All posts by Ozzie

Road Trips With Your Furry Friend

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Photo Courtesy of autoevolution.com

Nobody wants to leave their pets with someone for a few days while you go on a road trip. Surely, you don’t want to have them boarded, that costs money and your pet will be uncomfortable going into a place with strange people and strange animals. Luckily enough, taking a dog with you on your road trip isn’t as hard as you think it is! If you follow a few simple rules, a trip with your dog will be fun for both of you.

Crate your dog

Crating your dog is the smartest option for traveling long distances with them in the car. Not only does crating help keep your dog calm, but they cannot be a distraction while you’re driving. Dogs tend to get nervous in moving vehicles and oftentimes they will try to climb in your lap for reassurance. Once they are in your lap, your focus is now on your furry friend, which is bad for your driving. Keeping them in a crate is better for everyone.

Don’t feed them

Dogs are prone to have motion-sickness and if you give them a big meal before heading out, you may have a mess on your hands (or your seats)! You may give them a small treat when you’re stopped for gas or for a meal. Otherwise, wait until you’ve reached your destination or are done for the night.

Take them for a walk

Before you head out for a few hours and you’re stuck in the car, take them for a long walk. Getting them to exercise before a long trip will help them relax and stay calm while in the crate. Also taking them for a walk during rest stops and breaks will help them stay relaxed and rest while you’re traveling.

Taking your best friend with you is always a bonus when you get to travel. Have you traveled with your dog? How did they handle it?

The Newest Danger to Drivers

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Photo Courtesy of Twitter

I’ve written at length a number of times describing the dangers of taking your eyes off the road while you’re driving a vehicle, but today AAA Texas released a report warning of the dangers of taking “selfies” while behind the wheel. For those of you who aren’t aware, a “selfie” is a picture of yourself taken by yourself. Taking your eyes off the road at any point in time while you are driving is a terrible decision. Looking for your phone, answering a text message, fooling with the radio, or even checking your Facebook news feed are all things that can wait until you’re at your destination or stopped at a red light.

In the 4 seconds it takes you to unlock your phone, find the camera icon, and snap the picture of yourself, you’ve traveled approximately the length of a football field (assuming you’re traveling at 60mph). That’s a lot of ground covered in a short amount of time and with your eyes off the road, your chances of getting in an accident go up exponentially.

I hear of minor vehicle accidents involving phones all the time, but knowing that people are focusing more on their pictures being taken than the road in front of them, is a big concern for me. In 2011, there were 385 deaths related to cell phone use on the road. I can only imagine that in the subsequent years that number has gone up.

In conclusion, doing anything that takes your eyes off of the road while you are driving is a bad idea. I’ve heard of people putting their phones in their glove compartments and locking it using the key, so there’s no way to get to it unless the vehicle is off and the key is out of the ignition. That may be an extreme example of self-restraint, but do whatever works, just keep your eyes on the road!

What Can I Do With My Unused Car?

Tips and HInts
Image courtesy of auto-carsale.com.

Surely you know of someone who as a vehicle that is sitting in a garage somewhere, collecting dust, waiting to be fixed or sold. I see them all the time when I’m out and about. The cars that sit in the driveway and just take up space. Not only are they an eyesore, but they can actually do some good for someone if they are donated to a charity that uses them to fund medical research or any other great cause. I’ve selected a few and I want to make you aware of them, so next time you visit your friend or family member with an old car, boat or motorcycle missing an engine and likely never to be fixed, you can give them a reason to get it out of their driveway and reclaim their space. Not to mention, their donation is also tax-deductible!

Kars4kids.org

One of the largest 501(c)(3) organizations offering free pick-up of your unused cars, boats and RVs. Kars4kids.org uses all of the proceeds from the donated vehicle to help a variety of organizations that help children all across the United States. Check out some of the charities they are partners with.

Wheelsforwishes.org

This car donation service benefits the Make-A-Wish foundation and helps make a kid’s dream come true! Wheelsforwishes.org, like most of the car donation organizations, also accepts RVs and motorcycles if you have one sitting around the yard. Fill out their donation form online and help put a smile on a child with a life-threatening illness’ face.

Carsforustroops.org

If you’d rather make a donation to help our soldiers overseas, then carsforUStroops.org is right up your alley. They support a number of charities (including the Wounded Warrior Project) involved with members in active duty and veterans back home.

If you know of someone who doesn’t want to go through the hassle of selling their used (or broken) car, mention the donation options they have.

 

 

How Not To Get A Ticket

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Image courtesy of carinsurance.org

When’s the last time you got pulled over for running a stop sign? Maybe you were caught going a few miles over the speed limit, or forgot to put your seat belt on when you went to the convenience store. Getting pulled over for minor infractions is always a stressful undertaking and no one looks forward to it. When you do get pulled over, how you handle yourself and your attitude towards the police, can possibly get you out of a ticket!

1. Don’t lie.

When you’re nervous, you tend to tell fibs and police officers can tell when you’re lying. As a police officer, they are lied to on a daily basis and would appreciate the truth without having to ask you 100 questions.

2. Pull over when it’s safe.

Don’t stop in the middle of the road. Just because you see the flashing lights in your rear-view mirror doesn’t mean you have to pull over immediately. If there is no safe place to pull over and get out of traffic, then acknowledge to the officer that you are being pulled over and continue driving until you find a suitable spot. The officer will likely thank you for keeping traffic flowing and not causing a logjam.

3. Treat them with respect.

Whether or not you agree with me, the police are there for your safety and it takes a special kind of person to put themselves in the line of fire on a daily basis. Saying “yes, sir” or “yes, ma’am” is always appropriate. No back-talking or rude comments. If you do, you’ll likely find yourself with a ticket in hand.

4. Don’t make any sudden movements.

Police officers are killed during traffic stops at an alarming rate and it likely they are just as nervous or leery as you are. If you must open a glove compartment or search through your purse or backpack for your wallet, notify the officer so they know what to expect, don’t just reach back and grab something in your bag.

Getting pulled over is inevitable, we all do it. If you follow these tips, you may be able to drive away without a ticket.

Would You Buy a Driverless Car?

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Remember back when you were a kid and you would read about the not-so-distant future? I remember comic books that had cars that drove themselves. I remember thinking that would be amazing! Well, as the technology has gotten better, that has now become a reality! California, Florida and Nevada have all passed legislation to allow driverless cars to hit the road. Google has been testing a driverless car for years and it has driven over 500,000 miles without an accident! That is a great statistic when you consider most drivers have a significant accident every 200,000-300,000 miles.

Driverless cars have thousands of sensors in the car and also use satellite guidance systems to navigate our busy streets. Just imagine the impact it could have on our drunk driving statistics. You could go into a bar and have a few too many, then safely make it home WITHOUT having to depend on someone else to drive you. Not only is it safer for you, it’s also safer for the innocent bystanders who happen to be on the road when you are.

Driverless cars also address another growing problem: elderly drivers. We are all going to be forced to make a decision to take away our parents driver’s license one day. With the advent of a car with no driver, the elderly will be able to go to the grocery store and wherever they wish to go!

There are plenty of legal problems to get through before we will start seeing them on our streets though. For example, who is at fault when there is an accident? The passenger? The owner? Will there always have to be a driver in the car who can take over in emergency situation? What are the age restrictions for riding alone in the car?
What do you think of driverless cars? Would you buy one?

Power Windows Stopped Working And Rubber Seal In Door Is Cracked

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window seal, car window seal, power windows, freeman grapevine, buick, gmc, southlake buick, southlake gmc

Have you ever thought about the need to lubricate the rubber seal in your door where the window fits? If you haven’t, then think about this.Over time the rubber seal, where your window should sits snugly when rolled up, will dry our and will start folding which will continue to damage the rubber and eventually create a gap.

Further, you will put more strain on your window motor and cable system. As you probably can guess, a power window motor replacement will cost a fairly decent amount of money when all is said and done.

So, how can you make that rubber seal in to window section of your door last longer? Check out the video below. It gives a really good lesson on how to save the rubber seals in your car doors.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IS62LquGOUk

If you’ve already well past this point and need to have your window motor replaced in your Buick, or GM vehicle. Or, if you need to have your rubber seals replaced, you can bring it to Freeman Grapevine and we’ll see if we can salvage it first. If it needs replacement, well, we’ll let you know and you can choose to replace it…or never open your window.

Securing That Load In Your GMC Truck

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truckloadIf you own a truck, then that means that you are now the unofficial moving company for all of your friends and family. While you probably didn’t sign up for this duty when you bought your truck, at some point you are probably going to be asked to help a buddy move furniture and other large objects. While you may think that the most important part of helping someone move is how they will pay you back, it is actually knowing how to properly tie down your load. There is more that goes into moving than throwing everything haphazardly into your truck bed.

The first thing you should do is balance your load. You want to put your heavier and bigger items closer to the cab of your truck than in the back towards the gate. This will help give you better handling when driving. Also, if you have lighter stuff in the front of your bed, they may get crushed or broken due to the weight the may slide onto while moving. Also, try to fill as much space as possible. Think of your truck bed as a giant game of Tetris, and remember that the less open space there is the less chance for movement will occur.

Once you have your truck bed filled it is time to tie everything down. All trucks have anchor points along the sides of the bed, and some even have floor anchors. The optimal tie down angle is forty five degrees, and make sure that your bungee cords and tie down strips aren’t rubbing against any sharp objects to prevent your straps getting cut. If you need to create a tighter hold, then use the back of your truck bed as an anchor point. Before you drive off, be sure to give your load a firm shake and make sure that nothing will be loose or moving.

When driving, go slowly and don’t take hard turns or sudden stops and you and your load will arrive safely at your destination. If you are looking for a new truck, like a GMC Sierra, or Yukon, then be sure to come into Freeman Grapevine.

Common Car Problems That You Don’t Need to Kick Up a Stink About!

Just for Fun, Maintenance and Service, Safe Driving, Tips and HInts, , , , , ,

You know you’ve done it!  An indicator light goes on in the instrument panel or you hear a new, strange noise and of course you’re thinking that something must absolutely be wrong with your car and it needs immediate attention! Well relax, take a deep breath and let’s sort through some of the common car problems that you just don’t need to kick up a stink about!  And of course you can also come chat with us at Freeman Grapevine too!

The check engine light goes on and immediately you panic that just maybe, maybe…your car is going to blow up.  Take a deep breath and calm down. More than likely the check engine light is just signaling to you that you need to take your car in for a scheduled mileage maintenance. Usually the check engine light will show up in two colors, amber for non-emergency maintenance and red for you should probably hurry up and get it checked out sooner rather than later. Double check your vehicles manual to be 100% sure though as not all vehicles are the same.

Click. Click. Click. Ohhh, a new sound just sounded. What to do? Again, no need to panic. A lot of noises you hear are things that don’t need to be fussed about and will actually just sort themselves out. Just like how that rock got stuck between tires treads and is making the clicking sound, it will soon work itself out. Or if it’s really driving you crazy you can very carefully do some detective work and try to figure out which tire it is and get it out yourself.

A locked steering wheel and your key won’t turn. They’re not broken. You just need to put a little muscle into really. Seriously, grab the steering wheel and turn it hard in one direction and turn the key. If it’s still not working try the other direction.  But don’t force the key. You don’t want to break it or the ignition as that will be a very costly fix all for nothing. Once you get the steering wheel in the sweet spot the key should turn just as it normally does.

You think you might have a leak. So you just pulled out from your where your car was currently parked only to notice that there’s liquid there that you swear wasn’t there before. First, it really could have been there before and you just like to freak yourself out. Or maybe there is some liquid, but if it’s not a lot then there’s usually nothing really to worry about. In fact, if you’ve been using your AC a lot lately it could just be built up condensation. If you notice a color to the liquid then you may have a coolant leak. This could potentially be a problem so if you suspect it is check your coolant level, but carefully as the car needs to be completely cooled before doing so.

Hopefully those few common car problems mentioned above will help calm your nerves when you’re driving. But if you suspect a problem, please don’t hesitate to contact our service department so that we can get it fixed for you, just contact Freeman Grapevine today!

Understanding Your Air Intake System

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When was the last time you checked your Air Intake System? The air intake is commonly overlooked in relation to the enhanced performance of your GMC, or Buick. The problem is that many people will neglect to follow up on common vehicle problems unless these problems hinder the operation  of their vehicle.  This is the worse thing you can do.  A problem which may seem small right now could erupt into an even larger scale problem that could ultimately cost you a great deal more money than if you would have corrected the issue when it first was revealed.

One problem that many people attempt to avoid dealing with is issues with their vehicles air intake system.  If you remember one thing about this article it should be this:

“The air intake mechanism in your vehicle can’t be ignored!  Ignoring this element could cause additional damage to your vehicle and could also render it useless.”

What Can Happen If I Don’t Repair Or Replace My Damaged Air Intake System?

Deposits can accumulate on air intake valves, fuel injectors, and combustion chambers.  When this happens, your vehicle could lose power and be rendered useless.  You could also experience a misfire, knocking, or a rough idle.   Finally, you may have a very hard time starting your car.

What Do I Do If I Am Experiencing Issues With My Air Intake System?

If you are experiencing issues with your vehicles air intake system you should immediately stop driving the vehicle and immediately correct the issue.  You can attempt to clean the air intake mechanism on your own, or you can take your vehicle to a trained specialist who can repair and clean or replace your vehicles air intake mechanism for you.

The good news is that a new air intake system is inexpensive and can generally be replaced with little effort.  Even if you choose to carry out this task on your own, you will quickly discover that it is a very simplistic process.  Additionally, you will quickly be pleased with the manner in which your vehicle will operate once you have cleaned, repaired, or replaced your damage system.

Here’s a fun little video to show you how easy it is to clean your new car’s air intake system: (Yes, I know the steering wheel is on the wrong side of the car.)

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDHFm-4QFvs

If you have any more questions about your air intake system, just call or visit Freeman Grapevine. Remember, having a clean and properly functioning air intake system is paramount for your Buick, GMC or any any other brand to function efficiently.

The 2015 GMC Yukon, Yukon XL & Yukon Denali Redesign Is Here

GMC, New Cars, , , , ,

2015 yukon, 2015 yukon, xl, 2015 youkon denail, new yuon, freeman grapevine, gmc

Hot on the heels of the 2014 Sierra remodel come the newest from the GMC design camp is the 2014 GMC Yukon, 2014 GMC Yukon XL and 2014 Yukon Denali. Let me tell you, just like the 2014 Sierra, the 2015 Yukon is impressive.

There are no sacrifices in the motivation department, the 2015  GMC Yukon are fitted with the EcoTec3 5.3-liter V8 as standard. Thanks to direct injection and a host of other improvements, the new-generation small-block V8 is substantially more powerful, generating a projected 355 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 383 pound-feet of torque at 4,100 rpm. Those figures compare with 320 hp and 335 lb-ft of torque for the outgoing SUVs’ 5.3-liter V8.

For the 6.2-liter V8 — at first available only for the up-market 2015 GMC Yukon Denali — the numbers are a strapping 420 hp (17 hp better than before) and 460 lb-ft of torque compared to the previous 6.2-liter’s 417 lb-ft. [source: edmunds.com]

The whole vehicle is much more streamlined. Make no mistake, the 2014 Yukon is sleek, athletic and bold. One of the unique features is the inlaid doors which are cut under the roof line. This provides two very important functions. First, it really adds to the overall streamlined look of the the new Yukon. The other benefit is the added sound baffling. The triple sealed doors provide an even quieter ride.

Now, not necessarily one of the things that GMC wants to really brag about, but it is one that they have certainly have made considerable improvements on and that’s the popularity of GMC with thieves. In order to curb this dubious distinction, multiple anti-theft deterrents have been put into place, to curb any theft. Of course, they can’t keep you from keeping your purse, or laptop in plain sight on your front seat …that’s on you.

Call Freeman Grapevine today to set up a test drive of the all new 2015 Yukon, Yukon XL and Yukon Denali. I promise, you will not just be pleasantly surprised , but thoroughly impressed as well.