A Clean Start with Clean Air

Everyone knows that a car needs fuel to move. Everyone knows that you don’t want dirty fuel, or fuel with water and debris that can clog or get into your engine. And everyone knows that a car’s fuel tank constantly needs refilling. What everyone doesn’t know, however, is that for every gallon of fuel, about 10,000 gallons of air passes through a vehicle. So, what is as important as clean fuel for a car? Clean air.

A car’s air filter is normally located near the engine of a car and is a very important aspect of a vehicles health that is often overlooked until a mechanic slaps you with a bill. A bill that is easily avoidable at that. Buying a new air filter at a local automotive shop is easy and replacing your own air filter is even more simple than that. In fact, it’s so simple that the first three steps of this 11 Step DIY list are basically just opening the hood of your car.

So, treat your car right this Spring. Buy and replace its air filter. It will be happier. You will be happier. And a happy car and a happy you makes a happy us.

For the complete 11 Step list of how to change your air filter, click this link: http://bit.ly/kHKFXS

Tomorrow's Car Today

In a world in which the future of technology rapidly approaches and consistently exceeds expectation, the future of cars, fuel and exactly what direction we’re all inevitably driving towards is always a hot topic of discussion. While personally we cannot predict the future of our vehicles (though we’re sure there are automotive “fortune tellers” out there who can), the 2013 international Geneva Motor Show, located in Geneva, Switzerland, has given the world some insight into what we could expect.

One of the most interesting automobiles to drive up this year was the Volkswagen XL1 - a hyper efficient electric diesel hybrid. And when we write hyper efficient, we mean hyper efficient. This baby gets up to 62.1 miles to the liter, which when rounded, a liter is a little over ⅓ of a gallon (Let jaw dropping commence now). And when you completely fill its 2.64 gallon tank - which would take a measly $10 to fill - and ride it to E, you get close to 690 miles to the tank. Oh, wait a second. That can’t be right. That’s because we forgot to mention that using the gas and electricity aspect together will let you travel way over 700 miles with just one tank. Thats 700 miles for $10.00.

Unfortunately, according to autoblog.com this car will never make it to American soil. But we can still dream, right? To read more about the Volkswagen XL1 and other cars at the Geneva Motor Show click here: AutoBlog

Air Powered Car Tech

No one likes walking up to the pump and spending over $3 a gallon for gas. But what if you could run your car on something else, something that is everywhere and inexpensive to get? What if you could be driving a car that ran on nothing but air?! It seems too good to be true, almost like something out of science fiction, but...

“That's what Peugeot-Citroen says it will be selling: A hybrid car that runs on a combination of gasoline and air. Digital Trends has an explainer on how they think it works, but they admit they were looking at poorly translated press releases. It seems to use hydraulic power to keep the car running and powering it up to speeds of 43 mph.
In recent years, volatile gasoline prices and worries about long-term supply have sent consumers and entrepreneurs alike searching for alternate fuels and alternate energy sources to power their cars.
Companies all over the world are looking for the newest fuel that will power our vehicles in the future, under the belief that at some point, oil will start running out. In fact, here's a look at some wacky, yet plausible, fuel alternatives that are in the process of development right now that could eventually find their way into your car's gas tank.
Peugeot isn't the first company to think about using air. A small British company is making fuel out of thin air, developing a process that uses air and electricity to manufacture a synthetic fuel that has already powered a Lotus in test drivers.
This one is still a ways away. The company behind the technology, Air Fuel Synthesis, wants to build a full-scale refinery, but that could take 15 years. Still, don't bet against it. Britain's deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, recently visited AFG's testing facility and came away saying, "I feel I've glimpsed the future."

More info and a video here: http://aol.it/10EeWkK

Car Care: Spring Maintenance Check List

It’s officially March, and spring is just around the corner! You and your car may be excited to hit the road again in the nice weather, but over 9 million people break down and have to call AAA each summer. What can you do to help your car recover from the winter, and get ready for the nicer weather?

“If, like most Americans, you're not driving a fresh-from-the-showroom ride - the average age of passenger vehicles in the U.S. is just over 10 years old - it's time to give your car a little springtime TLC.
"Drivers often overlook their cars when it is spring cleaning time," says Shawn Hoelzer, master technician for CarMax, the largest U.S. chain of used car dealerships. "Following a few easy steps to spruce up your vehicle helps avoid costly repairs."
So take your car to a dealership to get checked out - or, better yet, to an independent mechanic you trust. (See Save $300 on Auto Repair.) Use this spring maintenance checklist to make sure your car is reliable and running efficiently.
Check the battery: You can't get where you are going if the car won't start. "Winter is tough on all the starting components like the starter and alternator. The battery works harder and can get drained," says Jimmie Swims, a specialist at the auto parts chain Auto Zone. Signs of a weak battery: dimming headlights or interior lights; power windows that take longer than usual to go up and down.”

“Check the brakes: Winter conditions and salt on the roads can lead to corrosion of brake parts; Auto Zone's Swims also points out that anti-lock braking systems get an especially hard workout in winter's slick conditions. Nothing is more crucial to your safety than your brakes, so get them checked. Trouble signs: pulling to one side when you hit the brakes, squeaking or grinding noises and a brake pedal that feels too soft.
Tire photo courtesy of Flickr user Bryan Alexander Battery photo courtesy of Flickr user Robert Hruzek”

Full article here: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505145_162-40542866/car-care-spring-maintenance-check-list/

Car Confessions Data Chart

We all have little bits of interesting information and odd behaviors somewhere in our relationship with our cars. Some people don’t mind if you smoke in their car, others don’t always wear a seat belt (though they should), and most people have even named their car! This infographic presents the results of a poll where more than 1000 people were asked a variety of questions about their cars, so check out this infographic for the results.








More here:
http://blogs.automotive.com/car-confessions-data-chart-120407.html#axzz2M7LpmIqL