Friday, February 24, 2012

Spring Car Cleaning

washme

Winter weather can do a number on your vehicle.  As we approach the warmer weather, make sure your car is in top shape for Spring!  Here are some helpful tips:

Clean and vacuum inside first.

Make sure you have soap that's specifically for cars.

Never wash your car in direct sunlight.

Use a hose with a mist-spray nozzle to wet down the car and wash away debris.

Using a bucket with tepid water and soap, sponge down all areas of the car gently, rinsing the sponge frequently. Do the fender and bumper areas last.

Blast the undercarriage and wheel wells with the hose to remove as much salt buildup as you can.

Dry the vehicle lightly with a chamois or natural-fiber drying cloth.

Remember to clean the windows and mirrors!

Stay away from automated, commercial car washes on busy, winter-thaw days. Many of them recycle a certain portion of their water, to the point that they're washing with salty water at those times. Otherwise, they're alternatives for keeping your underbody clean and for when it's too cold to hand-wash.

Look for stone chips, sand abrasions and rust. Look over the body completely for stone chips, including smaller surface nicks and scratches from traction sand thrown up bytrucks. Repair them immediately with a touch-up kit (a small bottle of touch-up paint plus a special brush for application, usually inexpensive and available at the dealership). Make sure the spot is clean and dry, without any loose or sharp edges, and apply primer if bare metal is exposed. Have a body shop repair larger patches of rust.

Lubricate your locks and hinges. Consult with your owner's manual and use a graphite lubricant on your locks if recommended. Applying a small amount of petroleum-based lubricant to door and trunk hinges might also silence any creaking that started during winter.

Inspect your weather-stripping. Get any that looks mildewy, cracked, or brittle replaced right away. According to advice from the International Carwash Association, spraying weather-stripping with silicone spray will ensure that the water will bead away.

Inspect your car's underbody for rust and winter damage. If there are any suspicious areas, have a mechaniclook at them, and fix them immediately if needed. Pay special attention to brake components (sticky calipers, corroded brake lines), and exhaust components (rusted clamps, crumbling tailpipes, holes forming in muffler) that might have salt or slush damage. Suspension and steering pieces such as bushings, strut mounts, springs and tie rods are also susceptible to winter damage.

Looking for more ideas?  Check out the whole article at: http://autos.aol.com/article/spring-clean-your-car/

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Sneak Peek and preview of the new Dodge Viper replacement

Sneak Peek and preview of the new Dodge Viper replacement! Stay tuned for future updates on the status of the new car!

And the sssssstriptease begins.

Chrysler has released the first image of the much-anticipated replacement for the Dodge Viper on Facebook.

The white on black line drawing of the front of the upcoming supercar is lacking in detail, but shows a few distinctive styling cues that carry over from the old car including tall front fenders, a double-bubble roof and a central air intake on the hood for what is surely a massive powerplant underneath it. But unlike the original, the new Viper will be sold under Chrysler’s newly-formed high-performance SRT (Street and Racing Technology) brand, rather than Dodge.

Little is known about the all-new Viper, but company execs have said to expect a more sophisticated vehicle than the blunt instrument that preceded it. Traction and stability control are almost a sure thing, and last summer SRT President and CEO Ralph Gilles told Fox Car Report LIVE! that the addition of cruise control and – gulp – cupholders were under consideration.

Originally rumored to be powered by an engine from Chrysler’s Fiat-run cousin Ferrari, the latest word is that it will use a street-legal take on the recently introduced 800 hp 8.7-liter V10 crate engine, which is not only based on the motor from the old Viper, but still wears the car’s name on its read head covers.

Regardless, Gilles says the new Viper will "be hopefully something people collect, covet and are happy it exists.”

The 2013 Viper will be evealed in full at the New York Auto Show in April, and in showrooms by the end of the year. It will be built in Detroit at the Conner Avenue Assembly plant where the old one was produced, known to fans of the car as the "Snake Pit."

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2012/01/31/dodge-viper-replacement-teased-on-facebook/#ixzz1mYlOL4Mh

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Dionne Warwick at the Palace Theatre in Greensburg February 14th

Latshaw Productions presents Dionne Warwick on February 14th at 8 PM.

Admission
$68, $58, $48

Contact
(724) 836-8000

Website
Event Website

Location
Palace Theatre
21 W. Otterman St.
Greensburg, PA 15601

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

How Kelley Blue Book Works

Since its humble beginnings 75 years ago, the K­elley company has worked to bring value information for cars, recreational vehicles and motorcycles to buyers and sellers. Its Kelley Blue Book has become the standard automotive price guide for dealers and consumers alike. Now Kelley is using the Internet to make that information even more readily available. In this article, we'll explore Kelley's history, show you how to use its price guides and Web site, and explain where it gets pricing information.

L­es Kelley never intended to start a publishing company. He began in 1918 by selling used cars, starting with three Model T Fords in a Los Angeles parking lot. With the help of his younger brother, Buster, Kelley turned his small lot into a thriving used car sales and repair business within a few years. Kelley began printing lists of used cars that he wanted to buy, including how much he would pay for them. He sent these lists to other dealers and banks. Before long, Kelley's lists were on the desk of every sales manager in the county and people came to rely on them for accurate appraisals of an old car's value. In 1926, Kelley published his list in book form for the first time. He named it after the Social Register, a list of the important and elite people in local society often referred to as the Blue Book.

The Kelley dealership­ continued to expand until it was the largest used car dealer in the country. The Blue Book increased in popularity as well, moving beyond its regional boundaries and becoming a nationwide car value guide for dealers. In 1962, the Kelley family sold off their dealerships and focused entirely on the Blue Book.

Kelley only offers information on cars sold in the United States, so the same model of car sold in Canada might have some key differences that would alter the value. Kelley can still be used as a guide when a used car is sold in another country, but it does not account for regional market differences.

Most people are familiar with the consumer editions of the New Car and Used Car Guides, which can be purchased in almost any book store. These guides are published twice a year.

The Kelley Blue Book New Car Guide contains pricing information on cars for the current model year, including:

  • MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price)
  • the dealer's cost
  • any extra costs that may be involved, such as shipping the car
  • pricing schedules for various options that buyers can select

The Blue Book Used Car Guide contains information on the values of cars made in the last 15 years. This guide offers several different prices:

  • retail price - what you would expect to pay for this car at a used car dealership
  • trade-in price - what a dealer would offer you in trade value
  • private sale price - the price you could expect to get for this car if you sold it yourself to another person

The Used Car Guide offers charts and tables to calculate the price based on the condition of the car, the mileage, and optional components. It also describes how those factors influence the overall value of the car. Information on older used cars is presented in a separate book, while motorcycle and RV information is published separately as well. That information is only available in the guidebooks -- not on the Kelley Web site.

Using the books is easy. The cars are listed by manufacturer, then alphabetically by model. If you wanted to look up a Ford Explorer, you'd first go to the Ford section, then thumb through the "E"s until you found "Explorer." The book includes a "How to use this book" section that explains optional equipment and mileage.

Read more: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/buying-selling/kelley-blue-book.htm

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