Advance Auto Parts - DIY Garage Blog
The Blog for Auto DIY'ers from Advance Auto Parts
In all of the craziness that surrounds a holiday weekend, we’d just like to take a moment to give thanks—for our families (at home and at work), our friends, and our fellow DIY’ers who’ve made this blog such a success during these first few months.
Cheers to you and yours.
Jim Kazliner
Editor • DIY’er
Reduced visibility can play a key role in traffic accidents. Lowered visibility can occur because of darkness or weather conditions such as snow or rain. No matter the cause, motorists often aren’t as careful as they should be.
The bottom line: driving in poor weather adds to the risk factor, boosting the possibility of skidding off the road, being involved in a crash and other similar events. However, there are things you can do to reduce the possibility of an accident.
Twenty-five percent of the average person’s driving is night driving, which is a more challenging time to travel.
According to PennState Environmental Health and Safety:
• Car crash fatalities happen three times more often at night
• More than half (55%) of fatal accidents happen at night
• Pedestrian fatalities happen much more often after dark (62%)
Some useful safe driving tips in times of reduced visibility, such as night driving, include:
• Slowing down
• Staying alert
• Using headlights
• Putting a safe distance between your car and the vehicle ahead of you; this is especially important when it’s a large truck, as their spray can cause additional problems with visibility
• Choosing the middle lane during wet driving conditions
• Taking advantage of tracks in the snow made by other vehicles and driving in those tracks
• Avoiding puddles
What should you do now?
• Set up a regular schedule to check your windshield wipers. New wipers are available at Advance Auto Parts. Get free installation with purchase.*
• Always keep a supply of extra windshield washer fluid.
• Check your car lights periodically.
• If your headlights are foggy or dim, purchase a headlight restoration kit.
• Use Rain-X on your windshield. Rain-X acts as a repellant on your windshield for rain, sleet or snow.
• Always carry an emergency car kit.
Editor’s note: Wow, that’s a lot to think about. Make it easy on yourself by heading to your local Advance Auto Parts store for safe driving tips and answers on how to keep your vision in check this winter.
*Most vehicles, most store locations.
To properly inspect a used car before buying, you’ve got to have the right tools at hand.
While a socket wrench will definitely come in handy if your new purchase needs work after buying, a car history report will be one of your best allies before you lay down your cash.
These reports (also known as vehicle history reports or used car reliability reports) provide a wealth of facts about a vehicle’s past — and give you a clearer idea of what to expect in the future.
Keep in mind, though, that some used car reliability reports are more thorough than others. So, shop around online (search under the term “car history report”) to find the right type of report for your needs. In general, the more information you can obtain, the better (even if you might need to pay a bit more). Popular places to obtain used car reliability reports include CARFAX and AutoCheck.
Another piece of used car buying advice: ask the seller to provide you with maintenance and repair records for the vehicle. While this information isn’t available in many cases, it can give you a glimpse into how carefully the seller took care of the vehicle.
Comprehensive used car reliability reports contain key types of information.
When trying to inspect a used car before buying, the following types of information are quite helpful:
Title check
Gives you an idea of the title history of car, so you can see how many times the vehicle has changed owners, along with the locations and the dates. A title check can also reveal if the car was ever abandoned, scrapped, rebuilt, salvaged, recalled by the manufacturer, declared a “lemon” by state laws or listed on the grey market.
Odometer check
Indicates possible tampering with the odometer or a malfunctioning of the odometer.
Event check
Tells you how the car was used (for instance, if it was a driver’s ed car, taxi, police cruiser, rental car, leased car, fleet car and more). Also can reveal if the car was ever involved in a serious accident, stolen, or repossessed or failed an emissions test.
How to get a free car history report
You can find a few reputable sources online. Search under “how to get a free car history report” and look through the results. Just be sure your report provides enough quality detailed information to be worthwhile. If not, try another source or two. Otherwise, you’re better off making a small investment and purchasing a comprehensive report.
All in all, perhaps the best overall used car buying advice we can give you is to be prepared. That means researching the vehicle’s past, having a mechanic check out its current condition, and comparison shopping to ensure you’re paying a fair price. Taking the time to inspect a used car before buying is well worth every second as a secondhand car is an investment.
Editor’s note: Once you purchase your car, one of the best ways to keep it in top running condition is with quality auto parts from Advance Auto Parts. To get your order even faster—buy online, pick up in store. In the meantime, check out other installments on used car buying advice, how to get a free car history report, plus other helpful tips, right here in our DIY auto blog.
At one point or another, everyone has used car questions. One of the most common ones is based around how to inspect a used car before buying. In the end, it’s not that difficult, especially if you know what to look out for.
For starters, there are sound, general practices to follow, such as:
Perhaps the most important used car buying advice we can offer, though, is to hire a mechanic to check the secondhand car.
Why this piece of used car buying advice is so important:
Unless you’re skilled at spotting potential car trouble, it’s wise to get a mechanic to check a secondhand car.
Sure, this will cost you some money upfront. Most secondhand car inspections are around $100. But, this inspection can save you money, too:
Most importantly, if there are major safety issues with the car, an inspection could prevent you from being seriously injured.
Of course, there’s the bright side, too. A glowing report from your mechanic will give you some peace of mind and an extra bit of confidence about your investment.
A mechanic can help answer used car questions even with remote purchases.
Did you know you can get a mechanic to check a secondhand car even if the vehicle isn’t located nearby? Remote mechanic inspection services are available throughout the country.
Here’s how it works.
A mechanic with a mobile unit will go to where the car is located, perform the inspection on the spot and send you a detailed report of the findings. The report will often be accompanied by photos of the vehicle taken from different angles so you can spot any dents, scratches or other imperfections.
With mobile inspections, the mechanic can’t get the vehicle on a lift. So, this report won’t be as detailed. But, even so, a mobile report is well worth the money.
Sometimes a seller (local or remote) won’t allow a mechanic to inspect the car. What should you do in those cases?
The smart move is to walk away. It’s entirely reasonable to ask for an inspection. After all, you’re considering a major investment. If a seller refuses the inspection, it’s probably because of what you might find out from the report.
Editor’s note: We hope you’ve found this installment on how to inspect a used car before buying helpful. Visit an Advance Auto Parts store for a wide selection of quality auto parts for all makes and models.
Folks, if you’ve ever known someone stricken with Type 1 diabetes, this should be of interest to you. Advance Auto Parts has been partnering with one of the disease’s most active adversaries, the JDRF since 1994, and has raised in excess of $35 million to date.
Each year, we kick off our store “Sneaker” campaign, where Advance customers and Team Members can purchase colorful, decorative paper sneakers in specified amounts. Our recent store Sneaker campaign began this past August and ended last week.
We’re proud to announce that this year’s Sneaker campaign raised over $1.55 million! This is in addition to other charity initiatives and events dedicated to the cause.
Advance Auto Parts would like to thank everyone for their generosity to help put an end to Type 1 diabetes. Whether you bought a sneaker, or participated in the JDRF Walk, your contributions have put us a giant step forward in finding a cure.
The Advance Team
For more information, visit the official JDRF website.
If you ask your next-door neighbor, a co-worker and a close friend the question “When is the best time of year to buy a used car?” you’ll probably get three different answers.
That’s because—unlike what you may have heard—there really isn’t a single best time.
Even in the new car market, there are several theories around the peak times to look for deals. Some will say to shop late in the month, early in the week, near closing time, on rainy days, during holiday periods or at the end of the year.
While some of these may contain a little truth, there isn’t much solid evidence behind any of them. (Besides, dealerships have heard all these rumors, too.) And that’s even truer for secondhand car sales.
Do you still want to know the best time of year to buy a used car? The answer is: after you’ve done your homework.
Find out the book values of the secondhand cars you like, shop around online and in person to locate the most affordable prices and learn some practical negotiating tips.
Taking these measures will save you more than waiting for some magical (and mythical) “best time.”
Used car buying advice: wondering what to look for in your vehicle?
What type of used car questions should you ask when buying a previously owned vehicle? What should you have investigated? Here’s some used car buying advice:
Use this as a starting point for used car buying advice. After doing your own research, you’ll get a better understanding of what to look for.
Keep in mind that many financial experts recommend purchasing a previously owned car, especially because of the fast depreciation associated with new vehicles. But, that only works in your favor if you buy a secondhand car that’s safe and reliable.
Editor’s note: Keep checking the Advance DIY auto blog for more tips on buying used cars. After you’ve purchased your car, rely on Advance Auto Parts for the quality auto parts needed to keep it running right. Shop online, or stop by any of our auto parts stores for friendly, expert advice.
Think about it: is texting while driving a smart move?
At some point, we’ve all heard some texting while driving statistics—and most of these highlight the dangers involved with the practice.
The statistics are actually pretty jarring. According to a joint site developed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the State Attorneys General and the Ad Council:
Texting while driving statistics reveal it’s a widespread problem.
The same site also shows that:
Should there be laws against driving while texting?
Studies show that 85% of individuals who send or read texts while driving feel this matter is a problem, in general, and that doing so decreases their reaction time.
Some cities and even entire states have enacted bans on driving while texting, citing stats like the ones mentioned above to illustrate the dangers of this habit.
However, many people (including some law enforcement officials) feel that such rules are largely unenforceable and that trying to enforce these auto safety standards would in fact be a waste of time for police officers.
Regardless of how you feel about this matter, Advance Auto Parts encourages you to drive safely and responsibly at all times. And we carry a full selection of quality auto parts that can help increase your safety when you’re on the road.
Who doesn’t love a long weekend? For most DIY’ers, it’s a dream come true—especially if you’ve got the garage all to yourself. If car repair projects are on your agenda this weekend, be sure to check out the great deals at AdvanceAutoParts.com.
Right now, you can get significant savings on qualifying orders. Best of all, you can save online and get your order fast, by picking it up at your local Advance Auto Parts store, generally within an hour or two. So, get yourself a large cup of fully leaded brew and crank those projects into higher gear!
Happy Labor Day,
The Advance Team
It’s been a few days since the launch of the official Advance Auto Parts car blog, and we couldn’t be happier. The response and feedback have been phenomenal. We attribute this to the notion that DIY’ers love reading and talking about the projects they work on, and that some outside perspective is always welcome.
Our bloggers feel the same way. Each brings their own story and ideas to the mix. All five also thrive on offering up tips and little nuggets of insight within their installments. Check ‘em out.
And as you read through our auto blog, be sure to check out the happenings at Advance Auto Parts. Our online store continually features specials, coupons, articles, how-to videos and more, and best of all, it’s just a few clicks away. Check the Advance Auto Parts News section right here for the inside track on all that.
Lastly, we’d really like to hear your thoughts. Let us know what’s on your mind, what projects you’re working on, what tools work best for you…whatever. You can leave comments here, hit us up on our Facebook page or tweet our stories. However you choose to communicate, we appreciate your help in spreading the word on all things DIY.
Jim Kazliner
Editor, DIY’er
