Five Tips for Avoiding Driver Fatigue for Safer Travels

Georgia isn't known for its heavy snowfall, but Georgia residents still need to master the fundamentals of winter car care. For one thing, they may drive their cars, trucks, or SUVs to colder places. Another possibility is that there will be a colder-than-average Georgia winter that brings an unexpected amount of snow and ice. When vehicle owners take good care of the cars during the cooler months, they'll boost safety and keep their rides in great condition for longer. Warm Your Car Engine Overnight Blizzards aren't a common event in The Peach State, but freezing rain and up to five inches of snow per year are possibilities, especially in mountainous regions, such as Gilmer and Pickens. If winter temperatures plunge below -15 C, you should utilize a block heater. Plug your auto in overnight to keep its engine warmed up. When you do, you'll find that it starts easily in the morning. more Remove Leaves and Other Debris When it comes to your home, removing leaves and other debris stops gutters from getting clogged. The same principle applies with your vehicle. If it's a windy day or night, leaves or other debris may get caught in parts of your car and trigger rust and/or leaks. So, inspect your vehicle and get rid of anything that shouldn't be there. Don't Forget to Add Winter Tires To stay safe on the roads when the weather gets chilly, put winter tires on your vehicle. Don't skip this important step, as your existing tires may not be up to winter road conditions. While all-weather tires are good enough most of the time, given the climate, do you really want to take a chance? Winter tires will be better choices when there's freezing rain or other road hazards. Make Sure The Fuel Tank Is Half-Full When you keep the fuel tank at least half-full during winter, you'll greatly minimize the risk of running out of gas during a bad-weather situation. No one wants to get stranded when the wind is howling and it's really cold. Another advantage to having a fairly full gas tank is that the fuel in the tank is less likely to freeze when condensation crops up. Don't Skimp On Routine Maintenance When it starts getting colder, you should get a mechanic to inspect your vehicle. This type of routine maintenance can save your life. If you have a valid warranty, it'll also ensure that your warranty stays in force. Choose a reputable mechanic who understands your make and model inside and out. If your vehicle needs repairs, get that taken care of as soon as you can. Winter isn't the time to let repairs slide. You need to know that your car is one hundred percent safe to drive. These tips will help you to keep your vehicle in tip-top condition all winter long. If you dream of a better ride, which makes it easier to enjoy the winter season in premium comfort and safety, why not take a new or used auto for a test drive today? Image via Pixabay.com

A vehicle's transmission is the system that enables the vehicle to change gears at different speeds. The transmission is an essential component of the vehicle and must be taken care of to ensure the vehicle functions properly. Check out these five tips for keeping your automatic transmission up and running. Schedule Regular Maintenance With any vehicle, it's important to always schedule routine vehicle maintenance. Keeping your vehicle on a consistent maintenance schedule is the only way to make sure that all vehicle fluids are filled to the appropriate levels and that your vehicle is performing as it should. Let the professionals run a checkup on your vehicle every so often just in case there are any problems. With regularly scheduled maintenance, potential problems could be caught early on, saving you money on repairs in the long run. more Check the Transmission Fluid It's important to have the transmission fluid checked periodically. Similar to checking the vehicle's oil, all you have to do is pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, put it back in, wait a moment, and then pull it out to check the fluid level. You'll also need to check if the fluid is dark or smells bad, as this could be a sign of a more serious problem. Get the Engine Cooling System Serviced The cooling system is vital to the vehicle, as it helps prevent the engine from overheating and helps cool down the transmission fluid. In order to keep all parts of the vehicle in good working order, it's best to have the vehicle's engine cooling system serviced every so often. Transmission and engine repairs can be incredibly expensive, so it's a good idea to keep everything under the hood in optimal condition. Don't Change Gears While the Car is Moving It's harmful to the vehicle if you change gears while the car is still moving because it puts excess strain on the transmission. To take care of your automatic transmission, be sure the vehicle is at a complete stop before you change gears. For example, you want the car to be completely stopped before you switch from reverse to drive. Preventative Maintenance There are some preventative maintenance steps that you can follow to keep your vehicle's transmission healthy. First, have your transmission inspected by a professional annually. The service professional will check the transmission for leaking or other problems and will also check the transmission fluid's level, color, and smell. Second, it's better to let your vehicle warm up for a few minutes before you drive, especially in the wintertime. This is important because it lets the engine run and gets everything moving before you begin driving. Whether you're a novice or a professional regarding cars, it's important to learn how to take care of your vehicle so it continues to run in tip-top shape. With these tips, you'll be able to keep your vehicle's transmission in good working order for years to come. Image Via Flickr by Daniel Hartwig under use of CC BY 2.0

Everyone loves showing up in a freshly-washed car, shining and gleaming like it just rolled off the factory floor. But the interior of a car is often a different story, because it's significantly more difficult to detail. Here are a few tips and tricks to keep your Ford looking good from the inside-out. Regular Surface Cleaning Grab a Shop-Vac or other handheld vacuum cleaner and routinely sweep out your car's seats, floors, and floor mats. You should also dust the hard surfaces of your Ford's cabin, such as the dashboard, steering wheel, and gearshift. We recommend testing any cleaning products on an inconspicuous part of your upholstery just in case it causes stains or other permanent damage. These simple maintenance tasks can keep your cabin looking and smelling great. However, while cleaning your car's interior surfaces is an important part of the picture, you need to do more than that to keep your car truly clean. more Clean the Nooks and Crannies Certain parts of a car are often overlooked when it comes time for detailing. Door handles and jambs, windows cranks or power window controls, and storage pockets are some of the most commonly neglected areas. These parts of the car also happen to be touched by your hands with relative frequency, which means they are more likely to get dirty or greasy over time. You can use a cleaning formula in conjunction with a sponge or wash mitt to really clean out all these nooks and crannies that have accumulated dirt and debris. When performed regularly, this should be an easy part of the detailing process. Pay Special Attention to Leather If your Ford has genuine leather in its cabin, you'll want to be extra careful when cleaning. Damaged leather can become cracked and stained, which will really spoil your cabin's luxury. After vacuuming the seats carefully, you should use a specialized commercial leather cleaner on them. Avoid using bleach or other ammonia-based cleaning solutions, as these can damage leather upholstery. Even when applying a proper cleaning product, be careful not to oversaturate the leather, as excess liquid could seep into the seats or cause staining. When you're done cleaning, take a towel and make sure your leather surfaces are completely dry. Don't Forget Your Windshield There's nothing more important than being able to see where you're going when you're behind the wheel, but many drivers neglect to keep their interior windshields clean. Dust, dirt, oil, smoke, and even residue from other cleaning solutions can all accumulate on the inside of the windshield. This tends to happen gradually over time, so you may not even realize how dirty your Ford's windshield actually is. Use a microfiber towel to wipe down your windshield, and then use a glass cleaner to do the dirty work. It's also a good idea to clean the outside of your windshield at the same time, as this makes it easier to figure out which side is dirty. No one likes cleaning their car, but these simple tricks are quick and easy ways to keep your Ford's cabin looking great. If you perform this kind of regular maintenance, it will soon become a matter of habit.   Photo: " Leather seats " by digitalpubs licensed under CC BY 2.0 | Cropped from original