Spring Cleaning

Spring Cleaning is time is upon us.  After months of salted roads, cold temps and huge potholes. It is time to really clean off the winter filth.

Take Out The Trash

Remove all that junk you have been stock piling this winter. Be sure to check under and beside the seats and in the trunk.

Vacuum

You'll want to work from the top down, and pull out those gravely floor mats for a quick pass with the vacuum. Then use a house or a shop vac to work dirt out of the creases.

Scrub Carpet and Upholstery
Take a spray bottle of automotive-upholstery-cleaner and a scrub brush to clean anything cloth-covered. The carpet is most important, as it can keep water that accelerates rusting. When you're done, pull the drain plugs under the floor to let things air out for a few days. You'll be surprised at how much better the car smells.

Power-Wash the Floor Mats

If you've got all-rubber floor mats, they won't take long to clean. Most self-service car washes have one. Be sure to let the mats dry thoroughly before putting them back into the car or it could grow mold.

Swap Your Tires If Needed

If you have winter and summer tires be sure to swap them early spring. Leaving winter tires on too long will result in excess wear, because they soften with warmer temperatures.

Change Out Windshield Wipers

Wipers can get pretty beaten up in the winter. Make sure they are in good working order before those spring rains hit.

Lubricate Hinges

Touch up door and other hinges with white lithium grease to prevent squeaks and premature wear.

Clean the Windows

If windows are fogging up it usually means the inside surface of your windows are dirty. Wash windows with a good car-window cleaner; household stuff will make the fogging worse.

Wash the Car

Be sure to clean from top down. When the body is clean, an automatic car wash can get the underbody washed off. This will rid it of road salt.

Switch Out Cabin Air Filter

This filter keeps dirt, pollen and more from entering the ventilation system. Best to check if this needs replaced.

Wipe Down the Entry

Wipe down door sills, and dust off any niches missed during a car wash. Rub door seals with mineral oil or silicone spray to keep them soft.

Extras:

☐ Oil Change

☐ Add washer fluid

☐ Clean wheels and tires

☐ Inspect tread depth

☐ Test your tire pressure—including the spare

GM OnStar 4G LTE On 2015 Chevy Models

The 2015 model year Corvette, Malibu, Impala, and Volt will be the first vehicles to add OnStar with 4G LTE connectivity. Available as an option, the OnStar with 4G LTE will also be introduced on the Equinox, Silverado, Silverado HD, Spark and Spark EV models at a later date. 

All vehicles equipped with the new technology will allow their owners to connect their smartphones, tablets, and laptops to the built-in Wi-Fi hotspot, accessing a high-speed 4G LTE network. GM promises a more consistent and powerful connection than a typical smartphone can deliver. Chevy said current AT&T customers can add their vehicle to a “shareable bucket of data through AT&T Mobile Share plans” and pay for data as a standalone option.

Chevy also announced an AppShop, accessed through MyLink systems that have active access to the 4G LTE network. "The built-in 4G LTE connection will allow our vehicles to be updated with the latest software and apps. This means that the driver's vehicle infotainment systems can keep getting better after purchase as customers can continue to add on and customize their features," said Mary Chan, president, GM global Connected Consumer.

To browse the Chevrolet AppShop, vehicle owners can choose the appropriate icon on their MyLink system's screen. Among the apps planned at launch are iHeartRadio, Slacker Radio, TuneinRadio, and NPR, The Weather Channel, Cityseeker, Glympse, Kaliki, and Priceline.

Car Hard To Start In The Winter?

There are three main reasons your car can be so very hard to start in the winter.

1 – Like other liquids gasoline evaporates less when it is cold. When it is really cold as it has been here lately, gasoline evaporates slowly making it harder to burn it. This is important since the gasoline must be vaporized to burn. Occasionally people will spray ether into their engines in cold weather to help them start because ether evaporates better than gasoline in the cold.

2 – Batteries can have problems in cold weather as well. A battery is basically a can full of chemicals that produce electrons. The chemical reactions inside of batteries take place more slowly when the battery is cold, so the battery produces fewer electrons. That means the starter motor has less energy to work with when it tries to start the engine, causing the engine to crank slowly.

3 - Oil becomes a lot thicker in cold temperatures. When you try to start a cold engine, the engine has to push around the cold, thick oil and that makes it harder for the engine to spin. In cold areas people should use synthetic motor oils because these oils stay liquid in cold temperatures.

When the temperature drops be sure to let your vehicle warm up a bit before taking off. Your car and maybe even your wallet will thank you! 

Your Check Engine Light

The “Check Engine” light can indicate a major problem, like a bad catalytic converter, or it could be something minor, like a loose gas cap. Most times it means you will be visiting the car dealer to locate the malfunction and get the light turned off.

The Check Engine light is a signal from the car's engine computer that something is wrong. Starting with the model-year 1996, automakers standardized their systems under a protocol called OBD-II, and required that all cars provide a universal connector to access information. It's usually located under the steering column and is easy to access.

You can buy an inexpensive code reader and search for the code's meaning on online such as Engine Light Help. The Check Engine light can be turned off by some code readers, but it does not really repair the problem. In many cases the light will come back on again.

Experts have found that many drivers confuse the "service required" light on the gauge cluster for the Check Engine light. These lights are unrelated. The service required light just means the car is due for an oil change or other routine maintenance.

One must promptly address problems indicated by the light. Ignoring them could lead to larger, more costly issues later.

The first thing to check if your vehicle Check Engine light comes on is if the gas cap is loose. A loose cap sends an error message to the car's computer, reporting a leak in the vapor recovery system. If the gas cap is loose, tighten it and continue driving to see if the light then remains off.

Sometimes, the Check Engine light comes on when nothing is wrong with the car. It could be a temporary issue caused by a change in humidity or other factors. If this is the reason, the light should go off by itself after a short time.

CarMD published a list of the five most common Check Engine light codes. In order of frequency, they are:

•O2 sensor (part of the emissions system, monitors and regulates the air-fuel mixture)

 •Loose gas cap

 •Catalytic converter

 •Mass air flow sensor (monitors the amount of air mixed in the fuel injection system)

•Spark plug wires

Flat Tire Fix

Many of us may indeed be stranded if one of our vehicles tires goes flat. First you can always consult your vehicles owner’s manual. The most important thing is always be safe and get as far away from traffic as you can.

Make sure your spare is in good shape and properly inflated. If you have an air pressure gauge convenient, you will want to check the spare tire's pressure. If this tire is flat, too, you may be out of luck. But let's just assume the air pressure is perfect. That your trunk is stocked with the proper tools for the job such as the vehicles jack and lug wrench. If a flat tire needs to be changed, park your car on a flat surface.  Make sure to put on the emergency brake. It’s also recommended to put a block on the tire opposite of the flat tire. That means if your right rear tire is flat, put the block on the front left tire. Next, remove the hubcap, if your car has one. It is also a good idea to use the hubcap to hold the lug nuts.

Then use your lug wrench and place it on the flat tire’s lug nuts. Loosen them up by turning them counterclockwise. The nuts are probably on there pretty tight.  Loosen the nuts a few turns, but don’t take any off yet! Next, place the jack underneath your car. Check your owner’s manual for the correct placement of the jack. Most car jacks these days are a screw-type scissor jack, which means you simply turn the knob at the end of the jack using the provided metal hand crank. Raise the jack until it contacts the car's frame and continue expanding the jack. Make sure it’s touching a sturdy spot.

Now you must jack it up. Start cranking the jack until the wheel is high enough above the ground to remove the tire. You can remove the lug nuts from the wheel. You should be able to do it by hand because you’ve already loosened them. Once the flat tire is off the vehicle, lay it flat. You don’t want the wheel to roll off into traffic!

Take your spare tire and line up the lugs, or bolts, with the holes in the wheel and slide the wheel on. One trick that might help is to balance the tire on your foot while you move it into position. Once the wheel is on, take your lug nuts and tighten them by hand until you meet firm resistance, but not total resistance. Make sure that the wheel is fitting flush against the brake hub.  

Now you can lower the car. Keep lowering the jack until the wheel is firmly on the ground. Finish tightening your lug nuts. They must be on tight so the wheel doesn’t come flying off while driving to the dealership to get the flat fixed. As far as tightening them, use these patterns:

- For 5 bolts, use a star pattern,

- For 4 bolts, use a clock pattern (10 o’clock, 4 o’clock, 2 o’clock, 8 o’clock)

The reason you tighten the lugs now is that the tire is on the ground and it won't rotate around like it would if it was still hanging in the air.

That's it. Compact spares have a limited top speed. The tire's top speed will be written on its sidewall. If your vehicle has a full-size spare, you won't encounter this issue. With the spare installed, you should be able to reach your destination for a full fix!

Does A Diesel Vehicle Save You Money?

Diesel gets better fuel economy, but that doesn’t always make for a better value over gas. For starters Diesel is pricier at an average of $5,045 more than a gas powered version. On top of that the vehicle tends to cost a bit more to own and maintain. There comes added expense and maintenance in replenishing the reservoirs to make sure the engine runs correctly. The new technology makes for a cleaner diesel, more than many gasoline vehicles.

Diesels make up almost 4 percent of US vehicle sales, but popularity is growing. Sales jumped 27.5 percent in the first half of this year; compared with 14.9 percent increase in total new vehicle sales. The appeal comes from the infrequency in needing to fill up. Some can go up to 700 miles before another fill up. The vehicles drive well and engines deliver great acceleration. On the other hand, the higher initial cost and extra service could even out the gas savings. More diesel options are coming; up to double in the next five years as automakers introduce new models.

Chevys latest diesel vehicle the Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel goes beyond your typical compact car. With up to 46 MPG† highway, Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel gets the best highway fuel economy of any gasoline or diesel car in America†. Plus, Cruze is the first car in its class with 10 standard airbags†, helping earn the 2014 Cruze a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score† from NHTSA. Chevrolet 2-Year Scheduled Maintenance coverage† includes oil and oil filter changes, 4-wheel tire rotation and a 27-point vehicle inspection and comes standard with the purchase or lease of a 2014 Cruze.

When choosing a vehicle one must look at the long term such as those that drive 15,000 miles a year or more tend to offset initial diesel vehicle costs faster. As with deciding between leasing vs. buying, one must look at their current needs and lifestyle. How long you keep a vehicle and how much you drive is important to know. 

Can you guess the movie?

We love a good holiday movie! We've compiled quotes from a holiday classic, and we want you to guess where they are from! Are you up for the challenge? Let's get started!

"This house is so full of people it makes me sick. When I grow up and get married, I'm living alone. Did you hear me?"

"Keep the change, ya filthy animal!"

"How can you give Kris Kringle a parking ticket on Christmas Eve? What's next, rabies shots for the Easter Bunny?"

"Merry Christmas, little fella. We know that you're in there, and that you're all alone."