Spring 2015Spring 2015

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

An Advertising Supplement

Still enamored with thatnew car smell, drivers can beexcused for not thinking ofresale value as they put thepedal to the metal and speedoff in their brand new ride.

But it’s never too early tostart protecting a vehicle’sresale value, especially if you

hope to recoup as much of yourvehicle investment as possiblewhen the time comes to sellyour car or trade it in for anewer model. The following aresome ways motorists can pro-tect the resale value of theirvehicles from the moment thedealer tosses them the keys.

• Keep all maintenancerecords. New cars typically donot require much maintenance.But drivers should keep recordsof all work and maintenancedone on their vehicles, even ifthat work does not extendbeyond routine tuneups or oilchanges. Keeping maintenancerecords shows prospective buy-ers you prioritized taking care ofthe vehicle over the years, andthat makes the car or truckmore attractive to preownedvehicle buyers who want toavoid buying a lemon or a carthat has not been taken care of.

• Don’t overlook looks. Lookscan be deceiving, but new carbuyers who eventually plan tosell their vehicles should do allthey can to keep the car lookingas new as it did the day it wasfirst driven off the dealershiplot. Much like homeownersbenefit when selling a homewith curb appeal, a car thatlooks good gives buyers theimpression that it was welltaken care of. But a dirty car orone with lots of dings and dentsis a red flag to preowned carbuyers.

• Keep a clean interior. New

car owners typically maintainsome strict rules with regard tofood and beverages in theirvehicles. After all, no one wantstheir brand new car to succumbto stains or spills. But the longerdrivers have a car the more laxthey tend to become withregard to allowing food anddrinks into their cars, and thatcan ultimately hurt the resalevalue of the vehicle. Maintain aclean interior whether you justbought the car or have driven itfor a few years. Much like animpressive exterior leaves a last-ing impression, a clean interiorthat has not succumb to coffeestains or muddy boots is morelikely to impress buyers than acar with an interior that hasseen better, cleaner days.

• Drive defensively. It’s notjust what you do to a car buthow you drive the car that canaffect its resale value. Drivingdefensively reduces your risk ofaccident, and an accident-freepreowned vehicle is a top prior-ity for potential buyers. But driv-ing defensively also reduceswear and tear on your vehicle,as over time constant stop-and-

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Few drivers start thinking about resalevalue when driving a new car off of thedealership lot for the first time.

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CONSUMER TIPS |

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29, 2015| CONSUMER TIPS

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go, aggressive driving takes itstoll on vehicle engines andother components.

• Periodically examine thevehicle history report. Today’spreowned car buyers know toask for a vehicle history reportbefore buying a car. If your vehi-cle history report contains anysuspicious or inaccurate infor-mation, you may be forced tosell the car for less than it’sworth or delay selling until youcan have any issues corrected.That won’t necessarily happenovernight, but you can avoiddealing with a host of issues allat once by periodically examin-ing the vehicle history report.Any discrepancies on the reportcan be brought to the attentionof your insurance company,who can then work with you tocorrect the issues and restoreyour vehicle’s reputation.

Resale value may not beforemost on the minds of newcar owners, but the earlier buy-ers begin to factor resale valueinto their car-care routines, themore they will benefit down theroad.

Flat tires range from theinconvenient flats, which mayinterrupt a road trip or makedrivers late for work or anappointment, to more danger-ous blowouts, which can com-promise the safety of drivers,their passengers and anyoneelse on the road when the tiregives out.

But as inconvenient or dan-gerous as flats or blowouts canbe, they also can be preventedmore often than not. Tires oftenproduce warning signs that aflat or blowout is about toemerge, so drivers who want toavoid such unfortunate devel-opments can inspect their tiresfor the following signs.

• Varying wear: Tires should

exhibit the same type of wear.The wear on front tires and backtires may differ, but one fronttire should have the sameamount of wear as the otherand the same goes for the backtires. Uneven tread on tires indi-cates that the tire with morewear could be about to go out.

• Worn tread: Even driverswho know little about cars cantypically recognize when tiretread has worn down to thepoint where the tire is a safetyrisk. But drivers who are unsurecan employ the quarter test.Insert a quarter into the tread ofthe tire, with GeorgeWashington’s head upright. Ifyou can see the hairline of theUnited States’ first president,

then you need to replace thetire. Perform this test on each ofyour vehicle’s four tires.

• Low pressure: Drivers whodo not routinely check their tirepressure are more likely toendure a flat or blowout thanthose who regularly make suretheir tires are at the manufac-turer-recommended pressure,

which can be found in a vehicleowner’s manual or by callingthe tire manufacturer or visitingtheir website. An underinflatedtire is under stress that cancause the tire to blowout. Inaddition, poorly inflated tiresforce engines to work harder,which negatively affects a car’sfuel efficiency.

• Vibration: A car that vibratesexcessively may do so becausetires are damaged. Poor sus-pension is another cause ofexcessive vibration. Whatever isbehind a car that is vibrating,drivers should immediately takethe car to their mechanic for aninspection.

• Physical damage to the tire:Sometimes tires exhibit physicaldamage like bulges or cuts, andsuch signs could mean a flat tireor blowout is just around thecorner. Tires that exhibit suchphysical damage need to bereplaced immediately.

Flat tires and blowouts canprove both scary and inconven-ient. Drivers who want to avoidsuch problems should routinelyinspect their tires for indicatorsthat a flat or blowout is likely tooccur.

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Warning signsa tire is about

to go flat

Few drivers will be fortunate enough togo their entire driving lives withoutencountering at least one flat tire.

When visibility is not anissue, drivers can more easilysee their fellow motorists andbetter anticipate potentiallydangerous situations. But when

visibility is compromised, driv-ers and their passengers arevulnerable to a host of dangers,including inclement weatherand aggressive motorists.

Many things can affect driv-ers’ visibility on the road, butthose who take a proactiveapproach to improving their vis-ibility can put themselves in abetter position to handle anynegative situations that mayarise. One of the ways to do justthat is to pay more attention toyour headlights. Often over-looked when performing rou-tine vehicle maintenance, head-lights must be maintained toensure optimal visibility for driv-ers.

The following are a few waysdrivers can improve the per-formance of their headlights tomake their vehicles safer forthemselves and their passen-gers.

• Pay attention to the head-

lights’ output. Perhaps the mostnoticeable indicator of an agingheadlight is its light output. Asbulbs start to dim, drivers mayfind themselves struggling tosee during twilight and at night.That difficulty is not necessarilybecause drivers’ own vision isfailing, but may be a result ofaging bulbs whose light outputis gradually reduced by theeffects of humidity, electricalresistance and filament fatigue.Drivers who notice their head-lights are not producing asmuch light as they once didshould know that reduced out-put is a telltale sign of agingbulbs that need to be replaced.

• Say “so long” to the statusquo. Recognizing dimming

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Don’t forgetheadlights when

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Veteran and even novice drivers under-stand the importance of visibility whenthey get behind the wheel of their vehi-

cles.

Continued on page 6

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bulbs is just the first step towardimproving the performance ofyour headlights. The next step isfor drivers to recognize that allheadlight bulbs are not createdequal. Instead of replacing exist-ing bulbs with the same type ofbulbs provided by their vehicle’smanufacturer, drivers can vastlyimprove their visibility byupgrading to a bulb designed toprovide more light than thestandard halogen bulbs found inmany of today’s vehicles.Leading automotive lightingmanufacturer Philips produces arange of Upgrade HeadlightBulbs that offer up to 100 per-cent more light on the road thanstandard halogen bulbs. That’s asignificant benefit to drivers, asmotorists’ visual acuity isreduced by 70 percent at night,when statistics from theNational Highway Traffic SafetyAdministration indicate 49 per-cent of all fatal accidents occur.The NHTSA also notes that thefatality rate per mile driven atnight is roughly three times ashigh as it is during daylighthours.

• Find the right fit. The rightheadlight bulb can dramaticallyimprove visibility when drivingat night, but what’s good for thegoose is not always good for thegander. That’s because motoristsdrive for various reasons and onvarious roads, so the right bulbfor seniors who don’t often taketo the highways will not neces-sarily be the best fit for com-muters who routinely drive long

distances. Philips makes a head-light bulb for every type of driv-er, and each Upgrade HeadlightBulb creates a better beam pat-tern that is dramatically longerthan that provided by standardhalogen lights, ensuring driverscan safely see no matter howaccustomed they are to drivingat night.

• Let there be light.Regardless of how effective abulb has the potential to be,drivers who don’t routinelyclean their headlights will con-tinue to have their visibility com-promised. Certain preventativemeasures can help driversaddress headlight issues beforethey appear, ensuring their visi-bility is not compromised. Whenchecking your oil in the drivewayor even when you’re filling up atthe gas station, take a fewmoments to inspect your head-lights and address any issuesthat arise as soon as possible.The Philips HeadlightRestoration Kit includes a post-treatment that provides long-lasting UV protection for head-light lenses. The kit also includesa cleaner/polish andrestorer/protector so drivers canrestore their headlight lenses to“like new” quality while increas-ing visibility and reducing glarein as little as 30 minutes. Suchquick and simple maintenancecan ensure your headlights areperforming optimally.

More information is availableat www.philips.com/automo-tive.

Continued from page 5

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29, 2015| CONSUMER TIPS

Different drivers need differ-ent things out of their vehicles,so a car that might be perfectfor adults will not necessarily bethe best fit for teen drivers with-out much experience traversingthe nation’s roadways. The fol-lowing are a few factors to con-sider when helping teens findtheir first car.

SizeTeenagers have little to no

experience behind the wheel,so it’s best that they not drivecars that are especially small orlarge right away. According tothe National Highway TrafficSafety Administration, youngdrivers between the ages of 16and 17 are significantly overrep-resented in fatal crashes. TheNHTSA suggests such drivers’immaturity and inexperienceplays a significant role in thatoverrepresentation. So parentslikely do not want their childrenin the smallest car possible, as

such vehicles may not protectteens as adequately as slightlylarger vehicles in the case of anaccident. In addition, very largecars, such as pickup trucks orSUVs, can be difficult to controland are best suited to olderdrivers who already have yearsof driving experience undertheir belts. A mid-size sedan isbig enough to protect teens andtheir passengers in the case ofan accident, and such vehiclesare small enough to handle eas-ily.

Passenger capacityAnother factor to consider

when shopping for cars forteenagers is passenger capacity.The more seats there are in acar, the more friends teens canpack into their vehicles.Numerous teenagers in a car atonce can prove distracting tothe driver, and that distractioncan pave the way for an autoaccident. Steer clear of mini-

vans, SUVs or other vehicles thatfeature a third row of seats, asteens may be unable to stayfocused on the road with somany passengers in tow.

Under the hoodFew teens would not light up

at the sight of a muscle carawaiting them in the driveway.But cars that accelerate quicklyand those with substantialhorsepower and high-perform-ance engines may tempt teensto speed or spark the develop-ment of poor driving habits.Look for a vehicle with modestacceleration instead of animported sports car that teensmay be too immature and inex-perienced to handle.

Wear and tearTeens’ first cars are often pre-

owned vehicles, and such cars

may have significant wear andtear on some important safetyfeatures. Wear and tear may notbe a reason to avoid purchasinga preowned vehicle, but parentsmay want to replace the brakepads and tires on recently pur-chased preowned vehicles.Brake pads in strong conditionmay prove the differencebetween avoiding an accidentor getting into one. In addition,poorly inflated or worn downtires pose a safety risk to teensand their passengers. If suchfeatures seem to be worndown, replace them before let-ting teens hit the open road ontheir own.

Teens will remember theirfirst cars for the rest of theirlives. Parents can ensure thosememories are positive by find-ing a car that teens can handlecomfortably and operate safely.

What to look for ina teen’s first car

Many parents contribute moneytoward the purchase of theirteenagers’ first car. But even those

who don’t help kids finance the purchase oftheir first vehicle may still want to offer someadvice as their teens start to look for the carthey will no doubt remember for the rest oftheir lives.

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FROM OUR ADVERTISERS |

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When did you last serviceyour vehicle’s AC system? Welive in the high desert, 100degrees in the summer andbelow freezing in the winter.Plus, with the wind and dust inthe air, cooling systems take abeating! With the onset ofwarmer temperatures, it istime for all of us to think abouthow to keep our cool. Thisincludes servicing your vehi-cle’s cooling system.

Modern vehicle’s coolingsystems come with long lifecoolant. It is important tochange that coolant whenneeded to maintain the freez-ing, corrosion and overheatprotection it provides to theinternal engine cooling sys-tem. In our rural environment,

it is also important to inspectthe external cooling system.

In addition to regular lubri-cation maintenance, HaniganChevrolet recommends youstart your spring and summerwith a complete cooling sys-tem/AC system inspection.We offer a variety of coolingsystem services to fit theneeds of each situation. Letour GM Certified Technicianshelp keep you cool this sum-mer.

Pictured above: Brice Cochran, Certified Technician at HaniganChevrolet in Payette, servicing an AC system in preparation forwarmer weather.

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When Seth first started atHanigan Dodge as a ServiceAdvisor he had no idea whatwas in store for him. Hethought his knowledge ofvehicle mechanics was all hewould need to know. It didn’ttake long for him to realizethat “Customer Service” waswhat he really had to know.

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Engine air filters are a rela-tively inexpensive vehicle part,but they perform a very impor-tant job. For every gallon of gasa car burns, it uses the equiva-lent of 12,000 gallons of air, andthat air must be filtered to help

keep an engine clean.Air filters catch all of the dust,

grime, insects, sap, leaves, andany other debris that may getsucked up past the air intake ofthe vehicle’s grill and into theengine itself. Without the air fil-

ter, those contaminants maycompromise the engine, caus-ing corrosion and abrasion. Ifthe air filter in the enginebecomes too dirty and is notchanged regularly, the engine isstarved of air.

Clean air filters allow just theright ratio of air to fuel to enablethe engine to function properly.Engines need adequate air forthe combustion process to takeplace. Without the proper com-bustion levels, vehicles cannotperform properly or efficientlyand the engine may burn moregas or get fewer miles to thegallon. A dirty filter also can roban engine of power. Driversmay notice sluggish accelera-tion.

Air filters also can get so dirtythat the engine stalls complete-

ly. But such a problem onlydevelops after considerableneglect.

Air filters may not need to bereplaced at each and every oilchange service call. Many tech-nicians advise replacing the fil-ter every 8,000 miles. However,drivers who live in particularlydry and dusty regions may needto replace filters more frequent-ly.

Mechanics can often detectwhen an air filter needs to bereplaced. If he or she noticesthe air filter is particularly dirty,then it’s probably time toreplace it. Replacing the filter isa relatively inexpensive repairfor the amount of performanceand peace of mind a new filterprovides.

Why a clean air filteris important in your

vehicle

Motorists routinely check their tiresfor proper inflation, top off enginefluid levels and maintain oil change

schedules. But some drivers do not under-stand the importance of keeping engine airfilters clean.

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XNLV208256

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RED’S AUTOMOTIVE REPAIRCAR & TRUCK REPAIR

CONSUMER TIPS |

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29, 2015| Automotive How-To

Buying from private sellersmay also leave buyers moresusceptible to fraud. Odometerfraud is one type of fraud thatbuyers must be especially waryof when buying a preownedvehicle from a private seller, andthe following are a handful ofways buyers can determine if acar’s odometer has been tam-pered with.

• Examine the vehicle’s serv-ice history. Before buying a pre-owned vehicle, buyers shouldalways request to see docu-mentation of the vehicle’s serv-ice history. This can shed lighton how well (or how poorly)the vehicle was taken care of,and it also can serve as a clue asto the authenticity of the num-ber on the vehicle’s odometer.Vehicle mileage is often includ-ed on repair orders or receiptsprovided by auto repair shops,so such reports should give youa picture of how many miles thecar was driven at given timesthroughout its history. If thenumbers on the reports don’t

match up with the figure on theodometer, then the odometerhas likely been tampered with.

• Inspect thedashboard. Adamagedd a s h -

boardis nota l w a y sindicative ofodometer fraud, but itshould be enough to arouseyour suspicions. Loose or miss-ing screws on a dashboard or

scrapes or scarring along thedashboard often occur whensellers attempt to reset theirvehicles’ odometers. Again,such damage is not necessarilyindicative of odometer fraud,but if you were already suspi-cious of the seller, then theseadditional signs should beenough to compel you to walkaway and continue your vehiclesearch elsewhere.

• Ask to take the car to yourown mechanic for an inspec-tion. When buying a preowned

car, prospective buy-ers should

insist thatthey be

allowed totake the car to

their own mechanicto determine if it is worth buy-ing. This protects sellers frombuying a lemon and can help

them determine if odometerfraud has occurred. An experi-enced mechanic can examine acar and determine how muchwear and tear it has. If that wearand tear is more than theodometer suggests it shouldhave, then the odometer haslikely been tampered with.

• Insist on a vehicle historyreport. Whether buying from adealership or private seller, buy-ers of preowned vehiclesshould always insist on seeing avehicle history report. Mileage isalways documented whenevera vehicle is registered with thestate and whenever it under-goes state-mandated safety oremissions inspections. A vehiclehistory report from an agencylike CarFax can provide buyerswith a record of these registra-tions and inspections, and buy-ers can use that information todetermine if the odometer on agiven vehicle has been tam-pered with. If a seller refuses toprovide a vehicle history report,walk away and continue yoursearch until you find a buyerwilling to provide the report.

Odometer fraud is employedby sellers who want to maketheir cars seem more attractiveto prospective buyers. But buy-ers of preowned vehicles canemploy several strategies todetect if a given vehicle’sodometer has been tamperedwith.

Preowned car buyers looking to buyfrom private sellers rather than dealer-ships typically understand that such an

approach can be risky. When buying from aprivate seller, such purchases are typically as-is, and rarely are buyers protected withextended warranties that may be offered bydealers who specialize in preowned vehicles.

How to detect odometer fraud

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10% off Your PurchaseMONTH OF OCTOBER SALE

517 South 9th Street, Payette, Idaho 83661208-642-3586

Card much be surrendered at time of purchase. Expires 10-31-13.

Card must be surrendered at time of purchase. Expires 5-31-15

10% off Your PurchaseMONTH OF MAY SALE

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COMPLETE ENGINE REBUILDING & REPAIRFOREIGN & DOMESTIC DIESEL & INDUSTRIAL•Computer Diagnostic•Auto Repair •Brakes

1711 N. Oregon St., Ontario

541-889-3442

Hunt’s Auto Sales

Bruce Hunt,OWNER541-889-6907833 SW 30th St. Ontario, ORSouth of the Airporton Hwy 201

Comevisit us

at our new

location!

Rich’s Auto Clinic & Towing

Over 40 years ExperienceMost Insurances AcceptedAccepting Most Credit Cards

541-889-5037211 NE 2nd St.Ontario

We Do It RightThe First Time

Free tow within 10 mile radius if we do the work

•24-Hr. Towing•Recovery•Major & Minor Repairs•Lockouts, Foreign& Domestic•Computer Scan Diagnostic•Tranny Flushes

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2280 NW 11th Street • Ontario, Oregon Exit 374541-889-7002 • 800-391-6671

DIESEL & GAS ENGINE REPAIRALL MAKES OF TRANSMISSIONS

PICKUPS, 4X4’S, FARM EQUIPMENTAUTOS, TRUCKS & SEMI’S

CARD FINDER