Normal Car Thursdays! 1987 Nissan Sentra GXE

Hello James from The Digital Garage here. It is time for another Normal Car Thursdays! I was a little hesitant on doing this vehicle because of its model year, however it still qualifies as a normal car.

 

Year Make and Model: 1987 Nissan Sentra GXE

 

 

Basic detail of the vehicle: The GXE is the "top" model for the sedan version of the Sentra. It is powered by a 4 cylinder engine.

This particular car is an automatic. This is considered the second generation of the Sentra and it was offered in different forms. This particular one is a sedan.

 

Mileage: With around 97K miles this vehicle at 25 years old actually has low mileage.

 

Why did you get this vehicle?: Well the owner was given the car as the original owner was a close family friend and could not make use of the vehicle anymore. The car was kept in good condition and drives well for the age. You can't really argue against free car. As a sedan of this size it has decent cabin room.

 

It also has nice trunk space for the size of the car.

Modifications (if any): A modern CD player was added to the car.

I believe the owner still has the original radio stored away. Another "mod" was done to the hubcaps. They were sprayed black to replace the faded paint and keep the metal hubcaps safe from weather.

And as you saw in previous pictures the windows were tinted to preserve the cloth interior

Anything you want to do to the vehicle?: There is nothing further the owner wants to do to the vehicle.

How do you like driving it? Driving a 2 year old 4 cylinder makes you appreciate the modern 4 cylinder vehicles even more. You have to keep in mind the technology differences in that 20+ year gap. I have driven this car and it is not bad considering there are no modern upgrades on the car. It can keep up with traffic just fine and has pretty responsive steering.

Any other thoughts on the vehicle?:

In looking at the vehicle you have to keep in mind it is 25 years old and throughout its life it was basically a daily driver. The body is in good shape and the lights are all original and in good shape as well. While this Sentra is from 1987 you can still get a new Sentra from Nissan.

And that is it for this installment of Normal Car Thursdays! Hope you have enjoyed and check out the Share Your Ride! post for how you can send us your vehicle for Normal Car Thursdays! Or if its too special for that then just to share your ride!

 

See you on the Road.

Christmas Tree!

Hello James from The Digital Garage here. I figured with the holidays happening that this would be a good time to talk about the Christmas Tree. If you are in to motorsports you know what I am talking about.

Image taken from the web

 

If this is the christmas tree you think of first when the words christmas tree is uttered then you are probably addicted to drag racing. And indeed Drag racing be it pro or for fun is what most people will associate with the christmas tree light system. Aside from the quarter mile drag strip this light system is used in other racing. The Christmas tree is for races in which two drivers (typically) are going from the start line at a dead stop to the finish line. It has also been used in more traditional mud drag racing (those which are not a course, are not a bog and do not have launch hills), and Monster Truck Racing (mostly in the Penda Points Series of the 90's).

 

The christmas tree is used not just for a green light but is also utilized to stage the racers for the race. And for starting the race it is an equalizer, bringing the race down to who gets a better start at the green. Let's look at the image above and break down the christmas tree a little bit.

 

First up are the pre-stage and stage indicators. Pre-staging lights are for getting the racer close to the starting light. pre-staging basically get the vehicle ready for the start line and hopefully the racers are lined up the way they want and are ready to move up to the starting line. The pre-stage and staging lights are activated when a beam is broken by the front tires of the vehicle. When the beam is broken the appropriate lights will illuminate. Now once the driver is ready they will break the staging light's beam which will light up the stage indicator lights. In doing so the vehicle is right at the starting line and the driver is focusing on the christmas tree ready to race. This is where mind games come into place in this style of racing. Who is going to pre-stage and stage first? How long will they sit before fully staging, or before the officials step in? This can lead to team disputes and overall there is a strategy to staging that is beyond the scope of this topic. However once both racers are fully staged (both the pre-stage and stage indicator lights are lit) the actual start is up to the starting official.

 

This brings us to the Amber lights just before the green light. These lights are set to flash at a specific time depending on the racing. All three flash at once when the tree is set up as a "pro" tree. They flash quickly followed by the green light. This is what the professional drag racers use, it is also what is utilized by Monster Truck racing and is mostly what is utilized by mud drag racing. However the tree can be programmed to be a full type tree in which each amber light flashes on its own from top to bottom and then the green light goes on. This is most likely what you would encounter if you went to the drag strip to race for fun. In either set up the starting official is the person who makes it happen. In either scenario the driver always wants to cut a good light. This means going as soon as the green light is lit.

 

This bring us to the green and red lights. Cutting a good light basically means having a good reaction time. The object of this is to get your vehicle off the starting line as soon as is possible for a legal pass. This means almost jumping the light and reacting quick enough to get your vehicle off the line as soon as the light is green. If you do this quicker then your opponent you have a "holeshot" which basically means you got moving before your opponent did. The holeshot is a huge advantage to win but is no guarantee. Now if you cut "too good of a light" you foul up and have a red light. When you red light you lose. This happens when your vehicle moves off the line prior to the green light and is monitored electronically. This is an automatic disqualification for the driver that red lights.

 

And that is basically the essence of a christmas tree. These have been in use for a while and it still in my opinion is a very good way to stage and launch racers from a dead stop. And for the holidays all you need is a few ornaments for this christmas tree as it already has the lights.

 

See you on the road.

So What's the Purpose?

Hello James from the Digital Garage here. So with a few posts now under the belt of The Digital Garage I felt it a good time to go over in more detail the purpose of The Digital Garage.

So there are plenty of Automotive blogs and sites out there. What The Digital Garage is trying to do is keep it casual and keep it in terms that any person interested in this sort of thing can digest. The idea being that The Digital Garage is for the "common" person interested in vehicles and automotive technologies.

That is what we are all about really. We do not want it to read like a textbook and we do not want you to feel lost within the compression ratios and gear ratios and things like that. Vehicles are very popular across all modern cultures and within the enthusiasts you have a diverse group. People who are very in depth and knowledgeable and those who just enjoy it. We do not feel those just getting into being an automotive enthusiast should be penalized for being new or just having a light interest in it.

So that is where we come in. Now this doesn't mean we will not go in depth when such a thing is necessary. Sometimes you have to go into the details in order to get points across but in such cases we will strive to also break it down so anyone will get the point being made.

Now I will not lie to you all there will be some bias. Everyone has an opinion or feeling in life on topics. The Automotive world is no different. We here at The Digital Garage will have our own biases for things. But with that being said we will not let it blind us while we talk about whatever the topic is.

So once again: Welcome! We hope you enjoy yout stay.

See you on the road.

Normal Car Thursdays! 2002 Chevrolet Tracker Zr-2

Hello James from The Digital Garage here. Welcome to another edition of Normal Car Thursdays! Normal Car Thursdays shines the spotlight on vehicles that may otherwise be overlooked for the more fancy or high performance vehicles out there. So Let us take a look!

Year Make and Model: 2002 Chevrolet Tracker Zr-2

The Chevrolet Tracker was basically a re-badged Geo. It has much the same look and feel but under the bow tie instead. It did not sell well as a Chevrolet but is a fun little vehicle. I do not own this vehicle but I have driven it a bunch so I can speak for certain parts of this questionnaire if you will.

Basic detail of the vehicle: The Zr-2 Tracker is actually the "sport" version of the tracker series.

This particular model has the 2.5L V6 engine which is an optional upgrade over the 4 cylinder. While the Tracker was lacking in power, the V6 upgrade for a vehicle of this size gives it a bit more muscle. The Tracker line is a 4x4 and there is a skid plate under the vehicle. As you probably noticed in one of the above pictures it has a trailer hitch for pulling. Now it is a small vehicle with a V6 so don't expect to pull a house down.

As you can see as a 4 door you have easy access to the interior. It can seat 4 comfortably even though it is on the smaller side of a vehicle. The rear seats fold down, as you see above, which allow for increased cargo space.

Mileage:

There is a little over 76,000 miles on the vehicle. As stated in the Crown Vic edition that mileage is not bad for a 10 year old vehicle. Notice the basic instrument cluster.

Why did you get this vehicle? Well the owners of this vehicle are the first owners and it was purchased has a small vehicle that can handle weather such has rain and snow.

Notice behind the gear selector is another nob. That is to go from 2WD to 4WD low or high. This capability and its more all terrain function then a family van makes it a useful vehicle in snow. Why not just go with a Jeep you may be wondering? Well not everyone likes Jeeps is the answer.

Also it can hold a decent amount of stuff for its size. It is almost like having a small pickup like the S10 only it is enclosed. This is a good and bad thing. It is bad because it is not just like a truck bed being that its an interior space and therefore you would not want to put something dirty or dripping oil or grease in it. It is good because you can carry more delicate or weather sensitive items in it without needing a bed cap.

Modifications (if any): The vehicle has no modifications made to it.

Anything you want to do to the vehicle? The owners do not want to do anything to it. Aside from maybe a newer skid plate there is nothing the owners feel they need to do to it to just  get around.

How do you like driving it?

I can speak from personal experience with this question. The owners like it just fine and find the V6 gives the tracker enough power to contend with traffic on a highway and to go on trips. And this is all true. I find that the tracker Zr-2 has adequate power in it with the V6 but you have to keep in mind it is not a racing vehicle. In snow driving it is fun because it does handle itself well. There are people who go trail driving with these so it does hold up pretty well. Overall the driving experience is pretty nice in it.

 Any other thoughts on the vehicle? Look this is another case of knowing what you are getting into with a vehicle like this. It can handle itself for daily driving for all 4 seasons and can do the occasional dirt trail. In its class the Tracker was described at being in the lower end  but from experience I can say it gets along just fine. I think that unless your really an enthusiast for this or any type of vehicle you are not looking at much more then price comfort and nowadays efficiency. The Chevrolet Tracker line is no longer produced but you can still find them here and there on used car lots. I personally would only go for the V6 version if I were to buy one myself. Overall though it can be a fun little vehicle to drive and Parking it is simple.
 And that is it, the 2002 Chevrolet Tracker Zr-2. The closest modern Chevrolet counterpart would probably be the Equinox. Hope you enjoyed this installment of Normal Car Thursdays!

See you on the road.

Share your Ride!

Welcome! James from The Digital Garage here. With the start of our Normal Car Thursdays we thought it would be fun to have your involvement! Not only with vehicles for Normal Car Thursdays but with any vehicle you own. Normal Cars, Semi Trucks, Race Cars, Classic Cars, Project Car, Mud bogger, Custom Cars and so on.

If you wish to send pictures of your vehicles feel free to print out the picture at the top of this entry to cover up your license plates. And on top of that be sure the answer this list of questions about the vehicle:

Year Make and Model:

Basic detail of the vehicle:

Mileage:

Why did you get this vehicle?:

Modifications (if any):

Anything you want to do to the vehicle?:

How do you like driving it?:

Any other thoughts on the vehicle?:

Yes these are the same questions that Normal Car Thursdays utilizes. Depending on the vehicle you want to send in you may have to modify the questions to fit.

If you want to send the pictures and questions to us then please email: thedigitalgarageblog@gmail.com and include your first name and the state or country in which you live.

We look forward to hearing from you and sharing the vehicles of other automotive enthusiasts.

See you on the road.

Normal Car Thursdays! 2002 Ford Crown Victoria LX



Note the angled sign over the front bumper. Wind at work

 

 

Hello! James from the Digital Garage here. Welcome to the start of a new segment here at The Digital Garage! It is time for NORMAL CAR THURSDAYS!! This is where we go over some form of normal car. No sleek and sexy super cars here. No tricked out custom rides. Just vehicles the common driver would be seen in. They are still great vehicles regardless of the stature as a "normal vehicle". I felt to kick it off I would start with my car. This is done following a format which I will explain in a following post later on.

 

 

Year Make and Model: 2002 Ford Crown Victoria LX

 

The Ford Crown Victoria 2002. This is a very iconic car for normal car Thursdays. The Crown Victoria is a staple of many a police force. Many drivers see a Crown Vic. in there rear view and instinctively straighten up in there seat.

Basic detail of the vehicle: The Crown Victoria is a rear wheel drive full size sedan. Powered by a 4.6L modular V8 the LX model has a little bump in power compared to the base Crown Victoria.

Not to be confused with the LX Sport which has a center console and gear shifter (that being said the LX Sport is a fantastic car). The LX has the steering column shifter.

Mileage:

As you can see my Crown Victoria LX has a little over 70,000 miles on it. Now for a 10 year old car approaching 11 years that is not bad at all. Most of these cars that are being sold used are above 100,000 miles on them. Note the Digital Dash has no display for a tachometer.

Why did you get this vehicle?

Well firstly I am a Ford fan and when I was looking into a vehicle I naturally looked at Ford. I am also a fan of 4 door vehicles.

I find it makes the back seat more usable and the bigger sedans I find to be more comfortable. Some people call the Crown Victoria an old person's car but I like the look of the car. It is a comfortable ride and the V8 will get me nice highway mileage as well as give this car plenty of pep in it's step.

In need of trunk space? The Trunk on this car is huge. Even with the full size spare in the trunk there is still plenty of room for luggage or whatever you may need to bring with you. This with the large cabin space makes for a very practical car for anyone really. Going on a trip or moving the Crown Victoria will get you there in comfort with plenty of room for passengers or cargo or a mix of both.
It is also Iconic due to its widespread use by police forces (and taxi cabs as well) and a such it is a well known car by people who pay no attention to vehicles.

Modifications (if any):

I have done nothing to this car. It is stock as you can see from the entertainment area.

Anything you want to do to the vehicle?

To be honest not really. I would like a CD player but I do not need one. If anything I would replace this Crown Victoria LX with a LX Sport but only because I do like its center console. The Crown Victoria LX does not need much really. I have a portable GPS for it. The one thing I would consider doing is adding a back up camera but I get by fine without it.

How do you like driving it?

I really enjoy driving it. Rear wheel drive vehicles are not scary and they are not unreliable if you have the basic understanding of handling one. The 4.6L V8 is a very reliable engine and there is a lot of untapped power there if you were so inclined to modify the engine with forced induction or a chip. Even stock as my car is the horsepower and torque is good. When not in overdrive you can feel the pep in this car's step. There is a reason police forces had the Crown Victoria as a main part of the fleets. Being a V8 if you do not beat on it it will get you nice mileage on a long trip if you accelerate reasonably and keep the RPM's down (which is pretty easy to do). I will say that it is not the most nimble of vehicles. But with heads up driving you will not have any real problems with it. But you need to keep the kind of vehicle this is in perspective if your trying to autocross it.


 Any other thoughts on the vehicle?

You have to keep in mind the type of car this is. It is not a high performance muscle or sports car. It is not an economy car with high miles per gallon city and highway. It is a full sized sedan that is great for a family and great for legging it through the long miles of a trip. It is a luxury car that has pep, it can get out of its own way and has some power in reserve should you have need in an emergency. The Crown Victoria LX is a vehicle that you cannot outgrow really. Ford no longer makes this car so all you will find are lot leftovers and used versions.

And there you have it! The 2002 Ford Crown Victoria LX. First in The Digital Garage for Normal Car Thursdays! We will do out best to have a new car every Thursday. And as you can see our goal is to showcase a daily driver type of car that is "seeing action" on the roads. We hope you enjoyed!

See you on the road.



Driving and Weather

Image taken from the web

 

Image taken from the web

 

 

Hello James from The Digital Garage here. So weather is something every driver has to deal with regardless of the area you live in. The two major problem weather patterns that drivers have to deal with is snow and rain.

 

Now it seems that the moment rain or snow starts to touch down on the roads that people forget how to drive. You have people slamming on the brakes, speeding up, merging randomly and in general forgetting how to drive. This leads to massive traffic and delays on the roads because invariably some of these drivers will have an accident. You also have people driving a SUV or a truck who think they are unstoppable in the bad weather because of the vehicle which is also not safe for the road. So what is there to do? Well we will cover the 4 big areas: Accelerating, braking, speed, and turning. And its not going to be complicated or long either.

 

First up is Acceleration. Regardless of if the rain or snow just started or has been ongoing, acceleration is a factor to keep in mind. Firstly it is not just from a stop but also once you are at speed. Rain and snow reduce the traction you have on the road. If you mash on the gas you will spin your tires. At a dead stop not the biggest of problems unless you are on an incline. If you spin tires on an incline you could roll back. The key here is gradual acceleration to best avoid a spin. If you are having trouble especially with an automatic you can put it into a lower gear like 1 or 2 which may help. Too much power too quickly will spin the tires even on a dry road. Now at speed if you are going 30-40 mph and you want to rapidly accelerate on the slick road conditions of rain or snow (which may also have ice) you could spin your tires. This is bad news because now you are speed and the vehicle could slide or spin to one side. This can put you into another car or a divider.

 

Now Braking is an important part of driving. Like acceleration, braking should be done gradually. If you jam on the brakes in any situation you can have problems. With the lose of traction evident in rain and snow you are also going to need a longer distance to stop. It does not matter if you have ABS or not, the lost of road traction means you will need more time to stop. A lot of the Minor fender bender accidents occur in these weather conditions because the driver could not stop. If you stomp on the brakes at speed you could also spin the vehicle or have it lurch to one side which could result in an accident.

 

Alright starting and stopping is all well and good but while your driving maintaining a safe speed is important. Going too fast and even too slow is dangerous for you and others on the road. Too fast and you can lose control in the slick conditions or not have enough time to stop. Too slow and you become a rolling obstacle in the road. In these weather conditions you should slow down a little bit. The problem here is people slow down too much and will do so without warning on the road. This creates a problem for those behind the vehicle slowing down resulting in a bottle necking or an accident. The more people on the road that maintain a safe speed will result in everyone getting to where they need to go quicker.

 

Lastly is turning and not just turning down roads but lane changing. Looking at lane changing firstly, be considerate. Whether it is changing lanes or a merger there is no reason to block a car from coming in regardless of weather. In bad weather it further hampers everyone on the road as the cars jockey for position basically. Let the driver in and if you are changing lanes do so in advance. Why? Last minute lane changes in these conditions are not safe. When it comes to turning the principles of acceleration and braking are at work here. Brake gradually and sooner and when you accelerate through the turn do so gradually. This is where you have a higher possibility of spinning a car. But keep in mind that you need to be accelerating in order to turn. It is not necessary to come to a dead stop in the turning lane to turn. Use the slowed momentum to help your turn and gradually accelerate. Regardless of a lane change or a full on turn make sure you signal. You should be signalling anyways but in these conditions signalling and doing so earlier will help alert the drivers behind you. This can save you from a rear end hit by an unwary driver.

 

Well that is it really. And all of this is basic driving ideas that in normal driving conditions people know, but the moment the weather goes sour people seem to forget. This is an overview. Certain tactics will differ for a front wheel, rear wheel, or all wheel drive vehicle but the core idea is worth keeping in mind.

 

See you on the road.

Different Car Styles

Hello! James here from The Digital Garage. Alright so you are into vehicles you say? That is great! Now chances are you have been surfing the web looking at cars or even checking out the car shows locally and the big ones. You will have no doubt come across some cool looking cars and trucks. And that is what this is all about. Helping you sort through the terminology a bit. I'll start with one that you may not see too much.

Original and Unrestored:

Image taken from the web

 

 

Alright Original and Unrestored is just like it sounds. The vehicle has had no restoration done to it and everything is original on the car. This includes paint, trim, drive train and so on. Now some original and unrestored cars are a little rough around the edges. And in a sense you could say your daily driver is essentially an original and unrestored car provided you have done nothing except maintain it. And that is the idea of this class. You are basically looking at a vehicle direct from whatever time period in whatever state it is in. This includes paint fading or chipping and a worn interior.

 

 

Restored:

 

 

Image taken from the web

 

Restored cars are again much like they sound. However sometimes this terminology can become a grey area. A truly restored vehicle is one brought back to the same specifications that it would have had straight from the factory. If this means mechanical brakes then to be properly restored it must have mechanical brakes. Some people do argue the concept of modern safety in areas like brakes for example. But a truly restored car should have the function of an original and unrestored car but with new life in it. Fresh paint, fresh tires, reworked chassis and engine and so on that all fit within the parameters of the time period. If this means an inferior OEM cable then so be it. Again this sometimes becomes a grey area but the technical definition is what has been stated. Also you would keep the paint on the car the same that was available at that time and if you knew the original color then most people would paint it back to its original color.

 

Resto-mod:

 

Image taken from the web

 

Alright this is my personal favorite and also a category that is open to many interpretations. I will be going over my view point on a resto-mod. It basically means a restored and modified car. The car is not only given new life but upgraded as well. So when does a restored car become a resto-mod? Well in a strict technical sense it does so as soon as you update any component on the vehicle. So adding disc brakes to all for corners could make it into a resto-mod. But more often then not a resto-mod is a vehicle with some decent modifications to it. Modern engine, bodywork, modern wheels and tires, updates sound system and the like are what you can expect. Also paint is fully open to your interpretation. If you want neon green on your 1930's vehicle then you do it. I love this category because for me if you keep it simple you have a nicely restored car and modern safety and convenience. Within this category you also may here other terminologies. The big one is a stealth resto-mod. This means the modernized additions are hidden. So you may have a modern sound system but the speakers and control panel would be hidden or made to look like they belong. Restoration purists usually dislike this category of cars. 

 

Custom/modified:

 

Image taken from the web

 

The gloves are off in this category. Anything goes here from just a wild paint job to a full blown assault on your car senses. You want a fishbowl vehicle with 3 engines? Boom! you got it. But in all seriousness this category is the most open, from modern cars tricked out with modifications and paint to full custom creations or a led sled everything goes. You could say tuner cars fit in here as well. If your just getting into cars the best advice I can give is if the car does not fit into one of the other categories then its a custom or modified car. This category is open to the most interpretation and it can be something as simple as a very nice and expensive paint job. It can also be as wild or more so then the above image.

 

 

Alright! Hope you enjoyed this walk through the different styles of vehicles that you may see. This was just an overview and in reality each classification's definition will depend on the person. You may even here of more categories then these but I feel that these 4 categories are the best over arching classifications for what you may see on the web or at a car show.

 

See you on the road. 



Fuel Economy and Driving style

Image taken from the web

 

 

Hello! So as you guessed by the title fuel economy will be talked about. BUT it is not what you may be thinking. Firstly fuel efficiency is not always the deciding factor for buying a vehicle. BUT that will be another topic for another time. With that said Fuel economy starts not with the vehicle as you might think but with YOU the driver.

What does this mean? Well having the most efficient car in the world will not demonstrate its efficiency if you drive it like you are racing. The more you beat on the vehicle the worse your mileage will be. So while the mileage of the vehicle may be rated to be high, driving style will not give you the mileage you think you are getting. The key here is in how you accelerate as well as the speed you maintain. High miles per gallon comes with driving in a controlled manner and keeping your final speed consistent. Hybrid's and Electric Vehicles actually have a clever way of trying to keep the driver in check. For lack of knowing the term these vehicles have something like a mini game in them. Where your goal is to keep either the butterflies or the vines on the screen in the dash. And this all boils down to acceleration control and maintaining speed. Something that is useful for any vehicle.

Second in the fuel economy strategy is of course the car you drive. You are not going to purchase a Mustang GT 500 or a CTS-V if you are looking for fuel economy. However even vehicles like those can benefit from "economy" driving styles to help get you places in a normal manner. It is fairly obvious that you are going to look at the MPG of a vehicle to determine what will work for you. And lastly going with this is of course your budget. Sure best in class mpg can be great but you do not want to over spend. And no do not try and crunch the numbers on your gas savings to see how much extra money you can supposedly "afford" to add to your budget number.

That last part was probably painfully obvious to everyone but it was worth putting out there. What the average driver may not realize is that there are 2 other factors to consider. The first is the manual transmission. A manual transmission can give you a slight boost to your fuel economy. It is not going to be a huge boost but if you want maximum mpg then if there is manual transmission available for the vehicle you may want to consider it. This is of course if you are comfortable driving a manual. The second factor is fuel namely going diesel. Diesel is not something to be afraid of and can definitely give you a boost in mpg provided you can get a diesel motor in a vehicle you want. DO NOT put diesel fuel in your gas engine. It will not do anything good for you.

Well thanks for reading through this! fuel economy can be boring but it is just one facet of consideration when it comes to car buying. Some other facets will be covered in time here at The Digital Garage as well as perhaps a closer look at Diesel.

See you on the road.

Warm Up That Engine!

Image taken from the web

 

Hello there and welcome! So the winter season is fast approaching. What does this matter? Well things are going to be getting colder and that means warm ups. I am of course stating this for your automobile. I thought it the appropriate time for a refresher on it.

 

Now Now pump your brakes folks.  The Digital Garage is well aware of the myths of car maintenance and warming up your engine is one of them. There are indeed a few different so called "best" methods out there for warming your car up. In the end it comes down to two simple factors:

 

1. A cold engine under high revs will wear greater then a properly warmed up engine

 

2. An engine in use will warm up faster then one at idle.

 

Now what does it matter anyway? Well the engine is a machine with moving parts and lubrication. As such it has a optimal temperature range where everything is interacting nicely with each other. Too cold and the engine under stress will wear out because the liquids in it have an operating temperature where the protective qualities work best and that temperature has not been met. Too hot is also bad as we all should know as well.

 

So what does that mean for us really? It is simple you DO NOT want to get in your car, start it, and drive off right away as if everything is good to go. Likewise you should not let the car sit for 10 minutes to warm up.

 

So what should you do? Well you should start your car and let the engine warm up a little. Some sites claim around a minute. Now that may be ok but here at the Digital Garage I let car sit at idle on a cold day for 3-5 minutes. I do this for 2 reasons. One when my engine is real cold I can tell by the noise the car makes and it just sounds like excess wear and tear. Secondly I take parkways to work and I jump on them relatively quickly. This means I may need to undergo pretty rapid acceleration which puts extra strain on a cold motor which you want to avoid until your engine is up to temperature. So ideally an engine should be left to warm up for 2-4 minutes on average. Then wen you do drive it the vehicle do not beat on it. Keep the RPM's down on the engine as best you can. This use of the engine will actually warm it up to optimal temperatures faster then if you let it sit at idle. This means it depends on where YOU live and what YOU will be doing with the vehicle. If you will be on side streets and back roads or roads without much traffic then you can get to driving after 1-2 minutes. If you will be jumping on a highway right away it may pay off to let it sit for around 5 minutes so you can safely navigate the highway without straining your motor.

 

So at minimum let the engine sit for a minute before you drive on those cold days and try not to beat on the vehicle when you do drive. You may not care now but extra wear and tear on a machine WILL equal more money spent and sooner then you would like. Stay safe out there and I will see you on the road. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Digital Garage wishes you all a happy and safe Thanksgiving! This is a busy travelling time so stay safe out there on road. If you celebrated a little too much stay off the road and stay safe!

See you on the road.

Bumper Stickers.. Thoughts?

Image taken from the web.

 

Hello everybody James from The Digital Garage here.

 

So.. bumper stickers. These are those stickers that you find on cars that try to be witty, or they demonstrates someones view points on religion, politics, etc. I find that bumper stickers tend to be most often on vehicles that are not kept up particularly well. That old sedan or compact that is missing some if not all the hubcaps? Bingo! Bumper Sticker target consumers.

Now I do not wish to confuse a bumper sticker with a decal. A decal to me is something that often goes on a window of a vehicle or even somewhere on the body that is not the bumper. On top of the difference in location a decal, to me, is more advertising the company whose product your using. Aftermarket seat or supercharger? Slap a decal on your vehicle either on the window or somewhere else, to mimic race car sponsorship placement, and display your company allegiance. Installed a turbo in your car? Put a turbo decal next to the vehicles model name to make it look snazzy

 

Why do I make the distinction? Well to me a decal makes sense. A decal can be put on performance vehicles as well as show vehicles and not be out of place. They will look fine and can help achieve a particular look (such as a streetable race car look). Bumper Stickers on the other hand, while funny at times, are unnecessary. To me they make a vehicle look trashy even with the most cultured of bumper stickers. Not to mention that not all bumper stickers are made equal and while some may withstand the elements others may fade out which only enhances the trashy look of a vehicle.

 

Well that is my thoughts on bumper stickers. In short if you take pride in your car I highly recommend skipping the bumper stickers. If you want to apply something to your car I recommend decals. They are free advertisement for companies and demonstrates more acutely what you may enjoy doing rather then a semi witty sticker.

 

What are your thoughts on bumper stickers?

 

See you on the road.

Some Trunk Essentials

Hey everyone, James here from The Digital Garage. One thing you can do to improve piece of mind on the road is make sure you have some basic essentials in your vehicle somewhere. This is most usually the trunk. Even if you have a service that will come to your aid it is important that you have some equipment in your vehicle. Why? What if your cell phone is dead or has no reception? What if you are off the beaten path and cannot wait for the potential hours it would take for help to arrive? Not a fun situation. This will be a short list of some items you should have in the vehicle and some that you may want to add. Keep in mind that you also need to understand how to use these items or they are practically useless to you.

Some Trunk Essentials:

1. Spare Tire (Or the "donut")

Images taken from the web

 

Your vehicle should already include some form of spare tire. Either a full size spare or the infamous donut spare. Think about your vehicle for a moment. Do you know where you spare is? Even if you do it is a good idea to check it and make sure that it is still road worthy. If you have a full size spare make sure it has enough air in it. If you have a donut make sure you understand that it is NOT meant to be driven on for a extended period of time. If you do not have a spare in your car for whatever reason make sure you get one.

 

2. Car Jack

Image taken from the web

 

Chances are your car may come with some form of jack in the event you have to change a tire. locate it and if it does not then make sure you invest in one. It is important to invest in a quality car jack that is rated to lift whatever vehicle you have so make sure it is rated for the weight. I personally am not a fan of the jack stands but they are also an option.

 

3. Lug Wrench

Image taken from the web

This is another tool that should be included with any car but if not it will be essential for changing your tires. Often called a tire iron the lug wrench along with the 2 above mentioned items will be needed to change a flat tire.

 

4. Emergency Car Tool Kit





Image taken from the web

 

 

It is always a good idea to have some tools on hand that are tailored to a vehicle. There is no need to keep a entire service center's worth of tools just the essentials. Great thing is a lot of companies make an emergency tool kit for cars which will usually include jumper cables and some tools that will be of the most use for you. If you shop around you may even find a kit that is made for your type of car (Truck, SUV, Car, etc). This is a great asset but make sure you are knowledgeable enough to use it.

 

5. Roadside Flare

Image taken from the web

 

The last thing I will cover here is the roadside flare. The Flare or even a high visibility cone is situational but helpful. If your car is stranded in the road or off to the side and your lights wont work for whatever reason these will get you seen. The Flares will be marked with how long they will last. People may not take notice of hazard lights on a car but they will take notice of a flare. Take care in use and in storage of a flare as you do not want to burn yourself or set your car on fire. They make flameless flares and some people deem the flare optional because of the safety concerns.

 

And that is all for now. These items of which 3 of them may already be in your car can lend you piece of mind on the road. Now there are more items that you could add to this list and there will be more to come but regardless of where you live or what you drive these 5 items should find a place within your car. Be safe and make sure you understand how to properly utilize whatever tools you keep in your vehicle.

 

See you on the road.