of over $200!

If you live in a condo, apartment, or anywhere that space and infrastructure to clean, maintain and care for your car is limited, it’s still possible to give your beloved car the TLC it deserves, provided you’ve got the right products and tools for the job.

You do not want to miss out on these Black Friday automotive deals.

The Sony PlayStation 5 has been the undisputed king of this generation of gaming consoles basically since it launched in November 2020. While there are plenty of PlayStation exclusives to hook folks including Horizon Forbidden West, The Last of Us Part II, and Astro Bot among others, the PS5 is also a great place for racing games. There's a little something for everyone here, ranging from track-based simulations to open-world explorers and artistic experiences. There's even the option to put yourself behind the wheel with PlayStation VR2.

Between the invention of the self starter and the end of the 20th Century, the best portable car jump starters weren’t something you carried with you. They were heavy lead-acid automotive batteries that only garages and tow truck drivers used. Everyone else carried (and still should) jumper cables, which require two cars and enough knowledge not to short them out. If you had a dead or weak battery and you were on your own, you had to get to a phone or flag down another motorist to have a chance of getting going again.

Anyone who lives with snowy winter weather knows the struggle of clearing snow and ice off their car after a huge storm.

Should you run winter tires on your car or truck?

We pick our favorite tools, equipment, and accessories for people who love cars, drive cars, work on cars, look at cars, and most importantly—play with cars.

Keep your windows spotless with this premium crinkle-weave microfiber glass towel from Griot's Garage, designed for professional-level car care. Its dual-weave design features a tight side for streak-free finishing and a crinkle side that powers through oily residues, fingerprints, and road grime with ease.

Teeran’s 2-in-1 Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto Adapter is the easiest way to turn your factory infotainment system into a fully wireless experience. It supports more than 1,000 vehicle models and reconnects automatically in under three seconds.

Protecting your car’s finish has never been this easy.

We drive the latest new cars, trucks, and SUVs, but did you also know the team at AutoGuide.com tests tires, waxes, wiper blades, pressure washers, tools, and other automotive accessories?

In case you hadn't noticed, we're big fans of Chemical Guys products here at AutoGuide. From Car wash soaps to wash mitts, foam cannons, and wheel cleaners, we have a fairly well-stocked arsenal of Chemical Guys products to keep the AutoGuide family fleet looking sharp and slick.

Is it possible that we no longer need to change tires from summer to winter and back again? Well, it's certainly starting to look that way, thanks to the Michelin CrossClimate 2 All-Weather tires. I installed these tires on my car last spring, and the results have been nothing short of remarkable.

This is the ultimate test for a set of winter tires: living with a 2007 Mercury Grand Marquis through a Northeast winter.

Long-Term Testing of Hankook's Newest Winter Tire

Audi is giving enthusiasts a new way to celebrate two of its most iconic performance cars—without needing a garage or a six-figure budget.

With winter weather causing havoc across North America, having good visibility is super important. The best auto glass cleaners are designed to clean your glass easily and efficiently, leaving no streaks or residue behind.

The alternator is a device that keeps your car’s electrical system running once the engine is on. It’s essentially a small generator that converts mechanical energy into electricity, bolted to the engine and driven by a belt connected to the engine’s crankshaft.

Your car’s battery might seem like a “set it and forget it” part, but when it fails, it can leave you stranded, potentially costing you hundreds of dollars in tow fees or a visit to the mechanic to simply diagnose a dead battery. That's what makes a car battery tester a valuable piece of any car owner's home toolkit.

Want to join the growing ranks of overland campers? Here are 10 items you’re going to need.

For the past year or so, it has started to feel like I was one of the last people to not have a dash cam in the car. While I don’t typically consider myself a Luddite when it comes to tech—I figured a dash cam was more of a luxury than an actual need.

While we do not condone speeding, we acknowledge the fact that drivers do exceed the speed limit from time to time. Whether it’s in a rural part of the U.S. with a long and uneventful freeway, or the road has just opened up after being stuck in traffic, drivers like to stretch their car’s legs every now and then. That’s where a radar detector comes in handy, so long as they’re legal in your state (they’re currently illegal in Virginia and Washington, D.C., and only legal in Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia in Canada). They’re also illegal throughout the US on any vehicle weighing over 10,000 pounds.

Tailgating season isn’t what it used to be, but that just means you need to think outside the box. Instead of a crowded parking lot, try your own driveway. Maybe a campsite or a park, where thanks to streaming services, you can still watch the game even if you aren’t at home. One thing hasn’t changed, and that’s that crowd or not, game or not, you still need the right grill to get your famous food served hot and fresh.

A windshield repair kit isn't a miracle solution, but for some minor chips, it will save you a trip to an expensive glass repair shop and could help stop those chips from becoming dangerous cracks.

A charged battery is a happy battery. Keeping your car’s battery properly charged is essential to long life and reliability. When you drive, your car’s charging system keeps your battery topped up. However, if your vehicle sits for an extended period, the battery will slowly drain and discharge.

Just as you don’t get great results washing your hair with dish soap, when it comes to washing your car, you’ll be a lot happier using a proper car wash soap. Dish detergents and other household soaps are designed to remove grease, which means they will strip wax or any other protective coating from your car.

Many modern vehicles integrate phone-based utility and applications directly into their infotainment systems, especially when features like Apple CarPlay or Android Auto are on board. But not all vehicles have this, and that means one’s cell phone is important and useful for keeping tabs on navigation, music, traffic, and more. But what if there’s nowhere good and easy to keep a phone in the cabin? There’s ways around this, from off-the-shelf options to DIY solutions.

Some people are perfectly happy washing their car by hand with a bucket of mild soapy water and soft wash mitt; some only have the time to run it through a drive-thru wash after a fill-up, and others can’t be bothered to wash their car at all. However, regular exterior cleaning will keep your vehicle in better condition in the long run, both in areas that use salt over the winter months and in places where dust, sand, and urban pollution are present.

The automotive industry is getting more advanced every day, and cars, trucks and SUVs are rolling off the assembly lines with more computing power than many of us can realize. When there is an issue somewhere in the vehicle’s systems, the onboard computer registers the problem and often before there is a mechanical breakdown, there is some form of warning light that comes on somewhere on the dashboard to let you know that something is amiss.

Overlanding might be glorified off-road car camping, but there’s no doubt it’s a sizable undertaking.

Performance tires are engineered for speed; prioritizing grip and driving dynamics over year-round functionality and durability.

Car vacuums are often very affordable, they list cool features and have great reviews. Then they usually don’t work. The best car vacuum promises to make car cleaning easy: Just plug it into your 12V port or pick it up off the charger, and in just a few seconds you can clean up your seats, floor mats, cupholders, and console. Your actual experience is likely to be a lot more disappointing: When we started testing, we were surprised by just how bad they were. After testing, we didn’t find any 12V car vacuums we thought were worth your money. Struggling to remove dust, crumbs, and dirt, and absolutely failing against pet hair.

Every car owner should include one of the best tire pressure gauges in their toolkit. Keeping your tires properly inflated ensures they wear evenly, and that you’re getting the best possible gas mileage. It’s a small investment that will keep you from having to replace your expensive tires too soon, and save money on every fill up.

Shopping for engine oil can be daunting, with numerous brands and options available in today’s marketplace. How do you choose from all the different companies offering motor oil when they all sound the same? Well, truth be told, most reputable brands will offer similar products, and in the case of this list, you really can’t go wrong with any of the options. Some oils are better quality than others, offering more performance and working harder to keep your engine clean. But many would argue that the general consumer won’t even notice the difference between Quaker State or Pennzoil. In fact, there have been studies conducted that show most oil brands have similar products.

There’s a good chance you frequently give your car a nice wash. But how often are you devoting attention to your car’s interior? As you can imagine, the seats, floor mats, and carpet of your car experience plenty of daily abuse. From dust and dirt to mud and grime, thorough interior detailing can go a long way in preserving its resale value. If you often travel with children or pets, you’ll want a bottle of quality upholstery cleaner.

After a great floor jack and a tool chest, getting the best air compressor is probably next on any home mechanic’s wish list. Cordless tools are so good now that in some cases they’re even better than air tools, but we don’t know any electric tool that can sandblast, spray paint, inflate a truck tire in a few seconds, or blow off a work surface like an air compressor. Air tools are also less expensive than comparable cordless tools, and never run out of batteries. Once you have your compressor set up, you can turn it on in the morning, and it’s ready to go at a moment’s notice at for the rest of the day.

Any number of people might require safety cones for work, play, or ensuring the public’s safety. Whether you’re marking off a gymkhana course, directing traffic, or need to indicate where the delivery van bearing the Royal Warrant is to park, there’s a safety cone perfect for the job.

Maybe you got a flat tire that one time, or maybe you wondered if winter tires are really necessary (they are, depending on where you live). Often, though, with the exception of situations like these, many drivers forget about their tires until there’s an obvious issue.

Few things make at-home car-repair or garage activities more unpleasant than a freezing cold workspace.

Health and safety aren’t things you want to skimp out on, so having a well-stocked first aid kit in your car should be something you’re willing to spend on.

Choosing the right mud-terrain (M/T) tire for your 4x4 is essential for optimizing performance, safety, and off-road ability. The right tires can dramatically improve your vehicle’s traction, durability, and handling on a variety of surfaces.

If your car or truck’s check engine light is on, there’s a stumble when accelerating, or if the transmission just isn’t shifting the way you think it should, it’s a good idea to get these potential issues looked at before something major fails and you’re left with a huge repair bill.

Uh-oh, your car’s battery is dead, the brakes are squealing or a taillight bulb just burned out.

With the Holidays approaching faster than a Bugatti Tourbillion at full blaze it's time for the AutoGuide Editor's Gift Guide. Perfect for the procrastinators out there, you're sure to find something for that car lover on your list whether they're toddlers, teenagers, or adults themselves.

The car enthusiast in your life can be notoriously tough to shop for, but eBay might just have you covered.

Dash cams have become quite a fixture for motorists recently. They can capture clear-cut evidence of a road incident, taking away the issue of whose story should the authorities believe. For many drivers, a quality dash cam gets installed permanently in their vehicle. 

If you think about the friends you have in your life, one of the things that makes that friendship work is listening to each other’s problems and being there to help. You can make friends with your car by listening to what it needs, too. One way to do that is with TOPDON’s CarPal Diagnostic Tool. It is an easy-to-use code reader that connects via Bluetooth to an app you install on your phone. Once you set up the app, which takes just minutes to do, you plug the CarPal in and get started listening to what’s going on with your vehicle.

Kinda cold outside, isn’t it? Depending on where you live, of course, winter is here or knocking on the door, and that means it's time to put away the automotive toys.

Early this past summer, I noticed the stock tires on my 2018 Hyundai Tucson were just about on their last legs. Looking for a new set of shoes, I ended up installing the Uniroyal Tiger Paw Touring All-Season tires. About 3,500 miles later, here is my review.

After picking up my Hyundai Ioniq 5 N in June, I reached out to the pros at Meguiar's to get some tips on how to care for matte paint. The team provided me with their product recommendations and a wealth of knowledge on how to keep my matte paint in pristine condition. Over the past couple of months, I've been testing numerous products and decided to compile a collection of my recommended products for matte paint care.

One of the best ways to do this is to create your own crash structure for your dog. After all, your car provides the same to you. Arguably the best way to tackle this is with a crash-tested dog crate. The Center for Pet Safety is a nonprofit that tests dog-friendly restraints, crates, and other travel accessories to keep your dog safe in the car. They recommend a number of crate options for various sizes of dogs.

The recent rise in popularity of car cleaning gel has been interesting to follow. As someone who has spent nearly a decade following the best sellers list in the automotive category on a giant e-commerce website, it's been entertaining to watch this random little product constantly hover at the top of the list. Is it because it's cheap? Are people actually finding car cleaning gel helpful? Is it because everyone on social media nowadays is an aspiring car detailer?