Knowing your Credit Score Can Make Buying a Car a Snap

Credit and Financing, New Cars

It’s true, the more tools you have on your side, the easier the negotiating process is.

Here are few easy ways to raise your credit score I found at myautoloan.com:

1. Pay your bills in full and on time. Your current bill payment accounts for about 35% of the FICO score.  Missing credit card payments or submitting the minimum due each month will immediately lower scores, as will any debt collections or bankruptcy filings.

2. Build up an active and lengthy credit history. Don’t close out all of those old credit cards! Keeping them open builds your credit history.  This makes up about 15% of the FICO score.  Keep a few dormant accounts active.

3. Don’t open new accounts within 60 days of making a major purchase. This is 10% of your score.  Taking out new credit lines raises red flags because it makes you look riskier.

4. Maxing or topping out your credit cards will drop your score like a rock.   Even using 50% or more of your limit can cause problems because it increases the risk that you may not be able to repay.  If you have five credit cards with a $10,000 credit line each, for example, it’s not wise to carry a balance of more than $5,000 per card.  It’s better to carry smaller balances on several cards than to pile everything onto one card.

5. Get a copy of your credit report. This is very important.  Since credit scores are based on credit reports, it’s very important to make sure the information in your reports are fee of errors and fraud.  Federal law gives you the right to get a free report from each of the major credit bureaus once per year.

6. Hold a wide variety of credit experiences and loans, over time.  This is diversification. You’ll get credit for having a variety of loans. It’s better to have an assortment, including installment plans like auto loans or mortgages rather than simply credit cards.

Here’s an informative video that will explain the importance of understanding how your credit score is calculated and what you can do to raise it.

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If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask, or come by and see me.

Rotate Your Tires!

Maintenance and Service

What is your service Achilles heel? Forgetting your oil change? Filling your fluids? Mine is tire rotation. I’m usually very good about keeping my car in good shape. However, since my schedule has been getting busier and my free time has been getting shorter some things just slip my mind…until I drive home for the day. “Shudder…Shudder…Shudder” my tires never forget to remind me they need rotating.
Everyday driving can affect the balance of your tires. The Video below explains how your tires can come out of balance and how routine inspections for tire rotation and balance can extend the life of your tires and increase your driving enjoyment.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nBzked-fpI

If you need you tires rotated, and I know you do, find the time to take it to the shop and have them done. If you are in the Dallas area, swing by and we can do it for you. Either way, just get them done, as it will greatly increase the life of your tires.

Fall Foliage Drives in North Texas

Just for Fun
Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Being located here in Grapevine, Texas, means that we aren’t exactly a treasure trove of great fall foliage sightseeing. Our weather errs on the warmer side of the spectrum so we very rarely have a window of time to enjoy the changing of the colors. Not to say that we don’t enjoy it, we just have to search a little harder and be a little better at planning ahead. For us, late November, right around Thanksgiving is the best time to take a drive to see the colors. After living here for many years, here are a few places I’ve found that can provide us North Texans with a glimpse of Fall foliage.

Fossil Rim State Park

South of Fort Worth, about an hour’s drive, you’ll hit Glen Rose, a tiny town of about 2,500. In that town is a great park called Fossil Rim Wildlife Center. In that park is a drive thru wildlife and foliage lesson. If you pick the right time of year, you could witness a changing of the colors and see some antelopes, rhinoceroses, giraffes, and plenty of other wildlife. This wooded preserve is a great drive regardless of the time of year, but if you’re a fan of the oranges, reds and yellows that Fall has to offer, then you can’t go wrong at Fossil Rim.

Cedar Hill State Park

Just south of Dallas on I-20 and 1845 near Cedar Hill is Joe Pool Lake. A small lake that is surrounded by wooded areas, a preserve and plenty of opportunities to catch some fall foliage. Don’t forget your camera because you’ll have tons of chances to capture the essence of Fall. The short drive between I-20 and Cedar Hill alone is worth the drive. Rolling hills, fresh air and plenty of trees are the highlight. Just thinking about it is making me itch to take a trip down there!

Tyler State Park

East of Dallas, about 2 hours of driving, is Tyler State Park. A small, wooded state park that surrounds a lake. This is the perfect place to spend a cool, Fall weekend and enjoy the outdoors. You can bring an, RV, pitch a tent or stay in one of their screened cabins. Either way, you’ll have the perfect vantage point to see tons of colorful Fall changes. The drive out to East Texas isn’t too bad itself. Once you get out of DFW, it’s nothing but trees for miles.

What about you? Where are some of your favorite places to enjoy Fall foliage in North Texas?

Tips for Winterizing Your Car #3

Tips and HInts

With the oncoming Winter season in front of us, it’s a good idea to take a few precautions to make sure your car can handle the harsh temperatures and (possibly) even the snow and ice. Be sure to check out post number 1 and 2 for more tips!

Check your tires and tire pressure

If it’s time to get a new set of tires, just before the cold sets in is the best time to do it. Your tire’s tread is needed to keep control of your car if you hit a patch of ice. The more tread your tires have, the better traction you have during a snowstorm or ice-storm. You may even consider switching out to a set of studded snow tires, if your Winters are super harsh.

If your tires have a good amount of tread on them, then you must ensure that your tires have the proper amount of tire pressure. If they are under-inflated, then the tread on your tires shore up and don’t make contact with the road, increasing your chances of skidding if you hit an ice patch. Check your owner’s manual for the proper tire pressure.

Get a tune-up

The belts and hoses under the hood are important to keep it running at its best. The problem with harsh winters is that it takes its toll on those belts and hoses. If you spring a leak or have a frayed belt, it will only worsen in the Winter. Harsh temperatures and the necessity of running your engine tougher than usual could very easily mean a busted belt or an engine that can’t hold it’s liquids. Both of which are very bad and, potentially, very costly. Your engine depends on anti-freeze and other liquids to keep everything working properly (brakes, transmission, etc..). If your hoses are leaky, then you’re running the risk of having a major problem on your hands. It’s best to get all of your belts, hoses, and liquids checked before winter so you know your car will be up to speed and ready to go during those chilly days.

Tips For Winterizing Your Car #2

Tips and HInts
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Winterizing your car is a must for any of you who live in areas where you experience debilitating snowfalls and sub-zero temperatures. Be sure to check out the first installment of my series of winterizing your car to keep it running smoothly and lessening your chances of getting stranded.

Change your oil

During Winter, the lower temperatures make the oil in your engines tougher to flow and lubricate the moving parts that you don’t want to seize. To prevent that from happening, you should consider using a motor oil that is thinner than what you usually use. The key to figuring out what you should look for, pay attention to the first number on the bottle (10-30, 20W-50). The lower the number, the thinner the oil, and the easier it is to flow through your engine. If you are lucky enough to have an oil with the “W” indicator after the first number, then your oil is fine for Winter use and there is no need to switch to a different viscosity.

Double Check Your 4 Wheel Drive

I can’t tell you the number of times I wish I had a 4 wheel drive vehicle during the Winter. They can go just about anywhere and since they use all 4 wheels to grip the road, you can easily get out of a patch of ice. You should always avoid getting out on the road when it’s icy anyways, but when the time comes to strike out on the ice and snow, you’ll be glad your 4WD is working properly. With any 4WD vehicle, it’s a good idea to shift into 4WD about once a month to make sure there are no clogged lines and everything is running properly. Trust me, once you spin your wheels a couple of times, you’ll be glad you’ve got the ability to switch into 4WD and get home safely.

Stay tuned for more tips on winterizing your car!

Tips for Winterizing Your Vehicle #1

Tips and HInts

With the temperature dropping at a rapid pace, that can only mean one thing: Winter is on its way! The snow, the chilly weather, and the hot chocolate are all things that we look forward to here at Freeman Grapevine. On the flip-side, we also see plenty of car owners in our shop who neglect to take care of their vehicles during the cold weather. With that being said, I have a few tips to pass along to help you avoid getting stranded, keeping your car running and saving you money.

Keep an emergency weather kit in your car

You never know when the snow and ice will take its toll and accumulate on the roads, leaving you stranded for a few hours until the salt trucks can help you get back on the road. Nonetheless, you need to keep an emergency weather kit with you at all times, just in case you have an accident and/or get stranded. A good kit has most or all of the following products:

  • Flashlight
  • First Aid Kit
  • Jumper Cables
  • Reflective Triangle
  • Shovel for snow removal
  • Salt for traction on ice and snow
  • Travel Blanket
  • Ice Scraper
  • Tow Strap

Check with Amazon and see what kind of deals they have on a kit that includes all of most of these items.

Change your windshield wipers and check your wiper fluid

While you should never use your windshield wipers to remove ice, a new set of wipers and proper ice melting wiper fluid are critical for keeping ice from accumulating on your windshield while you are driving. We’ve all done it, we sit in our cars while it’s warming up and turn the wipers on hoping it will take a chunk of ice off of the glass, but instead, it just damages your wipers and limits their effectiveness. A good ice melting wiper fluid will aid in the process and help remove any build-up of ice and snow will help keep your windshield free and clear, eliminating any visibility issues. After all, driving in snow is a task in itself, having ice and snow in your line of sight certainly doesn’t help.

Keep your eyes peeled for a few more posts on winterizing your vehicle.

Take The Pledge To End Texting and Driving

Safe Driving
Photo courtesy of ItCanWait.com

I know I talk about this a lot, but I think it bears repeating until we can get a grasp on the problem. Texting and driving accidents are at the highest point they’ve ever been and we need an intervention to help us stop the madness. AT&T has created a campaign to get drivers all over the country to pledge not to text and drive.

ItCanWait.com is a great resource for showing you how to create the shortcut “#X” so you can quickly tell someone that you’re about to be on the road and that you’ll get back with them in due time. AT&T has also created a couple of different apps to help you keep your eyes on the road and not answering texts or phone calls. One of them is the DriveMode app (available for Androids), in which all incoming calls and texts are silenced, no phone calls can be made and text messages cannot be sent out. Thereby, keeping your eyes on the road!

There are also plenty of other driving apps available, for both IOS and Android phones, that render your phone inoperable while you’re behind the wheel.

We hear about it on a daily basis, here at Freeman Grapevine and we really wish we didn’t. Not only are you at risk when you text and drive, but you’re also putting everyone on the road at risk, as well.

Check out this video for the “#X” pledge and visit the website today!

 

Combating Highway Hypnosis

Safe Driving, Tips and HInts

The idea of traveling long distances is a good one. Packing up your suitcase, getting your dogs in the car, then hitting the road. Driving across the state, or even across the country is one of America’s past-times. But there’s one thing that will end your vacation quickly: highway hypnosis. After an extended period of time out on the road, seeing the cars drive by, and staring at the road in front of you, even the most experienced drivers tend to get dreary and sleepy. Highway hypnosis is dangerous because you could very easily drift into another lane, or off the road completely, and we don’t want to think about what happens then. Here are a few ways to combat that sleepy feeling.

1. Sing Along With The Radio

If you find yourself getting dreary, crank up the radio and belt out your best rendition of “Don’t Stop Believing“. It puts your mind to work in areas other than driving. You won’t be taking your eyes off the road, but your brain will be jolted back to life and you’ll be more alert.

2. Take A Break

It’s good to get out of the car and walk around for a bit. Maybe you could make a phone call and walk around a store for a few minutes, just to get your blood flowing. If you’re running low on gas, it’s time to fill up and take a break.

3. Avoid Heavy Meals

There’s a reason everyone takes a nap on Thanksgiving. It’s because we eat so much. Our bodies are using energy to digest the massive amounts of food we just put into our bodies. In turn, that makes us tired and sleepy. If you’re heading out for an extended trip, avoid the heavy meals that make us want to pull over and take a nap.

4. Roll the Windows Down

If the weather’s nice enough, you can always roll your windows down and give your senses something more to focus on. The smell of the outside, and the wind rushing in will give you a lift and you’ll be more awake.

Next time you’re traveling, be sure to remember these tips.

Tailgating is a Dangerous Hobby

Safe Driving

We’ve all seen them. We look in the mirror and we see a car cruising a mere 6 feet away from your bumper. Tailgaters. The aggressive drivers who want to go faster than you and want you to be out of their way. Truth be told: tailgating is one of the most dangerous habits that drivers have. Just think about the last time you were out on the road, I can almost bet that you were driving to close to the person in front of you. After years of driving, we tend to forget what we were taught in Driver’s Ed.

Tailgating is dangerous at any speed, from a 20 mph school zone to a 85 mpg highway. A sudden stop, or even just a slight deceleration could end up being a disaster. If you find yourself in an accident with you being the aggressor, you will stand to lose more than a few dollars. It will cost you money to repair your car, pay your fines and likely have a hard time finding a new insurance company.

We recommend keeping a 1.5 – 2 car distance between yourself and the car in front of you for every 10 mph you are traveling. For instance. If you are going 60 mph on the highway, then you want, at least 9 car lengths between you. Sure, there will be some hiccups along the way (merging traffic, drivers who cut you off, etc..), but that shouldn’t stop you from slowing down and letting the other drivers get far enough ahead of you so if they realize they are going too fast and hit the brakes, even for an instant, you won’t slam into their bumpers.

Here’s a fun fact for you! Not tailgating will actually help your car’s fuel mileage. If you aren’t flooring the accelerator and keeping up with the speed fluctuations the car in front of you has, your engine will maintain a steady pace and use fuel accordingly.

I realize that it may be hard to do with our congestion here in Dallas-Fort Worth, but rest assured, when you remember to keep your distance from the cars in front of you, you’ll have less of a chance of causing a minor (or major!) accident.

Why Running Your Car On Empty Is Bad

Uncategorized
Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Who isn’t tired of the fluctuating and ever increasing gas prices? It still hurts the wallet every time I have to fill up. And to avoid that sting, some people are driving their vehicles until they have used every last drop in the gas tank, literally. Which means not only could they end up on the side of the road because they ran out of gas, but running on empty can cause costly damage to your vehicle. We’ve seen it first hand here at Freeman Grapevine.

Most people on the road don’t realize that if you are running on empty, you may be putting your vehicle at risk by causing damage to the fuel pump. The electric fuel-pump motor uses the gasoline as a coolant, so when you are low the pump may suck in air which creates heat and that is not a good thing. Replacing the fuel pump will cost a couple hundred dollars to fix which leaves you in a position of shelling out even more money!

Besides costly fuel pump damage, running on a low tank of gas could possibly leave you stranded on the side of a road or could possible be the cause of an accident if your vehicle suddenly stops running. Being stranded puts both you and your vehicle at risk. Hopefully a friend can help out by bringing you some gas, but you will need to be prepared to take some heat for letting your car run out of gas in the first place!

Thankfully, you can prevent these situations by following the tips below:

  • Fill up once your tank reaches 1/4 full.
  • Before driving on a long trip, fill up. You never know what the traffic might bring that day and you may end up with a longer trip than planned.
  • If you do get low enough on fuel for your car to ding or warn you, fill up as soon as possible.  Don’t hope that you can get just a little bit further as you never can be sure how far you can get.
  • Find the cheapest gas near your house instead of driving to the other side of town. There are some apps out there that can help find the cheapest gas.

Don’t take your chances by running your vehicle on empty. Even though you may think you are stretching your dollar further, you will run the risk of potentially having costly as well as dangerous situations running on a near empty gas tank. One way to make sure you are getting the best MPGs possible is to have your tires properly inflated and your vehicle properly maintained. You can always bring your vehicle by Freeman Grapevine and we can help you out!