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Planning On Taking A Vacation?

Here are some helpful tips to know before you go:

1) Change your oil - this is the #1 cause of engine failure, especially in high heat conditions.

2) Get your wheels aligned - this helps prevent wear on your tires, making a blowout less likely.

3) Have your air conditioner checked - with the hot summers, it is not only for comfort, but also for safety.

4) Check your brakes - there are more children playing in the neighborhood with school being out. Are your brakes prepared to stop on a dime?

5) Have your vehicle cleaned - clean windshields are a must for good vision, and a good wax job keeps the bugs, road grime and the sun from damaging your car's paint.

6) Have your transmission checked - it should be serviced every 30,000 miles.

7) Have your cooling system checked - Cooling system neglect is a common reason for mechanical failure of a vehicle. Coolant should be changed annually on most vehicles.

Almost all of these tips will also help to improve your vehicle's gas mileage. Better gas mileage = less money!

Heinley's can provide all the services for you!!
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Common Gas Saving Tips Tested with Results
By changing your driving habits you can improve fuel economy up to 37 percent right away (depending on how you drive).

Test #1 Aggressive Driving vs. Moderate Driving

Result: Major savings potential
The Cold Hard Facts: Up to 37 percent savings, average savings of 31 percent
Recommendation: Stop driving like a maniac.

Test #2 Lower Speeds Saves Gas

Result: Substantial savings on a long trip
Cold Hard Facts: Up to 14 percent savings, average savings of 12 percent
Recommendation: Drive the speed limit.

Test #3 Use Cruise Control

Result: Surprisingly effective way to save gas
Cold Hard Facts: Up to 14-percent savings, average savings of 7 percent
Recommendation: If you've got it, use it.

Test #4 A/C On, Windows Up vs. A/C Off, Windows Down

Result: Nice in theory; not true in practice
Cold Hard Facts: No measurable difference (unless you open the sunroof, too!)
Recommendation: Please, make yourself comfortable.

Test #5 Check Your Tire Pressure

Result: Important for safety and to reduce tire wear
Cold Hard Facts: No measurable effect on the vehicles we tested
Recommendation: Check your tire pressure often but don't expect a big savings.

Test #6 Avoid Excessive Idling

Result: More important than we assumed
Cold Hard Facts: Avoiding excessive idling can save up to 19 percent
Recommendation: Stopping longer than a minute? Shut 'r down.

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Winter Specific Maintenance

It's time to start thinking about getting your vehicle ready for the winter. This means checking all the obvious items such as tires, wipers, windshield washer fluid, antifreeze, hoses, belts and numerous other items that get stressed because of cold weather.

Does your heater and defroster work properly? Don't wait until you NEED it. Make sure they work so you're not surprised when you have ice on the windshield and you can't see to drive. Not to mention your own personal comfort of having a nice toasty heater in the morning.

Is the thermostat getting your engine to the proper operating temperature? Did you know your engine needs to operate at around 190 degrees to perform at it's best? If your engine doesn't get to that temperature you could be wasting a lot of fuel and your vehicle's performance may not be where it should be. Sometimes the check engine light will come on if the computer in your vehicle senses that the engine isn't warming up.

Tire Pressure is critical to getting the best fuel economy and life out of your tires. Most new vehicles have pressure sensors that alert you to low pressure. If that light comes on take care of it immediately. With temperature dropping so do tire pressures. Have your tires checked before it gets cold.

There is nothing worse than getting into your vehicle and having a hose burst or a belt break. Routine service like oil changes help keep you from having "One of Those Days" where you have a lot to do and suddenly your find your main means of transportation is leaving you stranded in the cold.

So the best thing you can do for yourself is make sure your vehicle is prepared for colder, wetter weather. Heinley's can take care of your needs and advise you of any issues that might be coming your way that could keep you from getting to your destinations this winter.

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Did you Know?

- A loose gas cap can trigger the "Check Engine" or "Service Engine Soon" light. Make sure the cap is secure and tight.

- Frequent washing and polishing is the best way to protect your car's finish from the damaging effects of acid rain.

- The chances of a drive belt failure rise dramatically over time. After 4 years or 36,000 miles for V-belt and 50,000 miles for serpentine belts.

- Your cars' engine can use more than 10,000 gallons of air for every gallon of fuel burned, so it's easy to see how big of a job the air filter has.

- For the longest transmission life, have the fluid and filter changed every 2 years or 24,000 miles.

- Proper tire inflation can improve gas mileage by more than 3% when maintained regularly.

-The same sunshine that makes your car feel like an oven also works on your gas tank. Park in the shade! (Hey, shade is FREE!) If you let your car bake in the sun, there's going to be a greater amount of evaporative emissions that take place.

-Replace air filters. When the engine air filter clogs with dirt, dust and bugs, it causes your engine to work harder and you car becomes less fuel-efficient. We recommend you change your air filter every three months or 3,000 miles, or as specified in your owner's manual.

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Ten Cents

Did you know that you can save up to 10 cents per mile
just by doing your Manufacturer's Scheduled Maintenance?

That's right. Studies have shown that the average vehicle over a five year period can save up to 10 cents per mile by doing the required maintenance that the manufacturer suggests.
What did the study test? By tracking the everyday expenses an average vehicle owner spends on his or her vehicle over a five year period without doing the preventative scheduled maintenance, the cost averaged 22 cents per mile driven. Things like alignment, tires, oil changes, transmission services, lubrication, changing fluids, fuel filters, air filters, brakes, exhaust, emission controls and many more are all factored into the study.

These are the people who wait until their car breaks down before they do the services. The owners that serviced their vehicle by doing their scheduled maintenance had a cost per mile of 12 cents over the same 5 year period. That's a savings of 10 cents. That's HUGE considering that the average person drives 12-15 thousand miles per year.

Let's see: That's 10 cents, multiplied by 15 thousand miles, multiplied by 5 years.
That equals $750.00 in SAVINGS!!

You'll also receive the benefit of a safer and more efficient vehicle that you can have confidence in. You will know that you can get to point B from point A without worry. You will know that when you need that power to pass another vehicle it will be there and without hesitation. Lastly, there will be no question as to whether your vehicle is as efficient as it can be.

THAT'S A GREAT THING WITH GAS PRICES RISING.

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