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Vehicle maintenance is the less-than-fun part of vehicle ownership. While it can be a pain in the neck, staying on top of your car's maintenance schedule can save you a lot of money and inconvenience in the long run. Your car will run better for longer when you keep it in tip-top shape, so it is important to understand what your car needs and how best to care for it. Engine Oil Engine oil is a lubricant for the moving parts of your vehicle's engine. These parts heat quickly when your vehicle is in motion, and if there is not enough oil, friction can cause severe damage to those metal parts. Similarly, if there is oil but it is dirty or sticky, it can cause the metal to erode, again causing harm to the engine. Both situations can end in engine failure, leading to a costly, major repair with your vehicle being out of commission for at least several days. By making sure your oil is topped off and keeping to a regular schedule of changing it, you can protect those engine parts and extend the life of your vehicle by several years. more Tire Pressure and Alignment Proper tire pressure is important for maintaining your vehicle's traction and cornering. When tire pressure is too high or too low, it can cause your tires to wear unevenly and excessively, making you have to replace them more often than is necessary. Check your owner's manual to learn the correct amount of air pressure for your vehicle's tires and make a habit of checking their pressure on a regular basis. It is also important to keep an eye on your tires' alignment to be sure that your vehicle's suspension is working properly. Brakes The brakes on most vehicles are a hydraulic system made up of pads that press together when signaled. They run on brake fluid, which can easily be checked for proper levels. If the fluid runs too low or the pads wear too thin, you might notice that it is harder to slow down or come to a complete stop. If you hear grinding sounds whenever you brake, it is likely time to replace your brakes. Keep an eye on brake fluid and brake pads; if you notice leakage or wear, address the issue before it gets worse. Transmission Fluid As its name suggests, transmission fluid lubricates the transmission of your vehicle. It is important to keep this fluid topped off, as allowing it to get low can lead to its contamination and, eventually, transmission failure. Checking your transmission fluid is a simple maintenance task that can save you money on costly repairs and time without your vehicle. Vehicle ownership and regular maintenance go hand in hand. Maintenance is vital to extending the life and performance of your vehicle, and it pays dividends of money saved on expensive repairs and time saved in the auto shop. Learn how to maintain your vehicle and begin a regular schedule to keep it in great shape. Image via Pixabay by Joenomias

There are plenty of places to eat when you're in the Wichita area. Some of the best spots to get Certified Angus Beef are in this city, and you can even get fresh seafood. To top your meal off, you can order a glass of premium wine or get a specialty cocktail. Here are the top four premium dining spots in Wichita. AVI Seabar & Chophouse The top spot for fresh seafood delivered daily is AVI Seabar & Chophouse. The restaurant also has salads, Certified Angus Beef, and a variety of sandwiches. Located in downtown Wichita, it's a great place to stop before a show at the nearby Orpheum Theatre. The second story has a bar with a menu full of specialty martinis, cocktails, and international beers. Start your meal with the seafood poutine fries or lobster, spinach, and artichoke dip. For your entree, try the smoked duck breast or blackened red snapper. more Scotch & Sirloin Rated one of the top 10 restaurants in America for its wine selection and service, Scotch & Sirloin is a can't-miss place for a meal. Since the shop opened in 1968, it has always provided top cuts of beef alongside a wide variety of premium wines. The interior of the restaurant features spinning curves that come down from the ceiling and stretch through the whole space. There's also a 400 bottle glass wall that separates the bar from the dining room as well as a 1,110 bottle temperature-controlled wine cellar. Try the prime rib, which is one of the best entrees at Scotch & Sirloin. Newport Grill Newport Grill is proud to be fun and sophisticated, and that shows in its decor. When you walk in, you'll notice that you feel like you're in an oceanside oasis even though you're in Kansas. You can eat in the intimate indoor setting or outside on the patio to enjoy the weather. The shop specializes in fresh seafood, and each menu item is prepared from scratch and made with fresh, local products. Start your meal with an appetizer of ahi tuna poke or coconut crab and spinach dip, and order the Maine lobster tail for your entree. Greystone Greystone is the place to go on the east side for steak and seafood. The restaurant is proud to have a custom wine line, a premium well selection, and hand-crafted cocktails. Only Midwest, wet-aged, corn-fed beef is served here, and it can be seared to whatever temperature you desire. Start your meal with the lobster bisque soup or the tenderloin tips. For dinner, order a half-pound of crab legs or get the shrimp pasta if you're in the mood for seafood. If you prefer steak, you'll love the marinated ribeye or the 10-ounce NY strip. There's no shortage of top dining spots when you're eating out in or near Wichita. Get some of the best beef in the city at these restaurants or indulge in a seafood-filled meal to satisfy your taste buds. Photo by kohrogi34 | Licensed under cc BY 2.0

Ranked #8 in Compact Cars from U.S. News and World Report, the 2018 Mazda 3 is a stylish, affordable vehicle. It starts at just $18,095 for the base model, and even upgrades such as the available premium equipment package won't break the bank. The Mazda 3 comes in both a sedan and hatchback model, and this vehicle offers a variety of features that will have drivers excited to take on the challenge of the open road. Interior Mazda used exceptional quality materials to design the interior of the Mazda 3. The front seats are contoured to hug your body, and they are upholstered with soft, breathable cloth, leatherette, or dual-stitched leather. The cabin is laid out for maximum driver convenience, with all of the controls and displays placed within easy reach. There is seating for five and two full sets of LATCH car-seat connectors in the back row. The sedan has 12.4 cubic feet of cargo space, while the hatchback offers just over 20 cubic feet with the rear seats up or 47 cubic feet with both rear seats folded forward. more Power The Mazda 3 doesn't skimp on power. The Sport model comes with a SKYACTIV-G 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that has 155 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque. The Touring and Grand Touring models each feature a SKYACTIV-G 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 184 horsepower and 155 pound-feet of torque. All models come with front-wheel drive, and you can choose between a six-speed overdrive manual transmission or a six-speed automatic transmission with Sport mode and manual shift. All this adds up to a satisfying driving experience that earns the vehicle 4 out of 5 stars from Car and Driver in the Engine and Transmission category. Performance The Mazda 3's responsive steering makes it fun to drive. SKYACTIV Vehicle Dynamics with G-Vectoring Control makes cornering a breeze by shifting the vehicle's weight inside the turn and adjusting power delivery for an exhilarating experience. The 4-wheel independent suspension system delivers a smoother ride on bumpy surfaces, and sturdy brakes also help you tackle corners. The vehicle gets a respectable 28 miles per gallon in the city and 37 miles per gallon highway, saving you about $100 per year in fuel costs depending on your driving habits. Technology Drivers these days expect their cars to come loaded with technology features, and the Mazda 3 does not disappoint. It comes standard with the Mazda Connect system, which includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and HD radio. A 7-inch touch-screen controls the system in tandem with console-mounted controls. There are also plenty of safety technology features onboard. These include adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, and traffic sign recognition. With all these features at your fingertips, you'll feel secure knowing your car is helping to keep you safe on the road. The Mazda 3 is a well-rounded, fun-to-drive compact car with exceptional power, performance, and handling. Its many features make it appealing to commuters and families alike, and its value is hard to beat. Test drive one today and find out for yourself! Photo by egm | Licensed under cc BY-SA 2.0

Car shoppers with a serious need for speed only have to look as far as the nearest Mazda dealership to find a vehicle they're sure to love. In fact, one of the things that Mazda is most well-known for is that it sells some of the fastest cars on the market. This year's models are only stepping up that game, offering you some of the fastest and most powerful vehicles you could hope for. Here are four of the fastest 2018 Mazdas you need to take out for a test drive. Mazda3 Grand Touring The 2018 Mazda3 Grand Touring comes standard with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder SKYACTIV-G engine that delivers up to 184 horsepower at 5,700 rpm and 185 pounds-feet torque at 3,250 rpm. The Mazda3 Grand Touring redlines at 6,500 rpm, which provides an impressive level of acceleration between gear shifts and makes this car feel like it's packing a lot more power than it actually is. The Mazda3 is one of Mazda's less powerful vehicles, but it packs plenty of punch for somebody that's looking for speed on a budget. more Mazda CX-9 A lot of people don't associate speed with SUVs, but the 2018 Mazda CX-9 may just surprise you. This luxury sport utility vehicle comes standard with a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, 16-valve SKYACTIV-G engine that delivers an impressive 250 horsepower. That, in combination with up to 310 pounds-feet torque at 2,000 rpm and the fact that the CX-9 redlines at an impressive 6,300 rpm, means this is one surprisingly fast SUV. Mazda 6 Signature Stepping it up a notch, the 2018 Mazda 6 Signature sedan is a small car that packs a lot of power in under the hood. The Mazda 6 Signature comes standard with the same 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, 16-valve SKYACTIVE-G engine found in the much larger CX-9. That means a lot of power with less chassis to move, which all adds up to an impressively fast sedan. With up to 250 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and a 6,300 rpm redline, you'll have more power than you know what to do with under the hood of this car. Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Don't let the relatively small engine in the 2018 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF fool you. This is one of the fastest cars you'll have the luxury of driving. A 2.0-litre 16-valve, four-cylinder SKYACTIV-G engine delivers up to 155 horsepower and 148 pounds-feet torque, which is more get-up-and-go than a car of this size needs. The MX-5 Miata RF redlines at a whopping 6,800 rpm, providing a level of acceleration that will leave you feeling like a fighter pilot during takeoff. If you're in the market for a great new car and speed is your thing, you simply must visit a local Mazda dealership to test drive one of these impressively powerful vehicles for yourself. You're sure to love any one of these three options but don't be afraid to test out some of the other available options as well. You might be surprised at which Mazda you decide is right for you. Photo by jiazi | Licensed under cc BY-SA 2.0

When most people think about Wichita, Kansas, they probably don't think about all of the interesting historical activities and opportunities to learn more about history that the city has to offer. Most people probably don't realize just how much historical significance Wichita is associated with. The truth is that there's a lot of interesting history in the city, and there are venues that offer insights into the history of the world as a whole. Step back into history with these three Wichita experiences. Museum of World Treasures The Museum of World Treasures is unlike most other museums you've likely ever visited. While many museums focus on significant history for a local or regional area, the Museum of World Treasures is all about world history. You'll find exhibits from a wide range of topics, including: more Natural history Military history from multiple significant countries and wars American history World civilizations Whether you're interested in ancient fossils, the World Wars, the truth about the founding of the United States, or Ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt, there's something here that practically everybody will find interesting. The best part is that many of the exhibits at the Museum of World Treasures are free for viewing by the general public. Exploration Place Exploration Place is a one-stop shop for natural-history lovers and science fanatics alike. It's mainly geared toward children, but that doesn't mean adults can't enjoy their time here as well. In fact, if you're interested in getting in touch with your inner child while learning some things you never knew, this is the place for you. You'll likely be interested to learn that Kansas has pretty close ties to the history of archeology and that fossils from some of the most well-known dinosaurs in the world have been found very close by. Old Cow Town Museum One thing many people do likely think of when Kansas comes to mind is the Wild West era. Kansas was a pretty significant place during the frontier days, and the Old Cow Town Museum is a fun and educational tribute to the days when the area was originally occupied by early settlers and frontiersmen. Here, you'll be able to learn all about early-American settlements on the frontier by stepping back in time and experiencing the life firsthand. Go horseback riding, participate in a pie-eating contest, and learn about the struggles that early frontier settlers faced every day in ways you never thought possible. If you're a fan of the Wild West, the Old Cow Town Museum is one place you definitely don't want to miss out on. It's not free but, at a maximum of $9 per person, this is one trip that's more than affordable for the entire family. There's a lot more to see and do in Wichita than you probably realize. Check out these three fun and informative experiences as a great starting point, and then head out and forge your own trail. You'll be surprised at what you can see and learn along the way. Photo by Garett Gabriel | Licensed under cc BY-SA 2.0

The Mazda3 has consistently maintained a position within Kelly Blue Book's 10 Coolest New Cars lists, and the 2018 Mazda3 continues that impressive trend. In a world where the sedan is quickly becoming less and less popular in the wake of the rising popularity of larger vehicles like crossovers and SUVs, the fact that the 2018 Mazda3 continues to get so much positive attention is impressive. So what is it about this car that has everybody so interested? Here are some of the coolest features of the 2018 Mazda3. Active Driving Display Heads-up displays are nothing new in the modern vehicle market, but to call the Mazda3's Active Driving Display a heads-up display would be doing it a serious injustice. Most displays like this offer very limited information and even some of the better implementations don't have very effective displays. more The Mazda3's Active Driving Display is a small full-color display that projects important information directly into the driver's field of view without distracting his or her attention from the road. Important updates suddenly become immediately available, and you can keep track of navigation without having to take your eyes off the road to look at the car's main display. Avoiding distractions helps create safer ways to drive. MAZDA CONNECT Infotainment System Speaking of the Mazda3's main display, the vehicle's full-color, 7-inch touch-screen display is powered by Mazda's innovating MAZDA CONNECT operating system. This system provides you with direct access to important modern features like Bluetooth connectivity, hands-free calling, streaming media playback, and onboard navigation control. Everything you could want or need in an onboard control center is here, with an intuitive control interface that's specifically designed for the driver's ease of use. Commander Control One feature that makes the Mazda3's onboard control panel better than those found in most other vehicles is the Commander control interface. This takes the form of a simple omnidirectional knob located directly on the car's center console. The Commander control knob provides the driver with an intuitive interface that offers direct control of the infotainment system without distracting too much from the road. Adaptive Cruise Control One of the Mazda3's coolest features is one that you likely won't even notice because that's exactly what it's designed for. In the past, cruise-control features were almost more work than they were worth because you had to constantly turn the cruise control on and off depending on traffic conditions. The Mazda3's Adaptive Cruise Control makes use of an onboard radar system to automatically slow the car down when it detects a vehicle in front of you and seamlessly resume cruising speed once it's safe to do so. That takes a lot of work out of maintaining a constant speed on the highway. The many really interesting features on the Mazda3 all add up to something so special that this sedan continues to garner attention while other cars in its class are declining in popularity. If you'd like to experience these features firsthand, visit a local Mazda dealership for a test drive. Photo by FotoSleuth | Licensed under cc BY 2.0