Tips for Car Battery Maintenance

Your car’s battery is it’s lifeline with out this power your car just isn’t going to go anywhere. Take care of your car’s battery and it will keep your car running for a long time.

Here are some good guidelines in keeping that battery in tip top shape!

Test your car’s battery regularly and especially if you are planning a long trip or after it has just been recharged. One thing you don’t want to have happen when you are far from your home is a battery that fails to start.

Park that Car in the garage especially in the winter months, because an insulated garage will keep that battery warm on those cold winter nights. By keeping your battery warm in the winter time it will be easier for your car to start. If you don’t have an insulated garage, then you should insulate it yourself with a blanket.  

When you test your battery, you should take the time to do a once over cleaning, by removing the clamps and cleaning any dirt and great from the terminals as well as on the clamps themselves. You will have a nice strong connection and you won’t be weakening the battery’s charge. Clean the exterior of the battery case with baking soda which you will need to dissolve in warm water. Dirt will conduct electricity as well as discharge electricity.

While cleaning your battery check the fluid level. If it is low add some distilled water to top it off. In keeping the fluid levels full this will help extend the life of your car’s battery. If you don’t see any fluid, you may want to just go ahead and replace the battery. When there is lack of fluid that is a good indicator that your battery is near the end of its life span.

Make sure that your battery is safe and secure in its mounting bracket. A loose battery will slide around and become damage and in some instances has been know to cause short circuiting.  

Let Manly Automotive Group help you in your new and previously owned vehicle choices today stop by our website today and drive away knowing that you made the right choice with us! Manly Auto http://www.manlyauto.com can also can be found on Twitter https://twitter.com/ManlyAuto and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Santa-Rosa-CA/Manly-Auto-Group/103413126362572?v=wall&__a=3& ; stop on over and visit us! 

Tips for Buying a Pre-Owned Vehicle

If you are thinking of purchasing a pre-owned vehicle it just might have some worth while advantages for you then choosing to purchase that brand new vehicle. You will more then likely be saving some significant about of money when you one that is pre-owned however, you also take some risks that you wouldn’t be taking when making a new car purchase.

Here are some tips for you to consider before choosing that vehicle - 

Most pre-owned vehicles will include the remainder of any of the original manufacturer warranty, as well as an extended warranty. They might differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. As an example one manufacturer might offer a 12 month 12,000 miles warranty with bumper to bumper coverage and another might offer a 5 year 100,000 mile power train warranty for its certified used vehicle. Those that are well maintained and in very good condition will be reflected in the price and it may be a bit higher than those that are not certified pre-owned.

When shopping for that pre-owned vehicle always think twice before purchasing one that is not certified pre-owned. If you purchase a pre-owned vehicle that is certified you will want to try to get some of the remainder of the manufacturer’s original warranty so that you can still take proper performance care of that vehicle. Newer vehicles usually have some years left on the basic warranty as well as they may even have some left on their power train warranty.

Always ask for the Car’s maintenance record information when you are purchasing a used vehicle. Check for any problems that may have shown up in the past. If someone is offering you a used vehicle and does not offer you the maintenance record, is more then likely means that there is something wrong with it or is just in really bad condition and you should think twice before you buy. Always have a mechanic check any vehicle that does not come with the maintenance record.

When you are looking at a pre-owned vehicle you should always have a third party mechanic inspect the car. The mechanic you choose will advise you of any issues or possible problems with the vehicle that you need to know about.  Also if that person trying to sell you the vehicle won’t allow a third party mechanic inspection then walk away.

Also something that not many people do is to do a little research on the VIN which is known as the Vehicle Identification number to obtain the vehicle’s history. Other’s may have it on the inside driver’s door jam or on the engine bay. You should then take that VIN to a reliable source such as Carfax to get a complete history on the vehicle. They will be able to tell you of any accidents, what maintenance was performed and who owned it prior to you.

Sometimes there is a bit more to purchasing a used vehicle then there is with a new one; however with a bit of research you will have peace of mind before signing on the dotted line.

Let Manly Automotive Group help you in your new and previously owned vehicle choices today stop by our website today and drive away knowing that you made the right choice with us! http://www.manlyauto.com/  We also can be found on Twitter https://twitter.com/ManlyAuto and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001445954579&v=wall stop on over and visit us!