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.

Domestic car manufacturers were handed a big helping hand a few weeks ago, when Toyota announced the recall of 2.3million vehicles.  Toyota has already been fighting back the consumer backlash, spending a fortune on recall fixes, advertising, and supporting their local dealers to gain back trust.  So, as expected, domestic manufacturers have seen a slight up tic in sales, but will it last?

I suspect the disdain for Toyota won't last and with the money Honda spent on Super Bowl ads we should expect them to gain a larger portion of market share.  Now I have to ask myself, what does America need, to compete in this economy and against steep competition from imports?  I believe the answer lies in a budget friendly car and by that, I mean cheap.

Cheap means different things to different people.  To some, cheap means value, how much they get for the money they spend.  However,  in this situation, when I say cheap, I mean a brand new car, decent equipped for less than $10,000.  We don't need a Toyota Scion knock off and we don't need another throw away car, what we need is a cheap car that is easy to work on, a vehicle built by Americans for Americans.

Originally when Toyota announced the release of a Scion branded small car, I believe it was intended to fill this niche market.  Perhaps the niche proved too profitable and the demand for their go-kart style cars became too much, so like any good Capitalist they raised their prices.  Now it's not unusual to see Scions go for $17,000+, still a good deal in comparison to $25,000 cars, but not cheap enough.

Americans need a reliable vehicle they can purchase for under $10k, which is roomy enough to appeal to families.  This car needs to be serviceable, meaning drop all the bells and whistles, roll back the technology to a decade ago...or even further.  I understand the need for smog equipment, but lets leave off the equipment that takes millions of dollars worth or research and development.  Give me an engine bay that has enough room to turn a wrench and less electronics and I'll show you a happy consumer willing to get dirty, rather than go deeper in debt.

A car serves a purpose, get from point A to point B.  The problem comes when manufacturers decide that it's not profitable enough to fill that need, so they create a need in the mind of the consumer.  I need power windows, I need advanced engine computer controls, I need power seats.  These things are not needs, but they are all too soon becoming standard equipment, driving that inexpensive car price tag, to that of a luxury car just a few short years ago.  We need a company that can get this ideal across and sell it well.

The company, ideally a spin off from one of the Big 3, should embrace the culture of do-it-yourselfers and those wanting to live a lifestyle away from status symbols.  This company should spend marketing dollars on showing the value of having a reliable mid-size car capable of fulfilling a need and show what the money wasted on other products can now pay for.  A better life, away from debt, away from worry if it breaks down, and away from the stigma of a throwaway car.

This new market niche can be created, it can be exploited, and can be profitable based on volume.  We can have nice cars built for less than $10k, but as Americans we have to be taught that the most important aspect of a car is its ability to reach point B.  This new market won't care about $1 million prototypes or how shiny the concept model looked at the Detroit Auto Show.  This new market will fall in love with a car they can repair in their drive way and be proud to take the kids to school in.

It's a bold and brave endeavor, if only somebody would step up to the task.

Gasoline and Diesel are both types of fuel used to power all types of vehicles and equipment.  Gasoline and Diesel are also often sold at the same gas station, so what is the difference between gasoline and diesel?  For this discussion we will compare the similarities and differences between petroleum based gasoline and diesel.  There are different types of diesel fuel available, like bio-diesel, which I will discuss in a  later Difference Between post.

Difference in Refining

The difference between gasoline and diesel begins with how it's produced.  Petroleum is refined to produce gasoline and diesel, but the type of fuel is decided at different refining points.  Crude oil, which is the thick black stuff you see exploding from oil wells, is refined in a chemical process.  Think of the process as like a tower and time spent refining yields a different product from the same crude oil.  During the process the crude oil is refined into Heavy Gas Oil, then Lubricating Oil, and then into Diesel.

Diesel fuel takes less time and is lower on the refining process, which typically leads to it being lower in price.  The next step of the refining process produces Kerosene and then finally Gasoline which is used in your car.  This is a simplification of the refining process, which also includes removing impurities, and lastly involves treating the fuel with additives, generally to increase octane rating.

Rating Difference

Typically when fueling up at the gas station you will notice different octane rated gasoline.  Diesel fuel is not measured by octane rating, rather by a cetane rating.  The ratings are similar in that they are used to rate the combustion quality of the fuel.

Use Difference

Diesel and gasoline are not interchangeable.  Gasoline engines are specifically designed to operate with gasoline properties and diesel engines are designed to operate under diesel fuels properties.  Using diesel fuel in a gasoline engine and vice versa could damage your engine.

In addition, gasoline will gel at a much lower temperature than diesel fuel.  This is why during the winter time, diesel vehicles will some times be plugged in, to allow a heater to keep the fuel above it's gelling temperature.  This core heater will allow for a much easier start in frigid temperatures.

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This has been a post into a series of articles on explaining entry level questions to automotive enthusiasts.

Other Difference Articles:

Difference Between Halogen and HID Lights

Difference Between Turgo and Super Chargers

Difference Between Hybrid and Regular Cars

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.

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.

Recommended Amazon Product

Buying a car is one of the most expensive purchases a person can make in their lifetime. Depending on the make and model you buy, you can easily spend $30,000 to $40,000 after paying down your principal and interest. Most people don’t consider insurance when shopping for a car, even though it can easily add $100-$200 to monthly car costs. This leaves many car buyers shell-shocked when they realize they didn’t budget for this added expense.

You don’t want this to happen to you. Before you go out and buy a new car, consider the top five cars offering the cheapest auto insurance quotes by Forbes and Insure.com.

#1: Hyundai Santa Fe
The Hyundai Santa Fe was listed as the least expensive vehicle to insure in 2009 with a average yearly insurance cost of $832.

This car’s main qualifier for the cheapest rate quote is a Highway Loss Data Institute report of “substantially better than average” for comprehensive insurance losses, as well as “better than average” for personal injury protection insurance losses. Some of the safety features that play a role in this vehicle’s low coverage costs include brake assist, body-side reinforcements, 3-point seatbelts, 4-wheel ABS, traction control, shift interlock system, front-rear crumple zones and multiple air bags.

#2: Kia Sportage
The second least expensive vehicle to insure is the Kia Sportage. With an average yearly insurance cost of $840, buying the Sportage makes insurance affordable.

The main reason insurance costs are so low with this vehicle is its safety ratings. With the NHTSA Star Ratings alone, the Sportage received the highest rating --  five stars -- for frontal and side tests on the driver, passenger, front seat and rear seat. Some safety features of the Sportage include multiple air bags, 4-wheel ABS, traction control, side-impact door beams and lower anchors & tether for children (LATCH).

#3: Hyundai Entourage
The Hyundai Entourage ranks number three on the list with an average yearly insurance cost of $848. Not bad!

The reason this car was quoted for a low insurance cost was because it received high safety scores from both the NHTSA and the IIHS. Some of the safety features on the Entourage include front side and curtain side airbags, ant-iskid system, traction control and anti-lock brakes.

#4: Kia Sedona
The Kia Sedona was an IIHS 2009 Top Safety Pick for its good performance in front, side and rear tests, as well as standard electronic stability control. Because of its top rankings across the board, the average yearly auto insurance rate for this minivan is $857. There are a ton of safety features on this car that give it its ranking. Some include electronic stability control, brake assist, 4-wheel ABS, passenger/side head/rear head air bags, height-adjustable front and 2nd row seatbelts, 3-point seatbelts, and an energy-absorbing steering column.

#5: Kia Rio5
The Kia Rio5 rounds out the list of the top five cars with the cheapest auto insurance quotes. This mini SUV offers a sleek look and great safety features to match. It received four stars from NHTSA for drivers and passenger side frontal impact and rollover resistance, as well as five stars for front-occupant side impact, giving it a average yearly insurance cost of $870. Some of its safety features include driver/passenger/side head/rear head air bags, rear 3-point seatbelts, LATCH, side-impact door beams, an impact-absorbing steering column and front/rear crumple zones.

As you can see, there seems to be a consensus that both Kia and Hyundai vehicles offer top-quality safety and thus help to lower your auto insurance rate. So it’s good to keep this in mind as you search for cars and attempt to lower auto insurance. But if you’re interested in a different type of car that didn’t make this list, it’s good to consider other ways to lower your auto insurance.

Additional Ways to Lower Coverage

• Buy an economy car – Having a smaller car can help lower your auto insurance. So consider this as an option as you look for cars to purchase.

• Consider PAYD insurance – Also known as “Pay as You Drive,” this is a relatively new type of insurance that’s only available in a few states so far, but it allows drivers to pay based on mileage rather than their driving habits, credit report, age, gender, etc. If you drive a short distance, this could benefit you pretty well.

• Seek discounts – Most insurance companies offer some one or more discounts that their customers can take advantage of. So whether you’re a good student, good driver or have purchased multiple policy types (ex. life, homeowners) with this company, you can probably receive a discount in the process.

• Shop around – If you don’t shop around for competing quotes, it will be hard to determine which is the cheapest. So make sure you shop around with various insurers before settling on coverage for your car.

Sometimes it’s tough to think in terms of auto insurance rates when you’re wowed by the beauty of a new car. They put so many bells and whistles in them nowadays that it’s hard to think of anything else. However, car notes are expensive enough without adding an expensive car insurance premium to it. So before you buy a car, it’s good to consider how much insuring it will cost.

This was a guest post written by GoInsuranceRates.com, where you can find the best deals on auto insurance, home insurance, life insurance, and health insurance.

This is an old story from 2008, but still too funny not to mention.  Allegedly, Dennis Anderson converted a La-Z-Boy recliner into a motorized vehicle.  The chair was powered by a lawnmower type engine, complete with lights, steering wheel, stereo speakers, and cup holders.  Unfortunately Anderson lounged around town while drunk and ended up hitting a vehicle.

Dennis had already lost his license because of a previous DUI, which was probably why he was driving a recliner down the road.  However, he blames a woman for jumping in the chair while in motion, which caused him to swerve into another car.  Anderson recorded a .29 BAC, which is 3 times over the legal limit in Missouri.

Check out the vehicle, err, recliner, or whatever you want to call it below.

Muscle obviously doesn't have to refer to cars alone, there are 2 trucks that can proudly and honestly wear the muscle moniker.  The Ford F150 Lightning and the Dodge Ram SRT10.  Both of these hairy chested man machines are packed with power, speed, and enough torque to rip up the pavement.  But what would happen if they lined up next to each other on the 1/4 mile or on your local highways?  Like any race, it depends on the driver, but lets look closer at the matchup of muscle trucks.

Lightning

The 2004 Ford Lightning is packing some serious heat, not as much in displacement, but with forced injection.  The later model Lightnings were equipped with a 5.4L Super Charged engine.  This testosterone fueled motor produced about 380 horsepower and over 450 ft lb of torque.  Plenty to push the modestly sized lightning down the road.  There were just under 3,800 produced and 2004 was the last year they were produced by team SVT.

SRT-10

Dodge wins the displacement and cubic inch game with an 8.3L V10 engine.  Honestly, my hands are sweating  typing about such a hairy motor, which produced over 500 horsepower and 525 ft lb of torque.  Whenever you hit the gas you had better be holding onto something.  The Dodge RAM SRT-10 was last produced in 2006, but there have been rumors of a resurface in recent months.  Looking at production numbers, in the 3 year production of the SRT-10 there were only a total of 9,000 made.  It's a rare muscle truck, but one worthy of the name, and a serious contender for the Lightning.

See the two race in the video below.  While the SRT-10 wasn't quite ready for the first launch, the second attempt was much more valiant, but the Lightning pulled away at the end.

In this video you can see the Lightning clearly stomps a mud hole in the ass of the SRT-10.

Although these are just a few examples, I'm gonna have to give the F150 the checkered flag. The RAM is just too bulky of a beast, even with it's massive engine to compete with the nimble Ford Lightning. Keep in mind this is just an opinion piece and I'm sure there are those out there that can drive better than the videos above. But keep in mind the suspension and weights of the two muscle trucks when considering a showdown. Dodge RAM SRT-10 owners beware.