Car Maintenance Tips

The most important part of making sure your used car lasts the extra mile is by making sure it’s well taken care of. The articles in this category offer a variety of handy tips, tricks, and resources to help you maintain and look after your car, whether through DIY or a trip to the mechanic. These guides include improving your fuel economy, what kind of oil is best for your car, when to change your battery, and what noises to look out for that might indicate your car may be in trouble.

How to Replace a Honda VTEC Solenoid Gasket & Prevent Engine Oil Leaks

June 25, 2024June 5, 2014

Honda is one of those Japanese companies that has absolutely nailed the fuel-efficient, fun-to-drive compact car. Aside from winning manufacturing processes, Honda’s engine technology is one of the most reliable in the world. Of course, this means they last a lot longer on the road, and while the mechanical parts may last, the soft rubber parts eventually wear or simply dry out, especially oil seals.

Repairing oil leaks is a common repair on older Honda engines, including valve cover gaskets, spark plug tube gaskets, front and rear crankshaft seals, and even the oil pan. In this article we will look at how you can repair your Honda’s VTEC solenoid gasket from leaking oil.

Save Money! How to Change the Oil on Your Toyota HiAce Van

September 7, 2023May 15, 2014

Chances are, if you’ve imported a Toyota HiAce van, you’ll be using it to transport people or goods. In both of these roles, the engine on your HiAce is going to be doing a lot of extra work—idling at stops, quick acceleration and deceleration, and carrying heavy loads.

Fortunately, you bought a Toyota and, with proper maintenance, you can expect a long lifespan of at least 400,000 km. You could choose to visit a professional mechanic for maintenance, but why not learn how to change the oil of your van yourself to save money?

How Much Is Maintenance Worth?

September 7, 2023March 9, 2014

When considering a car purchase, you have to realize that the price you pay isn’t written anywhere on anything you’ll see on the financing papers. Aside from buying the vehicle, there are a number of hidden costs that we sometimes don’t think about, some of which has to do with the vehicle we buy, but also with our own habits.

For example, let’s say you are considering buying a new or used Toyota RAV4, one of the world’s most-popular crossover SUVs. Of course, you’ll make a down payment and monthly payments on the vehicle itself, but there are some other things that you’ll have to pay for, as well. Depending on how much you drive, refueling can get quite expensive. Fortunately, the RAV4 is fairly economical. Don’t forget liability and collision insurance, to protect yourself and your car. Then, there are taxes, fees, and repairs.