Start Early
One of the best ways to find a good service station for your used cars is to start looking for one before you need it. Check out various service garages around town when you need an oil change, a tire rotation or something else that is minor. That way, when you need something major done, you will have an idea of which mechanic you are comfortable dealing with.

Research from Home
With the beauty of the Internet, you can find consumer reviews about almost any service garage in your area. If a particular facility has a lot of negative comments, take them off your list of possibilities. Look for one that has more positive remarks to expect a better experience.

Talk to the Service Manager
If you are still unsure about a certain facility, take a few minutes to talk to the service manager. Do they take the time to explain things in a way you can understand them? Do they make you feel hurried or do they seem bothered by your questions? Evaluate how they treat you before giving them the keys to your car.

I’m assuming you do not want to be in a situation like the lady on the left…car broken down on the highway, waiting for that expensive tow truck to come haul your vehicle away. If my assumption is correct, then get in the groove with Fall Car Care Month and show your used card some love.

Used cars can be extremely cost-effective for millions of Americans. With that said, if you own or are thinking of buying a used car, you should definitely try to keep up with proper maintenance. Now, I understand that maintaining your car is probably pretty far down your list of “to do” items, but there isn’t much that’s more important if you want to avoid those unfortunate situations like the one shown to the left. Hopefully Vinart can make servicing your car easier for you with the introduction of our Service & Repair Series.

This month we are focusing on overheating. We have posted two informative articles focused on preventing your car from overheating and what you can do if your car does overheat. Check out the articles and let us know what you think. If you have any other tips for reducing the chance of having your car overheat, please share them with us via the comments section of the blog. This way other people can learn from your knowledge. Take some time to read these posts as they may save you from the situation above:

• Keeping Your Used Cars from Overheating
• Discussing Overheating in Your Used Cars

If your car does breakdown, you can certainly call the Vinart Body Shop to receive an honest estimate for your repairs. Our commitment to timely, high quality auto repair has earned the respect of our customers. Not many businesses say this, but we actually hope we don’t hear from you, as that means your car is performing well. But if you need us, we are here.

If you’d like to be notified when new blog posts are available, as well as, become eligible for our weekly specials, you should consider subscribing to Vinart Insider List. If you have any questions or need to schedule a repair, don’t hesitate to contact Vinart.

Check us out on Facebook at the Vinart Dealerships Fan Page.

• Cut out the eating out. If you are a typical American family, you would be surprised how much you spend each month by eating at restaurants. Even fast food trips can add up over a few weeks. Keep a log of how much you spend this month by eating out and think about making meals at home and putting the extra money towards your used car fund.
• Evaluate your cable needs. Are you getting charged for premium or movie channels that you never watch? Are you ordering several pay-per-view events every month? If so, reconsider your TV-watching needs. You could save more than a hundred each month depending on the extras that you are paying for.
• Get a second job. Working at a second job for a just a few months can help you save enough money to buy a quality used car in cash. Just be sure to use that money for nothing else besides the car fund.

Use these suggestions and tighten your proverbial belt so you can see how good it feels to pay for a quality used car upfront. It’s truly a great feeling!

Professions
According to the article, bus conductors are more likely to have an accident than any other profession. Chalk it up to being on the road all the time or some other factor, but it tends to be true. Luckily, they are more likely to crash while driving their own vehicles. On the other side of the spectrum, engravers, horse dealers, golf caddies and butlers are the least likely to have an accident.

Astrological Signs
People born under the astrological sign of Gemini are more likely to crash than other signs. Gemini drivers are followed by Taurus and Aries respectively. So if you are even in a car with a bus conductor born under one of these signs, be sure to buckle up!

Drivers that are either Sagittarians or Scorpions are the least likely to get into an accident with their used cars.

Or course, these findings are simply anecdotal and it does not mean you are going to have an accident if you are a Gemini. But just be careful when driving your used cars to help prevent accidents regardless of your character and personal traits.

One thing that is becoming more common is auto insurance fraud. Drivers are taking their used cars and either sinking them in the lake, ditching them or setting them on fire to collect the insurance money. Dozens of SUVs, luxury cars and used cars have been found on fire in places like Los Angeles and the desolate Nevada desert. Others park their cars in the paths of hurricanes and other disasters to rid themselves of the debt and car payments.

According to authorities, most of the people making these claims are first-time offenders who need a quick fix for their financial mess. Unfortunately, they do not thing about the long-term consequences to their actions.

“We see people doing this kind of crime who ordinarily wouldn’t steal candy from a store,” explained Tom Reilly, a sheriff’s investigator in Texas.

Many of the people committing this fraud think that insurance companies are “rich and fat” and they can afford to pay out a few dollars. However, as the fraud instances increase, the costs get passed down to other consumers through an increase in premiums.

Don’t try to defraud your insurance provider in hopes of collecting the money. Call the lender that financed your used cars and try to work something out. It’s better than breaking the law!

• Be a good example
Many teens are going to imitate what they see you doing when you are behind the wheel. If you are a careless driver, chances are that they will be the same way. Make sure you lead by example and follow the rules in hopes that they will, too.
• Create a driving contract
Make a written document between you and your teen driver that spells out everything that is expected of them when they drive. Also, make sure the consequences are spelled out in the contract so your teen driver knows what to expect if they break the rules.
• Set realistic curfews
The curfew you set should be between you and your teen driver. If they are a responsible teen with a job and good grades, you may be more lenient on the curfew. However, if they are always getting in trouble, you may consider an earlier curfew if they have the car.

Use these suggestions to help you and your teen get along during this trying time for both of you. They will help you both stay sane and civil with each other.

It seems funny that there is always some type of explanation for the increase in gas prices around this time each year. One “reason” is that the companies are switching to the summer fuel blend. This blend burns cleaner and it is more expensive to produce, hence the reason for the price increase. In addition, the cost for a barrel has gone from the low $50 range to the upper $50s.

“Those increased crude costs have resulted in higher wholesale costs for gasoline, which has had an adverse effect on retail margins, so all of that trickles down to higher pump prices for consumers,” explained Michelle Donati with AAA Arizona.

We’ll post more blogs about the gas prices as they continue to rise throughout the summer as they always do. Until then, use some gas-saving strategies when driving your used cars so you can reduce the number of times you need to fill up your tanks. It will help your wallet and the environment!

Tomorrow, President Obama is expected to announce that he wants the automakers to accelerate their move towards making cars that get at least 35 miles per gallon. Currently, the regulations require automakers to reach that goal by the year 2020. Under his new plan, they will be required to reach that goal four years earlier in 2016. That’s all the auto industry needs is more pressure than they already have.

If the announcement is what we are all expecting, you can probably expect the prices on new cars to go up to help the automakers pay for the accelerated schedule. That means your best bargain is going to be at dealers of used cars. Even if the used cars do not get the regulated 35 miles per gallon, the newer used cars come pretty close to that goal and with the money you save, you will still be coming out ahead financially.

Visit your local used car dealer today and shop around for a car that meets your expectations. If you’ve never tried one before, you will be pleasantly surprised.

1. Windshield wipers and motor – Wiper blades should be changed at least once each year if you have a premium brand. “Many people think windshield wiper blades will last multiple seasons. They don’t,” explained Tom Hollenstein, and expert mechanic. If your blades are leaving streaks or not removing the water and snow from your windshield completely, they could hinder your vision. Also, be conscious of how they move in case there are problems in the motor as well.

2. Lights – The headlights and taillights on your used cars are more important than you may think. That’s why they need to be cleared off at all times. If any of your lights are losing their power or if they seem to be fading, replace them soon before they go out completely.

Be sure to come back on Monday for the other three things you should now ignore on your used cars. The more you know, the better chance you have of saving money on major repairs.

Make sure your scheduled maintenance services are current. Have you missed an oil change or a tune-up? Is your used car due for a flush and fill? If so, make sure you take care of these services before taking your car on vacation.

Get your car checked at a trusted mechanic. Breaking down on the side of the road in an unfamiliar town is scary. Some mechanics may even take advantage of the situation. Get your belts and hoses checked at a hometown mechanic before leaving to make sure those parts are in good working condition.

Fill the washer fluid reservoir and change the windshield wipers. You are going to hit a lot of bugs on your road trip. As such, make sure you have plenty of washer fluid on hand and good wipers to keep your windshield clean.

Check your bulbs. If you are driving through small towns, you may get pulled over for something as simple as a non-working bulb. Make sure all your headlights and bulbs work to prevent this from happening.