Distracted Driving - Are You Focused?

The world is full of distractions; nearly 80% of collisions involve one. But are you conscious of them while driving? You should avoid these common behaviors listed below while you’re on the road:

Eating or drinking

Making phone calls

Texting

Messing with the radio or looking for that one song

Paying more attention to your passengers than the road

We recommend doing these things while parked, or pulling off to the side of the road for something urgent. Be safe out there!

5 Simple Steps To Get Through the Summer

Be sure you and your car are ready to roll to get through the hot temperatures this summer! Check these items off your to-do list before things really start heating up.

Check the battery. You wouldn’t want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere without a charge!

Be sure your belts and hoses are in good shape.  Check that belts are tight when your engine is off, ensure hose quality when your engine is running.

Change & top off your fluids

You don’t actually want to “burn rubber.”  Pay special attention to the tires and wiper blades– areas with rubber are more sensitive to wear and tear in hot temperatures.

Let us check your climate and cooling.  One makes sure your engine doesn’t overheat; the other makes sure you don’t overheat.  They may have different purposes, but they are equally as important for summer car maintenance.  Schedule an appointment with our Service Department so we can pressure test your coolant system and perform a radiator flush!

What You Need to Know to Tow Like a Pro

Whether it’s your first time using your pickup to haul cargo or you’re a regular pro with the tow, it’s important to haul your cargo the right way.  Don’t latch that trailer until you’ve asked yourself these four questions:

1. What are the restrictions?  Towing laws vary by state, so get to know the ones for your area.  Make it easier on everyone: abide by them.

2. What are my limits?  Each truck has a defined towing capacity and it’s important to adjust accordingly.  For example, smaller trucks require a lightweight aluminum trailer instead of a steel one. Extending the life of your truck begins with using the appropriate trailer.

3. What am I hauling?  Just like you adjusted the size of your trailer for the size of your truck, take into account what you’re moving. You might need to use a closed trailer so avoid cargo spilling onto the road.

4. Where am I towing this?  The last thing you need to keep in mind is the terrain you’ll need to tackle during this job.  Take note of any unpaved roads or other deviations from the norm– it can and will affect your experience.

Top Reasons to Drive an Electric Car

From no gas prices to lowering your carbon footprint, there are many benefits to driving an electric car.  Here are the top ones:

 

-Never stop for gas.  Imagine never having to fill up at the station again.  Especially as those prices soar!

-Helping the environment. The U.S Department of Energy says that all electric vehicles don’t emit any pollutants from their tailpipes, so your car won’t contribute to air pollution.

-Low Maintenance.  Electric cars will never need an oil change or transmission fluid, introducing even more savings down the road.

-Tax incentives. The U.S Department of Energy says electric vehicles purchased in 2010 or later may be eligible for a federal income tax credit.

3 Rules for Keeping a Safe Distance

Have you heard of thinking in threes while driving? Follow these quick tips on keeping your distance from other drivers!

You should stay…

                3 Seconds behind the vehicle in front of you for speeds of 35-55mph

                6 seconds behind the vehicle in front of you for speeds above 55mph or in rain

                9 seconds behind the vehicle in front of you in low visibility conditions.

Top Car maintenance apps for your smartphone

Top Car maintenance apps for your smartphone

Road Trip (iOS) is probably one of the best mileage and maintenance tracking apps for iOS available. Tracking fill-ups and mileage is super-fast, as is adding maintenance history, expenses, and reminders for future work. The app has a tire log to track summer and winter wear on your tires, and supports other vehicles like boats and motorcycles. You can track as many vehicles as you like, too. The lite version gives you a taste, but the full version will set you back $5 for the iPhone or the iPad (it's not a universal app, so you'll have to buy it twice for both platforms.)

Car Maintenance Reminder (Android) is a free app that will keep track of your fuel efficiency, cost, and mileage, but also gives you a place to track all of the maintenance and repairs you have done to your vehicle. You can add notes, costs, and of course, get notifications and reminders when you should get some work done. The free version tracks one vehicle. If you have more than one, the $3 pro version is for you.

AutoCare (iOS/Android): AutoCare has been around for a while, and does a pretty good job of tracking your vehicle's maintenance history, mileage, repair history, service expenses, and more. You can even use it to remind you when it's time to get something specific done so you won't forget. Plus, it supports multiple vehicles. It'll set you back $4 for iOS users, and $2 for Android users.

Car Minder Plus (iOS) is another good, simple app for tracking your mileage and your vehicle maintenance. You get presets for things like oil filters, air filters, belt inspections, and oil changes, and you can enter in your own maintenance work and expenses to the log to keep track of what you've had done. From there, enter in your service intervals, and the app uses simple red/yellow/green indicators to tell you when it's time to get that work done. The app will cost you $3.

aCar (Android) is free, and one of the most popular Android apps for tracking vehicle maintenance and mileage. Tracking fill-ups and mileage is quick, entering in your maintenance history and expenses is easy, and you can even enter specific notes or information about parts you prefer or that your vehicle requires. The app notifies you based on time and/or mileage when you should have work done, and supports custom notifications. aCar Pro adds in multiple languages, home screen widgets for quick access to data and logging, and connections to other popular car apps and websites, all for $6.

Courtesy of Lifehacker.com.