Your gas tank is home to a delicate ecosystem that you need to nurture, no matter how far you drive or what type of gas you use. This means never topping it off – an important responsibility that a lot of people ignore. Why is this important? A number of reasons, most of which amount to saving money and breaking a habit that I am sure a lot of us have. Check out why you shouldn’t top up the tank, no matter how tempting it might be to get to that perfect round dollar amount.

Reason number one is that part of your ecosystem is the evaporative system, and topping off can overwhelm that system. This is because of built up pressure due to the fuel expanding when heated by the movement of your vehicle (or the environment). Topping off your tank is basically the same as overfilling it, and when there’s nowhere for the excess to go, it heads to the evaporative system. The evaporative system then dies on you, which is an expensive repair.

Reason number two is just simple money-wasting. Modern gas stations have pumps that can sense when you have overfilled your tank, or tried to do so anyway. The pump, when it senses you’re trying to go too far, just sends the gas right back up the line and into the station’s tank… but of course, you’re still getting charged for that fuel. It’s a waste, plain and simple.

If you’re trying to save money, which I think it’s safe to say we all are, think about breaking the topping-up-habit. Leave yourself a note on the inside of your gas cap cover, a reminder on your phone, or just use the power of memory! You got this, friend!

Washing your car… seems like something you could do in your sleep, right? You used to do this with your dad all the time when you were a kid. He’d get out the hose, fill up a bucket with some soap and a rag, and then let you go to work while he sat back and cracked a beer, offering advice from the sidelines every so often.

Well, times have changed, and your dad’s car probably had a ton of swirl marks from your youthful washing strategy. So, we’re here to just make sure that you know exactly how to properly wash your vehicle so that you can teach your kids how to not ruin your paint while enjoying a fun springtime family activity!

Your first step should be to rinse your vehicle thoroughly with the hose before doing any washing. Make sure you’re using fairly high pressure water to really get the dirt off of your vehicle. Then, get your clean microfiber cloth or washing mitt and automobile shampoo (NEVER use dish soap!!!) and get to work.

When washing, make sure you do a panel at a time and that you wash in long, straight strokes. Rinse your washing cloth frequently so you’re not grinding debris into your paint job unintentionally!

After you’ve soaped up your vehicle, wait a minute before rinsing it off and get your wheels with a wheel brush. Wash between each of the spokes with soap and make sure your tires and wheels are in good shape after the winter.

Finally, rinse off your vehicle with another blast from the hose, and then dry it off with a clean, dry microfiber cloth. Never let the water evaporate on its own! This leaves rings and deposits that are hard to remove later and can damage the paint of your vehicle. For this reason, it’s great to wash your vehicle in the shade.

The last step? If you want to, apply a protectant spray or wax to your vehicle to make sure your paint stays glossy and beautiful and doesn’t get damaged easily. There you go!

No matter where you’re going or what you’re doing, if you’re driving then you are always at risk of having an emergency. Well, that’s a risk no matter what, but this is a blog about cars so we’re going to focus on that. Regardless of the emergency, you always need to be prepared! Check out our suggestions for things to keep in an emergency kit. Put these things in a bag, find a good place for them in your vehicle, and then leave them there. Make sure everything isn’t expired or depleted every so often, and then drive confidently! You’ve got it handled!

• First Aid kit. Some of the items to include are:
  • Band-Aids
  • Hand sanitizer.
  • Antiseptic.
  • Antibiotic ointment.
  • Bug spray.
  • Aspirin (or similar).
  • Cotton balls.
  • Gauze pads.
  • Tweezers.
  • Bandana.
  • Ace bandage.
• Fire extinguisher.
  • Choose a small one that is easy to store.
• Road flares (if not already in your tire-changing tools).
• Jumper cables.
• Rain ponchos.
• Tarp.
• Flashlight and extra batteries.
• Rags.
• Duct tape
• Scent-free baby wipes.
• Drinking water and non-perishable snacks.
• Multipurpose tool. 

If your check engine light has ever come on, then you know the feeling of panic and helplessness that comes upon you when that little engine symbol pops up. But hey! There’s no reason to panic. The five most common reasons that your check engine light can come on are easy fixes that don’t mean that your vehicle is going to just die on you in the middle of the road. Not by a long shot! Check out what those reasons are, how to assess them, and then take a deeeeep breath. You’re fine!

The first reason your check engine light might come on is because you need to tighten your gas cap. Or put it on in the first place. This is one of the things people don’t really know about – your gas cap can be a culprit of the check engine light. When it’s loose, off, or broken, fuel vapors can escape and just throw off your engine for a bit. Checking your gas cap should be the first thing you do when you see the check engine light come on.

It could also be your spark plugs, especially if you’re nearing (or just past) the hundred-thousand-mile mark on your vehicle. Spark plugs need to be replaced about every 100,000 miles and it could just be time for that to happen!

The Mass Airflow Sensor is another component that could be triggering your check engine light. If it is broken or malfunctioning, it will increase your emissions and maybe cause your engine to stall. The purpose of the Mass Airflow Sensor is to tell your vehicle’s computer how much fuel needs to be added or used based on the amount of air that comes into your engine as you drive.

Oxygen sensors (O2 sensors) need to be replaced from time to time, so it could be that! The purpose of your O2 sensors is to monitor the amount of unburned oxygen in your exhaust, which then tells your vehicle how much fuel is actually being burned in your engine. If these sensors go too long without being replaced, your catalytic converter could burn out.

That takes me to this last possible culprit. The catalytic converter is, unfortunately, the most expensive repair of the bunch, because it reduces your exhaust gases. When this part dies, your MPGs increase and your acceleration ability decreases.

If your check engine light comes on, breathe! You’ve got this! Take a minute and check things over, then give us a call and let us know you’re coming in. Don’t wait to get your vehicle looked at – but don’t panic, either.

Being able to see is always a bonus in life. When you’re walking down the sidewalk, you always try to make sure not to run into someone; when you’re at a party you don’t just plow through the other guests. It should be the same while you’re driving, but many of us have blind spots in our vehicles that just don’t seem to go away. Well, thank goodness for this blog, because we’re going to share some of our tips on getting rid of your blind spots once and for all!

The first way is more of a permanent way, but it works like a charm. Simply buy some aftermarket small convex mirrors at your local auto parts store and stick them on the outer corners of your wing mirrors. Make sure you clean your mirrors first so that the new ones will adhere properly!

The second step is more in-depth but much less permanent. You can adjust your existing mirrors to eliminate blind spots. Here’s how:

Adjust your rearview mirror to give you a view directly to the rear. Make it so that it best covers your rear window view. Don’t tilt it to get side views – just straight back through your window.

Lean your head until it almost touches your driver’s side window. Adjust your left side mirror so you can just barely see the side of your car – no more.

Lean your head to the passenger side as far as you can comfortably while still sitting up and adjust the right mirror so you can barely see the right side of your car.

You shouldn’t be able to see the side of your car when your head is all the way upright!

Enjoy your new range of vision!

Planning a road trip any time soon? Well, even if you’re not, this playlist is the perfect thing for any journey, whether it’s an actual road trip or just your morning commute. Check it out and enjoy the jams!

Road Trip Playlist

Shut Up And Dance – Walk The Moon

All Right Now – Free

Sharp Dressed Man – ZZ Top

Slow Ride – Foghat

Roadhouse Blues – The Doors

China Grove – The Doobie Brothers

Runnin’ Down A Dream – Tom Petty

I’ve Been Everywhere – Johnny Cash

All Day And All Of The Night – The Kinks

Ramblin’ Man – The Allman Brothers Band

Born To Run – Bruce Springsteen

Fortunate Son – Creedence Clearwater Revival

Shiny Happy People – R.E.M.

Wouldn’t It Be Nice – The Beach Boys

Send Me On My Way – Rusted Root

Summer Of ‘69 – Bryan Adams

Take Me Home, Country Roads – John Denver

Africa – Toto

Purple Rain – Prince

Take On Me – a-ha

Beer For My Horses – Toby Keith and Willie Nelson

Hot Blooded – Foreigner

My Sharona – The Knack

Bennie And The Jets – Elton John

You Make My Dreams – Daryl Hall & John Oates

Please Mr. Postman – The Marvelettes

Down Under – Men At Work

All Along The Watchtower – Jimi Hendrix

Are You Gonna Be My Girl – Jet

We all know it’s winter, right? If you don’t know, well, then I am concerned about where you spend your time and how you are alive right now. Anyway, it’s winter! And with winter comes frozen windshield season, which is my least favorite time of the year because I hate scraping my windshield with a burning passion. That is why I am sharing these tips on de-icing your windshield quickly without scratching your glass, so that if you are like me, you will not hate the mornings quite as much.

So, the easiest thing to do is go out and turn on your defrosters a little before you know you need to leave. Get up, get dressed, go outside and turn on the defrosters, and then come back in and get your breakfast and your bag together and by the time you’re back outside, it should be a bit more thawed.

If you are not that good at time management (I am so horrible at it, don’t feel bad) then make sure you have a good plastic scraper on hand. Never never ever scrape with something metal! Get that defroster going full blast and, yes, scrape.

Finally, you can make a spray-on solution of one part rubbing alcohol and two parts water to spray on an icy windshield. Keep the solution in a spray bottle in your house, and bring it out on chilly mornings. Spray it on, wait a minute or two, and then run your wipers. No more ice!

If your locks and doors are frozen, don’t use a flame (i.e. a lighter) or hot water to try and melt the ice. Cold water is what works best (it’s warmer than ice, obviously, but not so hot it’ll break your lock mechanism). You can also use the alcohol solution for this.

Best of luck – is it summer yet??

You might think, like a lot of drivers do, that you need to get your vehicle’s oil changed every six months or 3,000 miles. Now, I am sorry to tell you this, but that’s just not true (in every situation). Depending on several factors, your oil change interval could be shorter than that or even longer. Those factors are:

• The age of your car

• The type of oil you use

• How many miles are on your car

• What conditions you usually drive in

• How hard you drive your car

The person who can assess your vehicle and tell you accurately how frequently you should get your oil changed is your dealer, so when you go for your next oil change make sure to ask how frequently you need that service done. Who knows, maybe you could get away with going longer – or you need to get your oil changes done more frequently. Ask us today!

Are you just getting into learning about your vehicle? Great! Here are five fluids that you need to know. (Can you tell this is the Quick And Dirty Car Fluids Blog?)

1. Oil

   1. What it does: cools your engine, lubricates moving parts, keeps moving parts clean

   2. What to do: change it regularly (dealer recommendation) and check it monthly

2. Coolant

   1. What it does: regulates your vehicle’s temperature.

   2. Where to find it: in a reservoir near the radiator.

   3. What to do: if the level is low (level is indicated on the reservoir) take your vehicle to the shop to get coolant topped up.

3. Power Steering Fluid

   1. What it does: helps you steer the vehicle

   2. Where to find it: reservoir at the base if windshield.

   3. What to do: same as above, if the level is low take your vehicle to the shop to get the fluid topped up.

4. Brake Fluid

   1. What it does: helps braking mechanisms work properly

   2. What to do: if the level is chronically low, your brakes could be wearing out.

5. Windshield Washer Fluid

   1. What it does: helps clean windshield of dust, debris, bug guts, etc.

   2. What to do: if you run out, get more at your local gas station and just refill the clearly labeled tank.

Have you all ever wondered what exactly is meant by the numbers on the pumps at the gas station? Do you also wonder why gas has to be qualified as “unleaded” on the pump? Well, we have written a great blog about both of these subjects that will hopefully answer all of your most burning questions!

First, come the numbers on the pumps. These indicate the octane level of the gasoline. The higher the octane level, the higher performance of engine it’s supposed to go into. What is octane, you may be asking now? When gasoline is refined from oil, several molecules called hydrocarbons remain in the gasoline. One of these hydrocarbons is isooctane, or just plain old octane. The other hydrocarbons have a lower ignition temperature, which means that they’ll combust under the slightest amount of heat and pressure. Octane is more resistant to that, which means it can withstand more pressure from the pistons in your engine and therefore won’t create a “knock” when it combusts.

A word of caution: don’t use higher octane gasoline in your regular engine unless your owner’s manual actively says to use higher octane gasoline! All you’ll be doing is wasting your money! But, if your manual does say to use the high-test stuff, do it. Otherwise, you’ll hurt your engine. It’s a fickle world we live in, folks.

Finally, that “unleaded” buzzword. A long time ago in a galaxy far far away (aka America in the 1920s), some scientists figured out that if gasoline had a low octane rating and made engines knock, they could just add tetraethyl lead to the gasoline and it’d kill both of those birds with one lead stone. Sure, everyone in the factories kept dying and the average American had a seriously unhealthy level of lead in their bloodstream, but it kept gas cheap! This persisted until the 1960s and was outlawed completely in the 1990s. After that, the average lead level in the blood of Americans went down by 75%. That’s a lot.