Monthly Archives: March 2010

How to prepare your car for warmer weather

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Posted in How To

Even though there are still a few weeks left of winter, it is never too early to begin thinking about preparing your vehicle for the next season. When the days get longer and the temperature begins to rise, there are several car maintenance procedures that should be implemented.

Sometime within the next six weeks, every car owner living in the Northeast should check their tires. After taking off your winter chains, take out your pressure gauge and make sure that your tires are inflated to the level recommended by your owner’s manual. Tire pressure changes with the rising temperature and should be monitored accordingly.

An under-inflated tire will bulge outward and will put harmful pressure on the sidewalls of the tire, according to HowStuffWorks.com. On an especially hot day, a low tire can unexpectedly blow, creating an extremely dangerous driving situation.

Beyond being a safety concern, an improperly inflated or misaligned tire can cost you money at the pump. Appropriately inflated tires can increase your car’s fuel economy by as much as 3 percent, Kiplinger reports.

After de-winterizing your tires, get out your hose and thoroughly clean the undercarriage of your car. We have all seen what salt can do to the exterior of an otherwise well-maintained automobile, but it can be even more damaging to the underside of a car if not properly removed. Salt with slowly eat away at the essential parts of your vehicle and will make your engine and transmission run hotter.

Overall, the best way maintain the health of your automobile through the spring and summer is to keep your engine as cool as possible. After changing your radiator fluid and coolant, be certain to check all the hoses and belts that connect your car’s most vital components.

Visually check all your belts for cracks and damage, and make sure that the rubber material is firm and hasn’t started separating into different layers, according to the news source. The risk of belt failure tends to increase after 36,000 miles.

Finally, check and clean your battery. Although dead batteries are commonly associated with winter conditions, summer heat will accelerate the chemical reaction inside the battery, causing it to be overcharged. Cleaning your battery with a paste of baking soda can significantly add to its life.

Carl Edwards gets a slap on the wrist after wrecking Brad Keselowski

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Posted in Celebrity Auto News, Dodge - DO NOT USE

On Tuesday, NASCAR veteran Carl Edwards was placed on three weeks probation for deliberately wrecking Brad Keselowski’s number 12 Dodge at last weekend’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

In the NASCAR world, Edwards’ punishment is actually being looked at as rather light, as he admitted to purposefully spinning out Keselowski as an act of retribution.

Early on in the race, the four-time Atlanta champion was bumped from behind by Keselowski, sending Edwards’ car careening into the wall, essentially ending his day.

However, after sitting in the garage for over an hour, and falling 153 laps behind the leaders, Edwards drove his car out of the shop and back on the racetrack with vengeance on his mind.

Edwards spent over a lap attempting to chase down Keselowski, who was running in the top ten at the time of the “accident.” After Edwards made contact with Keselowski’s Dodge, the car went airborne and smashed into the catch-fence while inverted. Fortunately, no injuries occurred, but the harrowing scene made some commentators believe that Edwards would be suspended.

Keselowski’s Penske Racing teammate Kurt Busch won the race, his first victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Florida woman arrested for driving while shaving – her bikini line

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Posted in Ford, General Auto News

In a criminal case taken right from a movie script, a Florida woman was arrested last week after crashing her car into another vehicle while shaving her bikini line in traffic.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 37-year-old Meghan Barnes was on her way to Key West to visit her boyfriend when she decided to shave her pubic region. While driving approximately 45 miles per hour through Cudjoe Key last Tuesday, Barnes handed the steering wheel over to her ex-husband – who was riding in the passenger seat – so she could finish the job.

Unfortunately, the plan fell apart when an SUV slowed down in front of Barnes’ Ford Thunderbird and she crashed into the back of it, causing minor injuries to the occupants of the other vehicle.

“If I wasn’t there, I wouldn’t have believed it,” arresting officer Gary Dunick told the local newspaper, The Citizen.

The police report indicates that Barnes and her ex-husband drove for another half-mile after the accident and switched seats to make it look like he was driving. She was charged with driving with a revoked license, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident with injuries and driving without valid insurance. Police also told the Citizen that Barnes had been arrested for a DUI the day before and had her car impounded.

How to drive in winter conditions

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Posted in How To

Despite the gorgeous weather in many regions this weekend, spring is not yet officially upon us. With a few weeks of winter remaining, owners of used vehicles in New Jersey and New York should know that the majority of cars accidents occur when the weather is at its worst.

Knowing how to drive during the winter months is not an innate ability – it is an acquired skill. With a few helpful tips, we can all safely get through the final weeks of March and the inevitable last few snowstorms.

The best advice for driving in poor winter weather conditions is to avoid it if possible. Waiting until the snow plows and sand trucks have done their job will drastically reduce your chances of getting into an accident.

If you must drive in snowy or icy conditions, always make sure that you are well prepared. In any conditions, but especially when it is snowing, it is recommended to carry an emergency winter car kit, which should include a flashlight, first aid supplies, a fully charged cell phone, basic tools and road flares or a reflective triangle, according to Road and Travel Magazine. Other recommended items include warm clothes, jumper cables, an ice scrapper as well as carpet strips, sand or kitty litter for traction.

Meanwhile, when driving, leave plenty of room between your car and the vehicle in front of you. Experts recommend that you allow for at least four car lengths between yourself and other vehicles on the road for every 10 miles per hour.

Furthermore, make sure to brake before you enter a turn. You always want to slow down and then accelerate out of a corner to increase traction. Applying the brake while making a turn will force you to lose grip and control of your car.

Finally, if you do find yourself skidding out of control, you need to go against your natural tendencies, says Jerry Pearl, general manager of the Bridgestone Winter Driving School at Steamboat Springs, Colorado, according to Edmunds.com.

“Turn into the skid,” he adds. “You also need to accelerate – people don’t think about accelerating to control the car.”

Simply releasing the brake and gently accelerating while turning into the skid can help you regain control your vehicle. At that point, slow down and turn back into the road.

Did Tim Tebow’s entourage steal Darrell Waltrip’s car?

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Posted in Celebrity Auto News, Lexus - DO NOT USE, Mercedes-Benz

Last Sunday, retired NASCAR driver and current Fox Sports analyst Darrell Waltrip flew home to Nashville to discover that his black Lexus sports utility vehicle had been stolen – sort of.

When Waltrip made his way out to the parking lot of the private Tennessee airport, he noticed that a similar looking black Mercedes SUV was parked right next to the vacant spot that had once held his automobile.

“I went back inside and said, ‘Guys, somebody stole my car,'” said Waltrip. “Everybody had this sheepish look. This one kid said, ‘DW, I think I know where your car is.'”

As it turned out, a few hours before the NASCAR legend arrived back at the airport, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow landed with his entourage, which included his brother, his agent and Will Bartholomew, head the Nashville-area training facility, D1 Sports,. The group had just returned from the 2010 NFL Combine where Tebow had worked out for professional scouts and coaches.

Bartholomew, who was the last one of the group to leave the airport, was told to take Tebow’s agent’s car and meet everybody back at the D1 campus.

Unfortunately, Bartholomew walked up to Waltrip’s Lexus – which was unlocked – hit the pushbutton-start ignition switch, and hit the road behind the Florida quarterback and the rest of his party.

Luckily for the Tebow clan, Waltrip found humor in the situation and even considered reporting the car stolen as a gaffe.

“I was going to call the police, have them pull (Tebow) over and scare the fire out of him.” Waltrip laughed, according to the Tennessean.

“I wanted them to tell him they knew he was a fine Christian boy, but that he just couldn’t steal people’s cars,” he added. “My wife told me that would embarrass him and that I didn’t want to do that to him.”

After Bartholomew learned what happened, he returned NASCAR analyst’s Lexus the next day.

And what lesson did Darrell Waltrip learn? “Don’t leave your car unlocked. Because you never know what celebrity might take it.”

Jeff Bridges bounced from Hyundai ads airing during the Oscars

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Posted in Celebrity Auto News, Hyundai

Owners of used Hyundai models in New Jersey may hear an unfamiliar voice while watching the Oscars this Sunday. Actor Jeff Bridges, who has been doing voiceovers for Hyundai commercials since 2007, has been told that he cannot appear in any advertisements that air during the Academy Awards, because of a rule prohibiting nominees and award presenters from doing so.

Unfortunately for the Korean automaker, they were unaware that Bridges, who is nominated for Best Actor for his role in Crazy Heart, would be prevented from doing voiceovers for the seven different commercials that they had planned to run during the Oscars.

According to USA Today, Hyundai was forced to hire several last minute replacements to sub in for Bridges, including Catherine Keener, Kim Basinger, David Duchovny, Richard Dreyfuss, Michael Madsen, Mandy Patinkin and Martin Sheen.

A 30-second spot in the Academy Awards’ broadcast is estimated to cost between $1.3 and $1.5 million, Auto Week reports. Hyundai has confirmed that Bridges will return to his usual position as spokesman following the awards ceremony.

Those interested in used Hyundai models may want to take a look at the Sonata, one of the more popular used sedans on the road today.

Nissan to recall more than 500,000 cars

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Posted in Nissan

On Thursday, officials with Nissan announced that they will be recalling approximately 540,000 cars worldwide due to brake malfunctions and incorrect fuel gauges.

The safety initiative will involve six Nissan brands, including the Titan, Armada, Frontier, Pathfinder, Quest and the Xterra, making it the largest recall in the company’s history. Most affected models were produced between 2008 and 2010, and the majority of the vehicles being recalled were sold in the U.S.

The Nissan Titan and Armada are being recalled for faulty brake pedal pins, while the rest of the vehicles are being brought back to fix fuel gauges that inaccurately display the amount of gas left in the tank. Due to the issue, some Nissan models may run out of gas even though the fuel gauge indicates there is still an adequate supply, the Christian Science Monitor reports.

“Keep at least half a tank showing on the fuel gauge and you won’t have to worry about running out of fuel,” recommends company spokesman Fred Standish.

The automaker will be sending out notices to owners of recalled vehicles in the next few days.

U.S. economy shows signs of rebounding

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Auto Loans & Financing News

After a rather trying 2009, it seems the U.S. economy has begun to pick up steam. Two separate reports by offices of the Federal Reserve have indicated that the economy has experienced moderate improvement over the last few months.

On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve released the latest Beige Book, which is a nationwide survey of economic conditions based on information collected from the Fed’s 12 regional bank districts.

Officials with the New York region – which includes New York, New Jersey and parts of Connecticut – said the local economy flashed further signs of improved strength and that many manufacturers are planning to increase capital spending and employment in the coming months, according to the Associated Press.

The report also indicated that the majority of retailers reported sales ahead of expectations, although the recent snow storms did hinder business in some areas.

Meanwhile, Richard Fisher, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, said on Tuesday during an interview with PBS that the entire U.S. economy was “not robust but improving,” according to the Wall Street Journal.

Naomi Campbell involved in alleged assault case

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Posted in Cadillac - DO NOT USE, Celebrity Auto News

Supermodel Naomi Campbell will likely not face charges after her driver told New York police on Tuesday that she assaulted him while he was driving her Cadillac Escalade.

The 27-year-old driver claimed that Campbell slammed his head into the steering wheel of her SUV while the car was in motion, according to the Associated Press. The driver, whose name has not been released, reportedly had a small bruise and some swelling under one of his eyes.

Campbell was not at the scene when police arrived and has yet to speak with the authorities regarding the matter. The 39-year-old will most likely not face any legal trouble though, as the driver decided not to file any criminal charges. It is still unclear whether he will pursue the matter in civil court.

This week’s incident is not the first time that Campbell has shown up on the radar of police because of her temper. In 2008, the British supermodel was sentenced to 200 hours of community service after pleading guilty to assaulting two police officers at an airport. She was also forced to attend anger management classes after throwing a cell phone at her housekeeper in 2007, according to The Washington Post.

Longtime GM executive to retire in May

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Posted in Auto Industry News, General Auto News

General Motors vice chairman Bob Lutz, a longtime executive who had a hand in developing some of the company’s most popular vehicles, announced on Wednesday that he will retire from the automaker effective May 1.

Lutz, 78, had actually planned on retiring at the end of last year, but agreed in July to remain head of sales and marketing operations. He was one of the few members of upper management to be kept on after the company filed for bankruptcy protection last year, according to The New York Times.

“The influence Bob Lutz has had on GM’s commitment to design, build and sell the world’s best vehicles will last for years to come,” said Ed Whitacre, General Motors CEO.

“I, along with many other men and women at GM and throughout the industry, have greatly benefited from his passion, wisdom and guidance,” he added.
Lutz, a former marine pilot, championed many of GM’s most influential vehicles, including the Chevy Volt, Saturn Aura and the Chevy Silverado pickup.

The news of Lutz’ retirement comes only a day after the American automaker announced that it will shakeup its executive ranks and reassign some managers to separate sales and marketing responsibilities.