Cars 101
Everything you need to know about cars and how they work.
Latest Cars 101 Stories

How Often Should I Change My Car’s Fluids?
By Benjamin Preston / Updated Apr 16, 2021

Let’s Roast Some Tires and Teach You How To Do a Burnout!
By Tony Markovich / Updated Mar 23, 2021

How To Insulate a Garage
By Tony Markovich / Updated Mar 19, 2021

What Is Overdrive?
By Tony Markovich / Updated Mar 19, 2021

Crossover vs SUV: What is the Difference?
By Chris Teague / Updated Mar 19, 2021

How Do I Easily Transfer a Car Title?
By Chris Teague / Updated Mar 19, 2021

Here’s How to Scrap Your Old Car for Cash
By Tony Markovich / Updated Mar 19, 2021

What’s the Difference Between a Stock and Aftermarket Sway Bar?
By Tony Markovich / Updated Mar 19, 2021

What Is a Salvage Title and Should I be Scared to Buy One
By Chris Teague / Updated Mar 19, 2021

How To Modernize Your Car With Bluetooth
By Tony Markovich / Updated Mar 19, 2021

How To Unlock Your Steering Wheel
By Tony Markovich / Updated Mar 19, 2021

What Are HID Headlights?
By Tony Markovich / Updated Mar 19, 2021

How and When to Use a Parking Brake
By Tony Markovich / Updated Mar 19, 2021

The Ford Mustang: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know
By Jonathon Klein / Updated Mar 19, 2021

What’s a Jake Brake and Does It Have To Do With Less Than Jake?
By Chris Teague / Updated Mar 19, 2021

How To Check Tire Tread By Yourself
By Tony Markovich / Updated Mar 19, 2021

How Long Does a Speeding Ticket Stay on Your Record?
By Chris Teague / Updated Mar 19, 2021

Is Leasing a Car Right For You?
By Jonathon Klein / Updated Mar 19, 2021

How Much Does It Cost To Ship a Car?
By Chris Teague / Updated Mar 15, 2021

Here’s How To Adjust Your Headlights At Home
By Chris Teague / Updated Mar 5, 2021

How To Donate Your Car: Everything You Need To Consider
By Tony Markovich / Updated Mar 4, 2021

Leatherette Vs Leather: What are the Pros and Cons?
By Chris Teague / Updated Mar 4, 2021

How Are Seat Belts Tested?
By Tony Markovich / Updated Mar 3, 2021

The Most Time You’ve Wasted On a Simple Repair, Part 1
By Tony Markovich / Updated Mar 1, 2021

What’s the Most Time You’ve Wasted On a Simple Car Repair?
By Tony Markovich / Updated Feb 19, 2021

What’s a Fifth Wheel and Is It Extra?
By Chris Teague / Updated Feb 18, 2021

No, Hybrid Cars Aren’t Voodoo, Here’s How They Work.
By Jonathon Klein / Updated Feb 12, 2021

Your Car’s VIN Is Like Its Fingerprint, Here’s How To Decipher Its Ridges
By Chris Teague / Updated Feb 11, 2021

What Is Hill Descent Control and Do I Need It?
By Tony Markovich / Updated Feb 8, 2021

How Long Does a Car Battery Last?
By Tony Markovich / Updated Feb 4, 2021

What a Clean Title Actually Means
By Chris Teague / Updated Feb 3, 2021

What Is Electronic Stability Control and How Does it Work?
By Jonathon Klein / Updated Jan 29, 2021

Van Life: The Drive’s Guide To Building Your Perfect #Vanlife
By Jonathon Klein / Updated Jan 21, 2021

What Is Long Term And Short Term Fuel Trim And What Should It Be?
By Chris Teague / Updated Jan 20, 2021

110 Years Ago, Electric Cars Were Already Shuttling Folks Under the US Capitol
By Hazel Southwell / Updated Jan 14, 2021

What Is a Pink Slip and Why Are They Wagered at Race Wars?
By Tony Markovich / Updated Jan 6, 2021

What Is a Rotary Engine and Why Did Nazis Invent Apex Seals?
By Jonathon Klein / Updated Jan 5, 2021

What Is the Lifespan of a Toyota Prius Battery?
By Jonathon Klein / Updated Jan 5, 2021

What Is Double Clutching and Should I Actually Care?
By Tony Markovich / Updated Dec 11, 2020

Car Seats: Everything You Want and Need To Know To Keep Your Kids Safe
By Jonathon Klein / Updated Dec 1, 2020

How to Read Tire Sizes: The Drive’s Garage Guide
By Chris Teague / Updated Nov 23, 2020

What Is a Boxer Engine?
By Tony Markovich / Updated Nov 19, 2020

The Drive Editors’ Favorite Mechanic’s Tools and Garage Gear
By Chris Teague / Updated Nov 19, 2020

What Is a Hemi?
By Jonathon Klein / Updated Nov 19, 2020

How Far Can You Drive On a Donut?
By Chris Teague / Updated Nov 18, 2020

What Is an AGM Battery?
By Tony Markovich / Updated Nov 16, 2020

What Used Trucks to Avoid
By Jonathon Klein / Updated Nov 16, 2020

What Is Vehicle Registration?
By Tony Markovich / Updated Nov 16, 2020

Six Must-Know Things About Cars With Rebuilt Titles
By Chris Teague / Updated Nov 13, 2020

What Is a Branded Title And How Is It Different Than a Salvage Title?
By Chris Teague / Updated Nov 11, 2020

Five Of the Most Reliable Hybrid Cars From the Past 10 Years
By Jonathon Klein / Updated Nov 11, 2020

What Are Paddle Shifters and How Do They Work?
By Jonathon Klein / Updated Nov 9, 2020

Horsepower vs Torque: They Aren’t What You Think They Are
By Jonathon Klein / Updated Oct 29, 2020

What Transmission Do You Have? Let’s Break It Down
By Jonathon Klein / Updated Oct 27, 2020

Self-Driving Cars: Everything You Need To Know About the Future’s Most-Hyped Tech
By Jonathon Klein / Updated Oct 27, 2020

Rock Out With Your Tweeter Out: Why Placement and Noise Reduction Matter to Car Audio
By Kristin V. Shaw / Updated Oct 24, 2020

How Long Does it Take To Charge A Tesla and How Much Does it Cost?
By Jonathon Klein / Updated Oct 22, 2020

Torque Converter: What Is It and How Do I Fix It?
By Tony Markovich / Updated Oct 22, 2020

10 Car Camping Essentials For Your Next Adventure
By Tony Markovich / Updated Oct 16, 2020

Sleeping In the Car: Ultimate Guide
By Tony Markovich / Updated Oct 16, 2020

The Drive’s Guide to Garage Door Torsion Spring Repair
By Tony Markovich / Updated Oct 16, 2020

How To Change Windshield Wipers
By Tony Markovich / Updated Oct 16, 2020

The Most Fuel-Efficient Cars in 2020
By Tony Markovich / Updated Oct 16, 2020

What Is a Scat Pack?
By Tony Markovich / Updated Oct 16, 2020