question of the day

  • Should I Learn To Drive With A Manual Or Automatic? Question Of The Day

    Drivers learning to driver should avoid distractions and concentrate on the fundamentals before they attempt more advanced.   Photo by State Farm / Flickr Question: Is it better to learn to drive in a manual-shift car, or an automatic? Answer: While manual transmissions used to dominate the automotive landscape, today, automatics are the industry standard. Only about 50 vehicles sold out of more than 250 nameplates offer a manual transmission.  It’s quite possible that many drivers will never push in clutch and shift a vehicle’s gear during their lifetime. J.C Fawcett of Defensive Driving School, which offers driver training in addition to teen and adult students, said while both are good to know how to use, the student would be better off learning in an automatic.

  • How Do You Get Rid Of A Bad Smell Inside Of A Car? Question Of The Day

    According to the professionals, you start with elbow grease: “We advise our customers to remove what they can by using warm water and several absorbent towels to prevent seepage,” says Ken Rosenfield, CEO of Detail USA. “After treating with the enzyme and letting sit for a few hours, you can shampoo.”   Yes, a few hours.  Removing car stench is not for the faint of heart.   “It is an ozone generator and will work after the above (work) has been completed,” Shargel said. “The ozone generator is the best way to remove cigarette smells as well.”   These machines don’t come cheap, an ozone generator runs about $300 for a car-sized model.  However, they are a well-documented way to remove vomit, pet scents and even the dreaded smoker’s mark on a vehicle.

  • Should I Over-Inflate My Car’s Tires To Improve My Fuel Efficiency? Question Of The Day

    A few more pounds of air might give you better gas mileage but it’s likely to do more damage in the long run. Question: How much does over-inflating car tires increase fuel efficiency? Over-inflating tires to improve gas mileage is akin to taking a larger-than-recommended dose of painkillers, thinking it will work even better than the prescribed amount.

  • Why Do Brakes Squeal? Question Of The Day

    Not all sounds coming off of your brakes mean the same thing.  Photo by Ian Cameron / Flickr Question: What makes brakes squeak? The component parts of a car’s braking system – things like the rotors, the brake pads, and the wheels—can vibrate and that vibration makes noise. The brake pads are designed to disintegrate slowly under pressure. The grinding is lower in pitch and more like nails on a chalkboard.) Photo by Emil / Flickr Just like squeaking, brake dust is a fact of life.

  • What Do Car Spoilers Really Do? Question Of The Day

    Whale tails and wicked wings can help some of the fast cars avoid taking flight, but are they necessary for grocery getters?

  • Can Cruise Control Save You Gas? Question Of The Day

    Cruise control just might leave you with a little extra money in your pocket and fuel in your tank.