6 Summer Tuneup Tips

It may feel like summer is winding down but there are still another 2 months of this glorious season left. You should paying extra special attention to your car as we enter the hottest part of the summer. Fluids tend to drain more quickly and engines are known to overheat easier.

Bankrate has provided 6 tune up tips for you car this season. All you have to do is remember the acronym SUMMER.

S: Scrub the battery

Long drives and hot weather can put a strain on your car battery. To keep your battery healthy, sprinkle some baking soda onto the battery terminals, and then lightly spray with water. Let the mixture sit for an hour, and then wipe it off with a wet sponge.

U: Use a sunshade

When you park in direct sun, not only does your car's interior heat up, you are putting strain on the dashboard and upholstery, which can accelerate wear. Use a sunshade to protect your car interior and lengthen its lifespan.

M: Maintain proper fluid levels

All fluids are important to your car's operation, but antifreeze, also known as coolant, should be your top priority. A low coolant level can cause your car to overheat. Check your antifreeze level and add more if it's low. Do not open the coolant tank lid while the engine is hot.

M: Make sure tire pressure is correct

Check your tire pressure regularly and before any long trips. Inflate tires to the recommended pressure listed in your owner's manual for the number of passengers and the amount of cargo you'll be carrying. Proper tire pressure will help prevent a blowout and can improve your fuel economy by up to 3.3 percent.

E: Expect an emergency

Like a good Boy Scout, you should be prepared for an emergency. Make an emergency kit that includes jumper cables, roadside flares or reflective triangles, a flashlight, old towels or paper towels, a first-aid kit, nonperishable snacks and water.

R: Replace your wiper blades

Summer means the dry season for many areas, but storms can occur unexpectedly. Make a note to remind yourself to replace wiper blades every six months or sooner if they are unusually squeaky or you notice decreased visibility.

For the full article from Bankrate please follow the link: http://www.bankrate.com/finance/auto/summer-car-tuneup-tips-1.aspx

5 Tips to Prevent Hot Car Deaths

It’s a tragedy that’s in the news too often: a young child is left in the car for a short period of time and they pass away from heat stroke. These senseless deaths can easily be prevented and are often caused by a brief moment of negligence.

From law enforcement officers to celebrities, everyone is doing their part to spread awareness about leaving your loved ones in a car on a hot day. Whether it’s your pet or your child, “don’t leave for a minute with your loved ones in it.”

Here are 5 tips from the Today Show to prevent hot car deaths:

1. Look before you lock. Open the backdoor and look in the backseat to assure that everyone is out of the car (even if you think you are childless).

2. Keep something you need in the backseat. Put your cell phone, briefcase, computer, lunch, ID badge, left shoe, or anything essential to your daily routine beside your child.

3. Travel with a furry companion. Keep a stuffed animal in the car seat. When baby is in the seat, the stuffed animal rides shotgun. The furry passenger serves as a reminder that baby's in the back.

4. Always lock the doors. Even if the car is in the garage, keep the doors locked to prevent curious children from getting into the car.

5. Put the keys and fobs away. Kids might want to play with keys and be able to get into the car without parents knowledge.

Remember these 5 tips and you could possibly save a life. Be sure to check out the rest of the tips over at today.com: http://www.today.com/parents/7-tips-preventing-hot-car-related-deaths-children-t31551

The First 3 Steps to Sell Your Car

Unless you prepare on selling your car to a close friend or family member, you’ll have to put some time in planning on how to sell your car. If you want the most value out of you car, it’s not as easy as just looking up your car’s value and posting a craiglist ad.

Edmunds has compiled a list that covers everything from pricing to advertising to negotiating. Check out the easy-to-follow process below:

Step 1: Know the Market

Your first step is to check on-line classified ads to see how much other sellers are asking for your type of car. Keep in mind that dealers will have different prices than private party listings. The eBay.com classifieds and other Internet sites allow you to search with specific criteria. For example, select the year and trim level of your car and see how many similar cars are currently on the market. Take note of their condition, mileage, geographic location and selling price so you can list your car at a price that will sell it quickly.

Step 2: Price Your Car Competitively

There are always some exceptions to the rules of pricing, so you should follow your intuition. And be sure to leave a little wiggle room in your asking price. Ask for slightly more money than you are actually willing to accept. If you want to get $12,000 for the car, you should list the car at $13,500. People tend to negotiate in big chunks ($500-$1,000) rather than small increments ($100-$200). That way, when a person makes you a lower offer, it will be closer to your actual price, rather than below it.

You may have noticed how creative used-car dealers get in pricing cars. Their prices usually end in "995," as in $12,995. Are we not supposed to notice that the car basically costs $13,000? There is a lot of psychology in setting prices. A product that doesn't sell well at $20 might jump off the shelf at $19.95.

Step 3: Give Your Car Curb Appeal

Before you advertise your car for sale, make sure it looks clean and attractive. This goes beyond just taking it to the car wash. Here is a to-do list to help you turn your heap into a cream puff:

• Wash and vacuum the car and consider having it detailed.
• Make sure your car is both mechanically sound and free from dents, dings and scrapes.
• Consider making low-cost repairs yourself rather than selling it "as is."
• Shovel out all the junk from the inside of the car. That way, when a prospective buyer goes for a test-drive, they can visualize the car as theirs.
• Wipe the brake dust off the wheel covers and treat the tires with a tire gloss product.
• Thoroughly clean the windows (inside and out) and all the mirrored surfaces.
• Wipe down the dashboard and empty the ashtrays.
• Have all your maintenance records ready to show prospective buyers.
• If the car needs servicing or even a routine oil change, take care of that before putting it up for sale.
• Have your mechanic check out the car and issue a report about its condition. You can use this to motivate a buyer who is on the fence.
• Order a vehicle history report from Autocheck.com and show it to the buyer to prove the car's title is clean and the odometer reading is accurate.

To see the six remaining steps head over to edmunds.com where they lay out their list to help you get your car sold at it’s highest value: http://www.edmunds.com/sell-car/10-steps-to-selling-your-car.html

Avoid Blind Spots by Adjusting Your Mirrors Correctly

It’s happened to everyone. You’re attempting to make a lane change, you put on your blinker and you start to merge over, then a BLARING horn. Every car is susceptible to blind spots and it’s important to always check them before changing lanes.

Car technology today is doing everything it can to eliminate the blind the spot but it still has a little ways to go. You can avoid blind spot collisions by adjusting your mirrors in a way that gives you full view of everything going on next to and behind your car.  

Car and Driver has provided a nifty little infographic that shows you how your car’s mirrors should be adjusted:

For the full article from Car and Driver follow the link:

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/how-to-adjust-your-mirrors-to-avoid-blind-spots

Use Science to Save Gas This Summer

Summer is a busy travel season. Everyone is going on vacation and taking road trips around the country. Gas prices also tend to peak in the summer which means we could be spending big bucks to get around.

Luckily, there are simple ways to cut down on the amount of fuel your cars are using. With a few simple tricks and tips provided by science, you’ll be able to look at your gas receipts without audibly gasping. Here are 3 ways science can save you gas this summer:

Use the Right Car for the Trip

Last year, I had an amazing time traveling around Montana and the vicinity, and I splurged on a one-way car rental to maximize the sightseeing. The rental car company first offered me an “upgrade” to a minivan, presumably because more space is supposed to be a good thing; however, if I hadn’t fought them for the economy car I had reserved, it would have cost me another $100 in fuel for the trip, money I would much rather spend on huckleberry ice cream and a national park pass. You might always default to the big SUV for your family, but if you can fit everything in a sedan, you’re better off. The lesson: use the most fuel-efficient car that will fit your stuff.

Slow Down

One of my favorite aspects of a road trip is taking in new scenery. When you’re flying down the road at 80 miles per hour, not only are you probably missing out on some surprising views—you’re also wasting fuel. Your car is optimized for somewhere around 55-60 miles per hour, and you can reduce efficiency by almost a third if you’re going 20 mph over. At today’s prices, driving 80 mph when the speed limit is 65 mph not only runs the risk of getting pulled over—it’s like raising the price of gas by almost $1 per gallon! Slow down and enjoy the trip.

Turn Off Cruise-Control (On Hills At Least)

On a long drive, you might be tempted to use the cruise control—but if you are driving through the rolling countryside, don’t. Not only does it allow you to pay less attention to driving, which is suboptimal for safety, the cruise control on most cars is a surefire way to waste fuel on anything but the flattest terrain because it tries to maintain a steady speed as tightly as possible. Instead, as a smart and attentive driver, you can maintain speed in a more efficient way.

Looking more tips on saving gas this summer. Here’s the full article from the Union of Concerned Scientists: http://blog.ucsusa.org/8-ways-science-can-save-gas-on-your-summer-road-trip-772

5 Reasons Your Check Engine Light May Be On

“Wait! How can my check engine light be on? I just went to the mechanic!”

There are many frustrations that come along with that little check engine light and sometimes it just never seems to turn off. Often times, the reason for that little light is an easy fix. Autozone has provided us with 5 reasons your check engine light may be on.

Your Oxygen (O2) Sensor needs replacing

Your oxygen sensor measures the amount of unburned oxygen in your vehicle's exhaust system.

What if I don't replace it?

Your engine will burn more fuel than needed.

You will experience loss of fuel economy (up to 40% if ignored)*

Faulty sensor(s) can cause damage to your spark plugs and catalytic converter

Gas cap is loose, damaged or missing

Your gas cap seals the fuel system and helps maintain pressure within the fuel tank. It also prevents gasoline fumes (hydrocarbons) from being released into the atmosphere while you aren't driving your car.

What if I don't replace it?

You can lose fuel through evaporation

You may make more trips to the gas pump

Catalytic Converter needs replacing

Your catalytic converter helps protect our environment by converting harmful carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide. Damage usually occurs due to neglected maintenance.

What if I don't replace it?

Your vehicle will not pass an emissions test

You will experience reduced performance and fuel economy

Your car may run at a higher temperature

Mass Airflow Sensor needs replacing (MAF)

Your mass airflow sensor measures the amount of air entering the engine to determine how much fuel is needed to run your engine efficiently.

What if I don't replace it?

Faulty sensors can cause damage to spark plugs, O2 sensors or catalytic converter

You will experience reduced performance and fuel economy

Spark Plugs or Plug Wires need replacing

Your spark plugs ignite the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of your vehicle. The spark plug wires deliver the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs.

What if I don't replace it?

You will experience poor performance (reduced power, engine missing) and reduced fuel economy

Worn plugs and plug wires can cause clogged catalytic converter or damage to ignition coils and O2 sensors

Read the whole article here at Autozone.com: http://www.autozone.com/landing/page.jsp?name=top-five-reasons-check-engine-light

Do You Need to Have Your Brakes Inspected?

When it comes to your brakes, many people “set it and forget it,” never checking up on their brakes until there’s something obviously wrong. However, Your brakes are a key part of your car, and are a huge part of ensuring that you can drive safely. Before you get behind the wheel again, make sure you know the signs of potential brake problems. Here are some helpful tips from CarCare.org:

“When it comes to vehicle safety, the brake system is at the top of the list, so have your brakes checked by an auto service professional at least once a year,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “Knowing the key warning signs that your brakes may need maintenance will go a long way toward keeping you and others safe on the road.”

The Car Care Council recommends that motorists watch for seven signs that their brakes need to be inspected:

1. Noise: screeching, grinding or clicking noises when applying the brakes.
2. Pulling: vehicle pulls to one side while braking.
3. Low Pedal:brake pedal nearly touches the floor before engaging.
4. Hard Pedal: must apply extreme pressure to the pedal before brakes engage.
5. Grabbing: brakes grab at the slightest touch to the pedal.
6. Vibration: brake pedal vibrates or pulses, even under normal braking conditions.
7. Light: brake light is illuminated on your vehicle’s dashboard.

Brakes are a normal wear item on any vehicle and they will eventually need to be replaced. Factors that can affect brake wear include driving habits, operating conditions, vehicle type and the quality of the brake lining material.”

Read the whole article here at CarCare.org: http://www.carcare.org/2014/08/seven-signs-your-brakes-need-to-be-inspected/