Month: November 2013

5 Thanksgiving Travel Tips

Thanksgiving TravelThe Thanksgiving holiday is one of the biggest travel dates each year, as millions of drivers hit the road to head home to their families. In fact, AAA recently announced that over 43 million Americans will travel over 50 miles to visit friends and family over the four-day holiday break, so don’t be surprised if you run into some traffic. Today, we share five tips to keep in mind when planning your holiday travel.

1) Leave Early or Late – The busiest travel times for Thanksgiving are Wednesday evening, Thursday morning, and Sunday afternoon. Make plans to avoid these peak times so you don’t get stuck in traffic.

Wednesday evening is a busy travel time because students head home after class, and many adults head off after work. This creates a log-jam on busy highways between 4pm and 7pm. Consider taking a half-day on Wednesday or taking off after the initial rush to avoid delays. Same goes for Thanksgiving Day. The roads are often packed between 8am and 11am as travelers head off for Thanksgiving, so give yourself some extra time to get to your destination. Sundays are also busy as travelers return after the holiday weekend. Leave Sunday morning or Sunday evening to avoid traffic.

2) Avoid Major Highways – Major highways can be a major headache during peak travel hours. While a three- or four-lane highway might seem like the best option, if a crash occurs, you could be backed up for hours. If possible, stick to smaller highways that have less traffic. Sometimes the most direct route isn’t the fastest if everyone takes the same path. Research some alternate routes to your destination in case one way is backed up.

3. Be Prepared – Although there isn’t really any snow on the ground right now, there’s a decent chance we’ll see some snow over the holiday weekend. This can be troublesome as many drivers are still in “summer mode” when it comes to driving, and because others may be ill-prepared in the event of an accident. Keep a jacket or some blankets in the trunk in case you get stranded on the side of the road, and make sure your cell phone is fully charged before you hit the road. Also, check out this related post on what to keep in your car in the event of an emergency.

4. Winterize Your Car– As we mentioned in a post earlier this month, make sure you winterize your car before departing on a road trip. Besides keeping your trunk stocked with winter basics, make sure your car is ready for the cold weather. Check your fluid levels, make sure your battery is in good condition, and consider swapping out your all-season tires for winter tires. Snow tires are specifically designed to help you grip the road, and they can make the difference between getting to your destination or ending up in a ditch. Talk to your local mechanic about installing winter tires today.

5. Entertainment – If you’re traveling a long distance with kids in the car, you know how important it is to keep them entertained. Popping a DVD into the player may work for a little bit, but even television can get boring after a while. Pack other essentials, like their favorite I Spy book or a sketchpad to draw on. Have them design a Thanksgiving card for grandma or grandpa. As for adults, a long drive by yourself can make you drowsy, so pack some items for your trip as well. Grab a book on tape from the library, or stock your iPod with upbeat music to keep you awake. Get a good night’s rest the night before, and don’t forget to grab a coffee on your way!

5 Tips for Buying Your First Car

Buying a carBuying a car is a big decision, so it’s important you do some research before you peruse Craigslist or hit up your local dealer. Below, we share five tips to remember when shopping for your first car.

1. Know Your Budget – Don’t just decide that $_______ is what you want to spend on a car. Look at your monthly income, and then subtract your expenses. Once you’ve accounted for things like rent, health insurance, food, and recreational spending, also consider that purchasing a car comes with additional expenses, like gasoline, car insurance, and regular maintenance. See what you can afford, and don’t forget to give yourself a little leeway in case any unexpected expenses are thrown your way.

2. Do Your Research – If you’ve found this article, odds are you’re at least somewhat tech savvy. Do some research to learn more about the cars you are interested in purchasing. A site like Kelly Blue Book can help determine a fair price for a vehicle based on its make, model and mileage. If you haven’t narrowed your search down to a specific type of vehicle, do a Google search for other components that are important to you. Search for things like “Best cars under $15,000” or “Vehicles with the best resale value.” As they say, “Knowledge is power.”

3. Research Dealers – Now that you’ve done research on what type of vehicle you want, the next step is to figure out where to buy. Talk to your friends or family members about their buying experience with local dealers. Ask them if the dealership was willing to be flexible with prices, if they took trade-ins, and what type of financing they offer. Ask about their total experience, from the moment they walked onto the lot to the second they drove away. See if they have any specific tips, or if they know of a trusted salesman who improved their buying experience.

4. Bring Your Own Financing – If you’re buying a new car, odds are you’ll be looking to finance your purchase. While most dealership offer financing, if you don’t bring any other options to the table, you won’t have much to use to negotiate your rate. Say, for example, your dealership is willing to finance your purchase with an interest rate of 4.5 percent. If you don’t have a counter offer, odds are the salesman will say this is the best he can do. If you talk to your bank beforehand, you might be surprised to learn they are willing to offer 3.9 percent financing. That 0.6 percent really adds up if you end up with a 48-month or 60-month payment plan. Additionally, since salesmen get a bonus if you finance through their dealership, if you present him with proof that the bank has offered you a lower rate, they may decide to amend their offer. Finally, don’t just settle for an offer to match the bank’s rate. It’s no skin off your back to accept the bank’s 3.9 percent offer instead of the dealer, so ask for a better rate or for $200 off the car.

Note – Here’s an example of how to negotiate financing with a dealer. We’ll use the above number of 3.9 percent and assume we have a $20,000 loan over 48 months. At 3.9 percent you’ll only be paying $21,633.12. You still have leverage because both the bank and the dealer are competing for your money, and both offers are the same. The difference between 3.9 percent and 3.8 percent is $43.20, which may not seem like a lot over the course of four years, but again, you have all the leverage, so use it to your advantage.

5. Shop Around – Similar to the above point, it’s a good practice to shop around and see what types of offers you can get from different dealerships. This is especially useful if you know what type of car you want. Go to three or four dealerships, get their “All-In” price, aka total price you’ll be paying with vehicle add-ons and licensing fees. Make sure you get their financing offer too. Paying $500 less up front doesn’t make much sense if you’re getting a much worse interest rate! Once you’ve collected the information, use it to your advantage. Odds are the salesman gave you his email address, so shoot him an email with your findings and see if he’ll change his offer. Maybe he’ll knock $500 off the price, or he’ll mention that they have a sale coming up that can save you money. Don’t be hostile in your email; Simply lay out the facts, mention that your bottom dollar is what matters most, and thank them for talking with you. Don’t be afraid to walk away. After all, buying your first car is likely the biggest purchase you’ve ever made.

Related source: Kelly Blue Book

How to Prepare Your Car for Winter

Car WinterBrace yourself. Winter is coming. Make sure you take appropriate steps to ensure your car is ready for another cold Minnesota winter. Below, we share some tips to help you winterize your car.

Repack Your Trunk – It’s time to take the beach ball out of your trunk and load it up with winter essentials. The first thing you’ll want to add is a blanket or an extra coat. In the event that you get stranded on a particularly cold day, the extra layer will help keep you warm until help arrives. Another good item to pack in your trunk is a sandbag. If you drive a small compact car, the sandbag will help give your car some added weight, which can help keep it on the road. If you find yourself stuck on some ice, the sand can help give you traction to get back on the road.

Lastly, pack something that will help make you visible to drivers in the event that you end up in a ditch. A minor accident can turn fatal if other drivers can’t see your stalled car on the shoulder of the road. Consider adding roadside flashers or a signal flare to your trunk.

Prep Your Tires – It’s always a good idea to keep your tires in good condition, but it’s especially important during the winter months. If your tires are getting low on tread, consider swapping them out for a new set, or make the switch to snow tires. These types of tires are specifically designed to grip the road during the winter, and they will hold their tire pressure better than all-season tires as the temperatures drop.

Check Your Fluids – Now is a good time to check the fluid levels on your car. Make sure you have enough Antifreeze in your vehicle so that your fluids don’t freeze, and take your car in for an oil change if you’re overdue. Also, don’t forget to top off your windshield wiper fluid in case someone sprays your car with wintery slush!

Battery Basics – As we’ve discussed before, your battery should be replaced every 3-5 years to ensure it won’t fail you during the cold seasons. If your battery fluid indicator is white, it means you should consider replacing your battery.

Also, although we didn’t mention it before, it’s a good idea to store jumper cables in your trunk during the winter. In the event that your engine won’t turn over on a cold day, you’ll be able to jump your car with the help of friendly passerby. If you already have jumper cables in your trunk, give them a quick look over to make sure they are still in good working condition.

Plan For The Worst – Make sure you keep a list of emergency phone numbers in your car in the event that you get in an accident. If you have AAA, it’s a smart idea to keep their number in the glove box in case you don’t have your card with you. If you don’t have AAA, write down the number of some local garages. It’s also a good idea to let friends and family members know the route you are taking when you are planning a visit. If you don’t show up, they’ll be able to point the authorities in the right direction.

Related source: HowStuffWorks.com

Common Alignment Issues in Cars

AlignmentAlignment issues can make your daily commute dangerous, as they can cause your car to pull to the right or left. Driving a car on the highway is difficult enough without trying to compensate for a car that seems to have a mind of its own. Below, we discuss some common ways your car gets out of alignment, and we share how we assess alignment issues.

What causes Alignment Issues?

There are a lot of different ways your car can get out of alignment, but most alignment issues are caused by poor road conditions. In a perfect world, all roads would be smooth and paved, but we know, especially in Minnesota, land of 10,000 potholes, that few roads are perfect. Cracks and potholes can cause serious damage to your suspension and tires, which can lead to alignment issues.

Even if most of your driving is done on smooth surfaces, you can still develop alignment issues if you aren’t careful. If one or more of your tires wears down at a faster rate than the others, it can cause your car to pull in one direction. That is why it’s important to ensure that you regularly rotate your tires so they wear down at an even rate.

Camber, Caster, and Toe

There are three main components our mechanics look at when diagnosing your alignment issue. These are the camber, caster, and toe.

CamberCamber – Camber angle is the measure in degrees of the difference between the wheel’s vertical alignment perpendicular to the road. Imagine that you drew a straight line from the middle of the top of your tire to the middle of the bottom of your tire when it’s on the axis. Ideally, the line would be perpendicular to the road. When the top of the tire tilts towards or away from the fender wells, this is considered a negative or positive camber angle. See the picture for a visual depiction.

Caster – To get a good visual of how caster is measured, imagine you are staring at the side of your car. When looking at the wheel, you want to make sure the middle of the wheel is touching the ground. If the point of contact is slightly in front of or behind the center or your wheel, you might have an issue with your caster. Then again, some people request to have their caster altered because a positive caster can make the vehicle more stable at high speeds and during cornering.

ToeToe – Toe is determined by the angle at which your tires rest on the axel. You can visualize this by imagining you are looking at your tires from a top-down view. Ideally, the wheel and the axel will create a perfect 90-degree angle, but sometimes a tire will begin pointing inward or outward. When this happens, your tires will wear out faster, and you may experience a decrease in handling and stability. Similar to caster, certain vehicles are tuned to have a positive or negative toe to give them added roll resistance or to provide better grip while turning.

Let Us Fix Your Alignment Issues

If you notice that your car is pulling to the right, or if your car doesn’t seem to be handling as well as it used to, you probably have an issue with your alignment. The problem isn’t going to fix itself, and the longer you ignore the problem, the worse it will get. Give us a call or stop on in to our shop today!

Related source: YoSpeed.com