Finding a Fresh Christmas Tree

It’s days weeks before Christmas and you’re running around frantically.  The gifts are unwrapped, the food is unprepared and your Santa hat is nowhere to be found.  Stop.  Take a deep breathe and relax, we’re here to help.  Though we won’t be able to cook your holiday dinner, (we can make a mean roast, by the way) we will be able to help you with one of your dilemmas: finding the perfect Christmas tree. 

Finding the perfect tree starts with one simple rule: look for the green! According to Elwood Christmas Tree Farm owner Lee Itzler, the best way to test the health of an evergreen is to grab a branch of your Christmas tree-to-be and lightly scratch the stem. "If you see green, the tree will keep its needles longer."

Trees between 6 and 8 feet are always in high demand, taking between 8 and 10 years to grow 6 feet tall.  Once you pick out your tree, it’s best to put it inside of your car as opposed to on top.  Why? Itzer says: "Strapped on the roof, the trees get really beat up, wind burned, and desiccated. If you're a local delivery it really doesn't make a difference, but if you're going on the highway, then it should go in the car."  If you do have to put it on the roof, put the trunk facing into the wind.

Once your tree is home safe and sound, it’s time to get a good stand with heavy water retention.  The tree will soak up a lot of water over the course of the next couple days, so make sure to keep the stand full.  Viola! Your tree skills have improved this year! 

How do you retain your tree over the holiday season?  Let us know below!

Learning to Read a Car Tire

In our blog entries, we like to provide insight on options that can simplify your life when it comes to your vehicle.  In today’s instance, we’re going to provide you with tips on how to read a tire.  Knowing how to read your tire can provide detailed information like the type of vehicle, if they’re seasonal, the speed rating, temperature resistance, as well as the width and diameter of the tire.

Read the manufacturer and the tire name.  These are easy! They are printed in large letters toward the outside of the tire.  With more than 100 tire manufacturer’s it might be hard to pinpoint the perfect one for your vehicle.  By contacting our service department, we can help you find a perfect fit.  The tire name might just be a combination of numbers and letters following the manufacturer name.

Width and aspect ratio.  This is a sequence of numbers near the center of the tire.  They would look something like www/aa/SCrr or www/aaCrr.  The first series of 3 numbers tells width in millimeters (from 155 to 315).  The 2 numbers after the slash show the aspect ratio of the tire.

The prefix in front of the width and aspect ratio drtermine type.

LT – Light truck

P – Passenger

BP – Cosmetically Blemished Passenger

ST – Steel Radial

The load index is the tire size's relative load carrying capabilities. The higher the load index number, the larger load carrying capacity.

The Z,W, and Y ratings are for tires that have extremely high top-speed capabilities.

The cold inflation numbers are near the inner edge of the tires.  This tells you the pressure the tire should be at to optimize performance.

If you have any further questions, please contact us at the dealership for more info!

Distracted Driving: Car Safety Regulators Mount Up

The year is 2013. In a digital world, we’re connected to our devices like an extended limb. We keep them close by, and by the flick of a wrist can perform a plethora of activities within seconds. From games, to phone calls, and bank statements, our gadgets can do almost anything. Devices like the iPhone, and other smartphones can make life easier, but what happens when they move from being a helpful aid to a distracting nuisance?

The National Transportation Safety Board cited 2010 crash data that indicated 17 percent of crashes reported to police involved driver distraction, but only 3 percent of those crashes involved the use of in-car onboard devices. We’re distracted. That’s the bottom line. I can’t recall how many times I’ve seen a fellow driver send a quick text or take a call while driving. It’s extremely dangerous.

The NHTSA held hearings that will be presented to crack down on cellphone/ smartphone usage. “Distracted driving is unsafe, irresponsible and can have deadly consequences,” NHTSA Administrator David Strickland said Monday at the first of three hearings held last week in Washington, Chicago and Los Angeles.

In December, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended states ban all use of portable cellphones. We have to begin to govern ourselves in our vehicles. We enjoy servicing every consumer correctly and we want to make  sure you’re safe on and off of our lot. Drive safely! Distracted driving is a HUGE threat, how are you avoiding using your smartphone in the car? See our blog!

Don’t miss today’s blog! Please, drive safely, Guys!

Have Road Rage? Find Out in Our Quiz

When I was a young boy, I remembered a phrase my mother used to tell me on occasion.  She would begin to speak loudly, pause to look at me and say “earmuffs”.  At that moment, I would press my hands over my ears, drowning out the onslaught of curse words that proceeded to leave her mouth.  The more the vein pulsed on her neck, the more feverishly she would curse. This happened most often in the car when one of two occasions occurred: One, she was cut off by another driver, or two someone did something completely reckless, putting our lives in danger.  Road rage was funny to me then, but since those moments as a child, I’ve come to understand its power.  Do you have road rage?  Find out in a quiz courtesy of Progressive to find out if you fit the bill.

Yes or No, Do You ...

1. Overtake other vehicles only on the left?
2. Avoid blocking passing lanes?
3. Yield to faster traffic by moving to the right?
4. Keep to the right as much as possible on narrow streets and at intersections?
5. Maintain appropriate distance when following other motorists, bicyclists, motorcyclists, etc.?
6. Provide appropriate distance when cutting in after passing vehicles?
7. Use headlights in cloudy, rainy, and other low light conditions?
8. Yield to pedestrians?
9. Come to a complete stop at stop signs, before right turn on red, etc.?
10. Stop for red traffic lights?
11. Approach intersections and pedestrians at slow speeds to show your intention and ability to stop?
12. Follow right-of-way rules at four-way stops?
13. Drive below posted speed limits when conditions warrant?
14. Drive at slower speeds in construction zones?
15. Maintain speeds appropriate for conditions?
16. Use vehicle turn signals for all turns and lane changes?
17. Make eye contact and signal intentions where needed?
18. Acknowledge intentions of others?
19. Use your horn sparingly around pedestrians, at night, around hospitals, etc.?
20. Avoid unnecessary use of highbeam headlights?
21. Yield and move to the right for emergency vehicles?
22. Refrain from flashing headlights to signal a desire to pass?
23. Drive trucks at posted speeds, in the proper lanes, using non-aggressive lane changing?
24. Make slow, deliberate U-turns?
25. Maintain proper speeds around roadway crashes?
26. Avoid returning inappropriate gestures?
27. Avoid challenging other drivers?
28. Try to get out of the way of aggressive drivers?
29. Refrain from momentarily using High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes to pass vehicles?
30. Focus on driving and avoid distracting activities (e.g., smoking, use of a car telephone, reading, shaving)?
31. Avoid driving when drowsy?
32. Avoid blocking the right-hand turn lane?
33. Avoid taking more than one parking space?
34. Avoid parking in a disabled space (if you are not disabled)?
35. Avoid letting your door hit the car parked next to you?
36. Avoid stopping in the road to talk with a pedestrian or other driver?
37. Avoid inflicting loud music on neighboring cars?

Score Yourself ...

Are you an Aggressive Driver or a Smooth Operator? Answering "No" to more questions means you're a more aggressive driver.

Number of "No" Answers	How You Rate as a Driver
1-3 4-7 8-11 12+	Excellent Good Fair Poor

How Your Engine Works (INFOGRAPHIC)

Ever wondered how an engine truly functions? Check out this animated info graphic that shows the complete running process for a gas and electrical engine: Infographic designed by Jacob O'Neal

Keep Your Lil’ Ones Safe: Car Rules to Abide By

Remember being strapped in what resembled a parachute harness, in the abysmal backseat?  You’re next to an annoying sibling who feeds off of the pleasure he/she receives when giving you a “wet willy.”  You’re helpless because you can hardly move forward in your newly revamped booster seat, as it crushes your shoulders back into the seat.  It’s the most uncomfortable seat known to man, and at 5 years old it’s like a cage to a wild animal, but when it comes down to it, you’re safe.  Thousands of children’s lives are jeopardized in car related accidents.  In today’s blog we provide a couple tips to keeping your lil ones safe.   

1.    SUVs aren’t safer: It’s BIG, bad, and menacing, but SUVs are no safer than ordinary sedans.  They’re more likely to rollover.  The safest vehicles are low to the ground and larger (station wagons).

2.    A car does NOT have to move to be dangerous: Parked cars are also, surprisingly deadly.  As many as 220 children per year are killed in non-traffic auto accidents.  Some are strangled by a window when they’re leaning out, inadvertently leaning on the rocker-type power window switch.  Other children, when alone, release the emergency brake, setting the car in motion.  Finally, at least 30 kids die each year when their parents leave them in the car and they suffocate from overheating. "Children should never, ever be left alone in an automobile -- not even for a minute," says Terrill Struttmann, executive director of Kids in Cars, an education and advocacy organization he and his wife started after their 2-year-old son was killed by a car set in motion by two kids playing alone inside.

3.    Kids don’t need to be inside a car to be hurt by one:  nearly 400 children are killed each year when they’re hit by an automobile.  ALWAYS keep an eye on your little ones, no matter how many times you’ve warned them to stay out of the streets.  A survey conducted by Safe Kids Worldwide found that a majority of drivers speed in school zones, and that nearly a third violate stop signs in neighborhoods where there are kids.

Do you have any tips of your own?  Feel free to comment below:

5 Ways to Devalue Your Vehicle

So, you’ve got a reliable vehicle that’s great on gas, looks great, and gets you from point A to B in style.  You want to keep it for a long time, bu you also want to maintain a lot of the value associated with it so you can trade or sell it when you’re ready to update.  In today’s blog, we’re describing 5 ways to devalue your car quicker than you can say “junk it”  So, hold on and be prepared, it’s going to e a bumpy ride (pun intended).

1. Lack of Maintenance and Servicing

Every buyer wants piece of mind.  A feeling of tranquility when they purchase their car AND verification that the vehicle is in a good state of reliability.  Each car comes with a service book, which will be marked and stamped by the dealer, so keep ALL of your records to show prospective buyers (dealerships, too) that your car has a great history.

2. Lackluster Paint Care

DO NOT neglect your paint job.  In most cases, vehicles these days maintain their paint jobs due to the detailed precision of application during the car’s inception.  Don’t buy discount car care products.  The best wax kits include: washes, waxes, polishes, and extra protective layers.  Don’t use brushes to wash your car, but rather soft clothes.

3. No Friggin Insurance

Always get insurance for your vehicle.  Why?  Because it’s the single most important remedy for accidents that can happen when you’re driving.  It also means any damage will be fixed properly, usually by us or a reputable bodyshop. 

4.  Smoking Cigarettes

If you EVER want to resell your vehicle., don’t smoke in it.  Smoking seeps into fabric surfaces, seats, headlining and carpets and is virtually impossible to extract.  This will depreciate any potential buyers who are repulsed by smoke, or potential buyers with children

5. Not Cleaning Vehicle Interior

For some parts of the day, your vehicle is your home.  Treat it well.   Make sure you keep your car clean and vacuumed. 

Sharing the Road with Truckers

Remember that kid in grade school who used his size and authority as a weapon for malice?  It was the snot nosed kid that bullied everyone just because he was bigger?  Yeah?  That’s how I feel sharing the road with 18-wheeler’s.  Without putting every truck driver in the proverbial box, many of them are great drivers and very courteous, but I can’t help but feel my heart rate increase when I’m sharing the highway with one.  In today’s blog, we discuss some things to avoid when sharing the road with truckers. 

1.    Riding in trucker blind spots – Trucks have huge blind spots to the right, rear, and left side.  The worst thing a driver can do is chug along in the trucker's blind spot, where he cannot be seen. If you're going to pass a truck, do it and get it over with. Don't sit alongside with the cruise control set 1 mph faster than the truck is traveling.

2.    Never, ever, ever try to sneak into a small gap and then brake and make a turn.  Trucks need 3 times the distance to stop!  Always give yourself more room. No assistance in lane changes – BAD IDEA.  If a trucker is indicating he wants to change lanes, leave room for them to do so.  You can indicate your willingness by flashing your lights. According to "Sharing the Road," a booklet distributed by John Deere Transportation Insurance, the three most common types of accidents involving heavy trucks involve the following:  Crashes caused by the truck's inability to stop in time.2) Crashes caused by a motorist trying to pass a truck on the right while the truck is making a right-hand turn. Also known as the right turn squeeze.3) Crashes caused by a motorist riding in the trucker's blind spots. Use the following rule of thumb: If you cannot see the truck driver in his mirrors, he probably cannot see you.

Be careful, guys! See you soon!

Top Vehicle Innovations of the Century

Flying cars have always been something we would like to see in our lifetime, but…for now, we’ll have to settle for some really cool, helpful, innovations.  Cars have gone a long way since the Ford Model-T and in today’s blog we discuss some of the most influential technologies to date.

Fold-flat rear seats – Honda’s foldaway seats in the late 1990’s took the concept of space saving to another level.  Seats that tuck out of the way are much easier to deal with than those that have to be removed.

Electronic Stability Systems – introduced by luxury manufacturers BMW and Mercedes-Benz in 1995, this computerized system applies the car’s brakes or cuts the throttle to keep the car going where you want it.  This maintains car stability, working within the car’s limitations.

DVD Players – In 2002 Honda and Saturn introduced the DVD player, children in the backseat of minivans rejoiced.  Innovation?  Very much so.  DVD players were shrunk and fitted into vehicles, providing a smooth comfortable ride, minus the bickering siblings in the background. 

Do you have any innovations you would like to add to the list?  There are countless other options available, add yours now!