Preventing Auto Theft

The restaurant is dimly lit; creating an ambiance that is both inviting and tasteful. You bite into your steak, looking through the window outside as you measure the flavor of your first morsel. It’s then; you see a shadowy figure huddled by the drivers’ side of your car. You watch, as if in slow motion, as the individual quickly enters your car via force and drives off in your brand new car. The scariest moment during theft is watching your hard earned vehicle being taken by someone who wanted a quick buck.
In today’s blog, we discuss some solutions for protecting your car from theft. Theft begins with opportunity, as we all know. The thief sees a opportune moment to strike. Diminish these opportunities by being prepared. An alarm system is a good beginning, however most thieves have a full understanding of most theft systems. Here are some ways to protect your vehicle:
Obviously, you should never do any of these things:
• Never leave the windows down or the sunroof open;
• Never leave the keys in the ignition, or someplace else in the car such as under the visor;
• Never leave the car running and unattended, even for only a few minutes;
• Never leave car unlocked
• Don't leave your spare key somewhere a thief is likely to look, like magnetically stuck to the exhaust pipe or sitting on top of the tire;
• Only leave the ignition key with the valet, and make sure that the key to the glove box is a different cut;
• When you park on the street, turn the front wheels sharply into the curb and always use the emergency brake;
• Disable the car in some way, either by removing the electronic ignition fuse or by some other method;
Stolen vehicles are usually sold as parts because it’s more difficult for police to track hundreds of vehicle parts, as opposed to an entire car. Want to keep your car immune from theft? Consider these options:
• Ignition and fuel kill switches;
• Floorboard, gearshift, tire/wheel and hood locks;
• Vehicle tracking device
• If you have a rear-wheel drive vehicle, back into the driveway; if you have a front-wheel drive vehicle, drive straight into the driveway;
• If you have a garage, clean it out and park your vehicle in there, and always lock your garage doors;
• Install a motion-sensor light or alarm system on your garage doors;
We hope that we provided some great tips for you, guys. Have a great week! Feel free to share any experiences you might have had, or additional tips. Thanks!

“What in the World is “Hypermiling”?

The focal point of personal funding woes begins at the pump. Our recent blogs have discussed what precautions you can take to avoid high gas prices In lieu of rising gas prices; a select few have decided to go the distance. Literally. Some individuals have been getting above 65 mpg. Is this a typo? With LASIK eye surgery I can honestly say it’s not. Hypermiling has become the newest craze and in today’s blog, we delve into what it is and how it’s done. Oh, and as a precaution: DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME!

Hypermiling is an unorthodox technique for increasing your mpg. These techniques include coasting for blocks with the car engine tuned off, driving at or below the speed limit, pumping up tire pressure far beyond recommendations and carefully manipulating the gas pedal to avoid fuel-burning excess. Options also include keeping the air-condition turned off, and the window cracked slightly. Hypermilers also carry a journal that records their daily commute, gas consumption and mileage. All in an effort to avoid the ever increasing price of gas.

Hypermiling has become a niche, with websites dedicated to the cause. Driving Safety advocates forbid some of their habits, but applaud others. Some Hypermiling habits are very dangerous. “Turning the engine off while coasting can, in some cars, leave the driver without power steering or brakes and allow the possibility that the steering wheel will lock up. Drivers can endanger themselves and others if they go too slow for the pace of traffic.” The list goes on.

However, some Hypermilers ARE safe. They obey all traffic laws and mix city and highway driving in a combination of strategic and gas saving options. Using a truck for a windbreak is dangerous, but safer Hypermilers stay the recommended distance while still maintaining a saving of mpg by putting safety before mileage.

Drive Safely!

How Electric Cars Work

We enjoy electric toasters, electric music players, and occasionally the electric slide (for the musically inclined, of course). Now, electric cars have peaked our interest with promises of aiding the environment and saving on gas money. Many have thought about the purchase, but how do they work? In today’s blog, we touch on the subject of so much popularity.

First, they create less pollution than gas-powered cars, and are environmentally friendly. Vehicle power is derived from an electric motor. These motors use electricity in place of gasoline to power the vehicle. Electricity is fed to the motor, creating a magnetic field. That magnetic field causes a tightly wound coil to rotate while spinning the axle of the vehicle, turning the tires for motion.

Electric cars are literally ‘plugged in’ to juice up the engine. Electric cars with a battery use an electrical outlet to charge before they are operated. Another way is the hydrogen fuel cell. Fuel cells work when pure hydrogen combines with oxygen to create electricity. The only byproduct of hydrogen fuel cells is water. Yet another way is a solar power. Solar panels on a car collect energy from the sun and store it into the car's battery for later use.


Electric cars are great for the environment. They produce less noise pollution and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Innovation and technology will continue to change and adapt to the times making electric cars a great alternative.

3 Car Innovations that Changed the Way You Drive

Who said we can’t live a life of luxury…while driving 51 MPH in your innovative vehicle? Our cars are an extension of ourselves; they provide us comfort, style, and a vehicle to connect us between two points. In today’s blog we discuss the coolest car innovations to date. Don’t see your favorite on our list? Add yours!
1) Heated and cooled seats – Heated seats have been around for a while, however, cooled seats made their debut in the mid 1990’s. Electric coils warm the seat while air circulates to cool it. This is seen in countless luxury vehicles as well as sedans and SUV’s
2) Navigation Systems – Honda claims it was the first to implement Navigation in the 1990 Acura legend. The ‘co-pilot’ of your daily commute, navigation can guide you step-by-step to your destination.
3) Hybrid drivetrains – this innovation began in 2000. They combine gas engines with electric motors for power. On a gallon of gas you can travel longer, which is ideal when gas prices are on the rise.
These innovations have revolutionized cars, and will continue to spawn further technologies. Do you have a favorite? Leave your comment below:

Nice Paint Job! Quick Tips to Preserving Your Car’s Shine

“Cleanliness is next to godliness.” The age-old quote does have some clout in the modern day world we live in. A clean paintjob can make your car shine and reflect (pun intended) your character. Wax, basically used on wood to create a water resistant barrier, and polish, used on modern vehicle paint, can make your car dull. It creates a cover over your paint job that makes it age faster. The main cog in keeping your paint job new is to avoid friction, meaning abrasive polish, waxing or buffering. Below is a quick step process for keeping that shine.

1.Pure liquid and non-abrasive application will preserve your paint, so choose a product that does not include wax, abrasives or polish.

2.Make sure it is a spray or mist.

3.Wash your car with clear water and grease cutting liquid soap.

4.Starting at the top, hose the car down, then grab a bucket of soapy water and a soft brush and do the same.

5.Hose the car while you scrub with the brush.

6.Take a soft towel and dry the vehicle without letting the soap dry.

7.Starting with a clean dry towel on clean dry paint, apply the spray conditioner sparingly to the top of the vehicle and spread it out.

8.Acrylic conditioners are absorbed into the paint and have a application spread rate of 10 to 1 in area sprayed to area covered.

9.Do not over saturate your paint.

10.After completing the top follow the same conditioning pattern as when washing, finishing at the bottom.

11.The total application time for a spray mist conditioner is under 10 minutes per vehicle.

12.Conditioners do not harden and will continue to add conditioning strength to the paint days after the application.

13.The effects will last for months, vehicle easily clean up with just water. No soap is needed when using a true acrylic paint conditioner.

14.The Shine will lasts for months, no wax is needed.

15.Reapply once a month and your factory shine will last longer than with any wax or polish being sold today.

(Courtesy of wikiHow)