Truck Rest

Archive for the ‘Automotive’ Category

When Henry Ford first began producing the Model-T, style and accessorizes were not on his priority list. Practicality ruled and every car looked the same, drove the same, and provided the same purpose–getting you were needed to go much faster than walking or riding horseback. Times have changed a lot since then. While we still appreciate our automobiles getting us where we need to go in a timely manner, we like have a customized vehicle that we can create ourselves and that doesn’t look like anyone else’s.

There are a lot of choices when it comes to personalizing and accessorizing your truck; everything from factory features to high performance tires, paint color to pin striping.

One of the most popular accessorizes that people choose for their vehicles is a new set of rims. Sometimes the rims that come with the vehicle are low quality and don’t really fit the sleek new car, and other times the owner just wants something special to identify their vehicle. Whatever the reason, there are a lot of rims to choose from.

Deciding on just the right rims is often the hardest part of the process. It can be hard to know just what they will look on your vehicle and if they will fit the style you desire.

A great place to get ideas without much effort is on the road. When you are driving down the road, stopped at a light, or waiting for a friend in the parking lot take a look around at all the vehicles; they may just inspire you. If that doesn’t help the Internet is a great place to look for ideas. You can search for your specific vehicle as well as different types of rims. Some sites even have software to let you see exactly what black rims would look like on your silver  Ford F-150. If all else fails, take you vehicle in to your local tire shop and get their advice. Depending on the shop and how busy they are they may be willing to help you try a few different rims out, or at least roll them up to your car, so you can see which you like best.

For the price of rims you want to make sure that you are happy with your decision before you make the big purchase. Even once you decide it’s a good idea to do some searching on the Internet to find the best deal.

Car collecting and showing has always seemed to be a popular hobby. There is just something enticing about fixing up or customizing a car to perfection. Car shows have always been a huge part of American culture but now with new parts, pieces, and better maintenance methods, car collectors are able to make old, vintage cars look like they were bought yesterday.

Some people truly love to fix up old cars and add custom rims, new wheel adapters, and fantastic paint jobs. Vintage cars are an investment both monetarily as well as emotionally. Although they are a lot of work, time, and money, the finished product is a physical object which can be shown off and admired by others.

There seems to be a natural bond between car collectors, and they seem to almost speak their own language. They are the automotive world’s equivalent of a Star Wars fanatic at a Star Wars Convention. It seems as though they live in their own world filled with car parts and wheels.

Car shows have always been popular but it seems as though they have really picked up in the last couple decades. With so many advancements in technology it is easier and less time consuming to fix up old cars as it was in the past. Car shows have always seemed like a family event. While the parents talk with other adults about car related topics, the kids love to admire the cars and dream of how they would fix up their own. Many times, there are other forms of entertainment as well, such as live music, vendor tents and food.

Since the invention of the car, Americans have been obsessed with motor vehicles and it comes as no surprise that one of the most common American hobbies is car collecting and car repair.

Every person has something they love. Food, books, sports, animals, and movie genres are all examples of things that lead people into fanaticism. As odd as it seems, some people love their cars so much that they become obsessed with finding the perfect rims and tires . Given the wide variety now available, that obsession can easily consume large amounts of time.

The average person only thinks about new tires when they have a blowout or when they see that the tread on their current tires is getting too worn. They may do a little bit of research to decide the best brand to buy as replacements. They may spend some time searching for discount tires online in order to save some money. Still, it won’t take them a lot of energy or time to make a final purchase and move on to their next task.

For car lovers, choosing the right wheels for their car is just as important as finding the right pair of shoes is to a fashionista. They will look beyond function, performance, and durability to consider things like size, style, finish, and color. They may even get distracted by the flashing lights and other special effects that are now available on fancy rims or invest in custom wheels. The somewhat simple task of buying tires turns into a major endeavor that can stretch on for weeks or even months. But, for the true car enthusiast, it is a labor of love.

No matter where you live you can’t help but notice the ever-rising cost of fuel. Even though fuel prices have been somewhat steady for the past year, there are no guarantees about how long it will last. Despite the consistency, it is not unusual for people to $50 or more to fill up their tanks. Although we have no control over the price of gas , we can control the type of vehicle that we drive and that is why many people are switching to fuel-efficient vehicles.

The demand for fuel-efficient vehicles is definitely on the rise. Just ask any Honda dealer in Hopkins, MN . There are more makes and models that are fuel-efficient and they are becoming more and more affordable. Fuel-efficient vehicles are nice because they allow you to drive double, sometimes triple depending on the model, the distance that a typical tank allows. In the end drivers can save hundreds of dollars a year –a worthwhile investment.

Another positive aspect of fuel-efficient vehicles is that they are better for the environment. They release fewer emissions and carcinogens and utilize less of our natural resources, like petroleum that is used to make gas.

There are a lot of features to consider when you are purchasing a new car, but none of them will be as good for your wallet and the environment as fuel efficiency.

The birth of ever stricter emissions laws are the death of the traditional engine , run without electronics. This also means the death of repair manuals as we know it. While to me this is fine for my buick le sabre repair manual , I am not ok with the idea of not being able to fix my motorcycle by hand. It seem that by this point everyone knows the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, it is even being taught in colleges around the states now. This book did something to me when I first read it that made me have to go out there and buy a bike and be able to do the maintenance myself. I know this was never really the point of the book, it’s really more about quality and self realization, but there was something in his self diagnosis that spoke to me. I wanted a view of the book like no one else and wanted to be able to take a Motorcycle manuals and fix myself. That isn’t something that I ever became able to do, but I did find a passion for fixing motorcycles. When I hit my mid twenties I started teaching motorcycle maintenance at the high school down the road. It was great as a part time job, and my boss at the mechanic I worked at was happy to let me off for an afternoon to teach those kids something real as he used to say. To me it was nothing much, but I did get a great feeling of being able to zone into each part when I was working on a bike with a kid. In my thirties I even opened up my own niche mechanics business and all I worked on was motorcycles all day. I volunteer with the high school still, but in a different way. I had them set up a work study program and every year I get three to five students who would work with me on the bikes and get credit for it. One of them recently brought up to me that his father used to be a mechanic on cars, got into the business because you didn’t have to know anything, just had to be able to look in there and be willing to fix what was wrong with it. When they converted to only working on newer cars, they brought in new equipment for analyzing the car and new people who could understand the equipment. They had to let his father go because it all got just a little too over the top for a man who never even finished high school. It got me to thinking how that book would have been different had motorcycles all been electronics and not engines. I wonder if there can really even be any way to transfer that into a new edition or if suddenly that book will become outdated one day. I hope not, because on that day, so will I.