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 want’s you to know that changing your new car’s oil is one of those things that you need to be sure to get done regularly to help maintain the operations of your car’s engine. The motor oil keeps your engine lubricated, and all the major components working smoothly. Over time, constant heat and pressure in your engine will start to turn your motor oil into a dirty sludge, which is why you need to change your oil every 3,000 miles or three months. Of course, a lot of drivers will go past this mark, or simply forget about changing their oil, and the next thing you know you are stuck with an engine that won’t crank.
If you have bought a new car then you should get in the habit of getting regular and on time oil changes. Oil technology has changed a lot over the last few decades and there are more choices than ever to choose what goes into your car. From synthetic to conventional, high mileage to high performance, you can now choose a motor oil that will keep your car running longer and smoother. So what oil should you choose to put in your car? Your owner’s manual will have the listing for the correct viscosity for your car, so this is the place to start. A lot of people don’t know what the numbers mean for their oil. It has to do with the viscosity at certain temperatures. For instance, 5W-20 means that the thickness rating is 5 in cold weather, 20 in warm weather, and the “W” means it is specified to work in wintry conditions.
Now that you know what rating of oil to use, it is up to you to decide what to put in your engine. If you are a high volume driver, then you should probably look into oils that are made to go longer between oil changes. If your car has over 75,000 miles, then you should look at high mileage oils that help keep your engine clean. When it comes to synthetic versus conventional, it is entirely up to you. Synthetic oil will not damage your car, even if you are replacing conventional oil.
Remember to take your car in to get an oil change regularly, and don’t be afraid to talk to whoever is performing the change about the best oil for you.
Cincinnati, if you own a BlackBerry to help you with your personal and business life, then you probably rely on it all of the time. Calls, texts, and emails are all a push of a button away, and it allows you to stay up to speed with all aspects of your life. With cell phone technology growing, it has become a problem for drivers who are trying to multitask while behind the wheel. If you own a BlackBerry device, then you have probably heard about the server crash that affected millions of users all around the world. In Dubai, they have found out that this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
During last week’s server crash, traffic accidents in Dubai dropped by 20 percent, and in Abu Dhabi accidents dropped by 40 percent, with no fatalities reported. I think that this goes to show how devastating driving while on your phone can be. It is too easy to hear your phone go off and immediately reach for it. This is a growing problem all over the country that law enforcement agencies are trying to combat. Studies have shown that using your phone to text or call during driving reduces your reaction time by nearly double, which in turn leads to accidents.
If you are in your car, turn your phone on silent so you aren’t tempted to answer calls or texts while driving. If it is necessary for you to use the phone, pull into a place where you can park and take care of it. You may think that you are capable of doing both, but that’s what everyone who was involved in an accident thought too. If you are looking for a new car with hands free technology to help, then be sure to come into Superior Cars.
We have all hopped in our car at one point or another, put in the key in the ignition, gave the old girl a crank and been met with an engine that won’t turn. Instead you get that the most terrifying sound in the world…”CLICK”. Dead battery…bummer. Car batteries, like tires and oil, need to be changed more often than any other part of your car, but you usually won’t know when to change it until it’s too late and you are stuck in a near deserted parking lot 40 miles from home. You have three options, getting a jump from someone, call a tow truck too take your car to the shop or walk.
Before you have to make any of these decisions, a little battery maintenance will go a long way in getting the most amps out of it.
This is a handy trick. If you have poor pole contact, you are going to have a temperamental battery. Keep your battery terminals clean. No doubt you’ve popped your hood before and have seen the blue/white battery acid buildup on your pole and connectors. You can fix that! The most common way of doing this is with a wire brush and a solution of baking soda and water. This will help you get rid of all the corrosive build up which may be hurting the connection of your battery. If you don’t have baking soda, then you can use regular soda like Coke. Yup, is there anything that stuff can’t do? All soda’s have carbonic acid which will help get rid of any corrosion. Just pour it on the battery terminals, but be sure to wipe off the sticky residue with a damp cloth or sponge after it has dried.
What if your battery is dead but you are in an area where you can’t get it charged? There are a few things you can put inside your battery to help get you one last burst of energy to get you to a place with where you can get a new battery. One way is to put two aspirin into the battery. The aspirin reacts with the acid and will give you one last big boost to get your car turned on. You can also do the same thing with Epsom salt. Dissolve an ounce of Epsom salt in warm water, and then add the mixture to your battery to extend it’s life for a little bit.
With the cold weather coming, you may experience battery problems, so be sure to change your battery now if you haven’t done so in the last 6 months or year. If you are having serious battery issues, then it might not be your battery at all, but your alternator…but that’s another post. If you need ANY come into any Superior Automotive Center location.
WHAT’S THE RATTLE? DO YOU HEAR THAT CLUNK? WHENEVER I PUSH ACCELERATE, IT SPUTTERS. As a Cincinnati car owner, there will come a time when the inevitable will happen…repairs. Really, no one is immune to the occasional breakdown. A great way to save money on your car is to learn some basic auto care and maintenance on your own. From changing your headlights and windshield wipers, to doing your own oil changes, you can save a lot of money compared to taking your car into the shop for regular replacement or repair issues.
WARNING!!! Only attempt this at your own risk!!!
If you do attempt these tasks, you may find yourself wanting to fix more and more, but before you jump in over your head, there are some steps that you should know before you hurt yourself, or your car.
The first thing you should do if starting work on your car is to start simple. Don’t expect to change your steering fluid and then fix your transmission. Start with the easy things, then you can move up to changing your battery, spark plugs, and belts. Keep in mind that any work that do could do more damage to your car.
Before you do anything, do your homework. Read thoroughly about your repair, watch videos and be sure you have an excellent example before you begin your job. Remember, if you don’t know what you are doing ask for advice, or bring it to Superior for assistance.
Remember, the job isn’t finished until after cleanup. Know how to get rid of any toxic materials that you remove from your car before you start your project.
Again, if you think you are going to be getting in over your head then be sure to come into Superior Cars.
Here’s a test to check your car’s alignment, Cincinnati. Drive your new or used car down a long, straight stretch of highway, if you feel like you are fighting to keep your vehicle going in a straight line, or more to the point, fee your car pull to one side or the other then you are most likely dealing with wheel alignment issues. Another dead giveaway is that your steering wheel isn’t straight.
This is just a byproduct of being a car owner. Over time, your car’s wheels will slowly start going out of line over the thousands of miles that you put on it. It is a very common problem, but if left ignored you may find yourself not getting the projected wear out of your tires…and that’s just throwing money down the drain.
As I just stated, the biggest problem that is a result of new and used car alignment issues is tire costs. If your alignment is off even by 0.34 degrees, which is less than two-tenths of an inch, then the result is almost the same as dragging your tire sideways across the road for 64 miles over a year. You may notice that your tires are starting to get worn down and shredded on the inner or outer part of each tire, and this is most likely due to your wheels being out of line. This means that you are having to buy new tires thousands of miles earlier than you would if your car’s wheels were aligned.
That’s not the only problem. Since you are dragging your tires across the road, your engine is having to work harder to maintain speeds. This causes less fuel efficiency, and means more trips to the gas pump. There are more than monetary costs that are effected by alignment issues. It becomes harder to control your vehicle, which is not only a safety issue, but you are actually having to work harder driving your vehicle and holding your steering wheel in line with the road. If you need to fix your car’s alignment, then be sure to bring it into any Superior location as soon as you can.
If you are noticing any of these problems, then be sure to get your alignment checked and fixed. Your tires, arms, and pocket book, will thank you over time. Of course, if you just can’t stand it anymore and are looking for a new car in Cincinnati, then you know where to find us.
There is a great chance that somewhere along the life of your car that you will have to take it into a mechanic’s shop to get work done that you just can’t do at home. For many people, this can be a nervous proposition. There is the stereotype out there that most mechanics only want to take your money and not do quality work to fix your car. We’ve all seen the 20/20 specials in these unfortunate cases, but you should know that this happens very rarely. If you are weary about finding the right mechanic for you, then the best thing you can do is research.
The video below does a great job in showing you the things to look for and the questions to ask when finding the right mechanic for you and your car.
Of course, if you bought your car from Superior Cars, you can rest easy in the fact that we have some of the best and most trustworthy mechanics that specialize in your car. If you are looking for a new car, then be sure to come into Superior Cars.
One of those forgotten things in your car that you need to take of is your car’s windows. It is easy to forget to properly clean and maintain your windows because the only time you notice them is when something is wrong. Like other parts of your car, your windows have a lot of moving parts, and if one thing starts to wear down then you can be forced to spend a few hundred bucks having it fixed. The best thing that you can do to make sure that your windows will work properly for years to come is proper cleaning.
The video below shows how easy it is to stop future window problems, and how those problems occur.
So be sure to clean out all parts of your window once a month or so to stop any damage before it happens. It is very easy and will save you money in the long run. If you are looking for a new car, then be sure to come into Superior Cars.
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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 [email protected]
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