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Holiday Travel Tips

With the holidays upon us, many of you will be planning car trips to visit family and friends. You could be traveling inside the state or could be preparing to cross state borders. Whatever the case may be, you should always plan accordingly. While there are plenty of tips that will keep you safe on the road, here are a few holiday travel tips. Not only with these tips for holiday travel keep you safer, but they also help make the drive more comfortable as well. Holiday Travel Tips — Keep Your Car in Shape Before heading out on the road, it’s important to make sure you’re all caught up on car maintenance. The last thing that you want is to have to pull over on the side of the interstate because you have a problem with your vehicle. It’s really quite simple to do this. Every auto center is happy to inspect your vehicle for you. When you take your care in, ask your trusted automotive service to [...]

By |2018-12-06T09:34:50-06:00December 6th, 2018|Car Tips|0 Comments
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Safety Tips for Driving at Night

The seasons are changing. This also means you should be thinking about how this affects your car and your driving. Now that it becomes darker earlier than in the summer months, we find ourselves driving in the dark more often. It’s true that it’s more dangerous than driving in the daytime. Even if you are a good driver, there are always new tips that you might find useful when driving after the sun goes down. 7 Safety Tips for Driving in the Dark 1. Use Your Headlights You should be using your headlights as soon as the sun starts to set. But, when was the last time that you checked to make sure they were operating correctly? A burned-out headlight looks more like a motorcycle than a car to other on the road. It could confuse other drivers and put you in danger. It may also be tempting to drive with your high beams on because you can see better. However, this is far more dangerous for everyone on [...]

By |2018-11-26T08:40:34-06:00November 23rd, 2018|Car Questions, Car Tips|0 Comments
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What You Should Know About Parking Brakes

Every car comes with a parking brake, and we (the drivers) use them often. But what do the experts say about how often we should use our parking brakes? Do you know how your parking brake works? What happens if you forget to take off the parking brake while driving? This post should answer all of your questions about your car’s parking brake and then some. What is a Parking Brake? First off, let’s establish what a parking brake is and how it works. In general, brakes apply pressure to the back wheels of a car. A parking brake can be a set of cables or a locking mechanism that prevent the car’s wheels from slipping or rotating when the vehicle should be motionless. The parking brake stays in place until disengaged. Parking brakes are called by different names, such as “e-brake,” “emergency brake,” and “handbrake.” They were originally designed as a secondary set of brakes if the primary pair failed. Pulling the hand brake while driving will bring [...]

By |2018-11-08T15:17:09-06:00November 8th, 2018|Car Parts, Car Questions|0 Comments
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6 Ways to Prevent Car Theft

No one thinks about auto theft until it’s too late. Maybe unexpected car trouble means you have to leave your vehicle parked in an unfamiliar part of town. Or, perhaps you’re traveling to a new city. You can’t always tell whether a place is safe or not just by looking around. Even in the Lone Star State, car theft and car break-ins exists. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Texas ranks #2 in the list for most vehicles stolen in 2016. The NHTSA report targets statistic on cars that are stolen. But, we want to keep you safe from other theft too. This means someone breaking into your car and stealing valuables. There are several things that you can do to diminish your chances of being an auto theft victim and prevent car theft. 6 Tips to Prevent Car Theft 1. Lock Up Your Car This one seems like a “no-brainer” but cars are left open and unattended more often than you think. It’s easy to [...]

By |2018-10-18T09:49:26-06:00October 18th, 2018|Auto Care|1 Comment
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Driving Into Autumn & Fall Car Care Tips

Fall. The season of pumpkins, pumpkin pie and pumpkin spiced lattes. But, it's also the season of change as leaves change and temperatures begin dropping. And that means it's time to get your car ready for a different season with these fall car care tips and tricks. Fall Car Care Tips & Maintenance To-Dos With Autumn comes a significant change in weather. Gone are the blue skies and hot temperatures. Instead, start expecting cold mornings and stormy weather. So, what do you need to do to get your car ready for fall? 1. Check Your Tires With almost guaranteed sunny weather gone, now is the time to check on the things that keep you connected with the road — your tires. Checking your tires' tread should be apart of your general car care checklist, but before fall it's especially important. Same goes for your tires' air pressure. Just had full tires, but notice they look less inflated on the crisp fall mornings. Don't automatically assume you have a leak. As [...]

By |2018-10-04T10:01:59-06:00October 4th, 2018|Car Service & Maintenance, Car Tips|0 Comments
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Car Basics: Your Car’s Alternator

While your car battery provides the electricity - and jolt - your car needs to start, it doesn't power your vehicle. That's the job of your car's alternator. In fact, without a properly working alternator, your car isn't moving anywhere. Your Car's Alternator is the Generator In fact, that was its old name — the generator. And today's modern alternators work the same way. After giving the spark the engine needs to get started, the battery relies on the alternator for continued power. As the components, belts and gears spin and crank under the hood, the wheel on the alternator converts this motion into energy. Similar to the mechanism of a hydroelectric dam. Without the alternator, your car battery will not recharge. And your car won't be going anywhere — something that doesn't make anyone's day better. Three Signs of a Failing Alternator With so many components getting power from your alternator, it's important to keep it in good working condition, or you could find yourself not moving. Luckily, the alternator is made of up [...]

By |2018-09-27T12:34:50-06:00September 27th, 2018|Car Parts, Car Questions|0 Comments
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Protecting Your Car’s Paint Job from Everyday Things

Everyone loves the look of a sleek, shiny new car — especially when you know your car's paint will begin showing wear quickly after leaving the lot. From small chips to everyday occursions your car's paint won't stay like new forever. But, with a little knowledge and preventive measures you can keep your vehicle looking like new, longer. Everyday Things That Destroy Your Car's Paint and Exterior There are things in life we cannot control. Including things that damage your paint job, unavoidable everyday things. And it's not just about keeping your car looking like new, your car's paint protects the metal of your car's frame, preventing rusting and damage. So, keeping it healthy isn't just cosmetic, it's required. The Sun Try telling the sun to stop shining. It's not going to work. Unfortunately, not only does that glowing yellow ball make Texas quite hot in the Summer, it's damaging and baking your car's paint job. If your car spends the majority of its time outside, you'll begin [...]

By |2018-09-04T16:28:32-06:00September 13th, 2018|Auto Care|0 Comments
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Driving an Automatic Car and What Not to Do

Everyone thinks driving an automatic car is easy. And they are right! A simple press of the gas pedal gets you going, and a stomp on the brakes stops you in your tracks — no manual shifting or clutch pedal needed. But, that doesn't mean you should take your transmission and engine for granted. Driving an automatic transmission comes with its own set of rules. What Not to Do When Driving an Automatic Car No worrying about miss-shifting or stalling out when you drive a car with an automatic transmission. However, there are still a few things that you shouldn't do when driving an automatic car. Stop Coasting in Neutral — Downhill or Otherwise There is a misconception floating around that putting your car in neutral while going down a hill, coasting or at a stop light saves your engine and conserves gas. Well, that's not true. Modern cars now automatically stop the flow of gasoline when it's not needed. Thank you modern technology! Additionally, it's not a [...]

By |2018-09-06T16:05:07-06:00September 6th, 2018|Auto Care, Car Tips|0 Comments
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Safe Driving with Pets & Avoiding Animal Collisions

Today is all about animals. Ever wonder in the middle of deer season if there is an easy way to avoid collisions? Or maybe you wondered how to avoid hitting bunnies after that traumatizing incident one month after getting your license. Concerned about your dog in the back, wondering what would happen in an accident? Here are a few tips for safe driving with pets and avoiding animal collisions. 4 Tips for Safe Driving with Pets They are always there for us, so why aren't we there for them when driving around town or on road trips? 1. Buckle-Up We see the signs on all of the interstates, but we never think about buckling up our pets. Like other loose objects, your pet becomes a projectile object in the event of a crash. Which includes a very unfortunate meeting with the windshield. Properly restrain or contain your pet while driving. This could mean many different methods. Installing a dog harness which acts as a [...]

By |2018-08-30T09:28:06-06:00August 30th, 2018|Car Questions|0 Comments
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Alternative Fuel Types

More and more often you hear the words "alternative fuel." While gas still reigns king, the different alternative fuel types make it easier for drivers to make a move away from gas while still moving down the road. But, what are the different type of alternative fuel types? And what does it take to convert a gas-consuming car to handle something like biodiesels or hydrogen? Seven Different Alternative Fuel Types There isn't just one. When looking for non-gas fuels, drivers have options. Biodiesel Who knew, animal fats and vegetable oils do more than just help you cook, they get your car moving too. And it doesn't have to be their first use. Oils and fats recycled from restaurants can be used as well. So, how does it work? The same as gas cars — combustion. In fact, unmodified vehicles can use a combination of petroleum and biodiesels (after checking with your car manufacturer of course). While fully converted cars can use pure biodiesel. However, while great for the environment [...]

By |2019-06-28T16:16:37-06:00August 23rd, 2018|Car Questions|0 Comments
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