10 Easy Ways to Winterize Your Car

Even though it was eighty degrees last week, it has quickly dropped temperatures.  Pittsburgh is excepting snow in the next week or so.  This means it is time to winterize your car.  This will keep you safe and your car in good shape throughout the harsh winter months.


1. Get the right kind of oil change. Are you approaching the time for a 30,000-mile full service for your vehicle? If so, don’t procrastinate! Among other things, the service should include an oil change, and the oil used should have the right viscosity, or thickness, for your vehicle at this time of year. Oil tends to thicken as it gets colder, and if it’s too thick it won’t do the best job of keeping your engine lubricated. Check your owner’s manual for guidance about which oil to use in different climates and temperatures. 

2. Make sure you can see. When’s the last time you replaced your windshield wiper blades? They usually work effectively for about one year, so be sure to invest in some new ones if you’re due. Here’s another important step to take before you find yourself struggling to see in a blinding storm: Fill up your windshield washer reservoir with windshield washer fluid. (Plain water won’t do the trick at this time of year because it freezes.) Also check to see that your heater and defroster are working properly so you can keep the windshield nice and clear.  

3. Give your battery a little TLC. This is an ideal time of year to make sure your battery’s posts and connections are corrosion-free and that your battery has all the water it needs. If your battery is more than three years old, have a certified repair shop test its ability to hold a charge. Granted, you might be able to find a Good Samaritan to help you jump-start your vehicle in the middle of a blizzard — but wouldn’t you rather avoid such a scenario altogether?

4. Examine your belts and hoses. When you have that full service done on your vehicle, make sure the belts and hoses get checked for wear and tear — even if you’re driving a modern car. Cold weather can do a number on belts and hoses, so they deserve attention.

5. Check your tire pressure. Your tires must be properly inflated to ensure you’ll have the best possible traction as you drive along — and traction is often severely jeopardized in wet, snowy or icy conditions. The air pressure in your tires has likely dropped as the weather has gotten colder, so it’s important to see where things stand now. (You can generally expect that you’ll lose 1 pound per square inch whenever the temperature drops by 10 degrees Fahrenheit.) Again, your trusty owner’s manual will tell you what your target tire pressure should be.

6. Think about switching to snow tires. Do you live in a hilly place that gets its fair share of snow? Then you might want to improve traction even more by investing in winter tires and using them over the next few months instead of your usual all-season tires. When shopping around for snow tires, ask about all the fees that might come into play, such as fees for mounting and balancing. You can accomplish this easily and make accurate cost comparisons by asking each store for the “out the door charge.”

7. Do you have four-wheel drive? If so, it’s important to check the status of your four-wheel-drive system and be sure it’s working correctly — especially because most drivers don’t use their 4WD systems in the pleasant summer months. Be sure that the system engages and disengages easily, and that all drivers in your household know how and when to activate the system.


8. Get the antifreeze mixture just right. Aim for having a 50-50 mix of antifreeze (coolant) and water inside your radiator. This will prevent the mixture from freezing even at ridiculously cold temperatures. It’s easy to check the status of the mixture with an inexpensive antifreeze tester, which you can pick up at any auto parts store. If the mixture is off, your cooling system should be drained and refilled or flushed. Be sure you’re equipped to dispose of your old antifreeze properly if you do this job yourself. It can’t just be poured down the drain.

9. Prepare an emergency kit. Store this stuff in your trunk during the winter months, especially if a road trip is in your future:

• a blanket
• extra boots and gloves
• an extra set of warm clothes
• extra water and food, including hard candies
• an ice scraper
• a small shovel
• a flashlight
• windshield washer fluid
• windshield wipers
• flares
• jumper cables
• a tool kit
• tire chains
• a tire gauge
• a spare tire with air in it
• tire-changing equipment
• a first-aid kit
• paper towels
• a bag of abrasive material such as sand, salt or non-clumping kitty litter, which can provide additional traction if a tire gets stuck in snow.
• Also, keep the gas tank as full as you can to prevent the gas lines from freezing.

10. Know what to do if you get stranded. Don’t wander away from your car unless you’re completely sure about where you are and how far away help is. Light two flares and situate them at each end of your vehicle to call attention to your plight. Put on the extra clothes and use the blanket to stay warm. If you have enough gas in the tank, run the engine and heater for about 10 minutes for each hour you’re waiting for help. Leave at least one window open a little bit so that snow and ice don’t seal the car shut. Suck on a hard candy to prevent your mouth from getting too dry.

 For more information see Today.com

Cars Can Even Join In For Trick or Treating at This Event

This Saturday from 4pm to 6pm at Mt. Nebo Pointe your car can even join in on the Halloween spirit. Decorate the trunk of your car for Halloween, and your kids can go from car to car to collect delicious candy.  There are even prizes for the car that is decorated best.

What’s “Trunk or Treat”? It’s a spooky good time for the whole family at Mt. Nebo Pointe!

Bring your kids, park your car at Mt. Nebo Pointe, decorate your trunk Halloween-style, and stroll from trunk to trunk collecting candy and prizes– it’s Trunk or Treat! It’s safe, different, and fun! And you can win prizes for your decorated trunk! 
Grand Prize:  $200 Target Gift Card, 2 free haircut tickets to Sport Clips at Mt. Nebo Pointe, $25 Double Wide Grill Gift Card, and Great Clips Basket of Product plus Four FREE haircuts.
Two Runner Up Prizes: $50 Target gift card and 2 free haircut tickets to Sports Clips at Mt. Nebo Pt. 
Parents: Display your trunk-tastic Halloween decorating skills (you must register to do so) or just bring your kids  - in Halloween costumes, of course - and let them Trunk-or-Treat (no registration needed). Participation in the decorating contest is NOT required to bring your children to the event. However, children must be accompanied by an adult.
To enter your decorated trunk, click here to download a registration form. Register for FREE by sending your completed form to the email, fax, or address on the form. Space is limited to 100 cars so be sure to register early. 
Kids: Show off your Halloween costume, and Trunk-or-Treat for candy and prizes among the decorated cars at Mt. Nebo Pointe!  Pittsburgh’s Country Station, Y108 will be giving away candy, haunted house tickets and signed Pirates and Steelers merchandise from the Y108 van!  Just remember, you must be accompanied by your parents if you’re Trunk-or-Treating.

For more information see Mt Nebo Pointe.

Protect Your Car Against Winter

 The weather is constantly changing in the fall months, and soon snow will be falling in Pittsburgh.  Do not forget about your car this winter as snow and ice continually hit the exterior of your car.  Make sure to follow these tips to protect your car against the harsh weather.


1. Over the winter many people don't pay too much attention to their cars. But there are a few things you can do to help keep your car looking sharp over the long term. For one, get rid of the salt. Don't let salt sit on the paint, undercarriage or carpets. Secondly, use care when removing snow and ice. You can easily scratch and scuff the paint, though you probably won't notice till spring. 

2. For the exterior, make sure you apply a good coat of wax before the weather changes. Better yet, use a polymer paint sealant, which is a synthetic product that affords the same protection as a wax, but it lasts six times longer. A good wax or paint sealant will protect your car from oxidation, rust and corrosion.

3. On any car, if the paint shows any signs of oxidation or has any surface scratches or scuffs, you may want to consider buffing the car prior to applying the wax or paint sealant. Buffing is most often best left to the professional, but a prepared and experienced amateur can do it too. Buffing is performed with a high- speed machine and various compounds and polishes. It can bring back the luster in an oxidized or dull paint surface, as well as remove some minor blemishes. 

4. The interior of a car needs TLC too. Try getting winter floor mats. These can be as simple as a
rubber version available at a hardware or auto supply store, or they can be the custom sized versions that afford more coverage. On the driver side, make sure the mat does not interfere with the brake, gas and clutch pedals.

5. You can also apply a leather or fabric protector to seats, carpets and mats. These products won't keep things from getting dirty, but they will make cleaning easier. Some fabric protectors are water based, and some oil based. The oil based will last longer, though it may be harder to find. Of course you should apply these products only to clean surfaces.

For more information see the Patch.

Best Practices in Getting Ice Off Your Car

Hitting your windshield with a broom or sitting for an hour waiting for your car to defrost is not the easiest way to get ice off your windshield.  Here are the best steps to defrosting your windshield quickly and easily. 

1. • Turn on the car and turn on the windshield defroster.
     
     
   • 2
     Brush the loose snow off the windshield with a broom.
     
     
   • 3
     Pour rubbing alcohol or deicer into a clean spray bottle.
     
     
   • 4
     Coat the ice with rubbing alcohol or deicer, according to thesimpledollar.com.
     
     
   • 5
     To scrape, start at the bottom of the windshield. Hold the ice scraper firmly with one hand. Place the other hand on the upper part of the handle. Set the blade against the ice at a 45-degree angle. Use short back and forth motions to loose and remove the ice.
     
     
   •   6
     Brush off loose pieces of ice with the broom.

Read more at ehow.

Benefits of Car Washing in the Winter

 Mr. Magic has a Groupon and Yelp deal going on right now, but do you still need more convincing on reasons to wash your car?  Here are some facts about car washing and how a professional car wash is the way to go in the winter time.

It's that time of year again. Winter is approaching which means preparing your car for some nasty weather elements. If you live in snow country, you'll likely have snow tires put on to prevent your car from sliding off the road. If you live in a region where salt is used on the roads, you may consider getting an extra layer of coating to protect your undercarriage so it doesn't rust. And, with all the acid rain, road grease, and other unsavory elements that will attack your car this winter, getting a wax job to protect your paint might be a good idea.

So why do we invest so much time and money in protecting our car when winter approaches? There are a number of reasons, all of which are equally important. 

First off, preventative car care protects our automobiles so they last longer, also preserving resale value. Secondly, taking care of our vehicles prevents having costly repairs and frightening breakdowns. An overwhelming majority of car owners seem to know what to do, and why, when it comes to car care.

Then why is it the overwhelming majority of car owners seldom wash their cars on a regular basis? The irony here is that keeping your car clean (for under $10 every couple of weeks) has many significant financial and environmental benefits as well, especially when performed by a professional car wash.

Let's start with the financial rewards. In today's environment, on the best of days, our cars are subjected to sun, salt from the sea, road grease, dead bugs, bird poop and smog. On bad days, our cars are subjected to salt from snow trucks, acid rain, tree sap, road slush and mud.

Any one of these elements can eat away at a car's metal, chrome and paint. Corrosion will occur and rust will appear under the carriage, in wheel wells, even in parts under the hood. It may not be noticeable right away, but over time it will degrade your car, diminishing its resale value. When it comes time to sell or trade you'll be quite disappointed at how little your car is worth and how much you've lost financially. By having your car washed monthly, not only do you protect your investment and save money, you also ensure your continued freedom to go anywhere and do anything, not to mention your personal safety and security while on the road.

Did you know that nearly $24 billion a year is spent on battling car corrosion damage? This cost is absorbed by you, the consumer, in three ways; funding automakers efforts to research corrosion-resistant paints and coatings; fixing damage to your own vehicle caused by road and sea salt; or corrosion-related depreciation of cars.

There is another important reason to keep your car professionally washed, protecting the environment. In 1972, the government established the Clean Water Act, which mandated professional car washes to pipe dirty water to treatment facilities or into state-approved drainage facilities.

Washing your car at home pollutes the environment — soap and road grime such as oils, tar, and dirt washed from your car ends up in storm sewers that flow into lakes, streams and rivers. In fact, many North American cities have even banned charity car-washing events, which result in soapy discharge and wasted water. Regardless of all the other reasons mentioned, the environmental issue should be consideration enough. After all, these lakes, streams and rivers could be those in which your children swim, or where you fish, or perhaps even live. Keeping them clean ensures a healthier future for all of us.

Another consideration is this: a professional car wash uses about 32 gallons per car. Studies have shown that a 45-minute car wash at home can use more than 300 gallons of water. Who pays your water bills?

Treat your car the way you want it to treat you. Add a professional car wash to your monthly chores. With some 75,000 professional car washes nationwide, there's just no excuse to skip it. And bring the kids. They're never too young to start learning the value of good auto maintenance, inside and out. 

For more information see Road and Travel Magazine.

Don't Forget About Our Groupon

Does your car need washed?  Here is a great way to save on a current wash and two future washes!  Make sure to check out our groupon and get a great car wash deal.

 To claim this deal go to Groupon!

How to Keep Your Car New?

 CarWash.com has all the information about how to keep your car new.  Besides regularly taking your car through a professional car wash, there are some more tricks to keep your car as clean as the day you bought it.

All-Weather Floor Mats: Nothing spoils the appearance of the interior more than the old worn out and stained floor mats that came with your car. Replace them with custom fit rubber floor mats. They'll protect your carpets for the life of the car, and also be much easier to clean. These are available from your dealer or WeatherTech.
 
Cargo Liners: Protects your trunk and cargo area from wear and tear. If you haul a lot of stuff or have pets, these are a must. Custom fit liners are available from your dealer, or WeatherTech as above.
 
Sheepskin Seat Covers: They protect your seats from wear and tear, and they're much more comfortable than vinyl and leather. No more hot seats in the summer, or cold seats in the winter. Custom fit covers and pads available from AutoSport.
 
Scotchgard™ Auto Fabric Protector: Protects your fabric upholstery and carpet from stains caused by spilled liquids. The liquid will "bead" on the fabric where it can be blotted up with a towel instead of absorbing into the fibers. If you have fabric upholstery and small children or pets, this is a must. Best applied when the car is new, or after the upholstery has been cleaned. I charge $35.00 for this added service on most cars.          
 
Convertible Tops: If your car is a convertible, please follow the instructions in the owner's manual to prevent damage to the top. If water doesn't "bead" on your top, it needs to be cleaned properly and waterproofed with protectant. Convertible tops are expensive to repair or replace, but with the proper care can last the life of the car.
 
Keep Your Car Garaged: Keep your car out of the sun whenever possible. Exposure to the hot sun will dry out the paint, plastic, rubber, upholstery, etc., and cause everything to fade and discolor over time. Add to this the damage caused by acid rain, fallout, tree sap, bird droppings and other contaminants, it's easy to see why keeping your car garaged is so beneficial.
 
Wash and Wax Your Car Often: Wash your car often to remove contaminants before they can damage the paint. Then to keep your car looking its best, I recommend you have it cleaned and waxed with an Express Detail at least once a year if it's garaged, or at least every six months if it's left outside.

For more information see Carwash.com