Is Your Car Ready for the Cold?

Winter just doesn’t want to go away.  Cold weather has been hanging around for so long that I’m starting to wonder if we’ve just entered the world of Day After Tomorrow.  The tidal wave could come any moment.  That means that it is time to make sure that your car can contend with the continuous cold and survive until the New York summer gets here.  Survive the cold that is, I don’t think you can tidal wave-proof your vehicle.

Check your vehicle’s antifreeze.  Low temperatures can do some serious damage to your vehicle.  Make sure the antifreeze is at the right amount to ensure this doesn’t happen.  Also know what the effectiveness of your antifreeze is so that you are aware of the safe temperature range it has.

Inspect the vehicle’s hoses.  Pop the hood and look over the hoses.  Check for bumps or soft spots in the hoses.  If there are any cracks or issues, it can cause damage to your engine at the worst possible moment.  Not that there is any such thing as the right possible moment for an engine to break down.

Look at your air pressure and the treat on the tires.  This is what will be keeping you on the road during the cold.  A classic test for the tire tread is by using a penny.  Put the currency in the groove and see if the Lincoln Memorial is covered.  If not, time to contact a service center about getting some better tires.

Check the battery.  Colder weather can provide one mean workout to a battery.  If it is already weakened, then a winter this cold could be the final straw.

There’s plenty of more tips to keep in mind in confronting a new cold front coming into the New York area.  Check out some more here.

If you need to schedule a time for your vehicle to be serviced, contact us at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge.  You can also download our mobile app to schedule a time and keep an eye on the status of your vehicle once it’s been taken in.  Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more service tips and specials.

Lesser Known Tips for Winter Driving

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Winter Weather has come later than expected, but that doesn’t mean it is ever too late to educate yourself on what you can do to keep yourself safe on the road during this weather.  AAA has a breakdown of numerous things you can do to make sure this winter driving season is a safe one.  Here are a few that we feel the need to highlight.

Don’t drive while tired:

This is one not mentioned too often on lists like this.  Most of what we speak about is what one can do to help a car to work at its best during the cold season.  Not many people take the same care of themselves that they do the vehicles they drive.  You can do all the prep work possible but if you are too tired to properly react, then it will not matter.  Take care of yourself, get the right amount of sleep, which can go a long way in reducing risks on the road.

If you become snow bound, stay with the vehicle:

This is a vital thing to keep in mind.  Staying in the car may seem like it won’t get rescue to you any faster, but it can help to keep you alive for longer.  The car is capable of providing better shelter than being stuck outside in terrible weather can.  It is also much easier to identify for the rescuers.  A car sticks out, a person not as much.  This is also where your winter emergency kit should be to help deal with waiting for a tow truck or rescue.

Don’t be in a hurry:

Plan ahead and know what the weather will be.  If the road conditions are expected to be hazardous, give yourself plenty of time to deal with the additional traffic and time needed since you should be driving slower and more cautiously.  As long as you don’t get yourself in a rush, you can give yourself the time to be slower on dangerous roads.

Get some sleep:

If there is some bad weather, you need your wits about you.  There’s plenty of reason to get caught up on sleep, but during the winter, you need to get plenty of sleep so that if something happens on the road, you can react accordingly.  Get sleep and avoid making a bad decision when the moment counts.

Careful on hills:

Don’t just gun it up a hill by laying the pedal on the floor.  If you get stuck up the hill, you’re just going to spin your wheels.  The best way to approach is by building up some momentum and let that carry you up the hill.  At the top, that is when you want to slow down to go down the hill as slow as possible so you don’t lose control.

I feel these are winter driving tips that get missed.  There’s plenty more and I highly recommend checking out the entire list that AAA has put together, but these needed reiterating most of all.

If you want to have your car looked at, then you can schedule a time to be seen by the service department at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge by going to our service tab on the website.  You can also keep up with your service appointments by downloading our mobile app to view details in real time on your vehicle when brought in for a service appointment.

Tips for Winter Traveling

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The ice and snow have not come, at least, not yet.  Cue the dramatic music!  Yes, the weather for the New York area has held out, but if the past few years are any indication, there is some nasty weather coming after the new year.  Maybe this year will be different, but maybe it won’t.  No one ever lost anything by being ready.

What can you do to prepare for driving in bad weather, in the snow covered streets?  There’s plenty of tips and things to do so we’ll just scratch the surface.  Business Insider gave plenty of examples and here’s a few.

  • Top off your windshield wiper fluid and keep an extra bottle in your car.
  • Make sure your battery is fully charged.
  • Know if your vehicle has anti-lock brakes or non-anti-lock brakes as this will decide how you brake.  If you have anti-lock, you want to use steady pressure, if you do not, then pump the brakes.
  • Have materials such as sand in your car in case you get stuck in the snow or ice and need some extra traction.
  • Check to make sure your tires are properly inflated.
  • Always have your gas tank at least half full so that the gas line doesn’t freeze.

Check out the full article for more tips on how to make sure that you don’t run into any issues traveling should the bad weather finally arrive to the Big Apple.

If you want to have your car looked at, then you can schedule a time to be seen by the service department at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge by going to our service tab on the website.  You can also keep up with your service appointments by downloading our mobile app to view details in real time on your vehicle when brought in for a service appointment.

Winter Driving Tips

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The weather may be less than the usual in terms of winter driving with a lack of snow and ice on the ground but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be prepared in case. New York weather has the tendency to change when least expected. Having a vehicle ready for such changes can mean the difference between being to work on time or getting the whole family to the destination without any incidents. Here is some tips on how to be ready for winter driving.

*Check your tires:
A major things to be sure is ready for the ice and snow. Tires are keeping you on the road and ensuring your have grip when most needed. Check over the tires to see how mean the summer was on them and to see if any of the tread has been lost. Also make sure that the tire is properly inflated.

*Windshield:
There is nothing worse than being caught in a snowstorm with broken wiper blades or lack of wiper fluid. Ensure that the fluid is filled to maximum as there will be a lot used to clean up the mess of snow and dirt that always ends up on the windshield. Be sure that the wiper blades are functioning properly and are properly wiping away the grime. If not, now is the best time to pick up some new ones.

*Lights:
This is something to help both you and the other drivers. Headlights should be cleaned and providing plenty of light to see through any flurries. This will also make sure that if someone is having a tough time seeing on the road, they’ll be able to make out your headlights on the road ahead and can avoid a collision. Headlights and taillights should be bright and clean for the winter.

*Be aware:
There’s only so much that technology can do to help protect us on the road. At some point, it does fall on the driver to be ready for the random things that can occur. They are the ones to be on the look out for black ice or to know how to properly steer during a spin-out. A driver who is going to be out during bad weather must be aware of how to handle driving emergencies when they happen.

As always, there are plenty more that we didn’t get to that can be done to better a vehicle in preparation of the winter weather. These are simply ones that are very common and most drivers don’t take handle until after they become a problem. Follow these tips and you’ll find yourself being proactive and having much better chances to have good travel during the winter.

To schedule your vehicle for a complete check-up, contact our service department at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge.

Chrysler Proves Their All-Wheel Drive is the Best

2013-chrysler-300--glacier-edition(4)-600-001When you brag about the capabilities of your vehicle, there comes the time to stand up or shut up. Chrysler has been telling folks for a long time about the quality of their all-wheel drive for some time. They’re tired of just telling people, though, and are ready to prove that they aren’t pulling any legs.

So how do you prove such a thing? By taking your cars to the one of the snowiest cities in the country. That city is located in the upper peninsula of Michigan and is named Houghton. Chrysler brought with them the 2013 Dodge Charger and the new Chrysler 300 Glacier edition to run the gauntlet.

Drivers made sure that both vehicles were put to the test. What they found was that the vehicles handled beautifully under the severe road conditions. Even at high speeds, the cars were able to slalom on an snow covered road. Here’s the video they put out to show how well the cars handled themselves:

With the recent snow that New Yorks has been getting, you want to make sure that you get a vehicle capable of tackling all mother nature can throw at you. Contact us at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge and let us know that you’re looking for the best in all-wheel-drive. We’ll work with you to help you get what you’re looking for. We love to say yes. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter as well for more news and monthly parts and service specials.