Ahh, the birds are starting to chirp and the air has finally decided not to bite.  For automotive enthusiasts, this means the start of spring maintenance on our vehicles.  Gone is the concern of salt and road chemical eating away at our paint, replaced by the fear of dirt, rocks, and the occasional kid chasing a ball across the street.  It's time to consider what your car needs now that spring is approaching.

I always start by giving my vehicles a nice bath and not just one of these quickies at the car wash either.  It's time to pull out the garden hoses, fill up a soapy bucket, and apply the elbow grease to the corners that are missed by drive through.  Try to take a little extra care and use bug remover to get the deceased off the front bumper.  Also, after a thorough cleaning it might be warm enough to actually touch up those nicks you received in the mall parking lot during the holiday rushes.  Don't forget the clear coat.

What about those windshield wipers that took a beating from the ice?  It's a good idea to replace those with some fresh wiper blades in preparation for the spring rain.  I prefer to spend a little extra money and buy Bosch Wiper Blades, in my experience they seem to last the longest.  New blades and a fresh coat of Rainx makes for a safer spring.

Warmer temperatures means a fluctuation in tire pressure.  It's a good idea to get your tires looked over for wear and adjust pressure as necessary.  This will become even more important as spring leaves and summer approaches and temperatures have a habit of scorching.  Also, if you live in an area that requires snow tires, don't forget to switch back over to your summer driving tires now.

A good interior purging is also recommended, from being closed up all winter my vehicle has developed a unique aroma.  Too many fast food bags in the back seat have created their own ecosystem, generally a scrubbing is long overdue.  Take special attention to apply the proper cleaner to your seats, dash, and carpet if applicable.  Again, attention to detail will last much longer than a quick California Duster once over.  Any significant others forced to ride along with you will appreciate a subtle air freshener as well.

Lastly, if you had been putting up any upgrades now might be the time to cash in.  Often companies will run specials in the spring time to entice buyers to pull the trigger on a modification decision.  It seems that I always end up putting window tint on either my vehicle or someone else's in the spring.  This time of year is the start to a hopefully long and beautiful warm weather stretch.

Cold weather is hard on your cars battery, which will lead to break downs on the road, or mornings where your vehicle won't start. Unfortunately this normally happens at the worst time, normally when there is no one else around to help give you a jump. That's why I recommend the Duracell Powerpack 600 jump starter and emergency power source, the radio is just a bonus.

Not only is the Powerpack 600 capable of jump starting your car, it also has the power to run small appliances. Basically it can come in handy when the ladies need to dry their hair while camping or you need to power a light when working on your car.

The Duracell Powerpack 600 comes with the jumper cables necessary to jump start most vehicles. It also comes with AC adapters to charge the Powerpack from a wall outlet or a DC adapter to charge the Powerpack from a standard cigarette lighter found in most cars.

Show everyone around you how much you love your Audi A4 or whatever you can actually afford. I proudly display my Mustang shirt underneath every button down blue collar shirt I own. It creates a small since of joy in my heart knowing that something I love is proudly displayed, behind such a thin layer of cotton.

The only downside is that quality Audi shirts are few and far between. They come across looking like I Love New York douchery. Well, if that's your thing then scope out the deals below on Audi T Shirts.

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For those looking for higher quality Audi branded merchandise, check out the Audi Belt Buckle and Audi Cuff Links. Now this is style I could get behind.

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How far have we came as a civilization?  No longer must a man be ridiculed or degraded by the act of stopping at the closest gas station to ask for directions.  A mans pride can remain in tact, as long as he has his trusty GPS(Global Positioning System) voice box suctioned to his windshield.  It's completely changed the way I travel and the confidence I have when embarking on a Holiday vacation with the family.

Vacation road trips in the past required me to spend at least a few weeks planning, deciding how many miles to travel each day, stopping points, hotel stops, and carefully calculating which roads would take us to our destination the fastest.  Instead, the days leading up to my Holiday vacation were filled with hopes and dreams of beautiful weather.  You see, my family and I traveled to Florida the day after Christmas, only to return on New Years Eve.  Coming from temperature in the teens, we were looking forward to the warmer climate.

Point being, I was able to relax and not stress over road trip obstacles to reach our vacation destination.  Also, once we were on the road I didn't have to worry about missing an exit or where to find the closest Hotel, my GPS did that job for me.  I used a Tom Tom GPS, after a careful GPS comparison of what was available, which made all the difference in the world.  Once we arrived in Florida, I wasn't exhausted from the stressful drive, I was relaxed and ready to start my vacation.

Compared to years ago when loading up the car and making a 1 to 2 day drive meant stress, from arguing with my wife over which road to take.  And from me refusing to ask the gas station attendant for directions.  I can't help but think that finding the right GPS or having any GPS for that matter, made our last vacation more enjoyable.  I know my wife and daughter appreciate what it's done for us.

Inevitably the exhaust on your current ride will eventually rust and fall off.  It's the way of all things, it does it's job, it puts up a good fight, but eventually it succumbs to the elements.  In this case, moisture is the enemy, which will cause exhaust pipes to rust, typically around the muffler area.  This can cause some unhealthy sparks if it happens while moving down the highway, fortunately there are some inexpensive discount exhaust systems available online.

Most discount exhaust packages can be installed in your garage and don't require a high cost mechanic.  When replacing a midpipe, most kits come with the flanges require to attach to the existing headers and mufflers, which will negate the use of a torch.  At most the use of a hack saw may be required to move difficult or welded in pipes, elbow grease works wonders.

If you are starting to get a raspy rough sound coming from your exhaust it might just require changing out your muffler or exit pipe at the rear of the vehicle.  Discount mufflers are available and usually provide a comparable quality to higher priced components.  If discount prices is all you are looking for, then your second concern will be if the exhaust component keeps you legal.  However, if you are performance minded the brand name components like Flomaster Mufflers may be the way to go.

All states have slightly different emission laws and some counties within a state may require checks before you can license your vehicle.  Know the laws before placing an order for discount exhaust online or call your local shop, they may be nice enough to make some suggestions.

Start your discount exhaust search at AutoPartsWarehouse.com by selecting your model vehicle below.  If you have any questions regarding exhaust components or help diagnosing please feel free to post in the comments below.

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Winter time is here and along with the beautiful snow comes frigid temperatures, temperatures low enough to do damage to vehicles or create a problem when starting them up.  Diesel engines have a harder time starting in the cold than gasoline engines, because Diesel fuel has a different composition.  Diesel fuel will gel when sprayed into the combustion chamber if not properly heated.

The cord that you may notice from Diesel vehicles is called a block heater.  The block heater keeps the combustion chamber and glow plugs at a temperature that is conducive to igniting the fuel.  Otherwise the gelled diesel fuel will cause the engine not to start or cause damage to the cylinder heads.

Typically the need for smaller diesel vehicles to be plugged in is lower than massive diesel engines like those found in garbage trucks.  Additives are already in the Diesel fuel during the winter months, which treat the Diesel fuel to keep it from gelling.  Larger vehicles typically need that extra layer of protection, by being plugged in, for reliability and to protect the investment.

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Tis the season, deer season.  Fall is when hunters are allowed to go out and shoot deer, with either a bow or a gun.  Although the exact weapon season itself fluctuates throughout the fall, as soon as it gets chilly expect more deer movement.  More deer movement translates into deer and other animals being on our highways, where they would normally avoid.

There is one product on the market that claims to prevent automobile accidents with deer.  It's a whistle, specifically a deer whistle that mounts to the front of your car.  The product claims to produce a noise that animals can hear, if the vehicle is traveling at least 35mph.  There are those out there that feel it's just a hoax and the product itself does not help in preventing drivers from colliding with deer crossing the road.

These deer whistles claim that they produce an ultra sonic sound that stops deer in their tracks or alerts deer to your vehicle.  However, tests have been done that prove that the deer cannot hear the pitch produced by the whistle.  Furthermore, whistles that deer can hear do not always 'stop them in their tracks', which is hopefully off the side of the road.

The best way to prevent accidents with deer when driving this fall?  Be vigilant, pay close attention to the road, and never over drive your head lights.  Safety starts with the person behind the wheel, not some cheap plastic deer whistle stuck to the front bumper.

When car buyer moves past the status of "owner" to "enthusiast", the can of worms opens up to a whole new world of customization, tuning, and modifying.  One of the first and easiest modifications a car nut can complete is to find a nice, finely tuned and crafted exhaust system?  Why replace the exhaust first?  Oh, there's lots of reasons: sound, appearance, performance...  If you've ever heard or felt a V8 rumble or a Diesel bellow, you know exactly what I mean!

There are hundreds of design types out there on the market to choose from.  Some people like nothing...literally...pipes cut off and the sounds of crop-dusters meet you on the roadway.  Others go for a chambered style, hoping to recapitulate the sound of their once-had muscle car from the 1960s.  The last primary design is a straight-through setup, where the exhaust gases are allowed to resonate inside the system with minimal flow restriction and completely refined sound.  One slick maker I've relied on for years is Magnaflow Exhaust.  These folks have consistently focused on making sure customers get the most value and quality for their dollar, bar none.

The Mclaren Mustang was what the SVO was supposed to have been, pure crazy performance from a 4 cylinder and handling capable of hitting the track and laying solid numbers.  However, what we were given was a European inspired, under the thumb performance blunder.  It was an 80's attempt at making a fuel efficient sports car and it failed.

Now don't get me wrong, the SVO Mustang is a great collectors item.  Also, for it's time the performance wasn't that bad, but still wasn't enough to please enthusiasts, especially at $25,000.  But what we should have received was what Mclaren created in 1980, the M81 McLaren Mustang.

There were only 250 McLaren Mustangs built, but of those they were track ready and packed a big punch.  Of those 250, 7 were built by Bob Fehan and Ron Fournier and were created with all steel.  The McLaren Mustang was an F1 frame wrapped in bulging fenders, racing inspired lower skirts, and a functional hood scoop.  Under the hood of the McLaren Mustang was a timid 2.3 liter 4 cylinder engine, turbo charged to the tune of 300 horsepower.

What Bob and Ron created was what the US should have received, that was later known as the SVO Mustang.  Imagine where Mustang enthusiasts would be today had the McLaren Mustang been mass produced?

This is a completely unsolicited post for one of the greatest automotive products ever made, RAINX.  The answer is YES, yes RainX is worth every penny.   As of late I've been appreciating this inexpensive, yet incredibly useful product a lot more.  In Southern Indiana we've been exposed to more rain this year than I can last remember and RainX has made seeing in the rain no problem.

RainX acts as a kind of wax for your windshield, which then assists with removing water.  When water comes into contact with your windshield it beads up and rolls right off.  Unlike untreated glass where the water does not bead and requires more assitance from windshield wiper blades to push the water off.

As you can tell from the comparison, inbetween wiper blade swipes visibility is greatly improved.  There is virtually no excuse for not at least trying RainX if you are living in a wet area, which during the Spring almost everywhere is.

Applying RainX to the windshield is also a snap.  Simply spray the product onto the windshield or soft clean cloth and evenly wipe the product over the glass in a circular motion.  Application is done much like you would wax your car, only waxing off is not needed.