Rock On!! Best Music Alternatives For Your Car

I think we’ve all been there, you know, the moment where your voice is hoarse from crooning; the steering wheel is your drum set, and your leg’s uncontrollable tapping causes the car to jerk.  You’re in the zone and your favorite song is blasting through your speakers.  Yeah, people are looking at you funny in other lanes, but you don’t care, you’re lost in the moment.  There are several options for listening to music in your car, today our blog discusses the options, feel free to choose your fav!

iPod/Mp3 Player – If you have your favorite tunes locked in on your iPod/smartphone/Mp3 Player-a-majig and your car has an Auxiliary connection, (most cars after 2006 have them) then you’re in luck.  You can purchase an auxiliary cable online (eBay has them as low as 1$) plug it into the car and the other end into the headphone jack of your device.  Push play on your device and viola, HD music directly from your favorite jukebox.

Satellite Radio – satellite radio is commercial and static free, music is beamed directly from satellites in space.  Two big companies, XM and Sirius, have paid subscriptions with countless radio stations to choose from.  Music from all genres, sports, traffic, talk shows (Howard Stern) and weather are all included.  Purchasing the tuner for your car starts around $75 bucks, with a monthly subscription of around $15.   One drawback is that reception can be deterred in cities with skyscrapers, but purchasing an external antenna will fix the problem.

Car Audio w/Cassette Adapter – if you own an older car, don’t panic!  You can still play your mp3’s on the road.  By purchasing a cassette adapter, you can play your tunes via a headphone jack.  First, plug your cassette adapter into your player’s headphone jack.  Then, insert the dummy tape into your car’s cassette player.  With $20 dollars you can use your modern mp3 player to play your tunes, rock on!!

How to Get Your Windshield Chip Repaired

Rocks, road debris, hail, ice, and many other objects can cause your windshield to chip or crack.  Although these images may look harmless, left in disrepair, these windshield chips can cause your windshield to crack and become unsafe.

As long as the chip or small crack (less than 6 inches) is not in the direct line of site of the driver (or what is known as the critical area), it may be repairable, potentially saving you hundreds of dollars.  Some insurance companies will actually pay for the repair of windshield chips or small cracks, waiving your deductible.

The windshield repair technician will first drill a small hole into the rock chip.  Then, the technician will apply vacuum pressure onto the hole.  An injection of resin is made into the windshield chip hole.  Once the resin has been injected, the technician cures the resin by utilizing an ultraviolet light.  Once cured, the excess resin is removed from the repair and the windshield in cleaned.  The repaired windshield is no longer in danger of cracking further from this chip.  You may, however, notice some distortion at the point of the repair as the resin will not be perfectly clear, but it is structurally safe. 

Left in disrepair, your windshield chip will develop into a crack and most likely will end up ruining your windshield.  Temperature variations, car washes, or even extreme temperatures can cause your chip to turn into a large un-repairable crack.  The sooner the repair is completed, the better the results will generally be.  Dust, debris and moisture can settle into the crack and cause blemishes or discoloration.

Most people do not realize that the windshield of your car, truck or van is an important structural component of your vehicle.  Therefore, a quality installation is essential to maintain that structural integrity.  Using the most advanced materials, such as a quality adhesive, is a critical element in the windshield installation process.

4 Things You Didn’t Know About Your Car

We all know that Americans LOVE their cars.  From the classic pickup, to the economical sedan, we all have some type of affinity toward the vehicles we drive.  It’s always good to know even a little bit about your vehicle including a few factoids we’ve laid out.  So, without further ado, here are 5 things you DIDN’T know about your vehicle:

1 – Think your car has the power of 200 horses under that hood?  Well, it’s more like 285.  Why?  It’s because the average horse can only pull about as much as 70% of the measure of one horsepower unit.

2 – Your car has a mini computer under the hood. This computer can tell technicians at our dealership of any diagnose issues you have, it can also connect wirelessly to download updates and contact the manufacturer in case of issues (on newer models).

3 – Gas in America is SUPER cheap.  Yes, so stop complaining.  In most countries, gas prices are twice as much a gallon or more.  Plus, you pay way more for other staples like coffee. A gallon of Starbucks coffee would run you almost ten times what a gallon of gas costs. If you want to trade a gallon of gas for a gallon of good coffee, head on down to your local auto shop. We’re certain they’ll take that deal in a heartbeat.

4 – Cars are a serious harm to animals.  These animals also pose a hazard to cars and drivers, causing accidents that require expensive auto repair and injuries.  In fact, car drivers kill more deer every year than hunters do, by quite a lot.

Do you have any facts that most drivers wouldn’t know of?  Feel free to comment below!