Tip 10- Keep an Emergency Kit in your Car.

The simplest thing you can do to combat the cold weather is to keep a few essential supplies and tools with you as you drive. You’ll obviously want a spare tire and the tools to change out a flat, but it’s a good idea to keep some extra material in the trunk as well. Bottles of engine oil, washer fluid and coolant all come in handy, and we’ll touch on those in greater detail later on. An ice scraper is a necessity, since you and your car won’t be going anywhere with frozen snow blocking your view. Flashlights and flares are helpful if you’re stuck on the road late at night when visibility levels are low. Even if you’re wearing a coat, an extra pair of gloves, boots or even a blanket can keep you warm and dry if your heating unit isn’t working properly.

Tip 9-Make sure your 4-Wheel drive works.

Unless you go off-roading all year long, chances are if you own an SUV you don’t use your four-wheel drive (4WD) during the summer. That’s why it’s important to make sure everything is working correctly before the winter starts, even if 4WD doesn’t take too much maintenance. A functioning system can improve tire traction on snow and ice, decreasing the possibility of getting stuck. 4WD varies depending on the vehicle, so check the owner’s manual for the best environment in which to use it and how to engage the system.Remember, having a 4WD system doesn’t mean you can drive figure eights around icy parking lots or drive faster than you normally would in a regular car. 4WD can improve your SUV’s traction on snow and ice from a stationary position, but it doesn’t make your tires grip the pavement any better when you brake.

Tip 8- Check all your belts and hoses.

The belts and hoses under your car’s hood are typically checked when the car is due for a tune-up (usually every 30,000 miles). Even if you’re not getting a tune-up this winter, it doesn’t hurt to have a mechanic take a look at how everything is holding up around yourengine. Cold temperatures can weaken belts and hoses, and if something snaps or breaks while you’re out on the road, a tow truck will be the only way to get moving again.

Tip 7- Replace wipers and fluids.

Imagine driving down the road at night, and all of a sudden a storm of freezing rain passes over, beating your windshield with sheets of water. You click your wipers on so you can see better, but nothing works — pieces of rubber flap uselessly against the glass, and the blades’ scraping doesn’t make the view outside any clearer.

Low visibility can make driving in cold weather extremely dangerous, so it’s important to make sure the wiper blades are up to par. Your wiper blades are made out of rubber, and with time they’ll crack, split and deteriorate. It’s suggested that you replace your windshield wipers every six to 12 months. Keeping your wiper fluid filled up is also a plus, as fluid can assist in breaking up snow and ice on the windshield.

Tip 6- Check your defrosting and heating system.

When our windshields fog up in the winter, it’s because moisture from inside the car condenses on the glass and makes it very difficult to see. Water vapor coming in from an open window — or even from your own breathing — can fog up a window. Defrosters solve this problem by blowing warm, dry air over the glass. If you’re sure your defroster unit is functioning properly but there’s still a problem with too much fogging, have your car checked for air leaks around the doors and windows bringing in extra moisture. It’s also important to stay warm and comfortable while driving, since shivering makes it difficult to steer or pay attention to the road. If your heater isn’t working, you may have a faulty heater coil. Although heater coils are expensive to replace, it will be worth it during cold winter mornings if you don’t want to freeze behind the wheel.

Tip 5- Keep your gas tank full.

Do you ever let your gas tank run on fumes until the very last moment, only to fill it up with about $15 worth of gas? Although it’s never a great idea to do this any time of the year because you run the risk of getting stranded, the damage you might inflict on your car with a near-empty tank during winter is much worse. Cold and constantly shifting temperatures can cause condensation to form on the walls of a gas tank in the red, and soon water will drip down and into the gas. It will eventually sink to the bottom, since water is heavier than gas, which is bad news — if water finds its way into the fuel lines, it will freeze up, blocking any flow of gas to the engine and effectively halting your travel plans. Any repairs that have to be made can be costly, too, so despite high gas prices, keeping your tank full will help both your car and your wallet.

Tip 4- Keep in the right amount of antifreeze.

Antifreeze protects your engine from both freezing in cold weather and heating up on hot days, and it also cuts back on corrosion. It’s important to keep equal parts antifreeze and water in your radiator — a 50:50 ratio is considered the norm and will keep fluids from freezing at temperatures as low as -34 degrees Fahrenheit. Fortunately, you won’t have to stand over your engine with a measuring cup — you can buy pre-mixed bottles of antifreeze and water at gas stations. If you don’t pay attention to the amount of antifreeze, the coolant can freeze, and the engine will get extremely hot. Chances are you’ll blow a gasket or two, and the cost of replacing them with labor can be expensive.

Tip 3- Check the oil and oil viscosity.

Oil lubricates the metal surfaces of your engine and stops them from grinding together and causing a lot of damage. The viscosity — or thickness — of the oil greatly affects your engine’s performance. If the oil is too thick, it will flow too slowly between parts and your engine will get too hot. In the winter time, cold temperatures cause oil to thicken, but you can overcome this problem by filling your engine with an oil of a lower viscosity. Your owner’s manual should tell you the ideal type of oil you should use, and it also might specifically suggest a thinner oil type depending on the season. Remember, most technicians recommend that you change your oil every 3,000 miles or once every three months.

Tip 2- Check your battery.

Car batteries last for about three to five years, so it’s best to keep track of how old yours is. If it’s time to get a new one, you can replace it in the fall when batteries typically go on sale. Winter months are tough on your engine and cause it to work harder, and this puts more pressure on the battery. If your battery isn’t that old, it’s still good to take a look and make sure nothing’s wrong. Check the battery cables and clamps for fraying or corrosion. If there’s a white, powdery substance around the clamps, that’s corrosion from battery acid — you can clean it off easily with baking soda, water and a toothbrush. Your battery is also filled with fluid, so make sure it has enough inside. Most batteries have caps on top, and you can check the level by removing the caps. If it’s low, fill the holes with distilled water, being careful not to fill past the bottom of the cap.

And finally, the number 1 tip- Check your tire pressure and consider snow tires.

Wet or icy roads can cause dangerous accidents in the winter, so it’s very important to make sure your tires are equipped to handle adverse weather conditions. If you choose to use regular tires on your car, check the air pressure on each tire. Deflated tires close up the tread and significantly decrease traction, increasing the likelihood of sliding on icy patches. Many gas stations have the tools available for you to check tire pressure, and it costs nothing or next to nothing to fill your tires with the right amount of air — again, the owner’s manual should list the suggested pounds per square inch. Here are some other tire tips and suggestions:

• Some people also keep salt in their cars — if your car is stuck in snow or on ice, sprinkling salt in front of your tires can offer some more traction and get things moving.

• If you ever find yourself skidding on an icy road, don’t put on the brakes, even if your instincts tell you to do so. Instead, take your foot off of the accelerator and guide your car to safety by turning the wheel in the opposite direction you’re skidding.

• If you live in an area that gets hit particularly hard in the wintertime, purchasing snow or winter tires and replacing regular tires can be helpful, as they offer improved traction, braking and control.

Excerpted from an auto.howstuffworks.com article by John Fuller-http://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-driving-safety/accidents-hazardous-conditions/car-winterizing-tips.htm#page=1

Have you ever been involved in a seemingly minor fender bender? If so, did you swoon when you received the estimate for the repair costs?

Understand Your Estimate

Price quotes from different body shops seem to vary wildly, and this shouldn’t be the case.

Our three experts remind us that collision-repair facilities and insurance companies use one of three systems for estimating repair jobs to arrive at standardized, impartial quotes. Theoretically, this means three different shops will present similar estimates. But insurance companies will sometimes present their policyholders with a low quote that bears no relationship to the product of these estimating systems, Brian says. And if the consumer decides he can live with minor body damage and elects to pocket the check rather than pay to have the damage repaired, the carrier has quickly cleared another claim.

It’s increasingly tough for body shop owners to provide an accurate cost estimate that will cover the expense to fix the car properly and still make a profit. Brian says automakers frequently change vehicle designs as the Environmental Protection Agency raises fuel-efficiency standards. They are increasingly using lighter materials like aluminum and high-strength metals like ultra-hard boron steel, particularly in the frame and suspension parts. Such parts are expensive.

Body shops are supposed to restore cars to the standards of the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), but they know from experience that doing so is going to be prohibitively expensive. Instead, some don’t even consult the manufacturer’s specifications and fix the car according to time-tested methods. Those methods might not fix the car safely or completely.

“So all of a sudden the lowest common denominator — the insurance company’s quote — becomes the benchmark,” Brian says. And the shop with the lowest cost is likely the one the consumer will pick.

Neal adds that there is another factor that makes the process difficult for consumers. “One guy might have a different definition of what a fair profit is from the next guy for procedures that are identical between the two shops.” This is the dreaded gray area in evaluating cost estimates and it can hit your wallet hard. Here’s how it works.

Get an Estimate Breakdown
There are judgment calls in auto body work that can lead to huge swings in price quotes, our experts report.

Neal gives an example: Say you have a dent in your quarter panel. One shop might write a simple four-line estimate to repair the panel and repaint it. (Each line on the quote constitutes another charge.) Another shop might write a 20-line estimate that includes removing the taillight and bumper, instead of just taping them off. “There can be 20 steps for the repair if you want to do them all and if you want to charge for them all,” he says.

If a consumer doesn’t understand the steps, the estimate makes little sense. And many body shops don’t take the time to explain it, Brian adds. “There are a lot of shops that print their estimate, throw it at the consumer and say ‘Call me if you want me to do it,'” he says. Instead, he recommends looking for the shop with a staff that listens patiently and replies with reasonable answers.

Andy says consumers should be aware that some shops write lowball estimates just to “seize the keys” — get the car owner’s commitment to do the job. Once the car is dismantled, the body shop owner calls the consumer and lists additional charges, claiming that the shop discovered new damage after it started work.

Additional charges do occur because, “you can’t see through a car without taking it apart,” Andy says. Avoid this ploy by choosing a highly regarded body shop in the first place and making sure to the best of your ability that the estimate covers all the work required.

Turn Down the “Save the Deductible” Come-on
Andy warns that some shops will offer to help consumers “save the deductible” from their insurance claim — typically about $500. The shop is basically offering to scam the insurance company for the consumer by not collecting the deductible payment.

But Andy says that what such a shop is really intending to do is to either not perform necessary work, or overcharge for something to compensate for the waived deductible. “Collision repair shops are businesses, and like any business, can’t afford to not charge for work that is being performed,” Andy tells us. “If a shop says they can waive the deductible…that is something for consumers to be cautious of.”

Ask About the Parts
Our insiders say some unethical shop owners will try to boost profits by charging customers for new OEM parts when they’ve actually installed used ones, or have substituted aftermarket partsfor OEM parts without telling the customer. In other cases, they repair the original part, reuse it in the vehicle and charge the customer for a new part.

It’s difficult for unwary consumers to protect themselves against these scams. However, they can ask to review the original quote and request documentation of the parts the shop used in repairing their vehicle. In most states, repair facilities are required by law to disclose in their estimates that they intend to use non-OEM parts. If you live in one of the states that doesn’t require disclosure, it’s even more important to ask.

Consumers also have to be alert to the terminology that shops and insurance companies use when they’re describing parts. Our experts talked about “imitation” parts, using the term to refer to parts that are made by aftermarket suppliers. The aftermarket industry says its products are built to industry standards and are as good as those produced by the OEMs. Your decision on which to use likely depends on the age of your car, the size of your wallet and the terms of your insurance policy. In any case, make sure you get your body shop to define its terms. Will it use OEM parts? Aftermarket? New? Used? Will it repair and reuse a part from your car?

Neal says that aftermarket parts have their place and consumers shouldn’t always be hesitant to approve their use.

“If you came to me with a damaged year-old vehicle, I wouldn’t even suggest an imitation part because it doesn’t belong on a vehicle that we’re trying to protect the value of,” Neal says. “But if you came to me with your daughter’s eight-year-old transportation car, we would price it both ways.” There would be a small risk in lowering the resale value of the car in exchange for the savings.

For more on this subject, please see “How To Tell if Your Body Shop Did the Job Correctly.”

Beware of Shops in Cahoots With Adjusters
Insurance work is the lifeblood of the auto body business. Nearly 85 percent of the work for most collision repair facilities comes from claims, according to the insiders we interviewed. Brian says that he knows of many shop owners who attempt to ingratiate themselves with insurance adjusters by detailing — or even painting — their personal vehicles for free. “We know of it happening all the time,” he says.

(For the insurance industry’s side of the story, see “Confessions of an Auto Claims Adjuster.”)

This unethical relationship puts the consumer at a disadvantage, Neal says. “Your repair shop is supposed to act as your advocate,” he says. “If your insurer wants to put an aftermarket part on a vehicle that’s six months old without your permission, the shop should tell you so: ‘Mr. Jones, I have to let you know that your insurer is playing games.'” There are consequences for that, though, as Neal notes. “But if you do that they’ll take you off the list — that’s the dirty reality,” he says.

Once again, your best defense is a good offense. Only work with shops that have a track record of dealing fairly and honestly with their customers.

Don’t Get Pushed to “Preferred” Auto Body Shops
When an insurance company is paying for repairs, Neal says it often tries to steer clients to its “preferred” list of body shops. Insurance companies control these collision repair facilities by promising them steady work in exchange for corner-cutting, according to the insiders we interviewed. This control may encourage some body shops to “back charge,” or build in extra costs to cover areas not covered by the insurance company. If a shop begins doing this, Neal says, “It’s a slippery slope, and when you get on that path it’s hard to get off.”

Andy says that most state laws allow consumers to choose their auto body shops, even when an insurance company is paying for the repair. But insurance adjusters will still coerce clients toward the “preferred” shops using a variety of tactics to discourage them from going elsewhere, the insiders say. For example, the adjuster might say if you go to a shop that’s not preferred, some costs won’t be covered, or the non-preferred shop won’t guarantee the work, while the preferred shop will.

In many cases, Andy has seen consumers pay out-of-pocket for repairs that the insurers said they won’t cover. Then, when the consumer files a complaint with a state’s department of insurance, the insurer is forced to pay for the repair. “Some insurance companies will put the onus on the customer to prove that they will pay for it themselves before they will agree to indemnify them for it,” he says.

All three experts agree that consumers place a lot of trust in their insurance companies to look out for their best interests. What most people don’t consider is that the insurance company is trying to cut costs to the bone while still retaining policy holders. “Consumers are at a disadvantage because they’re not knowledgeable about the services that they’re procuring,” Andy says.

Be Your Own Advocate
Sad to say, the body shop experts we spoke with say that the consumer can’t rely completely on body shops or insurance companies to watch out for their interests. You have to act as your own advocate, choose the best shop and remain alert to overcharging and misrepresentation.

“Most body shop owners are very concerned about getting good feedback and building a list of customers who’ll come back next time work is needed,” Andy says. “Find those shops, work with them, and nine times out of 10, things will go smoothly.”

Thanks for checking out the Auto Innovations Inc. Blog! We’re here to keep you up to date on all things collision and auto repair, provide you with great tips and advice on auto maintenance and repair, collision repair and coverage, and bring you the latest news from inside the world of Auto Innovations Inc.!

If this is your first time hearing about us, we are a auto repair and collision repair shop located in Smyrna, Georgia. Our owner and collision expert, Shelly Jackson, has over 10 years of experience in the collision repair and collision repair management and is both I-Car and ASE Certified. At Auto Innovations Inc., we strive to provide Smyrna and the surrounding areas the the best comprehensive auto and collision repair by serving the customer and providing a great repair experience.

 

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