Father's Day Gift Ideas For the Gearhead Dad

Father’s Day is right around the corner, and if your Dad works on his vehicle more than the average person then we think getting him these gifts will put a smile on his face. Because at the end of the day that’s what it’s all about, making Pops proud!

Gas gift card

Jump-starter battery

Solar-powered flashlight with hand crank

Navigation system

Polish & Detail Kit

Catch a flick at one of our drive-in's!

June 6th is Drive-In movie day, so here's a little history of one of America's favorite pastimes!  

Texas was host to the 3rd drive-in theater to open in America, at Galveston in July of 1934 (the 1st & 2nd had opened in New Jersey and Pennsylvania), and thereafter - as
in most things, Texas went at it in a BIG way .. by the late 50's, generally the peak years for American drive-ins, Texans had the biggest peak in the industry, hosting nearly 400 outdoor theaters. 

If you are looking for something new and exciting this weekend then check out this website to see theaters located next to you!

Link to locations of Drive-In Theaters: http://bit.ly/1k0uKHP

Good random tips for your car!

Rainproof your windshield
We often hear that one should replace their windshield wipers every 3 months but the reality is that if you treat your windshield, your wipers won’t have much work to do. Try and you will be surprised! Feel free to use Clay bars or spray on treatments.

Skip the DIY car-wash

You’re probably better off using the local car wash for a few reasons. The first reason is that you’ll be using 3x more water, and you’re most likely scratching up your paint a lot more than the good local car-wash next to your house.

Eliminate distractions
Some scary stats will show you why you should stop whatever you’re doing and just drive. Dialing a phone triples your chances of a crash. Texting? That makes you 23 times more likely to crash. Don’t multitask with your life, it’s not worth it!

Lower your seat!
As crazy as that sounds, people that drive high feel like they’re going slowly so they tend to speed up and take turns faster. All this is a great recipe to increase your chances of a crash.

Don’t floor it!
If there’s a meter at the entrance of your freeway, there’s a good reason! Being careful of these and taking your time to get on the ramp actually saves you time, it allows for a smooth flow of traffic, which minimizes heavy braking!

Leather vs. Cloth, explained!

One of many dilemmas is being unveiled today. Well, we all have different preferences when it comes to choosing between leather and cloth seats. One is more expensive than the other, yet has some pro’s compared to its respectable alternative. Let’s take a look at the differences and see which one best fits your needs.

Leather Pro’s:

• Luxury aspect and scent
• Soft and supple feel
• Excellent resale value
• Boost interior feel of the car
• Potentially easy maintenance

Cloth Pro’s

• More affordable than its alternative
• More comfortable (no sliding, no burning)

Ultimately, it all comes down to your lifestyle and where you live. If you live in a very hot and sunny states, you might want to avoid the leather. If you have kids and tend to have an active lifestyle, leather is actually good because of its easiness to be cleaned and ability to not retain odors.

Gas vs. Diesel engines!

The dilemma for Diesel vs Gas cars has been going on for quite some time. We will use this blog post to go over some of the advantages of one and the other. Also, we will see how technology has advanced and the effect it has on fuel efficiency.

During long drives, Diesel engines are hard to beat, the fuel efficiency is at its best at highway speeds, especially for a diesel motor. The only way to get anything close to that would be with a hybrid gas car.

The good news for gas engines is that the lead is shrinking, gas technology is advancing rapidly and is slowly catching up to the efficiency you can get out of a diesel engine, without spending the extra dollars on the engine. That’s right, diesel cars are always more expensive than regular engines, along with the fuel itself. Engineers say that Diesel will most likely always be ahead in fuel economy but the gap will increasingly close within the next ten years.

Engineers will continue to work on Diesel engines as well, but it is believed that the evolution process has started to reach its peak, but realistically there are still slight improvements to be made on the diesel technologies.

Take care of your car, it will take care of you!

We know you love your car, and you know what, we love them too. So this week, we’ve decided to show you how you can extend your car’s life with everyday things. Even if you don’t plan on keeping your car so long, keeping your car in great condition will help you get more out of your car trade-in for your next upgrade!

1. Drive with care everyday
Being car considerate shouldn't stop after the break-in. Drive with care every day and your car will reward you with longer intervals without repair. Do not race your car’s engine during start-up.This is a quick way to add years of wear to your engine, especially if it’s cold outside.

2. Don’t fill up if you see the tanker
If you happen to see a gasoline tanker filling the tanks at your local gas station, come back another day or go to a different station. As the station’s underground tanks are being filled, the turbulence can stir up sediment.

3. Go easy when you’re stuck
When stuck in mud or snow, don’t make the problem worse by damaging an expensive component. Gently rocking in an attempt to free the car is fine. But if it looks as though you’re really stuck, don’t keep at it.

4. Lighten up your key chain
Does your car key share a chain with a dozen or more other keys? That’s a pretty heavy load hanging off the car key when it’s in the ignition.The weight, combined with bouncing while you drive, can wear out the tumblers inside the ignition and eventually lead to ignition switch failure.

5. Park in the shade
Of course, a garage is always the ideal place to park your car. But if one isn’t available, minimize interior damage from UV sunlight and heat by always trying to park your car in the shade. If no shade is available or if you find parking under a tree results in bird droppings, use a car shade to minimize the sun’s impact.

It's time for Summer Check-Up!

Summer is around the corner, finally! I think we’ve all been waiting for the season to come through as it’s been a rather rough winter for most of us. We have a few tips to make sure your car is being well taken care of and ready for the sunny days.

1. Remove your winter tires

Winter tires are heavier than summer tires and will probably hurt your MPG’s. Also, since they are a bit softer than Summer tires, they will be melting away faster, as the road surface warms up. Of course, while you’re at it, you might want to check the tire pressure.

2. Check oil and filters

The winter can be tough on the car so make sure it’s in good health. Make sure you don’t need an oil change and that all of your filters are in good shape. If you’re not sure on how to do that, feel free to come by and see us, we’ll be glad to check on these for you.

3. Clean the undercarriage

Take this opportunity to clean the undercarriage of your cat. If you’ve been driving in snow and salt, you will most likely need one of those. If you can’t do it yourself, feel free to stop by your dealership or carwash, they’ll be able to powerspray it down.

4. Check your hoses, belts, battery

The changes in temperature can cause the rubber pieces to crack and eventually fail. If your belts don’t work properly, you might overheating your engine during the summer months, so be on the safe side. The battery also takes quite a beating during winter, make sure the connectors are cleaned to ensure a clean connection.

5. Change your windshield wipers

Just like your engine belts, your windshield wipers might be getting  cracked over time, check them and if they don’t work properly, there’s only one remedy: replacement!