There are many tools, accessories, and auto-related products you can give as a gift during the holidays for anyone that loves cars. Items that you know someone would love to have but just never got around to buying, or just never thought of purchasing, that can make diagnosing car repairs or inspecting certain parts that much easier.

With a large number of parts and tools to choose from, sometimes it can be difficult to decide what to buy or know where to begin. So, these holidays, we created a holiday gift guide of some great ideas to get you started. All you have to do is go down the list and follow the link to some of these gifts, and that car enthusiast that you know will have one more item for their car-related needs.

Read More

With cars comes technology. Compare a modern car to an antique. You’re likely to find a number of different and older technologies that don’t compare to their advancements. It’s also easy to take them for granted. So let’s take a moment to reflect on some great technologies that have made our lives easier and our driving experience much better.

Read More

Whirring, rattling, clanking, screeching, squealing, and grinding—All are sounds you might hear as the mileage adds up on your car. Chances are, you know your car’s noises well enough to know when it’s got a new one.

Sounds can mean there’s a broken or worn part that needs replacing, or that a part is starting to wear. They can also mean nothing, and may be a harmless peep that innocently comes with time and age. Part of doing your own repairs means knowing how to diagnose issues. Of course, there is no guarantee a certain sound will point to a specific part, but it can narrow it down to some possibilities. From there, it may take some additional troubleshooting to find the cause.

Here’s some common sounds and what they can mean depending on their location.

Location: The Wheel

Read More

Want to squeeze more mileage out of an older vehicle? While not every car is built to last beyond 200,000 miles, some models are known to endure with proper care. This list in particular includes mostly Toyota and Honda models, but also a Ford F-150.

Of course it’s nice to hear about cars and trucks that can last that long, but what about the ones that actually have? I caught up with one of our interns, Cristian Hera, who answered some questions about his Corolla, which has already passed the 300,000 mile mark. He shared some tips of what to look for in a used vehicle, how to take care of it as it ages, what kind of repairs he’s done and expects to do, how long he expects it to last, and other neat facts about his cherished daily driver.

• About Cristian’s Car
• Cristian’s Tips to Make Your Car Last
• Quick, Fun Facts

About Cristian’s Car

What do you drive?

1995 Toyota Corolla DX Station Wagon, 1.8L 7A-FE, 5-speed manual. It was made in Japan (most were made in the US).

What drew you to it?

Read More

October 5 is Global James Bond Day, in honor of the release date of Dr. No, the first James Bond movie in theaters. Bond has great taste in suits, cocktails, and, let’s say companions, but especially in cars. Here are the ten coolest cars from the James Bond movies.

10. 1974 AMC Hornet

Wait? We’re starting a list of cool Bond cars with an AMC? Are AMCs even cool? They are when Bond’s driving. In The Man with the Golden Gun, Bond jumped the little American hatch off a collapsed bridge and completed a full barrel roll. The actual car used to film the jump was sold at auction in 2017 for $110,000, in “as-jumped” condition.

Check out this interview to find out how they put the corkscrew jump on screen.

Read More

1A Auto held it’s annual car show on September 9, 2018. Even though the skies were grey, 165 people brought their cars to show. You could see everything from cleaned up classics, to complete customs, imports, and rat rods. It was an awesome show. I was lucky enough to talk to many of the owners of this interesting pieces. Here are some of my personal favorites. They may not necessarily be the rarest or most valuable, just the ones that piqued my admittedly idiosyncratic tastes.

Read More

When you buy a car from a dealer, you expect it to work and run at its best. Sometimes bad things happen too soon. The clear coat or paint fades. The body is prone to rust. Misfires keep happening to everyone’s bewilderment. A haunting check engine light reveals the same codes that just won’t go away. You’ve taken it to the shop or dealership under warranty, and after several tries, nothing works. The car is no longer driveable, safe, or as valuable. Now you have a sour taste in your mouth. So, what do you do?

Read More