Our 5 top tips for maximizing tire life

Ensuring your tires are up to snuff is vital for the safety of you and your passengers. Not only that, tires that are in poor condition or underinflated have a serious drag on your vehicle’s gas mileage. Those considerations, plus the cost of new tires—a full four-tire replacement will cost hundreds of dollars and can…

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Guard against the guzzle: Gas-saving guidelines

Gas ain’t cheap. Talk about stating the obvious, right? Chicago’s gas prices started the New Year at around $3.55 for a gallon of regular, hit $3.73 mid-January, and then finished the month at $3.60. And within the past week, the price jumped 32 cents a gallon, up to $3.92 in the Chicago area. The national…

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Slick advice: How to check your oil

To say engine oil is to a vehicle what blood is to the human body wouldn’t be an overstatement. Without oil keeping an engine at proper temperature and well-lubricated, the moving parts would grind against one another, causing the engine to freeze up and stop working and, literally, have a meltdown. Dirty oil contributes to…

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Money Maker: 10 ways to save gas with vehicle maintenance

With gas prices climbing steadily, it’s easy to feel powerless at the pump. But we’re here to show you how to save real dollars—not pennies—by keeping on top of these fuel-robbing basic maintenance items: Time for a tune-up? Worn spark plugs, plug wires, and other faulty ignition parts reduce your car’s ability to clean and…

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