Summer Car Maintence: Declare Independence from Costly Breakdowns!

by Dennis, Cars for Keeps Customer Service Manager

I hope all of you are having a great kick off to summer. I know that summer time is busy for people, especially for families; there are all the activities, children out of school, camping, trips to the beach & vacations. With hectic schedules to juggle, it can be a challenge to remember everything, and small to-do items - like getting your car maintained - often get pushed to the bottom of the list.

That is why your vehicle would like to send you a little reminder. All it asks that you you give it a little TLC from time to time.

Oil services at regular intervals will help keep the engine running correctly. Having the engine's coolant checked to be sure it is set for the correct anti boil level will prevent overheating. All fluids should be checked and topped off or changed to make sure your vehicle's vital parts are running smoothly. During hot summer months, air conditioning service and repair can be essential!

Summer vehicle maintenance will make sure you're able to vacation, visit family and travel without incident. (Ok may be not to Hawaii) Not only does auto maintenance save you and your family the inconvenience of roadside breakdowns, but it saves money in the long run by preventing costly damages.

With this all being said, let's not forget Independence Day is coming up this weekend. The team at Cars for Keeps hopes you have a great and safe summer and salutes our armed forces and our country.

Have a happy and safe summer & Independence Day.

Your friendly neighborhood Service Manager,

Dennis

A Women’s Point of View: The Latest Trend

by Colette Cooley, Cars for Keeps Office Manager

Have you noticed, as you drive around in your dream car, how many vehicles have advertising on them? I am not talking about the big, commercial trucks. No, I mean your every day, ordinary pickups and passenger vehicles.

With a difficult economy comes creative ideas for new start-up businesses from average Joes and Joesettes. What heroes! Like cream rising to the top. It is the best of American Ingenuity, and we at Cars For Keep, salute you.

Anyway, back to this new trend of putting advertising on your car so the whole world can see who you are and what you do. It runs the gamut from a discreet company name and phone number on the door, on up to a complete “Wrap” of the car from bumper to bumper. It’s almost as good as watching television. I saw one the other day advertising ‘wings to go’ with a picture of a chicken strapped into a carseat with a look of panic on it’s face, wildly flapping it’s wings. There are some larger companies that will give anyone a car to use for free, that is completely wrapped with advertising. All you have to do is pay for the insurance and prove that you have had regular maintenance done.

Aaahhh yes, regular maintenance. It can mean the difference between a well running car with a long life and a car that always has problems and dies before the last payment is made. All companies that deal with cars, from fleet cars for private companies to professional car rental companies know the critical importance of regular maintenance. Cars For Keeps is always ready to help you with regular car maintenance.

Going Topless

This is a reposting of a previous blog, but the need to go topless is still valid today.





It happened again yesterday, as it does just about this time every year. This one was a nice black BMW Z4. It caught my eye in the rear view mirror nearly a half mile back, in and amongst the clutter of the other cars. The Z4 navigated effortlessly past each of the slower cars, then roared by mine. It was a chilly 40 some degrees, but the top was down and the driver was smiling ear to ear. Immediately I had the fever again, the fever to own a convertible.

It is an absurd idea living in Maine. It makes no sense at all. What do we have, only two or three days a year that a convertible might actually be comfortable? The rest of the days it is either too hot or too cold, rainy, snowy, icy to enjoy. So what is the attraction? Is it the feeling of freedom, of unlimited visibility? Is it the bonding with nature; the ability to smell and hear the flowers and the birds (along with the tractor trailers and the buses)? I don’t know, and at this point, I don’t care. The passion and desire is there again.

One year I tried to satisfy the craving by renting a convertible for the weekend. Calls to several rental car companies in the area found that convertibles were not even available in this market, at least for that year. Probably because having a convertible in northern New England makes no sense. That still doesn’t matter. Each year, spring fever sets in and I want a convertible.

My sister has a Chrysler Sebring convertible. She says that if the day is not perfect, she doesn’t hesitate to turn on the heat or the air conditioner as she drives with her top down, whatever it takes to not miss the fun. Another friend of mine drives his VW Cabriolet in the middle of winter with the top down, his beret pulled down tight, scarf flying and sunglasses pasted to his head. To them, a convertible in New England makes perfect sense.

I thought that the purchase of my Scion TC would satisfy this convertible craving. The entire roof is glass with two separate sun roofs that illuminate both the front and the back seats. The front roof panel powers open to expose the whole front to fresh air and freedom. It is still not good enough. When this spring fever hits, the total freedom of a genuine roadster will only do, or at least a facsimile. The Z4 would be fine. Today is a nice enough day that a Pontiac Solstice, Mazda Miata or Ford Mustang would also satisfy.

The rag top desire will leave just about the time of the first frost. During the deep freeze of January and February, the thought never even occurs to me. But spring comes every year and another Z4, or something similar, will spark the fire. Those of you who own convertibles know the feeling. Enjoy the luxury of having the choice of going topless. There are those out there like me who are envious. Enjoy your ride!

MaineAutoMall.com Auto Blog

Promote Your Page Too

Subaru Mechanics for Quality Subaru Repairs & Maintenance

At the beginning of 2010, Cars for Keeps welcomed a new auto technician to its team of experienced mechanics (we were so excited that we dedicated a blog post to him). Steve has brought invaluable experience in American and Asian car models to Cars for Keeps, with Subaru repair experience at the top of that list.

During my last visit to Cars for Keeps' shop, Steve was kind enough to give me a tour of some of the shop's most recent projects. During that tour, I asked him which vehicle brand was his favorite to work on, and he answered "Subaru" without hesitation. A big Subaru fan (he proudly showed me his own Subaru, pictured below), Steve understands that Subaru vehicles come equipped with many benefits - benefits which require Subaru expertise to repair and maintain.


As most Subaru owners know, Subarus offer two huge mechanical advantages:

Boxer engines. Boxer engines, unique to Subaru vehicles, are flatter than other engines, allowing them to take up less space and provide a lower center of gravity for improved handling. There's a laundry list of other mechanical benefits of the boxer engine, but the most noteworthy are that Subaru boxer engines are able to achieve a higher power-to-weight ratio and are, in general, easier to maintain.

Symmetrical all-wheel drive. All Subaru vehicles are equipped with built-in all wheel drive, but it's no ordinary AWD. Subaru's symmetrical all-wheel drive works together with Subaru's well-balanced boxer engines to create better stability, better balance and, ultimately, better handling.

These attributes have caused many Subaru owners to become loyalists of the brand. As with any car brand, however, quality maintenance is required for long-term quality performance, and not every mechanic is equipped to work with Subaru's unique design features. Asking an auto mechanic who specializes in Ford repairs to work on a Subaru would, for example, be like asking the Iron Chef to make a tiramisu layered cake. Could he do it? Probably. Would a french pastry chef do a better job? Um...let's hope so. A qualified Subaru mechanic understands how best to maintain Subaru's boxer engine, all-wheel drive and its many other unique features.

Bottom line: if you love your Subaru, hire a mechanic who specializes in Subarus to repair and maintain your vehicle. Here at Cars for Keeps, we just happen to have one on staff.

Safe driving!

A Woman's Point of View: The Odd Things

by Colette Cooley, Cars for Keeps Office Manager

Some occurrences that help us cope with life with humor and catch our interest momentarily are the odd little things that happen around us. The unexpected that pops up when we least expect it, fills us with wonder, and puts the whole day into perspective.

Take the simple act of opening the hood of a car and finding a pair of sunglasses riding securely on the engine. Can’t you just picture the owner turning his house and car inside-out looking for those sunglasses? Or, the car owner that brought his car in because “something is just not quite right”. As it turned out, our mechanic found a whole mop head in the filter that, somehow, the car sucked up. Speculation was running rampant as to where you could possibly run over a mop head, and how could it get sucked into the car like that?

Then there are the times that a customer stops by to drop off the best banana bread you have ever eaten in your life. Some things happen that just make you feel good to be in a position where you can help complete strangers, like the vacationing couple from Wisconsin whose car broke down and they were stranded, knowing no one and having no place to stay. We were able to direct them to a good B & B where they were welcomed with open arms while our mechanics repaired their car and they were happily and gratefully on their way the next day to finish their long deserved vacation. Cars for Keeps is a business with plenty of knowledge and skill, but most importantly, with heart.

Summer Auto Maintenance Makes for Safe Grand Haven Vacations

by Marjorie, Cars for Keeps Social Media Manager

Vacation season is officially here! With the countless vacation spots and activities available in the Grand Haven area, vacationers and Grand Haven locals alike will be hitting the beach, hauling the boat out to the bay for some long-awaited fishing and enjoying the countless rental cottages along the lakeshore.

The Grand Haven Area Convention & Visitors Bureau is a great resource for both Grand Haven locals and passersby to discover the wealth of attractions and events available during the summer.


Summer vacations mean travel, and travel means relying on your vehicle to get you from point A to point B. Whether you're traveling hundreds of miles or are just piddling around town, making sure your vehicle is in good working order is important to the longevity - and reliability - of the vehicle. Routine summer maintenance doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg; routine maintenance is the least expensive type of maintenance.

We've compiled a list of summer maintenance tasks that will help your vehicle run smoothly and safely well into next winter.

Summer Maintenance Checklist

Radiator Flush. As the coolant fluid within the radiator is used over time, it eventually begins to break down, leading to corrosion. Flushing and changing the radiator coolant fluid can save big time and money down the road.

Air Filter Replacement. Also a way to boost the energy efficiency of your vehicle, having air filters replaced twice each year ensures the engine is getting plenty of clean air. Ask us about our specialty reusable K&N Air Filters for even better performance in specialty vehicles.

Check Tires. Still haven't changed those winter tires? Driving on last summer's bald tires? Michigan rainshowers come heavily and often unexpected, and the last thing travelers need is to get caught on the freeway in a downpour with bald tires. Let a mechanic inspect the tread depth of your car's tires to make sure they're still safe for another summer.

Windshield Wiper Replacement. Again, Michigan rainstorms come unexpectedly, and faulty windshield wipers can cause a dangerous lack of visibility. Shell out the $20-30 bucks for a new set of wipers, and you'll be glad you did.

Brakes Inspection. Unless you pay close attention to the materials used to fix your car, your brake pads could be dangerously close to being worn down, even if they're relatively new. We can talk with you about using longer-lasting, quality brake pads, or at the least let you know if the ones you're using are still safe.

Battery Check. Wintertime freezing, snow and salt create prime conditions for corrosion, particularly on your vehicle's battery cables. A quick check of connection and battery level will save a big headache later on. Don't forget about this month's free battery check at Cars for Keeps.

Safe driving, and happy vacationing!

A Women’s Point of View: Need vs. Want = Having

by Colette Cooley, Cars for Keeps Office Manager

I was talking with a customer the other day about blogs and I asked her to give me any three words and I would create a blog around them. She gave me ‘need’, ‘want’, and ‘having’. So, watch out, here it comes!

Every person who comes into our car repair facility has a need. Our business is to supply car repair and maintenance needs and we are very good at it. Simple. Right? Let’s go on to what people want.

Sometimes, this is more difficult, and sometimes it is impossible. The impossible only takes a little longer. When the impossible comes through our door, we immediately go into “this-is-a-challenge mode”. It keeps our job from becoming boring and mundane. Diagnoses are made and discussed. Faxes of questions and schematics start flying back and forth. Telephone calls go out to old-timers and young automotive geniuses. Creative heads huddle together. Plans are made. Assignments are carried out. The “can do” attitude is at its peak. High energy and excitement are bouncing off the walls.

Everything comes together and someone rings the cowbell. There are high fives and belly bouncing. Words like “Yes!” and “Sweet!” and “It Works!” are heard. And everyone is smiling. And for the customer this equals Having. Aaaahhh! Just another normal day at Cars For Keeps.

The principles in this blog can be applied to any need vs. want = having situation in life, and are not the exclusive property of Cars For Keeps. They are free to use for everyone.

Save driving!