If there is one area of car detailing that I absolutely loathe, it has to be detailing the glass window areas of my vehicles.  The funny thing is that when the windows are sparkling clean, the vehicle absolutely looks its showroom best.

I think that what makes cleaning windows such a chore is that there are two surfaces that must be perfected at the same time, mainly the inside and the outside.  Any remaining finger prints or smudges will ruin the look of the glass.  Couple this with the fact that inside and outside glass surfaces are attacked by different things just adds to the complexity of achieving the ultimate goal of clean, clear glass.
continue reading "It’s All Clear To Me Now!"

We spent a good deal of time talking about car washing and, to some extent, drying your vehicle. If there is a neglected area when it comes to car detailing, it’s got to be the wheels. In the last segment, I briefly talked about how to wash the wheels correctly. I hope to make this blog a little different in two ways. The first thing is to briefly re-discuss the “how and whys” of wheel cleaning and, second, to showcase some of the products that I personally use.

On that note, may I first clarify that I am under no financial duty to recommend or support any product, company or manufacturer. If I like it and it works for me, then you’ll hear about it. I have tried a lot, and I do mean A LOT, of car care products. Some sound good and just don’t keep up their end of the bargain. Those products that I routinely re-purchase and find myself looking to use over and over again are the products that I will recommend to you. Hey, you’re my “loyal followers”. Uncle Vinny ain’t gonna let you down!
continue reading "Hey “Nice Wheels”, Man!!!"

It was one of those few non-rainy June days that we had here in New Jersey and in typical weekend fashion it was time to get some gas. My wife and I pulled into the BP gas station to fill the belly of our BMW X5 with fuel. Our new found friend Ahmed, always seems to be there and always greets us with a genuine smile. “Fill, credit, Super?” he utters in his best english and we politely respond with a “Yes thank you.” It seems to be a little bit a mechanical, robotic routine  but it works and it is highly efficient.

Flanking the back areas of this gas station, is a mini-market, a quick change oil facility, an automated car wash with human help drying off the remaining water from the car wash process.At some point during the fill-up my wife turns to me and says, “What’s wrong?” For the moment I am totally focused on the crew wiping the nice black Mercedes with their blue towels.While still intranced, I responded to her with a grunt that could only be interperted as a totally disgusted reaction toward what I was seeing. I  focused back on my wife and told her that, ” They just brought up all the dirt from the bottom of the car, brought it up to the top and they buffed it into the finish!”  In my mind’s eye I could actually see the swirl marks and scratches now scarring the once pristine paint surface. Gratefully we were done filling as Ahmed popped his head into the car window, BP card a receipt in hand.I was relieved we were leaving.  I try not to look over at the car wash area whenever I frequent this station, It’s just too painful.
continue reading "Car Washing 101"

In my last blog, I discussed getting your vehicle ready for a road trip. Today I would like to pass on to you some tips on improving gas mileage. You will find as you read this installment that there are similar and overlapping recommendations between vehicle maintenance and getting your best gas mileage. If you’ve been watching the trend at the gas pumps, the prices are on the way up once again.

Let’s face it, some people just don’t care about gas mileage and some just can’t be bothered with it. Hey, in New Jersey, a very popular vehicle is the Chevy Suburban. These are among the largest SUV (Sport Utility Vehicles) available usually outfitted with large displacement V-8 motors. Those that “swear we need this huge truck” often have large families. If you wish to get your 4 children and 2 dogs around, you need this vehicle. Thinking about having the gang all together takes precedence over whether the vehicle gets good gas mileage or not.
continue reading "Improving Gas Mileage"

It seems that as soon as school lets out for the summer, many families are itchin’ to get on vacation.  But I often wonder and I find it concerning, that many people just assume you jump in the car and go!  This not only puts them and their loved ones at risk, but you and me as well.  So I dedicate this blog to the Summer Road Warriors and to safer traveling.  Let’s discuss getting your vehicle ready for a road trip.

Not too long ago, my son and I took a trip to a Corvette Car Show down in Atlantic City.  People really do drive too quickly especially on the Garden State Parkway.  Now here I am, driving my 505 hp Z06 corvette at a mere 75 to 80 miles an hour and I am being passed by a 1980 something Geo Metro doing upwards of 90!  Now let me rant for a minute.  I am driving a “supercar” that can actually do close to 190MPH and stop on a dime and may I remind you that every operating system has been monitored to be in top maintenance and the Metro driver is so confident that his dilapidated machine isn’t going to lose control!  I was just waiting to see when his already half hanging off rear bumper was going to rip off and sail away!  I did say I was going to rant!!!   Hey if this driver wants to plant his vehicle into a nice tree, be my guest…just don’t take any of us with ya!  Okay enough of that…but do you get my point?
continue reading "Summer Travel"

So you all survived Part 2 of our motor oil discussion…are you ready for more?  I thank those whom have written in asking,” When will you be posting again?”  I will try my best to make this a weekly update, unless I am on vacation, which I will be at some point this summer.  Hang on folks, here comes Part 3!

After having discussed viscosity and the importance of following your owner’s manual, we also discussed API, ACEA and OEM Approvals.  I believe we should start with a brief discussion on Conventional and Synthetic oils.  This topic alone gets people heated and fired up similar to a political discussion on the GOP vs. the Democrats.

My first recommendation is what folks? That’s right. Follow the recommendations required by the auto manufacturer.  If the motor came from the factory with synthetic oil, you must stay synthetic.  Many BMWs, AMG Mercedes, all Corvettes and Vipers plus a whole host of other vehicles come straight from the factory with synthetic oils in the crankcase.  I am sure that there are several car and truck makes that come with conventional oil in the crank case as their initial fill.
continue reading "Let’s Talk Motor Oil, Part 3"

I just wanted to first begin with saying “thank you” for all of your nice comments on my recent posts. Remember my mission is to first teach you something about cars and secondly to entertain you. I love cars and car care! All right, enough of that. Let’s get busy and continue with our talk about motor oil specifications and ratings.

If I haven’t said this once, I’ll say it another dozen times, read your owner’s manual and see what your car’s manufacturer recommends for its oil. We already talked about it’s viscosity requirements, but what else is important? If it calls for synthetic oil, you must stick with it. Remember motors are often  designed with a specific type of oil flowing through it. These oil requirements are called OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) approval ratings.

Let’s take my 2006 Corvette for example. GM calls for a synthetic 5W30 (Mobil 1 is the factory fill). Other 5W30 synthetic oils are acceptable but they must have GM specification 4718M and GM6094M. These are OEM  requirements for high performance/high heat temperature performance required by General Motors engineers. My Jeep SRT-8 and its Hemi require 0W40 or 5W40 that has the MB 229.51 specification. So the point here is that more than the viscosity and type of oil is important to your vehicles engine. Volkswagen, BMW, and Honda are a few other carmakers that have an OEM requirement for the engine oil.
continue reading "Let’s Talk Motor Oil, Part 2"

Have you ever said you’ll do something and then realize the sheer magnitude of the situation? In my last blog I stated that “we’d talk about motor oil”. Well all I can tell you is that this will be quite a feat. It’s like a topic such as “food”. How do you start and where? The sheer size of the topic can make someone nauseous! So, like a discussion about food, we’ll take on this monster topic of motor oil one meal at a time.

If you’ve ever stopped and actually looked at all of the choices of motor oils, you would truly be astounded. Most of us are repeat oil shoppers and grab at the “familiar” packaging before we check out. But the next time you’re at your favorite car parts store, actually take a moment and look around at all of the choices. Oil containers in yellow, green, red, black, and silver (come on Car Guys…Can you name the brands?). Oh, I forgot purple and white colors too. So how do we choose the “right oil” for our beloved machines?
continue reading "Let’s Talk Motor Oil, Part 1"

Before I get started, and before I get in trouble, let me apologize for the term “Car Guy”. Of course I fully welcome our female counter parts in this group where the word “guys” is all inclusive. Who would ever exclude Danika Patrick from anything dealing with cars.

I toyed with several ways at expressing “What is a Car Guy”? Perhaps as a series of questions like, “Is your private bathroom stocked with various car magazines, some several years old?” And are they piled high enough on the toilet tank that they act as a home-made headrest? Do you feel drawn to visit the Car Care aisle of any store, supermarkets included, out of fear that you might miss out on something new? If this seems faintly familiar then you are likely a “Car Guy”. Some of my most insightful car guy moments have occurred in these car care areas of retail stores. Last fall I found myself, that’s right, smack in the middle of the car care area of a local Wally World, paying homage to the vast selections and endless shelves of waxes, batteries and additives. As I rounded the corner with much anticipation for the motor oil section, I startled an older woman who had clutched in her arms numerous bottles of motor oil. She stared at me with the type of look that we all have experienced when we accidentally walk in on someone in a public bathroom stall. Add to that gaze slight moisture to her eyes that conveyed, along with her surprise, the relief that help had finally arrived.
continue reading "What is a Car Guy?"