There are times when you”re going to be working on your car, but there are some things that you just can”t check by yourself and that can be rather frustrating.  From checking your brake lights, to your reverse lights.  How the heck do you know if they are working, if no one is there to help you out?

Since all your lights are a very important safety feature, it”s important that you keep your eye on them all the time.  If something such as your brake or even reverse lights go out, you can be asking for a lot of trouble, such as an accident and this is something that you definitely want to avoid.

Test it with the parking brake

This tends to work for many car models and what you”re going to want to do is set your parking brake on so that you car doesn”t roll away.

Once you do this, you will then want to shift your car into reverse.  Step out of your car and you should see that the lights are on.  If your lights aren”t on, you may want to think about replacing them.  Refer to your manual in the car when you want to replace your lights. Some models are easy, while others can be a pain in the butt.

Record the action

Since many of us have smart phones, cameras, and more, this is a great way to test everything in the back.  If you have a tripod, this will make the process even easier.  Align your camera so that you can see the back of your car.

Once you have it aligned, you can press the record button, walk into your car and test both the brakes, as well as your reverse lights.  Get out of the car, play it back right there and you should be able to see everything that you just did.  It”s a great way to catch everything in real time.

Use a mirror

If you don”t have a camera handy, or you just don”t feel comfortable doing step 1, you can always find a mirror that is big enough for you to see.  It doesn”t have to be something large, but something that is big enough to capture at least one light.  You can always move onto the next light.

These are techniques that I use and they tend to work great all the time.  If you have any tips that you use, be sure to put them in the comments!

No one really thinks of a fire when you”re driving around, but you may want to start thinking about it right now.  Many people tend to think that fires are either going to happen in their home, or maybe outside somewhere in the yard.  This is why many homes have a fire extinguisher today.

So, what happens if your car hood starts on fire?  It could happen and its always best to prepare for the worst.   If you don”t prepare, your car could potentially be toast.  Not only can this extinguisher help you with your insurance costs, it can also help save your car, as well a life.

Which automotive / car fire extinguishers to you recommend?

Since there are fire extinguishers designed for automobiles, you”re going to find that the selection out there really isn”t that large.  If you do decide to purchase one, you”re going to want to make sure that you keep a good eye out on the expiration date.  Just like your milk, you don”t want to have it around once it expires.

Now, listed below are a few extinguishers that I would highly recommend.   I checked out a few retailers online to see what people thought of particular brands and models.  The 2 listed below have great reviews, as well as prices.

• Kidde FA110 Multi Purpose [~$25]: This is multi purpose extinguisher that only weighs 2.5 pounds. It has an easy to read gauge, a clear instruction label on how to use it, as well as a powder coated cylinder to protect it from any future corrosion.
• Bazooka RX-FECAPCVR [~$25]: This has a unique design and is a very hot seller online.  It seems as if every time I check out this product, they tend to be selling out fairly quickly. It has brass tubes enclosures, a 8 high efficiency woofer, as well as a 250 watt power output.

In a way, they are all going to work the same. You”re going to want to make sure that you get one that is designed for your car, as well as one that is lightweight, as well as compact. Make sure that you keep it in a safe situation. The best place in my opinion is to store it in the rear of the trunk, as a fire here is less likely to happen.

Keep an eye out on the expiration date and also make sure that you highly consider one, as its always better to play it safe, rather than be sorry in the long haul.

When you”re ready to start lugging around either your newborn, or your 2 year old, you”re going to want to get very comfortable with the rules around.  If you fail to follow these rules, you may find that you”re going to get yourself in a lot of trouble!

Yes, when you”re ready to take your child out on a trip, you”re going to find that every state is going to vary with their laws.  This is why its important that you look into your state.  Now, if you”re going to be traveling across the country, you will have to abide by all rules.

How can I find the child car seat laws for my state?

You can either check with your local DMV or if you want, you can also check out third party sites as well.  Websites such as About.com have a fantastic page listing the laws state by state.

What is an example of a law?

Lets take California for an example.  Your car seat is going to have to be federally approved and the child must be in a car / booster seat until they reach the age of 6 years of age, or 60 pounds, whichever may come first.   If the child is under the age of 16, they must always wear their safety belt.

On average, you”re going to find that each state is going to require that your child sits in a car seat when they are under the ages of 4-6.  They may also require that they stay in a car seat under a certain weight as well.   Again, you may want to play it safe.  Just because the law states that you don”t need a car seat, you  may find that you will feel more comfortable keeping your child in a booster car seat for a little while longer.

What is recommended?

Many experts will tell you that you should keep your child in a car / safety seat until they are about 8 years of age. Once they reach 4 feet-ish, you will find that they can be seated with a lap belt.

If you want to get more information in regards to car seat safety, also check with the NHTSA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.’,

A headlight lens restoration system is a great kit to purchase for your car if you’re looking to fix your headlights on your car.  Rather than go out and replace them, you’re going to find that these restorer kits are going to be able to remove any type of scratches or even a dull colored lens.

Its definitely worth a shot in purchasing one because you’re going to find that each kit shouldn’t cost you more than $10.  A headlight alone can cost you well more than that.  Lets not forget about all the labor that you’re going to be put into it as well.

Listed below are 5 of the best kits on the market today.  The way I came up with this list by researching models online.  I based it on reviews, features, as well as the price tag.

#1 3M Headlight Lens Restoration System: This is one of the most popular auto kits on the Amazon marketplace.  It has well over 200 reviews and the high majority of them tend to love the product.  This system is designed to restore all of your headlight lenses.  It will get rid of any scratch or any dullness that may appear on your headlight.

#2 Turtle Wax T-240KT: This kit is probably going to cost you around $8.  It’s a simple spray on kit that you’re going to apply directly to the headlight.  You will use the restoration pad to remove any blemish that you may spot on your headlight.

#3 3M 39014: This 3M kit is a little pricier than most of them on the market, but what you’re going to find is that if you spend the extra dollar or so, you’re going to get your money worth.  It has high reviews, as well as a 4 step process, making it very easy to use.  It works great on more than just your car.  Use it on snowmobiles, motorcycles, and more.

#4 GlassyLite Premium Treatment: Sure, you probably haven’t heard of this brand, but it shouldn’t steer you clear of it.  What you’re going to want to do is honestly give this one a look!  This restoration kit is around $30 but they claim to be the BEST.  Are they the best on the market?  Not really, but they do have great review.  It’s liquid glass technology will repair your headlight in 3 simple steps.

#5 Meguiar’s G12310: The last one on my list is this particular bottle by Meguiar’s.  It comes in a 10 ounce container and contains a rich gel formula that is highly durable and is going to get the job done.  The only downfall about this particular product is that it doesn’t come in a kit including a pad and other products.

I don’t care who you are.  If you drive around a car, there is a very good chance that you have come across a flat tire.  Annoying?  Yes!  Did you know that there are some products on the market today that can help you fix your flat tire in a snap?

Instead of taking it down to a tire shop and having someone tell you that its going to cost you $100 + a new tire, why not get a product that is only going to cost you a few dollars.  The cool thing about these products is that you can set it aside and use it in the future as well.

Listed below are 5 products that you’re going to want to check out when you’re wanting to fix up your flat tire that you may have.  You can purchase these products either online or in your local auto parts store.

#1 Fix A Flat w/ Hose (around $5): This is the most popular product on the market today.  Its very cheap and is a leader in the automotive industry.  No jacks or anything else required.  Just spray on the leak and wait!

#2 Slime 7005 (around $40): This is a bigger kit that is going to cost you a little bit more money.  It’s a little higher in price, but is designed to get the job done.  It instantly seals the tire, as well as quickly re-inflates the tire as well.

#3 Slime 60090 (around $6): This spray repairs punctures and inflates within seconds.  Its very similar to the fix a flat spray but the reviews aren’t as high.  I would recommend this for slower leaks.

#4 Slime Smart Spair (around $25): This is a 15 minute emergency tire repair kit that you can keep right in your car.  It allows you to inflate the tire, as well as fix smaller leaks.  It can seal up leaks to a quarter of an inch.

#5 40003 Smart Spair Sealant (around $20): The last product on my list lets you fix the tire within 15 minutes.  On top of that, you won’t need a jack, nor will you need to remove your tire.  Comes with all the tools necessary to get the job done.

The list continues, but these are by far the best.  I had checked online merchants to see who has the best reviews by other people that have used the product.  Results may vary when you use the product!