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While this year’s Earth Day celebrations may be over that does not mean that making an effort to Go Green is any less important. With that ideal in mind, we’re bringing you four key tips from the Car Care Council on how to “Go Green” with your vehicle.
“Being car care aware and performing basic vehicle maintenance go a long way toward protecting the environment and improving fuel economy,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council.
- Follow Vehicle Service Schedule – Keeping on top of routine maintenance such as replacing air filters, checking the gas cap, checking tire air pressure, changing the oil and checking engine performance help to not only save you time and money, but help to reduce fuel consumption and emissions as well.
- Keep Your Current Vehicle Longer – If you take proper care of your vehicle it should last you for years to come, which will also help to reduce the amount of vehicle emissions on the road.
- Recycle or Properly Dispose Vehicle Components – By properly recycling vehicle maintenance items such as Motor Oil, Tires, Batteries & Fluids it reduces waste buildup which is of course good for the planet.
- Repower Your Engine – Rebuilding or remanufacturing your engine rather than replacing it helps to reduce costs and is a more environmentally-friendly fix.
Original Source: http://www.carcare.org/2015/04/four-easy-ways-go-green-car/
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With the winter weather finally beginning to thaw, it is important to make sure that you perform a good spring cleaning check-up on your vehicle in order to ensure that everything is still in good working order following the harsh winter weather. With the emergence of potholes and the remnants of salt and dirt from the snow-filled winter roads, the coming of spring means that it is time to give your car a good once over.
Here is a good Spring Cleaning Checklist:
- Check oil and make sure that you car has clean fresh oil running through it
- Check spark plugs, clamps, belts and hoses to see if anything needs to be tightened or replaced
- Check suspension to make sure the tie rods, struts, bushings and shocks are still working at optimum level
- Check the battery
- Clean out or replace the cabin’s air filter and radiator
- Give the car a good cleaning and a coat of wax to wash off all of the remaining salt and ice build up
Original Source: http://gmauthority.com/blog/2015/03/a-few-spring-car-care-tips-to-brush-the-winters-wear-and-tear-off-your-gm-car/
At Mohawk Auto Center, we pride ourselves on giving you some of the best pre-owned vehicles around. We also like to help our customers get all of the information that they need when picking out a car. In this blog post, we’re going to let you know the difference between Front Wheel Drive, Rear Wheel Drive, Four Wheel Drive, and All Wheel Drive.
Front Wheel Drive (FWD) – This drive system channels power from the engine to the front wheels. It’s the right choice to go with if you’re concerned about fuel economy and if you want to have more space in your vehicle.
Four Wheel Drive (4WD) – Vehicles with this setting are great for off-roading. They provide the best traction control for roads that can be rough and can be turned off to increase fuel economy.
Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) – In these vehicles, power is sent to the rear wheels. It is ideal for handling higher engine power and heavier vehicle weights. You’ll see it in vehicles like large trucks and performance vehicles.
All Wheel Drive (AWD) – All Wheel Drive operates a little differently than four wheel drive. It uses sends power to both sets of wheels. This gives you better grip, but it does reduce fuel economy a bit.
Visit Mohawk Auto Center
If you want to learn more about vehicle features, come visit us at Mohawk Auto Center. We’re located at 756 State Street in Schenectady, NY.
Sources:
http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/buick/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2015/feb/0211-whee
With the cold weather reaching below freezing temperatures this winter season it is important to remember to take extra special care of your vehicle. When the temperature drops this low, vehicles do not always function at an optimum level. Here are a few tips from the Car Care Council to keep your car running in top shape, even in the coldest weather.
1.) Have the vehicle’s exhaust system checked out for any possible carbon monoxide leaks. This is particularly important in cold weather when you will have your windows closed while driving.
2.) Try to never let the gas tank be less than half full at all times. This will help to prevent moisture from forming in the gas line and freezing.
3.) For winter oil changes it is best to use low-viscosity oil for better flow, additionally, heavier oil can make it more difficult to start the car in sub-zero temperatures.
4.) Check the air pressure on all tires including the spare often as this can be easily affected by the cold. Consider switching to snow tires in the winter if necessary.
5.) In especially cold weather try using cold weather washer fluid and special winter windshield wiper blades.
6.) Allow for extra time when starting your car in the morning since the oil will need time to begin circulating properly.
“Sub-zero temperatures can have a real impact on your vehicle,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “Winter magnifies existing problems such as pings, hard starts, sluggish performance and rough idling, and very cold temperatures reduce battery power. If you haven’t had your vehicle checked recently, a thorough vehicle inspection is a good idea so you can avoid the aggravation and unexpected cost of a breakdown in freezing weather.”
Original Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/six-quick-tips-for-sub-zero-winter-driving-300016620.html
With one of the biggest holidays of the year just around the corner the roads are sure to be more congested than usual with everyone traveling out to spend the holiday with their families. As a result, traveling can be much more hectic and stressful than usual which is why it is important to be extra prepared and extra cautious. Here are a few holiday driving tips to help take some of the stress out of your traveling.
- Be Prepared For an Emergency – Be sure to have contact information for emergency roadside assistance readily available along with your cell phone and phone charger to ensure that your phone is always fully charged and ready.
- Have Your Vehicle Maintenanced – Before heading out on any type of long trip make sure that all of your vehicle’s maintenance is up to date to avoid any potential trouble on the road or while you are out of town.
- Plan Out Routes in Advance – Before leaving be sure to take a look at your traveling route and make note of areas where you might hit heavy traffic or other obstacles that may potentially slow you down and plan accordingly in order to avoid the stress of falling behind.
Original Source: http://exchange.aaa.com/automobiles-travel/automobiles/holiday-road-trip-travel-tips/
Cold weather has arrived and it’s a good idea to learn how to winterize your car. In this blog post, Mohawk Auto Center is going to let you know about exactly what you need to do.
First, you should make sure your vehicle is using the proper kind of oil. If you live in temperatures where things go below freezing, you’ll want to switch over to less viscous oil. For example, if you run a 10W-30 in the summer, you may want to try moving to a 5W-30 when you change your oil for the fall or winter.
Taking care of your car’s coolant system is important too. Before the weather gets too cold, you should make sure that the coolant you’re using contains ethylene glycol. It’s important to note that there is a winter ratio of 60% coolant to 40% water for most vehicles. You should check your owner’s manual to be sure or ask a repair technician if need be.
Cold weather affects battery capacity too. Make sure to have a thorough inspection of your battery, terminals, cables and fluid. You should check over the cables for cracks and brakes. Make sure the terminals fit snugly with no loose connections. You can also check your battery fluid by uncovering the refill hole (or sometimes holes) to see if the level is below the bottom of the cap ( you should refill it with distilled water). Read the charge level of your battery too after you turn the engine off (some batteries have build in hydrometers, while others may need a handheld hydrometer to get the proper information). Don’t forget to look for the manufacture date to get a clue as to when it will lose a charge and make sure that if you need to purchase a new one, it does not have a six-month-old manufacture date.
Snow tires are important too. Many car makers and tire manufacturers recommend switching to them in the winter. You can also get all-season tires so that you don’t need to change them, but you won’t get all of the specialized features that come with winter tires.
Getting the right windshield fluid is a must. Be sure to get a washer fluid with antifreeze solution in it, but be careful because some washer fluids can be harsh and damage your car’s paint.
Door locks can freeze and that’s why you should have some glycerine. You can easily break your key if you try to force the lock open without it. Keep the glycerine in a convenient spot like a desk drawer or in your garage so it doesn’t get locked into your car if things get too cold.
Emergency kits are important in every season, but imperative in winter. A spare tire in your trunk and the tools to change it out are what you’ll want to start out. You may want to consider adding flares, blankets, boots, a radio, extra engine oil, washer fluid, coolant and a flashlight.
Every year on Halloween the streets and sidewalks are filled with countless kids in costumes running from door to door collecting as much candy as they can carry. Having this many extra pedestrians out wandering the streets at night can become a safety issue for both drivers and pedestrians which is why everyone must be especially alert when traveling. Here are a few safety tips to help keep everyone safe:
Drivers:
- Turn on headlights even during the daytime
- Watch for children darting into the street and from in-between parked cars
- Drive at least 5 mph below the speed limit in residential areas
- Be extra cautious when backing in and out of driveways and alleys
Parents:
- Set a curfew
- Make sure to add reflective material to costumes and trick-or-treating bags to make children more visible
- Go over trick-or-treat safety rules before heading out
- Always accompany children under the age of 12
- Instruct children to only stop at well-lit houses and never step inside a stranger’s home
Trick-or-Treaters:
- Stay on sidewalks or left side of the road facing traffic if necessary
- Carry a flashlight with extra batteries
- Go out in a group
- Always cross the street at corners and crosswalks
- Avoid masks and disguises that make it more difficult to see
Original Source: http://exchange.aaa.com/safety/child-safety/halloween-safety/
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced at the beginning of the year that it was in theearly stages of developing vehicle-to-vehicle technology which would help to significantly reduce accidents. Recently, NHTSA released a report outlining a proposal for the technology along with research backing up the benefit of V2V. In this report, NHTSA outlines important features such as privacy, technical feasibility, safety benefit, security and estimated of cost that must be factors into the creation of this new technology.
Two of the features highlighted in the report include Left Turn Assist (LTA) and Intersection Movement Assist (IMA). LTA provides a warning to drivers making a left turn when another vehicle is approaching from the opposite direction. IMA assists drivers as they are driving through an intersection. NHTSA estimates that these two technologies have the ability to to prevent as many as 592,000 crashes and save 1,083 lives each year.
Additional benefits of V2V technology is that it helps to warn drivers about the possible dangers from blind spots, stop light/stop sign warnings and forward collisions just to name a few. With the submission of this new report NHTSA is hoping to move ahead with the development of this technology with a ruling presented by 2016.
“By warning drivers of imminent danger, V2V technology has the potential to dramatically improve highway safety,” said NHTSA Deputy Administrator, David Friedman. “V2V technology is ready to move toward implementation and this report highlights the work NHTSA and DOT are doing to bring this technology and its great safety benefits into the nation’s light vehicle fleet.”
Original Source: http://www.gizmag.com/nhtsa-vehicle-to-vehicle-technology/33574/
If you have a son or daughter who is interested in buying a car, they’re going to need to know how to maintain it. In this blog post we’re going to go over some basic car care tips they need to know. Fox News Business wrote an interesting article that we’re going summarize for you here.
1.) Check for Flat Tires
Flat tires are a leading cause of breakdowns. Make sure to teach your kids how to check for air pressure, tread depth, flat spots and cracks on the tires.
2.) LIsten and Look
If your son or daughter hears any out of the ordinary noises coming from the car, they need to bring it into a service center to be looked at immediately. Also, they should habitually check for puddles under car after it has been parked. Be sure to teach that a puddle of water coming from the climate control is harmless.
3.) Teach What The Dashboard Lights Mean
Walk your kid through the owner’s manual that identifies all the dashboard lights and their meanings. This will prepare them to properly handle situations as they arise.
Keep Reading Our Blog for More Helpful Hints
Keep reading the Mohawk Auto Center blog for more information on car care. We’re a Buy Here Pay Here that serves customers from Schenectady, Albany, Clifton Park, Glenville and Johnstown, NY with a great selection of pre-owned vehicles and tips on proper maintenance.