Are You Ready For Spring?

Spring is  of the prime time to Maintain your auto. That first wash-n-wax on a warm Saturday afternoon is liberating. Winter's gloom (to say nothing of grit and road salt) is literally washed away.

Take out the snow shovel, the gloves, and heavy boots and store them 'til next season.
Summer isn't that  far away.

Some preparation now will help ensure that your summer driving plans go as smoothly as possible.


We offer the following tips on getting your auto ready for summer.

• Read the owner's manual and follow the recommended service schedules.
• Have hard starts, rough idling, stalling, etc. corrected before hot weather sets in.
• Flush and refill the cooling system  according to the service manual's
• recommendations.
•  
• The tightness and condition of belts, clamps, and hoses should be checked by a qualified auto technician.
• Have a marginally operating air conditioner system serviced by a qualified technician to reduce the likelihood of more costly repairs.
• Change the oil and oil filter as specified in owner's manual. (Properly dispose of used oil.)
• Replace other filters (air, fuel, PCV, etc.) as recommended.
• Check the condition of tires, including the spare. Always check tire pressure when the tires are cold.
• Inspect all lights and bulbs; replace burned out bulbs.
• Replace worn wiper blades and keep plenty of washer solvent on hand to combat summer's dust and insects.

Car-Lotta Car Sales reminds you to Spring into action!

Do You Consider Yourself A Good Driver?

Do you consider yourself a pretty good driver?

 

 A recent study  revealed that Pennsylvania motorists have some of the worst driving habits in the country. 

 

The study logged nearly 800 million miles in 2018 to determine common driving habits. It ultimately revealed data related to speeding, smartphone usage and hard turning.

 

Pennsylvania drivers need to take note because engaging in any of those behaviors greatly increases the odds of sustaining inquires from driving. 

 

 

Pennsylvania ranked 48th with a driving score of 74.7 out of 100.

 

The only states that ranked lower than Pennsylvania were Rhode Island and Connecticut.

 

Out of all drivers observed in Pennsylvania, the data revealed that approximately 37 percent of all trips involved the driver using a cell phone at some point and that 49 percent of the state's trips involved speeding. 

 

Car-Lotta Car Sales Reminds You To Drive Safe   

 

 

 

Are You A Sensible Driver ?

Did you know that driving sensibly can save you fuel?

 Each 5 mph  you drive over  60 mph  is like paying an additional 24 cents per gallon of gas!

Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas and can lower your gales mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by  5 percent around town. While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at different speed ( or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases at speeds above 60 mph.

Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money.

Car-Lotta reminds you to Drive Safe-  The life you save may be your own!

Does Your Car Start?

There are many reasons why your car won’t start. Before calling for help, there are things you can check yourself.

 

Start by checking to  make sure the steering wheel isn’t locked.

Is your   gas tank empty?  If you were low on fuel before (or your gauge is broken), it’s possible you’re just on “E.”

Still won’t start?

It could be due to one of the following:

 

• Dead battery. A dead battery is the most common reason why a car won’t start. If you have a battery tester, check your battery to see if it’s weak. If you don’t have one, try jumping your car with jumper cables.
• Battery corrosion. Corrosion on your battery can spell trouble. Check and clean your battery posts to make sure there is a clean, complete connection, then try to start your car again. An auto store employee can direct you to the right products and offer advice on how to clean your battery.
• Bad starter. The starter motor is responsible for physically turning the engine over and getting the engine to fire. If this is the issue, you’ll need a new one installed.
• Bad timing belt. The timing belt ensures the engine’s valves open and close at the proper interval so that the valves and the pistons never touch. The timing belt is the most important maintenance item in in your engine. A failed timing belt can cause catastrophic engine damage requiring an engine replacement. Auto manufacturers specify when a timing belt should be changed. This is usually based on mileage; generally, the interval is every 60,000 miles or five years (whichever comes first).
• .
• Bad ignition coil. The ignition coil transforms a battery’s voltage into an electric spark. A damaged ignition coil means there’s not enough juice to do that. You’ll need a multimeter (a tool designed to measure electrical current, voltage and resistance) to test the strength of the current running through the coil.
• Clogged fuel filter. A clogged fuel filter will prevent enough fuel from reaching the engine. A replacement is usually needed if this is the problem.

If you can’t fix the problem yourself (or don’t feel comfortable diving under the hood), Car-Lotta recommends that  get in touch with a trustworthy mechanic.