April is National Car Care Month!

Regular maintenance and car care is an important part of vehicle ownership. Setting time aside for some car care can help keep your vehicle in good running order, identify any trouble areas in advance and even potentially reduce future expenses by taking care of any found issues before they become a bigger problem. Spring cleaning is a time-honored tradition, and it applies to your car as well!

Here Are Some Spring Car Care Tips to Celebrate

Check and replace wiper blades
You might be thinking this is a waste of time, after all, winter is over. Even if it doesn’t rain, having wiper blades that work is important to ensure you always have the best visibility. If something gets on your windshield you need to be able to clean it off for a clear view of the road.

Check lights
Have someone help you confirm that all your lights are in good working order. This includes front headlights, taillights, brake lights and turn signals.

Check your oil and get an oil change if needed
Pop the hood and check your oil using the dipstick to assess fill level and degree of wear. If needed, be sure to get an oil change. Newer cars will have an oil life monitoring system with a dashboard alert, but for an older vehicle, you may want to keep track of your months and mileage to follow the maker’s recommendation.

Check tire pressure, tread and sidewalls
Making sure your tires are in good shape is an important safety step. You’ll want to check the tire pressure and if they are low, fill them to the proper PSI. Examine tread depth with the penny test. If your tread is below Lincoln’s head, it’s time for new tires. Also, look for any abnormal wear on the tread and sidewalls.

Inspect battery
Pop the hood and do a visual examination of your car’s battery. Make sure there are no signs of corrosion (this can look like white or green foam) and that the connections are tight. Be careful not to touch any corrosion or to connect both terminals. If needed, clean off corrosion safely to make sure you’re getting the best performance out of your battery.

Take a peek under the hood
Since you’re here, take a visual inspection of everything under the hood. Do you see any low fluid levels, leaks or rips/tears in your belts or hoses? If you feel comfortable, you can always top off any fluids on your own. Or, if you see something that you think needs attention, you can take it to your service center for help.

Wash and wax
Now that you’ve checked some of the operational items on your car, it’s time to clean! Your paint job will thank you for a thorough wash and wax. If you feel a lot of impurities in the paint, you can also clay your car before waxing. As long as you’re in a cleaning mood, take time to vacuum your vehicle’s interior and clean your windows inside and out with glass cleaner. There’s definitely a feeling of pride that comes with having a good-looking ride.

Service questions?
If you notice something that needs attention during your spring car care celebration, contact any of our dealerships to learn more about their service departments and how they can help.

What is an Extended Warranty and What Does It Cover?

Whether you’re buying new or used, you’ll most likely have the option of purchasing an extended warranty with your vehicle.

What is an Extended Warranty?

An extended car warranty is a safeguard against unexpected maintenance costs after the manufacturer’s standard warranty is expired. It can be a bit of a gamble depending on if you end up needing the coverage. You pay more upfront or in your monthly payments to get that additional coverage in case something goes wrong. If you do end up with unexpected repairs, it can be quite beneficial to have the extension. You may or may not need the coverage in the end, but an extended warranty provides that safety net upfront just in case.

What Does an Extended Warranty Cover?

Here are some of the different types of coverage you might find with an extended warranty:

OEM parts

Most extended warranties will guarantee the use of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts. This means if you purchased a Honda, they will use original Honda parts to make repairs instead of aftermarket parts.

Bumper-To-Bumper

These types of warranties will cover almost anything in the car, not everything, but a lot. Coverage can range from something as complicated as the engine or transmission all the way to interior comforts like seat warmers or navigation.

Years or mileage

Many warranties offer limited coverage based on years or mileage, so an extended warranty could simply be an extension of what was originally offered with the vehicle. Meaning, if your original warranty was like Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain, that means everything in the powertrain would be covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. An extended warranty might just add years or mileage to that original warranty.

Areas Of The Car

Some extended warranties are based on certain areas of the car. For example, you may be able to get an extended powertrain warranty, which will cover things like the engine, transmission, and other areas of the drivetrain. However, this won’t cover other things like interior components, air conditioning, or exterior items like clear coat, paint, and body panels.

Who Should Consider an Extended Warranty?

Here are some points to consider when deciding if you should get an extended warranty:

You drive a lot

If you use your vehicle for work or simply drive a lot, you may want to consider an extended warranty as you’ll likely hit the mileage cap much sooner than other buyers.

You plan on having your car a long time

If you love your new ride and you’re planning on driving it for a long time, it might be worth the peace of mind to invest in the extended warranty.

You’re purchasing used

Depending on the used vehicle you select, there could be the tail end of the manufacturer’s warranty still available, but you might want to spring for the extended warranty just to give yourself some more coverage since you’re just getting the vehicle for yourself.

Warranty questions?

Contact any of our dealerships to learn more about the various extended warranties available for both new and used vehicles.

It’s Safe to Buy a Car – How We’re Protecting Shoppers During COVID

Have you thought about a new car purchase but hesitated due to COVID? Don’t worry! It’s safe to buy a car, and we’re doing everything we can to protect shoppers during this time. Sometimes you can’t wait to purchase your next vehicle, or you might simply want the newest model and features. Either way, we’re here to help and have procedures in place to keep the car shopping experience as safe as possible. Here are just a few of the steps we’ve taken to ensure that both shoppers and dealership staff is safe during this time:

We’re outside – One of the great things about car shopping is that it’s mostly outside. You can feel free to peruse all different makes and models while completely outdoors. With so much natural ventilation you can feel secure as you wander the aisles.

Mask up – We’re asking everyone to wear masks. Both employees and shoppers are asked to properly cover up while on site. That means wearing a mask that fits properly over your nose and under your chin, while also being made of appropriate materials.

Socially distance – While you’re on the lot, we’ll remind everyone to socially distance from other shoppers. Plus, a little space isn’t bad when you’re checking out your new ride and trying to envision yourself on the open road.

We’ll wave – In order to provide a contactless experience, we’re skipping the handshake in favor of a wave, for now. We can’t wait to get back to our normal practices, but until then we’ll say “hello” from six feet away.

Cleaning, cleaning and more cleaning – We’re wiping everything down multiple times a day! From increased bathroom cleanings to making sure every car that’s opened or test-driven is then wiped down, we’re ensuring the cleanest experience possible. This includes all door handles (interior and exterior), steering wheel, radio, seat adjusters, and anything else you’re likely to touch when checking out a car. This also includes frequently touched surfaces in our offices like desks, counters, doorknobs, and even pens!

Test drives on the honor system – That’s right! You can absolutely test drive a car during this time. In fact, we’re simply going to take a copy of your license and proof of insurance and let you head out on your own. There’s no need to pack a sales associate into the vehicle with you, in fact right now it’s safer if we don’t. You’ll breathe easy and enjoy the ride more knowing you’re not in a tight, enclosed space with someone else.

Plexiglass shields – If you do decide to purchase a car, you can do so safely as we’ve installed plexiglass shields at all our employee desks to ensure you’ve got the protection you need while locking in the best deal available.

See you on the lot!

Contact any of our dealerships to learn more about purchasing a new vehicle during COVID.