The title for this post is as predictable as your author's propensity to fix himself a bacon sandwich at dinnertime. All the same, we're betting you lot tend to take care of your cars, so an article about car wax should be useful. And, before all hands chime in, we'll clarify there is indeed a difference between polish and wax. It's generally accepted by… Read more

It has been a minute since the days when one needed to change the spark plugs in their car every 35,000 miles. Today's machines are very different, to the point where most owners have no idea the firing order of the engine that's powering them down the road. For simplicity and consistency, we selected spark plugs listed to fit a car that is likely… Read more

Tacking extra lights onto one's vehicle is a practice nearly as old as the concept of the automobile itself. After all, you know better than the cadre of engineers who worked for ages designing the thing, right? We jest ... but only a little bit. It is true that some stock headlamps are approximately as bright as fireflies in jam jars, not to mention… Read more

Yeah, we've covered mechanic's sets in the past. However, before you go rushing to the comment section with a link to that post, know that we are trying to focus on decided socket sets this time around. That means no sets with piece-count padders like Allen keys or that one tool which only serves to remove the Färhfvingenator on your clapped out Volkswagen. Disagree… Read more

There's a general understanding amongst gearheads that, no matter how big one's garage or storage space, it'll eventually fill up. A two car garage will be just as full as a single, while that 40'x25' unit your neighbor is building will be filled to capacity by year's end. It's just the natural order of things. And before you get yer knickers in a knot,… Read more

We'll preface this post with the admonition that, unless you're reasonably familiar with the environs of an engine bay, you should keep your paws off stuff like this. However, a case can be made that anyone who's fleet is comprised of machines that actually need these products is probably intimately familiar with the contents of a rusty toolbox. On one hand, additives like these… Read more

Yes, I know - we talked about ceramic coatings just the other week. We promise we're not repeating ourselves, at least not until we're safely ensconced in the Old Age Home for Recovering Gearheads. We'll be in the wing where they keep folks who had an odd affinity for terrible '90s GM cars. Different than a ceramic coating, these simple polishes are a lot… Read more

We know, without a doubt, there are several readers in the audience shouting into their screens that few people use a phone mount these days. One's phone generally stays in a pocket or unceremoniously flung into storage bin or cupholder. And, yeah, you've got a point. There is a segment of drivers, however, to whom a phone holder is the key to their day.… Read more

Maintaining your out-of-warranty ride often forces us to learn the different systems in our vehicles. After wrenching on them for interminable amounts of time, knowing the ins and outs of the braking system or suspension bits is kind of inevitable. Another area with which you'll likely become familiar? Cooling/antifreeze systems. These closed systems help to keep things from freezing up in the rust belt… Read more

There's an urban myth amongst gearheads that a clean car runs better. Whether or not it's true, we can't say. However, why take that chance? Best to keep your ride in spic-n-span shape. Most of us have an arsenal of automotive cleaning supplies hanging around the garage or back closet but we're willing to bet a smaller percentage have actual ceramic coating material on… Read more

Whether you're working on a collector car or a daily beater, having a multimeter on hand when one's required can be a lifesaver. Not only can it help diagnose electrical issues but it can also help narrow down issues and prevent the replacement of perfectly good parts. We've assembled an array of handheld multimeters, plus a pair of units that can be mounted in… Read more

There are some things best enjoyed without filters—most Instagram photos, discussions about pay with your boss, and those Camel cigarettes from the 1980s. What definitely does require a filter is the oiling system on your car's engine. We've gathered a few of them here. As a programming note, know that for purposes of making a vaguely apples-to-apples comparison in this post, we selected a… Read more

There will be a few in our readership who are going to immediately point out that cordless drills aren't strictly an automotive tool or accessory. And, for once, they're technically correct. The first genre one generally thinks of when an ad for cordless drills appears is the construction industry. An maybe the props department for a science-fiction B-movie. But there are plenty of uses… Read more

Following up our list about welding helmets we felt it appropriate to compile a list of welding gloves. After all, you're not trying to stick metal together with your bare hands are you? And that pair of cotton gloves is totally inadequate, by the way. A good pair of welding gloves should be thick enough to protect your hands and long enough to protect… Read more

Given the general propensity for most of our readership (and authors) to drive horrible but charming rotboxes, there's an excellent chance that at least some of you have welded together a piece of metal or two in order to keep your heap on the road. Or, on the other end of the spectrum, you've picked up a welder to help with the restoration of… Read more