The Best Beadlock Wheels for Your Truck

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Beadlock wheels are a popular modification for hardcore off-road enthusiasts. The wheel’s design allows owners to air their tires down significantly more than normal, but many are for “off-road use only.” While the DOT won’t be kicking down your door for your wheels, it could come back to bite you in the event of an accident. They’re critical for off-road use, but who makes the best beadlock wheels? And what exactly do beadlock wheels do?

Black Rhino wheels are an off-road staple

Black Rhino’s Avenger wheel | Black Rhino

Before we get into this, it’s best to explain the concept of a beadlocking wheel. Essentially, it’s like a vice grip that goes over your tire. That way, when you’re off-roading and air down your tires, the truck or SUV doesn’t simply spin the wheel inside of the tire when there’s no grip. With that said, it’s pretty clear that Black Rhino knows what a locking wheel is too. Here in Colorado, it’s common to see various Jeeps, 4Runners, and the like running Black Rhino wheels.

Specifically, it’s common to see these vehicles running Black Rhino Avenger wheels. However, it is important to note that these are off-road only wheels, and not DOT compliant for road use. They also aren’t cheap, at nearly $550 a wheel. But, you get what you pay for and there’s a reason they’re so popular. The Avenger also comes in a myriad of five and six-lug bolt patterns, so you can be sure to find one that fits your rig.

Fuel makes a solid set of beadlock wheels

A machined silver Fuel beadlocking wheel
The Fuel Anza wheel | Fuel

Our next candidate is also another one of those off-road only wheels. Fuel is one of the better-known outfits in the off-road game, and the wheel’s quality speaks for itself. Style is personal, but it’s hard to argue with the clean and simple machined finish offered on these wheels. Unfortunately, Fuel’s Anza wheel is only offered in a six-lug configuration, limiting the number of trucks or SUVs it can fit on.

Thankfully, the wheel’s 17×9 size is sure to offer enough width for even the toughest of lines. The Fuel Anza wheel also offers a distinct advantage over the Avenger wheel: price. These wheels are quite literally half the cost of a Black Rhino wheel at $244 per wheel. However, the Anza’s sizing limits hamper it somewhat in our comparison. Thankfully, Fuel does offer other wheels to fit your needs.

Relations Race Wheels are the best of both worlds

A bronze Relations Race Wheels hybrid beadlocking wheel
The RR6-H wheel | Relations Race Wheels

The Race Relations Wheels RR6-H might have a mouthful of a name, but it’s truly the best of both worlds. It’s a hybrid wheel, meaning there’s that key DOT compliancy built-in for everyday use. It’s also not a wheel that’s going to break the bank at $220 a wheel. Moreover, there’s a stunning amount of options and colors available, so there’s something for everyone here. That versatility is why it’s the best beadlock wheel you can buy. Just be sure to take the locker off before you get back on the pavement.

RELATED: The 2022 Toyota Tundra Just Got Two Great New Features

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What Is Siri Eyes Free?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Siri has become like part of the family for many Apple users. It can play your favorite music, answer all your burning questions, and even read you a bedtime story. How does Siri fit into car safety, though?

Infotainment systems have come a long way

Apple CarPlay on an infotainment screen | Will Ireland/MacFormat Magazine/Future via Getty Images

It’s no secret that car infotainment systems have come a long way. Long gone are the days when we tried to shove a CD into the slot only to have it spat back out at you. Then there were the cassettes tapes which the cassette player gleefully ate on each long-awaited car trip. While it might make for a great story now, very few people want to go back to those days.

Now we have massive touch screens that can perform an incredible range of tasks by hearing the driver speak. They’re able to play music, report on the news, display movies, play games, and tell us how to get from point A to point B through navigation systems.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are the two major app competitors in the new infotainment wars. This is because it’s becoming increasingly clear that many consumers will walk away from a vehicle that doesn’t have a system that connects with their preferred phone brand. This is why Siri Eyes Free came into being before Apple CarPlay took over. 

What is Siri Eyes Free?

According to iMore, Siri Eyes Free is sort of like Apple CarPlay, but can’t do as much. Where CarPlay requires an infotainment screen, Siri Eyes Free is voice-activated. 

Essentially, Siri Eyes Free can take care of tasks like reading out your text messages to you, playing your favorite song, and things of that nature. Pretty much anything Siri can do on your phone, it can do in your car while you’re driving.

Siri Eyes Free was first introduced in 2012, so it’s somewhat dated at this point. That’s why Apple later created and introduced CarPlay, which can do much more than Siri Eyes Free. It was designed to keep your hands on the steering wheel and your eyes on the road. So, if you want to do something that would require you to look at your phone, Siri Eyes Free can’t perform it.

Which car models are compatible with Siri Eyes Free?

While Apple CarPlay is easy enough to spot when in use, Siri Eye’s Free isn’t as obvious. However, if your vehicle is Bluetooth compatible, chances are it is also compatible with Siri Eye’s Free. The other option is to Google your vehicle’s make and model year, but we’ve found a few of the more popular choices for you.

2016 model year Toyota vehicles have Siri Eyes Free. In fact, they’re the only Toyota models that do. The phone off-hook button is usually all it takes to summon the mighty Siri.

Ford is a little more straightforward. If your Ford has the Sync3 infotainment system, then you have Siri Eyes Free. All you need to do is press and hold the Voice Command button located on the steering wheel for about two seconds.

Acura also has a few models with Siri Eyes Free. These include the 2013 and 2014 ILX Premium and Tech trims, the 2013 and 2014 ILX Hybrid models, and all 2013 2014 RDX models. The button to activate Siri is located on the steering wheel. All you need to do is press and hold the talk button until you hear the Siri tone. Then you can say what you need.

While Siri Eyes Free isn’t as popular as CarPlay, which has, by and large, replaced it at this point, it might be useful for teen drivers just getting out on the road on their own. It’s also useful for anyone who isn’t into a lot of tech but has loved ones who demand they stay in constant contact.

RELATED: Why Is My Apple Carplay Not Working?

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These Convenience Modifications Make Your Car Better to Drive Every Day

by Gabrielle DeSantis

With the world returning to a somewhat normal state after some of the worst months of the pandemic, many commuters are now faced with the reality of going back to the office. If you’re one, perhaps you’ve noticed how unpleasant commuting can be. From stereos to tires, to small changes, these convenience modifications can help make that commute just a little nicer.

Get yourself Android Auto or Apple Carplay

An aftermarket head unit in a Subaru | Will Ireland via Getty Images

If you’ve ever used Android Auto or Apple Carplay, you’ll know what I’m on about. So maybe skip this and read something more interesting. If not, this easy change can really help ease that commute. Our phones integrate into just about everything now, from our TVs to our refrigerators (weirdly). So, why not integrate your phone into your car? A stereo with Android Auto or Apple Carplay really can change the game.

Both Apple Carplay and Android Auto offer a great host of smartphone-like features, such as Waze, Google and Apple Maps, and voice-to-text. Not only are those great convenience features, but they also help keep your eyes on the road. In my personal experience with both, getting an aftermarket stereo that comes with both is an absolute must for making your car more usable day-to-day.

Tires make a bigger difference than you might think

Pirelli tires at a Formula 2 race
Special tires aren’t just for race cars | Joe Portlock via Getty Images

People don’t usually think of tires when they think about making their car more comfortable, but they should. Having the right set of tires, and more importantly, the right size can drastically improve your car’s ride comfort and quality. The right size tire can help cushion the merciless pothole blows that rain on commuters. Additionally, they can help with road noise. Your ride’s OEM run-flat tires might be what came on the car, but that doesn’t mean they should stay. Run-flat, all-season tires are often noisier than a dedicated set of summer and winter tires.

Just like Android Auto and Apple Carplay, tires are a convenience modification that can help in the safety department too. The proper tire compound in the right weather can help decrease stopping distance. Additionally, the right set of tires at the right time will help your car stay stuck to the road no matter the season.

Creature comforts can change the game

A USB port in a car
Little changes can make a big difference | Smith Collection via Getty Images

Finally, adding some minor creature comforts can really help with commuting discomfort. Simple things like a trash can, or those little dividers that go in the seats to catch coins can really help. No one really has a name for those but you can find them on Amazon. If you’re handy with some tools, maybe add in an aftermarket USB port for charging, but as always, modify at your own risk. Frankly, any of these items discussed should help make your car more pleasant to drive every day.

RELATED: Why You Should Absolutely Buy an Electric Motorcycle

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This Dealer Marked-Up One of the Least Expensive New Cars by a Boatload

by Gabrielle DeSantis

In these wild times, the least expensive new car has become the new hot ticket. The chip shortage has squeezed the flow of production down to a trickle. As a result, the Mitsubishi Mirage, one of the least expensive new cars in the American market, has become a hot commodity. Never mind the fact that the majority of customers hate this little, joyless, economy box; one dealer saw the shot and marked up one new Mitsubishi Mirage by 33 percent. 

2021 Mitsubishi Mirage | Ole Ben Franklin Motors

How much does a 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage Cost? 

That used to be a much easier question to answer. The Mirage has a starting MSRP of only $17,990. While it has been the shining example of an affordable car during all the new car shortages, it may change due to demand. 

If 2020-present has taught us one thing, it’s that our high school economics classes were right about supply and demand; It is a powerful force, indeed. Given the wild demand for cheap new cars, one dealer decided to capitalize on the demand for the least expensive car on the market. 

The least expensive new car just got more expensive

2020 Mitsubishi Mirage at sunset
Mitsubishi Mirage | Mitsubishi

According to The Drive, Ole Ben Franklin Motors currently offers at least one Mirage with a markup that seems impossibly high. The Mirage goes for $17,990; however, This dealer has a brand new red one that they have jacked up by $5,995, to the stout price of $24,260 – for a Mitsubishi Mirage! 

This kind of price-gouging madness is only one of many that are popping up all over the country. As far as we can tell, of the 35 Mitsubishi Mirages, this is the only one hiked up this far. However, that doesn’t mean that they aren’t getting around to it. 

One of the employees told The Drive that all of them are marked up to some extent. It’s likely that if the marked-up Mirages start to sell, the rest of them will crawl to new heights as well. What’s funny is that not only is this one of the least expensive cars on the market, but this red one with the heavy markup is not even a top-trim model. There are other Mirage models on the lot that are better equipped and have higher MSRP. 

Although the car lot’s site doesn’t have that marked-up price listed, the dealership confirmed that the tweeted price is correct when The Drive inquired. 

Is the Mitsubishi Mirage a good car? 

“One of least expensive new cars” is not exactly the best selling point. As you might expect, the Mitsubishi Mirage is not the most satisfying car on the market, but it is one of the cheapest. But once nearly $6,000 is tacked on, its one feather quickly gets plucked from its cap.

For instance, a customer could spend $24,260 on this red Mirage, or they could spend a little more than $1,000 extra to get a far superior 2021 Honda Civic EX. This isn’t the bargain barrel trim either. The EX is the third-highest trim. 

You could also opt for a new Kia K5, which sits at $24,685. Although the market is insane right now, there is truly still no reason to buy a Mitsubishi Mirage, much less a marked-up Mirage. Once the budget gets into the mid-20s, the Mirage has almost nothing to offer. 

Stay frosty out there, car shoppers. The money grabs are out there, and dealers are stressing (which is understandable), but that doesn’t mean you have to overpay for one of the least expensive cars on the market. 

RELATED: The Cheapest New Cars You Should Never Buy

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