Month: November 2014

Fun Car-Related Thanksgiving Facts

Thanksgiving travelThanksgiving is tomorrow, and soon college students and families will be traversing across the country to celebrate the holiday with one another. If you’re hitting the road soon, now is a good time to brush up on last year’s blog, “5 Thanksgiving Travel Tips” to help you get to your destination safely.

In spirit of the holiday, we thought we’d share some interesting car-related Thanksgiving travel facts as the holiday is one of the busiest days of the year for travelers. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Travel Facts

  • This year’s Thanksgiving travel volume is expected to be at its highest point in seven years, with an estimated 46.3 million Americans hitting the highway.
  • In 2013, 44.4 million Americans traveled for Thanksgiving.
  • Great news for gas guzzlers! Fuel prices are at their lowest mark at Thanksgiving in 5 years, as the national per gallon price is $2.85. It’s even less in Minnesota! Gas is down to $2.49 in Brooklyn Park.
  • Do you remember how much gas cost last year? Looking back, the national average for gas at Thanksgiving last year was $3.28 a gallon.
  • A whopping 89 percent of travelers will travel by automobile this holiday season.
  • Air travel is also expected to increase. 3.55 million Americans are expected to fly to their Thanksgiving destination this year.
  • While gas prices are down, airfare costs are up this Thanksgiving. Airfare prices are up one percent from last year, while your average hotel or rental car costs have gone up eight and 10 percent respectively.
  • The average distance traveled this Thanksgiving will be an incredible 549 roundtrip miles. That’s up 50 miles from last year!
  • Be careful! Thanksgiving is the deadliest day of the year on the roads. Leave early, take it slow and don’t drive drunk!

And remember, if you need an oil change before you take off, or if you need service on your return, stop in to Affordable Auto today.

Related source: AAA

The Most Reliable and Longest Lasting Cars

Reliable carsBringing your car in for regular scheduled maintenance is one way to extend the life of your vehicle, but some cars are simply built to be longer lasting than others. To determine which cars were actually the most durable, a pair of researchers studied car ownership patterns and asked mechanics and other auto-professionals to evaluate cars for mechanical defects or major repair work.

After looking at data comprised of more than 550,000 vehicles, researchers found that these brands and types of cars made up more than 60 percent of the vehicles with over 300,000 miles still on the road today. The most reliable cars are:

  • GM Full-Sized Trucks and SUVs
  • Ford Full-Sized Trucks and SUVs
  • Ford Rear-Wheeled Drive V-8 Cars
  • Honda Four-Cylinder Cars
  • Any Toyota (Except the Celica and RAV4)

Researchers say these five types of vehicles are 250 percent more likely to hit 300,000 miles on the odometer than any other vehicle.

Other Findings

Some other interesting findings from the study include:

  • Nissan Maximas are also very reliable vehicles. 21 percent of Nissan Maximas reach 180,000 miles, while only five percent of Volkswagon models reach the same plateau.
  • Cadillacs are very unreliable vehicles. Similar to Volkswagons, only five percent of Cadillacs reach 180,000 miles.
  • Honda Accords trump European cars. Of 12,398 Accords traded in to a used car dealership, 3,826 had over 180,000 miles. That’s more than Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes, VW, Volvo, Saab, Porsche, and BMW’s sub-brand MINI combined.
  • Only 1 in 1,700 Land Rovers and Jaguars get traded in after surpassing the 180,000 mark.
  • On average, about 1 in 10 cars traded in at a used car dealership has eclipsed 180,000 miles.

Obviously the study has some flaws, as it’s certainly possible those who own a Land Rover, Jaguar or BMW simply hold onto the car until it breaks down for good, but it’s worth noting which brands appear to have exceptional lifespans. If you’re considering buying a used car, Toyota Camrys, Corollas and Honda Accords are great bets. Also, if you want to extend the life of your current vehicle, stop on in to Affordable Auto for your routine maintenance needs.

Winterize Your Car With These 5 Simple Steps

Winterize your carTwo weeks ago Minnesotans were taking their boats out for one last ride on the lake, and today we’re buried beneath a few inches of snow. Hopefully you took time during the warm days to prep your car for winter driving, but if you didn’t here are five steps you’ll want to take now that the weather has turned cold.

1. Antifreeze and Other Fluids – Antifreeze keeps your car’s fluids from freezing up, so make sure it’s at an appropriate level. Also, give your transmission and brake fluids a second look to ensure they aren’t running low or are past their prime.

2. Tire Care – If you use winter tires, now is the time swap out your seasonal tires. If you use all-season tires, make sure the tread is still at an appropriate level. Use this blog post to determine if your tires still have a safe level of tread.

3. Winter Car Kit – Most people leave their scrapers and jumper cables in their car throughout the year, but if you take them out for extra storage space in the summer, now is the time to throw them back in your vehicle. Also, other things you’ll want to keep in your car in the event of an emergency include: roadside flashers, a flashlight, a first aid kit and any tools needed to fix a flat tire.

4. Battery Prep – Last year was one of the coldest winters in Minnesota history, and there’s little reason to think we’re in store for a warmer winter season this year. Your battery has a shelf life of 3 to 5 years, but the cold weather can shorten its lifespan. If you notice your engine is having a tough time turning over, swing on in for a battery check to determine if it needs to be replaced.

5. Mentally Prepare – Sometimes the biggest hazard to a car is the driver. As you ease into your winter driving routine, give yourself extra time to get places and take things slow. You won’t be able to stop as quickly on icy roads, so drive smart and stayed focused when driving in adverse conditions.

In the event that you end up in a winter fender bender or you want some work done before more snow falls, give Affordable Auto a call today!

Daylight Savings Time and Car Accidents

Daylight Saving TimeYou probably enjoyed getting an extra hour of sleep this weekend, but it can take your body clock a while to get back in its natural rhythm, which can prove dangerous on the roads.

After analyzing traffic accident data, researchers at Texas A&M University found there to be a 7 percent increase in traffic accidents in the week after daylight savings time. They also found that morning traffic accidents spike 14 percent in the week after we fall back or spring forward. This is especially concerning considering more than 1 in 5 fatal accidents involve a tired or sleeping driver, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

“This new research further confirms that drowsy driving is a serious traffic safety problem,” said Peter Kissinger, head of the AAA foundation. “Unfortunately, drivers often underestimate this risk and overestimate their ability to combat drowsiness behind the wheel.”

AAA researchers also determined that 1 in 3 auto accidents involving a tired driver resulted in a bodily injury, and more than 6,000 accidents involving a fatigued driver result in at least one death each year.

“Like distraction, there are limitations in relying on crash-involved drivers to realize, remember and willfully report their level of impairment,” said John B. Townsend II of AAA. “This study leveraged findings from trained crash investigators, as opposed to police reports, as a source of data.”

Drowsy Driving

Interestingly, young drivers are actually the most aware that they sometimes “drive drowsy,” while older drivers over the age of 75 are the least likely to admit it.

“Despite the fact that 95 percent of Americans deem it ‘unacceptable’ to drive when they are so tired that they have a hard time keeping their eyes open, more than 28 percent admit to doing so in the last month,” Kissinger said.

Kissinger said AAA’s findings were based on an analysis of nearly 15,000 crashes between 2009-2013 in which at least one car was towed from the scene.

As we’ve mentioned before, drowsy driving is one of the leading causes of crashes in the United States. Simply put, make sure you get enough sleep each night, and stay extra attentive during the early morning hours this week. Oh, and if a tired driver gives you a love tap on your bumper, give Affordable Auto a call today.

Related source: Yahoo