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.
As your favorite car dealership in Cincinnati we want you to know that your car most certainly has things that require immediate maintenance or else they could be a very big danger to you, especially if you frequently take long trips or travel long distances frequently. Now, you may not know anything about your new car other than the color and how to position the mirrors, so you’ll just have to believe me when I tell you that…
Your timing belt is the weakest link of your engine!
Too Extreme? Well, maybe if your engine has less than 100,000 miles on it. However, the mere mention of its name should fill you with spine tingling fear. Why? A worn timing belt will quickly deteriorate into a BROKEN timing belt which could then result in catastrophic engine damage.
Timing belt service is not inexpensive and trying to save money going for the lowest bidder can be a prelude to disaster. I suggest using top quality parts, done by a mechanic that knows your type of vehicle. They will know if there are common faults that prevent the service from lasting through another full service cycle.
SPOILER ALERT! – Typically, thousands upon thousands of dollars in damage is done when a timing belt fails. Many times the engine is destroyed.
Don’t believe me? Watch this!
Even though you may have a new car, remember, the weakest link is the one that takes the rest with it. That’s just one of the reasons you follow the manufacturers recommended mileage intervals for timing belt replacement, so an experienced mechanic can inspect the timing components to ensure they ALL can keep on driving with confidence.
The cost for timing belt service will differ depending on model and components required. Be sure to read your owner’s manual to see the actual mileage that your vehicle is suggested to have it’s timing belt serviced, if you have reached or surpassed that mileage, bring your vehicle into Best Choice Automotive, and we can help you out!
Now, the battle between new car dealerships in Cincinnati and the average buyer has long been documented as a David vs. Goliath battle, good vs. evil, cheeseburger vs. hamburger! The fact of the matter is that the diabolical nature of the modern car salesman just doesn’t exist, save for a few bad apples who rarely last in our industry, we really, really want you to have a fantastic experience and save you as much money as we can when purchasing a new or used car. You see I’m about to tell you the secrets of buying a car from MY perspective.
Want to know the real secret of how to sell a new car? Guide, don’t push. That’s it in a nutshell. Sure, we accentuate the positive attributes of a car and explain why the car fits the needs you, the buyer, have laid out for us, but it does neither you nor us any service to try and push you into a car you don’t want.
You see, the true nature of the business is a strange one; both sides, salesman and customer, neither friends nor foes, engage small-talk while each wanting to retain money that is up for grabs. The longer I continued to build relationships with my customers the more I discovered that a few bad apples had certainly soiled the reputation of all car salesmen,. I began to observe the odd interactions between buyers and salesmen at which point certain unexpected truths quickly revealed themselves.
Truth #1: Everybody Wants to Buy, but Nobody Wants to be Sold
I once heard a veteran salesman sum up every buyer: everybody wants to buy, but nobody wants to be sold. He was right.
Instead of pushing anything, I began to familiarize myself with cars and whenever I talked to an “up” (an on-the-lot customer), I started by asking buyers what were “musts” and what were “preferences”. The process started with them narrowing in on what they envisioned for their ride. If people envision driving down the freeway in a luxury SUV, no matter what kind of sedan you show them, they will feel conned if you push them towards a sedan. Then, you will have lost their trust and most likely, their business. So, we always take the buyer’s lead. “You want a ½ ton Chevy with an extended cab? Great, we have several of them. You mentioned you would like it black. If the price was right, would you consider a different color?” Every preference has its price.
Despite the shady reputation, car salesmen really do listen and care what car you want. The problem is that most buyers aren’t sure of what they want themselves. We have to guide you to the sale, but make sure it’s your idea. Honestly, it’s exhausting. Our persuasive skills mainly come into play in the negotiation process. So, before you step on the lot, write out your “musts” and be prepared to articulate them to your salesman and you’ll make it easier to find that for which you are looking.
Truth #2: Buyers are (Most Likely) Not Professional Negotiators
As we walk amongst the rows of cars, buyers are wary of salesmen. They’re fearful we will pull some voodoo magic mixed with a Jedi mind-trick and force them into buying a car against their will. Once they’re in the office, a façade of skepticism and unearned bravado washes over them and anxiety dissipates. Husbands will swagger as if to say, “I’ve got this. I know how to haggle.” It’s an odd phenomenon because this is where buyers should feel the least confident.
We know the buyer likes the car. The average person goes through the car buying process a handful of times in their lives. Yet, while the salesman deals in car sales frequently, the buyer often puts forth a confident front. It’s weird to witness; the theatrics people pull to show they won’t be pushed around. They will stomp out in a huff and hope we chase after them. They will low-ball us and claim that they saw the exact same car down the road for that price. If they had, they would be down there buying it.
The best way to get a killer deal is to approach the negotiation from a prepared standpoint. Do your research! Know, realistically, how much the car is worth (not according to Kelley Blue Book, but local market value), and understand that the dealership needs to make a profit, too. If they offer you a ludicrous deal, showing them that you know your stuff goes a long way to getting them to knock off the high-balling. If you come prepared with a reasonable offer, based on facts and not wishful thinking, things will go a lot smoother for everybody and you won’t appear foolish. While bravado is often a sign of unsure footing, preparedness illustrates to us someone who is not easy fooled and will often yield a better deal.
Truth #3: The Real Savings are in the Trade-in Allowance, not the Price
People do whatever they can to not pay sticker price. Paying full sticker can feel like a moral defeat. However, where salesmen often have the most wiggle room is in the trade-in allowance.
We get a commission based on the profit the dealership made. We also give you the littlest amount for your trade-in so that when we sell it, we make the most money. Furthermore, we need to allow as much room as possible in case your trade-in (that you swore “runs like a top”), needs costly repairs.
When you come into our office and demand we lower the asking price, we are hesitant to do so because it eats away at the profit margin as well as our commission. A better tactic is to ask for a better price on your trade.
This is tricky. Don’t be defensive. Everybody is defensive when that jewel of a car is appraised for two-thirds its actual value. Instead, insist that the sticker price is a bit high, but that you are more concerned with the trade-in allowance. Getting a thousand dollars more for your trade-in is the same as getting a thousand dollars off the selling price. But it can be easier to get the trade-in number to budge.
Of course, every dealership is different and may have different policies as to how they figure commission. So it won’t necessarily work at every dealership. But if raising the trade-in allowance doesn’t affect the salesman’s commission, then you will likely get less resistance from him.
It’s a strange business, alright. However, people need cars and if you want to go to a place you know you’ll have a great buying experience, then you’ll want the Superior Automotive Group.
Go to any New Car Dealership in Cincinnati and, if they’re worth their salt, they’ll say that you shouldn’t wait to get your car ready for the winter months. There are things that you should do to your car to ensure that you will be able to drive your car once the snow starts to fall without getting caught in a freezing situation. The end of fall is the perfect time to do this. It is still nice enough outside that you can work on your vehicle, and it will give you peace of mind when driving on the icy roads that lie ahead.
The first thing you should do get your oil changed. In the last post we talked about what kind of oil is right for your car, so make sure that you are using an oil that is made to handle the cold weather easier. When the temperature drops, the oil in your car starts to thicken which can lead to engine lock-up. Be sure to check your owner’s manual for what kind of oil should be used for your car in the colder temperatures.
When the roads are slushy and covered in salt, it won’t take long for you to realize that you have old worn out windshield wipers. The winter months can be hard on your wipers, so make sure that you change them to a new pair now. The streaks that occur from bad wipers will impair your vision and lead to safety issues. You should also change your wiper fluid to one that can handle sub-freezing temperatures. While you are changing your wiper fluid, you should also check your antifreeze levels in your cooling system.
The other major components you should have checked are your tires and battery. The cold can suck the charge out of your battery, so make sure that you clean them and get rid of any corrosion. Check the tread on your tires and their pressure. If your tires are beginning to look worn down, then get them replaced. You may even want to think about getting winter tires that are made to handle the slick roads. It is easier to get in a wreck and need major repairs if your tires aren’t gripping the road.
Getting your car ready for winter is an important safety tip that should be done now. If you need help getting it checked, then bring it into a mechanic. If your car is going to cost more to get ready for winter then it is worth, then you should come into Superior Cars and start the winter season right with a brand new ride.
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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