Auto Roadside Assistance Blog

With summer approaching, it is important to maintain your car.  The heat is unavoidable and it can do great damage to your vehicle.  Here are a few tips to prepare your car for summer that will help you avoid calling for road service.  In addition, used car warranties will give you peace of mind in summer heat.

First, have your hoses and belts inspected.  Many vehicles today have a serpentine belt running the accessories.  You can lose power steering immediately if it breaks.  Many other problems can also result from faulty hoses and belts.

Also, have a professional look at your air-conditioning system.  You don’t want your system breaking down in the midst of summer heat, so have it looked at now.

Tire damage can actually worsen in intense heat, so check to make sure that your tire pressure is where it should be.  Also, check for visible wear and tear since this could be an indication of poor alignment.

These simple tips can keep your car driving smoothly through the summer months and help you avoid calling for emergency roadside assistance.  Don’t neglect your vehicle and find yourself stranded in the heat.

It’s the moment that every motorist 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 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.

High new car prices and never ending waiting lists for small fuel-efficient cars like the Toyota Prius have many motorists seeking other alternatives that will allow for a significant savings at the gas pump.

Economic vehicles from the ‘90s have had a big increase in the amount of searches on websites such as Cars.com.  Vehicles like the Geo Prizm and Geo Metro have seen searches by consumers rise by over 200% in the last year.  The spiked interest in these fuel-efficient cars that are cheap has also caused their prices to go up.  For example, Geo Metros that are from the 90’s, which are valued at approximately $1,300, are being listed for over $4,000.

Despite the popularity of these older vehicles, consumers should take precautions before purchasing them.  Although people will save money on fuel, these cars will often bear more costs when it comes to reliability and safety, and have you calling for roadside assistance.  This is part of the reason that these vehicles weren’t that popular when they were introduced originally.  Automakers have made great improvements in safety features and construction that weren’t found in older vehicle models.

Older, fuel-efficient cars can be a great way to save money at the gas pump, but make sure you do your homework before purchasing them.  Also, you should protect yourself in case of breakdowns by having a road service program.

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.

Over the past few decades, perhaps one of the biggest technical developments has been to tires.  And now, new rules concerning tires will yield even more mileage and safety improvements.

After the estimated 280 deaths that were linked to Firestone tire failures on the Ford Explorer SUVs, lawmakers ordered tire pressure monitoring systems are used.  These systems alert drivers if they have a tire with low air.

Thankfully, some of the recent monitoring systems don’t have problems that were experienced with the earlier technology.  Problems included false alerts, and failure to advise drivers which of their tires was low.

Now, there is a national registry that has been approved, allowing drivers to register their tires that they purchase.  In the case of a recall, such as Firestone, drivers would be notified quickly.

Drivers will be much safer with the new tire rules.  However, drivers should always protect themselves by doing regular tire pressure checks, having a road service program in case of emergency and used car warranties.

There is no vehicle quite as exhilarating as a convertible.  Motorists love to feel the wind in their hair and the sun on their faces.  Convertibles give drivers a sense of freedom that is hard to find in any other vehicle.  However, are convertibles a good purchase?  Read on and decide for yourself.

Automakers have spent a lot of time improving convertibles.  Motorists used to have to worry about retractable tops leaking, but that is a thing of the past.  Today, convertible tops are superb at sealing out weather and sound.  And whether fabric or metal, the tops can go up and down with the touch of a button in less than 30 seconds.

Convertible safety has also greatly improved.  Cars are now equipped with side airbags.  These airbags deploy from the line of the window in order to create protection.  This is important in the case of a crash or rollover.

Although the convertible market hasn’t been growing, there are many interesting choices for consumers to consider.  Models that are newer, such as the Volkswagen Eos and Saturn Sky have been doing well in sales.  You might also want to consider a high-performance convertible, such as the Dodge Viper SRT10, Audi RS 4 Cabriolet, or the Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet.  The benefit of buying a new convertible is that it comes with an auto warranty and roadside assistance.

Unfortunately, many convertible owners admit that the novelty of driving a convertible wears off within the first year.  Luckily, convertibles hold their value very well, which means that if you become fickle, you probably won’t have a hard time getting your money back.

With the high cost of gas and trend for green living, people are looking to carpooling as an option.  This way of commuting is good for the pocketbook, the environment, and perhaps even people’s social lives.

People who ride in carpools find each other through websites, word of mouth, employers, and the state Executive Office of Transportation.  Some people use their own cars, while others form a vanpool.  This is when a group of people decides to lease a van together with the intention of using it for commuting.  Members then share the costs, such as maintenance, gas, insurance, and a road service program.

At this particular time in history, carpooling makes sense.  According to traffic planners and environmentalists, this is one of the cheapest and easiest ways that cities can decrease congestion and pollution.  In addition, carpooling allows people to reduce their transportation costs, which according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumed around 15% of the American budget in 2006.  And not like public transit, being in a carpool doesn’t require much money in the way of maintenance or infrastructure that is taxpayer-funded.

Although Americans crave their independence and freedom, they are realizing it is beneficial to join a carpooling group.  And in the end, commuting with a group of people is safer anyway.  After all, who wants to experience a breakdown alone calling for roadside assistance?

Mitsubishi just confirmed that in the near future it would sell an electric car in the U.S. that is fairly inexpensive.

This small electric vehicle is called the i MiEV, which is short for Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle, and will be one of the very first EVs that will be mass-produced on the global scene, according to the carmaker.  Over the next several years, this car will begin to show up in Japan and Europe.

This car is based on the i, which is a small city car sold in Japan.  The transmission, gas engine, and fuel tank are replaced by an electric motor and battery pack.

The car will be able to travel 80 miles on a single charge, thanks to the lithium-ion battery pack.  When using a normal outlet it will take approximately 12-14 hours to charge.  According to Mitsubishi, though, there is a fast charger that will only take 30 minutes to give the car an 80% charge.

Consumers are excited about this vehicle coming to the U.S.  However, with any car make sure to get good new car warranties and road service in case of unexpected circumstances.

Microsoft’s latest attempt at vehicle technology appears to be promising.  Vi-Fi, or vehicle Wi-Fi, is Wi-Fi connections in vehicles.  Microsoft has partnered up with the University of Washington and the University of Massachusetts in order to make Wi-Fi connections a reliable and steady experience, which hasn’t happened with offerings by cell phone makers and their cards for laptops.

This new system allows for multiple Wi-Fi signals to come in and out at any given time in order for the signal to remain strong and steer clear of “hand-offs”, which are known to fumble and lead to spotty service.

But many people might ask, “Why do we need Wi-Fi in cars anyway?”  Do we really need to net surf behind the wheel?  Well, Wi-Fi- would be a good addition to technology in cars because it would replace satellite subscription services that are expensive, and it would allow us to have an unlimited amount of applications.  With Wi-Fi in cars, the weather and movie times could be displayed, as well as Internet radio, live stock quotes, instant messaging, and pretty much anything else you could access on a laptop.

For this to be an option for the everyday driver, there will need to be a larger infrastructure for Wi-Fi, but Microsoft has proven they can produce terrific technology in cars with the Sync system.  Just beware, with a road full of drivers surfing the Internet, you might want to sign up for a good emergency roadside assistance program.

Every year there are more than 10,000 vehicle accidents in the nation and approximately 450 people die as a result of the collision.  Many of these accidents can be avoided by having routine maintenance performed on your car.

The vehicle is by far the most popular means of transportation in the U.S.  In fact, 91% of adults in our country own, or have owned a car.

Before you hit the road again, check the following parts of your car to make sure that they are operating properly.

First, take a look at your tires.  Many people neglect to check their tires and end up with blowouts.  Make sure that your air levels are good.  You can reference your owner’s manual to find out what the right level should be.  Also, you want to make sure that there aren’t any leaks, low treads, or worn spots.

Next, change your windshield wipers about twice in a year.  Your windshield is actually one of the most important parts of your car because if you can’t see the road well you are in trouble.

Brakes should be monitored to make sure they are working correctly.  If your brake pedal is moving all the way down to the floor when you step on it, have your brakes looked at by a professional.  More recent cars have a warning system to let you know if your brakes aren’t operating correctly.

Maintenance can save you from a dangerous accident.  To save your wallet, make sure you have a good auto warranty that will keep you from paying unnecessary repair costs.  In addition, sign up for a good roadside assistance program. You don’t want to find yourself unprepared.