Freeman Grapevine wants to remind you to take it slow on roads that have just seen a fresh rainfall. Why is that, you ask? Because the danger of your vehicle losing contact with the road and hydroplaning is amplified.

You see, when we don’t have rain for a while dirt, oil, dust and other materials layer our roads. When we have a deluge of rain like we had the other day, it turns all of that dirt and dust on the roadways into a thin layer of slim and mud. Throw on top of that a layer of water that is having a hard time breaking through that dirt barrier and you have a condition that is ripe for a hydroplaning disaster.

Have you ever come to a quick stop after a rain and skidded a little. Think about what would have happened if you were going twice the speed. You would have slid for a considerable distance before coming to a stop. That is if you didn’t hit another car, barrier or went off of the road. What can you do to curb hydroplaning after rainfall.

First, you should slow down. That’s of paramount importance to remember. Speed only exasperates the danger of hydroplaning. You will quickly find out that braking hard to slow your speed will only throw you into a spin. Slow down when it is wet. Especially if we haven’t had rain in a long time.

Second, just forget about hitting your brakes entirely. I know the urge and impulse is to hit them hard, but that can actually make a bad situation even worse. Stopping tire rotation changes the physics of the skid and can throw you into a spin. Instead, just easy up on the gas. That’s right, slowly release the gas pedal. Try to avoid drastic changes in speed which can exasperate the situation.

Don’t cut your steering wheel either. Your impulse will be to turn the wheel sharply in the direction of the skid, but that will only make matters worse when your tires make contact with the road again. Think about it. If your wheel is cut sharply, when you do make contact with the roadway, your tire will be pointing one direction, but your momentum will continue to move forward. You will the throw your Dallas Fort Worth Buick, or GMC violently in one direction, causing you to then try to straighten out by over correcting the opposite direction.

Resist the urge to turn your steering wheel too much. It’s going to be hard not to turn it any, you just have to move in small increments. Try to keep your steering wheel as straight as you can. This will keep your tires facing forward…the same direction as your car is moving.

Here’s a vintage video on hydroplaning that is pretty descriptive:

Do you have any other suggestions for your fellow readers? Is there anything I may have left out? While  Freeman Grapevine welcomes the rain, it can also cause dangerous hydroplaning situations that you should always be cognizant of. Your best bet is to slow down when it is wet out. You can’t see or predict when a road may be slicker than normal.

Living in Texas, we’re accustomed too the spontaneous thunderstorm here and there. We can go long periods of time with no rain and then…BAM! Flash Flood warnings are being broadcast on every radio and TV station. It’s great that we get the rain, but a fresh downpour on a baked roadway is a recipe for disaster.

“Really, Ozzie?”, you might ask. Yes. Absolutely! One thing that many people forget is that when it hasn’t rained in a while, grim and grit builds up on the asphalt. Oils and other residue accumulates on the roadways making them precariously slippery. How slippery?

While it is impossible to completely eliminate the risks of driving on wet roads, it is entirely possible to reduce the factors that lead to accidents. Here are some methods to reduce those risks.

• Speed. Make sure that you do not drive too fast for the conditions. Never drive faster than you feel comfortable and if you feel the need, slow down. It is better to drive slowly and safely than fast and reckless. When driving at night, follow the old bit of advice to not outrun your headlights. This should give you plenty of time to react if you see other vehicles trying to stop suddenly or if you see something in the road that needs to be avoided. If at all possible, avoid trying to pass other vehicles.
• Tires. Improperly inflated tires, while adversely affect your gas mileage, is also going to affect your vehicle’s handling. To keep this from happening, you should make sure that you maintain the proper air pressure, as recommended by the manufacturer. Do this by checking your tire pressure on a regular basis.
• Wipers. Keep your windshield wipers in good working order. If the motor doesn’t work, then you need to get it fixed. Also, be sure that you check the condition of the wiper blades themselves. If they are old and brittle, chipped, or damaged in any way, then they should be replaced at the first available opportunity. If you don’t change them, you will have a streaky window which is difficult to see out of.
• Follow. When following other vehicles in traffic, stay in the tire tracks left by the vehicle ahead of you. You’ll get better traction. Keep a minimum of eight seconds between yourself and the vehicle ahead. Avoid, if possible, following any large truck because they typically handle badly in wet conditions and throw up large amounts of water.
• Brakes. When the need to brake, avoid stomping on the brake pedal. If you can see a stop coming, slow down as much as you can by simply taking your foot off the accelerator and allowing your new car to coast to a stop. This reduces the chance of any slipping, sliding, or hydroplaning. If you have an antilock braking system (ABS) on your vehicle, avoid pumping your brakes That is what your ABS is for, and if you try doing it yourself then you are reducing its effectiveness.

If you have any questions or need any assistance with your Buick or GMC, don’t hesitate to contact us at Freeman Grapevine. We understand how some of the roads out there can be treacherous after a rain.

Ok, how do you know when  you may require replacement shocks and why are shocks so essential? These are excellent questions.   This is certainly an frequently overlooked but crucial piece to your automobile in regards to safety. make no mistake, recognizing when it is time to switch your shocks is extremely important.

First, let’s evaluate the shocks as well as the suspension system:

Examining your shocks is often a very simple thing to perform. The truth is, it is something you can do yourself  fairly easily.

The very first thing that can be done is pay attention if you are driving. For example, upon hitting the bump does your car or truck continue to bounce up and down? If the answer is yes then you definitely will almost undoubtedly require fresh shocks. Start taking note now, as this will likely start slowly and get worse over time until they are really bad. In reality, if you delay too long you may break other components and parts of of you vehicle.

Another approach to test your shock’s life  would be to physically peek underneath your car or truck. For a truck or van you might not be able to see them. In this instance you need to push on the bumper and follow the measures the same as you are physically taking a look at them. They may bounce. Two or three bounces they are fine. If they continue to oscillate, then they need replacing.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qycP-LZKX10

As stated before, the main reason it is so important to change worn out shocks is because they’re critical to keeping your tires connected with the highway. If you are driving down a bumpy road and the wheels are bouncing up and down, worn shocks will in fact permit the wheels to entirely lose contact with the highway. Considering your tires are the only thing separating you from the highway, this can be particularly unsafe when you run into a dip or a bump during a high speed curve. Superior shocks will help minimize body roll, also essential during cornering.

IF you think that your shock may be worn and really can’t figure it out by yourself, swing by and we’ll take a look at them. Then we can recommend the right types for your Buick or GMC.

Now that fuel prices have come back down to Earth. I’m going to talk a little bit about some common questions I get from people here at the dealership. There are lots of myths about how to save gas, and I want to try to dispel some of them.

Does filling up before your car is empty help stop with fuel evaporation?

While it’s never a good idea to run your vehicle down to the ‘E’ (because no one likes running out of gas), filling up before it gets there doesn’t stop evaporation from happening. Modern cars have vapor recovery systems that stop the fumes from escaping your tank. Nowadays, just about any car you drive will trip the check engine light if your gas cap is not securely fastened or missing. You can fill up your gas tank with any level of fuel already in the tank and not notice a difference.

Does a manual get better gas mileage than an automatic?

This is a tough one to answer. A skilled driver who can control the engine with precision and times their shifting perfectly can get better mileage than an automatic transmission, yes. However, a normal, everyday driver who does not pay particular attention to those details will waste gas by shifting too late or over-revving the engine. Automatic transmissions have come a long way and are more efficient than ever, which leads to less gas wasted.

Should I fill up my gas tank when it’s cooler?

The theory behind this myth is that when a liquid is cooler, it’s denser, meaning you get more fuel for the money. Good theory, but bad practice. The gas you buy from a gas station stores their fuel underground, insulated from the elements, where there is little temperature variation. Purchasing gas in the morning, when it’s cooler will have no noticeable effect on your wallet.

Do you have any fuel myths you want dispelled?