Well, folks, it’s December and now is the time to get your vehicle ready for the winter if you haven’t done so already. We’ve got all the important tips on how to winterize your car, so keep reading and then go make sure you’ve got everything ready!

First of all, assess your parking situation. Do you have a garage? If you can park your car in it, you’re doing great. If it’s full of junk from the summer, clean it out! You should use your garage for its intended purpose, especially in the winter.

Next is to check your fluids. Is everything at the level it’s supposed to be? How is your radiator doing? The coolant level is the one you should really be watching out for. You should also start using windshield washer fluid that contains nontoxic antifreeze.

Similarly, check on your windshield wipers. Make sure they’re in good shape and that they can handle the winter weather. Consider getting some wipers specifically designed to be used in the winter.

Test all of your defrosters and make sure they work. If not, get them checked out soon.

Is your battery new? If not, give it a once-over. Are the connections tight and not corroded or rusted? Is everything working the way it should be?

Finally, check on your tires. Make sure the treads are still good, and that they are at the right air pressure level. If you tend to get a lot of snow, consider getting snow tires or other accessories (like tire chains) to get you through those slick spots.

Are you gripped with dread, fear, and horror at even the thought of your check engine light coming on? How do you feel when it actually does come on? I know that I am immediately thrown into panic and my brain says something like “well, I guess your car is broken forever now.” Not helpful, brain!!! But then I did a little research on why my check engine light comes on, and apparently, it’s not usually nearly as bad as you might think it would be. In fact, the most common reason can often be solved by just tightening your gas cap. Check out why your check engine light might be coming on in our list below.

1. It could be your gas cap. Seriously, if your gas cap is loose or broken or cracked or totally missing, this could be what’s making that light come on. So if the light appears, the first thing you should do is check on your gas cap. It’s a possibility that you’ve found the solution. If the cap is broken or missing, your dealer can replace it.

2. Spark plugs are also a likely culprit. Everyone needs to get them replaced every so often (usually about 100,000 miles in newer cars) and it might be time for yours to be switched out.

3. Your Mass Airflow Sensor could be to blame. This part tells your car’s computer to add the right amount of fuel based on the amount of air that’s coming in to the engine. When this piece is broken, your emissions increase, your efficiency decreases, and your car might stall.

4. Maybe your oxygen sensor(s) are to blame. Your O2 sensors monitor the unburned oxygen in your exhaust, which tells your vehicle’s computer how much fuel is being burned in your engine. When the sensor is broken, your mileage can decrease. Don’t wait too long to get this checked out.

5. It could also be your catalytic converter. This is also a reason your check engine light might be coming on. If this part is broken or faulty, it won’t reduce your exhaust gases like it’s supposed to, which in turn will decrease your MPGs and mess with your acceleration. Get this fixed IMMEDIATELY, even though it is the most expensive repair on the list. (Note: if you need to get your O2 sensors replaced but don’t do it, you can burn your cat out.)

If part of your holiday tradition includes taking a longer road trip to a relative’s house – or doing that but multiple times instead of just once – you might be in sore need of entertainment for your passengers. That’s where car games come in! You can’t really play normal games in the car because cards are messy and other games have lots of little pieces that’ll get jolted around. Plus, you know, the driver needs to be able to pay attention to the road. Check out our five favorite games to play on the road below!

1. Alphabet Game: Try and find each letter of the alphabet in order without using license plates. No, you can’t save that “Q” for later!

2. 50 States Game: Try and find a license plate from each of the 50 states. This is hard if you’re not on a long trip, so keep your eyes peeled!

3. I Spy: The classic! The person who’s the spy picks out an object and everyone else has to guess what it is based on a simple descriptor (“I spy something red”). This is great for smaller children.

4. My Cows: If you see cows in a field, yell out “MY COWS.” They are now yours. If you see a graveyard, you can yell “BURY YOUR COWS” while pointing at someone else who has cows, and now their cows are dead. If you see a place of worship and you have cows in your possession, yell “MARRY MY COWS” and now you have double cows. Do not count your cows. This is very fun for everyone.

5. What’s That Car: For the automobile enthusiasts, this game is great! Spot a car ahead of you on the road and try to guess correctly what type of car it is from as far away as possible.

This week, we wanted to dedicate our blog to the people who matter most to us – our customers! Without you, we wouldn’t be where we are. You’re the reason we’re here and we’re so happy to give you the great services you have come to expect from us. Take a minute to check out some of the reviews folks have left for us, and if you feel inclined, please leave one yourself!

Topping off your gas tank is something that I think all of us do. We always try to get the number to an even one – instead of $19.42 I’ll try to get it to $19.50 or $20. However, topping off your tank is actually a really bad idea. Here’s why!

It can overwhelm your vehicle’s evaporative system, which can break something or cause a leak due to built up pressure. If your gas tank is too full, the pressure inside of it builds up past the safe level when the gas heats up as your car is moving. If there is too much fuel in the tank, the extra gets sent to the evaporation system. If you habitually overfill your tank, then you’ll kill your evaporation system much quicker than normal.

The second thing is that you’re wasting a lot of money by doing this. Modern gas stations have systems at the pumps where if the pump senses too much fuel going into your vehicle’s tank, the excess will just go right back up the hose and back into the station’s fuel tank. The cents on the screen go up, but the gas never goes into your tank. No matter how much gas it is, you’re potentially wasting a lot of money over time on gas that’s not even going into your car.

Break the habit of topping up! When the handle releases the first time, just let it be. You can do it – and save some money at the same time!

We’re all trying to get better fuel economy these days. It’s just a fact of life – we want to not spend as much on gas, and we’re also probably a bit more environmentally conscious than we used to be (as a society). So, we’ve put together some tips for increasing your fuel economy. Of course, you will NOT be able to go from getting 20 mpg to getting 75, but if you follow these tips you might see a one or two (or even, like, five) mile per gallon increase! So, check them out!

First of all, don’t speed! When you are speeding, you’re also accelerating and decelerating a lot, which can throw off your fuel efficiency. For every 5 mph over 50 you’re going, you’re paying about 10 to 20 cents more per gallon of gas. That adds up over time.

Second, use your cruise control. This helps with the speeding thing, and also eliminates extra acceleration and deceleration that happen when you’re on the highway. This can REALLY help with your fuel economy and also help make sure you don’t accidentally end up going 80 in a 40.

If you’ve got a storage box (think one of those Thule things) on your roof, consider switching it out for something rear-mounted. The roof boxes increase drag on your vehicle, which in turn decreases your MPG’s.

Don’t idle by the side of the road. If you’re parked or waiting for someone and are fully stopped, in Park (or neutral), then turn your car all the way off. Idling wastes a ton of fuel and can damage the environment with the exhaust created.

Finally, be patient. Focus on driving safely. When drivers are attentive, they drive better… of course… but this careful driving also saves money on gas. Who knew!

I don’t know about you, but this morning I woke up with frost on my windshield. This is just a sign that winter is coming, maybe sooner than we wanted. Regardless, this means there’ll be many more mornings of frost, snow, and ice on our cars in the future, and if we want to drive we’ll need to get rid of that ice and snow somehow. Here are some tips on how to do that without damaging your car by scratching the windshield or paint!

If your doors are frozen shut, pour a little cold water on them. Hot water can cause damage to glass and paint when it’s cold enough outside for water to freeze, so cold water – which is already warmer than the ice – will help to defrost your doors so you can open them. Don’t use a lighter, hair dryer, or anything pointy to try and melt or chip away at the ice. Patience is a virtue!

When it comes to your windshield, use the defroster. Clear away as much snow and ice as you can with a soft scraper – NO METAL!! The defroster function will loosen up and melt what’s left enough for you to use your wipers and clear off your windshield so you can drive. Before the weather gets really bad, invest in a plastic scraper and plastic brush for your car if you don’t already have them. Things like keys, knives, and spatulas can scratch your windshield. Make sure you use the defroster for your rear windshield as well, because you need to see out the back of your car as well.

All in all, patience is a virtue in the winter. Wait for your car to defrost without resorting to harsh scraping or melting methods that can damage your vehicle and you’ll thank yourself for it!

If you are anything like me, you have a little trouble driving once the sun has gone down. I know, it’s hard – especially when you used to be able to drive after dark and now just can’t see as well as you used to be able to. I get it! But hey, there are always tips for how you can drive better after dark even if your night vision is kinda eh, and of course, you always have the option to not drive after dark (which is getting harder as winter approaches). So, from one blind bat to another, here are my tips for driving after dark when you have literally no other choice!

First, make sure your headlights are in good working order. Clean them off, maybe even recondition them if you need to. If you think the bulbs are a little dim, or if you still have old yellow halogens, ask your dealer if you can upgrade them safely to LEDs or at least brighter halogens. That’ll make it a lot easier to see the road at night!

Second, if you encounter another vehicle on a two-lane road coming towards you and you don’t want to be blinded by their headlights, avert your eyes and focus on the white line on the side of the road as they pass. You’ll stay in your lane and you can use your peripheral vision without getting spots in your vision in the middle of your line of sight. Super helpful!

Plan your trips to avoid driving after dark. If you are going somewhere, make sure that you leave with enough time to get home before it gets dark. If you can’t, see if you can carpool with someone or if a friend or family member can give you a ride. It makes all the difference when it comes to safety and peace of mind.

Allman Brothers Band, “Midnight Rider”

The Beatles, “Ticket to Ride”

Bruce Springsteen, “Born to Run”

Willie Nelson, “On the Road Again”

Prince, “Little Red Corvette”

Ray Charles, “Hit The Road Jack”

Tom Petty, “Runnin’ Down A Dream”

Smashing Pumpkins, “1979”

Grateful Dead, “Truckin”

Matt & Kim, “Daylight”

James Taylor, “Carolina In My Mind”

Stone Temple Pilots, “Interstate Love Song”

Sufjan Stevens, “Chicago”

Cake, “The Distance”

Albert Hammond, Jr., “101”

If you’re wondering what all of those songs listed above are, well, they’re the perfect road trip playlist! All in one place, and all easy for you to put into your music player of choice to jam to as you drive down the road to wherever your destination may be this season! And the thing about these songs is that they are perfect for any road trip occasion – going to Grandma’s for a holiday, going for a bit of a leaf peep, or even just going to the pumpkin patch (Halloween is coming soon)! Let us know what you thought on our Facebook page!

Is it time for you to get an oil change? Facts: if you’ve got a light on your dashboard that says you have maintenance required, then yes! It is time. But I bet you don’t know how to calculate that frequency yourself, or what you need to be doing to maintain the health of your engine in the meantime between oil changes, do you? Well, if you don’t, here you go. If you DO know, then good for you! Teach your kids what they need to know. If you don’t have kids, teach someone else’s kids.

So, first, the frequency of changes. They used to say that every 3,000 miles or six months was how often you should get your oil changed, but that’s definitely not true anymore. Depending on what type of oil is used, how many miles are on your engine, how hard you drive your car, where you drive your car, and what type of engine you have are all factors that go into determining how long you should go between oil changes. Your dealer is the best source of this information, but your owner’s manual is a close second.

Next, making sure your oil is in good shape! You should check it once a month. It’s a really easy process – simply open up the hood, pull out the oil dipstick (yellow handle, labeled, near the engine) and wipe it off with a clean cloth. Dip it in again and take a look at the oil when you pull it out. If it is between the two marks on the end of the dipstick, you’re good. If it’s a little higher, then that’s fine. If it’s low, then you should top off the oil – of course, before you do this you should know what type of oil is in your engine so you don’t mix and mess something up accidentally. You should also check for small particles in the oil – if there are particles, you should get your oil changed pretty soon. This is a good thing as it means the particles aren’t getting stuck to the inside of your engine parts, but you should still get your oil changed.

And that’s it! Good luck, and remember – coupons are your friend.