Lawn Mower Maintenance You Probably Aren’t Doing But Should Be

by Gabrielle DeSantis

If you want to keep your lawn looking its absolute best, you’re going to need a properly working lawn mower. And to ensure that your lawn mower works properly? You’re going to need to maintain it. The good news is that most lawn mower maintenance tasks aren’t all that complicated. 

How do you maintain a lawn mower?

Lawn mower maintenance. | INSADCO / Martha Spoerck/ullstein bild via Getty Images

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Lawn Doctor reports that while many take their mowers to a professional for lawn mower maintenance, many others perform their own lawn mower maintenance. If you plan to take on this maintenance yourself, Lawn Doctor suggests familiarizing yourself with your mower’s owner’s manual. 

In your owner’s manual, you’ll find the lawn mower maintenance tasks your mower will need. These maintenance tasks often include replacing the mower’s spark plug, sharpening its blades, topping up the oil, and replacing the mower’s air filter.

Annual lawn mower maintenance checklist

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There are a few lawn mower maintenance tasks you should be doing every year. The Daily Gardener reports that the best time to carry out these annual tasks is before the mowing season actually begins. Your yearly lawn mower maintenance checklist should include tasks like:

  • Sharpening your lawn mower’s blades is one of the most important things you can do to maintain your lawn mower.
  • Replacing spark plugs once a year will help keep your lawn mower in good working condition, The Daily Gardener reports.
  • Use the dipstick to check your mower’s engine oil and top it up, if necessary.
  • Check that your mower’s air filter to make sure it’s free of debris. If it’s very dirty, consider replacing it.
  • Check your lawn mower’s tires to ensure that they are inflated.

Note: Before working on your lawn mower, The Daily Gardener recommends removing the mower’s spark plug, its battery, or unplugging it. 

How often should you change the spark plug in a lawn mower?

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Of all the yearly lawn mower maintenance you should be doing, changing the spark plug in your mower is one of the most important things you can do. According to Rehabitat Home, a bad spark plug will keep your lawn mower from working correctly. Fortunately, changing your lawn mower’s spark plug isn’t very hard.

To change your lawn mower’s spark plug, start by warming up your mower. Then, Rehabitat Home suggests using a wrench or spark-plug socket to unscrew the old spark plug. Next, thread in the new spark plug. 

How to tell if your lawn mower’s blades need sharpening

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While sharpening your mower’s blades is one of the most important annual lawn mower maintenance tasks, you should also know how to tell if your lawn mower’s blades need to be sharpened. According to Weingartz, there are three tell-tale signs that your mower’s blades need to be sharpened. 

The first is if your mower isn’t cutting your lawn evenly or if it’s leaving patches of missed grass behind. The second sign your lawn mower’s blades might need to be sharpened is if the mower cannot cleanly slice blades of grass. Lastly, Weingartz says your mower’s blades likely need sharpening if there are chips or dents in the blade itself.

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Go for the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy if You Want Incredible Value

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The Hyundai Santa Fe has been around since the 2001 model year. As time went on, the SUV became so popular that Hyundai struggled to keep up with demand. After a few generations later, Hyundai now offers a top-tier luxury-laden model, the Calligraphy configuration.

MotorTrend took on the newest model and put it through their testing. What they found out is that it offers some pretty impressive features, that can rival some high-end luxury cars. Plus, it can be had for an affordable price. 

Is the Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy a good SUV?

Powering up the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy is a 2.5T Inline-four cylinder motor that generates 277 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque, which replaces the old 2.0T that produced 235 hp. Combined with it is an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. 

MotorTrend tested it out and managed to get a 6.2-second acceleration time on a 0 to 60 mph run, which is 1.6 seconds faster than the old 2.0T they tested a couple of years ago. 

For the exterior, you’ll find 19-inch wheels (20-inch wheels are also available), a dark chrome grille, along with classic styling. On the inside, you’ll find a suede-like material covering the lining of the roof. There’s also Nappa leather seating, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a head-up display. The starting price for this model is a little over $42,000.

How does the Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy compare to the other trim levels?

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The Hyundai Santa Fe models, minus the Calligraphy trim, run on a 2.5-liter Inline-four cylinder engine that produces 191 hp and 182 lb-ft of torque. Paired with this motor is an eight-speed automatic transmission. 

While the Calligraphy’s 2.5T engine has more pep in its step, it’s not necessarily better than the other models with the regular 2.5-liter motor. The issue, according to MotorTrend, is not the engine itself, but the transmission, which is a dual-clutch transmission. 

While it’s supposed to greatly reduce various concerns when driving, MotorTrend’s staff felt it didn’t perform well. It shifted roughly from a stop and overall wasn’t as smooth as it could be. 

In the end, this publication’s editors recommended passing on the 2.5T engine if you’re not so much into the luxury features. In fact, Hyundai admitted that a good portion of its buyers sticks with the 191 hp version. Still, if you want your luxury in a Santa Fe model, the Calligraphy offers plenty of value. 

How does it compare to its rivals?

When it comes to acceleration, the Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy’s 2.5T engine clocked a 1.4-second time quicker than the 2019 Ford Edge they tested previously. It also beat out the all-wheel-drive version of the Toyota Venza, which only got around 7.1-7.5 seconds. 

The Sorento came very close to the Calligraphy model’s time but lost by 0.1 seconds. The Subaru Outback model in the turbocharged XT mode, however, surpassed the Calligraphy trim’s time, albeit barely, with a 5.9-6.1-second time. 

Braking distances for this Santa Fe trim also raised some eyebrows. With a 60 to 0 mph test, the Calligraphy model managed to stop in 117 feet. That’s 12 feet better than Ford Edge’s FWD. The Toyota Venza managed 121-122 feet, and the Subaru Outback XT form stopped in 129-132 feet. The Sorento is the only one that came close, and it even did a tiny bit better with 115 feet. 

Design features make it competitive as well because much of what you see in the Santa Fe Calligraphy resembles what you find with the Palisade. 

Upgrading to a luxurious Santa Fe model will bring you lots of exquisite touches that will compete with the likes of BMWs and other high-end luxury vehicles. Value is on Hyundai’s side, however, because you can get it at an affordable price. 

The post Go for the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy if You Want Incredible Value appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

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The TRD Lift Kit Puts a Little Bounce in the Toyota Tacoma’s Step

by Gabrielle DeSantis

If you need a reliable truck that can perform off-road just as well as it can perform on it, then the 2021 Toyota Tacoma is one of the best choices you can make. But if you want just a little more out of your Tacoma, then you can now opt for the all-new TRD lift kit, which gives the truck a factory-backed boost in ride height. I have been driving the 2021 Tacoma with the TRD lift kit for the past week and I have found that it has quite a little bounce in its step.

The TRD lift kit comes with everything you need

2021 Toyota Tacoma Off Road with TRD Lift Kit | Toyota

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The TRD lift kit is intended to give the Toyota Tacoma a much-needed lift to get over taller obstacles and improve its overall approach, break-over, and departure angles. According to Toyota, the lift kit adds two inches to the front of the Tacoma and one inch in the rear. In total, the kit adds a 1.7-inch lift to the overall ride height.

The kit includes new monotube Bilstein shocks that are specially designed to accommodate the added lift. The front shocks have an extended rebound stroke for the added suspension travel that the repositioned coil springs provide. While the rear shocks include larger two-inch shock bodies that can accommodate larger piston rods and improve damping response off-road. Additionally, there are cast iron spacers included in the kit to assist with the rear lift.

a rear shot of the 2021 Toyota Tacoma Off Road with TRD Lift Kit driving off road
2021 Toyota Tacoma Off Road with TRD Lift Kit | Toyota

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How does the TRD lift kit feel on the road?

I haven’t had a chance to put the lifted Tacoma TRD Off-Road through its paces on an off-road trail yet, but I have driven it under normal conditions. My first thought was that the lift kit doesn’t look like anything substantial, especially considering the truck is equipped with the stock 16-inch wheels and tires. It’s also pretty easy to get in and out of despite the higher ride height, so no complaints there.

As far as how the truck drives, I’m happy to report that it rides nicely with the TRD kit on it. To be honest, I was really surprised considering the Tacoma in stock form rides like a pontoon boat in a storm, even when you’re driving at low speeds. However, the Bilstein shocks make the truck more stable, even when taking turns at a higher rate of speed. Thanks to the added rebound, the truck soaks up bumps and uneven pavement nicely.

Although, I did detect that it does ride a tad bit stiffer, so you can expect some bounciness over larger bumps. But the good news is that you’ll be able to drive over almost anything with ease, thanks to the truck’s added height.

a picture of a shock absorber from the Toyota TRD lift kit
2021 Toyota Tacoma Off Road with TRD Lift Kit | Toyota

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Is the TRD lift kit worth the price?

Considering I’m a fan of luxury cars and comfortable rides, I would say that the TRD lift kit is worth the $1,450 (without labor) for the ride stability alone. I know that the added vertical lift is the main draw, however, TRD did a great job in tuning the lift kit to adapt to almost every type of driving.

I’m sure the lift kit does well off-road, too, but that remains to be seen. Also, the TRD kit might not provide the type of lift that some enthusiasts want in order to fit larger tires onto the Tacoma. But if you’re just looking for a little bit of a lift and want a kit that’s compatible with your 2020 and up Tacoma, then the TRD kit is the way to go.

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The 2021 Mazda6 Combines Safety With Really Engaging Performance

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Mazda has clearly worked hard over the past decade to differentiate itself from the stiff competition of other automakers in terms of reliability, style, and perhaps most importantly, safety. The 2021 Mazda6 follows suit with those efforts, going so far as to earn a top safety designation from a trusted car safety testing agency. Learn more about what makes the 2021 Mazda6 so special and why it earned a Top Safety Pick+ award from IIHS. 

Is the 2021 Mazda6 a good car?

The 2021 Mazda6 is a fantastic sedan overall, scoring an impressive 8.6/10 overall on U.S. News‘s scorecard. The only midsize car to score above that is the 2021 Honda Accord, which is widely recognized as the best in its class by many critics and car enthusiasts alike. 

On the outside, the 2021 Mazda6 is quite striking for a car of its price, and it looks especially dazzling in the “Deep Crystal Blue” color. The interior is also incredible for the price, as it looks and feels luxurious thanks to the high-quality materials that come in even the base model. Drivers have the option to upgrade the interior to make it even more luxurious with synthetic or genuine leather, heated front seats, and more. 

One common complaint about the 2021 Mazda6 that deserves mention is the somewhat frustrating infotainment center. It features a nice 8-inch touchscreen, but it locks you out from using it while you are driving. This means that you’ll have to use the central control knob, which is intuitive for some, but more agitating for others.

Even still, the 2021 Mazda6 comes standard with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, voice recognition, and HD radio. You can upgrade to include satellite radio, a premium 11-speaker Bose stereo system, remote keyless entry, and more. 

Finally, the engine of the 2021 Mazda6 is pretty darn good for its class. It comes standard with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, capable of producing 187 hp. If you opt to purchase the Grand Touring trim or above, you will have the luxury of a turbocharged four-cylinder that can get up to 250 hp. 

The 2021 Mazda6 starts at $24,475. 

The 2021 Mazda6 won a Top Safety Pick+ award

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The above facts and features make the 2021 Mazda6 worth buying on its own, but the vast array of safety features of the car and its superior crash test ratings make it an even better choice for prospective car buyers. 

The 2021 Mazda6 comes standard with helpful safety features, such as lane departure warning, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, and so much more. 

According to MotorTrend, the Mazda6 won a coveted IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award, the highest possible designation IIHS gives. It also earned five out of five stars for nearly all categories in NHTSA’s crash test ratings, only getting a four in the rollover test. 

Of course, you want your ride to look great and be fun to drive, but you also want it to come with tech that prevents accidents and keeps you safe in case you get into one. 

Mazda is no stranger to safety awards and designations

The 2020 Mazda6 | Raymond Boyd/Getty Images

The 2021 Mazda6 is far from the only vehicle that earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ designation; in fact, it’s just one of seven total Mazda vehicles that received the award in 2021. The 2021 Mazda3 sedan and hatchback, CX-3, CX-30, CX-5, and CX-9, all snagged the award this year. Seven Mazda vehicles also won the award in 2020, making Mazda look like a company that consistently prioritizes safety. 

If you are in the market for a safe, cost-effective, and reliable ride, it’s hard to go wrong with a Mazda. 

The post The 2021 Mazda6 Combines Safety With Really Engaging Performance appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

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