Winter is right around the corner, for those of us in the Midwest that means icy roads, snow drifts and road salt. That also means if you are living in an area that is affected by the change of seasons you should be thinking about winterizing your vehicle. The following list details the steps you should be taking in order to winterize your car and be prepared for the upcoming season…

Check Your Tires -

If you have snow tires which improve traction now is the time to think about having them put on. If you don’t live in a particularly cold area, you’ll probably just want to check and maintain the pressure in the tires you already have.Take a test drive. If your tires lose traction when you break hard on wet roads or if you lose traction accelerating uphill you will need to inflate your tires because they shrink in cold weather. In fact, for every 10-degree Fahrenheit change in temperature, your tire’s inflation pressure will change by about 1 psi. Plus inflated tires also help protect against wheel damage if you hit potholes.

This is also the time you’ll want to replace any lost or damaged hubcaps and wheel covers as they protect your wheel against the damaging corrosion caused by road salt.

Check Your Fluids -

If you didn’t change your anti-freeze last year, you’ll want to do it now. Your car’s antifreeze keeps your car’s engine, radiator and hoses from freezing, and it also prevents engine corrosion.You should also change your engine oil about now. Check with your owners manual to see what kind of motor oil your car needs in the winter. Most cars have recommended oil grades of 5W-30, 10W-30 or 10W-40.

Lube Those Hinges -

There’s nothing worse than being frozen out of your own car. To keep your doors opening and closing in even the coldest weather, applying some petroleum jelly to the door’s hinges and door latches.If it’s your lock that’s frozen, use a lighter or a match to heat the key briefly. Then put it into the lock and turn gently. You can also use a lock de-icer.

Check or Change Your Battery -

Cold temperatures can cut the life of your battery in half, mostly because it takes a lot more power to start your car when it is cold outside. And batteries don’t give any notice before they decide to quit. You can test your battery by buying a battery hydrometer from your local auto parts store. You will also want to make sure the cables have no corrosion and that the connections are tight.If your vehicle battery is older than three years, have it tested at a certified automotive repair facility, batteries tend to last about three years and then fail suddenly.

Prepare an Emergency Kit -

Get an emergency kit together to store in the back of your car. It should contain jumper cables, tire chains and a tool kit. Load up on a few pounds of kitty litter or sand in case you need to get out of a slippery situation, and keep an ice scraper and a shovel in the trunk.

Finally, don’t forget to stock up on flares, flashlights, blankets and first aid supplies.

As always, thanks for your continued support of HubcapsPlus and if you have any questions or comments I’m always here!

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The other day I posted some pictures of a Pop N’ Lock tailgate lock installation. Today I wanted to share a step by step installation video of a tailgate lock“>Bully tailgate lock on the same vehicle…

Once again… As you can clearly see installing a tailgate lock is simple and effective. If you own a pickup… This is one accessory you shouldn’t leave home without!

As always, thanks for your continued support of HubcapsPlus and if you have any questions or comments I’m always here!

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This trailer hitch step is pure genius. When you need it you simply snap the spring loaded 9″ deck down and you have a convenient step capable of holding up to 600 pounds. When you are done flip it back up and you have a decorative patriotic hitch cover!

This strong machined hitch step is the perfect solution to accessing the back and sides of SUV’s, Trucks, RV’s and Service Vehicles!

As always, thanks for your continued support of HubcapsPlus and if you have any questions or comments I’m always here!

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We get quite a few phone calls about our tailgate locks, most of which are people asking two things… “How hard is it to install?” and “How exactly does it work?”. Since the most popular variety of tailgate lock we carry are the Pop N’ Lock tailgate locks, and since I wanted to put one on my truck anyway, in this post we will go through the installation of a Pop N’ Lock tailgate lock on my 2005 Dodge Ram 1500. Although this installation is specifically for a Dodge the Pop N’ Lock tailgate lock installation is basically the same for most vehicles.

The thing to keep in mind with the Pop N’ Lock tailgate locks is that the lock itself is an external application. It prevents the tailgate handle from being lifted… If you think about your house door you basically have two locks. A dead bolt and a door knob lock. Think of the tailgate lock as the door knob lock… It simply prevents the door knob, or tailgate handle from turning or lifting…

An unprotected Dodge Ram tailgate handle…

Lift the handle up all the way and insert the lock assembly into the pocket under it. Tilt it up so that the two hooks slide into the cutouts for the handle arms. Push it in forcefully until the hooks snap into place.

After the hooks have snapped into place lift the lock up slightly and peel off the backing from the adhesive tape on the underside of the lock. Then press down on the handle for at least 10 seconds to seat the lock assembly fully.

Protected Dodge Ram tailgate handle with a Pop N’ Lock Tailgate lock installed…

As long as it is in the locked position you will be unable to lift the tailgate handle, making it unable to open and steal!

As you can clearly see installing a tailgate lock is simple and effective. If you own a pickup… This is one accessory you shouldn’t leave home without!

As always, thanks for your continued support of HubcapsPlus and if you have any questions or comments I’m always here!

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What is the quickest way to dress up those rusty old steel wheels? Easy to install and affordable Chrome wheelskins! Chrome wheelskins can immediately transform your basic-styled wheels into impressive and expensive-looking chrome wheels!

Look at the example below…

Chrome Wheelskins will give even the most basic style steel wheels an impressive and expensive “hi-end” look and are an inexpensive alternative to those chromed alloy wheels that cost 20 times as much.

Look at the example below…

Durable Chrome Wheelskins are made to fit like a “skin” right over your wheel and take only minutes to install. A series of interlocking metal clips securely fasten each “skin” in place making them easy to maintain and car wash safe. Constructed of high impact ABS polymer and triple-chrome plated Chrome Wheelskins will give your vehicle a high-styled, enhanced appearance for years to come.

As always, thanks for your continued support of HubcapsPlus and if you have any questions or comments I’m always here!

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You want that brand new shiny car or SUV… You know the one… That sexy must have car that all of your friends are talking about… the one that your neighbor up the street owns. You want it… You just don’t want the hefty payments that come with it… Right? Good news! Last years model is just as sexy, and late model used cars are often the best values you’ll find in the automotive market.

Not only is the price lower, but overall expenses like insurance and taxes are lower too, plus a used vehicle has already taken its biggest hit in depreciation. In short, buying used is the perfect way to get that car you’ve been longing for. Buying used isn’t for everyone though… You need to do your homework and go into it with your eyes open. Consider these issues…

Buying a late-model used vehicle is not as much of a risk as it used to be. When properly maintained, today’s vehicles should easily go well past 100,000 miles, and many could reach 200,000 miles without any major breakdowns, however that is certainly not guaranteed and a used car is either close to coming off warranty or already off it, so you may want to be prepared for some large out of pocket repairs.

Buying a used car also means you won’t have the latest safety features. Newer features such as electronic stability control (ESC), head-protecting curtain air bags, LATCH child-seat restraints, and advanced frontal air-bag systems are harder to find on older vehicles. But a vehicle with more common safety features such as antilock brakes, traction control, and side air bags will be more affordable on a used car than on a similarly equipped new car.

In terms of cost your interest rate may be higher when buying a used car than it would be with a new car but the overall savings on insurance, as well as the lower purchase price should more than outweigh the cost.

With the low cost and availability of aftermarket automotive styling accessories, dressing up a late model used car is not really an issue. No matter the make or model you are interested in, you can find everything from chrome grille inserts to chrome door handle & mirror covers, everything from hubcaps to brake caliper paint, and for the interior there are floor mats, leather steering wheel covers and billet aluminum accessories all of which are easy to install and affordable.

The bottom line is if you can live with a reliable vehicle that is in less-than-mint condition and you’re willing to pay for maintenance and repair costs, your dollars will go further when buying a used car rather than a new one.

As always, thanks for your continued support of HubcapsPlus and if you have any questions or comments I’m always here!

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The V6 Mustang is actually more popular than anyone had anticipated. I think this is mostly due to the availability of the Pony Package. This package which became available in 2006 includes a special grille with a chrome corral around the running horse, and Mustang GT like fog lights, 17″ wheels and tires, and tri-bar pony front fender badges.

The Pony Package offered Mustang V-6 customers GT-inspired options without the GT price tag. Although the Pony Package option can still run you a pretty penny, it’s certainly no where near the price tag for a GT. The thing is… Why not save even more money? Did you know if you were to buy the standard V6 Mustang and purchase the major components of the Pony Package after the fact and install them yourself you could realistically save thousands of dollars…

I’m not kidding… If you purchase the standard V6 Mustang and then add a…

2005 - 2008 Factory Complete Ford™ Mustang V6 Pony Package Grille Kit

and the…

2005 - 2008 OEM Ford™ Mustang Pony Package Emblem Kit

and then some…
Set of Four (4) 17 inch Mustang Bright Silver Bullitt Style Wheels with Pirelli Tires

You would have just about all of the components that make up the V-6 Pony Package from Ford… Except you will have spent a whole lot less than you would have at the dealer. Plus! You get the satisfaction of having installed it yourself!

As always, thanks for your continued support of HubcapsPlus and if you have any questions or comments I’m always here!

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Steve McQueen and the Mustang… They will forever be married in the minds of the American public. Both represent the epitome of cool. If you own, or have ever owned a Mustang for that matter, chances are you have pulled up to many a stoplight imagining yourself as San Francisco police Lt. Frank Bullitt as played by Steve Mcqueen, noticing the black 1968 Dodge Charger R/T 440 of your nemesis pull up beside you.

As you wait at the light the Charger’s driver fastens his seat belt with sober deliberateness. The light changes to green, the driver stands on the Dodge’s accelerator, you stand on yours and two celebrated American muscle cars show what they’re made of. Seven glorious minutes of the greatest chase ever captured on film is on.

That chase scene did wonders for the Mustang, catapulting it into the stuff of legend in the minds and more importantly the hearts of Americans. Ford offered a limited edition anniversary “Bullitt” Mustang for model-year 2001, and is promising a new edition for 2008. The new Bullitt is supposed to be the best interpretation so far of the iconic 1968 390 GT driven by Steve McQueen in “Bullitt”, the movie that still boasts the best real-world chase sequence ever.

If you own a Mustang you have to have Bullitt style wheels. The problem is they aren’t exactly cheap. However you can purchase OEM Ford™ 17″ Bullitt Style Wheels and Tires for your Mustang at about half the price of purchasing them from a Ford dealership by buying dealer takeoffs. As we talked about before, most dealerships have a surplus of stock factory parts which technically can’t be sold as new because they are take offs, even though the majority of dealer take off parts have fewer than five miles of operation.

Check out these deals…

Set of Four (4) 17 inch Mustang Charcoal/Dark Argent Bullitt Style Wheels with Pirelli Tires

Set of Four (4) 17 inch Mustang Charcoal/Dark Argent Bullitt Style Wheels with Pirelli Tires

As always, thanks for your continued support of HubcapsPlus and if you have any questions or comments I’m always here!

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I get asked all the time, by friends and family as well as customers for the best ways to dress up a truck or SUV. The image of the Pick up as only a work vehicle is long dead. People want to add a little style to their trucks. They want to give them a high end look. Most of all they want them to be uniquely theirs… Afterall, who wants a stock truck?

My answer is invariably the same. One of the quickest and easiest ways to give your truck or SUV a high end custom look, without spending high end dollars is to add some chrome accents! I’m not saying you have to go all out and get a set of chrome 24″ spinners! Although that would be very sweet!

I’m thinking more along the lines of chrome mirror covers, chrome door handles and a chrome grille insert. You can quickly dress-up your truck or SUV, by adding the high polished shine your vehicle needs for that limited-edition look with just a few chrome trim pieces.

Most chrome trim pieces install in just minutes with pre-applied adhesive tape. They are constructed from automotive grade ABS plastic so you never have to worry about rust and they will fit like a glove and stay in place through years of use! In short they are the quickest and easiest way to give your truck or SUV a high end custom look!

Plus chrome trim is available for nearly every make and model of truck, even brand new vehicles! Look at these chrome grille inserts available for these 2007 models…

2007 Chevrolet Silverado High Impact Triple Chrome Plated ABS Grille Grill Inserts

2007 GMC Sierra High Impact Triple Chrome Plated ABS Grille Grill Inserts

2007 JEEP Wrangler High Impact Triple Chrome Plated ABS Grille Grill Inserts Overlays

2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser High Impact Triple Chrome Plated ABS Grille Grill Inserts Overlays

As always, thanks for your continued support of HubcapsPlus and if you have any questions or comments I’m always here!

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Halloween is fast approaching! That means candy, costumes and parties. It means dressing up in wild and outrageous outfits that you would never think of wearing otherwise. It means having fun and getting noticed! But why should the fun be limited to your wardrobe… Here is an idea! Why not dress up your car or truck too?

There are plenty of accessories available to dress up your ride for Halloween. If you don’t believe me just look at these…

These Skull Hubcaps are the perfect accessory for Halloween! We have 14″ skull hubcaps or 15″ skull hubcaps depending on what size your car requires.

Or how about this…

This Skull & Crossbones rearview mirror is a great way to show your Halloween spirit and have a little fun!

If you have a truck you can try this…

This Chrome Skull Hitch Cover With Red LED Eyes adds a touch of spooky style to your truck with it’s glowing red eyes!

Or how about these…

These Skull Pattern Tailgate Nets are a great finishing touch to your trucks spooky Halloween costume, there are two sizes available so whether you want a skull tailgate net for a mid-size truck or a skull tailgate net for a full size truck they are available!

So get into the spirit of Halloween this year… Don’t just dress yourself… Dress your ride!

As always, thanks for your continued support of HubcapsPlus and if you have any questions or comments I’m always here!

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