Your Gift Giving Decisions Just Got Easier!

Why deal with the commotion of Black Friday crowds at the mall? Do you know someone who needs to replace his or her squeaky brakes? Someone working on a restoration project who needs weather stripping? Or more simple things that anyone can replace like air filters or wiper blades? A gift certificate from RockAuto makes an ideal gift.

Purchase gift certificates and have them sent directly to you or the recipient. Click here to purchase a RockAuto Gift Certificate today!

Discover Double Cashback Bonus

Attention Discover More, Open Road and Motiva Cardmembers. Yes, purchases from RockAuto.com qualify for the DOUBLE Cashback Bonus for holiday purchases from November 15 through December 31. Miles by Discover Cardmembers can earn Double Miles.

Be sure to read Discover's rules for full details.

Forum of the Month

B15Sentra.net is a great hang-out for owners of all things Nissan Sentra. Our B15 Nissan Sentra Forums include some the most extensive discussions about the Nissan Sentra. We host forums about a range of topics including General Discussion, Technical, Audio Modifications, Performance Modifications, and Cosmetic Modifications.

If you are not already a member join today!

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 jessa@rockauto.com.

Repair Mistakes & Blunders

A number of years ago I owned a Chevy Suburban that needed the rubber body mounts changed. I placed the vehicle in my driveway, which is somewhat steep, and put the transmission in park but did not apply the parking brake. I then started to replace the mounts one at a time by removing the mount bolt and raising the body with a floor jack just enough to remove the old mount and install a new one. Starting at the left front of the vehicle, I got to the mount right under the main body itself. I raised the body several inches, but needed just a little more clearance. When the jack was pumped that "one more time" it was just enough to pull the shift linkage out of Park and allow the vehicle to roll backward down the driveway, over the jack and into the street.

Luckily there were no cars coming. However my son's car was parked directly across the street right behind my truck. After making a mad dash to get the door open, jump in and hit the brake, I was able to stop within inches of his car. Breathing a big sigh of relief I started my truck to pull back up the driveway. However, I forgot again that the transmission linkage had moved, and that when I placed it in Drive, it was actually in Reverse. So when I stepped on the gas I shot backward. I just barely stopped without hitting my sons car on my second attempt. What a day!

Darrell in California

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 awhile!). Please email your story to flamur@rockauto.com. Include your mailing address and shirt size (large or extra large) and we will mail you a RockAuto "Do it yourself?" t-shirt if we publish your story (see the t-shirts under Extras 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

Question: Where is the hood lock release located on the Ford Transit Connect van?

A. There is a keyhole hidden behind the Ford logo in the grille.
B. There is an electric release button mounted on the steering column below the turn signal switch.
C. There is no hood lock. A mechanical hood release arm is accessed through an opening in the bumper cover.

Answer below

If I Had To Bet...

I recently attended the annual new car show in Seattle. I saw the Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt, and Smart electric cars. I could not peak under the hoods or even sit in them, but I could see their brake pads clearly! I think they were real, ready-to-drive cars. I climbed behind the wheel of an awesome Ford Raptor pick-up truck capable of driving 100 mph off road. I test drove a high-tech Toyota Camry Hybrid. I drooled over a Dodge Challenger SRT, a Ford Mustang GT with an enormous 5.0 reincarnated on its side, and a Chevy Camaro SS. I marveled at the compact (easy to work on?) 1.4L turbo engine in the new Chevrolet Cruze. I saw the beautiful new four door Porsche Panamera. It costs a little less than the average house in Boise, Idaho!

There may not have been such a diverse set of automobiles exhibited at new car shows since around 1912 when everything from electric to steam powered cars were on display. Now is an exciting, risky time to be in the new car business.

Will electric cars thrive this time around? Nissan and GM certainly hope so. Will Baby Boomers go for 1960s retro muscle cars or luxurious small cars? Is there going to be a niche vehicle to satisfy every buyer? Are there enough people willing to pay over $30,000 for low volume, niche vehicles? Is the Holy Grail, a world car that can sell everywhere, really attainable? Almost all the cars at the show seemed to have big question marks hanging over them. There were signs that bets were being made and bets were being hedged. Parked next to the big 6.2L powered Ford Raptor were a couple of compact 2.0L Ford Transit Connect vans.

It was nice to come home to my serene fleet of old cars standing ready to drive me wherever I need to go. Let the new car industry sort itself out. I do not have to rush to be part of any $30,000 gambles. If I had to bet, I would bet on a technology that was almost non-existent at the Seattle show: compressed natural gas (CNG). It is abundant, costs less than $2 per equivalent gallon of gasoline, and releases 90% less carbon monoxide and 25% less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The Honda Civic is the only mass-produced CNG passenger vehicle available in North America at the moment, but I expect other car manufacturers will do the relatively easy CNG fuel system conversion soon. Maybe next year I will clean out the corner of the garage where the natural gas pipe comes in from the street, just in case...

Tom Taylor,
RockAuto.com

Dear RockAuto,

In the 1990s I ran an automotive parts remanufacturing operation in Southern California. We delivered parts throughout the LA basin in heavy traffic. At the time I decided to try using a Ford Festiva as a delivery vehicle. With all the seats removed, except the drivers, it was a fairly large box that I could fit quite a number of Drive Axles and Rack & Pinions into. I knew that the Festiva would get great gas mileage, but I was apprehensive about the endurance capabilities. To my surprise, the Festiva never broke down! We had to replace the rear wheel bearings which we ruined because of the weight hauled around in them and the brakes, but other than that, they had unbelievable endurance. I ended up having five of them over the next few years and they all put in over 250,000 miles of service.

Today, I commute over 140 miles a day round trip to my job in Orange County California. I have been putting too many miles on my Mitsubishi EVO 9 and have been looking for a clean Festiva for work duty. I finally found a 1988 Festiva with 83,000 original miles on it that had been cared for by a physics professor for the last 21 years. While it looked like new, and the engine ran fine, the suspension needed a little help. RockAuto delivered front and rear KYB struts to my door at a savings I could not believe! Your price for the struts was almost $100 less than other companies wanted for lower quality brands.

Scott in California

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. Please email flamur@rockauto.com with details.

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