Queens Tire Dealer

Gas prices are at least a little lower right now, but let's face it...we're all really at the mercy of the oil companies and whatever they decide to charge for a gallon of gas or diesel. And even though prices are down, comparatively speaking, right now, chances are they won't stay that way and gas is never going to be “cheap” again. The smart money is on fuel-efficient cars, but what are the most fuel-efficient models out there? Here's a quick rundown of the current top fuel savers: Two-Seaters: The Honda CR-Z is currently best in class, turning in a combined 37 mpg with its 1.5 liter 4 cylinder and automatic transmission. Minicompacts: Fiat 500, with combined 34 mpg and 1.4 L 4-cylinder and manual 5-speed transmission. Subcompacts: Look for the Scion iA, at 37 mpg with a 1.5 L 4-cylinder and automatic Compacts: Not surprisingly, the Toyota Prius c hybrid turns in a combined 50 mpg with a 1.5 L 4-cylinder ... read more

NYC, we got them and we got them bad! Severe road conditions that is. We all know when the National Weather Service says there is a severe weather warning, we need to take precautions. Our blog has pointed out many times during this last year the fact that in the NYC area we always drive under "severe road and traffic conditions" and we have spoken about many factors contributing to dangerous, over used, never maintained roads, traffic, stop and go driving, sudden breaking due to highways seemingly converging traffic and drivers going from doing 55 mph to 10 mph for miles and miles, etc. Nowhere in the USA except other major metropolises like Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, etc, do we find the scope and dimension of what we all know is dangerous roads, extensive drive time and gas consuming, etc which place tremendous burdens on our vehicles and on our nerves. Of course, weather always factors in making severe driving conditions and severe road factors nearly impossible and ... read more

Deep down, everyone knows that there's a limited amount of oil on the planet, and that gasoline-powered vehicles have some pretty nasty side effects for the environment. More and more people have opted for alternative fuels, but it's important to be able to take the bad with the good when it comes to alternative fuels. If you're considering making a switch, here are some things to consider: HybridsPros: Not a whole lot different from driving any other vehicle – they run on regular gasoline and don't come with much of a change in lifestyle or driving habits. Cons: Often a higher sticker price than a conventional counterpart, and sometimes hybrids tend to disappoint when it comes to fuel economy. Lack of power and acceleration with older models. Plug-In HybridPros: No emissions in all-electric mode, cheap cost per mile, and home recharging. Cons: Higher sticker price, daytime c ... read more

You may not think about your brakes often however there's a stiff penalty for that: BRAKE FAILURE!...and NYers, you more than any other city, need to remember you have special conditions that wear out brakesmush sooner than any city in Idaho, Nebraska, Albany, Tuscany...think "severe driving conditions." While other systems in your vehicle can be forgiving in that they will continue to work and it won't keep your car from starting, the really scary thing to keep in mind is once your brakes go, you may not be able to stop which will certainly hurt someone, something or perhaps kill pedestrians, kids, yourself or your own family, etc. There's no point in saying "brakes last 1-2 years" or the wear out in 10,000 miles. That's not the way it is, at least, not here in the Big Apple, NY, USA. Here are some factors that make that kind of advice dumb and dangerous for we NYers: 1) do you ride your brakes rather than adjust your speed for road and traffic conditions? 2) you live in NYC and, as ... read more

Have you been hitting potholes this winter? If so, read on about wheel alignments: Every new vehicle's wheels are set at very specific angles for proper drivability, stability, and handling before it leaves the factory. The critical alignment angles for the front wheels are toe-in and toe-out. This refers to the direction in which a wheel points (relative to a dead-ahead straight line); caster, which refers to the position of the top of the wheel, and camber, which is the offset of the suspension relative to an imaginary vertical straight line behind the wheel. Many newer vehicles also are designed with adjustable rear suspensions, and a four-wheel alignment ensures that the rear wheels' “thrust angle” is at a proper relationship with the front wheels. Frankly, there are only two major signs that can indicate improper wheel alignment. One is a persistent pull to the right or left, as an improperly-aligned wheel constantly tries to steer the car in a different direction. T ... read more