I dreaded the thought of changing my own brakes, because it leads to the excruciating task of bleeding the brakes after I've changed the pads. One person needs to be under the car opening the bleeder screw, while the another is in the car pumping the brakes. It's a two person job and a recipe for an argument.

Mistiming the steps can cause air or contaminants to enter the brake system, the only remedy being to bleed the brakes again.

Speed Bleeders are great because they've incorporated a check valve into a bleeder screw. You remove the old bleeder screw and permanently replace it with a Speed Bleeder. When it is time to bleed your brakes, you loosen the Speed Bleeder 1/4 turn and pump your brake pedal. When the pedal is depressed, the pressure opens the check valve, letting air and brake fluid out of the end of the Speed Bleeder. When you release the pedal, it returns to the up position, the check valve closes and prevents any air from reentering. When bubble free fluid is evident, you close the Speed Bleeder. Job done.

I reluctantly bought the product and was overwhelmed at the ease of use. I was able to bleed the brakes on my Jeep by myself in under 5 minutes. This is a huge time saver that's well worth the price tag -- seven dollars each.

You have to order them to fit your specific brake system -- Speed Bleeders come in fifteen sizes. I ordered them directly from the manufacturer on Tuesday and they were in my mailbox on Saturday morning.

There are also more flexible pressure-based brake systems such as "SpeediBleed," but it seems like I inevitably spill, or dip my fingers into, brake fluid when I'm trying to install an adapter for the master cylinder side. Sometimes you need to monkey around with the adapter to get a good fit so that the system can pressurize. With Speed Bleeder, the only tool you need is a box wrench, and it's a one-man job.

The Nuvi is a superbly designed car navigation device that is comparatively inexpensive. The Nuvi is a no-brainer to set up. You type the street address (it will guess the town) of where you want to go on the touch screen (or hit a place you've been before) and it shows you where you are on a driver-view map. It indicates upcoming turns on the map visually and with a spoken voice. It's generally reliable anywhere in the US even in places you would not expect. When you alter course, it rapidly recalculates a new route.

These are pretty much standard features on car navigation systems. In addition to built-in nav systems in high-end cars, there are lots of manufactures and models for these small add-on units. I checked a lot of research and reviews, but the best advice came from taxi cab drivers I asked. They use these devices a lot and they have experience with different varieties of them. Their consensus was that the Garmin Nuvi was the best deal.

The Nuvi 350 has a street price of $180. The wider screen and added features of the higher models are luxuries. Do you really need a nav device at all? Here's the thing: it is way better than either a map or directions in getting you to somewhere new. I never get lost now. Also, it does something a map or directions can't do, which is to find the nearest gas station or park, or ATM. A nav system is also way safer, too. I got one for my daughter at school in a new city; I am beloved and relaxed.

The cheaper nav systems (such as the Nuvi 200 series) don't talk. The big surprise in car navigation is that you need turn-by-turn spoken instructions. That keeps your eyes on the road and minimizes looking at the map. The Magellen Maestro is a comparable product, slightly cheaper, but with less love from fans. As of now, the Garmin Nuvi 350 is the starter car nav device to get.

-- KK

The Nuvi 350
$180
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Garmin

What happens if you're on a trip in middle of nowhere and you get a flat? You swap to your spare, right? OK, now you are in the middle of nowhere, with no back up. Your only option now is to head to civilization to get your tire repaired, which can wreck a camping trip fast. This weekend I was reminded how few people know about these tire plug kits or how to use them. For under $10 and a few ounces, you can use the same tools that the tire repair shops do. They are available at almost every gas station. You just find the leak (a little soapy water works best) remove the obstruction, rough up the hole with the rasp tool, and push in the sticky rope plug with the other, then re-inflate (which requires a pump of some kind, but even a bike pump will work). This is the same thing they do in the repair shops, but is no harder than changing a tire and sometimes easier as you don't always have to take the tire off the car (but you will have to jack it up or somehow take the weight off of it). This won't work for really large blow outs or slashes, but will fix 90% of all tire punctures you encounter and keep your weekend from getting ruined.

-- Alexander Rose

Check out this video for an excellent tire plug demo -- sl

Tire Plugs
$10
Available from Buy Hardware Supplies

This light, portable pressure brake bleeder is the best one I have ever used in the 25+ years I have been working on cars. I have used other professional-style pressure bleeders costing $800-1000 and prefer the SpeediBleed. Using SpeediBleed by myself, it's taken me only 15 minutes to do a 4-wheel brake bleed and, when finished, I had a firm brake pedal and clean brake fluid from top to bottom. The cool aspect of this kit is that you pressurize the master cylinder by connecting the SpeediBleed fluid bottle to a tire with a aluminum machined adapter. Yes, you read correctly; you use a tire to bleed brakes! When I told a few friends of this feature, they jokingly claimed I would have 4 flat tires to show for my work. They could not have been more wrong. The 4-wheel brake bleed of my Cavalier resulted in only 3 psi being removed from the single tire I used.

There are cheaper DIY kits. The Motive looks to be a decent, popular product. Personally, aside from the quality and ease with which you can control the working pressure, I like that the SpeediBleed has a much larger and constant air pressure source. My truck tires are probably 15-20 times larger volume than the Motive's pressure bottle. Thus, I can set the regulator to 20-25 psi and have enough pressure to flush the system, versus having to pump a bottle a few times. And for the extra money, you get a high quality pressure regulator, quick release coupler, the aluminum adapter, and tool case. My buddy knew the old service manager at the local Porsche dealership near me. They have four to five SpeediBleed kits in their shop and are flushing Porsche and Land Rovers every day. I have used mine hundreds of times in the last 12 years. Really makes it possible for any DIY'er to bleed brakes without the headache.

-- Ron Armstrong

SpeediBleed
$120
Available from Hi-Lo Distributors

I have a collector car I won't drive in the snow, so I'm forced to use a battery tender to keep the battery alive while it collects dust during the winter. In years past, I've used a variety of chargers/tenders (I also had a Harley I stored in the winter), but none has worked as well as the Xtreme Charge I've been relying on this last year. Though my battery used to die all the time within hours of being removed from previous chargers, it now holds a charge for days on end. I am certainly no expert. What I know about how the system works is from what I've read online. It's my understanding that once the battery's gotten a full charge from the unit, it switches to a "pulsating DC current" mode. Apparently this pulse technology does something to reduce and keep sulfate deposits from building up again.

What I know about whether the charger works comes from the old, off-brand battery that, by all rights, might have been relegated to the recycle bin last year but is still holding a charge like a champ. At about the same time I bought the charger, I had already bought a new battery for the '88 Rolls Royce Silver Spur. But rather than use the old battery to recover a "core" charge on the new battery, I kept it and used the Xtreme Charge on it, just to see what would happen. It brought the old battery back to life so well that today I use the charger to keep the old battery alive as a backup power source for my sump pump!

I really appreciate the charger's LED display, too, which provides a constant readout of the state of the charge. Makes it easy to monitor its progress at a glance. After it first reads the current charge, a series of small lights begin pulsing. As the battery charges, the display expresses the status as a percentage of full: 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. Another great feature: if a battery is dead and cannot be charged, the display tells you bluntly "battery dead" (a situation I have yet to see *knock wood*). In years past, I would would waste time and effort hooking up more than one battery to a charger when it was simply impossible for the battery to take a charge. I went with Xtreme Charge's "marine" charger because it's water-proof and comes in a rubber casing. These days my battery is fresher in the spring than it is at the end of the driving season.

-- Ken Herrera

Xtreme Charge
$85
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by PulseTech

Related items previously reviewed on Cool Tools:

Jump-N-Carry

Rain-X

Get Used Parts

For the last year, I've loved commuting to work on this electric scooter because it's powerful enough to ride in traffic, but doesn't feel like a motorcycle. Before settling on the eGO Cycle 2 SE, I test drove a bigger bike and smaller one from a different manufacturer, but I liked the eGO best, which has turn signals in front and back, a headlight, and a horn. There are two settings: "Go Far" and "Go Fast." I find I can get up to 23 mph or so with Go Fast, though I usually use Go Far, which has a max speed of about 18 mph. The guy who sold it to us said it has a range of about 20 miles and takes about an hour to recharge. I keep it plugged in regularly and have not let it run down much since I got it. I am fortunate to have locked, indoor parking with an outlet at my work, so this is easy. My commute to work is 1.6 miles, but I have ridden the bike up to 10 miles with plenty of charge left. In Oregon, this qualifies as a bike, even though it's motorized, so it does not require a motorcycle license. I had not ridden a motorcycle before, so I had to train myself that "go" was controlled by my right hand and that the handle motion was toward me, not away from me (away was more intuitive to me for some reason). I wear a motorcycle helmet with a face screen. I prefer the protection while riding in traffic and like the face protection from wind, rain and bugs. I have ridden in light to medium rain but not downpours. In those conditions, I've found the traction fine and just slow down a bit. I have ridden only on surface streets -- in bike lanes or with traffic (the bike does not do well in gravel). Since I put a milk crate on the back, it's easy to haul stuff. I've noticed I get lots of thumbs up and smiles when I ride, too -- pretty certain they're directed at the bike. I remind my husband regularly that in addition to being a fun ride, it seems to be a guy magnet.

-- Mary Gear

eGO
$1550+
(depends on model)
Available via US & Overseas Dealers

Previously available from Amazon

Related items previously reviewed on Cool Tools:

Go-Ped

Golden Eagle Bike Engine

Ultimate MX Hauler Motorcycle Carrier

I have been on the water in one fashion or another for over 40 years and this is the first comprehensive presentation I have seen on how to dock in all types of conditions and situations. Captain Jack, in a mere 53 minutes, covers the main topics that drive sailors nuts: docking and sail trim, especially spinnakers. First he uses models to describe the maneuvers and then we see him on his own boat demonstrating in real time. He shows how to maintain control of your boat with the wind on the bow, on the beam or aft. He covers situations with adverse currents. What I found most intriguing is how he backs his boat into a slip to keep the bow into the wind. He demonstrates a few basic concepts, like prop-walk and spring-lines, and shows how to use a single spring line (a line attached slightly midship) to control the boat's movements. He does this not only single handedly, but without jumping off the boat. Much safer.

I had seen Captain Jack many times at boat shows and was actually looking for a book by him so I could review the information he provides during his condensed presentations -- I was pleasantly surprised to find the DVD. I wish I would have had this video when I was a beginner. It would have saved a lot of hard knocks while docking and would have saved my having to unlearn many of the bad habits I picked up trimming sails.The interface between the land and sea is often the most challenging aspect of boating. This is especially true as marinas get tighter and tighter as they pack more and more boats into them. I still sail, but four years ago sold my sailboat and bought a Nordic Tug. Docking has always been a challenge and is even more so with the tug. The tug idles much faster, so everything happens faster. It is also much less maneuverable. Even if you are a power boater, the first half of the DVD concerning docking is still well worth the price. Just fast forward through the sail-handling parts or watch it and be inspired to go sailing.

-- Dean Raffaelli

Singlehanded Docking and Sail Trim with Captain Jack Klang
$25
Available from Captain Jack Klang

Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:

Inflatable Life Jacket

Building the Six-Hour Canoe

Porta Bote

This hauler is one of the most efficient and stable methods I've seen to transport motorcycles under the 375lb load limit. It raises the bike, so there's no need to push your bike up a trailer ramp, which can be challenging depending on your strength. The lift has a hydraulic jack (the same style used to change your tire), which jacks up manually using the jack handle. The bike locks into the lift platform using a U-Bolt clamp on the footpegs, which is the exact center of weight in most bikes. My KTM Adventure weighs around 325lbs (depending on the level of the 7.4 gallon fuel tank) and even when cinched down on a ramp hauler, it tended to bounce around; this rig doesn't have that problem. A friend recommended it after I mentioned I had picked up a new 640 KTM and was looking at getting a bumper ramp style hauler, which I learned can be unstable. He noted that because my bike is pretty heavy, I'd be much better off using a hydraulic style hauler. He specifically recommended the Ultimate MX Hauler based on his pro MX friends' feedback. I love it. It's especially handy when dropping off the bike for repairs -- just strap it onto the back of my 4X4 van and I'm off. Fast, safe, solid and simple. The hitch attaches quite easily to your trailer hitch. You will need to purchase an adapter if the vehicle has a lift kit, but Ultimate makes adapters up to 8"; I'm using the 6" drop. Phoned the factory contact number, purchased it and the thing was on my doorstep the next day. I also found out they're working on a sport bike version with a 600lb limit.

-- Velemir Cicin

Ultimate MX Hauler Motorcyle Carrier
$360
Available from Ultimate MX Hauler

Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:

Kawasaki KLR 650

RAM Mounts

BMW R1150GS Motorcycle

This electric scooter is a fun and practical means of transport for anyone looking for eco-friendly, short-range transport. My 40-minute, 2.5 mile walk to work is now a 15 minute ride. I now get to work without showing up soaked in sweat, like I did riding my bike. And I love avoiding the Seattle public transit system.

The ESR 750 EX has a purported range of 8 miles (12 miles in "econo mode"). With all the hills I have to climb in Seattle, I mostly use it in "turbo mode," which truncates the range, but it's actually a more fun ride that way. Set aside the fact it's taken me up every long, steep hill I've attempted. This thing is a blast to drive. It gives one the sensation of flying.

I looked at plenty of scooters out there. You can get an electric scooter for less, $300-$600 maybe, but not one that will take on Seattle-size hills. For longer range, an electric bike or gas powered scooter may be the way to go. But as I only have to go 2.5 miles to work, I was more interested in something that could also be safely brought into my building, where I don't have to worry about parking and a 'free,' full recharge takes three to four hours. The Go-Ped also breaks down and stows away easily.

You can also buy all sorts of add-ons, including a seat, which I did not get. I prefer to stand and, to me, the seat looks a little goofy. Sure you can spend thousands on fancier models, if that seems worth it to you, but at around $800, this Go-Ped is a good middle ground. Another scooter in this range, the Rad2Go Great White, was a close second in my mind, but it's nearly 100lbs. The Go-Ped is about 60lbs., which seems more practical if I ever have to carry it.

I was concerned that car drivers and pedestrians would view me as an annoyance (I mostly ride on the street, following the same rules as a bike), but that doesn't seem to be the case. I'm trying not to be an obnoxious driver myself and most people seem to regard it with curiosity and amusement, sometimes outright envy.

I should add one thing: these are not 'all-weather vehicles'. The electrical throttle on the handlebar for regulating your speed, is particularly vulnerable to damage from water were you to ride in the rain (I'm considering wrapping it in plastic and trying it anyway). Still, it may be more of a spring-summer option if you live in a wet climate. Regardless, the manual advises against riding in inclement weather, citing concerns of visibility and skidding.

-- Bez Palmer

Go-Ped
$900
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Patmont Motor Werks

[To witness the Go-Ped tackle a hill, check out the end of this short rockin' video... -- sl]

I've been using these Totes for more than a couple years now to store snow tires I swap on for only a fraction of the year. I also use one for the spare I keep in my trunk. They make moving the tires around really easy and the clean factor is definitely part of the attraction, for both the trunk and the garage. My garage is small and full of stored, well-organized items, but I have to shuffle items to get at certain things. A stack of bagged tires neatly stored and easily moved is a plus. I can quickly grab and move two tires at a time and stay clean doing it. I also don't get dirty brushing past the stack or having to reach over it. The bags are made of polyester and nylon and the stitching is strong. I haven't had any tearing or loose threads. They're not something I was looking to buy for myself, but a friend got me my first set as a gift. I then bought the one for my spare and I've also started buying these for friends and family.

-- Fred Moss

Tire Tote
$24
Available from Amazon
(set of two)

Or $18 (set of two) often available from Home Shopping Network

Manufactured by Motivation Design, LLC

This disposable fiberboard container folds flat and has a bladder that can hold a gallon of gas (about 14" by 6" by 2"). I've yet to have a car emergency, but I've used it for a prosaic fill up on a lawn mower. No leaks, easy to carry and cheap to replace. Keeping one around is handy and comforting, and it's way better than the bulky plastic ones that have bounced around in the back of my car for years.

-- Vincent

Gas-O-Haul
$9
Available from Genuine Hot Rod

This is a fabulous picture book of about 400 images of great housetrucks and housebuses (many from the 1970s) with interior shots. Some of the mobile homes are more recent. The houses are built on old truck and bus chassis. Used flatbed trucks can be had today for as little as a few thousand dollars. Both in form and function, these were early, cheap homebuilt RVs. There's not much how-to in this book; mostly inspirational pictures. It is self-published, and like the self-made homes it covers, the book is very warm, rustic, and cozy. Some of the images are available on the author's disorganized website. Yeah, you could buy a commercial RV, but these rolling homes have soul. Makes me want to build one.

-- KK

Some Turtles Have Nice Shells
Roger Beck
2002, 192 pages
$30
Available from the author's website

Author's website, Housetrucks

Online housetruck forum; requires instant registration. Discuss such topics as DMV licences and how to.

By some material genius, this pad holds stuff on your dashboard so it doesn't fly off as you drive. Non-adheasive, non-magnetic, it grips cell phones, PDAs, sunglasses, GPS, binoculars, CDs, anything that you want to grab quickly and easily. I have no idea why it holds things so firmly, but it does without adhering to the object or your dash, keeping all in place on curves, hills, and sudden stops. After a year or two in the sun it will accumulate dust and grime, diminishing its effectiveness. The pad can be restored to most of its grippiness by washing it off with detergent and water. If you can keep out of direct sunlight, it will last longer.

-- KK

Sticky Pad
$4
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by American Covers

Winding Road is a free digital car magazine that arrives once per month -- you can either view it online in flash or download it in PDF. Apparently the magazine hired away some of the good writers from the other well-known car magazines. They are doing a pretty decent job. The magazine has cool videos and audio interviews throughout, and the photos are very good. They also have a daily news site. With Winding Road I can get all the car magazine stuff I need, without having to pay, and they never asked me for a credit card number or any of that. I've cancelled my Car and Driver subscription because I don't need it anymore.

-- Roy Nesseth

Winding Road

This is a very cool tool. Its a boat that folds up. It really works great. I wanted a little boat I could keep on my larger 24-foot boat so I could take me and my dogs ashore. This boat is perfect. Very stable and folds up when not in use. I tie it down on the bow when not in use. I have seen a lot of people use these with RVs, mounted to the side. You can use paddles or a small electric or gas engine to get around. It handles great and is easy to plane with a small engine like mine -- a 4-horsepower gas engine. The other great thing is that I know the hull is not going to be punctured by my dogs or anything else. Its very stable with 2 people and two small dogs.

It's very easy to fold up, takes less than 5 minutes. The seats act as braces to hold the boat open, so when you take them out the boat folds up. The boat is made of Polypropylene and has a 10 year warranty. I have the 8 foot model (smallest), which I got for $900 years ago but now goes for $1,250.

-- Bart Snyder

Porta Bote
$1250 and up
Available from Porta Bote

I bought a souped-up Mini Cooper from a car-enthusiast friend. As I sat for the first time in the driver's seat, I noticed what looked like an irregularity in the top of the windshield. Peering more closely, I saw it was a little Fresnel lens. "What's that for?" I asked.

"It's the coolest thing," he said. "I found it on one of the Mini sites. It lets you see when the light turns green without having to crane your neck."

Sure enough, it does. Another friend was riding with me a few weeks later became so enamored with the device, I peeled it off and gave it to him. While waiting for a replacement I had to bend my neck sideways and lean forward to see the light when I'm first in line. What a pain compared to just sitting back comfortably and waiting for that little red dot in the lens to go green.

The manufacturer says Light In Sight works for all kinds of vehicles and is "especially helpful for taller drivers, drivers in smaller cars, delivery vans and trucks, and drivers with a mobility problem, such as a neck or back problem."

LightInSight is self-adhering (assisted with a wet paper towel), easily removable and reusable. It measures 7" by 1-1/2."

-- Steve Leveen

LightInSight
$18
Available from LightInSight

I live in Phoenix, Arizona which has a vast network of grossly under-utilized bicycle trails and paths. My daily work commute is 50 miles, which, by car, is environmentally obscene (and not at all uncommon) and further costs about $7/day just in fuel alone.

I tried bicycling the old fashioned way for a couple weeks, but 25 miles urban each way in a Phoenix summer is suicide no matter how good your physical condition. I began looking for an assist-motor for my bike. Most "whizzer" type bicycle engines are a hassle. Electrics don't have the range for a 50 mile daily commute. Two-stroke motors are a pain and become expensive due to the necessity of pre-mixing oil and fuel. Friction-drive bicycle motors wear out tires rapidly and behave badly on rough surfaces & water.

I eventually found a 4-stroke motor and belt drive kit from Golden Eagle Bike Engines that weighs very little, operates quietly, and gets me to work and back for about 45 cents a day in fuel. This engine comes as a 25cc Subaru-Robin 4-stroke kit for $549 including shipping. It was delivered 4 days after I ordered, and it took me just under 1/2 hour to install on my $200 department store mountain bike.

This is the smallest and lowest powered kit Golden Eagle sells, and requires me to pedal a little when accelerating from a stop or climbing steep hills. Doing this is very natural and it feels just like riding a bike the old fashioned way. Top speed with 26x1.95 dirt tires is about 25mph on flat pavement, or 23mph on flat dirt. Wind, inclines, sand, and other factors significantly impact the top speed, but it will even typically maintain 18mph under most typical adverse conditions. I know from prior experience with the same bicycle that I can sprint it up to 24mph without the engine, so having the engine on is equivalent to being able to sprint all the time. Up very steep inclines I pedal with the engine at partial throttle and maintain 12mph where previously I would go 3 or 4mph without the engine. I have ridden in moderate rain with no ill effect other than getting myself very wet. The drive is unaffected.

Getting to work across Phoenix now takes me about 10 minutes longer than it typically took me by car (yes, traffic is THAT bad) but the ride is far less frustrating or stressful because I'm not stuck behind someone, I'm hauling ass. There are some fun shortcuts and interesting parts of the city to see, as well. One tank of ordinary pump gas gets me 22 to 25 miles, urban riding. The tank on this model is just about 11 ounces, so that equates to somewhere approaching 250 miles per gallon!

About the engine: it has an automatic centrifugal clutch that just kinda applies power all the time (when you are pushing the throttle) so you otherwise ride the bike like normal. But it's more like as if you're always riding downhill -- so you don't need the lower gears. My mountain bike has relatively low top gears and with this motor I leave it in the topmost gear almost 100% of the time -- and just pedal 4 to 6 strokes when accelerating from a stop while applying moderate throttle. I also give the pedals a few kicks when re-gaining speed after slowing down. The motor drive is fully independent of the pedal-chain drive. There is only one "gear" for the motor, it does not have any type of transmission or torque converter, just an automatic clutch. When you let off the throttle, the motor disengages and keeps idling but does not apply force to the bike until you press the throttle again.

The first time I ever started it, it started first pull. Since then, in normal operation it starts first-pull almost all the time and never more than third pull. I routinely shut it off when riding across areas where motors are not legal, and then just reach back and give it a yank while riding to get powered again, without slowing down.

It has a muffler, albeit a small one. It makes about as much noise as a modern low-noise weed wacker. In other words, it's not silent by any means but makes much less noise than an average dirt bike or go-ped. However it is not quite as quiet as a proper scooter like a Honda Helix, and there is an unfortunate rasp to it. I ride it through my urban neighborhood at 6AM and feel confident I am not waking people from their slumber any more than a typical car might.

The drive belt makes very little noise, just a very quiet "whirr" that you can't hear over the engine. When pedaling without engine power, you hear the "whirr" a little. If you take the time to disconnect the belt entirely (takes seconds) it has no effect at all on standard pedaling and makes no sound at all.

I feel this model is superior to other bicycle engines because: the belt drive is quieter and significantly lighter than gear or chain type drives; the name-brand engine, Subaru-Robin, which is well respected in professional applications like compressors, yard tools, etc, is presumably superior to other, questionable brands; the belt drive does not wear tires or slip around or beat up the engine bearings like friction-drive kits do; the 4-stroke engine allows you to fill up anywhere on regular gas.

-- Apanthropy

Golden Eagle Bike Engine
25cc Mini-4
$614
(w/shipping & handling)
Available from Golden Eagle Bike Engine

Mechanics here in Boston call this a "jump kit." It's a briefcase-sized, 20lb, 12V battery with built-in 12v/120v charger, and with built-in jumper cables attached. The Jump-N-Carry is a much easier way to jump a car; no jockeying the live car to kiss bumpers, no stretching jumper cables between cars. I tend to keep mine in my car, so it's quick & easy to help anyone who needs a jump. A cute trick for a dead alternator is to hook up the jump kit, lay it inside the engine well, close the hood as well as you can, and drive to the shop. One of my mechanics has a J&C with a case that melted from doing this trick, but it still works fine.

This model can be charged from your car's cigarette lighter, but I just plug mine into a wall outlet with any extension cord that's handy. It holds its charge for months without recharging. I've had one, trouble-free, for a year and a half.

-- Don Davis

Jump-N-Carry
$107
Available from National Tool Warehouse

Conventional car shades are unwieldy, prone to slipping off, and awkward to store.

The Shade requires careful installation, but thereafter takes only a second to put up or roll away. This makes one much more likely to use it regularly, resulting in fewer surprises when those clouds vanish midday. It is well built, sturdy, and reliable. The retraction mechanism on my original unit is as strong and smooth as on a new one; I know, because I've bought eight more of these shades over the years for friends and family. The glue for the mounting brackets is strong stuff, my right-hand brackets fell off this summer, but that was after six years of New Mexico sun. Replacement brackets were $5, and my Shade is now remounted and ready for another six years.

They are sized to fit different car models.

-- Ed Santiago

The Shade
$35
Available from Dash Designs

I have had my oil changed by the dealer, a local mechanic and even those jiffy people. They've all done a good job, but I like changing my own oil. It's a bit of a meditative exercise and gives me a chance to see what's going on with my car. While I enjoy doing the oil change, my least favorite part of changing my oil is getting underneath the car, removing the drain plug and draining the oil. Dealing with the jack, stripping the drain plug every now and again, and spilling the used oil were nearly enough to stop me from changing my oil.

A friend of mine recently had his car serviced at a local dealership and he told me about a new machine that they used to drain the oil without jacking the car or removing the drain plug. The oil change technician inserted a probe into the dipstick tube and used a vacuum to drain the oil. This sounded very interesting and encouraged me to research more about this system and see if it was small enough to be used at home.

My research revealed that there were a number of these systems available for the do-it-yourselfer. After I compared features of the different brands, I settled on the Topsider. Originally designed for the boating market, the Topsider is all-metal. This feature was the one that seemed most important to me. The majority of other vacuum oil changers were made of plastic and I was concerned that the plastic would become brittle over time.

Changing the oil is really simple:

1. Make sure the engine is warm to make the oil flow easily
2. Place tube in dipstick tube
3. Close pinch valve on hose
4. Pump the canister 50 times to build vacuum
5. Release the pinch valve

It takes about 8 minutes for the oil to leave your engine. I usually use this time to remove the oil filter, open oil bottles, etc. Most dipsticks reach all the way to the bottom of the oil pan. I push the hose til I feel the bottom of the pan. When I first got it, I would open my drain plug after vacuuming and very little came out (a few drops) so I suspect the vacuum gets most of the oil out. It will pull sludge out as well up through the tube. The can holds 2 gallons of oil. Once the oil is out of your car you can remove the vacuum pump and suction tube and seal the container for transport to your recycling center.

I think the clincher for me was discovering that this was the technique that Mercedes was using in its dealerships (albeit using a commercial machine).

-- Kurt Wendelken

Topside Oil Changer
$40
Available from Amazon

Changing the oil in your car is a bit of a pain, and usually involves fishing around in an oily mess for the drain plug you dropped. The Fumoto Valve makes the process a lot tidier and easier. It's simply a ball valve with a locking quarter-turn action. You install it in place of your oil drain plug, and after that, draining the oil is a matter of a quarter turn on a lever. The lever locks in place in the closed position, making it difficult for vibration to open it. It does project slightly below where the old drain plug would be, but this is not a problem unless you're rock crawling in the Camry.

-- Michael O'Connor

Fumoto Oil Drain Valve
$23
Available from Fumoto Valve

The Volvo 240 series of cars is quite possibly one of the best used car deals for the cooltools crowd. They were made from 1975 until 1993 -- so there are plenty of them to go around. In fact, Volvo wanted to stop making the cars three years before they actually stop producing them -- the community demand was so great they just didn't stop!

240s are roomy (especially in wagon form), reasonably fuel efficient (20 - 30 mpg), durable (engines with 200,000+ miles are not blinked at), solid (steel construction), safe (one of the many cars that built the Volvo=Safe reputation), comfy (lumbar support, heated seats, et cetera), simple to work on (thanks to a roomy engine bay), excellent community support (comprehensive FAQ & online forums), excellent parts support (online junkyard parts galore, and you can still get parts at dealerships), good in the winter (with proper snow tires) and best of all, cheap! A 240 in good condition can be had for anywhere from free (it needs a little work and it's so old and has so many miles... who'd want it?) to $2,000+ for a well looked after example. (The 240's latter siblings, the 740 and 940, are both fine cars as well - based on the same mechanicals as the 240)

I've had two previous Vovlo 240s and love my current 1990 240 wagon. I purchased it with 225,000 miles already on the odometer for a trip to Alaska. It may be a 16 year old car, but it brings a smile to my face.

-- Zach Zaletel

1985, 150,000 miles, $1,000
Available from Cars For Sale

User forums
Brick Board,
SweedSpeed,
TurboBricks,

Online parts shops
FCP Groton,
eEuroparts,
VLVworld,
RPR Company, Inc.

When we decided to replace our 91 Camry (250K+ miles and still going strong, I gave it to my brother), the Prius was our first thought. But waiting lists and a price pushing 25 grand, and our need to occasionally carry two large dogs in their crates nixed that idea. Then I saw the Scion xB. Yes, it's ugly, at least until you get used to it. But it is extremely functional and practical. It's a big car inside a little car; there's more headroom and back seat leg room than in many large cars. Fold the rear seats down and you have a good sized cargo area, big enough for the two aforementioned dog crates. While some other similar vehicles have equivalent or even larger cargo area footprints, few have the overhead clearance of the Scion xB that makes the space truly useable. And if you need a little more space, remove the back seat and the spare tire storage platform behind it completely to get another 6-8 inches of vertical clearance. Sure an SUV has as much room or more, but it won't get the Scion's 33-35 mpg fuel economy, more important now than ever. It also has anti-lock brakes and a stability/traction control system, and a great stereo that plays mp3 disks, and has an input for a satellite receiver (or iPod). And the icing on the cake is that it's downright cheap, less than $15,000. Plus, since it's actually a Toyota, it will last practically forever and be extremely reliable. On the downside though, despite the boxy body it's not an SUV, there's no 4WD and the ground clearance is pretty low. And with the small engine that allows such good fuel economy, you're not going to pull a trailer.

Scion is Toyota's effort to increase appeal to the 20-something crowd, but most of the drivers I see in xB's are folks like me - near geezers. But if the kid across the street wants to think I'm cool, hey, I'll take it, it's been too long since anyone thought that of me!

Scion sells online and in a mini store inside Toyota dealerships; the pricing is fixed, so there's no haggling. The few options are mostly cosmetic items aimed at the youth market. So if you want a cheap car with good cargo capacity and good fuel economy, look at the Scion xB, though I've read that several of the other import companies are getting ready to roll out similar models soon.

-- Bob Johnson

Scion xB
$14,500
Available from Scion

This tool makes bleeding brake systems super easy. Simply attach the pressurized brake fluid cylinder to the master cylinder reservoir, pressurize, then bleed the system at the brakes. No need to pump the brakes, and no need to keep replenishing the brake fluid (since the reservoir tank holds plenty). Other cheapo vacuum systems make a mess and are quite poor at extracting small bubbles from brake lines. This tool is used widely in race pits; quite a few of my friends have it and swear by it.

-- Igor Krtolica

Motive Universal Power Bleeder
$58
Manufactured by Motive

Available from Amazon

[For many decades, consumers have been enticed to use "special" engine oil filters and additives despite a lack of real evidence for their effectiveness. I was dubious when Joachim Klehe told me of a bypass system from Filtration Solutions Worldwide that might have the potential to double engine life in pickup trucks, SUVs, and full-size Big Rigs, but Joachim makes a convincing case. CP]

The FS-2500 is a remote mounted bypass oil filter which cleans oil at an efficiency of 2.78 microns absolute. This allows the user to extend oil drain intervals dramatically, and most importantly, stop up to 99% of the wear in the engine. Only the bypass filter element is changed app. every 10,000 miles rather than the oil being drained and changed, reducing oil consumption and used oil disposal. Most of the testimonials for the FS-2500 note that the long-haul users change their oil between 60,000 and 80,000 miles. The light pickup and SUV users go between 30,000 and 50,000 miles between changing their oil.

If someone is skeptical about going that long between oil changes, the FS-2500 folks also offer an "Oil Analysis" club where oil can be extracted from the bypass filter via a T-valve and sent to the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, TX.

Maybe the FS-2500 could be adapted for use on a passenger car, but I suspect there would be two major challenges: a safe and secure mounting location, as it's a fairly large unit, and a means of mounting the oil fitting on the engine's regular oil filter where there's sufficient pressure.

-- Joachim Klehe

[Since most of the damage inside an engine is probably caused by small particles which act in the same way as an abrasive cleaner, a really good filtration system should make a dramatic difference. Whether it's worth the money will depend on whether you plan to continue using one vehicle for many years into the future, and�if you live in an area where underbody corrosion may terminate the vehicle's useful life before engine wear. --CP]

Filtration Solutions FS-2500
Price depends on vehicle: Call 888-440-9056
Information (including videos) available at Filtration Solutions

Built for kids ages 2-5, LikeaBike is a pedal-less, chainless push bike that moves by foot power. With a restricted front fork, LikeaBike prevents jackknifing which allows for a very free and smooth ride. The learning curve is not steep; kids quickly advance to greater speeds. This speed and freedom makes getting around much easier -- walking with mom and dad is now fun for the child instead of a (literal) drag! Unlike a bike with training wheels, LikeaBikes are able to go up hills. For instance our girl goes right up a hill in our park and bypasses little kids sweating and straining to move their training wheeled bike up another inch. The seat height is adjustable and the construction is sturdy and solid. We have had no problems with our bike in the year we've own it.

We noticed the mental advance in personality a child makes once they gain this freedom of self-directed movement at such an early age.

-- C. Troise

This is by far the toy my son has used the most. It is made primarily of wood. At 4 1/2 he uses it daily . He loves riding it everywhere. I was able to leave the stroller behind by the time he was 2 1/2 and have never used it since. The LikeaBike has also taught him to share. Every kid in the park invariably wants to ride it and he is so proud of his bike that he doesn't mind loaning it out. It is sturdy and clean, which is a great thing, because he loves to ride it around the house as well. I let him because there's no fear he will fall over, he is always in total control of his movements.

Regular bikes for kids here in Europe cost around 100 euros. Where I live in Barcelona Spain, I paid 169 euros for the LikeaBike. My son has trashed this bike like you can't imagine and it's still in tip top shape too, so it's not easily destroyed. On the other hand he has gone through 2 regular bikes since he was 2. For everything you get, I find it cost effective.

-- Anouschka Orueta

LikeaBike
$279
Available from
Likeabike

If you're thinking of doing a road trip to Alaska, The Milepost is a must-have. This thick publication, revised annually, has mile-by-mile conditions of all the major highways in Alaska and other northern points, including Alberta, British Columbia, Northwest Territories and the Yukon.

It's available in some brick and mortar bookstores, and online from their website.

-- Regis

The Milepost
Kristine Valencia
$26
Available from The Milepost
or from Amazon

Sample excerpts:

"What is the best time of year to go?" is one of the most frequently asked questions about traveling to Alaska. During the summer, the weather in the North is as variable and unpredictable as anywhere else. Go prepared for both hot, sunny days and cold, rainy days. Regardless of weather, the Alaska Highway is open all year.

But the Alaska Highway is much improved from what is was even 20 years ago. It was during the 1980s that many of the rerouting and paving projects were completed. By 1992, the 50th anniversary of the Alaska Highway, the last section of original gravel road had been rerouted and paved.

I've tried a few automobile GPS devices in the past and usually been disappointed, mainly by the absence of a voice command that talks me through directions before they are needed. I bought a Garmin StreetPilot C340 recently and have to say it is simply astounding. It's plug and drive -- you plug it into your cigarette lighter, wait a few minutes till it acquires satellites, answer a few set up questions, type an address into a touch-screen keyboard and hit "go". It's like having a perfect navigator beside you.

It contains the entire US maps. I have found it accurate (so far) in the most obscure areas with roads and it has shown me faster ways of getting places that I assumed I knew well and have driven to for years. Whenever you make a wrong turn or run into traffic or a closed road, it immediately recalculates the best route and tells you (in a never-critical woman's voice!) what to do. It's one of those tools that will just keep you saying "wow". It is a life changing, time-saving, stress-reducing tool.

Once you're tried it you will think it's cheap for about $650. This is also a tool you will want for people you love.

-- Vincent Crisci

Garmin StreetPilot C340
$624
Available from Broadway Photo
Also from Amazon

Ever had that darn annoying little "check engine" light come on your dashboard? It costs a ridiculous 75 bucks just to "hook up your car and see what the computer says." And that doesn't include the cost to fix it, if anything really is wrong.

There's a very cool little thing-a-ma-jiggy called the CarChip E/X that lets you do this yourself. Since 1996, thanks to emission control regulations, just about every car sold in the USA adheres to a protocol called an OBDII. This includes an interior plug which allows anyone with a computer hookup or data scanner (like the CarChip) to plug into the car's computer and download information.

With the CarChip E/X plugged into your car, it records up to 300 hours of your driving data. In other words the CarChip acts like a car blackbox. Every trip you make is recorded. The information it records includes: time and date for each trip, distance, speed, hard accelerations and braking, and engine diagnostic trouble codes. In addition, you can pick four other parameters to record ranging from RPM, engine coolant temperature, throttle position, fuel pressure, battery voltage, etc. Using the included software, you can then graph out the data to show you how your vehicle is performing. And like an airplane blackbox, if you happen to have the misfortune of getting into an accident, the CarChip E/X will automatically generate an accident log showing the last critical 20 seconds of speed.

The OBDII port to plug the CarChip in is pretty easily found, at least on both my and my friends cars. It is typically located inside the car somewhere under the dash/steering wheel. Here's a great site that helps you determine where to look by car model.

The CarChip software (Windows only) is relatively easy to figure out once you get the hang of it. It makes it pretty simple to get all the information from your CarChip and plot it out in charts and graphs. All you do is connect the CarChip E/X to your USB port, start the program, click on download, tell it which car you are downloading from (i.e. name the log file; separate downloaded info so you can track different cars), then wait for it to finish. Then you have several different views to look at the downloaded info.

If there are any error codes stored in your car, they will show up in the log file. Error codes can be googled. There are tons of sites where they explain what the code means. The current version of the software doesn't appear to have an export to excel function, but you can do a cut and paste of the data tables and paste it into excel if you want to manipulate the data further.

You can monitor trends in your engine and hopefully be able to anticipate system failures before they occur. I can't tell you how much I enjoy looking over the data dumps (charts, graphs) from this thing and chide my wife about how many hard stops or accelerations she's made. Of course you can use this to monitor your kids driving habits. Because it records when it was installed and removed, they can't remove the device to hide their driving.

This is really one cool tool that I will always have in my arsenal. It's saved me and many friends several unnecessary trips to the dealer. And when I do have to go to the dealer for service, I'm more informed about what the problem is, and what work is probably going to be needed. Harder to get fleeced.

-- Paul Lin

Reader Neil Enns has this great suggestion: "The CarChip E/X is definitely a cool tool, but there is a similar option that costs $0. All Shucks/Checkers stores (as well as most Autozones and probably every other car store chain of similar type) will read the fault codes out of your car for free. You just pull up and ask them to come out with their code reader and they'll do it. I've done this many times with my two cars and it's saved me the ridiculous $75 charge every time." That's great for sussing out error codes; if you want the black box driving data, you'll need the chip. -- KK

CarChip E/X
$160
Available from, among others,
Shop at Midway
or from Amazon

Manufactured by
Davis

In the past five years, a number of companies have started up that offer kits to convert your diesel vehicle to run off of vegetable oil. The main players in the U.S. are Greasecar, Greasel, Neoteric, and Frybrid. Of these companies, Frybrid is the most innovative and quality minded of the lot. Frybrid was the first to introduce a really efficient heat exchanger and a microprocessor controller that will automatically switch to vegetable oil when the system is hot enough and which will not let you forget to switch back to diesel. The components of the Frybrid system were designed to handle the most challenging conditions, so that they could be installed in a Mercedes or a Mack truck. When we converted a school bus (for our traveling circus!) to biodiesel our original Greasecar system had to be largely replaced by a Frybrid one. The Frybrid system was more expensive than the competitors, and seems overbuilt, but it is much better.

-- Forest Gregg

[A clarification: This conversion kit is made for using unprocessed straight vegetable oil (SVO; straight as in straight from the kitchen) which requires a separate tank. Most biodiesel is slightly processed vegetable oil, which does not require this kit. You just pump and drive. More on Biodiesel from this Primer] -- KK

Frybrid Kit
With 15 gallon tank
$1600
Available from
Frybrid

Two years ago I caught someone trying to steal my car. They were doing it in a way that would not set off my alarm. That prompted me to do a bunch of research about the current state of the art of auto security. Much to my chagrin, most of the items on the market right now are easily defeated by car thieves. There was only one product that everyone said worked. Called a Ravelco device, it consists of a multi-pronged plug and socket that disables multiple electrical systems in your car. They claim that in 29 years and in an installed base of 3 million cars, not one of those cars has ever been stolen.

So I got it. They sent a technician to my house to do the install and he did an excellent job. The solution is simple and elegant. It is not an alarm but a device that makes your car undriveable. It uses a coded dongle and the installer will pick multiple systems (electrical, fuel) that are disabled when the dongle is removed so even if the starter is hotwired, the car cannot run without the dongle. The installer will also go to great pains to disguise where wiring has been spliced. My experience with other mass-installed alarm systems is that they use bright red wire for power and always put the controller and the siren in the same spot.

I have used the Ravelco for several years now. It is completely foolproof and couldn't be simpler to operate. When you pull the dongle, the car stops and cannot be restarted, period. No false alarms, no waking the neighbors. I feel confident parking my car almost anywhere. They give you two dongles up front and you get a code to order new ones from the company if you should lose one. That being said, we have had some exciting moments when my wife temporarily misplaced her dongle once.

Then two weeks ago I accidentally left my car door open overnight. When I opened the car door to go to work I realized my mistake. Someone had been in my car and had opened my fuse box to look for the alarm shutoff. They had also opened my hood to start the car. The Ravelco had completely foiled them. I love it!

-- Kurt Wendelken

Ravelco Auto Anti-Theft Device
About $400
Available from
Ravelco

If you mess around in boats (and you should), a life jacket is a very good thing to have, or even better, to WEAR. Over the last few years there has been a revolution in life jacket comfort as a variety of automatically inflatable life jackets have come on the scene. Inflatable PFDs (Personal Flotation Devices) overcome the two primary reasons people don't wear a life jacket: the bulk and heat a life jacket captures. I recommend a full collar auto-inflatable type since it will bring you to the surface if you go into the water unconscious (for example if you knock your head).

I hardly notice mine (a Mustang Survival Classic) when I have it on. Whether you kayak, jet ski, or boat, there really isn't an excuse not to wear one. In addition to the Mustang Survival line, another source for inflatable life jackets is Sterns, which produces the Sospenders line. Both manufacturers are approved by the US Coast Guard.

One important note: Wear your inflatable life jacket OVER your outwear. You don't want to be sharing the inside of your zipped up jacket with one of these when you go in the water. Something will break and it is likely to be you.

-- Daren Lewis

Mustang Survival
Automatic Classic
Model 3031
$160
Available from Landfall Navigation

Manufactured by
Mustang Survival

Also, Sospenders made by Sterns

CarMax is a great source for when you are in the market for a certified, warranted, used vehicle. I don't know of any other dealership where you can test drive a used car, in excellent condition, and not have to go through a hard sell sales pitch, or a torturous bargaining phase when you decide to purchase it. The no-bargain price is right on the vehicles, and is often quite a bargain (with notable exceptions, so you have to do your independent price-point research ahead of time). The salespeople have no incentive to make a hard sell because of the way their commissions are set, and the fixed prices (so don't bother bargaining). Additionally, if you decide within five days of your purchase that it was not the right car for you, you can return it for a full refund, regardless of how much you drove it (and yes, I have actually tested this out) with no reason needed beyond simply that you didn't like the car. They also make a similar no-bargaining, no-low-balling offer for your trade-in, and let you know with 30-45 minutes exactly what they are willing to pay you for your car. And, as it should be, the two transactions don't have to be tied to each other. They also have a decent website that lets you find the car you want nearby, or sign up to be notified via e-mail if a car matching your criteria shows up in their lots. Their Service Centers also seem to be squeaky clean and very impressive. They seem to be the elusive Car Dealership with a Conscience. My advice to anyone looking to buy or sell a used car, it behooves you to at least see what CarMax has to offer before making your final decision.

-- Surkhab Niazi

CarMax
(locations in about half of the US states)

Getting quotes from Get Used Parts is nice and all but for the more hands-on "just give me the info" approach, Car-Part.com is a better fit. It actually gives you a list of all the places that have your part, their prices, condition etc with contact information for the seller and you can filter the results by area or state. A lot of parts are too big/heavy to ship or cost prohibitive so it helps to find nearby sellers. They even have a handy tool to help you figure out what a part is called if you don't know.

The prices quoted online have been accurate and the parts are almost always available when you contact the seller. Most places have 800 numbers so its no big deal to call a few if need be or to find the best shipping prices. My dad has found several items to repair our family's cars and has been happy with them. Of course the shipping costs, accuracy of item descriptions, etc will vary depending on the seller, but we haven't had any issues to date.

-- Isaac Good

Car-Part

After recently being involved in a minor fender-bender that resulted in a cracked tail light on my Subaru, I found that replacement parts would cost about $300 brand-new. A thorough web search confirmed that no lower prices could be found for new parts. Then I thought of trying to find the parts from a junkyard, but soon realized that would involve calling all of the junkyards in my area and then traveling to get the part, if one could be found. So I did what any person would do in this day and age and searched Google for used or salvaged auto parts and found this website. Once I entered in the year, make, model of my car and the exact part I needed, I received a phone call a half our later from a junkyard in Alabama that had exactly what I needed. They sent me the part for $95, including shipping.

There are several other sites that do essentially the same thing, i.e. use a standardized format to send a parts request to multiple junkyards and salvage lots around the country. I use this one because it has the nicest interface and I received the best and fastest quote on the parts I needed. One thing I noticed in using these sites is that they all used the same software for selecting the year, make, model of the car and parts needed. Some entrepreneurial software company must have identified this niche and they now monopolize the market for this specialized type of software.

-- Jason Spitzer

Get Used Parts

This great book is unfortunately expensive and difficult to find. However it is the most stunning collection of vehicle expedition lore anyone is likely to encounter. It lists everything from how many Land Rover Defender 90's you can fit in a cargo container, to what socks to wear while driving in the desert. It is extremely detailed, does not shy away from product names, and is rife with real-world life-saving data. It includes tons of information on planning, visas, customs, shipping, survival, vehicle set up, driving tips, GPS and traditional navigation etc. On top of all that the writing style is matter of fact, the book is very well organized, and the photos and examples are inspiring. The most surprising fact that I learned from this book was how much weight matters, just like backpacking and mountaineering, it is the single most important thing to minimize in vehicle expeditions. Weight adversely affects handling, fuel efficiency, acceleration, braking, and your ability to traverse sand, mud, or steep grades. The $150 spent on this book will save anyone thousands on any offroad trip or expedition they are undertaking.

-- Alexander Rose

Vehicle-Dependent Expedition Guide (2nd edition)
$200+
Available used from Amazon
Amazon

Previously available for $130 from Earth Roamer

Also previously available for significantly less from its UK publisher
�35.00 for delivery within UK. �40 for delivery within Europe. �60 rest of the world
Royal Geographical Society

Yes, this little thing really will fix your flat. Even huge pick-up and SUV tires. No need to jack up. Just press the nozzle -- whizzzz -- and it repairs and re-inflates your tire. You definitely should carry one in your car or truck. At $5 it is cheaper than getting your tire repaired at a shop.

But that's not the best thing it offers. This amazing can of stuff will also PREVENT flats and slow leaks. Fix-A-Flat inserts a complex liquid into your tire. Leaking air instantly polymerizes it to plug up any hole. This magic material is similar to the stuff which keeps bicycle tires intact -- see the amazing video in this review. Although I have not used the industrial version of this invention, farmers and the army use a similar compound to keep their gigantic tires going.

This consumer version works great as a flat cure. I need to pump up my treated tires far less often, even the tires with chronic leaks in them, and have had no flats on well-worn tires.

For non-emergency prevention you can buy the sealant in a non-aerosol squeeze bottle, but I found this hard to find in stores. They make a bicycle version which I have not tried yet...*

-- KK

In my medical scooter's on board tool kit I keep a bottle of the Fix-A-Flat for bikes. I like to be prepared for the inevitable, and on the way home from shopping, I used the Fix-A-Flat because I can't call a tow truck or AAA if I get a flat. I pulled into a store to get out of the snow, rummaged around in my kit, and found the stuff. I attached it according to the directions and voila -- I had a working tire. I rode on that tire another few weeks before my new tire came in (my scooter was an older model so they had to order the tire). I've kept the fixed flat as a spare and it's still holding air! Fix-A-Flat in any size is a bargain.

-- Sue Johnson

Fix-A-Flat
$7 /16 oz.
Available from most hardware stores and
Amazon

Fix-A-Flat Tire Sealant and Preventative
$14 / 20 oz.
Available from
Amazon

Fix-A-Flat for Bikes
$17 / 3 oz.
Previously available from Amazon

NOTE: According to Fix-A-Flat, the bike version has been discontinued. If anyone has any suggestions for a comparable solution, please let us know.

Shown here is bullet proofing for jeeps; the liquid rubber inside a tire will instantly heal a bullet hole. It hardly notices nail and screw pokes.
Available from
Gempler's

I have been keeping my eye out for a way in which to mount my cell phone in my car, where it would be both easy to see and to reach. Most of the options required drilling into the interior, gluing something to the dashboard, and/or great expense for both purchase and installation. None of these options suited me. I stumbled across a review of the ProClip Mounting System for the iPod. When I went to the ProClip web site, I happily discovered that the system was available for almost any car/portable device combination. Relatively inexpensive and super easy to install. I have since installed a mount for my cell phone and a mount for my iPod and I could not be happier with the setup. Some vehicles are better suited for the system than others, but overall it is a great product at a great price.

-- David Cullinan

The device is in two parts. The mount for the holder is vehicle-specific. You then clip a device-specific holder to the mount.

Mount + Clip
Around $50
Available from ProClip

Maybe Costco has cheaper tires (I'd have to be convinced) but I suggest you check out Tire Rack online for real bargains on tires. What Costco can't deliver is the peace of mind that you have actually bought the optimal tires for your car, ones where you have made the correct trade offs regarding handling, ride, quietness, and tread life. And when it comes to your car, these can literally be life and death decisions.

You can't get this information by looking at a tire. You have to find reviews. So who is actually testing tires for your car? Well, it seems like Tire Rack is; their reviews are both quantitative and qualitative, based on user response. Plus they also do their own direct comparison tests, with different tires put on the same car driven over similar conditions to try to achieve objective, repeatable results. And their inventory isn't just the mainstream, largest selling tires, but many more specialized, performance-oriented, or just plain excellent but less popular tires.

How, you may ask, do you buy tires online -- like who mounts them? They have local tire retailers they work with who will mount your tires for a fixed fee you know ahead of time. Tire Rack ships direct to the retailer; you bring your car and they mount the tires as if you bought them there. Even with shipping and mounting, the cost of Tire Rack tires is competitive with local prices, even discounters.

I've bought tires for both our cars now through them. Using their surveys and tests, I ended up deciding on Pirelli PZero Neros, which are definitely not available at Costco, at prices which I believe were completely competitive with more readily available Michelin or Bridgestone brands. The process was entirely painless, from online ordering to final mounting. And the tires have been nothing short of a revelation, changing the handling, ride, and quietness of our cars significantly for the better.

-- Louis Rossetto

Tire Rack

If you ever drive your car during rain and you haven't discovered Rain-X, you are probably driving far less safely than you could. Rain-X is an exterior window (windshield, mirror, rear-window) treatment that causes water to shed from the surface rather than sheet. I don't know the composition of the product, but it behaves like a silicone wax for glass. Water beads up and drips off.

Sheeting water on a glass surface, like a windshield, causes significant distortion in the light/images passing through the glass because it isn't perfectly smooth. Rain-X causes the water to bead up so that spaces between the beads give you clear vision of what's ahead. While this is clearly evident during rainstorms, it is UNBELIEVEABLY DIFFERENT during rainstorms at night. You can actually SEE!

During most rain, you can leave your wipers on intermittent when others are swiping furiously - and you will be able to see far better than they can even with the frenetic wiper activity. Better sight is better safety!

If you want a clear demonstration, put a bit of Rain-X on a 10" square patch on your windshield just below the rear-view mirror (on the outside of the glass). The next time it rains, you won't believe how well you can see out of this patch and how poorly your wipers are clearing the rest of the windshield.

I am very skeptical of "patent medicines" so when I try something that actually works I am very pleasantly surprised. This product has astonished me. I have been using it for many years and wouldn't think of sending my kids out in a car without Rain-X.

(I think they are missing a bet by not offering their Rain-X "towelettes" as free samples over the Internet. They don't even accept email on their site. Ah well, at least the product is great.)

-- Durwin Sharp

Rain-X
$3.00 for 3.5 oz.
Available from, among other places,
Amazon

Manufactured by
Rain-X

Applying Rain-X by hand is for people with entirely too much free time:) Take a gander at the windshield wiper fluid with rainx already added. I have been using this for at least three years now and I give gallons of it for xmas. it is a wonderful invention.

-- Douglas F. Calvert

Available from automotive stores
Manufactured by
Rain-X

In these days of fancy $20,000 high-tech motorcycles, there is a refreshing alternative for those seeking simplicity and time-tested reliability: the Kawasaki KLR 650. Kawasaki started making this dual sport bike in 1984 and in twenty years has made only minor modifications, other than changing color schemes every four years or so.

There are no computer chips to melt down. Just one carburetor and one piston to maintain. The components are as accessible as on a old tractor. The US military recently converted the KLR to diesel, fulfilling their goal of having all their vehicles consume one fuel.

What sold me on this bike is the community support. Over 3,000 feisty members on a Yahoo group can provide you with anything you want to know (and sometimes more than you want to know). Local groups around the planet get together for rides and maintenance sessions. A long list of web sites show you in full detail any repair or modification you can think of. A former Midwestern corn farmer will overnight parts from his shed in Moab, Utah to anywhere you might be waiting.

Many call this one of the best 'value bikes' you can find. It is certainly one of the top adventure motorcycles, with a huge variety of aftermarket options catering to the countless people who have traveled to every corner of the planet on the KLR.

One advantage for a vehicle that's been around for twenty years is that you can find old ones dirt cheap and easily resuscitate them. New ones are a bit over $4,000.

Maybe you can find a cheaper bike out there, but with the KLR you've got a bullet proof bike you can fix yourself with a network of support. You can comfortably take it back country in rough terrain, use it around town as reliable transportation or head out on a global adventure.

-- Jonathan Foust

Kawasaki KLR 650
$1,000 and up, used
$4,000 new
Manufactured by Kawasaki

KLR 650 Forum

KLR Yahoo discussion group

The famed KLR FAQ

A popular site offering detailed instructions for a variety of repairs and modifications

Heavy-duty devices to mount anything in or on any vehicle -- car, truck, tank, motorcycle, airplane or boat. What you get while in motion: computers in cars, GPS units on motorcycles, fishing rods on boats, TVs in trucks. You name it, they got a ball and socket expanding-arm rack to mount it. Assemble your own from a modular part system. Says reader Les Hall, who recommends these especially for motorbike or cycle handlebars, "They are easy to adjust and when tightened are rock solid."

-- KK

RAM Mounts, modular parts
$10 and up

It seems like every gas can I've ever owned spills gas. Ordinarily using one involves unscrewing and assembling a spout and unscrewing another vent hole, which invariably results in gasoline covered hands. Then if you're not careful, you overflow the tank on the mower, spilling gasoline onto the engine, or the ground.

The Smart Fill fuel can is exactly what I always thought should exist. It's self-venting. It has an automatic shutoff. And it even has a hand-hold on the opposite side from the spout.

I've been using it for a few months now, and other than the initial transfer of gas from my old can to the new one, I haven't spilled a drop on myself, the mower, or the ground. (It won't work for your car though...)

-- Edson Freeman

Smart Fill Fuel Can
$17
Briggs and Stratton

The coolest tool I own is my Toyota Prius gas-electric hybrid car. In fact I just traded in my 2002 Toyota Prius for a new 2004 model. Some people buy these cars for the gas mileage (up to 50 mpg, depending on how and where you drive). Some buy them because they emit only 10% of the pollution of regular cars (rated as ULEV: ultra-low emissions vehicle in California). But honestly, I bought mine because I love gadgets, and the Prius is stuffed with cool gear.

The Prius has several onboard computers that regulate how the gasoline engine and electric motor work together and separately. When stopped, the car's gasoline engine shuts down completely, leaving you in silence. When the light turns green, off you go silently until you pick up enough speed for the gasoline engine to cut in. With the right touch on the gas pedal, you can send the car into electric-only mode while driving and instantly view your MPG on the car's centrally located "multi-display" screen.

The display screen also shows information about the climate and audio systems and, with the package that includes GPS navigation, shows a map of your location and where you're going. The car can also talk to you, noting how far it is to the next turn on your route and reminding you with a "ding" when you're there. The 2004 model comes with voice-activated controls for the navigation, climate controls, and audio.

The new Prius is also compatible with some Bluetooth phones, so that you can use the voice activation system to dial your cell phone without touching it, and use the car's speakers and microphone for hands-free conversation. And the 2004 version comes with optional Smart Entry/Start system. Simply by carrying the car key in my pocket or purse, I can walk up to any car door and it unlocks when the key is near. Once inside, to start the car just press the large "Power" button on the dash, move the joystick to Drive (it's all electronic drive-by-wire), and off you go. No keys need to be inserted.

A lot of this cool technology has been available in high end cars, but the Prius offers this magic at a bargain price. The most basic model is $20,510, a price that hasn't changed since the 2000 models were introduced. My newest model is loaded. It's Package #9, sometimes called "BC." Total cost before taxes, doc fee, etc. was $25,939.

The problem is, you may not be able to get one of any variety any time soon. I ordered mine in October 2003 and it arrived in February 2004. Orders taken now will likely be filled with the 2005 model.

-- Barbara Young

Toyota Prius

The best way to get a car in Europe if you're not an EU resident, and if you need it for more than a couple of weeks, is to use the French auto industries tax-dodge "buy-sellback" scheme that supplies you with a brand spanking new car with zero kilometers for a minimum of 17 days and a maximum of 6 months. The theory is that since you are a non-European resident who will be buying a car for export, you shouldn't have to pay VAT, which is now above 20 percent on cars. Again, in theory, you have six months to export your car; if you don't, you have to pay the VAT. On the other hand, you could sell it back to the car company that sold it to you and accomplish the same thing as if it was exported, namely avoid VAT.

I've found that prices are often considerably less than those available from the international rental companies. The manufacturers make out because they get to book a sale, have a short depreciation on the cars, and then dispose of them on the used market at good prices since used cars are on a different VAT schedule. Since rental car companies have to pay full VAT on new cars, your car should cost you at least 20 percent less than if you got it from Hertz. In reality, it's more, because you aren't paying for the rental company overhead of offices, sales organizations, airline mileage tie-ins, maintenance schedules (the cars are brand new), advertising etc.

The French are the ones who run this scam, so you can't get a BMW or Mercedes or Jaguar. But you still get a new car, from the most economic to the most luxurious. Peugeot is on the verge of becoming the biggest car company in Europe, and Renault makes some of the funkiest, most critically acclaimed cars around, so the French must be doing something right -- you won't be disappointed in the quality of the cars.

You order precisely the model you want from here at least three weeks ahead of time (and sooner is better since certain models sell out, or it takes time to deliver the car to the country and location where you want to pick it up). You specify where you want to pick it up and drop it off (although you can change drop off date and location easily) -- most major European airports are covered, as well as some train stations. If the location is outside France, there's a pick up/drop off charge of about $75 bucks. After you order your car, you will be mailed or faxed paperwork, some of which looks pretty weird (you promise to sell the car back and return to your job); you sign it and send it back.

All you pay upfront is the full amount for the rental term you decide. If you want to keep the car longer, you simply contact them, tell them how long you want to extend, and pay the difference. You can keep doing this up to six months. To you it looks like a simple rental, not a sale -- in fact, it is much simpler than a car rental because there are no options, aside from where it's delivered. (You can even order two cars at the same time, if you are so inclined.)

When you arrive to pick up the car, you go to their counter and you are given the car papers, or you take a cab to a nearby offsite office, and are escorted out to your vehicle. Like any new car, it has just enough gas to get to a gas station. You sign for your car. You go.

Wherever you pick up the car, it has red, French "TT" plates -- the color indicates that the car is for "export." It comes with zero deductible insurance (better than you can get with a rental company). If you need service (but you won't since it's a brand new car), you get @$/7 roadside assistance, or you can take it to a Peugeot or Renault dealer, and they are all over Europe, even in small towns where there is no rental company office. The cars come with AC and a CD player, as well as the other amenities you'd expect from a well-spec'ed, upper-end model. You can order most with auto as well.

At the end of your lease, you have to call a day or two ahead of your drop-off to make sure that someone will meet you to receive the car. They take a look at it, you give them the keys, it's over.

Here are the URLs with complete details on the programs and the cars available:
Renault
Peugeot

The two sites for Peugeot have different pricing, maybe different cars. Auto-France appears to be the official Peugeot site, the other one is a large travel retailer who can sometimes have lower rates. Both deliver official Peugeot agreements.

One of the delivery agents suggested that you can even request the color of your car. Added bonus: minimum age is 18, no limitations on going to former East Block countries.

-- Louis Rossetto

Because I've worked for years at the edges of computer research, and have grown accustomed to flakey and fragile gadgets that only work intermittently, then crash, I have for my private life adopted a farmer's' frugal aesthetic when selecting durable tools. I favor poet Gary Synder's measure of dependability*:

I lie in the dusty and broken brush
Under the pickup
Already thought to be old -
Admiring its solidness, square lines
Thinking a truck like this
Would please Chairman Mao

My own people's pickup is a 1996 4-cylinder Toyota Tacoma 4x4 with 110,00 miles. Toyota pickups were widely visible during CNN coverage of the middle east as the vehicle of choice in the rugged mountains of Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Indeed you find these almost anywhere in the world where reliability is difficult but critical. My mechanic for years, an expatriate Iranian, says that every mechanic he knows admires, and many own, the Toyota 4 cylinder trucks for their durability and reliability.

I use mine to haul feed for the animals, to clear brush from the pastures, to haul firewood, to traverse the high country through deep snow, and for regular commuting over mountain roads and congested freeways. Despite only 4 cylinders, power is ample for any use on or off-road. A used Toyota like mine would sell for $6,000. But I'm pleased to see that prices for a new one are about the same as I paid in '96: dealers sticker is under $18,000, retail around $19,000. The basic four cylinder engine is unchanged throughout the years. It's a classic, like the old GMC/Chevy straight six, and the Dodge slant six; only the running gear and comforts are improved.

It is a truck, I bet, that would have pleased Chairman Mao.

-- Mike Liebhold

Toyota Tacoma 4-cylinder 4x4
New $18,000
Used $5,000 on up
ebay

*'Working on the '58 Willys Pickup' from Axe Handles, North Point Press, 1983

My Jeep is camouflaged to look like a commercial fleet vehicle. I made up a fake company name, appropriated a 1950s-era logo that once belonged to a nuclear energy mutual fund, painted safety stripes on the back, and plastered a fake vehicle number all over the place. I also added flashing yellow lights in the rear window, and a police-style spotlight and rubberized push bumper to the front. VERY FUN accessories ... and useful too (when used with discretion). The spotlight is incredibly versatile -- you can point/rotate it while sitting in the driver's seat -- and it's come in handy countless times for roadside emergencies, setting up campsites, or finding house numbers on dark streets.

This urban camouflage guise is very useful for parking in yellow zones, urban/industrial exploration, and crime deterrence. And the thing is... it really works!

The spotlight, bumper, and rear flashers came from my *all-time favorite* mail order catalog: Galls, "The Authority in Public Safety Equipment and Apparel."

It's a gold mine, full of handy things that you didn't think you were allowed to buy.

-- Todd Lapin

Galls catalog

The Unity spotlight

Vehicle warning lights & flashers

Unruly crowds? Need riot gear?