Tag Archives: working on cars

Information

5 Tips for Nailing Your First Summer Project Car

The weather is warm, the sun is shining, school is out, and that all means one thing. Summer is officially here, and that means it’s the perfect time to start a new car project. If this summer is going to showcase your first project car, here are some tips and tricks to help you nail your first summer project car.

1. Beware of Rust

If you’re looking for a budget project car, remember one golden rule: beware of rust. You may find a spot or two here and there — it happens with older cars, no matter how well they’re taken care of — but don’t take on a tremendous rust restoration job as your first project.

It’ll cost you a ton of money and chances are high that you’ll give up half-way through because it’s too much for a beginner to handle. Plus, if you pick up a project car that’s got rust on the frame, you might as well take it to the junkyard. Beware of rust when choosing your new project.

2. Stick To Your Budget

Project cars aren’t cheap but that doesn’t mean you should mortgage your house to rebuild your project — unless you’re planning on living in it, and we don’t recommend that. Set yourself a budget — either monthly or per paycheck, whatever works best for you. — and stick to it, within reason.

If the part you need is on sale and it’s a little bit over your budget for the period, feel free to buy it, especially if the price will be back to normal by the time your budget resets. For the most part, though, stick to your budget and don’t empty the bank trying to rebuild your summer project car.

3. Choose an Easy Build

Don’t pick the most complicated — or the newest — car to restore for your summer project. A lot of more modern cars rely on computers and advanced electronics that it seems like you need a degree in electrical engineering to figure out. Start with something simple, like:

  • Scion xB – The exterior is kind of goofy looking, but the engine is easy to work on and easy to boost.
  • Lexus SC 300 — You can pick up a used early to mid-90s Lexus for less than $7,000, and they’re fantastic beginner resto cars.
  • Any Honda Civic — There are so many aftermarket parts for the Honda Civic that you won’t even know where to start.

Start with something easy and work your way up to the more complicated projects as you gain experience and confidence.

4. Make a Plan

Now that you’ve got your project car on-hand, it’s time to start planning out your project. What do you want to do first — get it running, modify the engine, or improve the exterior?

Write out the big steps first, then break each of these down into smaller projects. If you want to get it running, for example, the first thing you need to do is figure out why it’s not.

5. Don’t Just Bolt Things On

We mentioned bolt-ons for the Honda Civic and while the parts might fit that doesn’t mean you should just start bolting on every add-on that crosses your path.

There’s no guarantee that your stock engine will survive the extra power of a supercharger or turbo, even if you install it correctly. Work up to major power modifications slowly, and make sure that you aren’t going to blow up your engine the first time you rev it up.

Don’t Rush, and Enjoy Yourself

Don’t rush through your project car this summer, especially if it’s the first one you’ve ever done. Enjoy it, because while you may work on new projects over the years, you will never work on your very first summer project car ever again.

DIY

How to Get Your Garage Ready for Warm Weather

It’s finally warming up in most parts of the country, and that means it’s time to start getting your garage ready for nice weather. What do you need to do to make sure that this room — whether you’re using it for storage, crafting or parking your car — is ready for spring?

Organize Your Seasonal Items

You won’t need snow shovels and driveway salt now that the temperatures are starting to climb. Take the time to stow your winter gear — including clothing and jackets, if you store them in the garage — and retrieve your spring and summer equipment.

Don’t just throw everything in the garage as you sort it out. You’ll hate yourself later when you have to go through it all again and clean it up. Instead, organize your spring and summer gear — from beach toys to lawn mowers to trimmers — so you can easily access it without cluttering up your space.

Keep Out the Bugs

As temperatures start to climb, so to do bug populations. If you’re in the garage a lot during the day or keep the door open, you’re inviting six-legged guests into your space. Start by storing food — for pets or humans — in sealed containers.

Make sure you’re sweeping or vacuuming any food spilled on the floor. Spray the inside and outside baseboards of your garage with insecticide to kill any bugs that are already inside and keep any new ones from crossing the threshold.

Just because your garage isn’t a living space doesn’t mean you need to invite bugs to share the area with you. Get ahead of the problem before the weather warms up and you have to call an exterminator.

Clean the Floors

If you park your car in the garage or walk through it after parking in the driveway, chances are high your floor is covered in salt, dirt and other debris you’ve tracked in.

Take the time to give your garage floor a thorough cleaning as the temperature starts to climb. Dirty floors can be a sign of unclean work conditions, and if you’re planning to sell your home, a dirty garage floor could detract from the property’s value.

Clean and Maintain Your Door

Spring cleaning isn’t just limited to the interior of your home. It’s also a great time to clean and maintain your garage door, so it’s ready for the season.

Inspect the hardware both inside and out for any signs of rust or undue wear and tear. Take the time to wash the door — again, both inside and out. If it’s been a while since you painted it, now is the perfect time to add a new coat.

Restock Your Spring Chemicals/Materials

Spring doesn’t just bring showers and bugs — it also brings weeds, and just like the food in your pantry, the chemicals you keep in your garage will eventually expire.

Go through all the chemicals you’ll need for your spring chores and yard work. Make sure they’re stored properly and replace anything that has expired or doesn’t work as effectively.

Enjoy The Warm Weather

Now that the temperature is finally starting to creep up, the last thing you need to do is get outside and enjoy the warm weather.

Once you’ve got your garage ready for spring, you won’t have to worry about it until the thermometer starts dropping and you need your winter coats again.

DIY

Why You Should Work on Your Own BMW

Taking the plunge into BMW ownership is intimidating to many enthusiasts. Maybe you’ve always wanted to experience what it’s like to drive a well-appointed car with fine-tuned handling dynamics, but are concerned the maintenance costs will drive you into penury. Horror stories about the cost of parts and all the things that break are usually just that — stories.

Yes, the cost of maintaining a BMW is going to be greater than the cost of maintaining a Toyota Camry, and the driving experience is going to be more rewarding, but this isn’t the kind of life decision that keeps your kids from going to college. One of the best ways to offset these maintenance costs is by working on your BMW yourself.

Where to Begin

We always recommend you have a mechanic inspect a car before you buy it. That one simple step can save you a fortune in repairs. Assuming you don’t end up owning a lemon, you can begin to service your BMW on your own on day 1.

Like any car, your BMW has an oil cap, wheel lugs and spark plugs that all need to come off and on every so often. It has fluids that need to be replaced, and a battery that will also eventually need to tag out.

Every time you pay the dealer to do these things, you’re adding approximately $60 per hour in labor, and probably an extra premium on the parts. Just because there’s a roundel on the hood doesn’t change the basic procedure — if you can change the oil on a Bronco, you can change the oil on a 3-series.

Getting Organized for Projects

One of the best ways to make working on your own car simpler is to have a usable workspace. Usually, that means getting your garage organized and having the right tools.

A good garage for car projects should be well-ventilated. It should ideally have a sealed floor that will keep spilled fluids from staining, and a power door with modern safety measures, such as a manual override and a laser sensor to make sure nothing is blocking the door.

You’ll also want to have a few cleaning supplies like microfiber towels, window cleaner, automotive detergent, and wax. A penny saved on detailing is still a penny saved on owning a Bimmer.

Advanced Repairs

When you’re feeling more comfortable and perhaps have bought a factory service manual, you can attempt more involved jobs. Online resources like forums offer a wealth of knowledge and step-by-step DIY instructions from people who’ve actually done these projects, so be sure to read up.

As you become more involved in the car community, you’ll meet other people with common interests. The car community tends to be very friendly when it comes to trading favors and sharing information, which is another way you can keep the costs of owning a BMW from draining your bank account.

In the end, a little common sense is the best tool you have when working on your own car. We don’t recommend jumping into the hobby on an unloved early-production 8-series. The truly rare and exotic models will be more expensive to maintain — however, many of BMW’s finest works are easy to find, cheap to buy and simple to work on.