BY Kyle Smith / ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED November 5, 2021 / HAGERTY / Of all the parts of your car that deteriorate from literally existing, tires are the most talked about. Ask a dozen folks at your cars-and-coffee group about tire age and you’ll somehow get 14 differing opinions about how seriously to take the aging ...

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BY BOB SALNIC / ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED March 23, 2021 / HAGERTY / In 2009, I answered a Craigslist ad for a 1959 Impala, a car that had sat unloved, outside, for 46 years in the Tri-Cities area of eastern Washington. The car had been owned by the seller’s son, who joined the Navy in 1963. Upon ...

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BY KYLE SMITH / ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED OCTOBER 15, 2020 / HAGERTY / The thrill of making progress assembling your DIY project can quickly be overshadowed by the frustration of a missing part or piece of hardware that you’re pretty sure you set down right there. Despite how confident we all are in our memory and ...

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BY MIKE HAGERTY / ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 12, 2020 / NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE PARTS ASSOCIATION / What’s that sound? Your vehicle, which usually purrs like a kitten, has started squeaking like a mouse. If it happens when your car is running, but not moving, it’s most likely an issue with a belt. What Causes a Squeaky Belt ...

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BY MIKE HAGERTY / ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 24, 2020 / NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE PARTS ASSOCIATION / You already know that your car’s battery is essential — you’re not going anywhere without that power. So, you probably check the terminals to make sure they’re staying free of corrosion and replace the battery when it’s worn out. But when ...

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BY BENJAMIN HUNTING / ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED DECEMBER 5, 2018 / NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE PARTS ASSOCIATION / A radiator leak is a fairly serious problem to have with any vehicle. While it might be tempting to just keep adding coolant to the top-up line and continue driving, your car or truck’s cooling system has one of the most ...

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BY MATTHEW C. KEEGAN / ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 14, 2019 / NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE PARTS ASSOCIATION / Wouldn’t it be great if our cars told us when something is wrong? In a way, they already do. Modern cars have instrument panels with dozens of symbols and warning indicators. These notify you of basic issues, like the windshield ...

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BY BLAIR LAMPE / ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 5, 2019 / NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE PARTS ASSOCIATION / Old and failing spark plugs can cause a host of problems in your engine, and it should be expected that you’ll have to change them at least a few times during the life of a vehicle. Luckily, it’s a pretty straightforward DIY that ...

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BY BLAIR LAMPE / ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AUGUST 28, 2019 / NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE PARTS ASSOCIATION / Changing your oil filter (and oil, of course) is the cornerstone of responsible engine maintenance. But what happens when you go to do the thing and your oil filter is uncooperative? If you know how to remove a stuck oil filter ...

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BY MATTHEW C. KEEGAN / ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED APRIL 24, 2019 / NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE PARTS ASSOCIATION / Gas prices go up and gas prices go down. This constant seesaw can put a wrinkle in any budget, leading consumers to carefully consider their next vehicle. But purchasing a new car isn’t always a practical or an affordable solution ...

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BY BLAIR LAMPE / ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JUNE 27, 2019 / NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE PARTS ASSOCIATION / Engines are complex machines with rapidly moving metal parts and small clearances. And as such, they generate a lot of heat. You already know that coolant is an integral part of keeping your engine from exploding, and you probably also know that ...

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BY BLAIR LAMPE / ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JULY 10, 2019 / NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE PARTS ASSOCIATION / Anyone familiar with cars knows changing an engine air filter is an important part of routine maintenance, but why do engines need an air filter to begin with? Just why are they so important and how do they affect performance? No ...

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