After the winter we’ve had, there are bound to be potholes lurking around every corner. This week, we’re dedicating our blog to those sneaky creatures of despair and what you as a driver can do to stay safe when you encounter one (or ten).

So, potholes are formed from water getting into cracks in the pavement and then freezing. When water freezes, it expands, which pushes the pavement apart and weakens it. When vehicles drive over these weak spots, the pavement crumbles under the pressure. Annnnddd then a pothole forms, here and ready to ruin countless lives.

How to avoid potholes? Avoid puddles on the road. Unless you can see that it’s just a thin layer of water, try to drive around the puddles. Water is great at hiding potholes’ sizes and depths until you hit them and learn the truth.

If you do hit a pothole, well. Try to approach the situation slowly if you know driving through the pothole is inevitable. If you hit a deep pothole, or hit any pothole at a speed, or a combination of the both, make sure that your vehicle is okay afterward by pulling over when it’s safe to do so and inspecting the exterior of your vehicle and tires for damage. The pothole could have blown a tire or thrown off your alignment, both things that need to get fixed ASAP.

After you encounter a pothole? Call your local DOT or DPW and let them know about it. It doesn’t matter if someone else has already reported the pothole. More reports are more motivation to get the situation fixed!

Even if you and I are totally different in literally every way, we might still have one similarity: topping off the gas tank when it’s time to fill up. A lot of people do it! It’s okay to admit it! I just like seeing that round dollar amount on the pump. But I found out recently that it’s actually pretty bad for your engine to do this. Here’s why.

First of all, you can totally burn out your engine in so many ways. The most important is that you can overwhelm your vehicle’s evaporative system. We all learned in science class once upon a time that heat makes pressure, and when your gasoline heats up from your driving, it expands from the heat and creates that pressure. So, when you overfill your tank, there’s nowhere for that pressure to go and it ends up in your evaporative system. This is not its intended purpose, so if you do this a lot then you can totally kill that system.

The other thing is that you’re honestly just wasting money. Pumps these days can sense if there’s excess gas, i.e. if it starts backing up into the filler pipe, and it just takes that gas and sends it right back into the station’s tank. So, the dollars and cents will start adding up but you won’t actually be getting the gas you pay for.

Basically, don’t top off. That’s just a bad habit. We’ll break it together, now that we have so much in common!

Fuel economy is a great buzzword these days – we’re all looking to get the most bang for our buck when it comes to filling up our tanks, but sometimes it can seem like we’re filling up more often than we’d like. That’s where this blog comes in! We’ve got some great proven tips for improving your fuel economy easily and getting a few more miles to the gallon as you drive around town!

The first and most important tip is to not speed. A great way to combat any lead-footed tendencies is to use cruise control on the highway when it’s safe to do so. This gets rid of the acceleration and deceleration that come with speeding, and also keeps you safe from getting pulled over (speeding is, after all, illegal). Lower speeds = higher MPG’s!

Maintaining your vehicle is instrumental in getting good gas mileage. With properly inflated tires, correct alignment, and regular oil changes, your vehicle will perform beautifully and efficiently! Low tires create drag, which makes your vehicle work harder to perform the way it should. Next time you need to get new tires, you should ask for low rolling resistance tires to help your vehicle that much more. Winter tires are a great idea for areas where there’s snow accumulation, because your engine won’t have to work so hard to overcome snow and ice.

When going out and running errands or traveling, try carpooling and combining all your trips into one journey. This will save gas, cut down emissions, and save money for everyone! If you need to stop, turn your car off completely. Idling for one minute uses just about as much gas as starting your car does, and it creates exhaust gases that are harmful to the environment. (And when you carpool, you can use the HOV lane!)

When summer comes, park in the shade and use your garage if you have it. When your vehicle is out in the sun, it damages your paint and clearcoat, and it causes your gas to evaporate inside your tank, leaving you with less to drive with.

Finally, clean out your car! If you have a lot of junk in the trunk, so to speak, clean it out so that you can carry what you need in your vehicle. If you have roof mounted storage, try and fit those items into your vehicle – or switch to a rear-mounted storage solution. This will reduce the drag of your vehicle overall and save you gas!

We can’t guarantee a massive improvement in your MPG’s – these tips won’t get you from 20 to 70 MPG but it will help get a couple more miles out of each gallon if you work hard. Try them out!

Out of all the people in the United States, 60% own pets. 73% of those pet owners own dogs. And do you know what? A lot of those dog owners like to travel with their dogs in the car. If you’re part of that population, we’ve got some great tips for you on how to safely travel with your dog – keep reading!

Only travel with your dog if they are healthy. If your dog is looking sick, bring them to the vet! If you need care for your dog while you’re away, then find a dogsitter or a place for you to board your pup if you’re going to be away for a while.

In the car, your dog needs to be restrained so they don’t wander and hurt themselves. The two options you’ve got are a crate (which needs to be big enough for your dog to stand up, sit down, lie down and turn around inside of) or a harness tie-down. When you’re on the road, only give your dog water to drink. Food is a no-no while you’re driving just because dogs can get carsick too. That water should be distilled/filtered or the regular water from your tap that you give them at home.

Don’t let your dog ride on your lap or stick their head out the window. The former because they can impede your ability to drive properly and potentially cause an accident, and the latter because debris, dust, and other nasties can fly into your dog’s eyes, ears, and mouth from the road and cause injury.

The final piece of advice is to stop frequently for potty and exercise breaks. Not only can your dog use the exercise, but you can as well!

Your headlights are essential for safe night driving. Without them, you won’t be able to see the road, you will present a hazard to other drivers, and most importantly you’ll be breaking the law by driving at night without headlights on. Of course, if your headlights are broken, it’s no fault of yours – but you will need to get them fixed.

If only one of your headlights is out, you still need to get it fixed. It could be due to a burned out bulb or a broken headlight component that needs to be replaced.

If neither of your headlights work, well, why aren’t you at the shop right now?! There is a very slight chance that it’s due to both of your headlights being burnt out, but it is much more likely that it’s a broken relay or a control switch that needs to be repaired.

If your headlights both work but just aren’t as bright as they should be, try cleaning them with a clean microfiber cloth and some cleaning solution. If after the cleaning they are still dim, take a good close look at the plastic of the headlights themselves. If it is yellowed, scratched, and pitted then you should ask us about headlight reconditioning or replacing your existing headlights with brighter bulbs.

Finally, if your headlights work fine but go dim in certain situations, such as when you accelerate, you could have a problem with your charging system. Talk to us about getting that checked out!

You might think that you know how often you should get your oil changed, but the fact of the matter is that every vehicle is different. There are a lot of different factors that go into how frequently your oil needs to be changed, such as:

• The age of your car

• The type of oil you use

• How many miles are on your car

• What conditions you usually drive in

• How hard you drive your car

The general rule of thumb is that you should get your oil changed every 6 months or 3,000 miles – but that might not be right for your vehicle. Depending on the above factors, you might need oil changes more frequently or even less frequently. Who knows the answer? We do! Come see us when you’re due for your next oil change and ask us to check everything out and give a recommendation for how often you need your oil changed. You might be surprised!

When you’re driving, one inevitability no matter where you’re going is construction. Whether it’s just a stray traffic cone or a full-blown work zone, you need to stay safe. Check out our failproof tips for driving safely and obeying the law in a construction area!

First, expect the unexpected. Never assume that everyone is going to follow the rules or drive safely. This is why YOU should follow the rules and drive as safely as you have ever driven in your entire life.

Always pay attention. Not only will it help you to drive more safely if you do, but it’ll also help you notice signs, flaggers, and more. Pay attention specifically to the signs, because they’ll tell you speed limits and upcoming work areas. Flaggers are just as important as signs, though – if you ignore a flagger, you could face the same ticket that you’d get for ignoring a sign.

Merge as soon as you can instead of waiting until the last minute. Not only is waiting rude, especially if you use the closing lane to speed past others, but it can hold up traffic and you risk getting into an accident.

If you see that the speed limit is being reduced, slow down immediately. If you’re going 60mph, you’re moving about 88 feet per second. If you see a sign that says there’s a work zone in 1,500 feet, you’ll get to that work zone in about 17 seconds. So, go slow!

Tailgating is always a no-no. Does this even need to be said? Stay far away from the person in front of you. Space is safe!

Always stay in the center of your lane. This is part of paying attention – when you are focused, you won’t swerve in and out of your lane. If you can’t stay in your lane, you’re likely to hit cones, barriers, and even workers.

The work zone is not over until you see a sign that says it is. Even if there’s no work happening, you’re still subject to speed limits and fines until you see the sign that says the work zone has ended.

Do you chronically drive your car when the fuel gauge says that you have little to no gas? If you answered yes, you need to break that habit immediately. Bro. Listen. Look at me. This is a problem and I’m here to help you overcome it, just like that time that you helped me when my mom accidentally washed my snapback in the washing machine. Okay? First, let me tell you the bad things that come from driving with an empty tank. I can’t believe I have to say this to you. You know better, bro. You do.

So first you can wear out your fuel pump. If you don’t have enough gas then the pump starts pumping air. This is because gas acts as a coolant for the fuel pump motor. The air makes heat and then the pump wears out and breaks and then I have to loan you like a hundred bucks. Not cool, man.

Secondly is that the gauge is not accurate. Like, it’s close? But the thing is that it’s more of an approximation than anything. So like, don’t trust it all the way. My dad said not to let your tank ever get below three-quarters empty. I feel like that’s a solid plan, right? Just start doing that. I got you!

The last thing is that there’s all kinds of gunk and stuff in the bottom of everyone’s gas tank. Even yours, bro! But when you’re mad low on gas then all that sediment gets stirred up and then goes through all your pipes and hoses and such and will make you need to get a flush. Like, a full engine flush. And because I’ve hypothetically already loaned you a hundo, you’ll have to ask your dad for money. Again. Don’t stoop that low, bro! I got your back. Bros for life.

It’s a common fact that Volkswagen owners love their VW’s. That’s just something that we have all known for forever and it’s not something that’s going to change any time soon. But, even the most die-hard Volkswagen fans might find some new information in this list of our top 10 favorite Volkswagen fun facts: check them out!

1. The VW Beetle’s original name was the Volkswagen Type 1.

2. The name Volkswagen translates directly into English from German as “People’s Car,” because it was designed to be an affordable car for the German people.

3. Ferdinand Porsche (yes, that name sounds familiar!) designed the original prototype for the Volkswagen Type 1 in ten months.

4. The VW Beetle was produced from 1938 to 2003 – that’s 65 years!

5. Volkswagen used to give savings bonds to babies who were born in Beetles – though giving birth in a car is never anyone’s top choice, at least they got some compensation for it!

6. The first Volkswagen vehicles to arrive in the US came stateside in 1949.

7. The world record for the most people to fit inside of a VW Beetle at one time is 57. How this was done remains a complete mystery to me.

8. New Volkswagens are named after global wind currents. “Golf” is actually the German name for the Gulf stream.

9. The most famous Volkswagen in the world is “Herbie,” from the 1968 movie The Love Bug.

10. Volkswagen is one of the world’s largest employers, with over 600,000 employees worldwide.

Do you suffer from blind spots in your vehicle? Sometimes it’s a burden we all have – but did you know there are some quick and easy ways to completely eliminate your blind spots for good? Sure, it does involve careful driving and making sure to look in your mirrors when you’re changing lanes or backing up… but you should be doing that all the time anyway. Check out our two tips for getting rid of your blind spots once and for all!

The first tip is the easiest. Get a couple of aftermarket stick-on convex mirrors and stick them to the outer corners of your side mirrors. They help you see pretty much everything around your vehicle, eliminating rear blind spots.

If you don’t want to spend money, adjust your mirrors. There’s a trick to it. Here are the steps:

• Adjust your rearview mirror to give you a view directly to the rear. Make it so that it best covers your rear window view. Don’t tilt it to get side views – just straight back through your window.

• Lean your head until it almost touches your driver’s side window. Adjust your left side mirror so you can just barely see the side of your car – no more.

• Lean your head to the passenger side as far as you can comfortably while still sitting up and adjust the right mirror so you can barely see the right side of your car.

• You shouldn’t be able to see the side of your car when your head is all the way upright!