Happy New Year, from the crew at Cars for Keeps!

Tires: What's In a Brand Name?

by Dennis, Cars for Keeps Customer Service Manager

Hi everyone,

I thought given the current weather condition, that tires would be a good subject to discuss.

So about the title, sound sort of silly? Not when you know the full details. So a friend of mine calls me and says hey my wife was at Sam Mart Club ( the names have been changed to protect the innocent) and they had a Michelin tire sale, buy 4 tires for $300.00. I said, "Wow! that sounds like a great price, but what are you looking for?" Michelin tires for a cheap price or good Michelin tires at the right price? He said What’s the difference? Which maybe what some of you are asking.

Here’s the difference…. It is true that Michelin or other big brand name tire manufactures make all different types (and quality) of tires. But just because that brand name is on the side doesn’t make it a great tire. Store brand tires are made to meet a certain price standard. The tires you buy at garages like Cars for Keeps are made to meet a quality standard.

So if price is the only issue then we can get tires that match that. If quality and a fair price is more for you, then we can differently solve that issue.

Anyway enough from me, I hope all of you have a safe and happy holiday season.

Your friendly neighborhood service manager,

Dennis

Winter Car Repair and Car Care Specials in Parker Littleton Lone Tree Highlands Ranch Colorado

Winter Car Care and Repair Specials at Pride Auto Care

Winter Coupons, please click here for the printer friendly version
WINTER SERVICE SPECIAL — $29.95!!! SAVE $25 NOW on Premium Oil Change w/Tire Rotation & Complete Winter Maintenance Inspection Service. Includes: Premium Oil (Up to 5 qts premium Conoco synthetic-blend oil), OE-spec Oil Filter, Lube (as applicable), Tire Rotation & Complete Brake Inspection! Full Maintenance Inspection & Washer Fluid Top Off! *CODE: WEB
15% Off ANY Service or Repair over $100 (Max value $45, doesn't incl tires) *CODE WEB	FREE 4-WHEEL ALIGNMENT with 4-TIRE PURCHASE (a $70 Value! —Minimum $300 tire purchase) *CODE WEB
PRIDE AUTO HAS TIRES FOR ALL BUDGETS. We Feature Michelin, BF Goodrich & Uniroyal Tires! All Tire Purchases include: FREE LIFETIME TIRE REPAIRS, FREE LIFETIME REBALANCING FREE LIFETIME ROTATIONS 'Peace of Mind' Road Hazard Coverage Available! *CODE: WEB
* "Present coupon at time of service; cannot be combined with other offers, 1 coupon per visit; see store for details; offer expires 03/31/10."

Bring these money saving coupons to any one of our three locations convenient to Parker, Castle Rock, Littleton, Centennial, Highlands Ranch, Englewood, Lone Tree,  Greenwood Village, Aurora, Franktown and the Denver Tech Center

Store Hours
Mon - Fri 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Saturday 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Auto Fleet and Group Discount Program at Pride Auto Care Littleton, Highlands Ranch, Parker Colorado

Pride Auto Care announces it's Fleet and Group Discount Program.
Fleet / Group Discount Program
10% to 15% OFF
All Tires & Service
Call or stop by to set up your program today!

1. Keeping Your Vehicles on The Road Safely w/Peace of Mind
2. Friendly, Knowledgeable Veteran Service Staff
3. 20 yrs of Honest, Reputable Service
4. Fuel Efficiency for Your Vehicle
5. FREE Shuttle Service — To & From Work Or Home
6. Cost Savings & Convenience
7. ASE Certified Master & ASE Certified Technicians
8. Safety & Peace of Mind !

http://www.prideautocare.com/fleet-discount-car-care.html

A Women’s Point of View: Yesterday’s Hero, Tomorrow’s Friend

by Colette Cooley, Cars for Keeps Office Manager

About ten years ago, our service manager Dennis Sweet happened to be in the right place at the right time. He was in a parking lot when the battery blew up in one of the parked cars. There were a lady and a dog sitting in the car, very much in distress. She could not open the locked doors because there was no power to unlock them. Battery acid fumes were seeping into the car's interior. The occupants were in extreme danger. Dennis broke out the back window of the car and got both the lady and the dog out safely. In a matter of minutes, the car caught on fire.

Fast forward ten years. This same lady came into Cars For Keeps a few days ago. She was looking for a new repair facility to keep her car maintained properly and she heard some very good things about Cars For Keeps. She and Dennis recognized each other and had a happy reunion. She has made Cars For Keeps her new car maintenance facility “for keeps”. Doing good when the opportunity comes around is like a ripple. It is never forgotten and it keeps circling, coming back to a person in surprising ways. In this case, we welcomed a new customer and also acquired a new friend. I have worked at Cars For Keeps now for four years and have watched these guys consistently go out of their way to help people. Call it “Christmas nostalgia” but from a women’s point of view, this is a good thing.

Wiper Blades: Going Unnoticed Until It's Too Late!

by Robert, Cars for Keeps Technician

When it comes to driving, there are few things more important than visibility, and dull, cracked or bent wiper blades can mean the difference between a clear view and no view. With the snow season upon us wipers can really be abused. However, with proper care and maintenance your wipers can last several years. I’m here to show you how to do just that.

First things first: always turn your wipers off when you turn your car off. Not only does this help cold weather starting, but if they do freeze to the windshield overnight it can prevent many issues. For example, when the wiper blade motor is trying to work and the blades are stuck you can create extreme stress on the motor. Many have plastic gears inside that can easily strip out. Also many wiper arms are made out of soft aluminum. If the blades don’t move and the motor does you can run the risk of ruining both wiper arms, with costly repairs.

Secondly, when scraping your windshield you will want to lift your wipers off the windshield (carefully). If they do not come off right away continue scraping until the defrost kicks in more. Tearing them off when they are frozen runs the risk of tearing the blade from the frame and basically ruining your blade. Some customers have told me that they are using an anti-ice spray to melt away the ice formations. This is also a good way to help speed the process up (ITS COLD!). NEVER, ever, ever use hot water, coffee, tea, etc. on your windshield, you run the risk of cracking it beyond repair. So for those of you who like to take shortcuts in the morning, resist the temptation to use your hot coffee as a defroster!

Thirdly, clean your blades often. Rubbing alcohol on the blade surfaces applied with a cotton cloth or tissue works wonders. This eliminates any grime that may have built up. Also eliminating the ice will help improve visibility. With these easy steps you can have wiper blades that will last for seasons to come. In fact, my wife is on her fourth season on her blades, which we bought the first week we got the car. Oh and don’t forget about the washer fluid! BTW if your low stop by cars for keeps and we will top it off for you (free)! Until next time!

Thanks for the reminder and the great tips, Robert. I myself have not been taking care of my wiper blades this winter, and as a result I got stuck on the freeway with only a tiny patch on my windshield to see through. Drive safe!

TIRE SAFETY: Don’t Drive Bare

Now that we have survived our first genuine snowstorm of the season, everyone has driven their own road test of sorts. The first storm always exposes imperfections and shortcomings in our vehicles, that once addressed, take us safely through to spring. Our recent storm’s blend of ice, snow and rain tested everyone’s resolve, as well as the condition of their transportation. While it wasn’t particularly cold, a friend of mine’s car already had to be jump started. His winter will start with a new battery. Another friend learned that he needed to add new wipers to his truck, after he could barely see his way home. My purchase for this winter season was new tires.

Tires are often neglected and taken for granted, but nothing is more critical to the safety and performance of any, and all, vehicles. Environmentalists are constantly stressing the importance of proper tire inflation, in order to optimize fuel economy. Ford lost millions in the Explorer rollover debacle. The blame was finally placed on over zealous drivers, combined with improperly inflated tires. As a result, new vehicles now have tire inflation monitoring systems. Owners can brag all they want about their 4 wheel or all-wheel drive, but without tires that are up to the job, the rest is just macho posturing.

In the case of my 2005 Scion TC, I was driving close to the edge. My 5 year old car had 45,000 miles on its 17”, Bridgestone Potenza, Z rated, performance tires. I could tell even last winter that they were feeling their age. There were several storms that, even though I was driving slowly, I could feel the tires float on top of the slush and snow. I had little traction, and it felt dangerous. Performance tires are not made for a Maine winter anyway. They are too wide to bite through the snow, and the rubber is too brittle in the cold winter temperatures to adhere to cold surfaces. My 215/45ZR17 Potenzas were made to grip around a corner during a hot summer day, not to climb the hills and valleys of the Portland Peninsula during a Northeaster.

Summer came and my aging tires continued onward. An occasional rain storm was not a problem. If there was a hint of hydroplaning, just slow down, right? After all, the wear bars were not showing. My attitude changed though, recently. Driving along innocently, I took a corner at regular speed, on dry pavement, and I could feel the Scion lose traction. If I was having trouble navigating a simple turn now, I was going to be in for a long, dangerous winter. So it was time to bite the bullet, and spend some money.

The search for THE right tire for my vehicle could have been a pain staking, time consuming process, or as simple as picking up the phone and buying whatever the local tire shop might have available. I chose somewhere in between the two. First step? I decided that I did not want to hassle with changing in and out of snow tires each time the seasons changed, so I compromised by deciding on all season radials. I wanted a name brand that would deliver reliability and safety, but I did not want to bankrupt myself in the process.

Research and shopping for tires is actually easy, thanks to the Internet. Through various Web sites, all you have to do is enter your vehicle and model, your preferred criteria and price range, then a variety of recommendations are magically laid before you. I did my initial research across every site that I could imagine, including tirerack.com, Sears and Sam’s Club, just to name a few. There are many more available. Regardless of which you surf, most sites are comprehensive, and will steer you in the right direction, based on driving style, usage, and most importantly, price. An added benefit with some, are the user reviews; comments and criticisms from those that are already driving your potential tire of choice.

In my case, there seemed to be hundreds of choices. I had to do something to narrow the field. Since I was impressed with the look and feel of the BF Goodrich tires that we had on our Windstar van, I thought that I would look at their choices. I know, that’s comparing apples to oranges, but I did not want to return to the factory Bridgestone Potenzas, and I didn’t want to pay the top price for Michelins. Research came up with the highly recommended BFGoodrich G-Force™ Super Sport All Season radials. At $125 each, they were right in my price ceiling of $500, and the owner reviews were favorable.

The purchase was made. For nearly $600 (tax and mounting), I now have four new tires, free roadside assistance, along with lifetime tire rotation and balancing. Man, what a difference! These tires are fearless. I can feel them aggressively grab every type of road surface, under any driving condition. Dry or wet, they confidently handle anything Mother Nature has to offer. While they are not snow tires, they do provide a genuine feeling of confidence when the snow flies. No longer am I tip-toeing to the next stop sign. I can now drive with the, “Power of the G-Force” under me.

So, while wear bars are a guide to tire wear, and the Maine State Inspection is the final gatekeeper for tire safety, don’t wait too long. I was almost guilty of driving bare this winter. While it cost me money for four new tires, the cost of an accident would certainly have been more. Like the saying goes, “The life you save may be you own.”