Author: 1A Auto Team

Sunday April 22 is Earth Day, but it’s always a good time to think about your impact on the world you live in. One of the great things about our cars and trucks is that we can take them out of the city to go enjoy the scenery all around us, whether you’re headed to a national park, the local lake, a camp site, or out on trails. Of course, if you have a favorite spot off the beaten path, you’ll want to preserve it so you can keep using, and maybe your kids and grandkids can too, someday. Offroaders know they have take good care of the trails so everyone can keep using them. That’s why so many offroading groups organize trail clean up events around the country from Michigan to the Pacific Northwest to the Southwest.

If you’re not an offroader, or you’re just looking for another way to take care of the environment, what are some other ways to keep things green with your car? Well, it turns out that maintaining your car and doing it right is the green thing to do.

Scientific American cites a study done by Toyota that found that 28 percent of the carbon emissions in a car’s lifecycle come from the manufacturing process, and the remainder is from driving. Maintaining your old car can be better for the environment than buying a new car, even one with better fuel mileage.

Here’s some repairs you can do keep things clean and some tips for how to make your repairs more environmentally friendly.

Car Maintenance to Reduce Emissions and Save Gas

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For 2019, April 15^th is the deadline for filing taxes. According to smartasset, the average income tax refund is over $2,000. Even if your tax return is half the national average, that’s still a lot of money to put towards something. So what should you spend it on?

Well, if you love cars, you’re in luck. There’s a few options out there. They can be practical and/or fun and worth splurging your hard earned cash on.

Go to a Track Day/Night

Organizations like the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) host events all over the US. Some events can run up to $300. But if you have a sports car or you want to test the limits of your daily driver, taking laps on a track for a day with generally no speed limit is one fun event to splurge your tax return on. Rules vary depending on the event, but you’ll need a car in good condition and a helmet to drive. If it’s your first time, Car and Driver  has some good tips to help beginners prepare.

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How are your roads this time of year? Winter can do a number on the roads, and spring seems to be prime time for potholes. You might be noticing that the roads are a lot rougher, and your car’s ride might be losing its smoothness too. Potholes are hard on your shocks and struts, after all. This might just be the ideal time to get some new shocks or struts, but how do you know if you need them? Our mechanic Andrew can show you what to look for and how to check. Read on for more info about shocks and struts.

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When you think of women in racing, you probably think of today’s big names like Danica Patrick or Courtney Force. March was International Women’s month, but it’s always a good time to honor some of the women who paved the way in motorsports, as well as the female drivers out there winning races today.

Helle Nice

You might think that women are only now breaking into the boys’ club of racing, but there have been women on the rack nearly as long as there’s been racing. Case in point: Helle Nice who was dubbed “the Queen of Speed” after winning the Grand Prix Féminin in 1929.

Nice had been a dancer until she injured her knee skiing. She did the natural thing and switched to auto-racing. Nice was the subject of a 2004 biography titled Bugatti Queen.

Kay Petre

Kay Petre drove in many races in the 1930s, including finishing the 1934 24 Hours of Le Mans with teammate Dorothy Champney. As ESPN points out, Petre stood 4’10”, but that didn’t stop her from racing a 10.5 Liter V12 (you can see pictures over at Silodrome). She just had to attach wooden blocks to the pedals so she could reach. She briefly held a Ladies Land Speed record with that car at over 134 miles per hour. Petre retired from racing after suffering serious injuries in a crash. That didn’t keep her away from the automotive world, though. She went on to design fabric patterns for the original Mini.

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Great car movies love to show off great cars. They test their rugged performance, sometimes in the form of a high-speed chase or race that would never actually happen. They reveal the passion and pride that goes on behind the wheel. But most of all, they make cars a central part of the story.

Of course, many films have featured or debuted rare or new cars, but this list is concerned with the movies all about cars. So with the 90th Academy Awards fresh in our minds, here’s a list of top car movies and documentaries to check out.

Gone in 60 Seconds (2000)

A nerve-racking chase, a gang of unique characters, and a race against the clock to snag some of the most expensive and desired cars (at the time), this action flick has all the elements of a great car movie. It tests the endurance a prized Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 code-named Eleanor, but also has some neat cameos, like a 1995 Ferrari F355 GTS, a 1994 Lamborghini Diablo SE30, and refurbished 1959 Chevrolet Impala convertible. See the entire list.

I’ve never watched the original version from 1974. However, this remake is still binge worthy, especially if you want a nostalgic taste of some high-end models from the ‘90s.

Le Mans (1971)

First, it has Steve McQueen, who is in Bullitt—another great movie not on this list. Second, it has real footage from the 1970 Le Mans Grand Prix. Third, it’s a movie about the love, courage, and perils of racing. Add in some high-intensity racing scenes makes it a great movie if you’re into racing.

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Congratulations to our lucky winner, Matthew!

To all who participated, thank you for all your hard work. It was great to see people build skill and confidence by learning how to do their own car repairs.

Over 1,500 people showed off their new skills. They tackled repairs ranging from an ignition starter switch, to a set of spark plugs, and even a first try at changing brake rotors and pads. It’s great to see our customers take on a new challenge. Isn’t it satisfying to fix your own car?

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