It’s that time of year again – colder temperatures are coming. During the winter time, most truck owners notice a 5-10% drop in fuel economy. Since truck fuel economy is already pretty low, going from 16 MPG to a little better than 14 MPG means an extra $25 to $50 in extra gas every month…and most truck owners notice that right away.

Why your truck gets bad mileage in the winter and what you can do about it.

It’s frustrating, but it’s something most truck owners have learned to live with. However – there are some things you can do about lower gas mileage in cold weather. First, though, we have to know why it happens.

The most common explanation you’ll hear for the drop in gas mileage is that it’s caused by a “winter blend” of gasoline. While there is a slightly different formula of gasoline sold during the colder months, that’s not the problem. The answer is the cold itself.

Within 30 seconds of starting your truck, the engine computer begins checking the temperature of the air entering the engine. This measurement is important because it determines if extra fuel is needed to prevent a lean condition. [For those that don't know, "lean" refers to a situation when there isn't enough fuel being used in the combustion process. Without getting too technical, a "lean" condition is bad because it can cause engine damage.]

The intake air temperature has a direct impact on whether or not an engine will run lean. If the air is very cold, it doesn’t mix properly with gasoline (gasoline atomizes poorly in cold air). Therefore, if your truck’s computer detects cold air, it injects too much fuel (called a “rich” condition) to prevent any possibility of your engine running lean.

Once the engine has reached full operating temperature, the air in the intake is significantly warmed by the heat radiating from the engine compartment. At this point, the engine computer returns to normal and stops using extra fuel. So, the sooner you can warm-up your engine, the better your fuel economy will be in the winter time.

Shelly says cold engines burn extra fuel.

Here’s what you can do to get your cold weather fuel economy back to normal:

1. The easiest solution is to park your vehicle in a heated garage. If you can prevent your engine from getting really cold, you will decrease the amount of time it takes the engine to get nice and hot.

2. Use a block heater, especially in colder climates. Block heaters aren’t technically necessary in most climates in the continental United States, but anyone who has used one will tell you they cut engine warm-up time substantially.

3. Don’t sit and warm-up – start driving right away. When it’s really cold outside, a lot of vehicle owners let their engines run for a few minutes before taking off. However, this “warm-up” really hurts your gas mileage. It’s also bad for the environment, and contrary to popular belief it’s not “good” for your vehicle either.

Bottom Line: Even if you can’t park inside or use a block heater, eliminating extended “warm-up” idling will make a BIG difference in your gasoline bill.

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Do you enjoy tweaking your truck to squeeze out every little bit of power? Who doesn’t. When Henry Ford built the first Model T with a pickup bed in 1925, somewhere someone was trying to figure out a way to make it a little faster.

Of course for truck owners, it’s not really about speed…it’s about power. Power to tow, haul, pass on the freeway, head up to the mountains, or show that snob in the Range Rover who thinks his wittle SUV is fast who really has the big motor.

Cheap truck performance tips - 5 ways to go faster for less than $50

The most common truck performance accessories are air intakes and exhaust systems. However, if you’re short on cash, or if you don’t feel like spending half your truck payment (or more) on an aFe air intake, here are some ideas for making your truck more powerful without spending more than $50.

1. Clear out all the crap. Do you roll down the road with a bunch of “stuff” in your pickup? Hauling around that old roll of carpet, that box of clothes you’re supposed to drop off at Goodwill, or that extra 50 pounds worth of “who knows” that just seems to accumulate is wasting power (and fuel). Get rid of just a few pounds of extra weight, and your truck is faster (and your fuel economy might be better too). Cost: Free

2. Check your tire pressure. Here’s another fuel economy tip that also has a performance advantage. Low tire pressure isn’t hurting you “off the line”, but on the highway under-inflated tires can add significant resistance. Properly inflated tires improve high-speed passing performance, reduce tire wear, and improve gas mileage…it’s a win-win-win. Cost: Free

We tested a K&N air filter and noted a significant fuel economy improvement

3. Replace your air filter. A dirty air filter is a power killer. Depending on your local climate, where you drive, etc., your air filter can get dirty…quick. After as little as 20k miles, your air filter could be clogged. You can replace your filter with another plain old paper air filter for $20-$30, but your best bet is to go with a K&N truck air filter. They add power AND they boost fuel economy. Cost: About $50

4. Clean your fuel injectors. Fuel injectors can become clogged with gunk over time, hurting performance. A bottle of fuel injector cleaner isn’t going to add a second to your next quarter mile time, but it will help make sure your injectors are running as clean as possible. A 6-pack of NOS fuel system cleaner is plenty for the whole family – one bottle should last at least 20k miles. Cost: Six bottles for about $35 with free shipping.

5. Change the oil. When it comes to cheap performance, fresh oil is king – especially if your motor is older. Brand new oil lubricates best, and after a few hundred miles of use (especially during stop-start city driving), regular oil loses some of it’s premier lubricating abilities. Unless you’re running pure synthetic oil, changing the oil earlier than necessary will give you a little performance boost. Cost: The price of an oil change

That’s the big list – anything we’re missing?

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Last week a Toyota dealership dropped a link on Twitter with the warning “Did you know you have to change your oil twice as often if you’re running E85?” (or something like that ).

The link went to a page that advocated a 2,500 mile oil change frequency for truck owners using E85. Of course, there was no explanation as to why E85 users needed to change their oil twice as often, just that they should. THAT, ladies and gentleman, is why dealership service departments get a bad wrap. Instead of explaining why 2,500 might be a prudent choice (and it might), they make a blanket statement. I say p-shaw. This recommendation is, at best, paranoid.

First, here’s why this recommendation was made. We all know that E85, when compared to “normal” gasoline (which is about 10% ethanol), is fairly acidic. This acid has the ability to neutralize some of the lubricating ability of normal engine oil, but only mildly so. In fact, I would guess that regular old motor oil would breakdown more from heating and cooling over the course of 5,000 miles than it ever would from the acid inherent in E85. Normal E85 isn’t much of a threat to engine oil – the issue occurs when normal E85 becomes contaminated with water.

The combustion process of water-contaminated E85 will lead to the formation of a strong acid (formic acid, to be exact). This acid, left unchecked, has the ability to cripple an engine because it can 1) dramatically reduce the lubricating ability of normal motor oil and 2) eat away at the high-tolerance metal engine components. E85 with water contamination, in a normal engine, is dangerous stuff. Changing the oil frequently is a good insurance policy for a normal engine running E85, and this is probably the basis of this recommendation.

HOWEVER, if you’re running E85, you’re probably not driving a normal engine! Vehicles that are factory capable of running E85 have specially coated pistons and valves that are less susceptible to acid wear. Unless you’ve installed an E85 conversion kit on a “normal” gas motor, you’ve got some built-in protection. Moreover, if you’re driving your factory flex-fuel vehicle with E85 and you’re using the factory recommended E85 oil blend, your oil has an extra dose of detergents that designed to neutralize any acid that might form.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, water contamination in E85 is pretty darn rare. Keep in mind that water contamination levels of 1% or less do not cause a significant problem, and anything above 1% is readily preventable. Between tank storage regulations and testing equipment and frequent fuel testing (check out the state of Minnesota’s E85 water contamination procedures for an example), finding E85 with any significant water contamination is almost impossible.

Therefore, the recommendation that drivers using E85 should change their oil more fequently is, at best, paranoid. Any dealership service department that makes this recommendation is either ignorant, overly cautious, or after your wallet. If you’re running E85 in your flex fuel truck, stick with the standard 5,000 mile oil change interval, make sure to use the recommended E85 oil blend, and don’t worry about it.

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If you’ve been paying attention to automotive news in the last week, you’ve undoubtedly heard that Toyota lost an obscene amount of money in the first quarter – $7.7 billion to be exact. Toyota was quick to point out that this loss is against a $3.3 billion profit in the previous three quarters, resulting in a $4.4 billion loss for the 2008 financial year. (NOTE: Toyota’s financial year ends after the first quarter.) Worst still, Toyota anticipates losing about $5.5 billion for the coming year.

Toyota’s Loss is Big, But Don’t Let Anyone Fool You
photo credit: Andres Rueda

In other words, Toyota lost a lot of money last year and they’re planning on losing a lot of money this year too. Considering the fact that Toyota hasn’t had an operating loss since 1950, this is a big deal. Toyota has taken sweeping action with tremendous production cuts, cost cutting measures, and most recently announcing that they’re going to fire half of their corporate management team.

However, before anyone starts worrying about “Toyota being the next GM,” here’s some perspective:

1) Toyota needs more balanced international production – too many vehicles are made in Japan. Did you know that the biggest single source of Toyota’s loss last year was the devaluation of the American dollar? Because many Toyota models are manufactured in Japan, there value is based on the value of the Japanese currency the Yen. When the dollar is strong against the Yen, Toyota can export vehicles from Japan for profit. When the dollar is weak against the Yen, Toyota loses money. When the American dollar nose dived following the credit crisis of 2008, Toyota started racking up huge losses.

The solution? Build more vehicles in the USA. Besides reducing Toyota’s exposure to currency fluctuations, increasing North American production is the right thing to do. Otherwise, the only way Toyota can limit their losses on currency valuations is to cut back on production (which is what they’re doing).

2) A Loss Is Inevitable. New vehicle sales in North America are down 36% industry wide YTD, and the best estimates are that sales will be down more than 30% in North America for 2009 when compared to 2008. Toyota is the largest automaker in the world – when auto sales drop this much, they’re bound to see a drop in profits.

3) Toyota’s horizon is long term – Toyota will never be the “next GM.” In 1998, GM attempted to address their labor cost issues with the UAW. The result? The UAW went on strike for 53 days until GM backed off of their demands for lower labor costs. GM failed to address their labor cost issues (again), ultimately setting the stage for a government bailout in 2008 (and a probable bankruptcy in 2009).

Yet in that same year, GM’s share price before and after the strike was nearly unchanged. GM President Rick Wagoner received a half million dollar bonus following the strike, despite the fact GM lost as much as $5 billion for the year. If you’re wondering how this could have happened, it’s important to recognize that at GM it’s all about the share price. No one on Wall Street was (or is) thinking 10 years down the road, so no one in GM’s board room was thinking about it either. Only when the company is at death’s door will major changes occur.

Toyota leadership, on the other hand, is completely focused on the future. When Toyota determined they were looking at a loss for 2008, they canceled all executive bonuses (which I had a problem with, for the record). Toyota is following that action up by firing half their management team – do either of those moves sound like something GM would have done in 1998?

Until Toyota starts rewarding execs and unions for multi-billion dollar loses, the comparison to GM is completely unfounded.

While Toyota’s recent loss is big, there’s no reason to question Toyota’s future. Toyota holds $30 billion in cash reserves, so they’re not going to have any trouble taking a loss in 2009 or 2010. When the market rebounds in 2011 or 2012, Toyota will be well positioned to compete with a full prodcut line-up, a slew of hybrids, and hopefully an updated Tundra.

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Leather seats are the ultimate when it comes to truck upholstery. Comfortable and classy, leather is also unfortunately a little harder to keep looking good over time than simple vinyl or fabric. Not only does the sun conspire to burn your legs (and behind) if your truck is left exposed to its hot rays in the afternoon, but the UV light and heat can cause the leather to crack and fade over time, leaving a wrinkly-looking mess that might eventually tear.

Keep your Tundra leather interior looking new.

Obviously, depending upon the climate you live in, it can take a long time for your leather to end up in that kind of condition. With a little bit of effort, however, you can take some steps now to prevent your leather seats from ever succumbing to decay.

While it may have been chemically treated, dyed and then stretched over the frame of your seats, leather is an organic material and as such requires care and attention over its lifetime in order for it to remain supple and soft. Some people use generic cleaning products on every nook and cranny of their interior, but unless you are the kind of person who would throw a leather jacket in the washing machine, then it’s easy to see that this isn’t the best solution.

Care tip #1: Use leather conditioner.

Lexol is a company which has a solid reputation in the field of leather care. One of their most universally praised products is their 1015 Leather Conditioner. Designed to be used in conjunction with one of their leather cleaning products, Lexol’s 1015 replenishes the natural oils that are removed by cleaning products along with all of the dirt. These oils are vital to maintaining the leather’s ability to stretch and maintain a smooth appearance, as well as resist heat damage, and they need to be replenished every time the leather is cleaned.

Applying Lexol 1015 Leather Conditioner is as simple as spraying it onto your seats and gently kneading it in with a somewhat damp cloth. The product needs to sit on the leather for around half an hour, and then you can wipe it off with a towel and let it dry. This last part can take up to three hours, so make sure you won’t need your truck during that period. It’s also important to avoid applying to hot seats or while the leather is in direct sunlight, and avoid using the product on suede, which requires a different type of treatment.

Care tip #2: Avoid the Sun.

Did you know that concentrated UV light is often used to sanitize medical instruments? It turns out that UV (ultra-violet) light is so toxic to organic compounds that only a few seconds of exposure is enough to kill all micro-organisms.

Since UV is so powerful (and so good at breaking down organic molecules), you should prevent UV light from hitting your truck’s leather interior whenever possible. The easiest method is to park indoors or in the shade during the daylight hours, but if that’s not an option, purchase some sort of sunshade. It’s not that one hour of UV light will hurt your interior, but if your leather is exposed to hundreds or thousands of hours of UV, it will fade and crack.

Care tip #3: Oil is your enemy.

Next time you get in your truck, go ahead and spill a glass of water on your leather seats. If you’ve done a good job of cleaning and conditioning the leather, the water won’t hurt one little bit. If you’ve got a wash rag nearby, you can dump coffee, soda, gravy, and/or wing sauce (sounds like a helluva meal, no?) and the leather will survive A-OK provided you wipe it up quickly.

However, drop one little bit of mineral oil on your leather interior (preferably somewhere where no-one will see it), let it sit for 1 minute, and you’ve got a stain for life. Scrub all you want, but you’ll always be able to see a slight discoloration. Depending on how long you let the oil sit, you might also see the spot “etched” into the leather.

The lesson? Oil is bad – at least if you don’t like stains. Having said that, it’s important to recognize that skin oils will, over the course of a few years, stain your leather seats as well. SO…maybe it’s a good idea to put a towel down before you jump in your leather interior in your swim suit.

One more note about leather conditioner: It might not be able to restore faded and cracked seats to their former glory, but careful application throughout the ownership of your truck should prevent your leather from ever reaching such a serious state of decline. Application is recommended 2 or 3 times a year, depending on how often you clean your seats, and it should be all the protection that your leather seats need. Check out Lexol’s 1015 for less than $10.

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Curious as to how much I could improve the paint on my vehicle using an orbital polisher, I decided recently to pick one up and try my hand at it. I had heard many good things about dual action polishers, and the model that was most often recommended to me by friends in the detailing business was the Porter Cable 7424.

Porter Cable Polisher model 7424. About $140 from Amazon.com.

Orbital dual action polishers are great for newbies because their rotation is designed to be random. With a random action polisher, there is little chance that heat will build up under your polishing pad and burn into your paint (unlike a regular rotary polisher). In other words, it’s virtually impossible to damage your paint with an orbital polisher.

The Porter Cable I ordered was bundled with a Menzerna polish kit. I chose Menzerna because all of my research on polishes had lead to this well-established German company as one of the best values on the market. While a bit pricier than other polishes, the Menzerna system I used came with two polishes, one labeled Intensive and one labeled Final. Since my paint was quite faded in a few areas, the idea was to use the Intensive polish first and then fine tune it with the Final. The kit also included two different strengths of cutting pads for the polish, as well as a wax applicator.

I washed the car, clayed it, and then taped all of the trim so that it wouldn’t get stained by the polish. In retrospect, I wish I had spent more time on this last step, as the Porter Cable throws polish EVERYWHERE. I also didn’t use enough layers of tape on my door handles, and as such had to clean off baked on polish when all was said and done. The polish was easy to apply, and the Porter Cable was amazing at really working it into the paint well. It’s key to make sure that the polish is completely broken down so that it’s almost invisible on top of the paint before moving on to let it dry. I didn’t know that at first, and a few of the beginning panels I worked on streaked up from the leftover polish during removal.

The Intensive polish did a good job of bringing out the color, but it also left a sort of haze on the paint due to the level of its cutting action. Not to panic though – the Final polish took care of this haze easily and left a sharp, deep finish. The results were truly stunning once I had completed this second step – I was able to eliminate a huge percentage of the scratches my vehicle had accumulated over the past few years, as well as make my paint really look sharp again.

To seal things in, I went with a Klasse polymer wax that I applied and removed by hand. I chose a polymer because I don’t have time to re-wax every 30 to 40 days, which is what carnauba usually requires. Polymers are also easier to work with than carnauba-based waxes, and less expensive. The next time I wax, I am going to use the Porter Cable to apply and remove the product, as I found my hand-application didn’t give me the even shine I wanted and had to be done twice for satisfactory results.

Using an orbital polisher gave me amazing results. There was no comparison between my past attempts at hand polishing versus what the Porter Cable combined with the Menzerna did for my paint. I honestly wish I had bought this polisher years ago and saved myself hours of hand polishing for mediocre results. The best part is that the Porter Cable is affordable – around $140 – and has a great reputation for reliability, meaning I will be able to count on it to keep my ride looking great for many years to come.

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It’s something that has happened to all of us – there’s always a stain or dirty area on your trucks’ paint that never seems to come clean no matter how many times you wash it or how hard you scrub. Or maybe you have a light colored truck and you’re confused by what seems to be pinpricks of corrosion thatsit on the top of your paint. Either way, it’s enough to drive you crazy.

Is your truck too dirty for soap? Use Mother's clay bar to rub out that spot.

The fact is, dirt can become chemically bonded to your paint in such a way that standard washing just can’t remove it. You might get so frustrated that you end up throwing soap all over yourself – see above.

Enter the clay bar.

Those bits of corrosion you are seeing, for example? They are iron filings and other tiny bits of steel that are usually found near industrial areas or train tracks which get stuck in your paint where they rust upon exposure to the elements. Bird droppings, tree sap, and pollen are also common sources of hair pulling when it comes to trying to get a clean finish.

Lucky for us, detailing companies have a product out there that is designed to take care of this very issue. Called “detailing clay” or a “clay bar,” it’s actually just what it sounds like – clay from the ground that is refined in a lab to be safe to use on the paint of your car. Many companies sell a clay bar, but one of the most popular is the Mothers California Gold Clay Bar Paint Saving System, which comes with two bars of clay, a micofiber towel, and some spray-on instant detailer.

Using a clay bar is simple. The first step is to wash and dry your car. Then, break off a small piece of clay and form it so that it has a flat surface that you can run horizontally along your car’s paint. Before the clay actually touches the paint, however, make sure that you spray the panel generously with detailer. This provides a thin membrane of water that allows the clay to slide safely on top of the paint.

How does it work? The clay bar itself is actually a very fine abrasive, much like a polish. While it might sound scary to rub your paint with something abrasive, the clay actually glides along the surface thanks to the detailer, grabbing onto the bits of metal, tar and sap that are embedded in it. You will notice that after a little while the part of the clay bar that was touching your paint will be discolored from the junk it’s picked up off of your trunk. Once this occurs, simply fold the clay over and start using a new, clean side.

It’s important to use plenty of detailer to prevent too much friction from occurring. Also, always rub the clay in the same direction, and if you drop the clay, throw it out immediately – it will have picked up too many tiny rocks and other particles of dirt on the ground to be safe to use on your paint. This is why you only use one small piece at a time – it saves you from having to throw out an entire bar.

Once you’ve completed waxing one panel, run your fingers along the freshly cleaned surface. It should feel much smoother than the rest of your truck. This is because even though it was freshly washed, there are still many contaminants to be found in the paint. Clay is one of the real difference-makers when it comes to detailing, and while it is time intensive you will be impressed with the results after everything is said and done. Since clay removes wax, make sure to re-apply your wax afterwards to seal in and protect the new cleanness. Mother’s Clay bar is a popular and inexpensive choice – about $20.

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The world of detailing can be a confusing place. With so many products, gadgets, power toys, waxes and polishes available, it’s not always easy to know where to start…or how to go about assembling everything you would need to do a complete detail of your truck. Recognizing that this confusion represents a barrier for their customers, Meguiar’s offers a Complete Car Care kit that includes a little bit of everything necessary to get the ball rolling on your detailing project.

Meguiars complete car car kit, about $45 and almost everything you need.

Most of the items listed here can be found in the complete kit. However, upgrades to some of the items included in the kit are available and described here as well. Depending on just how badly you want your truck to shine, you might want to assemble your own “complete car care kit” by mixing and matching.

The complete kit starts off with Meguiar’s Gold Class Car Wash Shampoo and Conditioner. When washing your truck, it’s important to forget that old chestnut that dish soap works the best. Dish soap actually contains powerful and harsh detergents that will strip wax off of your paint and over the long run contribute to paint fade. The Gold Class wash is specifically formulated to be tough on dirt but gentle to your truck’s paint and trim.

The package also includes Endurance High Gloss tire gel, which can be applied to your tires using a sponge or a soft brush. This brings out the blackness in the rubber and also helps to keep the sun from fading the tire’s dyes. Meguiar’s also bundles in a microfiber wash mitt.

Once the car has been washed and dried, it’s a good idea to apply some polish. Not included in the kit is Meguiar’s Deep Crystal Polish, which can take a few years off of your paint and restore a deeper color for a nice wet look. If there are some scratches in your paint that don’t seem to come out after a polish, then you can try using Meguiar’s ScratchX. Generally speaking, any scratch that is shallow enough to allow your fingernail to pass over without catching can be taken care of with a product like ScratchX.

After a polish, it’s essential to seal the paint with a good wax, such as the Gold Class Liquid Wax found in the kit, which is a hybrid polymer-carnauba wax that goes on easily. For a pure, longer-lasting polymer finish, Meguiar’s NXT Generation Tech Wax 2.0 liquid wax is a better option.

Detailing isn’t all about the paint – sometimes, the trim on your truck needs special attention too. Plastx is a gel designed to de-oxidize plastic trim as well as take away stains or small scratches that might have accumulated over time.  A bottle of Quik Interior Detailer and standard Quik Detailer are also provided in the kit for when you just don’t have time to wash the entire vehicle but need to take care of something like bird droppings or a spilled can of soda. The product is designed to be a sort of a ‘instant car wash’, but be careful when using Quik Detailer – if you wipe too hard on a dirty exterior surface you run the risk of scratching your finish.

A good detail is one of the best ways to keep your vehicle looking great and put the indignities of winter salt and nasty weather behind you. These Meguiar’s products should have your truck looking fresh and ready for the clean roads of spring.

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There are many different schools of thought when it comes to washing your truck, but the one thing that most people can seem to agree on is the need for a decent nozzle attachment for the home garden hose. Single-setting trigger nozzles can’t really handle all of the different stages of car washing with the same kind of efficiency as a multi-setting nozzle. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to know which multi-setting nozzle is going to give you the types of water spray that you need and which one is also going to be able to stand up to years of use and abuse in an outdoor environment.

The Bon-Air hose nozzle will help your bikini stay dry while washing the car. Not bad for $15.

The Bon-Aire Original Ultimate Hose Nozzle is one of the most highly recommended car wash attachments on the market. Part of what makes it so appealing is just how easy it is to use. The end of the nozzle can be turned either clockwise or counter-clockwise in order to adjust the flow of the water or shut it off completely – no more washing your truck with your thumb over the end of the hose (see graphic above).

Unlike some other nozzles, the Bon-Aire doesn’t just vary the spray pattern, but it also controls the pressure and flow of the water itself. This allows for a very strong jet of water that is most useful at the beginning of the wash process when hosing off the mud, grime and gunk that has collected on your truck over the course of a few weeks or a tough weekend of off-roading. The term ‘fire-hose’ could accurately describe the output of the Bon-Aire Original Ultimate Hose Nozzle at it’s most aggressive setting, but it’s still gentle enough to avoid stripping off wax or paint, a common problem with powered pressure washers.

The Bon-Aire also features a fan setting which is useful for keeping the truck wet while washing down each individual panel. A continuous shower of water helps to prevent water spots from forming by preventing the truck from drying in the sun before it can be toweled off. The nozzle’s weakest setting essentially mimics the standard, nozzle-less water pressure of the hose itself, which is great for rinsing off suds after washing – another low-powered stream that helps to keep water spots off the paint.

On top of its functionality, the Bon-Aire Original Ultimate Hose Nozzle is built like a tank. The unit is forged out of aluminum, and it feels like it could be banged on with a hammer and still keep on providing hours and hours of useful service. This is a great quality in a nozzle, which is undoubtedly going to get dropped, slammed against the cement wall of a garage or maybe even accidentally backed over. The aluminum body is stronger than the standard plastic of most other nozzles and it prevents corrosion from forming if it is ever left outside in the elements for too long.

Simple, well-built and above all handy, the Bon-Aire Original Ultimate Hose Nozzle lives up to its reputation and is a solid addition to any detailer or weekend car wash fanatic’s gear collection. It receives our hardiest recommendation…did we mention it’s only $15?

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In Colorado, late April is the earliest you want to consider cleaning your truck. There’s always a big storm (or two) in March, and early April sometimes surprises. However, by the 3rd week of April, the winter weather is usually over. Which means it’s just about time to clean up the old pickup.

That's one dirty old pickup truck, amigo.

We’re going to devote this week to spring cleaning – every day we’ll have an article about vehicle cleaning products that we recommend. We’re going to start with a review of a powerful (and inexpensive) garden hose nozzle, work our way through cleaning, waxing, and polishing, and then recommend a decent leather cleaner.

If you missed it last week, be sure to checkout our review of the Zymol detailing kit for a good laugh. $600? Please.

We’re also going to use this week as a test. For the last 6 months or so, we’ve been writing posts three times a week. We’ve added a new writer (Mark is providing all of our cleaning articles this week), and if the daily format is successful, we’ll upgrade to five days a week beginning in May.

The struggle with five days a week is that we’re having a hard time thinking of what to write about! Interesting news, comparisons, and accessory information have gotten us this far, but we’re going to need some help to go daily (if it makes sense to do so in the first place.) If you have an idea for an article, or you would like to suggest some topics, please contact us.

As always, if you have suggestions for making the website better, please contact us with that information as well.

Be sure to check back every day this week for a new cleaning product review.

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