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Sooner or later it’s going too happen to you, the dreaded “SKID”. Losing control of your vehicle suddenly is never any fun, but with a little reeducation you should be able to react without thinking and come out of the spin unscathed.
There is no secret to successfully navigating your way out of a “fishtail”. I’ll bet the phrase “turn into the skid” jumps to mind and that is absolutely correct. Take a look at the video below for a good reminder
Better yet, if you have a new driver in the family go and grab them and watch the video together. There is no substitution for having a good grasp on defensive driving and evasive maneuvers.
httpv://youtu.be/2bcyuTQQIe0
Remember, when you lose control of your vehicle staying calm is absolutely essential. Losing your composure could lead to over-correction and a total loss of control of your vehicle…at that point you might want refer back to this blog for a refresher. If you have any question, comments or need the number of a good body shop (kidding), give me a call.
Living in Texas, we are all too familiar with “Texas Weather”. To put it simply, it can and usually does change on a dime. Nice and sunny one moment and the next you are being pelted by penny to softball sized hail. I’d go as far as to say that the “Hail Sale” was invented here in Texas.
So what do you do of your poor new car gets pelted by an unexpected deluge ice nuggets and ends up looking like a golf ball? One of two things. You can watch the video below for a look at what it takes to get your ride back to it’s unblemished self. It shows the tools you’ll need and how you might want to go about prepping your dent removal project.
To keep it interesting, they challenged the tech to do 6 dents in under a minute. As a novice, I’d plan for a much longer amount of time for your project. Also keep in mind that this is just the hood. Chances are if you’ve sustained hail damage it will probably be on your roof and trunk as well…as this point, I’d really consider bringing it in to have a professional take a crack at it.
Check out the video:
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGFk-gJsT8w
As you can see, if you know what you are doing, restoring your car after a hail storm takes a little patience, the right tools and some mechanical ability (removing hoods, liners, paneling etc.).
If you’ve sustained any hail damage (it’s crazy weather season in Texas) and don’t want to tackle a dent removal project yourself, then don’t hesitate to give me a call and I’d be happy to help you get your pride and joy back too showroom condition.
One thing is certain, we all spend a lot of time in our cars, 540 hours a year to be exact. That’s right 540 hours of traffic, of red lights of sitting for hours on end. What do you do with all of that time wasted? With the crack down on cell phone usage, you’d better have a pretty killer stereo to stay entertained.
Now, for the most part, most people are totally content with their factory installed systems. However, there are some people…self-proclaimed “audiophiles” who demand only the clearest most efficient and, at times, the loudest audio systems available.
If you think you want to venture into the world of custom audio for your vehicle, there are some things you should know. First let’s start with the basics…the 3 components of your audio entertainment.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf3LJYMrdSo
When looking for an after market system, you really need know what you are looking for: what type of sound, what features, what brand, are you going to need an amplifier…these are just a few of the questions you should ask before you make any purchase. There are any number of places you can go to research and get expert advice, including my dealership.
I guess the bottom line is, if we are going to be spending 541 hours in our cars every year, I for one am going to want the best possible audio system in my vehicle to keep my mind off the fact that I could be playing a lot Golf with those wasted hours.
DETROIT – Today through May 31, 2016, Buick will expand its military discount program for all 21 million U.S. military veterans and their spouses in honor of National Military Appreciation Month.
“These brave men and women have done so much for our country,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president, Global Buick Sales, Service and Marketing. “Making sure all veterans can take advantage of our military discount to celebrate Military Appreciation Month is one small way we can express our gratitude.”
Buick offers the industry’s most comprehensive automotive military discount program. The military discount program is typically available to U.S. military veterans within one year of separation, active-duty personnel, reservists, retirees and their spouses. In honor of May’s National Military Appreciation Month, the program expands to include all veterans – regardless of their separation date – and their spouses.
The discount is available for popular models, including the Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Enclave. Because the discount can be combined with most current incentives, veterans can save thousands of dollars on some vehicles. For more information, visit gmmilitarydiscount.com.
Buick’s support for the U.S. military spans generations. During WWII, Buick converted all its plant facilities in support of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s call for an “Arsenal of Democracy.”
The tradition continues today as the Buick Achievers scholarship program helps many students—including deserving veterans like William Smith—become the first in their family to attend college. Between high school and starting his collegiate career, he served as an aviation electronics technician in the U.S. Marine Corps, supporting combat operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Africa.
How many times am I going to feel compelled to write about this subject? Does it take the death of someone with some fame to get the public’s attention? Apparently not, because once again Hollywood is setting a prime example of what not to do.
Following the horrific 2011 car crash of “Jackass” star Ryan Dunn, police uncovered that he was driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .196-two times the legal limit.
Dunn was purportedly driving 140 mph on a 55 mph road when he crashed his Porsche 911 GT3 through a rail and into the woods where it crashed into a tree and erupted into flames. Dunn and his passenger, Zachary Hartwell, died at the site. Wrecks similar to this serve as a tragic reminder of the risks of driving intoxicated.
It appears that, Dunn had an earlier DUI accident a few years before, but was in a position to clean up his record through court requirements and was not required to install an alcohol interlock machine on his automobile. If he had survived this collision, Dunn’s upcoming cars would’ve been mandated to possess this piece of equipment for at least one year following his license was reinstated.
What can you expect after a DWI?
Expect to prove you haven’t been drinking when you get behind the wheel! Alcohol interlocks are a technique the government is hoping will cut back the 11,000 deaths each year from drunk driving. Forty-nine states have some kind of interlock condition and 11 states have required provisions subsequent to the initial conviction. The driver has to blow into the machine to check for alcohol for their car will start.
What’s being done?
At this time, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is conducting their “Over the Limit, Under Arrest” operation through July 4th in an effort to tag intoxicated drivers before a deadly accident occurs. This week in addition to next week are filled with graduation events, 4th of July picnics, in addition to added summer revelry. Keep the streets safe by following these valuable tips…tips you should already know and be putting into practice.
If you are planning to consume alcohol, designate a sober driver ahead of going out. In the event you are impaired, don’t drive.
Hail a taxi, make use of mass transit, or phone a sober buddy or member of the family to get you home safely.
Plan in advance and stuff a bag to stay over someone’s residence should you know you might be drinking.
Report drunk drivers you observe out on the roads at once to the police by calling 911.
Always put on your safety belt while in a car or wear a helmet as well as protecting equipment while on a motorcycle.
If you happen to see someone about to drive intoxicated or travel with somebody who’s intoxicated, get the keys and aid them reach where they’re going unharmed.
..and I misspoke before…it’s not Hollywood’s problem…it’s all of ours!
New LED headlights, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto for Buick’s best-seller
NEW YORK – Buick today introduced the new 2017 Encore, strengthening the appeal of America’s most popular small SUV with more refined styling and new connectivity technology – including available Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
A new front-end appearance and a new premium interior highlight the visual refinements, while Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are supported by a next-generation IntelliLink system featuring an 8-inch-diagonal color touch screen.
Push-button start, keyless unlock via the exterior door handles and an 8-inch color touchscreen highlight the Encore’s roster of new standard features.
“The Buick Encore created the premium small SUV segment and remains the top choice for customers seeking premium features and dependability coupled with timeless design,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Buick Sales, Service and Marketing. “In a rapidly evolving segment, the Encore continues to lead with smart, purposeful updates and a new level of technology-infused elegance and refinement.
Introduced in 2013, the Encore quickly carved out a niche of its own, offering the premium features typically associated with larger luxury SUVs but with greater maneuverability. It quickly rose to the top of the fast-growing small SUV market, topping it in 2014 and 2015.
Encore was Buick’s best-selling vehicle in North America in 2015, accounting for nearly a third of overall sales. Its sales were up 34 percent for the first two months of 2016, extending a year-over-year sales increase streak to 26 months.
Overall, SUVs now account for approximately 60 percent of all Buick sales, up from 34 percent prior to the introduction of the Enclave in 2007. Starting this summer with the arrival of the Envision – which slots directly between the Encore and Enclave – Buick will offer SUVs in the market’s three most popular segments.
The 2017 Encore goes on sale this fall, initially offered in five trim levels: Encore (1SB), Encore Sport Touring (1SH), Encore Convenience (1SD), Encore Leather (1SL) and Encore Premium (1SN). Front-wheel drive is standard, with all-wheel drive available.
It is the fourth all-new or significantly updated Buick coming in 2016, joining the Cascada convertible, Envision compact SUV and LaCrosse sedan.
Win marks brand three-peat for the Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Award
DETROIT – GMC today was recognized as the Most Refined Brand in the 2016 Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Awards. It is the third consecutive year the brand has received this award.
Brand Image Award winners are based on consumer automotive perception data from Kelley Blue Book Strategic Insights’ Brand Watch study. Brand Watch is an online brand and model perception tracking study tapping into more than 12,000 in-market new-vehicle shoppers annually on Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com. The comprehensive study provides insight on how shoppers identify important factors influencing their purchase decision and captures brand/model familiarity and loyalty among new-vehicle shoppers.
Driven by its luxury-focused Denali sub-brand, GMC received high ratings for comfort, interior layout, technology, prestige and sophistication. In previous years, Kelley Blue Book has praised Denali vehicles for offering plush features while maintaining a more rugged persona than offered by most luxury automakers.
“Premium quality and exterior styling are the top two reasons customers choose GMC vehicles,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of GMC. “Unprecedented refinement and attention to detail provide our customers with a truly Professional Grade experience.”
More than 850,000 GMC Denali vehicles have been sold since the introduction of the 1999 GMC Yukon Denali. The sub-brand accounted for 23 percent of GMC retail sales in 2015, outselling the entire product lines of several premium automakers such as Land Rover, Jaguar and Porsche.
DETROIT – The collaborative energy inside the Buick design studio shows how proven artistic methods and cutting-edge technology work together to create beautiful vehicles.
Interior designers of the award-winning Buick Avista were tasked with creating an interior of equal beauty to the exterior. While sketching and refining the door in digital mockups they reached the point where they wanted to see it in physical form. They gave the detailed sketch to the clay sculptors and left the next step in their hands. For a designer, the transition from 2D to 3D is the moment of truth.
“We are really fortunate to work with such a talented team of sculptors,” said Aaron Stich, creative designer for Buick. “They brought the design to life in a way we never could have imagined; it was absolutely inspiring to see how they interpreted what we had done with pen and paper. This is what it’s like in the Buick studio right now, there’s so much energy, and everyone is itching to contribute. It’s fueling the creative renaissance of the brand.”
Mark Dybis, creative sculptor, remembers his initial reaction when seeing the drawing of the door and quips that it reminded him of an M.C. Escher artwork. Dybis, who has spent the majority of his decade long career as an automotive sculptor in the Buick studios explained the lofty nature of making this proposed door design work.
“It was an amazing door design, but it was longer than we’re used to, so we knew we’d have to pay special attention to the curved lines to make the physical model look just as graceful as it did on the paper,” Dybis explains. “Our job is to bring the designers’ vision to life, and we know there are things that have to be considered when transitioning a drawing into the tangible world. In the end, I appreciate that a modern-looking car like the Avista, and all Buicks, are styled with time-honored methods like hand drawing and sculpting.”
The News Ahead of its debut at the New York International Auto Show, GMC today introduced the 2017 GMC Terrain Nightfall Edition – a stylized special edition combining blacked-out exterior details and wheels, with popular technologies such as IntelliLink with available 4G LTE connectivity and Wi-Fi hotspot.
It joins the Canyon Nightfall Edition and the all-new Sierra All Terrain X as the latest GMC vehicle to offer an exclusive, personalized appearance with the Terrain’s premium features and refinement.
Product Details The Terrain Nightfall offers an edgy appearance with 18-inch machine-faced aluminum wheels and gloss black spokes, a charcoal grill with a gloss black surround and accents, gloss black front and rear fascia accents, gloss black rear license plate surround trim, gloss black outside mirrors and black luggage rails. Terrain Nightfall Edition will be offered on SLE-2 and SLT models with four exterior color options: Summit White, Onyx Black, Graphite Gray Metallic and Crimson Red Metallic.
On Sale Fall 2016
Quotable “Building on its best year ever, Terrain continues to attract new and style-conscious customers to GMC,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of GMC Sales and Marketing. “The new Terrain Nightfall Edition adds another great-looking and well-equipped choice for this popular SUV – one that will stand out in a crowd.”
About the Terrain Coming off a record sales year in 2015, the restyled 2016 Terrain is a capable crossover with room for five, premium features and technologies that allow passengers to stay connected wherever the road or trail takes them. It also offers an EPA-estimated 32 mpg highway (FWD models) with the standard 2.4L engine.
GMC IntelliLink with a 7-inch-diagonal color touchscreen is standard on the Terrain Nightfall Edition’s SLE-2 and SLT trims, along with available 4G LTE connectivity and Wi-Fi hotspot.
First let me say that I hope you never get into an accident of any kind. They are monetarily and emotionally stressful. It’s not something that anyone looks forward to, let alone really prepares for. So what do you do, Fort Worth, if you get into an accident? I found a short, yet concise video you should take a look at. You might think, “Ozzie, it’s obvious what to do after and accident” that is until you actually get into one. Staying calm and keeping your wits isn’t always the easiest thing to do in that traumatic situation.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brNjqSjRy4E
Here are 11 things to remember after you’ve been involved in a car accident I found here.
Save the apologies for another time – yes, politeness is an admirable trait, but in this situation, a simple “I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention,” can be seen as an admission of liability.
Start talking – to witnesses, that is. Get all the relevant contact information of any bystanders that may have seen the accident.
Call Your Insurance Company – report the incident to your insurance company, even if you are completely at fault. Also, keep track of the time and money spent pursuing your claim.
Take Pictures – having proof of the damage to the car will help with insurance, and serve as evidence if there is a dispute down the line. One helpful tip is to always keep a disposable camera in your glove compartment for these situations.
Get a Property Damage Figure from your Insurance Company – this valuation will serve as the amount you can recover or replace your car. If you are not happy with the figure from your insurance company, seek outside quotes.
Careful Who You Talk To – if the other party’s insurance company contacts you, your best response is to get in touch with your insurance company or attorney. Why? Because they are better equipped to handle the situation.
Don’t automatically accept the first estimate or offer you get – jumping the gun on the settlement can be a costly mistake.
Get an attorney – if there is a dispute with your insurance company, or the seemingly simple car accident suddenly turns complicated, then seeking legal counsel is your best bet.
Take a deep breath, everything is going to be ok.
Does anyone have any other advice to give? Remember if you need a little help after an accident, give us a call and we can walk you through the steps it takes to get you back out on the road again in a flash.
