Amy Voege

There are few things worse than getting a flat tire on a remote stretch of road and realizing that you don’t have a spare. Many cars and small SUVs now come from the factory without spare tires. Often, owners don’t realize this until they have an emergency. If you own a Fiat 500L, you may …

Many RV owners like to take a small vehicle along on their journeys, so they can conveniently run errands and take day trips once they’ve settled into a camping spot. The easiest way to accomplish this is to flat tow the smaller vehicle behind the RV. The various Fiat models are popular among RV owners …

Are you considering using nitrogen instead of compressed air in your vehicle’s tires? Perhaps you’ve heard that nitrogen-filled tires stay inflated longer, saving you money by increasing your gas mileage and extending tread life. But you’re concerned that you may not always be able to find a source of nitrogen when you need to top …

The Ram ProMaster is a versatile work van useful for carrying cargo, transporting passengers, or even camping. However, with three models available, each in multiple sizes and some with the option of adding rear seats, it can be challenging to determine which configuration best meets your needs. How much room you need for payload, passengers, …

Many vehicle owners are learning that filling their tires with nitrogen instead of compressed air can improve gas mileage, reduce uneven tread wear, and extend tire life. All of this is possible because nitrogen seeps out of tires more slowly than air does, so the tires remain fully inflated longer after being filled. However, if …

If you own a Ram ProMaster City, there are multiple reasons why you may want to lift your van. For example, if you use the ProMaster City for camping or off-roading, it will be advantageous to have the bottom of the vehicle a few inches higher off the ground. Or, even if you’re just driving …

Over the past few years, more and more drivers have been touting the benefits of using nitrogen in their vehicles’ tires instead of ambient air. Perhaps you’re thinking about trying it yourself. But you may have heard differing information about whether this strategy works. So, what are the advantages and disadvantages of using nitrogen in …

There may be times when you need to tow your Ram ProMaster. Maybe you’re taking a long trip in your RV, and you want to bring your ProMaster along, or perhaps you need to tow it to a mechanic but don’t want to incur the costs of a tow truck. So, what’s the best way …

Over time, your Ram Promaster’s headlights will experience small changes in position due to rough roads, daily wear, and the vehicle’s suspension loosening. Maladjusted headlights can be a big problem: if they’re too high, they may blind other drivers, and if they are aimed too low or off to one side, they can reduce your …

Your Ram Promaster comes with an integrated key/fob system. You can lock and unlock the doors manually with the mechanical key or remotely by pressing a button on the key fob. Occasionally, a key fob malfunctions and must be reprogrammed before you can use it again. So, how do you reprogram your Ram Promaster key? …

When you’re traveling the country in your RV, are you one of those people who plans every overnight stay months and charts every propane fillup and wastewater dump? Or do you prefer to wing it, parking and provisioning as the need arises? If you’re the spontaneous type, you’ll need to always be on the lookout …

You’re boondocking in the heat of summer, and suddenly your RV’s air conditioner goes on the fritz. You suspect there may be a problem with the RV’s power inverter. Troubleshooting electrical problems may seem like an intimidating task, but there are some simple things you can check before you take the problem to a pro. …

Not all RVers dream of wintering in the heat of Arizona. Some prefer to vacation in moderate climates or even to enjoy the frozen natural beauty of Alaska or Canada. A major issue to contend with if you’re RVing in cooler climes is that your water and waste tanks can freeze. So, how do you …

If you’re a novice RVer, the number of new things you need to learn may seem overwhelming. One of the most important — and dreaded — tasks is draining the wastewater from your RV’s holding tanks. The gray water tank, which holds wastewater from your shower, bathroom sink, and kitchen sink, fills up quickly. So, …

If you’re an RVer, your freedom to hit the road and camp for weeks at a time is bounded only by the size of your gray water tank. Although it may sound like a joke, there is actually substantial truth to this statement. Your gray water tank fills up quickly with wastewater from the shower, …

The Ford Transit is a versatile van with room for numerous passengers, lots of cargo, or a mix of the two. If your Transit has four or five rows of seats, there may be times when you wish you had more space for cargo. Can you fold the seats down flat or even remove them …

Whether you’re using your Ford Transit cargo van for business or for recreation, you may need more than the two seats that come standard with the vehicle. Perhaps you’d like to be able to seat a small team of employees and their work materials. Or maybe you take the van on camping trips and need …

Maximizing engine power is a Holy Grail for many DIY mechanics. If you’re ready to invest some time and energy into improving your vehicle’s get-up-and-go, it’s logical to start with the combustion chambers, where all that power is generated. It might be tempting to think that enlarging the volume of the combustion chambers will increase …

Whether you’re a weekend DIY mechanic, a diehard gearhead, or just a vehicle owner curious about how your car works, you may want to know more about how the engine burns fuel to create power. Many common questions center on what causes engine overheating. You may be wondering just how hot it gets inside your …

Many car enthusiasts make it their personal mission to get their vehicles’ engines working at peak performance and efficiency. The truly dedicated will undertake even lengthy, complex tasks that add just a little to the engine’s power and responsiveness. One such job is polishing the combustion chambers in the vehicle’s engine. If you’re ready to …

When purchasing a vehicle, most people fall into one of two camps: they either want lots of power or great gas mileage. Although many factors determine how fast a vehicle can accelerate while towing a trailer or how many miles per gallon it gets, two of the most important questions, respectively, are: how explosively and …

If you have noticed lately that your vehicle’s gas mileage is decreasing, its engine is idling roughly, or its acceleration is slower than usual, it may have a faulty fuel injector. Replacing a bad fuel injector is a task that many DIYers can do with relative ease. But, when it comes to connecting the fuel …

Using a fuel injector cleaner is one of the simplest ways to protect your vehicle and improve its performance. A clean fuel system can increase gas mileage, improve engine efficiency, and keep your car running smoothly. Using fuel injector cleaner keeps sludge from building up in your fuel system, which could cause major problems down …

Have you been noticing that your car’s gas mileage has decreased lately or that it isn’t accelerating as quickly as it used to? You may be planning to treat your engine with a fuel injector cleaner to improve its performance. So, once you’ve added fuel injector cleaner, how soon should you see better engine performance? …

Your RV’s water pump is a critical feature that must be kept in good condition. It provides water for drinking, bathing, washing dishes, and toileting. RV water pumps usually have long lives with few problems, but occasionally you may encounter an issue. For example, if you hear the pump running but no water is coming …

So, you’re on the road in your RV, driving to all those places you’ve always wanted to see, meeting interesting new people, and just generally enjoying the good life. But one evening, after a great day outdoors on a hiking trail, you return to your RV, open the door… and the smell of sewage hits …

Are you considering buying a recreational vehicle (RV) to make your family’s summer travels more convenient and comfortable?  Maybe you’ve heard of the newest type of RV — the hybrid travel trailer, also known as the expandable camper — and want to know more about it. Or perhaps you’ve already settled on purchasing a hybrid …

If you are considering buying a hybrid camper (also called a “hybrid travel trailer”), one of the most important things to know is how much the camper weighs.  Your camper’s weight not only affects the gas mileage you’ll get when towing it but also determines whether you need a full-size pickup or if your camper …