Tag Archives: Used Car

How good are you at keeping up your car’s records

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Hey guess what? As much as we are changing and rolling into the electronic age, I’ll bet your glove box is filled with receipts from oil changes, tune-ups, tire rotations and who else knows what. Or even better, you cram them in a cardboard box in your garage. Let’s face it, it’s probably about time to get rid of your maintenance receipt receptacle in lieu of something a little more organized and up to date.

I’ll be the first to admit that keeping records of automotive repair and maintenance is a chore few of us relish, but keeping organized files can save you and your mechanic time and grief down the road. Essentially, these records are your car’s medical records; it’s important to be able to present these to your auto technician, so they know how to diagnose and “treat” your vehicle! Especially if you are changing workshops. Whether they’re oil change records or transmission repair receipts, it’s a good idea to keep all these records together. Things like having a record of the last timing belt replacement can save you unnecessary maintenance costs, but they can also save you from breakdowns due to overdue maintenance.

Of course, this is a modern age and you’ll probably find it easier to have everything at hand on your computer. In fact, there are many software programs you can get to keep track of your car’s maintenance and repair schedules. Lonewolf Software is one good option, and so is MTCPro. Even working off of a simple Excel spreadsheet will be a lot easier than pulling your latest maintenance reports apart because of the gum you left in your glove box.

Want to keep all your papers together in the glove box? Take a look at the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0Oc-YVeqtE

The bottom line is, the better the records you keep the better your car can be serviced whereby making you a much happier driver…and giving Freeman Grapevine the chance to follow the paper trail of service which will help us nail down any repairs you might need.

 

What Would You Do If Your Tanker Truck Caught Fire

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Every now and then, I’ll come across something unique that I just have to share. This post isn’t about, changing your oil or rotating your tires, but is about 1 fearless individual who risked his own life to save the life of others.

The footage you are about to see was recorded in a gas station in Turkey. The tanker truck caught fire while filling the underground fuel reserve. The cause of the fire was blamed on static electricity . As you can see in the video the people who saw the fire expanding rapidly started running away, fearing an imminent explosion.

However, Engin Koçak, the truck driver, felt he had the duty to do something. He first attempted to put out the fire with an extinguisher. Quickly realizing that the blaze was too powerful for that,  he got in the cabin…yes the cabin of his truck attached to 1,000’s of gallons of fuel and drove the truck away from the station, risking his own life in order to save the lives of others.

Here’s a quote from carscoop.

“The fuel tank went up in flames instantly. At that moment, I said, ‘Let something happen to me, instead of the people nearby,’ and got behind the wheel. The tank turned into a ball of flames, but I managed to take it to a secure place. But some cars were burned as a result of the flames jumping from the tank,” said the driver, who reportedly jumped off the truck to save his life when he arrived in a safe area, 1 kilometer away from the gas station.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0m9BDGRJ4M&feature=player_embedded

Thanks to Koçak’s heroic actions, no one was hurt in the incident.

I just found this a really great story and how the actions of one man save a lot of people. If you’d like to leave a comment or even share a story with Freeman Grapevine and our readers, we’d love to hear them!

North Texas Weather and Driving: What you Need to Know

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Living in Texas and specifically, the DFW area, we are prone to violent and often times destructive weather. This can happen almost any month during the year, but when Fall rolls around the mixture of warmer rising air colliding with colder air is a prime atmosphere for generating torrential downpours and the ever dreaded…TORNADO!

There are a few things to know when stuck out in these conditions. I’ve been caught in 3 tornado conditions when driving and each was more terrifying than the rest. Kind of like this guy. This video was taken the weekend of October 24th, 2010.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5gzVE5wlkA

According to cnn: Authorities in northeast Texas were assessing damage Monday morning after a tornado destroyed homes, knocked train cars off their tracks and injured at least four people.

Five homes in Rice, Texas, were destroyed as 125 mph winds whipped through a seven-mile swath of Navarro County Sunday evening, said Eric Meyers, the county’s emergency management coordinator.

Meyers rode out the tornado inside a vehicle and videotaped the twister as it tore the roof off a school about a block away.



“The sheer power was just amazing,” Meyers said in an interview Monday on CNN’s “American Morning” program.
If you are in your car, find shelter immediately.
Here are some of the things that people describe when they tell about a tornado experience:

  • A sickly greenish or greenish black color to the sky.
  • If there is a watch or warning posted, then the fall of hail should be considered as a real danger sign. Hail can be common in some areas, however, and usually has no tornadic activity along with it.
  • A strange quiet that occurs within or shortly after the thunderstorm.
  • Clouds moving by very fast, especially in a rotating pattern or converging toward one area of the sky.
  • A sound a little like a waterfall or rushing air at first, but turning into a roar as it comes closer. The sound of a tornado has been likened to that of both railroad trains and jets.
  • Debris dropping from the sky.
  • An obvious “funnel-shaped” cloud that is rotating, or debris such as branches or leaves being pulled upwards, even if no funnel cloud is visible.
If you see a tornado and it is not moving to the right or to the left relative to trees or power poles in the distance, it may be moving towards you! Remember that although tornadoes usually move from southwest to northeast, they also move towards the east, the southeast, the north, and even northwest.
Finally, if you are in a car, and you can see a tornado forming or approaching, you should leave the car and take shelter as above. You may think you can escape from the tornado by driving away from it, butyou can’t know what you may be driving into! A tornado can blow a car off a road, pick a car up and hurl it, or tumble a car over and over. Many people have been killed in cars while they were trying to outrun the tornado, and although it is sometimes possible to escape, it is generally not a good idea.
An underpass may seem like a safe place, but may not be. While videos show people surviving under an underpass, those tornadoes have been weak. No one knows how survivable an underpass is in a strong or violent tornado. The debris flying under the underpass could be very deadly… head for a ditch.
Also, if you have encountered any hail damage from a recent storm, bring it by and Freeman Grapevine will  help get those dings out.

Fort Worth: How much do you trust Red Light Cameras

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After reading an article recently about the Vice President of American Traffic Solutions Inc., based in Scottsdale, Ariz misrepresenting himself to the public by posting supportive comments as a “general citizen”, it makes me wonder about the entire red light camera program itself.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viKQQIShquY

Here are a few excerpts from an article in The Spokesman

Bill Kroske, the vice president of business development at American Traffic Solutions Inc., based in Scottsdale, Ariz., also posted comments on The Spokesman-Review’s website. The Herald, of Everett, Wash., reported that it tracked posts made by Kroske to the company in Arizona, and that he had signed up for the Herald’s website using his real name and work email.

A reporter covering a popular debate over the “Photo Red” program noticed that one person with the screen name “W Howard” had been commenting frequently, and discovered the account was linked to a company that appeared to be using the comments to promote its business, Herald editor Neal Pattison said. The user never identified himself as an employee of American Traffic Solutions.

After several people posted comments criticizing the cameras, Kroske said their response “is just why we need the cameras.”

“It is that same lack of common sense and emotional control that is found in aggressive and dangerous driving,” Kroske wrote.

…and this is the point that was running through my mind while reading the rest of the article

“Employees need to understand that as companies we are held to a higher standard and that posts, tweets, and blogs not only reflect on the individual but also the company that they work for,” he said.

So what does everyone else think about red light cameras? I can appreciate his drive to promote his product, but at the expense of misleading the public is just not right. In fact, this is the exact reason why I question the ethics of the cameras to begin with. If the advocates are lying, what about the cameras: are they accurate, are the ethical, are they really helping a problem, is there even a problem to begging with?

What does everyone else think. I think I’m secretly obsessed with this topic, so I may be way off base here, but my gut says I’m ok to feel this way. Leave me a comment and tell me what you think…and no, Bill Kroske, you aren’t allow to comment as someone else.

Get Your Dallas Buick, or GMC’s Air Conditioner Ready For a Hot Summer

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This is something that Freeman Grapevine recommends that you check now. A broken A/C unit in Texas heat can probably be one of the most frustrating and uncomfortable things I can imagine going wrong with my car.

So, how do you know if your Air Conditioner needs service? There are two ways. You can do your research on the net and find videos like the one below. There are a lot of useful videos that can be found and used to diagnose almost any problem you may encounter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mai1uj8aKY

Of course, once you diagnose an A/C issue, what then? How do you fix it? Well, that’s the easy part. Bring your Buick or GMC into Freeman Grapevine. We’ll confer with you about your suspected issue and check ourselves. Upon finding the issue we’ll repair the problem quickly and cost effectively. There are a lot of things you can do yourself, but messing with your A/C unit, other than diagnosing a potential problem, can exasperate the issue. You are much better off having us take a look at it.

Air Bag Safety And Children

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At Freeman Grapevine, we take child safety very seriously. As a Dallas Fort Worth car dealer, it is our responsibility as much as it is yours to provide safer solutions for children while they are in your Buick, or GMC.

Let me first start by saying that in the late 80’s automakers began installing airbags in cars for safety reasons, and there’s no doubt that over the past 30 years airbags have saved thousands of lives.

However, it is important to note that airbags are designed to protect average-sized adults…not young children.  I know we’ve all heard it, but airbags can pose a serious risk to children who ride in the front seat.

In fact, according to research conducted by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, “children exposed to airbags during a crash are twice as likely to suffer a serious injury”.  The American Academy of Pediatrics states, “children under the age of 13 are safest seating in the back seat of a car”.

The following are some safety guidelines for children riding in a car.

  • Infants seated in a rear-facing safety seat should never be placed in the front seat of a car that has an airbag – When the airbag engages, the force of the airbag is directed right at the infant’s head as it comes out of the dashboard.
  • Children seated in a forward-facing child should not be placed in the front seat of a car that has an airbag. – Again when the airbag engages, the child’s head is in the path of the airbag as it emerges from the dashboard.
  • Remember for children 13 and under: The safest place to be in a car is the back seat.
  • For children ages 13 and up riding in the front seat remember:
    • All children should wear a lap/shoulder belt.
    • Move the front seat as far back as possible from the dashboard.
    • Make the sure the child doesn’t lean forward.
    • Have the child sit upright against the seat at all times.

Note: Engineers are constantly improving airbags to improve safety.  Known as 2nd-generation, or de-powered airbags, these airbags are still NOT designed for children.  Children are best protected in the rear seat.

The Children Hospital of Philadelphia has put together a great video on airbags and keeping children safe.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sCZoQr4uIw

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them here. If you’d like to see us, Freeman Grapevine, just stop by and we’ll look and some really safe and very kid friendly vehicles for you and your family.

How To Keep Your Kids Entertained and Keep Your Sanity

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The summer is upon us and so are road trips.  While vacations are fun, getting to your destination may not always be enjoyable.  Whether you are going near or far  you will most likely hear, “Are we there yet?”  Luckily, I know a few ways to keep the kids entertained.

  • Movies!  If your Buick/GMC didn’t come with an in-car entertainment system, invest in a portable DVD player and few pairs of headphones.  The kids will love watching their favorite movie for a few hours and you will love the silence from the backseat!
  • Hit the library up before you go.  For a free mode of entertainment take your kids to the library the day before you leave and let them pick out a few books to bring on the trip.
  • Have an in-car scavenger hunt.  Make the kids a list of things to look for as you drive.  Examples: a red car, a license plate from another state, a horse, a pink flower, anything you might see as you drive.
  • Pack trivia cards. Each kid can take turns reading a card and guessing the answer.
  • Always pack music.  Even though the Barney sing-a-long may not be your favorite music, let the kids have 20 or 30 minutes of their favorite music.
  • Zitch-dog!  Every time someone sees a dog they yell zitch-dog! The person who sees the most dogs first wins a prize at the end of the trip.

Do you have any other suggestions for keeping kids entertained?

Fort Worth: Looking to upgrade your Car Audio…Start here first.

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First, before you even open that Crutchfield catalog, you need to learn the basics of reproducing a clear and sonically well-rounded aural environment in your vehicle. To dumb that down, “How do I make my Car Stereo sound better?”

There’s no doubt that cars play a significant role in almost everyone’s lives. Everyday, people spend hours and hours inside their cars whether driving to and from work, running errands or simply being stuck in traffic. What’s the first thing you do? If you are anything like me, you hit the radio for some entertainment. I can’t drive 10 feet without getting the tunes going in my car.

So who should I thank for the hours of refocusing the days events while I use my car as an entertainment bubble? Well, that honor goes to the Galvin brothers who developed the first radio used in cars in the 1930s, drivers around the globe can now listen to music while on the road. Forty years and billions invested in audio technology later, the Galvin brothers system is still being used along with its different features to make drivers and passengers’ driving experience better.

So, what do you need to understand about car audio before you go Mod crazy and start buying 1,000 watt power amps and 15″ woofers? Well, in actuality, your first car audio system can be quick and easy upon taking into account a number of factors that will determine a great outcome. First set a budget and research your brands. Check Consumer Reports for accurate and unbiased reviews. Blaupunkt, Pioneer, Bose, Denon and Kenwood are the more popular brands. Then you’ll want to consider all the functions you expect to get like the capacity to play MP3s and CDs. There are hundreds of options, layouts, controls and features available in the modern car receiver/deck, so figure out what you’d like to have. For example, do you need a line in to connect an MP3 player of some kind? Will it play MP3 CDs? Is there a hard drive for music storage? Nail these questions down before you start shopping.

Now this is actually the trick part: choosing the right speakers. What are the right speakers, you might ask? Speakers come in three types including the loud speaker, tweeters and the subwoofer. Loud speakers are for middle sound ranges and while being able to resonate a wide range of sounds, it is only able to do so in a limited manner. This is the reason it needs the other types. Mid-range is the tonal frequency that allows the music to be heard with clarity and cleans up some of the muddy nature of Bass heavy tracks.

Tweeters are small speakers that produce high notes. This is the very top end of the sound. It’s the top end that makes the sound “shimmer”. Tweeters make it possible for high notes to be heard in a fuller and clearer tone.

The third type is the subwoofer that allows for the lower sound range to be emitted. Bass as a tone is omnidirectional,so the bass feels as if it is surrounding you. Tweeters and Loud Speakers are, for the most part, mono-directional, meaning the sound quality will change hen moving left or right from dead center. Beautiful bass and clear baritone can be attributed to the subwoofer.

One other important thing to remember is the fact that your vehicle isn’t wired for extreme audio upgrades. Here is a good video to watch to educate yourself about audio wiring:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p82xRzCr-lc&feature=youtu.be

Like in purchasing anything of significant value, research can prove very helpful.  Check the numerous online shops that offer car audio systems and the different deals available. Reviews and tips from others who have purchased and used the same products can be very helpful. Pay particular attention to reviews that aren’t the glowing reviews, they are usually the most objective and honest.

If you have any questions or are looking for an audio system upgrade for your car, then don’t hesitate to give us a call…we can really help turn your vehicle to a rolling entertainment center.

Dallas Fort Worth GMC Dealer: GMC Unveils The Sierra All-Terrain HD

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This amazing truck was unveiled in 2011 and all of use here at your Dallas Fort Worth GMC dealer eagerly await it’s release from concept to production.

Unlike many concept vehicles that never see the light of day other than to impress at auto shows, the Sierra All-Terrain HD is built on the already existing Sierra truck platform. That means it’s release for general sales is very promising. It has received excellent reviews at the show last year and turned lots of heads. Cross your fingers, I know all of you Dallas GMC fans would love to take this bad boy for a spin…off road, of course.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Azr6zetLA9g&feature=topics

Designed to be one of the most capable trucks ever created, the All Terrain is a Sierra HD on steroids. Compared to the standard model, the concept is shorter, wider, and taller. Furthermore, it has been equipped custom control arms, Fox off-road shocks, front/rear jounce shocks, automatic locking differentials, and a beefy front stabilizer bar .

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In terms of styling, the concept features a massive grille, bulging fender flares, LED lights and 20-inch aluminum wheels with 35-inch BFGoodrich KM2 tires. The bed has a composite liner and two compartments which house an air compressor and a 110-volt outlet.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxIG_1vaZ-c&feature=fvwrel
The interior has two-tone leather seats, satin chrome trim, and a next-generation navigation system with an 80 GB hard drive.

Power is provided by a Duramax 6.6-liter V8 diesel engine with 397 hp and provided 765 lb-ft of torque. Are you drooling yet? We are! You can bet the moment this truck is release, Freeman Grapevine will be writing a full review of this impressive concept truck.

Dallas Fort Worth Buick GMC Dealer: Saving Gas On Road Trips

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Summer is here, school is out and that means: It’s Road Trip Time! Here at your Dallas Fort Worth Buick GMC dealer, Freeman Grapevine, we love our road trips. Of course when you sell some of the best cars on the road, it’s hard not to.

If you are planning on taking a road trip this year, be it a family reunion, or just visiting parts of the US, we know that that price of gas is the first thing you are going to consider before you even make the decision on where you should take your road trip. In fact, in many cases the price of gas is going to dictate where you go and how long you are going to be gone. Factor in all of the food and lodging you may be spending cash on, and all of a sudden, that fuel tank seems like it is getting smaller.

So how do you save on gas and still go where you want? Check out this great list of gas-saving road trip tips I found via CNN :

Pick the right tool for the job: If you have more than one car to choose from, don’t just try to squeeze everyone into the one – or two – that go the furthest on a gallon. First of all, if you think you’re saving gas by splitting the crew into two small cars rather than taking the big SUV, you’re not. Remember, two small cars will burn gas twice as fast as one, and that’s probably faster than your SUV.

Also, packing too much into a small car can lead to the use of roof-top racks and bins, which seriously undermine fuel economy. (More on that in a moment.) Besides that, jamming everyone and everything into a too-small car can be just plain uncomfortable on a long trip and the point is to have fun, not start fights.

Pack light and smooth: Extra weight cuts fuel economy, so try to pack as light as possible. The savings are slight, but every extra 100 pounds cuts your fuel economy by about 2%, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

More importantly, don’t pack more than you can fit inside the vehicle. This is especially important. Packing stuff on roof-top bins and racks cut fuel economy by about 21%, according to tests done by Edmunds.com.saving gas on roadtrip, Buick Dealer, buying a car easy, buying used car, car brakes, cars, dallas Buick Dealer, Dallas GMC Dealer, dallas GMC Truck, dallas new car, dallas Used Car, dallas Used Truck, dallas Used Truck. New Car, DFW Buick, dfw car dealer, dfw gmc, dogs, engine dissection, Fort Worth Buick, fort worth gmc, Fort Worth Truck Dealer, Ft. Worth Buick, Ft. Worth car dealer, ft. worth gmc, GMC Dealer, GMC Truck, professional grade, used buick, Used Car, used gmc, Used Truck

And those roof-top racks with crossbars, even if left empty, also cut fuel efficiency. Take them off. Leaving them in place can reduce fuel economy by about 1%, according to Edmunds.com.

Use your cruise control: There are times when cruise control isn’t appropriate, such as in areas with heavy traffic or in bad weather. Also, using cruise control on hilly roads can actually use more fuel, not less, as your vehicle struggles to maintain speed while driving up hills.

But if you’re driving over relatively even terrain, cruise control can prevent unnecessary speed changes which waste gas. In tests by Edmunds.com, using cruise control at 77 mph improved fuel economy by 10 to 15 percent.

As an added benefit, cruise control prevents speed creep – the tendency to gradually increase your speed the longer you drive – and that can keep you from getting a costly speeding ticket.

Stay to the right: Even if you’re driving at a constant speed, going too fast wastes gas. Within the range of normal highway speeds, each 10 miles per hour faster will reduce your fuel economy by 15% to 20%, according to tests by Consumer Reports and Edmunds.com.

Going too slow isn’t safe either but at least try to stay out of the left lane where the traffic is fastest, unless you really need to pass someone. Again, this can also keep you from getting a ticket.

Calm down in town: When not in highway traffic, take it easy on the pedals. Aggressive acceleration and hard braking waste an amazing amount of fuel. In testing by Edmunds.com, aggressive driving cut fuel economy by about 25%.

Don’t worry about A/C: It’s debatable whether it uses more fuel to drive with your windows down on the highway or with the windows rolled up and the air conditioner on. In tests by Consumer Reports and Edmunds.com, it depended on the vehicle and speed. At 65 mph, using the air conditioner was slightly more draining. At higher speeds, it probably wouldn’t be.saving gas on roadtrip, Buick Dealer, buying a car easy, buying used car, car brakes, cars, dallas Buick Dealer, Dallas GMC Dealer, dallas GMC Truck, dallas new car, dallas Used Car, dallas Used Truck, dallas Used Truck. New Car, DFW Buick, dfw car dealer, dfw gmc, dogs, engine dissection, Fort Worth Buick, fort worth gmc, Fort Worth Truck Dealer, Ft. Worth Buick, Ft. Worth car dealer, ft. worth gmc, GMC Dealer, GMC Truck, professional grade, used buick, Used Car, used gmc, Used Truck

Avoid getting stuck: This is something you’ll probably want to do anyway, but really try not to get stuck in traffic. Idling and slow driving wastes a lot of fuel, so plan to drive at times when few others are. Also, plan alternate routes ahead of time in case you hit unexpected snarls. Driving a little bit out of your way can use less fuel than crawling down the straight-and-narrow.

GPS satellite navigation tools can help by making it easier to change routes on the fly. Some newer models even include traffic warnings on the screen so you can see what you’re getting into.

Little things: For reasons of both safety and fuel economy, you should give your car a good once-over before setting off. Make sure tire pressure is set correctly, your filters are clear, your fluids are fresh and the engine is running well. These things will make only a slight difference to your fuel economy, but you should do them anyway to prevent wasting time waiting for a tow truck.

Make the most out of each road trip and who knows, with all of your savings you might be able to afford just one more road trip! But the main thing to do on a road trip is to have fun!

And now there are even apps that can help you watch your gas usage too. Check out FuelFrog which tracks your fuel usage once you provide them with the information for distance traveled, the price paid and how much fuel was used.  

Before you hit the road, we always recommend checking that your fluids are good, especially the oil and the coolant levels. If you need to get your vehicle checked out before you hit the road, swing by Freeman Grapevine for a complete check up.

Have a nice trip!