Okay, so you've just dropped $1000, or more, on some wheels that make your car more beautiful.  We don't mean that it looks a little better—we mean that it has transcended being just a car and is now a work of automotive art.  There is only one problem with having those amazing rims: cars, and their parts, get dirty.  So how do you care for those wheels and keep them looking as amazing as when you first got them? Firstly, there are two very good reasons to keep your wheels clean.  While dirt bu [...more]

We can already hear you asking, “what's a valve stem?”  Well, it is one of the most important parts of your tires because of it's function and because it is a big potential problem area.  The valve stem is the bit that sticks out that allows you to add or remove air from the tire.  So, how often do you check yours? If you answered, “never,” then you're probably in the majority of Americans.  It is, after all, a very small part that is easy to forget, even if you regularly check your tires.  How [...more]

In the hustle and bustle of daily life, it's easy to forget the little things.  Laundry, cleaning out the refrigerator, and reading all that mail can easily take a back seat to the more important things, like picking up junior from school, getting to work on time, and making sure that the water bill gets paid.  But sometimes something gets put on the back burner that really shouldn't.  That's right, we're talking about checking the pressure in your tires. The process is really simple, and anyon [...more]

A question for the ages, “How long should my tires last?”  The answer, of course, is, “it depends.”  The life of your tires depends on the tire itself, how you drive, where you drive, and a lot of other factors.  One reason you may not have considered is that if you move to a different climate, odds are you will need to change tires. Starting with that one, individual tires are designed with certain weather conditions in mind.  Some will perform better in rainy conditions, while some are design [...more]

We have a complicated relationship with cars.  It's one of give and take; the car gives us freedom to go where we please and a comfortable environment to do it in, and all it asks in return is a little bit of attention through maintenance.  The longer you wait to perform basic tasks like oil changes, the more upset your car gets, and the bigger the problem when one manifests. But here's one thing that you can do to keep your car in good working order: tire rotations.  They sound intimidating, b [...more]

More often these days, car manufacturers pack a lot of new technology into their cars.  Usually, it's for the best--like sensors that warn you if you are straying out of your lane or the latest entertainment system that makes commuting more enjoyable.  It's difficult to keep up with all the new products out there, but we'd like to touch on a valuable piece of technology: TPMS sensors. TPMS or the Tire Pressure Monitoring System, is a small computer with multiple sensors that continually check t [...more]

It's that time of the year again—the cold is creeping about outside, holiday jingles are invading your local stores, and the roads are becoming a much more dangerous place.  Buildup of ice and snow on roads is awfully slippery, and the low temperatures can wreak havoc on an unprepared car.  That's why you winterize, but while you are replacing coolant with antifreeze and making sure you have the other fluids right, don't forget that you need to winterize your tires! The reason it is so importan [...more]

Okay, that may be an overstatement, but if you picked up a nail or otherwise have a leak, plugging can be a bad idea.  There is always the issue of lazy mechanics, but also the fact that plugging a leak can cause a number of other problems.  The best bet is usually to replace a damaged tire with new ones, but for certain things you can get away with fixing the tire. The first issue with plugging a tire is that the safety and effectiveness of the plug is almost entirely dependent on the skill of [...more]

Believe it or not, we don't get this question a lot, but it is an important one.  Nothing can really make a car look good like the right set of wheels, but sadly, not all wheels were designed with your car in mind.  See, car makers design their cars with specific wheels that fit perfectly with no play or “looseness.”  When you get a new set, they aren't always made for the same specs.  What winds up happening is that the new wheels are slightly misaligned or imbalanced compared to those stock 15 [...more]

Cars speak to us, but a lot of the time, we can't hear them.  Every single time something breaks and you get stranded on the side of the road, waiting for a tow truck, your car warned you.  It sounds odd, but if you speak Car then you're aware of it. But the majority of us don't speak Car, and those little bumps, rattles, and noises could be anything.  There is one way that you can brush up on what your car is trying to tell you: the tires.  The wear on your car's tires speaks volumes about its [...more]

Have you ever found yourself in the unfortunate situation of having one or two tires leaking and old?  When you go to the local tire store, the sales associates will always try and up-sell you on purchasing a whole set, but luckily, there's a way that you can save some money and only get two. As a disclaimer, if all of your tires are worn down and don't pass the “penny test” then you should replace them all.  That's when you hold a penny so that Mr. Lincoln is upside down and put it between the [...more]

You don't have to be a custom car owner to attend a custom car show, you just need to have a love of cars and an interest in how customization works. By definition, a custom car has been modified in performance -- a new or souped up transmission and engine -- or in style/body. In many cases, owners will customize their cars in both ways. Attending a custom show gives you the opportunity to see these changes up close and talk with owners about the changes made to their vehicle. Shows may limit t [...more]

The appeal of off-roading seems to have exploded in the last decade, if judged by the number of magazines, websites, TV shows, and other media that cover the subject. At it's heart, off-roading offers drivers the opportunity to adventure off the traditional roads and highways to explore the unpaved corners of the world. One of the more important differences between a regular vehicle and one that is able to go off road is the tires. Off road tires are designed to drive on mud, snow, gravel, sand, [...more]

Car lovers are like others who have an interest in a specific thing. They immerse themselves in their interest or hobby and surround themselves with information, objects and entertainment that features their item of choice. In the case of car fans, identifying and watching TV programming about cars or featuring cool and unique cars, is a priority. With the explosion of available channels, their choices are no longer limited to first-run network and syndicated programs. They can find shows on cab [...more]

Keeping your car clean can be as important as making sure it has regular maintenance. Cleaning it regularly, inside and out, can reduce the "wear and tear" on the car which may mean a better resale value. Washing the car yourself will give you a chance to inspect your vehicle and identify any scratches or dents. It only takes about an hour or so of your time and can save you lots of money -- esp. if you usually pay for detailing. 1.  Wash your car early in the morning or evening and find a shad [...more]

In tough financial times people are looking for ways to pinch pennies and one question they have is whether they really need to buy new tires for their car or if they can save money by purchasing used tires. The simple answer to the question is yes. There are numerous dealers and private sellers who offer used tires and you can easily find them in almost any city or town. The real question is whether you should buy used tires. While it is true that when you buy a used car you're also buying u [...more]

Having the right tires for your new (or new-to-you) pickup truck is vital to ensure not just performance, but safety and even fuel efficiency. While it is important that you get the best price on tires you can find, you also need to make sure that you have the right type of tire. There are three basic types of tires available for pickups: all terrain, all season, and winter tires. All terrain tires are designed to perform optimally on unpaved roads or if you go off-road. They also perform well [...more]

It's the time of year when college students head back to their campuses and classrooms and begin planning their social calendars for the next few months. For many of them this will include road trips to follow their football team to away games in other states or going away for a weekend road trip with friends before mid-terms. A few who are in long distance relationships will travel many, many miles to visit a boyfriend or girlfriend who is attending a faraway school. In all these cases students [...more]

Most drivers know that they need to regularly check their car's wheel alignment and, if necessary, have the wheels aligned back to the manufacturer's specifications. This is not to be confused with having your tires balanced. Alignment problems lead to tracking and steering problems as well as faster tread wear while balancing problems result in vibrations at higher speeds. If the wheels are ready to be replaced, it's easy enough to find replacements somewhere like this page, but often it's just [...more]

America's love with fast cars is the stuff of legends. From songs to movies, from magazines to calendars, from posters to art shows, and in the digital age, from screen savers to youtube videos and fan pages, hot rods and muscle cars are truly icons of speed, sexiness, and beauty. And across the country, fans gather at their local road rally or cruise night to show off the best examples of the classic muscle cars. Those with a true appreciation of muscle cars may want to visit a muscle car muse [...more]

Car rallies, cruises, and local car club shows are a great way to see what your neighbors are driving, restoring, or "pimping" in your community. If you want to get ahead of the game and see what people will be driving next year or in the next decade, you want to check out one of the many new car shows or auto shows held across the country. If you have a good travel budget, you can even fly to international events to see what's coming on the world stage. The big auto shows target those who work [...more]

On a blog like this you expect to learn about tires, tires, and more tires. Of course, once you have the best tires you could find on your car, you may realize that your wheels look a bit worn and tired. If this is the case, it's probably time to buy new wheels, which can be an intimidating experience if you're doing it for the first time. Start by figuring out what size wheels will fit your vehicle. The wrong size can cause lots of problems, from uneven tire wear to destroying the alignment of [...more]

You took time to research the best deal on great tires. You carefully maintained tire pressure, balance and alignment. You even cleaned your tires and rims regularly to ensure they not only performed well, but looked beautiful. Then comes the day when your tire tread is worn and you must replace your tires. When you buy new tires, you have several options available for dealing with the old ones. Keep them piled in your garage or yard, dispose of them illegally, re-purpose them, or recycle them. [...more]

Summer is known as a time to enjoy cars. Whether you're attending a local cruise night, doing some underground drag racing, or taking a road trip vacation, warm weather and long sunny days just seem to go hand in hand with cars. In some areas, the renaissance of drive-in theaters has created another way to enjoy the summer in your car. Perhaps the ideal evening would be a drive in marathon of the best car movies of all time. The problem becomes one of deciding what is the best car movie. Is it [...more]

This Friday is one of the premier events on the Performance Plus Tire calendar: The annual Summer BBQ & Cruise Night. Many fans are drawn to the event for the classic cars, food and entertainment. While they enjoy an evening of fun, they can also contribute to the Food Drive that has become a community service project over the last 14 years. The very first food drive can be traced back to Performance Plus owner Hank Feldman and his son. The boy's Scout troop needed a service project and Han [...more]