Posted on 7/11/2017
In today's message we will talk about something many Falconer drivers do every day, or, perhaps feel guilty about not doing. We're talking about carpooling. Whether you drive to work with some colleagues or take turns driving with other parents in the neighborhood to get the kids to school, you are aware of the advantages and disadvantages of ride sharing. Pros: You can save on gas, car maintenance outlays, and parking fees. U.S. carpoolers save over one billion dollars every year.1 In the case of carpooling kids to school, you save time by not having to drive every day. Where available, you can use the carpool lanes on highways and zoom past the single drivers in the stop-and-go lanes. When it's not your day to drive, you can sit back and close your eyes or get a jump start on your work to-do ... read more
Posted on 7/4/2017
At I-86 Truck & Auto Repair, we understand that your car is a significant purchase. We can help you protect your investment by providing quality maintenance and repair services. Another way you can make sure your vehicle serves your transportation needs as long as possible is to avoid these bad habits. Flooring it When the Light Turns Green Okay, Mr. Earnhardt, you are not at Talladega. You don't need to floor it and push your car to the limit just to slow down at the next stoplight. Junk in the Trunk Do you keep a lot of stuff in your trunk that you don't need to haul around? You are stressing all those costly parts unnecessarily. (And your fuel efficiency takes a hit, as well.) Riding Your Brakes This can be a challenging habit to break (no pun intended ... read more
Posted on 6/27/2017
I think it’s safe to say that we’ve all had the experience of acquiring a product and not quite understanding the warranty that comes along with it. It seems like just about anything that you can buy—from a refrigerator to a cell phone—either comes with a warranty or you have the option to add a warranty. When shopping around for cars, there is some vital warranty information that should be analyzed beforehand so you’ll be clear on what’s covered if something does go wrong. New Cars If you’re buying a new car, warranties are typically much easier to come by and are more straightforward than their used car warranty counterparts. Most car manufacturers now deliver a warranty with the purchase of a new vehicle. These standard manufacturer warranties will either cover you for a set amount ... read more
Posted on 6/20/2017
The key to your car is one of the smallest, yet most essential features of your car. In today's article we’re going to look at how the key has changed and advanced over the years. Back when cars were first developed and then started being mass-produced, keys weren’t even part of the equation. You’d have to crank a lever that was connected to the engine just to get your auto to fire up, and that took strength and patience. This was the norm back then, but imagine having to start your vehicle like that every time you wanted to take a drive. Not my idea of convenient. (And it's easy to see why turn-of-the-century era bank robbers had to have an accomplice sitting in the getaway car with the engine running. It wasn’t until 1949 that someone had the clever idea of using a key to start the engine. After painstaking e ... read more
Posted on 6/20/2017
At I-86 Truck & Auto Repair, we believe that many autos are a pleasure to look at from the outside. And some have gained popularity for outer body appearance alone. For example, think of your favorite car and then consider why you like it. I’m guessing one of the main reasons is because of how it looks on the outside. But have you ever analyzed the amount of detail and innovation that goes into car interiors? While the outside styling of cars is what turns heads, the interior is what keeps the driver and passengers happy and comfortable. But auto interiors haven’t always offered opulent comfort and an array of tools at your fingertips. Technically, the first cars had no "interior" because they were basically open-air buggies ... read more
Posted on 6/13/2017
Millions of people travel to foreign countries each year for vacation, business, or other reasons. At some point in most people’s travels, they will have the need for a car. In this message we’re going to give you a few recommendations for when it’s your turn to journey to a foreign land with different road rules and regulations. 1. Right or Left? Let's start at the most fundamental level. Know which side of the road they drive on! If you are used to US roads, you might be surprised at how many countries drive on the left side of the road. This also changes the configuration of the car so the driver can sit on the right side instead of the left. Google your destination ahead of time so you can start wrapping your mind around your temporary driving reality. 2. Know the Road Signs The ne ... read more
Posted on 6/6/2017
When talking about supreme luxury in vehicles, Rolls-Royce is right at the top. Many Falconer homes cost less than a mid-range Rolls! Can you guess what city in the world has the most Rolls-Royce per capita? The answer might surprise you. Rolls-Royce Motors Ltd. has been around since the early 1900’s. (By the way, the company does not pluralize the trademark by adding an "s".) They create their venerable cars in Great Britain. So logically, you’d probably guess a large European city such as London to have the most of these stately cars per capita. Far From Home The answer is actually Hong Kong! How did Hong Kong become such a hotspot for Rolls-Royce cars? For a time, Hong Kong was a British colony and many of the status-conscious British elite, businessmen, and officers preferred to cruise around i ... read more
Posted on 5/30/2017
Some men and women buy automobiles in the hopes that they can squeeze all the life out of them until they can’t possibly drive another mile. While other Falconer drivers prefer to buy a car, drive it for two or three years, and then upgrade to a new auto. If you’re one of the latter, you will want to a car that has an above-average resale value. This way, you’ll be able to get a good return on your automobile when you’re ready for your new ride. Here are ten vehicles that have historically had impressive resale values: Toyota Tacoma Toyota 4Runner GMC Canyon Chevrolet Colorado Jeep Wrangler Toyota Tundra Subaru WRX Chevrolet Camaro GMC Sierra Subaru Forester Buying one of these cars is a wise idea because they’ve proved to be reliable, durable, and will be sought after by Jamestown dealers and private bu ... read more
Posted on 5/23/2017
Do you prefer the ease of turning your car on, putting it in drive, and being able to get on your way with an automatic transmission? Or are you someone who enjoys the interactive experience of shifting into each gear with a manual transmission? Let’s briefly consider the merits of each. Let the Computer Do the Shifting Automatic transmissions are much easier to drive due to two main reasons. First is that there are no clutch pedals to press while you shift gears, and second is that there is no stick shift. Once you put the auto into drive, you’re free to cruise around while the transmission automatically shifts your vehicle into the proper gear. All you have to do is focus on the road, brake and accelerate, and of course, steer. ...Or Not Manual transmissions are somewhat more com ... read more
Posted on 5/23/2017
Do you use a smartphone? If you do, there’s a good chance that your cell phone is running on either iOS (Apple’s operating system) or Android (Google’s operating system). Google and Apple aim to get their operating systems just about anywhere there is a person and a screen. Now that so many new autos offer fully functional touch screens in them, these two companies have jumped at the opportunity to bring their technology to yet another market! Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and the latest standard infotainment centers have one leading purpose and that is to transfer all the functionality of your mobile device onto the screen of your car. All three of these platforms use Bluetooth to connect to your phone and then seamlessly sync your phone to your automobile. This allows you to get calls, texts, music, navigation and much more di ... read more