It’s late and time to go home after a really amazing dinner at your favorite restaurant. You might be feeling a little relaxed, maybe a bit fatigued after a long day at work, but you are sure that driving is not going to be a problem. Besides you live only a few miles away. You jump in your car full and relaxed and the next thing you realize is that Road Hypnotism has sent in and you are drifting in and out of your lane. What do you do? Before you answer, read below:
A recent study conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center found Drowsy driving crashes can be hard to detect due to difficult and unreliable reporting, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates there are about 100,000 sleep-related crashes per year and 1,550 fatalities.
After staying awake for 24 hours straight, a person will be about as impaired as if he had had enough alcohol to be legally drunk in most states, a study says. Australian researchers tested 40 people to create a “blood alcohol equivalent” for different levels of impairment from sleeplessness.In one experiment, participants stayed awake for 28 hours. In the other, they drank alcohol every half hour until they reached a blood alcohol concentration of 0.10 percent. That’s the drunken-driving standard in most American states.
Every half hour, the subjects took a computerized test of hand-eye coordination.
Results showed that after 24 hours of sleeplessness, participants were about as impaired as they were at the 0.10 percent level of blood alcohol. After 17 hours, they were about as impaired as they were with an alcohol level of 0.05 percent, which many Western countries define as legally drunk, the researchers said.
The State of New Jersey has now made any injury crash involving fatigue, a felony.
The only way to combat drowsy driving is to pull over and rest for the evening, or take an extended nap. This is it. Don’t rely on coffee or energy drinks. Eating will just make you even more sleepy….the bottom line is PULL OVER and REST. Chances are if you neglect to ad hear to this very simple requirement, you will end up on the side of the road much like the guy in the video below.
Thankfully, he wasn’t killed. But it’s hard to deny the importance of not driving drowsy.
If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. The Superior Automotive Group want you to keep the roadways safe for everyone.
I ran across a video recently that I couldn’t believe. If you think that seeing one child behind your new Cincinnati car, truck or SUV was hard, I’m sure you’d have no problem seeing 60 children? Of course you can! Right?
Wrong! Even with your mirrors properly set, it is virtually impossible to see, not just directly behind your vehicle, but almost 15 ft in some cases depending on the height of your vehicle.
Watch the video below and you’ll understand.
It’s OK, I’ll let you change your answer.
Please be 110% aware of all of your surroundings. It is your responsibility. It is your requirement. It is your duty to be as safe a driver as you can. Yes, accidents do happen, but they usually happen when we aren’t paying attention.
Now…watch the video again.
All of us here at the Superior Automotive Group would like to ask that you please please re-post this as many places as you can.
One major issue we see coming through the Superior Service Department is cars not running smoothly, poor gas mileage, engine stutter and more. Guess what the main culprit usually is: The Air Filter. The air filter is an important part of the intake system in your vehicle as it is what helps your engine “breathe.” Your engine runs on an exact mixture of air and fuel, but before it is combined it runs through the filter first. This is to get out all of the dirt and foreign particles which could possibly damage the engine. A dirty air filter will certainly affect your vehicle’s performance.
Another important reason to have a clean air filter is that it will help with gas mileage. And with gas prices higher than we would like, it’s a great reason to check your air filter to make sure it is clean. Usually once a year, preferably twice is good to change your air filter, however if you live in highly polluted area then you should check and change it more often.
We like to recommend that you bring your vehicle in for a winter and spring checkup to make sure that all things are working properly where we will check the filter and change it if necessary. Air filters can also be checked during your routine oil change.
If you would like to check and change your own air filter it is a fairly easy process. Open up the hood and locate a large plastic tube that leads away from the top of the engine. Follow this to a large box that maybe metal or plastic, round or square, depending on your vehicle. This is the air filter box which contains the air filter. Pop off the top and locate the filter. If the filter is brown or black, then it is restricting the passage of air and should be replaced immediately.
It’s important to check and replace your air filter to maintain your vehicle’s performance and extended the life of it. You could set up an alert in your phone to remind you to check it every 3 to 6 months. Or if you’d like help, just bring it on by to our service department at the Superior Automotive Group!
No matter how safely you drive, once you hit the road in Cincinnati, there is always the chance that you will get into an accident. We see it all of the time here at Superior. Weather, road conditions, and other drivers can all lead to getting your car into a bad situation. While there may be a lot of adrenaline and scattered thoughts that come after the accident, it is important to know which steps to take if it happens to you.
I found a great checklist from about.com in regards to the steps you should you be involved in an accident. Print out this checklist and keep it in your car next to your insurance information.
Determine the Extent of Damage or Injuries Try to stay calm. Panic can make others panic and the situation worse. There needs to be a calm person to determine the extent of damage and to determine if there are any injuries that need immediate medical attention.
File a Car Accident Report with the Police Even in a minor accident it is important to make sure there is a legal accident report. Do not leave the scene until the police file a full report.
Discuss the Car Accident Only with the Police With everyone all shook up it can be hard not to talk about what just happened, but that can also lead to you not thinking clearly and accurately about what happened. It is important to limit your discussion of the accident and not to admit any fault or liability. You should talk about the accident with the police and your insurance agent only.
Get the Facts This is the part most people know to do, but often forget to after the accident for one reason or another. It is important to get names, address, and phone numbers of everyone involved in the accident. A description of the car and license plate number can also be helpful, but make sure you also get their insurance company and the vehicle identification number of their car. Don’t just assume the license plate number will do because most insurance companies only record the type of car and the vehicle identification number, not the license plate number.
Call Your Insurance Agent Call your agent or insurance company’s 800-number immediately, even at the scene with the police if possible. Sometimes the police officer can give your insurance company more accurate information rather than information you may not be recording properly because you are upset by the accident. This can save you a lot of time later waiting for your claim to be processed.
Remember to stay calm and let the authorities and your insurance company do their jobs to let things go by smoothly. No matter if it is your fault or not, being angry or argumentative will not help the situation. Accidents are called accidents because no one means for them to happen. Just make sure you and everyone else involved is OK and follow the steps above.
If your car is involved in an accident, be sure to swing by any Superior Auto Group location and we’ll help you get out on the road again as soon as possible. Remember that the best way to stay accident free is to always drive safely and be aware of your surroundings.
Probably a fair amount. At the Superior Automotive Group, cars are our business, so any one of the sales men and women can walk you around a new car and tell you about every detail of that vehicle. Just like any one who would be servicing your car can list and label every part of that engine. The thing is, your average car buyer doesn’t have that type of specific knowledge and most of the time you don’t need that much detail. However there are a few things you MUST know, so let’s test your knowledge of basics of being a car owner: Do you know which is worse?
Under or over-inflating tires?
A couple extra PSI of air pressure in your tires will result in a harsher ride as well as faster tread wear. Tires inflated significantly above the maximum recommended pressure may also pop just like a balloon.
On the other hand, tires 5, 10 or even 20 psi below the recommended pressure can lead to weird handling/poor braking, even a sudden failure due to the heat build-up (see: Ford-Firestone).
An extra quart in the crankcase? Or down a quart?
Running a quart low is far less potentially damaging than running a quart over. Reason? Excess oil in the crankcase is more than the engine was designed to hold — and that oil has to go somewhere. Unfortunately, that “somewhere” is probably going to be somewhere it shouldn’t be, which in a modern emissions controlled car can lead to other (expensive) problems.
Drive off right away — or “warm it up” a little first?
One of the biggest differences between “old” cars (circa. mid-late 1980s) and “modern” cars is the warm-up protocol.
Older cars without computers needed more cold-start hand-holding. It often took a couple of minutes for the choke to turn itself off and the engine to settle into a comfortable (and stall-free) idle. With modern cars, warm-up happens much faster. Most owner’s manuals say it’s fine to drive away normally within 30 seconds or so after start-up.
Ride the brakes — or “gear down”?
Descending a steep grade, which is smarter: Using the brakes to keep the car from picking up too much speed? Or downshifting to a lower gear and using engine braking to achieve the same thing?
Replacement brake pads (and even calipers and rotors, etc.) are a lot cheaper, usually, than a new clutch or rebuilt transmission. So the argument from the economical perspective is: Use the brakes — and save the wear and tear on your clutch/transmission.
On the other hand, how much is your life worth? Riding the brakes for extended periods on steep downhill grades may heat them up to the point that braking power starts to fade. If that happens, you won’t be able to stop the car as quickly…maybe not at all. Put the transmission in a lower gear to keep the car from building up too much speed on extended downhills.
So? Did you already know some of that? If so great, you are well on your way to being a responsible car owner! If you learned something new, even better, share that knowledge with someone else. Swing into any Superior location any time to test your ownership knowledge
Gas prices are continuing to fluctuate, but unfortunately, it’s looking like they are going to stay on the high side for quite a bit longer. At this point, most people are taking every precaution they possibly can to save when it comes to saving money on gas… even if the tip happens to just be a myth. This Cincinnati Car Dealer wants to give some real tips that will actually stretch your dollar at the pump.
The other day, I received a forwarded email from a friend of a friend. I’m not normally one for reading forwarded emails, but the title of this one, Tips on Pumping Gas, caught my eye. It was written by a man who works at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline in California. Since he’s worked in the industry for more than 30 years, you might say he’s an expert on the subject.
Check out his suggestions on ways to save at the pump.
1. When you’re filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to the fastest mode. If you look you will notice that the trigger has 3 stages: low, middle and high. You should be pumping on low mode, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fastest rate, some of the liquid that goes into your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked back into the underground storage tank so you are actually getting less than your money’s worth.
2. Fill up when your gas tank is half full. The reason for this is because the more gas you have in your tank, the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof which serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere thus minimizing the evaporation.
3. If there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks where you plan on stopping to get gas, DO NOT fill up there. Most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas in being delivered, and you could pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.
You’ll probably hear all sorts of advice when it comes to saving at the pump, and no one blames you for trying all of it on your Cincinnati Car. With gas prices this high, what do we have to lose?
While some parts of the United States were dry as a bone this Summer and Spring, the North and East got some significant rainfall. Catastrophic in some cases causing flooding. While the water will eventually receded, much of the damage the heavy rains have caused will linger for months, or even years. If you are in the market for a used car, you are going to need to know how to spot a vehicle that may have been through a flood.
The fact of the matter is that flood damage can be hard to spot, but it can permeate the vehicle and cause ongoing problems for the rest of the car’s service life. Flooding will also ruin electronics, contaminate lubricants, and threaten mechanical systems, many times without leaving outward signs. It can take months for corrosion to find its way to the car’s computer systems or air-bag controllers.
The really scary part is that flood damaged vehicles can be and often are moved out of states where the damage occurred, and resold in another state. The reason is that some states make it easier to re-title a car that has been written off as a total loss, a process known as title washing. Those cars can end up with a clean bill of health, with no indication they were declared wrecks in an earlier life.
So, how do you spot flood damage? What should you look for? Check out the video below:
From Consumer Reports:
If you’re shopping for a car, make sure to check with your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles to see what the laws are regarding re-titling used vehicles. Websites like Carfax can help learn a vehicle’s history, but our experience indicates they don’t always tell the full story. Consider a free VINCheck from the National Insurance Crime Bureau or the federal government’s National Motor Vehicle Title Information Systems database. (Read: “Don’t rely on used-car-history reports.”)
My advice is to have any used car inspected by a trusted mechanic before you buy it. And here are some tips to help you look for telltale signs yourself.
Look under the carpets to see if they are wet, damp, or muddy.
Check the seat-mounting screws to see if there is any evidence that they have been removed. To fully dry the carpets, the seats must be removed–not something that would occur with as a part of normal maintenance.
Inspect the lights. Lights are expensive to replace, and a water line may still show in the housing on the lens or the reflector.
Inspect the car in difficult-to-clean places, such as the gaps between panels in the trunk and under the hood. Water-borne mud and debris may still cling in these places.
Look for mud or debris on the bottom edges of brackets or panels where it couldn’t naturally settle from the air.
Look at the heads of any unpainted, exposed screws under the dashboard; they can show signs of rust.
Check the rubber drain plugs under the car and on the bottoms of doors. If they look as if they have been removed recently, it might have been done to drain floodwater.
If you need to dig deeper, remove a door panel to see if there is a water mark on the inside of it.
Another thing to keep in mind is that if you are from an area impacted by a flood and have a car for sale that was not damaged, buyers may still suspect that it was. You may want to consider having a Superior mechanic inspect the car before you sell it so that you can easily show potential buyers with a clean bill of health.
We all are guilty of letting our automobiles go at times. Even us here at the Superior Automotive Group. ”Meh, what’s a little dirt gonna’ hurt?” Well it could do quite a bit of damage to your clear coat and paint. Since I plan on washing MY car this weekend, I did a little research and found these great car washing tips.
Proper Washing
1. Wash the wheels and tires first. If you splash wheel cleaners or dirt onto your vehicle, you can simply wash it off as you wash your vehicle. Use a cleaner that water-based and has no corrosive chemicals, which is safer for coated wheels and rubber. Agitate with a wheel brush to clean wheels without scratching. Wash each wheel and tire one at a time and rinse thoroughly before moving on to the next one.
2. Now you’re ready to wash. It’s important to use a car wash that is rich in lubricants. The purpose of the car wash is to remove contaminants and lubricate them so they do not scratch the paint as they slide off the vehicle. Dish detergents are not ideal because they remove protective coatings. (This was news to me.)
3. How do you prevent swirl marks? Use two buckets. Fill one bucket with soapy water and fill the other with clean water. Each time you’re ready to reload your sponge with soapy water, dip it in the clean water first, to rinse out the grit and contamination you’ve just removed from your vehicle. Then dip it in the soapy water and continue washing.
4. Always rinse your vehicle thoroughly before you begin washing in order to remove loose debris. Then begin washing at the top of the vehicle. Wash down the vehicle as opposed to front to back. Remember that the lower panels are dirtiest. You want to clean the windows and the upper panels before cleaning the lower half of the vehicle so that you don’t transfer grit to the top half of the vehicle. Rinse and reload your sponge often to prevent cross-contamination. Rinse your vehicle frequently as you work, especially in hot weather.
5. When rinsing, you don’t have to blast your car clean with the water hose. Free-flowing water (no nozzle) will allow the water to sheet off of your vehicle for a more thorough rinsing.
Drying
Never skip drying! Drying your vehicle after washing is necessary to prevent water spots. Water spots are caused by mineral deposits that etch the outline of a drop of water into your vehicle’s paint. All water has minerals, whether it’s from the hose or the sky. As the water evaporates, the minerals remain on the surface and they will eventually, invariably create water spots.
You can dry your vehicle in a variety of ways, but you want to make sure you do it quickly. Try a microfiber towel, they absorb 7 times its own weight in moisture, and it’s completely nonabrasive. Microfiber is more absorbent than terry cloth or chamois, and it lasts longer.
Terry cloth towels are not recommended because the fibers can become matted and hard after repeated uses. They shed lint. They increase the chance of swirls. Compared to microfiber, they are not as absorbent and they don’t last as long. Never use bath towels that have been discarded from the house.
After getting a new car in Cincinnati, it can take awhile to adjust to the car’s driving habits including the speed. You may easily find yourself speeding without even knowing it. Next thing you know, you’re seeing red and blues flashing in your rear view. And we all know this feeling… glancing back and forth in your rear view mirror trying to figure out if you are the one being pulled over. Some of you out there may start to panic and get nervous, while others simply become angry that they’ve been caught breaking the law. Either way, it’s pretty safe to say that nobody likes being pulled over. Traffic tickets can be pricey, cause your insurance to rise and add points to your driver’s license in some states.
If you’re hoping to avoid a traffic violation, the best thing to do is be as cooperative with the officer as possible. Being a smart mouth or short with him or her will only make the situation worse. There are some times where an officer will let you off with a warning simply because you were polite and apologetic. On the other hand, you may be getting that ticket no matter what. But wouldn’t you think it’s worth it to always act your best in these situations? I sure do. Here’s a breakdown of what you should do and how you should act when being pulled over.
Once you see the lights behind you, pull over as soon as possible. If you are pulling onto a shoulder, try and get as far away from the lane as possible. The officer will most likely be coming to your side, and it’s best to give him as much room as possible. Once you’ve pulled over, turn the vehicle off and roll down your window. It’s imperative that you do not get out of the vehicle. This is seen as a threat to law enforcement. If you’re wearing sunglasses, a hat or visor, take them off and place them on the dashboard. Then be sure to place your hands on the wheel so the officer can see them. Some people like to have their driver’s license and insurance ready to hand the officer when he walks up. But I’d suggest waiting to look around the car until he directs you to do. If an officer sees you moving around a lot, he may think you are trying to hide something.
While talking to the officer, be sure to use your “yes sirs” and “no ma’ams”. Answer each question honestly without any sarcasm. Once you’ve reached this point and are answering questions and remembering your manners, it’s really up to the police officer on whether or not he will give a citation. If you’re lucky, you’ll be let off with a warning and you’ll be able to head off in your pretty new car and go about your day.
Most of us at Superior Cars have kids, and we understand that when a teen is getting his or her license, it can be stressful. While there are driving schools you can (and should) enroll them in, you can also teach them yourself. Some of us take our kids to empty parking lots. Heck, I remember the first time I drove…
But I digress, I found a great website, teendriving.com, that is full of resources for teaching your teen how to become a competent driver. There are many links for how to teach your child how to drive in many different situations, but it also laws out two basic rules that you, as a teacher, need to understand from the beginning.
Know the Rules
Having the right information can make your job as driving mentor so much easier. First, visit your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles website. Most states have a new driver’s booklet, list of places and times to take the exam, state driving laws, and more on their site. If you don’t have access to the Internet at home, you can use the free computers at the library, pick up printed materials at the DMV offices, or often request them by phone. Parents should review the materials as well as ensuring that their teen studies them. This is usually one homework assignment, they are eager to do.
Another helpful resource is your insurance agent. Many insurance companies have programs for new drivers including videos, safe driving booklets, and criteria for getting good student and safe driving discounts. This is a good time to check the rates for having a teen driver on your policy. If you have more than one vehicle, chose one with an airbag if possible, and find out which one will have the lower rate and best safety rating. Then add the teen as a driver to that car.
Be a Role Model
Setting a good example is one of the best ways that you can help your teen be a better driver. If you run red and yellow lights, speed down the highway at 75 MPH, weave in and out of traffic, take chances on the road, ride the bumper of the car in front of you, scream at other drivers, or exhibit other signs of road rage, you’re showing your teen that the rules don’t count—and this can be fatal. Model the behavior you want your teen to follow and start early.
Before you teach your child to drive, you should know what you should do to prepare in becoming the teacher. If you are looking for a new or used car for the new driver in your family, be sure to check out the Superior family of dealerships.
The Superior Automotive Group and Mike Albert Direct have been serving Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky since 1928. We care about you, your cars, your safety, and our community.
If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask and any suggestions are always welcome at SuperiorAutomotiveGroup@gmail.com
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fatigued after a long day at work, but you are sure that driving is not going to be a problem. Besides you live only a few miles away. You jump in your car full and relaxed and the next thing you realize is that Road Hypnotism has sent in and you are drifting in and out of your lane. What do you do? Before you answer, read below:
