The Holiday season is rapidly approaching, and for a lot of us that means it’s ROAD TRIP time! Long trips can be taxing on your vehicle, which makes it even more important that it’s kept in tip top shape before you take-off. We always like to have our vehicle get a good once-over before we go on long trips and that often alerts us to issues we might be having with our car.
The question is... do you know what it takes to keep up with your vehicles needs? How “car competent” are you? I thought I was VERY car competent until we tried to replace our windshield wipers last night...what a nightmare!! Here are some really quick tips for you to take a look at before you hit the road to celebrate the holidays with loved ones... Our friends at NAPA AutoCare Centers have created a quiz for you to test your Car Competency before you take the trip. Test your knowledge on basic auto care maintenance, and download some pro-tips along the way. We asked some of our ASE Certi-fied Technicians for 6 simple, and perhaps little known, pro-tips that will help you protect one of your biggest investments… your car! Check it out...
Here’s what you can expect on your visit:
- NAPA AutoCare Centers use ASE Certified techs. This means that you can trust that your car is being serviced by knowledgeable professionals, specifically equipped to help with all your needs.
- Our AutoCare Centers offer The Peace of Mind Nationwide Warranty which includes a 24-month/24,000 mile warranty on qualifying repairs and services. This means you get to have all of the benefits that come with doing business with a locally-owned business, but still have your work certified and guaranteed nationwide!
- With more than 15,000 locations nationwide, there is a NAPA AutoCare Center that is close by and ready to take care of all your vehicles your family owns. So, to help you get in the Holiday mood, NAPA has offered to give away a $25 gift card to one of you! ***Please note: Each household is only eligible to win ONE $25 Napa AutoCare Gift Card via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. NO PO BOXES*** Here are your entry options! a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I am working in conjunction with NAPA AutoCare and they have supplied the materials used in this post. Prize is being provided and shipped by the sponsor. This blog is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged prizes. All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.
At a parts store, like Highway Auto Parts, you are most likely to find almost everything you need to fix up or accessorize your vehicle. They will carry all the major vehicle manufacturers’ products as well as some of the more minor manufacturers. The stores are clean and well organized so that even someone who knows nothing about cars can find what they need. All you have to do is walk into the store or call before you go, and let them know the specific information about the part you need and they can check for it in their inventory software program and should be able to tell you in seconds if they have it or not. They can also tell you if they can get it and when it will be in.
Parts and Interior Accessories
They have things like gaskets, driveshafts, engine mounts, mufflers, air filters, spark plugs and spark plug wires, fog lights, wiper blades, oil filters, oil, timing belts, water pumps, seat belts, distributor caps, brakes, and clutch kits, to name a few of the items you will find as you walk through the aisles. They will also have floor mats, steering wheel covers, shift knobs, cool looking gauges, panel clips, compasses, ignition switches, dome lights, and stereo components that will make you vehicle sound like a million bucks.
Exterior Accessories
For the outside of your vehicle, they will have window tinting film and replacements for your vehicle’s lights, signals, and reflectors. Antennas, lights for your license plates, beacon lamps, tire chains of all kinds, racks for the tops of cars, and racks to put on trucks for hauling things around on are some of the other items found at an auto parts store. You will find license plate frames with all kinds of sayings and artwork, top carriers that come in a hard shell version or a soft shell version, winches, reflective strips for those that need to be seen, and mirrors for those of you whose mirror might have fallen off or gotten knocked off. Stop in a store like Highway Auto Parts, and you are sure to find something you need.
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post in part by Bucks2Blog
When I was growing up, I never really had much to say about classic cars. However, my uncle was into the hobby of restoring classic cars and I always remember him having one in his garage that he was currently working on. It was a wonderful hobby for him and always kept him busy. It seems that throughout my life, I always have someone that I know that loves old cars...ahem...classic cars. :)
My first job was working at a u-pick fruit and vegetable farm and one of the handymen there was into restoring classic cars as well. Actually, he actively looked for classic cars for sale so he could restore and re-sell them. He had a really cute car that he and his wife took out for drives once in a while and the color was an amazing candy apple red. Mmmmm...it looked so sharp going down the road! That was another person in my life that I knew who loved the old, classic cars.
Then, I met my husband. His father is also into restoring classic cars and when I first visited my future in-laws, my husband-to-be took me out to his father's workshop. Inside, his dad had a whole area in which he worked on old vehicles. Wow...there were at least two vehicles that were in the process of being restored and hubby's dad was really looking forward to retiring so he could work on them more. You know how it is...you have a hobby that requires a lot of time but because you work full time, you just don't have the time to commit to it. My husband's father just retired recently and now that the weather is getting better, he probably will be spending more time out in his shop working on his cars.
So, having a classic car hobby isn't all that bad from what I can see. The old cars are so neat looking, it is wonderful that people actually take the time to restore them.
This is a sponsored post however; all thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.
Goodness...since I have been a registered driver I have had several car accidents. Thankfully, none of them have required Personal Injury Attorneys and have just been fender benders. My first automobile accident occurred when I was on my lunch break while at my job. I had gone to a drive through and was exiting the parking lot. I was making a left hand turn into a turning lane...the road onto which I was turning was a four lane highway. So, I was making a left hand turn and the car opposite of me was making a left hand turn also into the same turn lane. When I got a break in traffic to make my turn, the other driver must have gotten a clear break too because we met in the middle...literally. It was pretty scary. All I remember thinking was "oh man, that sounded bad".
Well, both of us got out of our cars with other cars zooming by us and surveyed the damage. My back, passenger wheel was pretty banged up and the bumper was mangled quite a bit. Rats. I guess I would be late coming back from my lunch break. One of us called the police and after that, I called my boss letting her know that I would not be back as soon as I thought...she graciously told me to take my time. :)
When the police arrived on the scene, both of our vehicles were drivable so we pulled into a nearby parking lot to get a report filled out, exchange insurance information and check for injuries. The paramedics came and asked me a bunch of questions and wanted to know if I wanted to go to the hospital to get checked out. The only thing that was bothering me was my neck...it was a tiny bit sore but not enough to where I wanted to go to the hospital.
The whole ordeal ended up costing quite a chunk of money, although I don't remember the exact figure. My neck injury was treated by my chiropractor as a "no fault" claim and I was treated with both chiropractic care and massage therapy as well. I have never forgotten that accident and probably never will...it was a lesson that I learned the hard way - never trust other drivers!!
This is a sponsored post however; all thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.
I have two toddlers, which means I have two car seats in my van...soon to be 3! :) When installing car seats I am sure you are all aware of the safety and care it takes to make sure that they are properly installed. I always make sure that I push the car seat down into the van seat to make sure it is tight (sometimes I press my knee into the seat to make sure it is in as far as possible). This puts the seat securely in place so it does not move. When it comes time to move the car seats around to a different seat in the car or into a different vehicle, I am always SO embarrassed to see the huge mess that is around the base of the seats. Not to mention the horrible indentation that the "feet" of the car seats leave from being in so tight. With spring cleaning and a new baby just around the corner, we are going to be shuffling car seats once again and it will be time to vacuum the van seats and de-crumb the areas around the seats. I also like to organize the vehicle better when it comes time to do all of this. It is alot of work, but well worth it in the end.
Recently, I was thinking about how damaging car seats can be to your vehicle. I was looking for a solution to the indentation of the seats and also something to protect the vehicle seats from spills and crumbs. While searching for a way to prevent this, I happened upon Munchkin's site on which I found an Auto Seat Protector. PERFECT!!! Just in case you have never heard of Munchkin before, it is a company that makes products for babies and children. They also make products to make a mommy's life easier...which I love!
Munchkin was founded in 1991 by Steven B. Dunn and his goal was to get rid of the mundane and boring products for kids and make parenting more enjoyable and easier. Whenever I see Munchkin products in the store, I am always impressed with the colorful yet simple designs and products. Munchkin makes so much that is helpful and it is always extremely affordable compared to other brands, without sacrificing quality.
So, for this review I was sent several fantastic items from Munchkin, including three of their brand new Click Lock Cups AND an Auto Seat Protector!! YES! I was smiling when I received the last-mentioned product. :)
This Auto Seat Protector was the exact solution that I was looking for when it came to my car seat indentations and messes in my van. Having one child in a car seat is a big enough mess...but having two children in car seats is double the mess. If I can eliminate the mess of one, that helps immensely!
This Auto Seat Protector comes ready to install quickly and simply. The above picture is what the protector looks like when fully unfolded. It has a special flap that tucks into the seat back to keep it securely in place so it won't slide around.
When installing into my vehicle, I simply set it on the seat and tucked in the securing flap.
Then, the car seat sits on top of it and you just secure your car seat like you normally would. The only part of the protector that you should see is the neat little storage pocket that hangs down the front. In this expandable, mesh pocket you can put cups, toys, books and other things that will make for easy access when travelling. LOVE IT! :)
Storing this seat protector is a cinch as it folds up very compactly and easily. It is also simple to clean as all you do is wipe down with a damp cloth. That's it! Messy van no more and seat indentations are less! Fabulous!!!!
All three of these cups are wonderful and as soon as my children saw them, they were VERY excited to try them. I gave my daughter the Insulated Big Kid Cup and my son was able to try the Sippy Cup (because it was a "boy" color).
These cups are leak-proof and you can literally hear the "click" when you twist the caps closed. I love how they also fit nicely into our car seat cup holders too...I HATE having cups that fall out of the cup holders because their bases are too big.
The Click Lock Cups vary in prices from $2.99 up to $7.99 depending on the style and size you want. The Auto Seat Protector retails for about $13.00 depending on where you buy it.
So, in my opinion...Munchkin really has some great products! I am totally sold on the Auto Seat Protector and am going to get at least one more for the other car seat in my vehicle. I love how easy it is to install, clean and store. Better yet, I love how it works to protect my vehicle's upholstery. The Click Lock Cups are very innovative and my children love them. They too are affordable and easy to find in just about any retail store. The leak-proof design is perfect especially for my busy little ones. I would definitely and whole-heartedly recommend this company to all moms and dads out there who are looking to simplify their life with their children.
The kind folks over at Munchkin have offered to give one of my readers TWO CLICK LOCK CUPS in their choice from the line. That means that the winner of this giveaway will be able to choose which two they would like, based on the ages of their children. FABULOUS! Here are your entry options...
Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I did receive free Munchkin products for review purposes. All quotes and stock photos are from the Munchkin website and email. Prize is being shipped by the sponsor. All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.
