Tag Archives: running on empty

Running on empty can damage your car!

Maintenance and Service, Parts and Accessories, ,

Even though gas prices have come down some, it still hurts the wallet. And to avoid that sting, some people are driving their vehicles until they have used every last drop in the gas tank, literally. Which means not only could they end up on the side of the road because they ran out of gas, but running on empty can cause costly damage to your vehicle. We’ve seen it first hand here at Freeman Grapevine.

Most people on the road don’t realize that if you are running on empty, you may be putting your vehicle at risk by causing damage to the fuel pump. The electric fuel-pump motor uses the gasoline as a coolant, so when you are low the pump may suck in air which creates heat and that is not a good thing. Replacing the fuel pump will cost a couple hundred dollars to fix which leaves you in a position of shelling out even more money!

Besides costly fuel pump damage, running on a low tank of gas could possibly leave you stranded on the side of a road or could possible be the cause of an accident if your vehicle suddenly stops running. Being stranded puts both you and your vehicle at risk. Hopefully a friend can help out by bringing you some gas, but you will need to be prepared to take some heat for letting your car run out of gas in the first place!

Thankfully, you can prevent these situations by following the tips below:

  • Fill up once your tank reaches 1/4 full.
  • Before driving on a long trip, fill up. You never know what the traffic might bring that day and you may end up with a longer trip than planned.
  • If you do get low enough on fuel for your car to ding or warn you, fill up as soon as possible.  Don’t hope that you can get just a little bit further as you never can be sure how far you can get.
  • Find the cheapest gas near your house instead of driving to the other side of town. There are some apps out there that can help find the cheapest gas.

Don’t take your chances by running your vehicle on empty. Even though you may think you are stretching your dollar further, you will run the risk of potentially having costly as well as dangerous situations running on a near empty gas tank. One way to make sure you are getting the best MPGs possible is to have your tires properly inflated and your vehicle properly maintained. You can always bring your vehicle by Freeman Grapevine and we can help you out!

Audio Upgrade advice for Dallas GMCs and Buicks

Just for Fun, Parts and Accessories, , , , , , , , , , , ,

To be perfectly fair here, Buicks and GMCs actually come with some fantastic audio choices, but we do have our customers who spend so much time in their vehicle, they want the best aftermarket stereo their money can buy.  Now you’re looking to upgrade.  Obviously, due to all the technological advancements in vehicles, shopping for aftermarket car audio accessories isn’t as easy as it used to be.  Before you head out over to Freeman Grapevine, read these tips:

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  • Know what size components fit your vehicle without major adjustments: Most aftermarket car electronic manufacturers have guidelines to help you find the correct radio and speakers to fit YOUR vehicle. 
  • Shop during non busy times, which typically are weekday mornings. When visiting your local aftermarket car accessory shop try to swing by during slower times.  This will give you the most time to ask questions and test out the audio equipment.
  • What are your goals? Are you okay with adding subwoofers and losing valuable storage space?  Do you simply want to use existing speaker locations but have a better-sounding system or do you want something more than that?
  • Appearance: If you’re leasing your vehicle, you need to make sure to install car audio that won’t change the vehicle’s appearance and can be easily removed.  Also, is theft a concern for you?  If so, consider keeping a more generic look to help prevent burglary.
  • Budget: Make sure to shop with a budget in mind.  But remember, you’re not going to get the highest quality car audio from a low end unit.  Also, you can often add on as time goes on, and your budget allows.
  • Brand: Is brand name important to you?  Are brands like Kicker, Pioneer, Rockford, Clarion, JVC or Farenheit ones you’d prefer to have?  Then make sure you find a shop that sells those brands.

These are some of the things to remember when shopping for your car audio system.  If you have questions and want to talk to experts, just swing Freeman Grapevine.   We’ll help you find the best car audio for your vehicle.