Driverside: A Comprehensive Car Site

Head out across the Internet, and you'll practically begin tripping over automotive and car-related websites -- websites from car magazine automakers' sites, blogs and many more.

That also means the car website segment is pretty much fragmented, which is where DriverSide comes in.

With its DriverSide Spotlight magazine-like content, reviews and many more tools and features all under one virtual roof, DriverSide seeks to be a one-stop shop for car consumers. No more searching and hunting for a site to find different components and offerings.

DriverSide is currently in Beta, and although it sports many of the features -- photos, reviews, forums, etc., -- that you might expect from an auto website, DriverSide offers compelling tools -- like you can get started on the site by entering your car's VIN number and seeing where that will take you.

This was a sponsored post.

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How Does OnStar Work?

You've probably heard the commercials, featuring "real OnStar conversations" involving motorists who have locked their keys in the car or just been in an accident who can summon help with just the touch of a blue button.

You may even be considering a purchase of OnStar service -- or perhaps you already have it and just want to know how it works.

Watch this quick, interesting video from HowStuffWorks.com and find out.

Watch the video now:

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Consumer Reports Identifies Most, Least Problematic Used Vehicles

New-car reliabilityis one thing, but how well will your car hold up three, five, even 10 years from now? On average, Toyota and Honda vehicles age best while those made by Volkswagen fare worst, according to new survey information from Consumer Reports.

For the first time, Consumer Reports has reported on the reliability of vehicles built in the past 10 model years (1997-2006). In addition, Consumer Reports has also identified vehicles that are most prone to specific problems to give used-car buyers more information than ever when making a purchase decision, the magazine says.

Detailed reliability ratings of 248 makes and models can be found in the April issue of Consumer Reports magazine, available March 6, or by logging in at http://www.ConsumerReports.org.

Among 10-year-old vehicles, owners of Japanese cars report the fewestproblems overall, the magazine says.

Toyota, Honda, and Subaru lead the way with an average of 65, 89, and 90 problems per 100 vehicles reported, respectively. Theaverage of all 10-year-old vehicles is 132 problems per 100 vehicles.

Of the domestic 10-year-old vehicles, those from Ford (including Lincoln and Mercury) remain most reliable, at about 120 problems per 100 vehicles. Ten-year-old vehicles from GM and Chrysler are nearly neck-and-neck with about 160 problems per 100 vehicles. Volkswagen (including Audi) owners reported about 175 problems per 100 vehicles, by far worse than anyother brand, the magazine says.

The oldest Korean vehicles (eight years old) from Hyundai (including Kia) that Consumers Reports says it has sufficient reliability data for are problematic, faring worse than all domestics and half of some European brands. Newer models, however, show improvements, the magazine adds.

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Better Late Than Never When it Comes to Winterizing Your Car

It's time to fess up. You didn't winterize your car and it really could have used some attention, especially with below freezing temperatures striking many parts of the United States. Now what? The good news is that you're not alone and it's not too late.

The Car Care Council reports that 70 percent of motorists don't winterize their vehicles in preparation for winter. There's still time though to have the battery, antifreeze, wipers and wiper fluid checked to help avoid "no starts" and breakdowns and ensure safety and visibility during harsh winter driving conditions, the organization says.

Very cold temperatures will reduce a vehicle's battery power so it's important to keep the connections clean, tight and corrosion-free. Unfortunately, batteries don't always give warning signs before they fail completely. If your vehicle's battery is three years old or more, it's wise to replace it. When choosing a replacement, make sure the new one has adequate capacity for your exact make and model.

For antifreeze, the owner's manual will have usage specifications but the mixture of antifreeze (coolant) and water inside your vehicle's radiator is typically 50:50. When properly mixed, antifreeze and water provide excellent anti-freeze, anti-boil and anticorrosive properties. As a reminder, don't make the mistake of adding 100 percent antifreeze as full-strength antifreeze actually has a lower freeze point than when mixed with water, the council says.

Cold weather can affect the life of windshield wipers. Freezing temperatures can make the rubber hard and brittle and increase the potential for cracks. Wiper blades that are cracked or torn, or that chatter, streak and don't properly clean your windshield should be changed. Some manufacturers offer special winter blades that have a rubber boot covering the arm assembly to keep snow and ice out. When changing the blades, have the windshield wiper system nozzles cleaned and adjusted ifnecessary, and check the windshield washer reservoir in case it needs fluid.

The council recommends changing to low-viscosity oil in winter, as itwill flow more easily between moving parts when cold. Drivers in sub-zero driving temperatures should drop their oil weight from 10-W30 to 5-W30 as thickened oil can make it hard to start the car. It's also good to allow your car a little more time to warm up when temperatures are below freezing to let the oil in the engine and transmission circulate and get warm.

Tire pressure should also be checked as tires will lose pressure when temperatures drop. Lastly, don't forget your winter emergency kit that should include an ice scraper, flashlight, blankets, extra clothes, candle/matches, bottled water, snacks, gloves, flares, a first aid kit and needed medication.

"Below freezing temperatures can stress out a vehicle, as well as itsdriver," says Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. "Motorists who invest an hour or so to have their vehicles checked will have peace-of-mind and one less thing to worry about as the harsh winter conditions continue throughout much of the country."

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