spring car care

SpringCar Care

Saturday, March 22, 2014Muskogee Phoenix Advertorial

SpringCar Care


Buyers often find theprocess of finding a new carfun. Test driving vehiclesand playing with all of thegadgets that today’sincreasingly tech-heavyvehicles have to offer canbe akin to kids visiting acandy store and beinggiven carte blanche to fillup their baskets.

But as enjoyable as find-ing a new car can be, thefinancial commitment thatsuch a purchase requirescan make the processsomewhat nerve-wrackingas well. Buyers often assignthe most risk to preownedvehicles, and rightfully so.But some buyers evenregret their purchases afterbuying a new car, whetherthe car does not suit theirlifestyle as much as theyhad hoped or the vehiclesimply isn’t living up to theexpectations drivers hadfor it at the time of pur-chase. Savvy buyers willconsider the following fac-tors before taking the keysto their next new cars.

• Additional costs:Many new car shoppersplan to finance or leasetheir vehicles, but the downpayment and monthly pay-ment is not the only num-ber buyers must confirmbefore buying a vehicle.After the purchase priceand monthly paymentshave been figured out, thetwo most significant costsbuyers must consider areinsurance and gas. Somevehicles cost more to insurethan others, and the cost ofa policy will depend onmore than just a buyer’spersonal driving history.The vehicle’s safety fea-tures, where a driver livesand the type of vehicle,both its make and modeland the category it fits into(i.e., sports car, luxury vehi-cle, etc.), are all going to beused to determine the costof an insurance policy.

Buyers also must consid-

er how much a vehicle willcost to fuel up before mak-ing a final decision. Many adriver has grinned whendriving a brand new SUVoff a dealership lot, only tofrown on that first trip tothe filling station.

Insurance companies typi-cally provide free estimatesto prospective customers,so do your homework onthe different makes andmodels you’re considering,getting an insurance quote

for each vehicle. In addi-tion, consider the expectedfuel costs of each vehiclebefore making a decision.

• Reputation: Thanks tothe Internet, today’s vehi-cle buyers have a valuabletool that those of yester-year rarely had: fellowdrivers. When consideringcertain makes and models,go online to see what driv-ers and professionalreviewers have to say. Siteslike Edmunds.com andSafecar.gov offer profes-sional assessments of vari-ous makes and models, andvarious message boardsallow drivers to review theperformance of their vehi-cles. Such resources canpaint a realistic picture ofwhat it might be like toown and drive a particularautomobile.

• Resale value: Whileselling a car you don’t evenown yet is probably notforemost on your mind, it isimportant to consider acar’s potential resale value

before buying it. The highcosts of new vehicles haspushed many buyers out ofthe new car market, mak-ing preowned vehicles amore affordable and attrac-tive option. So consideringa car’s potential resalevalue before buying it newis a smart move that canpay dividends down theroad when you’re back onthe market for a new vehi-cle. Kelley Blue Book(kbb.com) is a valuableresource to gauge theresale value of vehicles,and buyers can even calcu-

late the resale value of acar over its first five years.This can help consumersdetermine which options toget on their new cars andeven help to govern theirdriving habits in an effortto keep the vehicle’s resalevalue as high as possible.

When buying a new vehi-cle, it can be tempting tobuy the most visually stun-ning or gadget-heavy vehi-cle on the dealership lot.But buyers should considermore than just appearanceand accessories before buy-ing their next new car.

Spring Car Care Saturday, March 22, 2014 — Page 7Muskogee Phoenix — Saturday, March 22, 2014 Spring Car CareMuskogee Phoenix

With spring rolling inand summer right aroundthe corner, now is the timeto make sure your car canhandle the elements.

James Jenkins, theservice manager for JamesHodge Ford, said one ofthe most important thingscar owners can do to equipthemselves for the rainyweather ahead is simplychange the wiper blades.

“You won’t be able to seeif you don’t,” Jenkins said.“Ford recommends youchange the blades everythree months, and Fordblades even have a blacktab on them that turnsyellow when you need tochange them.”

Jenkins also said mak-ing sure tires have enough

tread and are properlyinflated is important todriver safety.

“If your tire is low, it canheat up faster,” he said.“That can cause them tomelt in hot weather. Thesame goes for tread depth.The treads on your tiresare like tiny radiators thatkeep them cool. When youdon’t have enough air flow,they heat up. Also, especial-ly during the rainy season,you don’t want bald tires.”

The James Hodge FordService Department doesnot service just Ford vehi-cles. Jenkins said if a cus-tomer chooses an author-ized Ford replacementpart for their vehicle, itautomatically comes witha two-year unlimited

mileage warranty.“We have price match

guarantee on our tires aswell,” he said. “It’s a low-price guarantee. We try todo everything by appoint-ment so we don’t have peo-ple waiting too long. Youcall the service depart-ment, and they’ll get youset up.”

When it comes to experi-ence, Jenkins said he’s gotquite a lot of it tucked intothe shop between salesrooms.

“I’ve got a couple of guysin there who have beenworking here since the’80s,” Jenkins said. “I’vegot one guy who I knowhas been here since the

Mark Bollinger looks over service paperwork behind his desk at the James HodgeFord dealership. In the background, several cars are being serviced.

Prepare your car for spring’s surprisesReplace wiper blades, just for a start

(See PREPARE, Page 6)

Time to get a new car? Consider this

Prospectivebuyersshould con-sider a hostof factorsbefore pur-chasing anew vehi-cle.

Spring Car Care Saturday, March 22, 2014 — Muskogee PhoenixPage 6 — Saturday, March 22, 2014 Spring Car CareMuskogee Phoenix

If its tread is thin, get a new one

Mark Goad said hethinks the most importantway you can prepare yourvehicle for spring and sum-mer is to focus on tires.

“Being a tire shop, ourmain service is tires,”Goad said. “You need tomake sure you have theright air pressure in yourtires, first of all. You canget way better mileagethat way. The tires alsorun cooler with the rightair pressure.”

Goad, who owns Goad’sTire Shop, said there aretelltale signs your vehi-cle’s tires are dangerouslyunderinflated.

“When a tire is underin-flated it will start chewingup the sidewall,” he said.“That’s when tires getruined. You start runninginto a lot of problems then.”

Spring is in the air, andsummer is right aroundthe corner. Vehicle ownersare busily washing off thewinter’s sand and saltresidue, and to make sureyour vehicle is ready forthe more temperatemonths, the proper prepa-rations are necessary.

Goad said another wayto prepare your vehicle isto pay close attention tothe depth of tread on yourtires.

“When it gets down to2/32 of an inch mostexperts consider it (thetire) gone,” he said. “Wehave a gauge that meas-ures that, but it’s alsoabout to the head ofLincoln on a penny. We justtell people to come by, andwe’ll look at the tires forthem.”

Goad also said his shop isdifferent because of theway they help customers.

“We try to work withcustomers any way wecan,” Goad said. “We givethem our honest advice.”

Christi Alexander, aloyal customer of Goad’s,said she’s been coming tothe shop for years becauseof the way they treat theircustomers.

“For one, they’re justnice,” Alexander said.“They’re good people. I justgot a heck of a price onfour tires. I’ve never had a

bad experience with them.I would recommend themto people, and I do recom-mend them to people allthe time. This is a goodbusiness in Muskogee.”

Alexander also said shestays conscientious of hertire wear and tear.

“If I think I need newtires, I come here and letthem check for me,” shesaid. “If I need them, Ichange them.”

Goad said other thingsvehicle owners need to

Tires need to beinflated properly

Michael Morrison, a tire specialist at Goad’s tire, putsa tire back on a rim after repairing it. Goad’s Tire hasbeen in business in Muskogee more than 40 years, andMark Goad said it’s because customers aren’t justnumbers to him.

(See TIRES, Page 6)

check to prepare their carsand trucks for the rainyand hot seasons are oiland coolant levels.

“Another thing you cancheck is the alignment onyour car,” he said. “A lot ofpeople don’t know theircar is out of alignmentuntil they pull a tire off.

Alignment and rotation isthe life of the tire. If youkeep them rotated, they’llwear better. There are alot of factors involved ingetting the maximum lifeout of your tires.

“We’ve been family-owned and -operated forover 40 years,” Goad said.“We enjoy our customers,and we’ve built relation-ships. When a customercomes in, they’re not anumber or money to us,they’re our neighbors.”

TiresContinued from Page 3

’70s. We get guys in herewho start when they’re 16and stay here. We have alot of experienced mechan-ics and a lot of knowledge

in our shop.”Jenkins said other

advantages to bringingyour vehicle to the JamesHodge Ford ServiceDepartment are that youget factory trained techni-cians who work on yourvehicle with factory tools.

Other things vehicleowners need to be aware

of are belts and coolantlevels, Jenkins said.

“All the inner belts needto be checked and replacedif they are worn,” he said.“The serpentine belt partic-ularly. If it gets too wornand breaks, it could damagethe engine by overheating.You’ll know when it startsto get worn out because it

will start to squeak.“We have a coolant spe-

cial right now where weflush out the old and putin new for $90 on mostvehicles,” Jenkins said.“You want to make sureyour coolant levels arewhere they need to be orthat could cause yourengine to overheat also.”

PrepareContinued from Page 2

before hitting the road insnowstorms, but few driv-ers exercise the same cau-tion with their headlights.Salt from snowy roads ordebris blown about fromseasonal winds can accu-mulate on headlight lens-es, decreasing their effec-tiveness and light outputas a result. So before hit-ting the road in inclementweather, be sure to removeany dirt or film from head-light lenses that mighthave built up over time.

• Address headlightissues before they appear.Though headlights will

inevitably wear down overtime, drivers can still takepreventative measures toimprove the performanceof their headlights so theirvisibility is not compro-mised. The PhilipsHeadlight Restoration Kitincludes a pre-treatmentthat provides long-lastingUV protection for head-light lenses. Thanks to thekit, which also includes acleaner/polish and restor-er/protector, drivers canrestore a headlight lens inas little as 30 minutes.Drivers hesitant to per-form their own restorationcan calm their nerves bytaking advantage of ashort how-to video thatshows motorists how torestore headlight lensclarity in a matter of min-

utes. The video, which canbe found at www.philip-sautolighting.com/head-lightkit, can help driversrestore their headlights to“like new” quality whileincreasing visibility andreducing glare.

• Replace headlightbulbs. Much like light bulbsused in a home, headlightbulbs tend to wear downover time. Humidity, elec-trical resistance, filamentfatigue and general usagecombine to reduce the lightoutput of headlight bulbs,which experts recommendshould be replaced everytwo years.

When replacing head-light bulbs, drivers canupgrade bulbs with a newgeneration of high perform-ance light bulbs that mark

a dramatic improvementover the traditional halo-gen bulbs which are stan-dard on many vehicles.Philips Upgrade HeadlightBulbs are designed to putsubstantially more light onthe road while creating abetter beam pattern that ismuch longer than that pro-duced by standard halogenbulbs. Available in a vari-ety of brands, these unique-ly designed bulbs are eventailored to meet specificdriver’s needs, ensuringcommuters, soccer momsand sports enthusiastswon’t fall victim to poor vis-ibility no matter wheretheir travels take them.

• Routinely clean yourvehicle’s glass and mir-rors. Dirty and agingheadlight lenses are notthe only thing that cancompromise a driver’svision on the road. Debrisand film buildup on wind-shield glass and on rear-and side-view mirrors canreduce vision, especiallyfor drivers who smokeinside their vehicles.Make cleaning the glassand mirrors inside andoutside of your vehiclepart of your routine vehi-cle maintenance. Suchcleaning won’t take verylong, but it will signifi-cantly improve visibility.When cleaning side-viewmirrors, be sure to prop-erly adjust them to elimi-nate blind spots.

More information isavailable at www.philips.com/automotive.

LightsContinued from Page 4


The road can be unpre-dictable, and many thingscan compromise driversafety. Although some ofthese things, like smart-phones and loud music,are easily avoided distrac-tions, some safety risksrequire a little more effortto overcome.

Such is the case withcloudy headlights. Cloudyheadlights can compro-mise a driver’s vision, put-ting motorists and theirpassengers at risk of acci-dent and injury. Althoughit’s easy to overlook head-lights when performingroutine vehicle mainte-nance, drivers shouldknow that, as headlightsage, they become discol-ored and develop a hazy oryellowed appearance dueto exposure to the sun-light, pollution, ozone andchemicals used in car

washes. As headlightsbecome increasingly hazy,they emit less light andglare increases signifi-cantly.

“Driving with headlightsthat have become cloudedover time leaves driversvulnerable to risky drivingconditions,” said Ann-Marie Hines, Senior

Marketing Manager ofPhilips Automotive. “Thesedim headlights functionimproperly for drivers, lim-iting the amount of light onthe road, and actually dra-matically increase theglare that other driverssee.”

Fortunately, ensuringoptimal headlight per-

formance can be relativelysimple and dramaticallyimprove visibility, ensur-ing the safety of driversand their passengers.

• Clean headlightsbefore driving in inclementweather. Drivers know toclean their windshields

Hazy headlights pose danger

(See LIGHTS, Page 6)

Rainy weather canarrive any time of year.While an afternoon spentindoors watching thedrops fall can be relaxing,driving in the rain is any-thing but. It requiresextra concentration andimproved reaction time.Rainy conditions can bechallenging and treacher-ous, and drivers shouldproceed with caution onrain-slicked roads.

Rain is blamed for manyaccidents, but many ofthese situations are large-ly preventable amongdrivers who adapt to theweather and roadway con-ditions. Here are somethings to consider.

• Reduced visibilityoccurs from wiper blades,glare (particularly atnight) and heavy down-pours. When you areunable to see the roadahead, including othervehicles, reduce yourspeed. If the rain is com-ing down in torrents, pullover to the side of the roadand wait for a respite.Turn on your lights toensure you are visible toother cars on the road.

• Recognize that raincan cause slick conditions.A film of water develops onthe roadways, and that canaffect the performance ofyour vehicle’s tires. Lesstraction means the car canslip and slide.Hydroplaning, or coastingon the surface of the water,is common. Another, less-er-known condition isslickness caused by greaseand oil in the asphalt.During a long dry spell,these substances build upon the roads. When itrains, the oil and waterdoesn’t mix, bringing theoils to the surface andexacerbating slick condi-tions. The first few hoursof a rainstorm can be quitedangerous until heavierrains wash the oils away.

• Water spraying uponto tires and brakes cancompromise braking abili-ty. That means it couldtake longer to stop underwet conditions. Do nottailgate and leave extraroom between vehicles. Ifyou drive through a pud-dle of water, pump thebrakes and test them outto be sure you can stop.

Brake earlier so that otherdrivers understand yourintentions and can reactaccordingly.

• Avoid extremely largepuddles. First of all, youcannot judge the depth ofthe puddle and you mayend up getting stuck, espe-cially in the event of road-way flooding. Watersplashing into the enginecompartment may dam-age electrical components.Steer around puddles tobe on the safe side.

• Use extra care watch-ing out for pedestrians. Anormally observant person

may be distracted by therain, puddles and wran-gling an umbrella and veerinto the path of cars. Bemindful of the side of theroads and where pedestri-ans may be, such asaround parked cars.

• Change wiper bladestwice per year. You do notwant to be caught withshoddy wiper blades inpoor conditions. Withoutan effective wiper blade,rain cannot be clearedeffectively from the wind-shield.

• Limit distractionsinside of the car to focus

even more of your atten-tion on the road. Whilesome have become accus-tomed to answering phonecalls or fielding questionsfrom the backseat whiledriving, avoid such dis-tractions when driving inthe rain. Turn down theradio if you must andencourage passengers toremain quiet until safelyhome.

• Leave extra time toget to your destination.Rain causes slowing downof traffic. Rushing mayincrease your risk of beingin an accident, so always

leave extra travel timewhen driving in wet condi-tions.

• Make way for emer-gency personnel. Accidentsand bad weather are com-mon. Slow down or pullover to allow emergencyvehicles to pass by. If thereare flashing lights on theside of the road, move intothe left lane to give a widegirth around first respon-ders.

Driving in the rainrequires drivers to exer-cise caution. Making a fewadjustments improvessafety on the roadways.

Be cautiouswhen there’srain on road

Wet pavement is slick, making collisions more likely. Drive with care.

Warm weather is on thehorizon, and people fromall over are preparingtheir vehicles for anotherseason of road trips. Inaddition to packing theinterior cargo areas full ofequipment and luggage,many road-trippers alsohaul gear and recreationalaccessories with them.

There’s more to towingthan hitching a trailer andhitting the road. A numberof factors come into play,including the towing capac-ity of the vehicle doing thehauling. The following aresome safety tips for hittingthe road with trailer in tow.

Tow vehiclesWhile many vehicles

have towing capabilities,not all of those vehicles

Learn to towcargo safely

(See TOW, Page 5)

are necessarily right forthe job. Review the towingcapacities of various vehi-cles depending on the typeof trailer that will betowed. A larger, more pow-erful vehicle may be nec-essary if you will be tow-

ing something large andheavy, such as a boat or arecreational vehicle. Youmay need more horsepow-er to maintain a safe driv-ing speed when towingespecially heavy cargo.

EquipmentDifferent manufacturers

offer towing packagesequipped to work withyour vehicle. Towing pack-

ages may include certaintypes of hitches, batteries,flasher systems, extended-view side mirrors, andeven special axles andtires. In many areas, atrailer with a loadedweight of more than 1,500pounds requires a separatebraking system and abreakaway switch on thetongue of the trailer thatactivates the trailer brakes

if it separates from the towvehicle.

AbilityHaving a lot of power

and the right equipment isnot enough. Recklessness,which includes speeding, isa recipe for an accident. Ittypically takes time andpractice to grow accus-tomed to towing cargo.This requires that drivers

maneuver their vehiclesdifferently than theywould in more typical con-ditions, and that they drivemore slowly while leavingroom for a larger turningradius. Drivers must alsoaccommodate for the extraweight when braking.

Vehicle checkVerifying that the trail-

er hitch is secure is not

the only inspection driversmust conduct before hit-ting the open road. Thevehicle doing the towingshould be serviced, andany repairs should bemade. Check fluid levels,particularly the transmis-sion fluid. Make sure thewater level in the batteryis acceptable and have themotor oil changed if it isnearing its mileage limit.

TowContinued from Page 4

A cloudy headlight (left) and a clear headlight (right) after use of the PhilipsHeadlight Restoration Kit.


If its tread is thin, get a new one

Mark Goad said hethinks the most importantway you can prepare yourvehicle for spring and sum-mer is to focus on tires.

“Being a tire shop, ourmain service is tires,”Goad said. “You need tomake sure you have theright air pressure in yourtires, first of all. You canget way better mileagethat way. The tires alsorun cooler with the rightair pressure.”

Goad, who owns Goad’sTire Shop, said there aretelltale signs your vehi-cle’s tires are dangerouslyunderinflated.

“When a tire is underin-flated it will start chewingup the sidewall,” he said.“That’s when tires getruined. You start runninginto a lot of problems then.”

Spring is in the air, andsummer is right aroundthe corner. Vehicle ownersare busily washing off thewinter’s sand and saltresidue, and to make sureyour vehicle is ready forthe more temperatemonths, the proper prepa-rations are necessary.

Goad said another wayto prepare your vehicle isto pay close attention tothe depth of tread on yourtires.

“When it gets down to2/32 of an inch mostexperts consider it (thetire) gone,” he said. “Wehave a gauge that meas-ures that, but it’s alsoabout to the head ofLincoln on a penny. We justtell people to come by, andwe’ll look at the tires forthem.”

Goad also said his shop isdifferent because of theway they help customers.

“We try to work withcustomers any way wecan,” Goad said. “We givethem our honest advice.”

Christi Alexander, aloyal customer of Goad’s,said she’s been coming tothe shop for years becauseof the way they treat theircustomers.

“For one, they’re justnice,” Alexander said.“They’re good people. I justgot a heck of a price onfour tires. I’ve never had a

bad experience with them.I would recommend themto people, and I do recom-mend them to people allthe time. This is a goodbusiness in Muskogee.”

Alexander also said shestays conscientious of hertire wear and tear.

“If I think I need newtires, I come here and letthem check for me,” shesaid. “If I need them, Ichange them.”

Goad said other thingsvehicle owners need to

Tires need to beinflated properly

Michael Morrison, a tire specialist at Goad’s tire, putsa tire back on a rim after repairing it. Goad’s Tire hasbeen in business in Muskogee more than 40 years, andMark Goad said it’s because customers aren’t justnumbers to him.

(See TIRES, Page 6)

check to prepare their carsand trucks for the rainyand hot seasons are oiland coolant levels.

“Another thing you cancheck is the alignment onyour car,” he said. “A lot ofpeople don’t know theircar is out of alignmentuntil they pull a tire off.

Alignment and rotation isthe life of the tire. If youkeep them rotated, they’llwear better. There are alot of factors involved ingetting the maximum lifeout of your tires.

“We’ve been family-owned and -operated forover 40 years,” Goad said.“We enjoy our customers,and we’ve built relation-ships. When a customercomes in, they’re not anumber or money to us,they’re our neighbors.”

TiresContinued from Page 3

’70s. We get guys in herewho start when they’re 16and stay here. We have alot of experienced mechan-ics and a lot of knowledge

in our shop.”Jenkins said other

advantages to bringingyour vehicle to the JamesHodge Ford ServiceDepartment are that youget factory trained techni-cians who work on yourvehicle with factory tools.

Other things vehicleowners need to be aware

of are belts and coolantlevels, Jenkins said.

“All the inner belts needto be checked and replacedif they are worn,” he said.“The serpentine belt partic-ularly. If it gets too wornand breaks, it could damagethe engine by overheating.You’ll know when it startsto get worn out because it

will start to squeak.“We have a coolant spe-

cial right now where weflush out the old and putin new for $90 on mostvehicles,” Jenkins said.“You want to make sureyour coolant levels arewhere they need to be orthat could cause yourengine to overheat also.”

PrepareContinued from Page 2

before hitting the road insnowstorms, but few driv-ers exercise the same cau-tion with their headlights.Salt from snowy roads ordebris blown about fromseasonal winds can accu-mulate on headlight lens-es, decreasing their effec-tiveness and light outputas a result. So before hit-ting the road in inclementweather, be sure to removeany dirt or film from head-light lenses that mighthave built up over time.

• Address headlightissues before they appear.Though headlights will

inevitably wear down overtime, drivers can still takepreventative measures toimprove the performanceof their headlights so theirvisibility is not compro-mised. The PhilipsHeadlight Restoration Kitincludes a pre-treatmentthat provides long-lastingUV protection for head-light lenses. Thanks to thekit, which also includes acleaner/polish and restor-er/protector, drivers canrestore a headlight lens inas little as 30 minutes.Drivers hesitant to per-form their own restorationcan calm their nerves bytaking advantage of ashort how-to video thatshows motorists how torestore headlight lensclarity in a matter of min-

utes. The video, which canbe found at www.philip-sautolighting.com/head-lightkit, can help driversrestore their headlights to“like new” quality whileincreasing visibility andreducing glare.

• Replace headlightbulbs. Much like light bulbsused in a home, headlightbulbs tend to wear downover time. Humidity, elec-trical resistance, filamentfatigue and general usagecombine to reduce the lightoutput of headlight bulbs,which experts recommendshould be replaced everytwo years.

When replacing head-light bulbs, drivers canupgrade bulbs with a newgeneration of high perform-ance light bulbs that mark

a dramatic improvementover the traditional halo-gen bulbs which are stan-dard on many vehicles.Philips Upgrade HeadlightBulbs are designed to putsubstantially more light onthe road while creating abetter beam pattern that ismuch longer than that pro-duced by standard halogenbulbs. Available in a vari-ety of brands, these unique-ly designed bulbs are eventailored to meet specificdriver’s needs, ensuringcommuters, soccer momsand sports enthusiastswon’t fall victim to poor vis-ibility no matter wheretheir travels take them.

• Routinely clean yourvehicle’s glass and mir-rors. Dirty and agingheadlight lenses are notthe only thing that cancompromise a driver’svision on the road. Debrisand film buildup on wind-shield glass and on rear-and side-view mirrors canreduce vision, especiallyfor drivers who smokeinside their vehicles.Make cleaning the glassand mirrors inside andoutside of your vehiclepart of your routine vehi-cle maintenance. Suchcleaning won’t take verylong, but it will signifi-cantly improve visibility.When cleaning side-viewmirrors, be sure to prop-erly adjust them to elimi-nate blind spots.

More information isavailable at www.philips.com/automotive.

LightsContinued from Page 4

Buyers often find theprocess of finding a new carfun. Test driving vehiclesand playing with all of thegadgets that today’sincreasingly tech-heavyvehicles have to offer canbe akin to kids visiting acandy store and beinggiven carte blanche to fillup their baskets.

But as enjoyable as find-ing a new car can be, thefinancial commitment thatsuch a purchase requirescan make the processsomewhat nerve-wrackingas well. Buyers often assignthe most risk to preownedvehicles, and rightfully so.But some buyers evenregret their purchases afterbuying a new car, whetherthe car does not suit theirlifestyle as much as theyhad hoped or the vehiclesimply isn’t living up to theexpectations drivers hadfor it at the time of pur-chase. Savvy buyers willconsider the following fac-tors before taking the keysto their next new cars.

• Additional costs:Many new car shoppersplan to finance or leasetheir vehicles, but the downpayment and monthly pay-ment is not the only num-ber buyers must confirmbefore buying a vehicle.After the purchase priceand monthly paymentshave been figured out, thetwo most significant costsbuyers must consider areinsurance and gas. Somevehicles cost more to insurethan others, and the cost ofa policy will depend onmore than just a buyer’spersonal driving history.The vehicle’s safety fea-tures, where a driver livesand the type of vehicle,both its make and modeland the category it fits into(i.e., sports car, luxury vehi-cle, etc.), are all going to beused to determine the costof an insurance policy.

Buyers also must consid-

er how much a vehicle willcost to fuel up before mak-ing a final decision. Many adriver has grinned whendriving a brand new SUVoff a dealership lot, only tofrown on that first trip tothe filling station.

Insurance companies typi-cally provide free estimatesto prospective customers,so do your homework onthe different makes andmodels you’re considering,getting an insurance quote

for each vehicle. In addi-tion, consider the expectedfuel costs of each vehiclebefore making a decision.

• Reputation: Thanks tothe Internet, today’s vehi-cle buyers have a valuabletool that those of yester-year rarely had: fellowdrivers. When consideringcertain makes and models,go online to see what driv-ers and professionalreviewers have to say. Siteslike Edmunds.com andSafecar.gov offer profes-sional assessments of vari-ous makes and models, andvarious message boardsallow drivers to review theperformance of their vehi-cles. Such resources canpaint a realistic picture ofwhat it might be like toown and drive a particularautomobile.

• Resale value: Whileselling a car you don’t evenown yet is probably notforemost on your mind, it isimportant to consider acar’s potential resale value

before buying it. The highcosts of new vehicles haspushed many buyers out ofthe new car market, mak-ing preowned vehicles amore affordable and attrac-tive option. So consideringa car’s potential resalevalue before buying it newis a smart move that canpay dividends down theroad when you’re back onthe market for a new vehi-cle. Kelley Blue Book(kbb.com) is a valuableresource to gauge theresale value of vehicles,and buyers can even calcu-

late the resale value of acar over its first five years.This can help consumersdetermine which options toget on their new cars andeven help to govern theirdriving habits in an effortto keep the vehicle’s resalevalue as high as possible.

When buying a new vehi-cle, it can be tempting tobuy the most visually stun-ning or gadget-heavy vehi-cle on the dealership lot.But buyers should considermore than just appearanceand accessories before buy-ing their next new car.


With spring rolling inand summer right aroundthe corner, now is the timeto make sure your car canhandle the elements.

James Jenkins, theservice manager for JamesHodge Ford, said one ofthe most important thingscar owners can do to equipthemselves for the rainyweather ahead is simplychange the wiper blades.

“You won’t be able to seeif you don’t,” Jenkins said.“Ford recommends youchange the blades everythree months, and Fordblades even have a blacktab on them that turnsyellow when you need tochange them.”

Jenkins also said mak-ing sure tires have enough

tread and are properlyinflated is important todriver safety.

“If your tire is low, it canheat up faster,” he said.“That can cause them tomelt in hot weather. Thesame goes for tread depth.The treads on your tiresare like tiny radiators thatkeep them cool. When youdon’t have enough air flow,they heat up. Also, especial-ly during the rainy season,you don’t want bald tires.”

The James Hodge FordService Department doesnot service just Ford vehi-cles. Jenkins said if a cus-tomer chooses an author-ized Ford replacementpart for their vehicle, itautomatically comes witha two-year unlimited

mileage warranty.“We have price match

guarantee on our tires aswell,” he said. “It’s a low-price guarantee. We try todo everything by appoint-ment so we don’t have peo-ple waiting too long. Youcall the service depart-ment, and they’ll get youset up.”

When it comes to experi-ence, Jenkins said he’s gotquite a lot of it tucked intothe shop between salesrooms.

“I’ve got a couple of guysin there who have beenworking here since the’80s,” Jenkins said. “I’vegot one guy who I knowhas been here since the

Mark Bollinger looks over service paperwork behind his desk at the James HodgeFord dealership. In the background, several cars are being serviced.

Prepare your car for spring’s surprisesReplace wiper blades, just for a start

(See PREPARE, Page 6)

Time to get a new car? Consider this

Prospectivebuyersshould con-sider a hostof factorsbefore pur-chasing anew vehi-cle.

SpringCar Care


SpringCar Care
