National
Motorists
Association

The Color Of Trouble?

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist Red means stop and green means go -- but what are the colors under the hood of your car trying to tell you to do? Engine Oil Fresh oil looks like honey, light to dark amber and ...

Things We Do To Our Cars: What’s Worse?

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist What's worse? Under or over-inflating tires? A couple extra psi of air pressure in your tires will result in a harsher ride as well as faster tread wear. Tires inflated significantly above the maximum recommended pressure may also ...

Sticking Gas Pedals: Not Just Toyota Affected

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist Sticking gas pedals are not unique to Toyota vehicles. The main problem Toyota owners are dealing with -- loose or out of adjustment floor mats that jam the gas pedal down -- can happen with other ...

5 Things Your Car Probably Doesn’t Need

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist Owning and operating a car is a major expense -- second only in many people's lives to the cost of rent or a mortgage. But it's the little things that can really nickel and dime you ...

Car Care: When Can You Afford To Cheap Out?

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist People are understandably edgy out by the turn the economy's taken -- and trying to avoid unnecessary expenses. When it comes to your vehicle, there are some things you can "cheap out" on to save a ...

How To Properly Dispose Of Used Motor Oil

If you do your own engine oil changes, you'll end up with several quarts of dirty oil. How should you dispose of it? First, you need to get it ready for disposal. * The best way to transport the oil from your ...

How To Safely Jump Start A Car With A Dead Battery

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist Almost everyone will, at some point in their lives, have to deal with a car that won't start because of a weak or dead battery. Jump-starting a car is simple but a few cautions should be ...

How To Safely Raise And Support A Car

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist Before you can change engine oil or do many other minor (and major) vehicle service, it's usually necessary to raise the vehicle sufficiently to gain access. Even if all you're doing is changing a tire, it's ...

Getting Your Car Ready For Winter

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist Winter weather will be here soon. Is your car ready? Wiper Blades If the ones on the car right now are more than about six months old, you probably need a new set -- or are close to ...

How A Simple Pad Of Paper Could Boost Your Car’s Resale Value

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist One of the first things I do when I acquire a new vehicle -- new or used -- is buy a small spiral-bound notebook that will fit easily into the glovebox. (Spiral-bound because a pen or ...