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8/2/2019 Car Care 2012
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/car-care-2012 1/8
mnnnF onomy
n Fy
A Special Section of
The Lebanon Democrat,Mt. Juliet News and
Hartsville Vidette
P R n G
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2 • Spring Car Care 2012
The return of warm weather marksthe return of road trips for millions of
motorists across the country. Whether
going to the beach or heading off to parts
unknown, hitting the open road with the
windows down is a time-honored tradi-tion for drivers of all ages.But such road trips can prove disas-
trous if drivers don’t take the right steps
to prepare their vehicles for spring and
summer travel. The following are a few
ways motorists can ensure their car isready to tackle the open road.
Tighten things up. Loose parts, such
as exhaust clamps, license plates, and
interior trim panels, can create rattles and
cause parts to get damaged or fall off.What’s more, rattling sounds can be a
noisy nuisance for drivers and passengers
alike. Threadlockers can be used to keep
the nuts and bolts from coming loose and
save parts replacement costs. There arealso threadlockers for plastic fasteners,
which vehicle manufacturers have grown
to rely on more and more.
Wash your car. A newly washed car notonly looks good, but it’s often much safer
as well. Take your car to a car wash a fewdays before the trip and have the vehicle
thoroughly cleaned. A thorough clean-
ing will remove dirt and grime from the
vehicle’s undercarriage, not to mentionunsightly bird droppings and water spots
or salt stains leftover from winter.
Fix foggy headlight lenses. Many spring
and summer road trippers travel at nightso their days can be spent soaking up
some sun at the beach or lake. Before
heading off for parts unknown, motor-ists should inspect their headlight lenses
to reduce risk of accident. If the lenses
are yellowed and foggy, that’s likely
because salt, ozone and road debris has
dulled them to a point where vision canbe impaired, placing drivers and theirpassengers at risk. But foggy lenses don’t
mandate an expensive headlight replace-
ment. In fact, you can nd lens renew kits
which makes it easy to clean up and pol-
ish dull headlight lenses and restore themto like new condition, improving your
car’s lighting and driver visibility.
Check the battery. Over time, battery
terminals and cables will start to corrode.
Such corrosion will eventually eat awayat the battery’s parts, creating a bad con-
nection that sooner or later will require
the battery be replaced. Check the battery
before your trip and remember to clean
the battery periodically as part of routinevehicle maintenance.
Address windshield nicks and bullseyes.
Nicks and chips in the windshields are
a common problem regardless of the sea-son. But such damage is most prevalent
in the winter because of the extra debristhat’s on the road. These nicks and
cracks need to get xed as soon as pos-
sible to prevent them from spreading and
resulting in the need for a windshieldreplacement. Oftentimes, motorists can
address nicks and bullseyes in their own
driveways in a matter of minutes. Some
windshield repair kits are tailor made for
do-it-yourselfers, requiring no heatingor mixing while ensuring each repair is
virtually undetectable. n
Ready your car for
Spring Travel
DecideToDrive.org
IN THIS EDITION
Ready your car for Spring and Summer travel
What to do with a Cracked Windshield
Helping your car ‘Spring’ back to life
Simple Ways to Improve Fuel Economy
Improve Vision for a Safer Ride Ride
What to do if a Tire Blows Out
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Spring Car Care 2012 • 3
Cookeville
R ADIATOR SHOP
Shop: 931-526-2013435 West Broad St.
Cookeville, TN 38501
Howard Mayberry: 931-526-9409
Barney Griner: 931-528-1924
Since 1935
New & Rebuilt Radiators in StockGas Tanks Cleaned,Repaired & Coated
One Day ServiceAll Work Guaranteed
Josh McKinney (615) 513-4502
Auto Detailing
tt
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Tony Sullivan - Owner
JNRELECTRONICS
JNRELECTRONICS
Mobile Electronic Specialists
1318 West Main St.
Lebanon, TN 37087(615) 443-1989
The scenario is all too common. Drivers are traveling down the road, and a pebble gets
kicked up and hits into their windshield, causing a small chip to appear. Slowly but surely
that chip turns into a spreading, snaking crack that only gets worse with each bump andpothole.
Having a broken windshield is not only unsightly and a big inconvenience, it can also
be illegal. That’s because the crack reduces the efcacy of the window safety composi-
tion, meaning it may shatter in the event of an impact accident and cause extensive inju-
ries. The crack also may impede a driver’s ability to see the road clearly.It’s important to note that liability car insurance typically doesn’t cover a cracked
windshield that occurs in a collision. Instead, drivers hoping to be covered need to have
collision insurance on their vehicle. However, not all windshields crack in a car accident.
Many are damaged in nonaccident related circumstances, whether this be a tree branch
that falls on the car or a rock kicked up from the roadway. It’s important to read an insur-
ance policy thoroughly to be sure that nonaccident related cracks to the windshield willbe covered.
Even if the damage is covered, it may not be worth the expense of paying the insurance
deductible and ling a claim, which may end up raising your rate in the long run.
Many small nicks can be repaired easily with a kit purchased from an automotive sup-
ply store. Inexpensive and user-friendly, the instructions guide users through the processof sealing the crack and preventing it from spreading.
If the crack is beyond the scope of a do-it-yourself x, a windshield repair service thatspecializes in this type of work might be necessary. These companies use products that
harden quickly and reglaze the windshield so that the crack may not even be noticeable
afterward.
Upon inspection, a mechanic or a windshield replacement company may determinethat the crack is not something that can be mended. The entire windshield will have to be
replaced at this point. In some cases the windshield can be removed and replaced in the
same day.
While there is no way to prevent a cracked windshield entirely, there are certain ways
to reduce the risk. This includes avoiding running over any debris on the road that can bekicked back at the windshield. nA windshield crack is something that should be remedied soon.
What to do with a
Cracked Windshield
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4 • Spring Car Care 2012
T&A CyclesTony Ferrell, Owner/Operator
www.tacycles.net • Ofce: 615-444.8959
112 South Maple St. •Lebanon, TN 37087
The preferred transmission repair shop in Wilson County!
Servicing Lebanon, Mt. Juliet, Hartsville and surrounding counties.
LEBANON
TRANSMISSIONS
615-443-0373333 West High Street • Lebanon
Located on 70 Bypass 2 blocks from The Lebanon Democrat
Locally owned and operated by Mickey & Shaun Speight
Accredited Member of the BBB
RACK UPthe Savings
The tires you trust
at affordable prices!
• New & Used Tires• 25 Years’ Experience in Complete
Automotive Care
PerformanceTires &
Automotive12017 Lebanon Rd.
Mt. Juliet, TN 37122
(615) 573-6902
Oil Change Special!
$3000plus tax
(Include
s 13-point inspec
tion,
up to 5 qt
s. of oil)
Helping your car by Kimberly Jordan
‘Spring’ back to lifeAnyone who looks forward to the warm months for road trips and family outings should think
about making sure the family car (or van) is in ship shape and ready for the rigors of the road.As spring approaches, local automotive professionals are offering tips to motorists on for preparing
and caring for your vehicle to get ready for the summer months.
RSSE WAE, Performance Tires & AutomotiveI recommend A/C work getting ready for summer; make sure coolant levels are right.
With summer coming, if the coolant levels are not right it’ll overheat. Make sure the tire
pressure’s right, when you come out of winter the tire pressure changes going into summer,when it starts heating up things change a little bit and you don’t want to blow a tire.
MICE SPEIHT, ebanon TransmissionThe best tip is preventive maintenance; watch the gauges, the transmission needs to be
serviced also, at least one a year which includes changing the uid and lter; inspect the
belts. That’s crucial the longevity of the vehicle.
TO FERRE, T&A Cycle, ebanonCheck your tire pressure and check your brakes would be the most critical. If you have
low tire pressure you have the chance of bad handling (of your motorcycle). Right now
everybody is having their tire pressure checked.
BRCE COER, Conder’s APA Auto Care, Mt. JulietGet your air conditioner serviced, cooling systems are very important. Check your uid
levels and make sure your radiator fan is working properly.n
Ensure you’re ready for those family road trips with somepreventative maintenance and safety checks.
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Spring Car Care 2012 • 5
Hamblen’s...The nametoknowwhenyou needa tow.
HAMBLEN’S WRECKER SERVICE
Phone 615-758-5142
Fax 615-754-5142
8594 Central Pike • Mt. Juliet, TN 37122
Family Owned Business since 1962
Member of the: Better Business Bureau
and
The Lebanon Wilson County Chamber Of Commerce
1020 Murfreesboro Rd. (Route 231 South) • Lebanon, TN 37090
www.FetchosPrecisionAutoBody.com
Monday Through Friday – 7:30 am to 5:30 pm • Saturday By Appointment
All Insurance Claims WelcomeFrame & Unibody Repair
Locally Owned and OperatedLimited LIfetime Warranty
Certified TechniciansFree Estimates
Highest Quality Auto Body Work and Painting
ALL TYPES OF
COLLISION REPAIR
and
CLASSIC CARRESTORATION
We feature
PRECISION AUTO BODY615-453-4471 F E T
C H O ' S
. . .
Carolyn Miller, Agent2614 N Mt Juliet Road
Mt Juliet, TN 37122Bus: 615-754-4604
Drivehome thesavings.
.
,
,
. . .
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
State Farm Indemnity Company, State Farm Fire and Casualty Company
State Farm General Insurance Company
Bloomington, IL0901133.1
Combine your homeowners
and car policies and
save big-time.
Like a good neighbor,
State Farm is there.®
CALL ME TODAY.
• Rotate the tires – This should be done roughly every 5,000-10,000 miles and it can
extend the life of your tires signicantly by reducing wear.
• Check the wiper blades – Windshield wipers take a beating during the winter – clearing away dirt, debris and salt
spray. Make sure the blades are making full contact with the windshield and have not dried out.
• Change oil and lter – Keep to the manufacturers’ recommendation and change your oil and lter in accordance
with the vehicle owners manual. Usually every 3,000 to 5,000 miles.
• Change the air lter – Your car’s air lter prevents dust and other debris f rom getting into the engine’s running parts,
meaning less efcient use of gas and weaker engine performance.
• Check the belts and hoses – Winter weather takes a toll on your car’s belts and hoses making them more likely to
break. Visibly inspect them for wear. Replace glazed or frayed belts or bulging hoses.
• Check battery and plugs – Make sure battery posts and connections are clean. Spark plugs re as many as 3
million times every 1,000 miles.
• Clean the interior – Residual salt and sand that was brought into the interior of the vehicle can damage oor mats
and carpet. Use a hand vacuum to remove dirt and debris from the oor and seats of your vehicle.
• Remove items that may have been used for winter driving – There’s no need to carry sand, shovels and other winter
driving “musts” once the snow and ice have melted. Keep your trunk clean to improve gas mileage which can lead to
considerable savings at the pump.
• Prepare the interior surfaces and upholstery of your car for more sun exposure – Use a good leather protector to
avoid any cracking on leather seats and invest in a product that will help avoid fading cloth interiors. n
AAA recommends that motorists do a thoroughcheck of their vehicle. Here are a few tips:
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6 • Spring Car Care 2012
• Search by make, model, price or dealer• Contact the dealer through email about
a vehicle directly through the site.
• View vehicle’s photos
• It’s easy!
Now you can shop local car dealers day or night. Find incredible deals on great vehicles from local dealers by visiting...
The Lebanon Democrat is pleasedto announce its newest website -
midtnwheels.com!This website contains car & truckinventories from dealers in WilsonCounty and Middle Tennessee andthe inventory is updated daily!
Looking for a car or
truck has neverbeen easier!
The economy might be slowly
recovering, but saving money is still
foremost on the minds of many people.
Men and women have looked to save
money in a variety of ways, includingat the gas pump. While there’s little
drvivers can do to reduce the cost of a
gallon of gas, there are ways they can
make the gas last a little longer.
Improving fuel economy is noth-
ing new to many motorists, but somemight still be surprised at the myriad
ways they can get more bang for their
buck with regards to fuel costs.
O’T BREA THE AW. Obeying thespeed limit might save your life, and
it can also save you money. Typically,
fuel economy decreases rapidly as a
car reaches and surpasses 60 miles per
hour. According to the U.S. Depart-ment of Safety, drivers can assume
that each ve miles per hour they drive
over 60, they are paying an additional
$0.26 per gallon for gas.
EMPT THE TR. Though it might
be more convenient to keep your golf
clubs in the trunk of your car, extra
and unnecessary cargo in a vehicle’s
trunk drastically reduces fuel economy.
An extra 100 pounds in a vehicle canreduce miles per gallon by as much as
2 percent, so keep a trunk free of itemsthat aren’t absolutely necessary.
STOP II. Many people let theircar idle for several minutes on cold
mornings. But today’s newer vehicles
don’t really need to idle to warm up,
and idling can be very taxing on fuel
economy. Depending on the size of the
car, idling can use between a quarterto a half gallon of fuel per hour. If
you still insist on letting the vehicle
idle, a few seconds of idling should be
enough to warm the engine up.
EMBRACE CRISE COTRO. On long
drives, maintaining a constant speed,which a vehicle does when drivers
utilize cruise control, can help save
fuel, as it’s less taxing on an engine to
continue at one speed then it is to con-
stantly switch back and forth between
high and low speeds.
IFATE THE TIRES. Poorly inated
tires lower gas mileage and also pose
a safety hazard. The DOE notes that
properly inated tires can improvegas mileage by as much as 3 percent.
Ideal tire pressure is different for
each vehicle, so check your vehicle’s
owner’s manual for recommended tire
pressure. Some vehicle manufactur-ers also include the recommended
tire pressure on the vehicle itself, be
it in the driver’s side door jamb or in
the vehicle’s glove compartment. Tire
pressure printed on the tire’s sidewallmight not be the ideal tire ination
for your particular vehicle, so always
adhere to the manufacturer’s recom-
mendation instead.
RIVE THE CAR O EE. Driverswho truly need to save money at the
pump should consider the type of ve-hicle they’re driving, and whether it’s
the car they need or the car they want.
For instance, ofce workers who owna pickup truck but don’t use it to haul
items might want to consider a smaller
vehicle that gets better gas mileage.
Improving fuel efciency is a great
way for motorists to save money andreduce the expenses associated with
vehicle ownership. n
Simple ways to improve
Fuel Economy
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Spring Car Care 2012 • 7
441 E. Division St. • Mt. Juliet, TN 37122
Conder’s Automotive Service
615-758-1515
Owner: Bruce Conder
ASE Certifed - AC & Heat Specialist
CHARLIE TATUM CAMPERS, RV SERVICE,
PARTS, SALES & CUSTOM WORK 444-3435
304 Carver Lane • Lebanon, TN 37087Hours: Tues. - Sat 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
www.charlietatumcampers.com
As the motor vehicle industry contin-
ues to evolve, the emphasis drivers and
manufacturers place on safety continues
to increase. But even though technologi-cal advancements have vastly improved
driver safety, accidents still happen.
One of the more concerning trends with
regards to trafc accidents is when they
occur. In spite of the fact that there areve times as many motorists during the
day, statistics indicate that one-third of all
accidents and roughly half of all trafc fa-
talities occur at night. Though that might
seem counterintuitive, this peculiarity
can largely be traced to a driver’s visualacuity, which is reduced by 70 percent at
night. Simply put, the human eye is not
adapted for nocturnal vision, so drivers
must take steps to improve their vision
and visibility within their vehicle. The
following are just a few of the ways
drivers can do just that.
Replace headlight bulbsever tw ears.Addressing automobile lighting is one
of the most underperformed vehicle
maintenance tasks. In fact, many driversdo not even consider replacing their
headlight bulb until it fails. But as a
bulb ages, its light output is drastically
reduced by a host of factors, including
humidity, electrical resistance and la-
ment fatigue. Industry experts recom-mend replacing headlight bulbs every
two years, and motorists should add bulb
inspection and/or replacement to their
list of routine maintenance tasks. Inspect and replace wiper bladeswhen necessary.Similar to headlight bulbs, wiper blades
are often overlooked when it comes to
vehicle maintenance. But many motor-ists would be shocked to discover that
industry experts recommend wiper
blades be replaced at the change of each
season or on three month intervals. That’s
because the longer a wiper blade is on thevehicle, the more brittle and ineffective it
becomes, putting drivers and passengers
at risk. Drivers can also purchase inex-
pensive treatments designed to make the
rubber more pliable and extend the life
of the wipers. In addition, when inspect-ing or replacing wiper blades, top off the
windshield washer uid as a precaution-
ary measure.
Install daytime running lights, or Rs. While many drivers will admit to having
trouble driving at night, just as many, if
not more, might also concede they strug-
gle with visibility at dusk or even during
the day. But DRLs operate whenever the
vehicle is moving, helping to increasevisibility during the day and at dusk.
While most DRLs are based off the car’s
headlights, causing the headlights to wear
down over time, the new LED DayLight
DRLs from Philips operate on their own
and use high powered LEDs which drawless power from the vehicle. These LEDs
are incredibly bright for maximum visibil-
ity in daylight and have a much longer life
expectancy than headlight bulbs.
Clean interior glass and mirrors.Another way to improve visibility is to
clean interior glass to remove any lm
buildup that can reduce vision and create
a hazy reection from the sun. This is
especially important for motorists who
smoke in the car, as this lm is typicallythicker. When addressing interior glass,
take the time to adjust all side and rear-
view mirrors properly to cover all of the
views around the car, especially the blindspots. n
Improve vision for a Safer Ride
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8 • Spring Car Care 2012
Full Service Auto Care
LEBANON
TIRE SERVICE906 West Main
Lebanon, TN • 449-4000
It’s the clear choice for your wallet, your car, and,
most importantly, the people riding with you.
Replacing compressed air with N2Cel Dry Nitrogen is the best thing
you can do for your tires. Ask your tire sales professional how you
can get all of the advantages of nitrogen in your tires today.
• Nitrogen is safer than compressed air
• Nitrogen lled tires give better fuel mileage
• Nitrogen maintains tire pressures better
• Expect 25% or more tire mileage with nitrogen
• Nitrogen lled tires improve handling and ride
• Braking is improved with nitrogen inated tires
• Nitrogen is non-combustible, will not burn like compressed air
Complete Auto CareOil Changes • Front End Alignments • Tire Rotation
Check All Fluids • Brake Inspection • Check Belts & Hoses
Check Filter • Test Battery, Etc.
Is your “Check Engine” light on? Vehicle just not running right?
Come in today for a complete fuel service for only $119.
Accidents that occur on the roadways are
unpredictable and can be caused by just about
anything. Impaired or distracted motorists might
heighten the risk of an accident, but even things
like a squirrel running across the street and scar-ing a driver can lead to an accident.
Tire blowout is another potential cause of acci-
dent, and such blowouts might be more common
than motorists expect. For instance, a 2005 study
from the French National Institute for Transportand Safety Research found that, between 1996
and 2002, nearly 61,000 vehicles were involved
in crashes with property damage and/or injury
on a particular stretch of highway. More than six
percent of those accidents involved tire blowout,
a problem many motorists might mistake assomething that only happens in movies.
But tire blowout can put motorists in a precari-
ous position, especially if they don’t know what
to do should one of their tires blow out. Surviv-
ing tire blowout can be done by adhering to thefollowing tips.
on’t respond by hitting the brakes. It might be
counterintuitive to squeeze the gas pedal when
a tire blows out, but doing so puts drivers in
control of the vehicle and keeps it going in theintended direction. Immediately slamming on
the brakes will cause the vehicle to turn, pos-
sibly turning the vehicle into oncoming trafc,
a guardrail or other cars traveling in the same
direction. When squeezing the gas pedal, drive
straight down the lane. Within seconds of press-ing the gas pedal, slowly begin to release it.
Coast to a slower speed. As the accelerator is re-
leased, allow the vehicle to coast to a slow speed,
but not a speed so slow as to put driver and pas-sengers at risk. Once the car is coasting between
25 to 30 miles per hour, use the turn signal and
slowly turn toward the side of the road where
the tire is blown. For example, if the front right
tire is blown, turn toward the right shoulder. You
want to turn toward this side because it’s alwayssafest to limit your own exposure to oncoming
motorists when changing the tire.
Check tire pressure when you can pull into aparking lot. When you have safely made it to theshoulder and the tire has been changed success-
fully, nd a lling station or other parking lot
and check the tire pressure on the tires that did
not blowout. A blowout is often the result of an
underinated tire, so if one tire blows out due to
underination it’s quite possible the others mightas well. n
What to do if a tire blows out