E3 Spark Plugs News

It’s a new year and a new opportunity to treat yourself and your car, truck or motorcycle right. E3 Spark Plugs offers its list of the top 10 New Year’s resolutions for every auto owner:

1. I will schedule two vehicle checkups this year and every year. My teeth look great to me, but my dentist no doubt can spot potential problems with my chompers that I can’t. Same goes for a well-trained mechanic and my car. Plus, having all those maintenance records gives my car a resale value boost.
2. I will check my tires and wheels. Properly inflated tires improve fuel efficiency by 3.3 percent and save me an average $.09 a gallon at the pump. Underinflated tires contributed to more than 600 fatalities and 33,000 injuries a year on America’s roadways.
3. I will check my vehicle’s fluids and keep up with scheduled fluid changes. Checking fluids is quick and easy. And changing them on schedule will save me serious repair money down the road.
4. I will not lollygag in addressing minor knocks and pings and assorted other “minor” issues. Minor problems always turn into major ones when they’re ignored. Pay a little now or a lot later.
5. I will have my brakes checked when I get my tires rotated or at the first instance of brake noise, vibration or increased stopping distance. Worn brake pads turn into damaged rotors. Again – pay a little now or a lot later. Maybe a whole lot if my brakes fail and cause a crash.
6. I will ditch those worn out wiper blades scratching rainbow-shaped notches in my windshield. I will also get rid of faced or bubbled window tint or anything else that impedes my vision. And I’ll make sure all headlights, turn signals and brake lamps are working correctly. After all, it’s not enough to see – a safe car has to be seen too.
7. I will have my vehicle’s charging and electrical systems checked once a year, every year. Being stuck in the mall parking lot with a dead battery sucks. And even if I get a jump start and get home in time to watch the game/race/rodeo, a dead battery can be just a minor symptom of a much bigger problem.
8. I will find my owner’s manual / maintenance schedule and use it. I swear I have it somewhere. And all those reminders will help me keep my car in top shape and my resale value high.
9. I will finally vacuum the beach sand out of my carpets and find that tuna sandwich my kid dropped in the back seat floorboard two weeks ago. Dirt, grime and other nasty stuff can act like sand paper, creating abrasions that can wear down my car’s upholstery and carpeting and putting a serious dent in my car’s resale value.
10. I will switch to E3 spark plugs and quit mucking up the environment. E3 car spark plugs, truck spark plugs and motorcycle spark plugs are like none other on the market, giving my ride a power boost while reducing emissions and saving me a few bucks in fuel costs.

Got any New Year’s resolution suggestions? Leave us a comment or visit the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook Fan page and post your ideas. Most of all, have a safe and happy 2001!

E3 Spark Plugs sends a big “congratulations” to all the winning racers in this year’s Lucas Oil Modified Racing Series presented by Rockstar Energy Drink. The 2010 series winners will, indeed, party like rock stars come January 15th when the Blue Water Resort and Casino in Parker, Arizona hosts the series’ gala awards banquet. This year, post-season awards and bonuses topping $16,000 will go to the top 15 teams in the final points standings.

Racer Jim Mardis is the 2010 Lucas Oil Modified Racing Series champion. Photo courtesy of www.mardisracing.com.

The biggest rock star among them all will be the newly crowned series champion Jim Mardis, the Moreno Valley, CA driver who won two of the 75 lap features on the series schedule and made seven top-five finishes. Mardis will go home this year with $2,500 from the Hoosier tire West points fund, $1,000 in Lucas Oil products and $1,091 in contingency awards. A guy can buy a lot of spark plugs with that kind of money.

Keynote speaker this year is Harold Nicks, proprietor of Parker Pumper, a nationally renowned maker of air distribution systems including systems including cooling systems for brakes and drivers’ helmets; and Racing Plus, Inc., a Mira Loma-based facility that serves race teams with high performance parts, brake systems, drive lines, tools and equipment, plus safety gear including fire suits, gloves, driving shoes and hans devices.

E3 Spark Plugs is proud to be part of “Team Lucas,” a highly potent racing marketing concept that also includes Lucas Oil Products, Magnaflow Exhaust Products, General Tire, K&N Performance Filters, GEICO Powersports, CANIDAE All Natural Pet Food, MAV TV, Dart Machiners and Rockstar Energy Drink. And we hope to see you at this year’s Lucas Oil Modified Racing Series awards gala. Social hour begins at 6 p.m., and dinner at 7 p.m. (Central time zone). And the Blue Water Resort and Casino is offering special $79.95 room rates (888-243-3360). Book now. See ya there.

Your car is more than a mode of transport – it’s a financial investment in your life and lifestyle. So take care of it! And by “take care of it,” we don’t necessarily mean you should head to a mechanic for every little thing. Instead, roll up your sleeves, grab your owner’s manual (we just KNOW it’s still in your glove compartment under all those old CDs, napkins and condiment packets) and earn a little DIY street cred. Start with E3 Spark Plugs‘ list of five must-have skills for every car owner:

Be her hero. Check E3 Spark Plugs' list of five must-have skills for every auto owner.

1. Change a Flat Tire – Who needs AAA when you’ve got two hands, a jack, a lug wrench and a sparkling clean white shirt?
2. Jump Start a Car - It’ll get you back on the road in no time. Plus, if you’re the one with the running car, it’s a great way to play hero to that cutie in the parking lot giving you the damsel-in-distress look.
3. Change an Air Filter - This usually gets done when you take your car in for an oil change, but you’ll want to double check with your mechanic. A clogged air filter can cause your once-strong ride to be sluggish or, worse, to overheat and cause more serious – and potentially expensive – problems.
4. Check the Oil and Transmission Fluid – If the oil line on your dipstick (OK, stop giggling – We’re all adults here) is below the minimum line, get it changed ASAP. If it’s over the max line, the additional pressure could blow a gasket. If the transmission fluid is below the cold line on the dipstick (Oh, for Pete’s sake, stop laughing), your fluid is low. This can mean trouble maneuvering your car and lead to a transmission failure. Experts say nine of ten transmission failures are due to skipping regular fluid and filter changes – an expensive and totally needless fail.
5. Change the Spark Plugs - Slacking on this one can create poor combustion, dirty up your oxygen sensors and clog your catalytic converter. Luckily, we can help you with this one. If you haven’t already, switching to E3 spark plugs will give your car, truck or motorcycle a stronger, cleaner and more economical ride.

Check our online catalog to find out which spark plugs you need and our E3 Spark Plugs blog for plenty of spark plug How-Tos including: setting the gap in your spark plugs, indexing a spark plug, reading your spark plugs and replacing your spark plug wires.

GrowFL, ACG Florida and the Edward Lowe Foundation named E3 Spark Plugs in their inaugural list of 50 “Florida Companies to Watch.” The list recognizes Florida companies that are flourishing despite the nation’s financial downturn and helping to buoy Florida’s economy.

‘Firms like these named ‘Companies to Watch’ continue to be the catalyst that is fueling Florida’s emergence from a turbulent national economy,” said Randy Berridge, president of the Florida High Tech Corridor Council.

Florida Companies To Watch Program from Florida Technology Journal on Vimeo.

Each of the privately held companies employs up to 99 workers and reports between $750,000 to $50 million in annual revenue or capital. Their combined impact is $419 million in total annual revenue and 1,972 full-time equivalent employees. For the five year period 2006-2010, the companies generated a combined $1.4 billion in revenue and hired 1,153 new employees in and outside of Florida. This reflects a 162 percent increase in revenue and a 141 percent increase in jobs for the five year period; a 32 percent revenue growth and 28 percent annual growth in employment annually.

The “Florida Companies to Companies to Watch” program was developed by the Michigan-based Edward Lowe Foundation, which supports entrepreneurship with a focus on second-stage companies. Funding support comes from the Governor’s Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development. Sponsors include: The Florida High Tech Corridor Council; the Florida Business Incubation Association; Fowler White Boggs; the University of Central Florida; the University of South Florida; the Osceola County Economic Development Department; Nperspective; and Gulf Power Co.

E3 Spark Plugs is proud to be recognized among Florida’s most enterprising young companies. We set out to develop a simple way to make America’s vehicles run cleaner, stronger and more economically. And we knew we were onto something when the Environmental Protection Agency recognized our product, with its patented DiamondFire technology, as the only spark plug considered a “supplemental emissions control device.”

Many thanks go out to the evaluators who chose E3 Spark Plugs to be included on the list, and to our customers who care enough about the environment to try something new. We hope you’ll join us for the “Florida Companies to Watch” awards celebration February 17 at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando.

GearZ TV's Stacey David

E3 Spark Plugs’ new 2011 sweepstakes is bigger and better than ever before! One lucky winner will be offered an opportunity to ride along with a professional BIGFOOT® driver in the E3 BIGFOOT Monster Truck, and he/she and a guest will have a chance to be VIP’s for the weekend at the 2011 4-Wheel Jamboree in Indianapolis, Indiana September 16th-18th. The sweepstakes will be promoted throughout the year from January 1, 2011 through August 19, 2011 on Stacey David’s GearZ syndicated on Speed channel, at the Monster Nationals Events, and the Lucas Oil/E3 Spark Plug Dyno Challenge events. Not only will the winner be a part of the crew for the racing portion of the show, but also get to meet Bob Chandler, inventor and owner of BIGFOOT, and Stacey David, producer & host of Stacey David’s GearZ and dine with them during lunch. The Grand Prize includes: round-trip airfare to and from Indianapolis, Indiana, two (2) day hotel accommodations, and transportation to & from the airport and the Jamboree.

One lucky winner will get a ride in the E3 Spark Plugs-sponsored BIGFOOT monster truck!

“We think the Monster Truck Series enthusiasts out there will be all over this idea,” said Steve Joiner, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for E3 Spark Plugs. “At some of these events there will be upwards of 80,000 fans in attendance, many of whom have been following the records of BIGFOOT all of their lives. To think they get to not only go for a ride in it, but also meet & dine with Bob Chandler who invented the whole concept is just a really big deal.”

“Then throw into the mix the chance to also meet automotive industry celebrity Stacey David, producer and host of Stacey David’s GearZ, we think these fans will just be beside themselves”, stated Joiner.

“We at E3 Spark Plugs teamed with BIGFOOT, who was literally responsible for creating the monster truck itself, because we strive to associate with other innovative companies like ourselves. We will personally be on hand to meet our lucky sweepstakes winner in September and help make their weekend at the event as awesome an experience as possible.” Said Todd Arey, President of E3 Spark Plugs.

Backed by a five year, 100,000-mile warranty, E3 Spark Plugs, with their side-wire electrode, projects the combustion spark in a way that more quickly ignites the air/fuel mixture thereby creating a significantly faster and larger flame kernel. In effect, this burns more of the available fuel, resulting in increased combustion efficiency for improved power and fuel economy with reduced emissions. They are now available for most automotive and motorsports applications at automotive retail stores nationwide. For more information and complete test results, visit www.e3sparkplugs.com.

For more information about Bob Chandler and Team BIGFOOT, visit bigfoot4x4.com.

Press Release by Martin & Company Advertising.

Tickets for the 2011 E3 Spark Plugs Monster Truck Nationals‘ January – April events, presented by Lucas Oil, are on sale now. This year’s lineup includes 14 events at stadiums, arenas and coliseums in nine different states and promises to deliver mud-flinging, jaw-dropping, heart-thumping and awe-inspiring action that the whole family will enjoy.

The 2011 E3 Spark Plugs Monster Truck Nationals presented by Lucas Oil hits 13 venues next year. Tickets are on sale now.

Each venue will rumble with the nation’s most competitive Monster Trucks, including the ever popular E3 Spark Plugs-sponsored Bigfoot, which celebrated its 35th anniversary with the 2010 season. Originally used as the work truck and occasional promotional piece for Monster Truck Nationals founder Bob Chandler’s 4×4 parts and service company, Bigfoot is the iconic image of monster truck racing. It all started in 1981 when Chandler decided to roll Bigfoot over a couple of junk cars and see how audiences reacted. Three and a half decades later, Monster Truck Nationals shows are an annual entertainment staple for tens of thousands of big truck enthusiasts.

Regular Monster Truck Nationals event-goers already are itching to see the “high jumping, ground pounding, car crashing, axle wrenching giants race in side-by-side drags, wheelie shootout, and then go completely bananas with amazing freestyle action.” Fans who show up early can see their favorite trucks up close and meet the drivers at the pre-event Autograph Pit Parties on the floor of each venue. Ironman, the Lucas Oil Stabilizer, PureFlow Airdog Diesel RX, plus two new interactive trucks, Star Marshal and Chalkboard Chuck make appearances at each show.

Visit the Monster Truck Nationals website to buy your tickets (see the January-April schedule below),  and check the E3 Spark Plugs blog for updates, and join Truck Show Nation to connect with other monster truck fanatics. And to keep your truck in top competitive form, pick up a set of E3 truck spark plugs or E3 performance spark plugs.

2011 E3 Monster Truck Nationals presented by Lucas Oil
January – April Schedule

Jan. 07 – Jan. 08, Big Sandy Arena, Huntington, WV
Jan. 21 – Jan. 22, Bank of Kentucky Center, Highland Heights, KY
Jan. 28 – Jan. 30, Alliant Energy Center Memorial Coliseum, Madison, WI
Feb. 04 – Feb. 05, The Arena, Corbin, KY
Feb. 05, Assembly Hall, Champaign, IL
Feb. 11 – Feb. 12, US Cellular Center, Cedar Rapids, IA
Feb. 18 – Feb. 20, Tyson Events Center, Sioux City, IA
Feb. 25 – Feb. 26, Southern Illinois Center, DuQuoin, IL
Mar. 12 – Mar. 13, The Sears Centre, Hoffman Estates, IL
Mar. 26, University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Apr. 01 – Apr. 02, Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, PA
Apr. 09, Schottenstein Center, Columbus, OH
Apr. 22 – Apr. 23, Tsongas Center, Lowell, MA
Apr. 29 – Apr. 30, Tullio Arena, Erie, PA

This just might be the strangest E3 Spark Plugs blog entry we’ve posted thus far. With everyone here at the E3 headquarters itching to ditch work early for the opening of  Disney’s “Tron” tonight, we got to thinking about all the great motorcycle movies we’ve seen. Then, we got to wondering if any of those films paid tribute to the trusty spark plug. After all, if a motorcycle was a blockbuster movie, the spark plug might be the great script. Turns out, the spark plug doesn’t get much respect from scriptwriters, which we think is a cinematic shame. But we did find a few oddly amusing spark plug script cameos.

The earliest spark plug cameo we find in filmdom is in the 1930 Cecil B. DeMille flick “Madame Satan” which, incidentally, was released on DVD this month. The legendary Hollywood director/producer was best known for biblical epics like the 1923 and 1956 versions of The Ten Commandments” and 1952′s melodramatic Oscar winner “The Greatest Show on Earth.” But Madame Satan, a romantic musical comedy, was a bit of an experimental project, it seems. The film stars Kay Johnson as a wife who learns her husband is having an affair with a singer. So she dresses as “Madame Satan” and foots it to a lavish costume ball in a vamped-up attempt to lure her husband back into her arms.

So where do the spark plugs come in? That would be in the sci-fi-esque “Ballet Mechanique,” lead by the Spirit of Electricity and featuring a group of dancers dressed as spark plugs. The $1 million production was the most expensive at the MGM studios that year, but the unfortunately timed film fizzled at the box office in the midst of a backlash against musicals. Click below for a look at the rather bizarre-but-mesmerizing number.

The spark plug’s next cameo comes in the 1957 British noir classic “Hell Drivers,” which opens with actor Stanley Baker, described as a “long-jawed, macho Morrissey type,” picking up a spark plug and kissing it. His character, Tom Yately, is an ex-con looking to leave his ne’er do well ways behind and begin anew. He lands a job hauling gravel for Hawlett Trucking, an aggressive company that places speed far higher on the priority list than employee safety. Tom’s competitive side kicks in when he decides to go head-to-head with Red, a veteran driver who logs 18 runs a day. As expected, Red’s cronies bow up against Tom and it all goes downhill when Tom’s friend and fellow driver Gino is killed in an accident, blowing the cover on corporate corruption. We hear the race scenes are awesome.

The most recent spark plug mention we turned up is in “Four Lions,” a comedy about terrorism. Yes, you read that correctly – a comedy about terrorism. With tongue firmly in cheek, Indie director Chris Morris set out to make what has been described as “the Three Stooges of Jihad.” Except there are four of them: working-class young Brits who meet in secret to plan suicide bombings but have trouble deciding what to bomb. Hilarity ensues, packed with laughter-inducing jabs that ought not to be funny, including a scene wherein the would-be jihadists’ car breaks down.

“It’s the parts. They’re Jewish,” says one knucklehead character.

Um. Which parts?

“The spark plugs. Jews invented spark plugs to control global traffic.”

Says one “Four Lions” reviewer, “As an audience member, you’re stuck. The subject would not seem to be funny in any way. Terrorism is clearly a serious matter. Yet, funny is funny and you laugh despite yourself. After all, with the Times Square car bomber, who locked his keys in the car, and after the underwear bomber, you begin to see that not everyone involved is a Ph.D.”

“Four Lions” is making the film festival circuit and was nominated for five British Independent Film Awards as well as the Sundance Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize.

Frankly, we’re not sure what to make of a few of these spark plug mentions. But as aspiring young actors say, “parts is parts,” or something like that. We’re just glad to see the trusty spark plug land a few bit parts on the big screen. It gives a whole new meaning to the term “performance spark plugs.” Seen any of these movies? Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

What do you get the gearhead who has everything? E3 Spark Plugs combed the internet and a few automotive magazines and TV shows to put together a list of the five three things we think the car/truck/motorcycle enthusiast on your holiday shopping list will love. Heck, you just might pick up an extra one of these for yourself, too. We wouldn’t blame you.

Cover of "20th Century Classic Cars: 100 Years of Automotive Ads" - a great gift for the car buff.

A copy of 20th Century Classic Cars – 100 Years of Automotive Ads: This hard-cover coffee table book features a look back at both the progress of car design and the art of advertising those cars over the past century.  Written and compiled by New York Times Automotive Writer Phil Patton and Taschen America Executive Editor Jim Heimann, the book is a brilliantly illustrated, 480-page timeline of the automobile and highlights technological innovations, major manufacturers and dealers, influential historical events and the influence of pop culture on car design. 20th Century Classic Cars is a great gift for any auto buff – $39.99 on the Taschen website and at most major book stores and online book dealers.

Gladiator Garageworks: Ditch that old recycled armoire and collection of tackle boxes your car lover is using to organize his tools. Whirlpool has created a system that turns that’ll make his garage look like a something out of a luxury home magazine. The Gladiator Garageworks system is totally customizable, with features like the $600 8-foot maple wood work bench, GearBoxes and GearDrawers drawers designed to fit specific tools, and a GearWall that lets you anchor cupboards above a bench and reconfigure their positions as needed (no need to drill new holes or search for studs). The system also includes appliances like a trash compactor and the Chillerator, a refrigerator/freezer designed to keep a consistent temperature despite extreme weather and humidity conditions – something that retired kitchen fridge just can’t handle.

A Skip Barber Racing School experience: He can’t keep it in a dresser drawer, but it’s something he’ll never forget. One, two and three-day racing programs at the Skip Barber Racing School are a car enthusiast’s dream. There’s even a SuperBike school for motorcycle lovers. If the speed demon on your holiday shopping list has ever dreamed of taking to the tracks, this gift will be a blast.  And it’ll make any car fanatic a safer, better driver. Gift certificates are 15% off if you buy before December 31.

Of course, there is one other thing we can think of that will rock a Christmas stocking – a set of E3 performance spark plugs. With DiamondFire technology that allows for better gas mileage and a cleaner, stronger burn, this is a gift that will keep on giving.

Happy holidays from E3 Spark Plugs!

Spark plugs, tire gauges, air filters all are weapons in the fight against rising gas prices. The national average cost for a gallon of unleaded self-serve gasoline was $2.98 as of Tuesday morning, and it already tops $3 in some states including California, New Jersey and Nevada. That’s the highest national average gas price since October 2008.

E3 Spark Plugs can help you conserve gas and save money this holiday travel season.

As the economy continues to recover, everyone is looking for ways to cut costs and still get their day-to-day running done, especially during the holiday travel season. To that end, E3 Spark Plugs and AAA offer a few tips to help drivers conserve gas, save cash and boost air quality for everyone:

• Check your tire pressure. Underinflated tires cut your fuel economy by upwards of two percent per pound of pressure below recommended levels. In fact, the increased resistance in underinflated tires on our highways wastes nearly 1.2 billion gallons of fuel per year according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Not to mention, they’re a real safety hazard on the roadways.

• Replace clogged air filters. They can cause up to a 10 percent jump in fuel consumption.

• A little junk in the trunk is great for your woman – not so much for your gas mileage. Every 100 extra pounds you haul around in your trunk, backseat or pickup bed can cost you a mile per gallon. Clear it out.

• Car pool, take the bus or at least do a little pre-planning when it comes to running errands. Write a shopping list for the week and make one trip to town, rather than half a dozen ones for all the stuff you forgot the first time. Leave a few minutes early to avoid being stuck in rush hour traffic jams.

• If you’re traveling long distance, plan a route that bypasses construction zones and big-city congestion areas. And reserve a hotel room before you head out, so you’re not circling unfamiliar streets searching for a “Vacancy” sign.

• Slow down and chill out. The faster you drive, the more gas you burn. And aggressive driving and quick stops and starts waste an average two miles per gallon. So set your cruise control to a reasonable speed and relax.

• Skip the premium and mid-grade fuel if your vehicle’s owner manual doesn’t specifically require it.

• And, of course, replace worn spark plugs with new E3 car spark plugs, truck spark plugs or motorcycle spark plugs. E3′s DiamondFire technology makes our spark plug a proven leader in reducing fuel consumption, toxic emissions and costs.

Happy holiday traveling!

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

We sell a lot of E3 jeep spark plugs and our Jeep Grand Cherokee-driving customers are among the proudest. Well, those Jeep lovers just nabbed bragging rights. Editors of Decisive Auto magazine and a panel of 15 independent automotive journalists named the new Jeep Grand Cherokee the “2011 Urban Truck of the Year.”

The honor is the latest in an already impressive list of accolades for the Jeep’s new premium SUV. Other kudos include:

• Consumers Digest “Best Buy”
• Popular Mechanics Automotive Excellence Award for Off-Road Ability
• Texas Auto Writers Association “SUV of Texas”
• Texas Auto Writers Association “Full-size SUV of Texas”
• Ruedas ESPN “Best SUV”
• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick

“While faithfully capturing the spirit of its predecessor, the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is new and improved in every way,” said Decisive Auto Editor-in-Chief Lyndon Bell. “The Jeep’s over-the-road dynamics easily rivals that of its competitors’ less capable crossover vehicles. Meanwhile, the Jeep is also perfectly proficient at traversing any terrain. Luxurious interior appointments – along with the fact that drivers aren’t penalized into accepting a lower trim level if they opt for the more fuel-efficient engine – speaks volumes to the way Jeep’s engineers and product planners incorporated 21st century realities into America’s most iconic SUV.

Judges spent several months driving dozens of vehicles in multiple North American urban settings and focused on attributes including styling, practicality and attainability. The new Jeep Grand Cherokee is built on a Mercedes M-class platform and comes with two engine options: a 3.6-liter aluminum V-6 that gets 280 horsepower, and a 5.7-liter V-8 Hemi that adds 80 horses and towing capacity of up to 7,400 pounds. It features a tighter suspension and better insulation (including a new firewall separating the engine and cabin) for a quieter, more comfortable ride. A smoother, sleeker interior offers four more inches of legroom and adjustable seatbacks for back-seat passengers. A rotary dial operates Jeep’s new Selec-Terrain system and a tight 39-foot turning radius makes parking and U-turns a cinch. Base price is about $30,995.

The Urban Vehicles of the Year will be formally presented at the 15th Annual Urban Wheel Awards on January 9, leading into the North American International Auto Show at the COBO Center in Detroit, Michigan. Get your tickets or credentials for the Press Preview, Industry Preview, Charity Preview or Public Show quickly. And if you drive a Jeep, be sure you give them a performance boost with a set of E3 Jeep spark plugs.