Easy Tips for Prepping Your Vehicle for Winter Weather

 

Coming up on the Thanksgiving holiday means more than preparing to down way too much food and see extended family for the first time in a year. In many areas, it’s also the perfect time to get your vehicle ready for winter weather. Not only do you want your vehicle to make it through the next few months unscathed, but you want to ensure that you and your family stay safe. Whether you’re dealing with snow, sleet, freezing rain, and/or blistering temperatures, here are some simple ways to prepare your vehicle (and yourself) for winter:

 

Watch the Tires 

Having reliable tires is critical to your safety, particularly in winter weather. Once the temperature drops, it can cause your tire pressure to drop significantly. At least once a month, check the PSI in your tires and add air if necessary; typically, you can find the ideal PSI for your vehicle inside the driver's door jam.

Also, check the tread on your tires. Place a penny between the threads, and if you see Lincoln’s forehead, the tread is too low and you will need to replace your tires. Furthermore, if you live in an area that gets severe winter weather, such as in the northern United States, you might consider getting winter tires. 

 

Check the Windshield and Wiper Blades

Another thing you want to do is to check your windshield for any cracks, which can quickly spread once the temperature drops. Even if you spot a small crack, get it looked at by an expert as soon as you can. While you’re at it, have new wiper blades installed so that you can ensure you’re ready to drive in the elements.

 

Inspect the Lights

When driving in snow, freezing rain, and other winter conditions, it’s essential to have functioning headlights and tail lights. If your headlights have issues, it can significantly hinder you from seeing what is in front of you, especially at night. And without your tail lights or brake lights working properly, it can quickly lead to accidents with other cars. 

 

Test the Battery

Cold weather is hard on batteries, and it tends to decrease their capacity. Be sure to get your vehicle's battery checked by a certified repair shop to ensure that it can hold a charge. Also, ask them to remove any corrosion from the connections and posts. Along with getting your battery serviced, keep a set of jumper cables in your vehicle as a backup plan. 

 

Give Your Vehicle a Wax Coat 

Road salt is essential to driver safety during winter weather. But due to its corrosive nature, it can be hard on your vehicle’s exterior over time. Adding a coat of wax can help prevent extensive damage to the exterior of your car. When applying wax, focus on the lower areas of your vehicle where salt, snow, and ice set in; this includes behind the front grille, wheels, and quarter panels. 

 

Try Winter-Grade Oil

Another thing to consider when prepping your vehicle for the cold months ahead is the engine oil you use. Generally speaking, the lower the viscosity, the better during winter. So, before the weather gets too frigid or harsh, consider switching to a thinner winter-grade oil; the viscosity of the oil you are using is identified by the first number of the oil specification. For example, 5W-30 oil is ideal for winter while 10W-30 is a little too thick. 

 

Keep an Emergency Supplies Kit

Even if you thoroughly prepare your vehicle for winter weather, you can’t 100% guarantee that you won’t break down on the side of the road or get stuck in the snow or ice. That’s why it’s essential to arrange an emergency supplies kit that you keep in your car. This kit should include any items you think you might need in the event that you are stranded without a working vehicle. Here are some examples of items to consider:

• Extra winter clothes and outerwear
• Gloves and boots
• A blanket (preferably heated)
• A first-aid kit
• Non-perishable foods and jugs of water
• A portable charger for your smartphone
• Jumper cables
• A basic toolkit
• A tire gauge and tire chains
• A functional spare tire
• A wrench, jack, and any other equipment necessary for changing a tire

 

Conclusion

Getting your vehicle ready for the cold months ahead is one of the most important things you can do for ensuring the safety of you, your loved ones, and others on the road. Check your tires, windshield wipers and blades, and exterior lights. Consider putting a fresh coat of wax on your car and changing to lower-viscosity engine oil. And pack an emergency supplies kit. Lastly, remember that it’s always a good idea to take your vehicle to your local professional. Schedule your service appointment today! 

Carona Carpool: Keeping Your Kids Safe as They Head Back to School

This Fall might just be the strangest return to school our children have ever been a part of, and the very thought of children carpooling to campus registers red flags immediately. But with the proper attitude and preparedness, could there be a safe way to carpool in the midst of a pandemic? At Liberty Buick GMC, we think so, and we have a few tips to follow in order to keep you and your young ones safe as they travel back to school.

 

Whether your child is learning virtually or in-person, chances are you will be traveling more than you did over summer. And though carpooling is a great way to travel, there are specific precautions to be taken.

The first step to a safe carpool is making sure everyone is aware of the situation we are in, and all are on board to work together to keep everyone safe. Begin by contacting the other passengers and drivers who will be in the carpool. There is no need to panic, but you do need to be sure everyone in the car will be wearing a mask, and there will be enough room so that each person can sit without leaning into or resting on another passenger.

It’s also a good idea to have everyone involved agree to take temperatures each day before entering the vehicle. Be sure and have plenty of hand sanitizer, and make it a rule to use it before entering and again immediately after getting out of the car.

 

Here are a few more tips from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention:

 

·         (As much as possible) Try and keep from touching surfaces. Consciously taking into account what is most touched in your surroundings will help you cut down on using hand sanitizer as much. For those cases when you do have to touch something commonly handled, simply apply sanitizer or wash your hands as soon as possible. While carpooling, avoiding surfaces is especially difficult, so wearing gloves is a good idea.

·         Clean those hands. After touching surfaces outside of your own home, be sure to use sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Or, if you would rather use soap, wash in warm water for at least 20 seconds.

·         Reduce the size of the rideshare. Though it might cause multiple trips or even more cars on the road, it is important to create space even in confined spots. Consider cutting the limit to half of what it was before and require everyone in the car to wear a mask during the trip.

·         Keep the ride ventilated. Weather permitting, keep windows open or cracked so plenty of air gets in and out. Good ventilation is key to keep from the spread of germs.

 

More Safety Tips

Here are a few more tips on keeping your young ones safe as you travel:

·         Make sure car seats are tightly secured and wiped down with disinfectant between each use. When clipping in a car seat it is important to make sure it is pulled tightly against the back of the seat. Sometimes you really have to wrench on the belt, but if you can wiggle the seat back and forth with minimal effort, it’s not tight enough.

·         When strapping your child into a car seat, be sure the top strap is pulled up to the top of the child’s chest. You should be able to fit two fingers between the top strap and the child, so it needs to be snug but not too tight to where it’s uncomfortable.

·         Keep your eyes on the road and your hands upon the wheel. No matter how badly your child is screaming for a toy he dropped on the floor of the car, do not try and reach around or turn around to grab it. If it is something your child needs at the moment, simply pull the car over and put on the hazards. It might only take a second to look back and grab that toy while driving, but it also only takes a second to completely veer into the opposite lane.

The best piece of advice we have for anyone who has to travel is this: take a deep breath and let it out. Relax. You are not alone, and we will get through this! Liberty Buick GMC wishes you all safe travels. 

The Buick Envision (Truly a Vehicle You Can Envision You and Your Family in This Year)

This compact SUV combines comfort, safety, and good value for your money. Whether you’re cruising through uptown, teaching your teenager to drive, or taking that sleepy toddler on a ride in a whisper-quiet cabin, the 2017 Buick Envision in Charlotte is the perfect compact SUV-crossover to fit all of your family’s needs.

At a glance:

Just at a glance, the Envision packs numerous luxuries into the vehicle, aiming for the safety and comfort of its passengers. With higher trims of the Envision, consumers will see even more of Buick’s latest technology for its conscientious drivers and satisfied passengers.

·         5 seats

·         Keyless vehicle

·         252 HP

·         MPG:

o   22 CITY

o   29 HWY

·         New base engine

·         Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

·         8 inch touch screen

·         Rearview backing camera

·         4-G Wi-Fi hotspot capability

·         New Teen Driver active safety feature

Exterior:

As beautiful as it is reliable, the Envision will fit perfectly into the urban atmosphere, combining sleek design with functionality. The Envision offers 7 exterior colors:

·         Ebony Twilight Metallic

·         Bronze Alloy Metallic

·         Chili Red Metallic

·         Bronze Alloy Metallic

·         Galaxy Silver Metallic

·         Summit White

·         Midnight Amethyst Metallic

It’s worth noting that paint colors in exception to Summit White are premium extra-charge colors.

The Envision’s wheels are 18”, 10-spoke polished aluminum, with P225/60R18 all-season blackwall tires. You’ll appreciate the hands free open and close liftgate, luggage rack, and roof-rails for packing extra cargo.

An ideal crossover SUV, the 2017 Buick Envision is a compact vehicle perfect for a growing family in the city.

Interior:

There’s no argument that the Envision is a comfortable ride, but the interior is also stylish and functional. The Envision is spacious for all five seats, including passengers in the backseat seats with plenty of legroom and headspace. The front seats are well equipped with excellent materials in the upholstery, heated seats, and a clear view of the road ahead. The passenger compartment has a small glove box, but a tray in the dashboard and a generous center console bin. Ventilated front seats and heated back seats are available in the higher-end trims of the Envision.

The contemporary and glossy wood trim is clean and appealing, and exhibits a high-quality feel. The dual touch-sensing climate system panels on the dashboard enable you quick access to seat heating, and ventilation. Buick’s IntelliLink infotainment system works from an 8-inch touch screen, with navigation, radio display, smart-phone capability (i.e., Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), and a number of other features.

In particular: Apple CarPlay and Android Auto enable you to sync smartphone features and functions with the IntelliLink infotainment system. This is an important feature for those who desire easier access to your phone’s apps and information, navigation, as well as hands-free messaging and decreased off-road distractions. Drivers can use Siri or Google to make calls, send/receive messages in the Envision, and control music (via the touchscreen as well). These features complement the OnStar 4g LTE connectivity Wi-Fi hotspot, which provides for up to 7 personal devices to ensure that its passengers are safe and connected on the go.

The back seats and cargo are just as impressive; unlike many similar compact SUVS, the rear-seat space provides an equally pleasant amount of room and storage. With comfort for all passengers in mind, even the middle rear-seat has a flat floor space for the passenger’s legs.

Taking a closer look: The back seat also includes rear-climate control, a 3-prong power outlet, dual USB ports to keep your passengers content and charged.

The Envision did not leave out their smaller passengers either. This vehicle keeps younger passengers in mind with lower child-seat anchors on the back of the rear seats. This keyless vehicle alerts you when keys are left on the seat or in the car, and child safety locks are included as well. This kid-friendly vehicle is overall a very safe and comfortable choice for families.

Need more room for cargo? For an SUV, the cargo area is rather small. However, Buick’s maximizes the accommodation of people or cargo with the ability to slide the rear seat forward and back. The hands-free lift gate and low lift-over height is ideal of loading and unloading heavy stuff.

Performance:

Heavy for it’s size at a minimum of about 4,000 pounds, the Envision is equipped with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine. The Premium and Premium II trim levels deliver a turbocharged 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engine with higher horsepower and torque, as well as all-wheel drive. This engine provides smoother and quicker acceleration and gear changes when you need more power on the road.

Furthermore, the turbocharged engine option has an idle-stop system that will shut off the engine when at rest in traffics or intersections to conserve fuel. In Charlotte’s prime time traffic, this is a wonderful feature to have.

The handling of the Envision on the road is far from a chore; the steering is level, the brakes respond accurately, and the suspension keeps the ride quiet and smooth. For those needing a quick-reaction time in the urban uptown of Charlotte, the Envision delivers and at a decent gas mileage too, hitting 23 MPG in the city and 29 MPG on the highway.

If you’re looking for a more powerful turbocharged engine, the Envision’s top two trim levels deliver, but they also come along with a price jump from a mid-ranged $30,000 to upper $40,000.

Safety:

Large side mirror and front windows provide notable visibility to both the driver and passengers in the Envision. While the rear-view mirror does not offer a consistent clear view through the smaller back window, the rear-backing camera and park-assist sensors make their use known with thoughtful, efficient technology to the driver’s aid.

New to the Buick Envision, Teen Driver active safety technology provides programmable settings for parents, and allows them to receive driving reports of their teenage drivers. For parents lending out their Envision for a teenager’s first independent spin, this safety feature provides parents with the supervision and perhaps even a bit of peace-of-mind as their new driver hits the road alone.

Beyond teens, Buick offers the opt-in Smart Driver Program that monitors driving habits and collects data that can be used to obtain car insurance discounts.

The Envision received a 5-star overall crash-test rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), ensuring the protection of all of its occupants. Among other excellent safety ratings,

Choices:

There are four different trim options for the Buick Envision that encompass preferences and price ranges. Four-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is optional. The Preferred trim is a superb SUV choice that won’t break the bank, where you will not feel like the basic trim is basic at all; it’s as value-packed as it is luxury-packed.

But, if you’re looking for more, then Buick delivers. Each trim includes the luxuries of the previous ones, and you’ll find in the Premium and Premium II trims (starting at $42,430) that upgraded turbocharged engine makes a great difference in the vehicle’s power and efficiency.

Preferred trim: $35,780

·         180 inch alloy wheels

·         Daytime running lights

·         Premium cloth seats

·         Hands-free liftgate

Essence trim: $37,720

·         Leather upholstery

·         Heated rear seats

·         Chrome roof rails

·         Perforated leather seating

·         Blind spot monitoring

Premium trim: $44,960

·         A more powerful engine

·         Navigation

·         Safety features, like following-distance warnings

Premium II trim: $44,960+

·         Navigation

·         Automatic park assist

·         360-degree camera

·         Power sunroof

·         Automatic emergency braking

If you’re looking for a luxury compact SUV crossover with sleek exterior and interior design, responsive and efficient driving dynamics, and visibility and safety as its top priorities, then the Buick Envision is truly a vehicle you can envision you and your family in this year. Learn more about the 2017 Buick Envision’s pricing details by clicking here, call 704.708.8000, or visit Liberty Buick GMC in Charlotte, North Carolina. There is no doubt that the economical, stylish, and efficient 2017 Buick Envision will win you over, so schedule your test drive today.

By: Tayler Green

CCP Web Design

Content Writer