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Continue reading GM CEO Mary Barra predicts mass electrification will take decades
GM CEO Mary Barra predicts mass electrification will take decades originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 9 Jun 2020 13:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Here at Freeman Grapevine, we like to be aware of any “footprints” our dealership can potentially leave on our environment. Take your car battery, for example. When most green-minded folks think about being stewards of our planet, they’re more likely to have visions of planting trees and cleaning streams than pondering their car battery’s place in the universe. Understandable…there’s a lot you may not know about your new car’s battery.
First, your new car’s battery is highly toxic, being made up primarily of lead, acid, and plastic. But the good news is they’re also highly recyclable, and old ones usually end up getting turned into more batteries.
According to the industry trade group Battery Council International:
More than 97 percent of all used battery lead is recycled into new batteries. When compared to the 55 percent of aluminum soft drink and beer cans, 45 percent of newspapers, and 26 percent of glass bottles that BCI says get recycled, batteries start looking pretty green. In fact, lead-acid batteries top the list of recycled consumer products.
In addition to recycling the lead, the plastic cases are melted down and used to make new ones. The acid, they say, can even get turned into sodium sulfate, a powder used in glass, detergents, and textiles. Alternatively, some recyclers neutralize the acid, turn it into water, and release it into the public sewer system once it is cleaned and tested.
While that last part may sound a little scary, it’s still better than batteries ending up in a landfill, an incinerator, or by the side of the road.
The BCI Web site lists 44 states that prohibit disposing of old car batteries in landfills and incinerators. Nearly 40 of those states also require retailers and distributors to collect used batteries from consumers for recycling. (Go to www.batterycouncil.org to see the details for your state.)
When shopping, your best bet is to find a dealer that will install your new one for free and recycle the old one for you. If there’s a charge for installation, make sure to find out what it is before making a purchase.
Recycle, recycle , recycle…If you want any more info, don’t hesitate to leave a comment or call Freeman Grapevine
As much as I wish I was talking about the movie Ghostbusters, I’m, in fact, talking about a product that will reduce the likelihood of having to change a flat tire on the side of a busy highway. It’s called Slime PowerSpare Flat Repair and it can be a lifesaver if you were to pick up a nail or chunk of metal while on the road. Of course, in the video demonstration below, it’s an ice pick and the Slime still seals the leak with no problem. Check it out:
According to Slime.com:
The 48-piece kit includes 24-ounce bottle of Slime tire sealant, heavy-duty powerful 12V tire inflator with built-in light and pressure gauge, 25-foot coiled air hose and an adapter for inflatables, 10-piece tire tackle kit, 30 black plugs, t-handle reamer and plugger, tire gauge, alligator power-clip, slime decal set and instructions in both English and Spanish. Suggested MSRP is US$89.99
So the next time you pick up a nail on the road, instead of braving the dangers of a busy highway, freeway or road, fill you tire with some slime and have the powers of a self-sealing tire work for you. If you have any questions about this product or others, feel free to contact Freeman Grapevine Service. They can point you in the the right directions.
At Freeman Grapevine, we are always wanting to save you money. There is a lot of expense that goes into owing a car, fuel being a big one. Even if you don’t own a hybrid or an electric, you can do your part in reducing your emissions. I know these things get hard to remember sometimes and without seeing the direct effects of your emissions, you probably don’t give this stuff much second thought. I found a list on the Consumer Reports car blog that might help remind you. It explains that there are still ways you can drive responsibly and make less of a carbon footprint with your new car.
Does anyone else have any useful suggestions? Your Dallas Buick Dealer, Freeman Grapevine would love to hear them.
Here at Freeman Grapevine, we like to think of ourselves hyper-concious about the any “footprints” our Dallas Buick dealership can potentially leave on our environment. Take your car battery, for example. When most green-minded folks think about being stewards of our planet, they’re more likely to have visions of planting trees and cleaning streams than pondering their car battery’s place in the universe. Understandable…there’s a lot you may not know about your new car’s battery.
First, your new car’s battery is highly toxic, being made up primarily of lead, acid, and plastic. But the good news is they’re also highly recyclable, and old ones usually end up getting turned into more batteries.
According to the industry trade group Battery Council International:
More than 97 percent of all used battery lead is recycled into new batteries. When compared to the 55 percent of aluminum soft drink and beer cans, 45 percent of newspapers, and 26 percent of glass bottles that BCI says get recycled, batteries start looking pretty green. In fact, lead-acid batteries top the list of recycled consumer products.
In addition to recycling the lead, the plastic cases are melted down and used to make new ones. The acid, they say, can even get turned into sodium sulfate, a powder used in glass, detergents, and textiles. Alternatively, some recyclers neutralize the acid, turn it into water, and release it into the public sewer system once it is cleaned and tested.
While that last part may sound a little scary, it’s still better than batteries ending up in a landfill, an incinerator, or by the side of the road.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWvZ4BA_ylg
The BCI Web site lists 44 states that prohibit disposing of old car batteries in landfills and incinerators. Nearly 40 of those states also require retailers and distributors to collect used batteries from consumers for recycling. (Go to www.batterycouncil.org to see the details for your state.)
When shopping, your best bet is to find a Dallas Car dealer that will install your new one for free and recycle the old one for you. If there’s a charge for installation, make sure to find out what it is before making a purchase.
Recycle, recycle , recycle…If you want any more info, don’t hesitate to leave a comment or give me a call.
The performance of a new car is always related to the amount of fuel consumed by it. However, a new car’s performance can be increased in certain ways without negatively affecting the gas mileage of a car. Given below are few tips from autoblog.net:
Performance chips: Computer chips that operate most new cars these days keep track of how much horsepower and torque can be displaced. Using performance chips or recalibrating the current chip used in a car can help in increasing the torque and horsepower to a great extent.
Cold air Intake: Power of a car engine can be increased if the temperature of the air that enters the car can be reduced. An under the hood modification in the form of cold air intake can help in this. Such an enhancement also beautifies the engine bay by making it colorful and attractive. Such a unit will also make an appealing sound.
Reusable air filters: Throughout the life of most of the cars, about 6 to 12 auto air filters are used without facing any problem, but when not in use most of them end up at the landfills for waste materials. Even though reusable air filters cost thrice as much as normal air filters, they are washable and last much longer than the regular ones. In fact, when you buy a reusable air filter for your car, it is actually the last one you will be ever buying for it. These air filters help you to increase acceleration and horsepower, besides having a very positive impact on the environment.
Performance exhaust systems: Another way to unleash horsepower, trapped up torque, and improve the overall automotive performance is by using “catalyst-back exhaust systems” (cat-back) for cars. Such a system installed in a car reduces exhaust back pressure by using low restriction performance mufflers and large width exhaust pipes while keeping all the important emission parts in their proper place. In addition to better performance, the exhaust system emits awesome sound.
Check out this video for enhanced fuel performance:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfPY2vyjDzo
Want an expert to help increase your new car’s performance? Call these guys.
It’s getting into the Summer months and the price of gasoline has been hovering around $3.50 per gallon here in North Texas. I can’t complain, it’s much higher in the Western states ($4.40 in Hawaii). It’s still a beating on my wallet when I have to fill up my tank, though, and I’m always looking for good fuel saving tips without having to go buy a hybrid or electric vehicle. I’m just going to touch on 3 of the most effective tactics for releasing some of the strain on your wallet.
1. Slow Down, Speedy Gonzales
I realize that that’s not what you want to hear, but slowing down noticeably decreases your fuel consumption. There’s no need to go 80 on the highway or try to get to work as fast as possible. You’ll more than likely get there around the same time if you were to take your time and keep your foot off the gas.
2. Lighten Your Load
We know you like to carry your bowling ball in the trunk of your car, just in case someone challenges you. But if you think about it, when’s the last time you actually used it? If it’s been clunking around back there for a few weeks, it may be time to take it out and give it a rest. That’s 20 lbs of weight that the car is no longer having to spend gas on. Cleaning out your car of heavy, bulky items not only helps with your miles per gallon, it also makes your parents think that they didn’t raise a crazy person.
3. Don’t Drive
Easy as can be, right? If you can stay home all day and keep your car in the garage, then why go out? It’s the easiest and simplest way to keep gas in your tank and money in your pocket. If you start to go stir crazy, go for a walk instead of a drive.
I was filling up my car the other day and I noticed an E85 pump. Being in the auto industry, I knew this was coming, but it still made me do a double take, so I wanted to write a post about what exactly E85 is and what happens if you put it your car and it’s not equipped to handle it.
What is E85?
Some cars being manufactured today are being equipped to run on a special ethanol-gasoline mix. E85 is 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. With the United States trying to reduce its dependence on foreign oil, E85 is a way to reduce our intake.
Can I put E85 in my vehicle?
Unless your car is Flex Fuel equipped, more than likely, no. Your engine must be tuned and equipped to handle the the mix. If you accidentally put E85 in your car, you could damage your engine and be forced to make costly repairs. E85 is more abrasive and produces more oxygen than your typical gasolines. Some cars out on the road can handle E85 without any modifications, but always check with your manufacturer or dealer to verify.
Are there benefits to using E85?
Using E85 in a car that is built for it will spend less money on gasoline in the long run. E85 is anywhere between 15-25% cheaper than normal gasolines. However, flex fuel vehicles do get less gas mileage due to ethanol not being able to produces as much energy as higher grade gasoline.
Again, do not put E85 in your car without verifying that it is equipped to handle it. But next time you’re at the pump and you see a strange pump off by itself, you’ll know what it is!
Do you know of anyone who drives a Flex Fuel vehicle?
Gas is still hovering around $3 per gallon here in Texas and with the summer coming up, those prices are just going to get higher. There are a few things that are often ignored that we can do to keep our vehicles running at maximum fuel efficiency. These are simple fixes, nothing too complicated or that requires anything outside of regular maintenance. Give them a shot and see if it lessens the load on your wallet!
Tire Pressure
If your tires aren’t properly inflated, you’re losing money every time you fill up. Consider this: There’s a 1% loss of fuel efficiency for every 2 PSI under maximum pressure (usually in the 35-psi range). So if you’re currently at 26 PSI, you’re losing about 5%. In a truck or SUV, that’s about 1/2 MPG, but in a smaller car, that could conceivably be 1-2 MPG.
Slow Down
When were out on the highway, we often see people driving faster than the speed limits. Not only are they asking for a ticket, but they’re also draining their gas tanks quicker than needed. Higher speeds may get you there quicker, but at what cost. Keeping your vehicle at the speed limit and using cruise control makes sure your engine uses gas more efficiently to maintain a steady speed.
Regular maintenance
Replacing the belts, hoses, and oils in your vehicle ensures that most moving parts of your engine are properly lubricated and can move without hesitation. Once you start skipping tune-ups or oil changes, you’ll begin to notice your MPG heading south. Keep a regular schedule and make sure those moving parts get the proper attention they need to keep your car
Synthetic Motor Oil
Some people have reported seeing a 3-5% jump in their MPG since they have switched over to a synthetic oil. Better driving through science!
Lighten Your Load
Take that bowling ball that rolls around and bangs into the side of your trunk on every turn out of the car! We tend to use our cars as storage from time to time and it affects our gas mileage. For every 100 lbs, you’re losing about 2% in MPG.
What have you done to raise your MPG?
A year ago, this question terrified me. The answer was certainly: “grim”. However, something surprising has happened. General Motors is getting back on their feet with amazing speed and focus.
There is no doubt that one of the biggest struggles that General Motors will face in the coming years is convincing consumers that their product is superior to the competition. As emissions laws tighten and consumers become more environmentally conscious the problem for an automaker like GM is difficult. Specifically, since GM is a company built around its truck and SUV sales which are considered by some to be the most environmentally unfriendly vehicles on the road.
However, General Motors has done a remarkable feat by coming out of bankruptcy so 
quickly and with so much intensity. Its new models are impressive and cross every segment that the company operates in. If you think that this is the same old GM singing a new tune, well you are, sadly, mistaken. Take, for example, the introduction of hybrid models to their lineup. In fact, the company has organized several events, such as the Main Street in Motion event in Newport Beach, CA to educate the consumer and let them know that these changes are here to stay.
Do you have any news on GM you can share? Have you recently bought a new GM vehicle? How was your experience? How is your Car? Leave a few comments and tell us if you think the tide is turning for GM…or better yet come and see for yourself
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