Here is just a short list of the different kinds of tires out there. Hopefully with just a little bit of information you’ll be better able to know the kind you need.

If you mostly drive on paved roads and highways you’ll want to have a good set of all-season tires. They are the best all around tire that can grip the road in rain or shine. When winter hits however you’ll need a good pair of winter tires. Winter tires are made of a much softer rubber so that they can grip to snow like nothing else.

Another decent asphalt tire that could be a good choice for some people is the All-Weather Tires. They have a soft rubber inner thread to help grip winter snow, with a harder rubber on the outer edge for better cornering.

So the next time you head to your closest tire dealership do your research and find the best kind of tire for your specific region. Also, remember to always recycle your old used tires. They can be made into a variety of products like door mats and sidewalks.

Image: Uprooted.com (by Jessica Reeder)

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Tire Troubles?

2010 Toyota Avalon

Built around Toyota’s all new 268-hp 3.5L V6 the Avalon will never be short of power. Though powerful, the Avalon comes with the highly coveted Dual Variable Valve Timing system that makes the car a super fuel efficient monster. Dubbed the “Japanese Buick” the third generation Avalon offers a very comfortable ride for everyone on board.

The Avalon also tested very high in the crash test ratings, receiving nearly perfect scores except for one star was deducted for it’s ability to roll-over. Rolling over however isn’t usually an issue as it happens in high speed collisions.

If you like you big American sedans but want the engineering of Toyota you may like the Avalon. Personally though nothing truly beats the Cadillac… There I said it.

Image: Toyota.com

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2010 Toyota Avalon

2010 Hyundai Veracruz

The powerful 3.8L V6 engine is both smooth and aggressive. You may not be able to tow a boat, but you can take her and six other passengers out on the highway with ease.

The Veracruz was made for the daily commuter in mind. That’s why it comes with some great standard luxury features like the all inclusive stereo system. You can play and listen to all of your old cassettes and new MP3’s on your daily commutes.

The Veracruz comes in three basic trims: The GL, GLS and Limited. With a base price of around $37,000 the Veracruz will appeal to those looking for the style of a BMW but with the affordability only afforded by Hyundai.

Image: Hyundai.com

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2010 Hyundai Veracruz

Flickr image by hradcanska

Here are just a few helpful tips that will ensure you’ll have a functioning vehicle this winter.

• Test the antifreeze: The antifreeze in your car helps keep your car cool and prevent the engine from overheating. On the flip side the coolant could freeze, making it nearly impossible to start cold. Keeping your car plugged in at night helps, but testing your coolant is more important. Have a technician test the density of the coolant to ensure it doesn’t freeze.
• Install a warming blanket around the battery: Most newer cars have special warming blankets installed around the battery already. If you have an older vehicle installing one would be a good idea. When a battery gets cold it looses its power significantly. It’s also a good idea to have a technician check to make sure your battery passes electrical load tests.
• Install winter tires: Winter tires are specially designed to grip to ice and snow thus giving you more control over your car. They can do this because the tires are made of a softer rubber that doesn’t become hard in cold weather. The treads are also specially grooved to get a better grip. Because the rubber is softer you have to replace them with all-season tires in the spring or else the tread will wear out quickly.
• Change the oil: most cars use either 10W30 or 5W30. If your car gives you the option between two different kinds of oil choose the one with the lower number for the winter as it is lighter and will be able to reach all of the engines parts quicker without needing to be heated first.

I hope these suggestions help. Though the most important tip I could give is to take it slow on the roads and be careful.

Image: Flickr.com (hradcanska)

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Are You Ready For Winter?

The mini-van is great because it can carry a maximum 7 people including the driver with room to spare for luggage. You can remove the seats and sometimes have 8′X4′ of available space for cargo or work related stuff. When it come to being all purpose the mini-van is a hard one to beat. The problem though is that you take into consideration the weight of the stuff you are trying to carry around.

If you needed something bigger SUV are good but SUV drivers don’t usually like to haul equipment onto their folded down seats. However, a SUV could easily to a trailer or boat. But don’t expect much in terms of fuel efficiency.

If putting around town, doing light grocery shopping and just needing a fuel efficient car that will get you to and from work you might just want a light car. These are always a good car to have around as they tend to keep teenage drivers away for the nice SUV’s and Trucks lined up in the driveway.

If you need to work and haul your tools around don’t look past the standard pickup truck. You may want the large 8′ bed but with some designs you’ll have to make a compromise to accommodate for a larger cab that could seat five people. Getting the extra seats could come in handy when needing the extra help or just to have if needed to pick the kids up at their soccer practice.

Whatever vehicle you decide to get make sure that it suites your lifestyle and driving preferences, and get rid of those cars that don’t make sense keeping around.

Image: Ford.com

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Picking The Right Vehicle For You

Winter Cars

Normally I would just spray some windshield washer fluid on to help get the frost off but that only works if you have the antifreeze fluid (a necessity for Canada in my opinion). So how hard would it be to create remote car starter/winter defroster? I mean it’s cool that they have these remote car starters so that when you get into your car it’s all nice and warm. But what if you only have a few minutes? How about they have the rear defrost turn on automatically.

I’m just saying, it could be a good idea to just invent something that will heat the car up when the car is still plugged in. An electric fan of sorts maybe.

Image: Flickr (Jeremy Tarling)

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Winter Car Woes

2010 Dodge Ram 3500

The new Dodge Ram 3500 comes with the industry’s highly coveted 5.7L HEMI V8 that won the “10 Top Engines” from Ward’s AutoWorld. The “hemispherical” firing chamber delivers more power than one that is typically slanted or miss-shapened. The Hemi takes up more engine space which is why engineers don’t usually make engines that way. However, when you’re atalking about mounting an engine on a full-size pickup frame you’re not going to be concerned about space under the hood.

The 5.7L V8 delivers an astonishing 383-hp and 400 pound-feet of torque. If you think this is overkill think again because this truck was made to be the best of the best and it is. It outbeats the Ford in power and can deliver more power when needed. So if you need to tow that yaht to the beach or if you like to haul around your camper this is the best and only workhorse you’ll ever need.

Image: Dodge.com

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2010 Dodge Ram 3500

2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor

I came across the Raptor when checking out the new line of F-150 trucks. Ford already has the best reputation in the full-size pickup business, topping all the charts against all of the competition. What makes Ford different for the past few years (and perhaps the main reason they didn’t have to beg for a bailout) is that they have been delivering Ford Tough trucks.

The Raptor is no exception as it comes with a powerful 5.4L V8. You can even opt for the all the more powerful 6.1L V8. This may be a little bit of an overkill but it could come in handy pulling a semi-trailer out of the ditch (whick I’ve seen the F-150 do on YouTube).

For more information about the new 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor check out their website at Ford.com/Raptor.

Image: Ford.com

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2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor

2010 Chevrolet Colorado

The Colorado shares it’s frame with the GMC Canyon. Both trucks come in a variety of trims to best suit any need. Buying the right truck could be tricky. You first need to assess whether or not you’ll need to have crew seats. Most mid sized trucks only have two seats so this could be a big inconvenience if you need to carry more passengers. The next thing you need to consider is whether or not to go for the extended bed. 6 foot beds are standard but you may need more room if you plan on hauling stuff around.

Image: Chevy.com

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2010 Chevrolet Colorado

2010 MG TF 135

The MG comes equipped with a very light but powerful 1.8L I4 engine that can put out an impressive 135 hp. Not bad for a little car. If that doesn’t impress you, you may enjoy the fact that the car can get 46mpg. But don’t go rushing for the MG if you are a Tree-Hugger, the MG was not made to save gas, it’s true nature is revealed when it’s placed on the track. With a take off rate of 0-60 in just 8.4 seconds and with top speeds of 127mph you’ll be sure to win any drag races.

The new MG comes in two basic trims: The TF 85 (85th Anniversary Edition) or the TF 135.  The TF 85 is a special edition MG so expect to pay a little more, around $30,000. The 135 is price a little lower at just $27,000. Which isn’t too bad considering. The only problem about getting into an MG in North America is finding one that was built with the steering wheel on the left side.

Image: MGMotor.co.uk

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2010 MG TF