Month: October 2014

The 10 Most Ticketed Cars in America

Subaru WRXSome people gripe about spending money on car repairs, but at least you know your money is going towards improving your vehicle’s performance. Speeding tickets, on the other hand, are car-related expenses that are no fun at all.

If you’re like the vast majority of drivers, you’ve been pulled over a time or two. Maybe you were able to get out of a ticket, but odds are you’ll get a ticket somewhere down the road, especially when you consider that 1 in 5 drivers will receive a speeding ticket in 2014. You can mitigate your risk of a driving violation by adhering to the speed limit and by coming to complete stops, but inattentiveness can get the best of anyone. Another way to lessen your risk of getting a ticket is by avoiding these ten most-ticketed cars in America.

1. Subaru WRX – 33.6%

2. Pontiac GTO – 32.7%

3. Scion FR-S – 32.6%

4. Toyota Supra – 30.8%

5. Subaru Tribeca – 29.7%

6. Volkswagen Rabbit – 29.6%

7. Mercury Topaz – 28.8%

8. Scion tC – 28.8%

9. Toyota FJ Cruiser – 28.4%

10. Mazda2 – 28.1%

That’s right. More than 1 in 3 WRX drivers has a driving violation on their record. Des Toups, managing editor at Insurance.com, who conducted the survey, said the WRX and GTO are popular cars for young drivers, who are the most ticketed demographic.

“There’s a bias towards young drivers,” said Toups. “I know for a fact that Scions and the Subaru WRX are appealing to young drivers who get tickets at a higher rate.”

Vadim Zelikov, a WRX owner who has been ticketed six times since 2004, said he’s not surprised by the findings.

“It’s because of the flamboyant look of the car for starters, the fact that the car is popular with young adults and it tends to be on the sportier side, so it’s got a lot of horsepower,” said Zelikov. “When I’m behind the wheel? I’m older now, so I feel younger. My girlfriend calls it calls it a Hot Wheels. It’s like a red Corvette or a yellow Porsche. It stands out.”

Related source: Insurance.com

Change Your Car’s Oil in 8 Easy Steps

Change OilWe love swapping out old oil for a new quart, but if you’re looking for an easy DIY project before the weather gets too cold, consider changing your own oil. It’s a rather simple process that we’ll explain in eight easy to follow steps.

1. Let your car run for a minute or two – By letting your car run for a few minutes, you’ll ensure any built up residue gets churned up and it will flow out easier. On the opposite side of the spectrum, don’t change your oil after a long drive, as hot oil can cause burns. Once you’ve let your engine run for a few minutes, turn off the car.

2. Drain plug work – The next step is to locate the drain plug underneath your car. Place a container or tray underneath the drain plug and unscrew the drain plug. Have a towel handy and move your hands out of the way as soon as the oil starts to flow out of the plug.

3. Remove the oil filter – Once the oil is done draining, remove the oil filter located under the hood near the engine. Reference your owner’s manual to determine its exact location and carefully remove the filter, as it will still have some oil on it.

4. Set oil and filter off to the side – Wrap your old filer in paper towels or old newspaper and set it off to the side, along with the bucket containing your old oil. You’ll need to properly dispose of these later.

5. Insert the new oil filter – Follow the directions on the new filter box and insert your new oil filter where the old one was located. Make sure it is appropriately set and locked into place.

6. Drain plug work, part two – Use a paper towel or rag to clean up any oil residue around the drain plug once it has fully drained, and make sure you screw the drain plug back in place before adding the new oil. This part is crucial, or you’ll end up with a garage full of oil.

7. Add new oil – Using a funnel, pour the new oil down the oil filter hole. Pour slowly so you don’t overflow the filter. Once complete, replace the oil filter cap and run the engine for a few minutes. As long as there are no leaks or drips, you should be good!

8. Proper disposal – Engine oil isn’t just something you can throw in a dumpster. Pour the oil into a container that can be sealed – the oil container you just emptied works great – and store it until you can get it to an auto parts store or oil disposal center.

Changing your car’s oil can be a great DIY project, but if you’d rather leave it to the professionals, we’d be more than happy to assist. Contact us to schedule an appointment today.

Minnesota Car Repair After Hitting A Deer

Car hit deerMinnesota ranks in the Top 10 in the nation in terms of the number of annual car accidents between a driver and a deer, so it’s no surprise that we see an uptick in deer-related maintenance requests as hunting season approaches.

Minnesota drivers have the eighth highest odds of striking a deer with their vehicle, as State Farm suggests that 1-in-88 Minnesotans will hit a deer this year. In all, State Farm projects there will be 37,549 accidents involving deer on Minnesota roads in 2014.

While Minnesotans can be thankful they don’t live in West Virginia – where an estimated 1-in-39 drivers will collide with a deer this year – the fact that nearly 40,000 individuals will hit a deer can be unsettling to many drivers. It should be noted that deer-related accidents are expected to fall from last year when Minnesota had the sixth highest odds. Officials believe the extremely cold winter and greater hunting license applications will lead to less car accidents caused by deer this year.

State Farm Spokeswoman Ann Avery said deer are just another reason why drivers should practice safe driving habits.

“Wearing your seat belt and practicing defensive driving tactics could make a significant difference,” said Avery.

The Odds

Drivers in Pennsylvania are expected to hit the most deer this year, as State Farm projects there to be 123,941 deer-related accidents in the state, but they come in at second behind West Virginia because Pennsylvania has so many more drivers than West Virginia. 1-in-77 Pennsylvanians will strike a deer this year.

Wisconsin, our neighbor to the East, comes in just ahead of Minnesota on the list, with 1-in-85 odds of striking a deer in America’s Dairyland. Drivers in Minnesota and Wisconsin are more than twice as likely to hit a deer than the national average, which is projected at 1-in-169.

Not surprisingly, residents in Hawaii are at the lowest risk for hitting a deer with their car. Only one in 10,281 Hawaiian drivers will file a claim because of a deer this year.

“Whether you live in Pennsylvania or Hawaii, it’s important that drivers are practicing safe driving habits and watching out for animals on the road,” added Avery.

Quick Tips For Avoiding Deer

  • Keep your eyes on the road ahead at all times.
  • Avoid swerving. Attempt to slow down safely, but swerving can cause the car to roll, which is much more dangerous.
  • If a deer appears in your path, beep your horn in short, quick bursts. Studies have shown rapid beeps prove more effective in getting the deer to move. One long horn may cause them to tense up and freeze.
  • Brake at a safe speed. Slamming on your brakes could cause your to fishtail and crash, while hitting the deer at a lower speed while likely cause much less damage.
  • If you need body work or windshield repair, contact us for a free quote.

Related source: Star-Tribune

Study: Voice Activated Car Control Can Prove Distracting

Car voice controlsTwo new studies focused on analyzing how onboard voice controlled automobile features affect the driver suggest that even managing your smartphone or radio with just your voice can prove distracting.

Voice activated automobile controls were marketed as a way to keep a driver’s eyes on the road while a person attempted to send a text message or change the radio station, but new studies suggest they still negatively affect the most important control mechanism – your brain.

The studies conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety and the University of Utah examined how distracted drivers became when tasked with using certain voice controlled systems. The first study examined the onboard handsfree infotainment systems on some of the more popular car brands, and the second study looked at driver performance when tasked with using Siri, Apple’s voice-operated system, to preform functions like posting to Facebook or calling a friend.

The systems were graded on a 1-5 scale, with 1 representing no distraction and 5 being comparable to doing complex math problems or word memorization.

Siri scored the worst on the test, receiving an average grade of 4.14 out of 5. Twice, drivers in a car simulator rear-ended another vehicle, and oftentimes Siri would misinterpret the driver’s commands. One of the drivers had to scramble to end a call after Siri mistakenly thought the driver asked to be connected to 911.

Onboard Tests Also Poor

The onboard infotainment systems didn’t fair much better in the tests. Chevrolet’s MyLink received the worst brand rating, posting a distraction level of 3.7. The onboard systems of Mercedes, Ford and Chrysler also all registered as more distracting than if the driver were simply talking on a handheld phone.

Deborah Hersman, president of the National Safety Council said the voice controlled systems need to be properly regulated.

“It is like the Wild West, where the most critical safety feature in the vehicle — the driver — is being treated like a guinea pig in human trials with new technologies.”

University of Utah professor David Strayer, who led the studies, said the more complex task the driver asks of the system, the more dangerous it can be.

“When these systems become more complex, like sending text messages or posting to Facebook, it pushes the workloads to pretty high levels and may be dangerous while driving,” Strayer said.

Despite their concerns, two vehicle systems scored pretty well on the distraction test. Toyaota’s Entune system scored a 1.7 – akin to listening to an audiobook while driving – while Hyundai’s Blue Link Telematic System scored a 2.2.

“The good news is that really well-designed systems offer us the possibility to interact in ways that aren’t so distracting,” Strayer concluded.

Related source: AP