SHOCK and Awe: Avoiding Shock Treatment When Exiting Your Car

We’ve all been there.  You’re casually cruising in your car, glancing over to peer at your German Shepard as he soaks in the sun from an open window.  You stop for gas and begin to exit the vehicle, and you’re greeted with a quick jolt of static electricity.  Bzzt!  In today’s blog, we’re providing you with some quick tips to avoiding the shock treatment. 

1.    Be cautious of clothing – fleeces and synthetic materials can increase your risk of shock.

2.    Grip the frame of the door to expel static charge – Having your hand on the car frame when you get up lets it discharge more slowly. 

3.    Watch your shoes – Beach shoes with foam soles are conducive to static electricity, be careful!

4.    Touch the glass – as your exit your vehicle.  This option discharges any electricity and avoids shock.

5.    Hold a key in your hand and touch the metal doorframe as you exit.  It acts as a lightning rod and discharges the static without pain.

Static shock may seem like a minor issue for the average driver, but these tips are actually meant for your safety.  Static electricity has the capacity to cause small explosions at the gas pump.  You should NEVER re-enter your car while gassing up, as this could provide MORE static electricity build up.  If you have another tip for us, please comment below!

Quick Tips: Ideas For Keeping Your Car Running Great

Life is a blur, sometimes.  Work can become stressful as the day begins and ends with an aching neck and sore feet.  The last thing on your mind is maintaining your car’s performance.  You’re more in the realm of kicking your feet up, getting a bite to eat, and catching the last part of 2 in a Half Men.  Car maintenance is very important, so how do you know if you’re over doing it or ‘under’ doing it?  In today’s blog, we discuss ways to keep your vehicle running great. 

         

          First, how often are you supposed to receive maintenance?  All of your answers lie in a small space known as the glove box.  Every car is supplied with a maintenance schedule-in the owner’s manual or in a separate maintenance log book-that includes details that vehicle’s need to sustain long and healthy lives.   Taking a few minutes to assimilate the requirements will help you avoid the following car-maintenance pitfalls. 

          Tire Inflation & Rotation

          Tires should be checked regularly, because over time, they leak naturally.  Problems can arise from under inflated tires, which suckS up more gas, as well as over inflated tires, that wear them out sooner.  Plus, front and rear tires wear differently and should be rotated to even that wear.  Your owner’s manual will have a recommendation for pressure and rotation.

          Wiper Tales

          Fall is the best time for wiper replacement.  After a certain period of time your wipers will be useless, leaving you prone to accidents.  Depending on location, wiper replacement may be an annual affair in the Southwest to a biannual chore in northern climates.

          Tune-Ups

         

          Tune-Ups are almost non-existent.  Valves no longer need adjusting, ignition timing is computer controlled and there are no more carburetors.  All you really have left is the spark plugs.  These are usually good for 100,000 miles! Save 60,000 and 120,000-mile services for timing belt, and coolant.

Got your own tip you want to ad?  Feel free!

The Best Ways to Make Your Tires Twinkle

We love our cars.  SUV’s, coupes, sedans, mini-vans…they’ve all become an integral part of our busy lifestyles.  We know that you take pride in your vehicle, giving it the routine wash, occasional ‘spit’ shine when necessary, but it’s always been difficult to clean one location efficiently.  The tires!  In today’s blog, we’ve got a couple options for you to choose from.

Spray-On

The Spray-on method is an easy to use solution in a bottle with a sprayer and nozzle on top.  Basically, you apply the spray directly to the tires, making sure to not spray TOO close.  By using a sweeping motion to cover a large area, you can achieve a nice wet glossy look to your tires.  What’s the only downside?  The spray-on sheen can sometimes leave stains on the side of your car from an outside breeze.  We recommend using it inside a garage or putting the liquid on a sponge and applying it manually. 

Gel

When compared to the spray-ons of the world, a gel seems to last longer, enabling a lasting effect with tires over time.  You’ll need an applicator, and a sponge for this method.  The gel gives a nice black color to tires without the ‘gloss’ effect.  You can achieve a glossier look by applying a second coat of gel, just be sure to wait a few minutes for the gel to dry, as it could attract dirt if it’s driven on too quickly. 

Foam

Foam Tire shine also comes with it’s own spray bottle and the easiest to apply.  This type also cleans off the dirt from your tires.  Just apply the foam and wipe it after it sits idle for a couple of minutes. However, be careful with some products that may turn your tires brown or yellow. Some tires really do not agree with certain tire shine products so you may have to try a new product.

Have a tip for us to add?  Let us know below!

Maintain Your Car Shine During Summer

“Cleanliness is next to godliness.”  The age-old quote does have some clout in the modern day world we live in.  A clean paintjob can make your car shine and reflect (pun intended) your character.  Wax, basically used on wood to create a water resistant barrier, and polish, used on modern vehicle paint, can make your car dull.  It creates a cover over your paint job that makes it age faster.  The main cog in keeping your paint job new is to avoid friction, meaning abrasive polish, waxing or buffering.  Below is a quickstep process for keeping that shine.

1.    Pure liquid and non-abrasive application will preserve your paint, so choose a product that does not include wax, abrasives or polish.

2.    Make sure it is a spray or mist.

3.    Wash your car with clear water and grease cutting liquid soap.

4.    Starting at the top, hose the car down, then grab a bucket of soapy water and a soft brush and do the same. 

5.    Hose the car while you scrub with the brush.

6.    Take a soft towel and dry the vehicle without letting the soap dry. 

7.    Starting with a clean dry towel on clean dry paint, apply the spray conditioner sparingly to the top of the vehicle and spread it out.

8.    Acrylic conditioners are absorbed into the paint and have a application spread rate of 10 to 1 in area sprayed to area covered.

9.    Do not over saturate your paint.

10. After completing the top follow the same conditioning pattern as when washing, finishing at the bottom.

11. The total application time for a spray mist conditioner is under 10 minutes per vehicle.

12. Conditioners do not harden and will continue to add conditioning strength to the paint days after the application.

13. The effects will last for months, vehicle easily clean up with just water. No soap is needed when using a true acrylic paint conditioner.

14. The Shine will lasts for months, no wax is needed.

15. Reapply once a month and your factory shine will last longer than with any wax or polish being sold today.

(Courtesy of wikiHow)

Need some tips on washing your car effectively?  Check out these quick tips on our recent blog:

How to Prepare Your Car for Long Term Storage

So, you’re running out of room in your front yard, garage, mother’s house, friend’s condo, cousin’s yard, and anyone who’s tired of seeing one of your vehicles in their personal space.  Now, you’ve decided to store your extra vehicle.  You envision yourself riding of in it in the future, hair flowing, top down, and want to ensure that it’s taken care of.  In today’s blog, we’re discussing what tips to follow to maintain your vehicle for long-term storage.

Check your paperwork:  make sure you renew your registration, or set a reminder when the time is near so that your car is good to go when you’re ready to drive it.

Service your vehicle: Always make sure that your vehicle’s engines and fluids are in good shape before you store your vehicle for a long period of time. Also, fill windshield washer fluid, coolant, transmission, brake fluid, and make sure you fill your car with gasoline.

Clean the interior/exterior: Throw away trash, vacuum the seats, wash the windows, wax the car and even have it detailed if possible. 

Fully charge battery:  make sure your battery is at OPTIMAL power.  Also, if you’re storing your vehicle for more than six months, disconnect it from the power source and keep the battery somewhere temperate and dry.

Do you have any tips to add?  Feel free!

Storing your car for a long period of time?  Follow these tips to ensure its good to go when you’re ready: autoblog

The 10 Best Automotive Quotes Ever

Who doesn’t love classics?  From cars to TV shows to movies, we’ve always had a thing for nostalgia.  When it comes to cars, everyone has fallen in love with a classic car they loved.  It’s just inevitable.  So, in today’s blog, we’re listing the coolest car quotes said by awesome people.  Enjoy: 

To finish first, you must first finish. – Juan Manuel Fangio

The winner ain’t the one with the fastest car, it’s the one who refuses to lose. – Dale Earnhardt

Once you’ve raced, you never forget it…and you never get over it. - Richard Childress

To achieve anything in this game you must be prepare to dabble in the boundary of disaster. – Sterling Moss

What’s behind you doesn’t matter. – Enzo Ferrari

Nobody remembers the guy who finished second but the guy who finished second. – Bobby Unse

Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death… – Hunter Thompson

When you win a race your on top that day, so take it for what its worth, have a good time and party, cause the next day when you get out of bed, the meter goes back to zero again. - Bobby Allison

If you’re in control, you’re not going fast enough. – Parnelli Jones

Auto racing began 5 minutes after the second car was built. - Henry Ford

Bonus!

Speed has never killed anyone, suddenly becoming stationary… that’s what gets you. – Jeremy Clarkson

Uncommon Car Facts: 2013 Edition

Hey, Fans! A new year means new beginnings for us.  We’re rearing up for another great year in the Automotive world, and wanted to have some fun with our blog.  Every year, we showcase the coolest car facts (not to be confused with Car Fax) this side of the Northern Hemisphere.  If you have facts that you would like to add, feel free!  We welcome any and all feedback from our readers.  

• Rear view mirrors were first attached to cars in the year 1916.
• The world’s longest skid marks are 950 feet long.
• The Carburetor and the clutch mechanism were invented by women in the year 1923.
• The world’s first license plates were issued by the French police in the year 1893. They were called number plates then.
• The Tata Nano is the cheapest car in the world. ($2500 US)
• The world’s first car accident took place in 1769. The car is still preserved at a museum in Paris.
• The average length of electrical wires in every car is about 3000 feet.
• A driver spends about an average of two weeks of his life waiting for the traffic light to change color.
• Japan produces the most number of cars in the world.
• Airbags take only 40 milliseconds to open in case of an accident.
• The first cars had levers instead of a steering wheel!

We’re looking for more facts to expand our list!!!

In 2012, we're revamping our Facts sheet for the New Year, check out our newest unknown car facts here:

A Trip to the Wild - Our Trip to Slaughterhouse Gulch Trail

Full Album -  SlaughterHouse Gulch Trail Adventure

On June 23rd, the day began like any other.  Soft morning dew lined the windows, creating a slight distortion as I peered outside of the window to the driveway.  The granite colored Range Rover I saw was poised for action.  I knew today would be a fun-filled day at the Land Rover Denver dealership.  We were prepared to take 17 Land Rovers and their owners on a trail through the mellow dirt roads of the Slaghterhouse Gulch.  

The trail became an amazing experience filled with large hills, deep crevices and serious air!  Check out the full photo album at the link above!

Our Favorite Instagram Photos of the Month

Every once in a while, we’ll find some really awesome photos that deserve some recognition.  These photos embody the style and panache we aim to achieve with our vehicles.  In today’s blog, we’re providing our FAVORITE Instagram photos for the month of May.  Vote for your favorite below!

 (scuba32, armitasky, samu1810)

Safe Driving Tips in Your Land Rover for Memorial Weekend

It’s an exciting and hectic time.  If you’ve been running around frantically, searching for the best gift, buying decorations, or trying to balance work and home life lately, you’re not alone.  The holidays are a time of love, compassion and the occasional MAYHEM.  While you’re out and about this time of year, take precaution.  Traffic is heavy this time of year and its important to still keep your driving skills up to par.  Here are some tips on maintaining your safety this holiday season.

Vehicle Maintenance

Get a tune up and make sure your car is prepared for travel if you’re taking a road trip.  This is CRUCIAL, especially regarding winter driving conditions.

Restrain Yourself Properly

This should be the norm.  Remember, the rear seat is the safest place for any children to ride.

Stay Alert and Energized

Take plenty of breaks and don’t push to meet unrealistic schedules like finishing all of your holiday shopping in a few hours.  If you feel yourself getting tired, pull over into a rest area or business, and get out and stretch.  If that doesn’t work, find a place to rest.  These crashes most often occur during the late night/early morning hours and the late afternoon hours to drivers who are sleepy.

Keep Speed Down

Hey, Ricky Bobby, give yourself plenty of time and distance to react to the traffic around you.  Let impatient and aggressive drivers pass you.

Choose a Designated Driver

There will be tons of intoxicated drivers on the roadways.  If you absolutely have to drive during this time of year always have a designated driver.

So, do you have any tips?  Feel free to comment below!

The Top Car Technologies Voted By Car Buyers

A J.D. Power Report discussed car buyers’ favorite technological advances when it comes to their vehicles.  We all play victim to the vast power and influence of electronics.  From the DVR recorder in our homes we use to record shows like Desperate Housewives and Top Gear, to the iPad that sits on our lap at the dinner table, we’re all connected in one way or the other.  At the dealership, we love new technology.  So, according to J.D. Power and Associates, these are the top 10 technologies car buyers’ need:

• Run-flat tires – these tires protect you from a flat by providing an additional 50 miles at 50 mph to get to a gas station after your tire pops.
• Navigation Systems – an in-dash navigation system is a great tool for finding your away around.  Use this to find local restaurants, navigate a new city, and in some cases, avoid traffic.
• Premium Surround Sound System – everyone can appreciate a great sound system.  How else can you listen to Michael Jackson’s Thriller at full blast?
• Back-up Assist – SUVs are especially avid at including these.  Back-up assist acts as a rear-view camera that boosts your visibility when backing up.  Great for avoiding objects like bicycles and other vehicles.
• Heated/Cooled Seats – These seats have small “pinholes” that emit cool (or hot) air to flow from a fan or air condition unit embedded in the seats.
• Keyless Entry System – Keyless entry is easy because the small keyless sensor stays in your pocket or purse, allowing you to start your car remotely.  By being in close proximity you can unlock dorrs and push a button on the dash to start your engine. 

These are just a few of the tech that people need to have, for the full list visit http://www.latimes.com/classified/automotive/highway1/la-hy-tech.pg,0,5168532.photogallery