January 30th, 2007 by admin
Avoid summer breakdowns by checking your cooling system in the off season.Did you know that the greatest cause of summer cool downs is overheating? Or that in colder parts of the country, parts and fluids related to your cooling system are cheaper this time of year due to the seasonal dip in demand?
Here are a few tips to keep in mind to keep your car’s cooling system running well this summer. Also check the price of a cooling system check as being ahead of the rush in spring could save you a few dollars.
- Have your cooling system completely flushed and refilled. Your csr manual will give you a suggestion for how often.
- The level, condition and mixture of your coolant should be checked from time to time, according to the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.
- Have the tightness and condition of drive belts, clamps, and hoses checked by a professional, even if you are used to doing minor maintenance on your car yourself.
- Never remove the radiator cap until the engine has completely cooled.
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January 29th, 2007 by admin
The Evolution of Basic Vehicle Maintenance
The automotive industry has undoubtedly brought vehicle construction and maintenance needs a considerable distance since our parent’s were hot-roding around during their high school years.
Some of the unquestioned methods for being a careful car owner are, in fact, proven to be myths. The following are examples of the practices of many vehicle owners that are either detrimental to the automobile or simply unnecessary.
- Now that frigid temperatures have settled in across the United States, many car owners are starting their car’s engine several minutes before leaving every morning with the idea that running the engine produces better driving conditions for the car once it’s on the road. For newer vehicles and car fluids, the best way to warm up the car is to go ahead and drive.
- Concerned about restarting an engine when you make a quick stop somewhere? You can feel free to turn off the car for short waits because once an engine is warmed up, it takes next to nothing to restart it.
- Do not rely on wiping down wiper blades with solvents. Replace them when they need it, repetitive wiping down with certain solutions harms the rubber material of the blades and at some point a wiper blade just needs to be respectfully retired.
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January 27th, 2007 by admin
Tips on Automobile Battery Charging
A dead car battery is one of the most common dilemmas to travel. Your automobile can be in top shape in every other area but if the battery is dead, your means of transportation is certainly gone as well. Many a driver has climbed in the driver’s seat only to be unpleasantly surprised by a sudden inability to move their vehicle due to a battery that has nothing left to power a car.
Being smart about battery use can conserve its power when it is running out of electrical steam. If you have trouble starting your vehicle, make sure all car accessories that use electricity are turned off. When the engine does catch, allow the car to idle for several minutes in order to let the battery charge.
If the vehicle’s engine does not start after several attempts, you can use another vehicle to give the battery some juice through a jump start. Again, when the engine catches from the jump start, be sure to allow plenty of time for the battery to power up.
There are also battery chargers available for charging a battery that is disconnected from the car’s engine that plug into an electrical outlet. A driver that travels frequently and relies on his or her vehicle for work should consider a battery charger as an investment.
For the driver that invests in a roadside assistance program, battery charge service is a convenient phone call away.
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January 25th, 2007 by admin
If you are considering AAA Auto Service you might want to consider our roadside assistance program
AAA Auto Service is very well known auto roadside service company. But did you know that there are other auto roadside service options available to you besides AAA?
At AutoRoadService.com We offer many benefits for consumers that are looking for a better way to ensure they have auto roadside service and emergency auto service.
Consider that we off er the following benefits for our auto roadside service members:
Your Benefits
- Towing Service
- Battery Jump Start
- Minor Roadside Adjustments
- Flat Tire Assistance
- Fuel Delivery
- Vehicle Winching & Extraction
- Lockout Service
- Reimbursement Option
- Claims
So be smart and consider your options beyond AAA Auto Road Service and give a look to our road service policies at autoroadservice.com
January 25th, 2007 by admin
What to look for when choosing a repair shop
No matter how well-built a car is, eventually it will at least need routine maintenance. How do you choose an auto repair service that will give you both fair pricing and good service?
The Federal Trade Commission has a publication for download called "Taking the Scare Out of Auto Repair" [pdf|128k]that gives a few helpful tips.
Among their recommendations:
- Ask for suggestions from friends and family.
- Shop around by telephone and compare prices
- Look for a shop before you actually need one to prevent being forced into a last minute decision
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January 24th, 2007 by admin
The Many Driving Benefits of Scenic Travel
When was the last time you and yours hopped in your vehicle and just drove? The act of driving can gain a negative reputation, cause a rise in blood pressure, and become a source of immense stress for commuters that are used to using their vehicle for sitting in and competing with rush-hour traffic. The daily transport to and from work strips your automobile of its potential worth and an owner’s appreciation for the luxury it can provide.
An automobile can serve your family beyond conventional transportation. It can offer a relaxing afternoon of scenic roadways and roadside picnics. If your family needs a little rest and relaxation, and most importantly, time together, consider marking your calendar for a road trip. Take advantage of the next mild day and go on a spontaneous drive away from traffic and the chaos of commerce. Make it a point this spring to make the most of your vehicle and an inviting location nearby and just take a drive.
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January 22nd, 2007 by admin
Roadside Assistance Serves as Back-Up for GPS Malfunction
A GPS system was a hot commodity over the recent holiday season. Shoppers both in store and online were bombarded by GPS advertisement and navigational system retailers were benefiting from the product’s climb to one of the top gift items. Automobiles are coming equipped with standard satellite maps and personal direction givers.
As popular as new technological devices are and as many drivers are assisted daily with satellite installments into their vehicles, these gadgets are capable of failing the hopelessly lost. Drivers can take a hint from stories like those documented on the linked article and invest not only in satellite navigation but also in roadside assistance services incase the dashboard driver has a malfunction. Roadside assistance offers the driver a person rather than a machine, and as modern as our world becomes there is simply no substitute for a human voice when the circumstance goes beyond or reveals a glitch in a technological substitute.
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January 21st, 2007 by admin
Choosing a more fuel efficient car
According to the United States Department of Energy, the difference in the amount you’ll pay in gas purchases for a car that gets 20 miles per gallon and a car that gets 30 miles per gallon is over $650 for the average driver.
(Their estimates assume a fuel cost of $2.65, and 15,000 miles driven annually.)
And that’s only for one car for a conservative driver that drives within the speed ranges for which miles per gallon are calculated.
In order to help you choose a more fuel-efficient car, each year the US Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy release a publication called the fuel economy guide.
The guide offers information about:
- fuel economy,
- how to read many of the mileage charts,
- issues related to petroleum consumption, and,
- fuieling options.
It is most famous for its comparison of popular cars on the basis of fuel economy. The publication is available for download here [pdf, 801k]
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January 16th, 2007 by admin
Six Ways to Drive More Efficiently
Of all the elements that can be manipulated to reduce the amount of fuel you use, the way that you drive is the one you have the most control over.
Buying an efficient car, keeping it in the best of shape, and doing the most diligent trip planning can save you a great deal of money by reducing the gas you use, or increasing how far that gas takes you.
However, inefficient driving can completely undo all of that effort.
Did you know that aggressive driving can increase your gas mileage by up to 33 percent? Speeding, as well as constant acceleration and braking uses more fuel, and as such is a waste of gas. Learning to be a safer driver can not only increase your fuel economy by 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent in town, it may even save your life one day.
The second step to more efficient driving is to reduce how much you carry around with you in your car. If you’re using your car’s trunk the way you did your high school locker, you may want to take out any items that aren’t necessary for safety on a trip. You can save 1 – 2 % in gas efficiency, which can add up over the course of the year.
Idling also wastes gas, so avoid this whenever you can. Also use your cruise control if you have it. Constant speeds save gas.
Overdrive gears are also fuel savers, as is observing the speed limit.
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January 15th, 2007 by admin
Trip Planning to Save Gas
Another gas-saving tip from the US Department of Energy encourages more effective trip planning. They advise that saving gas by planning your route involves not just taking fewer trips when you can, but what you take, what’s in or on your car, and where it is placed.
For example, you can help reduce your fuel costs by combining errands for shorter trips that cover the same terrain. If the gas station, the grocery store and the dry cleaner’s are all close by, you can save fuel by making it a habit to visit them all during the same trip. Part of the difference will come from the fact that a cold start of your engine takes up more fuel than one where the engine is already warm.
It’s also a good idea to review your common traveling routes to see if you are taking either the shortest route, or the one with the least amount of time spent idling at lights, etc.
In addition, if you can rearrange your commute trip, you can increase your fuel efficiency by:
- Staggering your work hours so that you are driving at off-peak times instead of at rush hour
- Consider car-pooling or ride shares
- Take public transportation
- Telecommute if your employer allows it
You can save gas on road trips, too. Loaded roof racks can reduce your gas mileage by up to five percent, so compare the mileage for taking a smaller, loaded down car, to taking a slightly larger car. Also watch how much you carry with you in the car, as an extra 100 pounds can cause a 1 – 2 percent reduction.
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