RockAuto.com RockAuto April Newsletter :: Early Edition

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Another Happy Customer!

Once again, RockAuto has met and surpassed my expectations! Low prices + excellent quality and FAST shipping (even when I didn't pay extra). This is the 3rd or 4th time this year that I have bought from this site. It's a winner in my book!

Nick in Texas



Upcoming Events
If you would like your event featured here e-mail with details.

Texas Raptor Run
4/10/2014
Corpus Christi, TX
e-mail

3rd Annual CCF Car Show
4/12/2014
Splendora, TX
e-mail

Rat Rod Rumble X
4/12/2014
Knoxville, TN
e-mail

3rd Lufkin Texas Downtown Hoedown KLMN Car Show
4/12/2014
Lufkin, TX
e-mail

Canadian River Cruisers Annual Charity Car Show
4/12/2014
Norman, OK
e-mail

Albertson's Cruise In
4/12/2014
Gresham, OR
e-mail

Baxley Tree Cruizen Classic Car Show
4/12/2014
Baxley, GA
e-mail

3rd Annual Jim Box Memorial Car Show
4/12/2014
Birmingham, AL
e-mail

2014 Car & Motorcycle Show
4/12/2014
Sterling, VA
e-mail

Let's Get Healthy Chester Spring 2014 Cruise In
4/12/2014
Chester, SC
e-mail

VFW Spring Car Show
4/12/2014
Perryville, MD
e-mail

5th Annual Wings & Wheels for March
4/12/2014
Easley, SC
e-mail

Cruzaders Car Club Annual Car Show
4/12/2014
Muskogee, OK
e-mail

LaFayette Day Car Show for Valley Haven School
4/12/2014
Pendergrass, GA
e-mail

Annual Cars Starts Car Show Drive in Movie
4/12/2014
Graham, TX
e-mail

2014 Car Show & Shine
4/12/2014
Nampa, ID
e-mail

Citrus County Jeepers Nature Coasts First Annual Ride In/Drive In Jeep Show -n- Shine
4/12/2014
Homosassa, FL
e-mail

6th Annual Mid Florida Tech Auto & Truck Show
4/12/2014
Orlando, FL
e-mail

11th Annual AHPA Spring Fling Show & Shine
4/12/2014
Windsor, SC
e-mail

Brick PAL & PEDC.org Car Show & BBQ
4/12/2014
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
e-mail

Asphalt Angels Spring Asphalt Show
4/12/2014
Bowie, MD
e-mail

Cruisin for a Cause 2014 Events
4/12/2014
Cleveland, GA
e-mail

Grace Yokely Middle School
4/12/2014
Ontario, CA
e-mail

Family Day Auto Show
4/12/2014
Dundalk, MD
e-mail

4th Annual Thunder on the Blue Car Show
4/12/2014
Boise, ID
e-mail

Road Rebels Rod & Custom Car Show - 23rd Annual Car Show
4/12/2014
Centerville, GA
e-mail

Delsea Renaissance Cruisaders Classic Car Show
4/13/2014
Franklinville, NJ
e-mail

Texas Bowties Classic Car Show
4/13/2014
San Antonio, TX
e-mail

6th Annual Chaffey College Car Show
4/13/2014
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
e-mail

50th Birthday Celebration All Mustangs & Mustang Lovers
4/15/2014
Cape Coral, FL
e-mail

Rebates, Rebates, Rebates!

Rebates, Rebates, Rebates!

Save even more on RockAuto's reliably low prices with rebates and promotions on Headlamp Bulbs, Mufflers and parts in between!

Rebates Expiring April 30:

  • Anco - Up to $15 cash back with purchase of select Anco Wiper Blade pairs.
  • KYB - Receive $40 with purchase of any four KYB Shocks, Struts or Strut-Plus Assemblies.
  • Monroe/Rancho - Get up to a $120 Visa Prepaid Card with purchase of qualifying Monroe or Rancho Shocks and Struts.

Rebates Expiring May 31:

  • Monroe - Get up to a $10 Visa Prepaid Card with purchase of qualifying Monroe Brake Pads.
  • Wagner - Up to $30 cash back when you purchase Wagner ThermoQuiet Brake Pads.
  • Walker - Collect up to a $100 Visa Prepaid Card with purchase of Walker products.

Power Stop Rebate Available Only At RockAuto!
Exclusive to RockAuto, Power Stop is offering up to a $50 rebate with the purchase of select Power Stop Brake Kits in April!

  • $50 Extreme Truck and Tow Brake Kit (4 wheel kit)
  • $50 Red Powder Coated Performance Caliper Kit (4 wheel kit)
  • $25 Extreme Truck and Tow Brake Kit (2 wheel kit)
  • $25 Red Powder Coated Performance Caliper Kit (2 wheel kit)
  • $15 Performance Brake Upgrade Kit (4 wheel kit)

Go to the Promotions and Rebates page to see the details for these rebates or to view additional rebates currently being offered by ACDelco, Autolite, Champion, DynoMax, Fram, Omix-ADA/Rugged Ridge, Trico or TYC. While there, don’t forget to take a look at the Windshield Wiper and Headlamp Bulb Wholesaler Closeout deals!

While shopping, watch for the yellow "Promotion/Rebate" star Promotion/Rebate Star next to the part names to help you save even more on RockAuto’s reliably low prices!






Tom Taylor on Velocity's All Girls Garage

Watch for RockAuto's Tom Taylor on Velocity’s All Girls Garage!  Why would they risk breaking the "all girls" rule by letting him in the door? Will he ever leave? Find out on Velocity, Friday April 4th at 8pm ET. The TV show will also repeat on the 5th and 6th at 11:30am ET.

Tom Taylor on Velocity's All Girls Garage





Forum of the Month

New Tiburon

New Tiburon is a forum dedicated to the Hyundai Tiburon. Here you can find thousands of discussion topics concerning Car Care, Engine Management, Transmissions, Wheel, Tire & Suspension, Exterior, Interior and so much more!

There are many great features on the website to make your experience enjoyable! Register for free so you can take advantage of all of the features New Tiburon has to offer! And, don’t forget to introduce yourself in the ‘Newbie Forum’ after joining.


If you are the administrator or member of a forum and you would like to see your website featured in an upcoming newsletter and receive a discount code to share with your members, contact cynthia@rockauto.com.






Repair Mistakes & Blunders

Ouch!

Being the nice guy that I am, concerned about the safety of my wife and kids, I traded my robust '94 GMC 1500 for my wife's tiny, two door speck of a car commonly known as the Geo Metro.

After a couple weeks of kiddy hauling duties, my once manly man truck was now sporting car seats, sippy cups, sticky candy and a smell that was never identified. In addition to the now colorful interior, the truck developed a problem with the radio. The radio kept blowing fuses. I’d replace the fuse, it would work for a while, and then nothing. My first thought was that the truck must be protesting against the band of little, loud, sticky people that had taken over. Then I figured maybe it was just the radio. After all, it was ten years old.

So, I ordered a new radio from RockAuto. The installation went smooth and the radio worked without a hitch, for a day. Then it was back to popping fuses.

After a few beers and glaring at my truck for a while, I figured it must be a short. I started the daunting task of removing the dash and loosening the panels to gain access to all the wires. After careful inspection of the wires, I determined everything was as it should be.

Looking at the truck perplexed, I came up with a bright idea. DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS NEXT PART YOURSELF AS I’M A TRAINED PROFESSIONAL! Not really, but the beer may have increased my perceived competence.

I figured if I replaced the little 15 amp fuses with 30 amp fuses, I would be able to see where the short might be coming from and well...it worked. Kneeling down in the gravel driveway with my head up under the dash, I reached and turned the key to accessory. A bright blue arc flashed out from the ash tray area right below the radio.

I dusted my knees off, and I had a feeling that victory was near as I climbed back into the truck. At first I didn’t see anything unusual. The ashtray didn’t have a light, so where did the spark come from?

Then, I saw it.

Apparently one of the little, loud, sticky people thought the lighter socket would make a nice penny holder!

Walt in Alabama




Tell us about your most infamous auto repair blunder or unconventional fix. Use your woe to help others avoid similar mistakes or share off-the-wall solutions that worked (at least for a while!). Please e-mail your story to flamur@rockauto.com. Include your mailing address and if you would like a RockAuto T-Shirt (please let us know your shirt size) or Hat if we publish your story. See the T-Shirts and Hats under Tools & Universal Parts in the catalog. The story will be credited using only your first name and your vague geographic location (state, province, country, continent, etc.) so you can remain semi-anonymous!






Automotive Trivia

Automotive Trivia

What is unique about all automotive backup (rear view) cameras compared to regular digital video cameras?

A. Backup cameras use radar to detect movement and increase the resolution of the moving portions of the image.

B. A backup camera flips the image from left to right so the driver sees a mirror image consistent with the reflection seen in the conventional glass rear view mirror.

C. Backup cameras have no short term (buffer) or long term memory. This lowers cost and reduces privacy and liability concerns.

D. All of the above.

Answer below






I Never Tire from Car Repairs

RockAuto

My current generation Dodge Challenger did not have a spare tire, jack or lug wrench. Over the years, the Challenger’s optional wheels have outgrown the spare tire well in the trunk. Cars like mine, with large 20-inch wheels (51 cm), came from the factory with just a small air compressor and can of tire sealant.

Tires are built sturdier than ever and cell phones make it easy to cry for help, but I plan on driving this car on the most remote, scenic roads I can find. I do not want something as simple as a flat tire to leave my family stranded. Relying on a can of tire sealant is too risky for me. Is the can past its expiration date? Does it still have enough pressure on a winter day in Minnesota? Will I connect it to the tire’s valve correctly or will all the sealant goop end up on my hands and shoes? Will the hole in the tire be the perfect size and shape for tire sealant to work? How much more will the tire store charge to get all the sealant off the wheel?

Even if it takes up a lot of trunk space, I want a spare tire when I head out of town. I watched the Challenger wheel inventory in the RockAuto catalog for awhile and snapped up a reconditioned wheel that matched the wheels on my car. Some of the most common wheel styles are always in stock, but customers with rarer wheels might want to sign up for an RSS feed so they can be notified automatically when new wheels and other parts become available for their vehicle. (Look for the RSS logo RSS next to your vehicle’s engine displacement in the catalog.) My reconditioned wheel from RockAuto looks like new, but was about $1,000 less expensive than getting a new wheel from a car dealer.

I will be rotating my spare tire with the other tires on the car, so I equipped the new wheel with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensor. I picked a TPMS sensor by Standard Motor Products (SMP) that has an aluminum valve stem just like the originals. I inserted it in the hole in the wheel and used a torque wrench to put on a nut from the valve stem side to hold everything in place. The SMP instructions included the correct torque specification for their particular seal material. My TPMS sensor installation was done in less than a minute.

TPMS sensor by Standard Motor Products (SMP)

I put the sensor-equipped wheel in the trunk and drove to the tire store. I wondered if the Dodge’s centrally located radio receiver might detect a TPMS sensor reading zero air pressure and activate the TPMS warning light. The computer ignored the stationary sensor in the trunk and only monitored the four moving tires. The tire technician said some other brand vehicles with full-size spares do monitor spare tire pressure. Mini-spares typically do not have TPMS sensors.

The Dodge service manual says, “The TPM module (computer) automatically learns and stores the sensor IDs while driving within 20 minutes continuously above 15 mph (24 km/h) after a sensor has been replaced. The learning sequence will initiate when the vehicle has been stopped for more than 20 minutes.”

I installed the new tire/wheel on the car once I got home. I put the tire/wheel I removed in a far corner of the garage. I started the car and the TPMS light immediately went out after the normal diagnostic check and before the car moved. I spent at least twenty minutes installing the tire/wheel, putting away my tools and preparing for the test drive. Maybe that gave the computer enough time for its vehicle-stopped “learning sequence” to recognize the new sensor. The computer never saw low pressure or a missing sensor and never needed to turn on the warning light. It is great news that TPMS systems on some cars have gotten so user friendly.

In the RockAuto catalog, find OE style wheels, TPMS sensors and model specific tools under the Wheel/Tire category. Find TPMS reset tools, torque wrenches, jacks, lug nut wrenches and everything else you might need to equip your car with a spare tire (except for the tire) under the Tools & Universal Parts tab.


Tom Taylor,
RockAuto.com


To read more of Tom's articles, click this link and choose from story titles on the Newsletter Archives page.






Greg's 1992 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser

Greg's 1992 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser

This is a fairly rare, 1992 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser eight passenger station wagon; one of only 4,347 manufactured for 1992. The Chevrolet Caprice and Buick Roadmaster wagons continued through 1996, but Oldsmobile discontinued use of the big GM "B-body" after 1992.

This Custom Cruiser was among:
  • the last true, full-size Oldsmobile cars made
  • the last body-on-frame Oldsmobile cars made
  • the last rear-wheel-drive Oldsmobile cars made
  • the last 465 Oldsmobiles built at Willow Run Assembly, MI (GM shut the lines down there in July, 1992)

This well-optioned wagon with its 350 cid TBI engine has 267,000 miles on it and still runs strong. It has received a fair number of RockAuto parts over the last few years including rear window lift supports, windshield wipers, rear coil springs, front shocks, brake caliper repair kit, radiator, water pump, fuel filter, A/C condenser, A/C accumulator, orifice tube, plug wires and distributor cap. Last summer it carried the kids and me from Tennessee to New Jersey and back with cold A/C blowing.

Regards,
Greg in Tennessee



Share Your Hard Work

Do you purchase parts from RockAuto? If so, RockAuto would like to feature you & your car or truck in our monthly newsletter. New, old, import, domestic, daily driver, trailer queen, classic, antique, we want to see them all! Please e-mail flamur@rockauto.com with your vehicle's history, interesting details, your favorite images and what parts from RockAuto you have used.






Let RockAuto Help

Let RockAuto Help

Are you organizing a car show or other auto related event? From goody bag stuffers to gift certificates...we can help. We can even publicize your event in our newsletter.

Just send an e-mail to marketing@rockauto.com with information about your show.






Automotive Trivia Answer

Automotive Trivia

What is unique about all automotive backup (rear view) cameras compared to regular digital video cameras?

A. Backup cameras use radar to detect movement and increase the resolution of the moving portions of the image.

Answer: B. A backup camera flips the image from left to right so the driver sees a mirror image consistent with the reflection seen in the conventional glass rear view mirror.

C. Backup cameras have no short term (buffer) or long term memory. This lowers cost and reduces privacy and liability concerns.

D. All of the above.




Back up to trivia question

 

 

 

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