Road Service

Age is not the only factor that determines a person’s driving ability; however, there are physical changes that happen as a result of the aging process that affect a person’s driving skills.  There are over 19 million drivers in the country over 70 years old.

This age group is the most rapidly growing part of the population in America.  This is the reason that a lot of attention is being placed on making these drivers aware of their changing abilities.  It is important to help them drive safely.

According to statistics, older drivers are much more likely to have accidents than all other drivers, even teens.  This means it is imperative that they have a road service program. They also get more traffic citations for not turning properly, failing to stop when necessary, and running through stop signs and red lights.  This indicates their driving ability has decreased.

When people age their vision and hearing diminishes, and their reaction time becomes slower.  Also, older adults are more likely to take various medications that can affect their driving.

Despite the problems that come along with aging, mature adults can be good drivers.  Many have to compensate by changing certain habits.  For instance, some people might limit their driving to hours in the daytime.  In addition, it is smart to avoid driving in dangerous weather.  Mature adults should make sure that they have emergency roadside assistance in case they run into trouble.

One of the most fun family activities is taking road trips.  Families can make a lot of fond memories traveling on the open road.  Americans will take more than 320 vacation trips over the spring and summer season.  However, frustration and stress can come along with a family road trip, so take note of some do’s and don’ts that will allow your family to have a great time.

First and foremost, take your family vehicle in for a tune-up.  You want to make sure your car is in top-notch condition.  There is nothing more inconvenient than having your vehicle break down on the side of the road, leaving your family stranded.  This is why you should have a road service program in case of unforeseen problems.

Make sure you plan ahead.  This will help your family know what to expect throughout the trip.  It will also help you have a smooth trip.  Software for trip planning along with a GPS will aid your family in planning the ideal vacation.  This technology will literally guide you to your destination.  And the tools that are easy to use allow you to personalize a trip from start to finish.

Of course, you are bound to run into some speed bumps along the way.  For instance, you never know when you will run into road construction or traffic. However, don’t let your fun be ruined, just make sure you have emergency roadside assistance in case your vehicle overheats.  This will bring you peace of mind and let you enjoy your family.

Ford Motor Co. recently made a promise that its new compact and sub-compact cars, which are due in 2010, will exceed the industry average in quality.  Hopefully, this will allow consumers to avoid roadside assistance calls.

According to Bennie Fowler, the Ford VP of Global Quality, the carmaker will maintain its “things gone wrong” at approximately 800 for every 1,000 cars.  This would be around 500 below the average for the industry.  “Things gone wrong” is a yearly compilation of difficulties that car owners have in their first 90 days of owning a car.

To achieve the 800 goal, Ford will be using virtual reality tools that will allow 70% of problems to be reduced before vehicles are even built.  In addition, an “army” of hourly workers will be trained to detect problems before a car will ever get to the showroom.

Ford’s commitment fuels the current battles between Ford and GM to shift their product lines to small, fuel-efficient cars. Consumers have begun to abandon trucks and SUVs and instead purchase small cars with new car warranties that will save them money at the pump.  In addition, they are signing up for road service programs that will promise them protection.

Honda is known for its safety, and is trying to keep its reputation by developing an airbag that is new and improved.  The airbag will provide drivers with additional safety in the event of an accident.

The key components to Honda’s i-SRS airbag are a gas release control valve that allows the airbag to be deployed faster and makes an overall longer inflation period, and a spiraling seam within the design.  Honda claims that this protection is more effective for the driver in the case of severe impacts and increases safety in various types of accidents.

The new i-SRS airbag will first appear in the Life minicar, which is going to be released in November in Japan.  So far, it hasn’t been announced when the technology will make it to vehicles in the U.S.

Consumers are more concerned than ever with safety, which is one reason that Honda vehicles are so popular.  People are trying to protect themselves by purchasing safe vehicles with road service programs that will provide them peace of mind.

It’s the moment that every motorists dreads, a flat tire. You don’t know if you ran over glass or hit a nail, but you need to take action. You may need to call for road service, and then you have to have the tire fixed or do it yourself. Surprisingly, it isn’t that hard to repair a tire yourself, and you can save the extra expense of having a repair shop do it. Here’s how.

First, it is necessary to determine the location of the puncture. You can do this by submerging the tire in water and watching where the bubbles come from. Before you can patch the tire you must remove any foreign objects stuck in the tire. You can pull out the object out with pliers. Be sure to pull out the object in the direction of the tread so you don’t do additional damage to the tire.

Now, use a tire reamer and clean out the hole from the inside of the tire. Center the patch over the puncture to ensure proper sizing. Take off the patch and coat an awl using cement. You should run the awl in the hole a few times to make sure the damaged area is coated adequately. Then, put a coat of vulcanizing cement directly on the patch and tire and let it dry.

Next, apply a layer of cement on the stem of the patch and then pull the stem through. When the patch stem is all the way through the hole, cut it off.

Now, you are ready to get back out on the road. With a little diligence you can do a quick tire fix and save yourself a trip to the repair shop.

One tactic that people use to sell a pre-owned car is to detail it until it looks brand new.  However, beware, a motor that is steam-cleaned won’t fix a gasket that is blown.  This is why it is important to have auto road service.

Having said that, dealerships that are reputable typically won’t try to sell cars with big issues, for fear that they’ll have to fix them down the road.  If you test drive a vehicle that doesn’t make awful noises and feels pretty good, chances are it is fine.  Dealers don’t like to sell junky cars.

However, it is still a smart idea to have a trained professional take a look at your vehicle.  If the dealer claims the vehicle was inspected by it’s mechanic, request to view the paperwork.  If the dealer can’t produce them, make sure an outside technician sees the vehicle.

Also, it is important to check that the car has a clear title and that it hasn’t ever been in a big accident.  You can tell the dealer to go on Carfax or AutoCheck to confirm this.  Both of these sites have a fee to trace the car identification number for odometer and service registrations, and accidents.  However, often dealerships will check the vehicles on their lot free of charge.

Typically, it’s safe to buy a used car from a dealership; however, it never hurts to take these quick steps to ensure you don’t get a lemon.  In addition, protect yourself with roadside assistance.

One of the worst things that can happen to a motorist is getting into your car just to find that you have a dead battery. At this moment people realize the importance of a good road service program, however, some motorists may not be covered by this. But, the best thing to do is detect that your battery is weak before there is a problem. In order to do this, you can use The Intelligent Battery Sensor, which will give a warning if the battery is run down due to age. It is able to do this by determining what the charge status of the battery is.

Approximately one-third of car breakdowns are because of empty batteries. This happens often in today’s cars because car batteries have added responsibilities. For example, they must power all of the new electronics available, such as safety features, navigation devices, and luxury features. This is why The Electronic Battery Sensor by Continental is so beneficial.

The new battery sensor may be small, but it provides a large job. It allows drivers to know when it is necessary to change their batteries, which will cut down on the amount of motorists who are stranded. However, it is always a good idea to have roadside assistance in case of unforeseen breakdowns because technology is never full proof.

Regardless of the year or make, one of the biggest investments people will make is a vehicle. Buying a used car is a great way for consumers to save some money. However, risks can be higher, which is why an auto warranty and roadside assistance should be purchased for the car. Fortunately, there are ways that buyers can recognize the difference between dependable used cars and lemons.

The safest thing to do is to have the car that you are looking to buy checked out by a licensed mechanic. However, there are some things that you can do on your own.

For instance, bring a soft magnet from your refrigerator to determine if there is damage underneath a new coat of paint. You can run the magnet all along the fenders and doors, which are steel. If it seems that the magnet won’t stick, there is probably a type of body filler under the paint.

Also, examine the inside of the vehicle for stains from water. If the car was damaged in a flood, it could mean trouble in years to come. You also want to look at the wear on the pedals of the vehicle. It should be consistent with what the mileage claims to be. If there is low mileage, there should be little wear on the pedals.

Don’t forget to examine the tires of the vehicle, too. If you see wear on the outside edges of the tires, the car is probably out of alignment or might have components that are worn-out.

Knowing what to look for in a used vehicle will bring you peace of mind about your purchase. Also, make sure you have a good road service program in case of an emergency.

For the fourth straight year, the Toyota Prius has ranked #1 for owner satisfaction.  Actually, 92% of motorists who own the Prius claim that they would definitely lease or buy the car again.  Closely following the Prius, came the BMW 335i coupe convertible, and then came the Porsche Boxster.  The scores of these cars were 91 and 90.

Coming in at the very bottom were GM minivans.  They are the Buick Terraza, Chevrolet Uplander, and Saturn Relay, which scored 34.

To get these scores, a question was asked to Consumer Reports subscribers.  The question was, “Considering all factors (price, performance, reliability, comfort, enjoyment, etc.), would you get this car if you had it to do all over again?”

The Consumer Reports survey obtained responses about approximately 414,000 vehicles, with scoring for 300 car models.  Consider this survey when deciding which vehicle to purchase.  Using this information will ensure that you are satisfied with your new vehicle, and will help you avoid calling for road service.

Although cars of today don’t require maintenance as regularly as the cars of the past, they still need a maintenance schedule.  This will ensure that your car has a long, healthy life span.  Consulting your owner’s manual for the service schedule that your car requires can save you from having to call your road service program.  Here are a few maintenance mistakes that you should avoid.

Many people fail to check their tire pressure.  Underinflated tires can cost you more at the gas pump and wear out sooner.  You should check your tires twice a year.

As simple as it may seem, motorists forget to replace their windshield wipers.  This should be done once a year to ensure that you have good visibility through your windshield.

Recent cars don’t need regular tune-ups.  This is because valves don’t need adjusting and there aren’t any carburetors to mess with.  Make sure to do your big car service at 60,000 and 120,000 to replace spark plugs, timing belts, and coolants.

Finally, change your oil according to your car’s owner’s manual.  They don’t have to be done every 3,000 miles like in days past.  Also, use the oil recommended for your car.

Regular maintenance is necessary for your car to keep you from calling for emergency roadside assistance.  However, don’t make maintenance mistakes that could cost you extra money.