A car shouldn’t just be owned, it should be cared for with proper love and attention. At the same time, try not to go overboard with care, for it could prove to be more harmful to your vehicle. Here are few myths about car maintenance that you should stop believing in if you really want to save some money: • Get an oil change in every 3000 miles: Follow the advice in the owner’s manual and please ignore the self-serving pleas from oil companies and quick lube shops. Most vehicles can travel 7,500 miles or more between oil change under normal driving conditions. Changing oil certainly won’t do any damage to your engine but you will only be wasting your money unnecessarily. • Warmup your car before drive: This myth is still followed among many people. This might be right for two wheelers when it comes to modern engines, driving is the fastest way to warm up your car. The sooner the engine warms up the sooner it delivers its best millage. • Changing brake fluid: The brakes actually don’t work on brake fluids. So, there is no point in changing brake fluid quite often. Brake fluids just act like a lube for the brake to move freely and to reduce noise when its stricken.

Modern windshields are more safer and easier to handle, compared to the earlier glass ones. Glass is a very brittle substance and can crack very easily even by the smallest of debris hitting it, the shards in particular, are very dangerous which can lead to serious injuries. The infusion of a cellulose layer in between the glass sheets curved and formed to make the modern-day windshield takes care of the shattering as the shards are not separated even on impact. Windscreens or windshields are generally divided into two categories, each with their own pros and cons. Laminated windshields: Lamination is a process where the two or more sheets of glass used to curve and make the surface of the windshield are fused together under extreme heat and pressure with another cellulose based plastic material called polyvinyl butyral. This process bonds all the layers to form one single piece of glass and thus making the windshield more durable and shatterproof as the shards cling on to the cellulose base, in case there is any damage. This type of a windshield also acts as a cushion, in case the driver or occupant on the passenger side is not wearing a seatbelt so that he or she doesn’t end up being thrown out, going through the glass if the impact if severe.

Never thought of an online Michelin tire retailer to purchase new tires for your car? Try it out and you’ll find out how important it is. By the end of a purchase you will learn much more about tires than you can imagine. Websites like TireRack.com and Tires-Direct.com offer a wide range of tires for cars. One of the biggest manufacturers of tires like Michelin are available on online stores. One of the more popular tire brands across the country, it is not surprising that Michelin tires found its way in websites like DiscountTireDirect.com, that offer promotional offers at any given point of time. Online stores also provide information about Michelin tires, how to choose and purchase them, FAQ’s, tips from experienced staff, and user reviews apart from the ‘live chat’ option. Most of these information would seem straight to the point and would not seem as an advice from a salesperson. But doesn’t that mean a lot of time? One can get lost in the internet these days. The online portals are designed to give the user a direct approach to buying and learning while it is done. You are not obligated to buy something just because you have spent time driving up to that store and listening to the salesperson who has explained to you everything you need to know about the tire.

Shopping everything imaginable under one roof is the trend today and these big retailers try to include everything a consumer can buy. Ever since the car found a place in every house, the big retailers included the best tire brands in their line of products – like Michelin for example. Over 500 types of Michelin tires are available only in Sears. Mega tire manufacturers like Michelin offer special discounts and promotional offers all the time at these mega supermarkets. These big retailers seem to stop at nothing. They are competitive with the tire prices, offer free shipping and basic automotive services. Some of the services offered are, battery and tire installation, light bulb and wiper blade replacements, air, oil and cabin filter changes, chasis lubrication, and a quick wash too. The big retailers are much sought after as they also sell other car accessories. Thus making them your one stop shop for all your shopping needs. Who would not want to get their tire replaced while their family is doing their usual weekend shopping? The big-box retailers such as Walmart, Costco, and Sears, have websites and mobile apps where you can buy your tire and then get them shipped to their own auto centre near you for free.

When you purchase a new car, everything looks bright and shiny. Whether it is fresh paint, the shiny windscreen, the bounciness on the new tires or the smell of new leather seats, it all make you feel special. But as time goes by, this novelty starts to go away and you are left wondering what you can do to revive it, especially the leather seats, which seem to deteriorate at a very fast pace. Given below are a few tips and tricks to help you maintain your car seats and keep them looking as fresh as possible. Avoid the sun. If the vehicle needs to be parked out, use a sunshield or tints to protect the seats. Be careful of what you place on the seats. Very sharp or heavy items can cause damage to the seats. Check to see if you have any perforated areas on the seat. If you do then keep water and other substances away from that area to avoid clogging. Use a vacuum cleaner to get the dust and dirt from nooks and crannies. Be careful not to scratch the leather in the process. You can also use a blower to blow away the dust.

Your vehicle tires directly contribute to your vehicle’s performance. Checking tire pressure, rotating your tires, balancing your tires, and choosing the right set of replacement tires based on safety and handling will all contribute to consistent performance. Ensure to follow these tips to help you stay on top of tire maintenance: Tire Pressure Having properly inflated tires protect against the tire damage and reduces the possibility that the vehicle will spin out of control. Driving with low pressure tires also increases fuel consumption. You should check your tire pressure at least every month, more often if you are always on the road! To find the correct tire pressure for your car, check the user manual, the label on the door or inside the fuel flap. Properly inflated tires will maximize tread life, improve handling, and increase fuel efficiency and overall driver safety. Tire Rotation Follow proper tire rotation schedules. Recommended rotation patterns for your vehicle can be found in your owner’s manual. Routine tire rotations equalize and enhance front-to-rear and side-to-side tire wear. Front tires carry more of the car’s weight and tend to wear out at about twice the rate of rear tires, so rotating the tires can extend their life.

The French Brothers Andre and Edouard Michelin pioneered the pneumatic tires for automobiles. In 1895, they took part in the Paris–Bordeaux car race. Though they did not win the race it kindled the interest of the public, which probably was their main interest. This helped them to become the leaders in pneumatic tire manufacturers in Europe. Legislations were brought out to prevent the use of solid tires on highways as they were hard on the roads. The basic structure of a pneumatic tire is a tube containing the pressurized air as the core and an outer casing made of fabric strengthened with rubberized fiber cords embedded in the rubber wall. This structure remained unchanged for about the next half a century. The rubberized cords ran in a diagonally running in alternating fashion. These cord layers are called ‘plys’ run diagonally in opposite directions the tires came to be known as bias–ply tires. Michelin introduced the steel belted radial tires in 1948. The steel cords of the ply run at 90o to the wheel rim (against the 55o of the conventional tires) and runs around the circumference of the tire. These radial tires have the advantages of lesser rolling resistance, longer tread life and better steering characteristics and lesser air pressure against the harder drive and 45% more expense in manufacture.

A Harley Davidson requires frequent grooming to retain its beautiful appearance and improve its performance. Professional cleaning services most often burn a hole in our pockets when there is zero personal maintenance. We are here to help you understand the benefits of cleaning your bike yourself. With the help of these tips and techniques, your Harley will turn heads wherever you go. Before you begin • Make sure your Harley is parked on firm ground and you have enough space to work in a comfortable and safe environment. • It is not advisable to work under direct sunlight. Ensure your motorcycle is kept in the shade. • Remove all jewelry and accessories as it can easily scratch your motorcycle during the process. • Rinse off any mud or soil caked on your Harley parts with a garden hose to avoid scratches while sponging. • Be it a sponge or a terry towel, make sure you wash them first as they may have remains of dirt from the previous wash. It must also be free of fabric softeners. • Avoid using your personal toiletries and buy cleaning products made specially for motorcycles. • Don’t forget to browse through the owner’s manual to understand the functions of your Harley-Davidson parts better.

A car cannot run without a battery. A battery is a rechargeable element which supplies electrical energy to the car. Its main purpose is to start the engine. While the engine is running, most of the power is provided by the alternator, which includes a voltage regulator. Its also called an SLI battery which means starting-lighting-ignition. They are lead-acid type and provide electrical energy to the car. In the modern generation, car batteries are designed in such a way that the maintenance is very easy and its cost less too. A car battery can be drained off completely when the headlights of the car are switched on unknowingly. Batteries are typically made of six galvanic cells in a series circuit. Heat is the main cause of battery failure as it accelerates corrosion inside the battery. Batteries can be recycled so that the resources used to manufacture new batteries will be less. Earlier cars did not have batteries as their electrical systems were limited. A bell was used instead of an electric horn. Car batteries became widely in use in the 1990’s when cars had electrical starters. Batteries are usually grouped by physical size, type and placement. When a vehicle has a flat battery it can be jump started by another battery of another vehicle.

Tonneau means a cask in French. Tonneau covers are very useful in storage and are used for protecting goods from the elements of weather as well as thieves. They are usually fixed in trucks and other automobiles for storage purposes. There are many kinds of tonneau covers, that are very discreet and are suitable for protecting valuable goods. Tonneau covers or truck bed cover is also used to cover unoccupied passenger seats in some roadsters. In sports cars, it is used to cover the entire body and can be opened only for driver’s seat, while the rest of the interior remains covered with it. There are different types of tonneau covers and are main categories into soft tonneau covers and hard tonneau covers. Each is designed to perform different functions. Soft covers are more practical and economical while hardcovers require more effort when to comes to folding. In trucks, roll up tonneau covers are preferred as it offers the flexibility to roll itself up to the bulkhead of the truck. These have taken over snap tonneau covers, which were once very popular among truck owners. Simply because it is easier to fix unlike the snap based tonneau, where drilling and adhesive are required.

O’Reilly Auto Parts is a major auto parts retailer chain in the United States operating over 4800 stores across 47 states. The company is listed in NASDAQ and employs over 74,000 staff members. It sells auto parts that fall under an extensive list of categories from hundreds of automotive manufacturers and brands. The company is headquartered in Springfield, Missouri. Here are a few frequently asked questions about making a purchase from O’Reilly Auto Parts. How to purchase the right auto parts? O’Reilly mentions four steps to purchasing the right auto part for your vehicle. Choosing the perfect part that fits your vehicle is extremely essential, and failing to do so, might damage your car. This can prove to be a very expensive affair. Therefore, follow the suggested methods to choose the right part for your vehicle. Step 1 | Provide the right information regarding your vehicle. If you are having trouble with this, visit a store and get your query clarified from a member of staff. Step 2 | If there isn’t a store near you, call O’Reilly’s Customer Service. Step 3 | Compare the representative photo of the part you are purchasing from the website with that of the original part.