http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29_RZ82aZ6A

Have a great weekend and stay safe.

If you’re interested in finding out more information but Niagara Lubricants tire paint or other products please give us a call at (716) 874-2300, visit us at www.niagaralubricant.com or at www.facebook.com/NiagaraLubricant.

Simply put, tire paint adds an extra layer of production for your tires. It reduces some of the wear & tear on your tires, extends their life and in the long term can save you hundreds of dollars in replacement costs.   Our product applies easily, dries quickly and will produce a non-glossy, like new finish to your tires.

Tire paint will lubricant the tire meaning less damage and wear from friction, provides an added layer of protection from sun & water damage and can help against correction from salt and other corrosives.

If you’re interested in finding out more information but Niagara Lubricants tire paint or other products please give us a call at (716) 874-2300, visit us at www.niagaralubricant.com or at www.facebook.com/NiagaraLubricant.

Here is a list of a few basic items you should have in your vehicle throughout the winter months (or all year for the matter):

• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Leatherman / Swiss Army knife / multi-tool
• A blanket or two
• Jumper cables
• Road flares
• A compact (but sturdy) shovel
• Tools.  The multi-tool will cover a lot of ground here but consider a small socket set, a wrench, a few zip ties and duct tape.
• A lighter or matches
• A bag of non-clumping cat litter. It will add extra weight to the car and if you get stuck, you can put some under your tires for extra traction.
• Bottled water
• Food (energy bars, dried fruits, nuts)
• First aid kit
•  An extra jacket or sweater, socks, gloves and hat

In the past few months we’ve had a friend who, while on the road, reattached a bumper with zip ties and used a carabiner to fix a muffler that had fallen off!  Not perfect fixes but they were able to get him home.  The moral of the story? It’s always better to be over prepared!  We hope you have a safe winter and don’t end up getting stuck.  If you do, we hope you took a few minutes to pull some basic supplies together and made experience a little easier for yourself.

As always, your comments are always welcome.  Please visit us at www.niagaralubricant.com or at www.facebook.com/NiagaraLubricant

1.) Traction, traction, traction.  You need tread that’s at least 6/32-inch deep for snow traction. While some all-season tires might be OK, when in doubt get snow tires.

2.) Windshield.  Replace your wiper blades (which should be done annually anyway).  Apply a liquid water-shedding product to the outside of all your windows and mirrors.  And finally, make sure your windshield washer system is working and filled with a anti-icing fluid.

3.) Air conditioning.  Condensation and frost of the interior of the windows?  When you crank up the defroster turn on the air conditioning and turn the temperature to the highest setting.

4.) Lights.  Make sure that headlights and taillights are in good working order, if the lenses are pitted this is a good time to replace them.  Also, make sure you brush off and clear snow off of the lights.

5.) Brakes.  Remember how to properly use your anti-lock brakes?  Stomp hard on the brake pedal, steer around whatever is in your way. After you stomp and the ABS cycle begins the pedal will start to pulse or vibrate (it just means the system is working), ease up slightly until the pulse happens only once per second.  If you do not  have ABS, press the break pedal until the wheels stop, then release enough to get them rolling again, repeat until you gain traction again.

6.) Black Ice.  Be aware of black ice, especially on bridges where the moisture on the road can freeze before other areas.  Test the traction by applying slight brake pressure to see how your vehicle reacts.

7.) Remember…  Icy spots are likely to occure in the same spots.  The same bridges and intersections that were icy last year are likely to be danger zones again.  Just like a race car driver memorizing difficult parts of specific tracks, remember the difficult roads you’ve encountered in the past.

8.) Turn, but not too much.  When your front tires lose traction, don’t oversteer.  When the ice ends and the tires get traction again your vehicle will go where ever the car is pointed.  It can happen even with an ABS system.

9.) Avoid rear-tire sliding.  Make sure your rear tires have at least as much tread as your front tires; if you do get snow tires make sure to get all 4 (it’s worth the investment).  Better yet, get a vehicle with electronic stability control (ESC).  Good news for those who are car shopping now, ESC will be mandatory in all 2012 models.

10.) Pay attention.  All of the technology in the world will not make take the place of you paying attention to the road and the drivers around you.  Do not let 4-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, anti-lock brake systems and electronic stability control lull you into a false sense of security.

As always, your comments are always welcome.  Please visit us at www.niagaralubricant.com or at www.facebook.com/NiagaraLubricant

While it’s still nice, everyone should take some time and winterize your vehicle – minimizing your chances of breaking down and keep the car in good working order all season.

1.) Check your oil.  Even if you’re a little early for the traditional 3 month / 3,000 miles change, you should check to make sure you’re using a lubricant with the correct viscosity for your vehicle.  Check your owners manual for specific guidelines.

2.) Change your windshield wipers.  You might not want to spend the extra couple of bucks for winter wipers but check your current wipers for signs of wear.  Wipes should be changed annually.

3.) Check your battery.  Check to see there is no corrosion on the posts & connections and that the battery has the water is needs.  If the battery is more than 2 – 3 years old have a mechanic check that the battery can still hold a charge.

4.) Check belts & hoses for wear.  Since you have the hood up already to check the battery, make sure there are no obvious signs of wear to the belts and hoses.  If there is, replace as needed.

5.) Tire pressure.  Check your owners manual to see what your tire pressure should be!  Make sure the tires are properly inflated  to get the best possible traction, especially when driving on snow and slippery road.  Tires drop 1psi for every 10 degree drop in temperature.

6.) Snow tires.  If you live in an especially snowy or hilly area, consider investing in snow tires.  Although there will additional costs associated with mounting and balancing, you will get a better performance compared to all-season tires.

7.) Check your 4-wheel drive.  Modern 4WD systems require minimal maintenance but make sure that it’s in good working order before you really need it.   Check that the system engages and disengages smoothly and that there are no strange noises or grinding.  Also double check that the transmission fluid and gear oil levels are correct.

8.) Antifreeze mixture.  You want to have a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water in your radiator.  You can check the mixture yourself with an inexpensive antifreeze tester or have your mechanic do it.  If the mixture is off, you should have your radiator system drained and refilled.  If your mechanic is doing it, it isn’t a problem; if you are, make sure you properly dispose the old antifreeze.

As always your comments are always welcome.  Please visit us at www.niagaralubricant.com or at www.facebook.com/NiagaraLubricant

We are currently located in Buffalo’s historic East Side at                  711 Northland Ave. Buffalo, NY 14211; we do have the same phone number 716-874-2300.

If you can’t make it to Frankfurt for the show itself you should check out their official site at http://www.iaa.de/en/ for some great information.  The Top Gear site also has a lot of great converage at http://www.topgear.com/uk/.

If you are lucky enough to make the trip please let you know how it was.

We hope you enjoyed and please remember that your comments are always welcome. You can always visit us at www.niagaralubricant.com or LIKE us at facebook.com/NiagaraLubricant

This week’s car song is Drive My Car by the Beatles.

Have a wonder weekend everyone! We hope you enjoyed and please remember that your comments are always welcome. You can always visit us at www.niagaralubricant.com or LIKE us at facebook.com/NiagaraLubricant

The star of the show was the 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rosa selling for $16.8.  Here is a list of top 15 results of the 2011 auction and the list of the 19 world records that were set.

• 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa at $16,390,000
• 1931 Duesenberg Model J Murphy Coupe at $10,340,000
• 1927 Mercedes-Benz S-Type 26/180 Sportwagen at $5,040,000
• 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider at $3,355,000
• 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Pinin Farina Series II Coupe at $2,970,000
• 1963 Shelby Cobra 289 Factory Team Car at $2,585,000
• 1953 Ferrari 375 America Coupe at $2,200,000
• 1953 Siata 208 S Spider at $1,567,500
• 1932 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport Spider at $1,540,000
• 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Alloy at $1,540,000
• 1932 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton at $1,540,000
• 1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS at $1,210,000
• 1954 Fiat 8V Zagato Elaborata at $1,127,500
• 1972 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider at $1,025,000
• 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB at $1,001,000

Now for the 19 World Records….

• The 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa Prototype (lot 18) at $16,390,000, a world record for a car sold at auction.
• The 1931 “Whittell Coupe” Duesenberg Model J (lot 123) at $10,340,000, a world record for a Duesenberg at auction.
• The 1927 Mercedes-Benz S-Type 26/180 Sportwagen (lot 119) at $5,040,000, a world record for an S-Type at auction.
• The 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Pinin Farina Series II (lot 135) at $2,970,000, a world record for a 410 Superamerica at auction.
• The 1963 Shelby Cobra 289 Factory Team Car (lot 55) at $2,585,000, a world record for a Shelby 289 Cobra at auction.
• The 1953 Ferrari 375 America Coupe (lot 47) at $2,200,000, a world record for a 375 America at auction.
• The 1953 Siata 208 S Spider (lot 121) at $1,567,500, a world record for a Siata at auction.
• The 1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS (lot 34) at $1,210,000, a world record for a 904 Carrera GTS at auction.
• The 1956 Ferrari 195 Inter Berlinetta (lot 26) at $990,000, a world record for a 195 Inter at auction.
• The 1959 Fiat Tipo 682/RN-2 Transporter (lot 51) at $990,000, a world record for any transporter at auction.
• The 1960 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (lot 154) at $962,500, a world record for a 300 SL Roadster at auction.
• The 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO (lot 39) at $748,000, a world record for a 288 GTO at auction.
• The 1953 Cunningham C-3 Continental Coupe (lot 15) at $539,000, a world record for a C-3 at auction.
• The 1961 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale (lot 28) at $209,000, a world record for a Giulietta Sprint Speciale at auction.
• The 1931 Brough Superior SS80 (lot 133) at $176,000, a world record for an SS80 at auction.
• The 1971 Porsche 911 E Coupe (lot 151) at $165,000, a record for a 911 E Coupe at A world auction.
• The 1960 Maserati 3500 GT (lot 130) at $148,500, a world record for a 3500 GT at auction.
• The 1959 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL (lot 107) at $143,000, a world record for a 190 SL at auction.
• The 1967 Mercedes-Benz 250 SL (lot 37) at $126,500, a world record for a 250 SL at auction.

Have a wonder weekend everyone! We hope you enjoyed and please remember that your comments are always welcome. You can always visit us at www.niagaralubricant.com or LIKE us at facebook.com/NiagaraLubricant

Despite this huge setback Niagara Lubricant  are still going strong.  We are currently working out of another local factory and are producing and shipping products.   We’ll keep you posted as things develop but we are dedicated to come back bigger, better and stronger than before.

Thank you to everyone for your support during this time.  Don’t forget to check us out at www.niagaralubricant.com or to LIKE us at facebook.com/NiagaraLubricant