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GM Puts E-commerce Shopping In Car Dashboards

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Though for starters, the only restaurant reservation you can make is at TGI Fridays.

Continue reading GM puts e-commerce shopping in car dashboards

GM puts e-commerce shopping in car dashboards originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Dec 2017 08:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Avoiding Common Driving Annoyances

Avoiding common driving annoyances is something we all attempt to do when we get behind the wheel to face the madness of DFW traffic. But what about all of the annoying things you do as a driver? All of the things that seem to plague you throughout the day. Seriously, this sort of stuff happens to all of us at least one in our lives.

  • Can’t remember where you parked your car? : Sorry folks, this happens to the best of us. Regardless if it is because the parking is inefficient and confusing, or you just didn’t pay attention to where you parked, if this happens to you frequently, I have a suggestion. Use an app. There are quite a few to choose from. With names like ‘MyCar Locator’, ‘Car Finder’, ‘Find My Car’ or ‘Where Did I Park’, I’m sure you’ll find one you like.
  • Can’t avoid driving directly into the glare of the sun when it’s low on the horizon? : I can’t stand when this happens! There’s one point in my daily drive that’s a solid mile of setting Sun in my eyes during most of Spring. I told a friend, who is a pilot , and he told me a trick he does when he has to fly into the Sun for long periods of time. He carries a tinted translucent plastic sheets, they make them for cars too. You can find them under names like clinging shades, glare screens, or clinging glare blockers. There are types that attach to the visors as well that you can find at most automotive parts stores.
  • Can’t get that key on or off your key ring? : OK, this isn’t actually about driving, it’s more like a life hack. Remember those “snake fanged” staple removers you were likely obssesed with in elementary? Well, now they have another use! Be careful when you do this, but you can use the teeth to pry apart the loops. The harder you squeeze, the larger the opening.

These are just a few for now. I’ve got more I’ll be adding to what is looking like a 3 part blog series. It gives you some time to think about the things that annoy you whether you driving, or it has something to do with driving; I want to hear about it.

 

What Is Inspected At The 75,000 Mile Maintenance Check

Everybody wants to have a vehicle that lasts forever, or at least long enough to give the vehicle to your oldest child when they go off to college. One thing to remember is that the moment you drive the new vehicle off the lot is when your car’s factory scheduled maintenance begins.

Having regular factory maintenance inspections ensures that your vehicle will be working at its best as any issues can be addressed before they become serious issues. Your vehicle maintenance will consist of basic scheduled service and intermediate scheduled service.

75,000 Mile Service Check

The 75,000 mile service check is an intermediate scheduled inspection that isn’t as intensive as a major service check but the inspection involves more than just checking and changing your vehicle’s oil. Most mechanics and dealerships will perform many of the same services, with added tweaks to stay competitive against other service centers. Here are some of the basic things that are done during the 75,000 mile service check.

Visual Inspection: A good mechanic will visually inspect areas of the vehicle that experience the most wear-and-tear. They should inspect all belts, hoses, suspension bushings, brakes, and motor mounts. The vehicle will also be inspected for leaks, unusual noises when in operation and strange noises that may indicate a problem.

Filter Replacements: You’ll have the oil and filter replaced, the engine air filter checked and perhaps the cabin air filter changed.

Recall Issues: Freeman Grapevinewill also check if your vehicle falls into the manufacturer’s recall list for any significant problems that need to be fixed so the driver won’t be put at risk while out on the road.

Some other maintenance your service technician may perform include tire replacement, shock/strut replacement, and replacing the drive belt. In addition, a safety inspection will also be performed so that you are rest assured you will be driving a tip-tip vehicle out on the road. If any leaks are noticed, the service technician will be able to find out where it is coming from and fix the problem.

So keep an eye on your odometer and make sure to schedule your 75,000 mile factory maintenance inspection so that your vehicle can be checked for any potential problems. With this inspection, your vehicle will last for a very long time without needing extensive major repairs due to negligence.

Power Windows Stopped Working And Rubber Seal In Door Is Cracked

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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.

Buying A New Car Online, How Easy Is It

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Is buying a new car online right for you? That’s a really good question. With more online resources the and ever, the automotive industry on the dealer side has changed quite a bit. First, the amount of information readily available to the potential car buyers is vast. There’s almost noting you can’t find out online. In fact, more people than ever are coming into my dealership extremely well prepared with knowledge about a particular Buick, or GMC that they have done mounds of research on.

Well, what about actually purchasing a vehicle online? This is something that we are seeing more and more. People are opting to take their purchasing power online rather than having a face to face with a salesman, which can be uncomfortable and daunting for some. Negotiating price isn’t necessarily everyone’s cup of tea. This is where buying your newt new car online might be right for you.

I guess one of the misconceptions about an online purchase is that you lose your negotiating power, which is entirely not true. In fact, it puts a little more power in your hands. You now have the ability to take your time when negotiating a price. Just because an online seller gives you a price, that doesn’t mean that you can’t see if there is any wiggle room, or any additional options they might be willing to throw in before you agree to make the purchase.

Check out the new report below:

As was state in the video, some people actually enjoy the face to face negotiation process, while others just aren’t that comfortable with it. These are the types of buyers that would benefit from purchasing online. Just remember, regardless if you are making your purchase online, or at the dealership, you are going to want to take a test drive. If you can swing it, rent the vehicle you are looking at purchasing and keep it for a weekend. This way you have a much better idea if that vehicle is going to fit your needs.

So there you go, the face of car buying has changed. You now have a choices. It all depends on what your are more comfortable with. So, if you are looking for a new Buick, or GMC and are interested in buying online, start at Freemangrapevine.com. If you are the type that gets a rush from face to face negotiations, then just swing by Freeman Grapevine and let’s chat.

Has anyone bought a car online before? What was your experience like?

Fixing A Radiator Leak

As you may, or may not know, if you fail to change your coolant every 100,000 miles, or 5 years or so, you run the risk of it turning corrosive and actually eating the radiator materials from the inside out. This includes the hoses and heater core. The heater core is basically, for lack of a better description is buried deep in your system and can be considered at the very center of your heating and cooling system. If it breaks down long enough it can cause some serious problems, such as causing a leak within the vehicle itself.

However, if you find that it is a hose, a water pump, or the radiator itself, then you are in luck. That’s an easy replacement, or you may even be able to seal the leak.

Check out the video below for a description on where radiators can leak and what you can do about it on your own.

Now, as was stated in the video, sealing a leak, if you can, is only a temporary fix. You are better off replacing the radiator altogether. If you think you have a radiator leak that needs to be fixed in your Buick, or GMC vehicle, feel free to give Freeman Grapevine a call. You can certainly attempt to replace the radiator on your own. It’s not that time consuming, however, if you aren’t comfortable with mechanics, or haven’t changed a radiator yourself before, you may want to give us a call.

 

Wet Weather Brings slippery Roads to North Texas

slipper roads, skidding car, grapevine cars, gmc fort worth, dealerships dfw, buick dealer, GMC dealer, used cars dfw, used cars fort worthSpring is almost here and that means that the weather will begin to change.  Some of the change is pleasant and welcome like buying a new Buick, or GMC.  The trees start to get their leaves back, the temperatures are rising which makes being outside enjoyable again, and the cool breeze can allow you to open your home windows and turn off the heater.  But some of the changes can make life a little more difficult, especially while driving, and that mostly comes from the rain.  While accidents can happen at any time, the chances start to increase with bad weather, and knowing how to be a better driver during and after the rain falls can help protect you and your car.

If you are driving on roads that have experienced rain for the first time in a couple of weeks, you have to take extra caution.  While it may not seem like too much water is on the road, the little bit that there is can loosen up all the oil, grease, and dirt that has dried on the asphalt.  This can turn any road into the world’s largest slip and slide, causing you to have trouble braking and turning over this slick surface.  If you are planning on driving on wet roads, be sure to give yourself more travel time so you don’t feel like you are running late which may cause you to drive less safely.

While driving, keep extra distance between your car and the car in front of you.  This will give you more time to brake and adjust to any other situation in front of you.  If you do need to brake, do so earlier and with less force than you normally would.  If you slam on your brakes, your tires may lose traction on the wet and slippery road and it may cause you to lose control of your vehicle. If you are on a highway or multi-laned road, drive in the middle lane or the lane farthest from the curb.  Water can accumulate in places that you may not see causing you to hydroplane.

If you start to hydroplane, take your foot off the pedal and allow your tires to catch up with the speed you are going.  Don’t accelerate or brake, because this will cause your car to veer, and hold the wheel firmly to avoid causing your wheels to change directions.  Driving on wet roads means more caution is needed so be sure to act accordingly.  If you are looking for a new car for any kind of weather, then be sure to come into Freeman Grapevine.

Keyless Remote Problems

One of the greatest inventions in the modern history of the the automobile, isn’t the internal combustion engine…it’s the keyless entry system. That’s right, the keyless remote. It allows you to conveniently unlock your car from a distance to keep you out of the rain, or heat just a bit longer. Gone are the days of fumbling to insert the car key into the lock with hands full of “whatever”.

Of course when the the key fob goes down and you know it’s not the battery, what are you gonna do?

Remote keyless systems usually operate  on high frequency, short-range radio signals that can be obstructed by physical objects such as buildings or even other vehicles situated between the transmitter and receiver. The signals can also be jammed by interference from other transmission sources such as radio towers, radar detectors, walkie-talkies, cellphones and even fluorescent lights (see the do more than just make your skin look bad).

If the fob battery was just replaced, or if the same problem occurs in various locations, the system may need to be resynchronized. If, by chance, this procedure isn’t outline in the owner’s manual of your Buick, or GMC, your best bet is to bring it into Freeman Grapevine and have us take a look. It could mean the difference between a simple resynchronization or total replacement.