A question for our Little Rock Arkansas motorists: How long have you been enjoying the romantic glow of your check engine light?
Hey, it’s not there to create ambiance; it’s a warning that something’s wrong. When your check engine light comes on get it checked at a capable Little Rock Arkansas service station.
Many conditions that cause the check engine light to come on affect fuel economy. Some very dramatically.
Always make sure you tighten your gas cap until it clicks. A loose gas cap can cause a false sensor reading that’ll make the check engine light come on.
If your date’s eyes are smoldering in the reflected glow of the check engine light, try to think of all the gas money you’ll save by getting it fixed. Give us a call when you are ready: 501-821-6111
About 90% of our Little Rock Arkansas driving decisions are based solely on what we see. So having a good pair of windshield wipers is extremely important.
Everyone in Little Rock Arkansas has experienced the frustration and fear of not being able to see clearly during a storm, or when our windshield is just dirty. In fact, it’s estimated that 46,000,000 motorists from Conway, Arkansas and across the nation are driving with wipers that can’t adequately clear their windshield in a storm.
It seems like your wiper blades are always at their worst when you need them the most. If that sounds like you, you’ve got plenty of company in the Conway, Arkansas area. 78% of drivers only change their wiper blades after the blades function so poorly that they become a safety hazard.
We need to change our thinking. Instead of blades being something to replace when they fail, we need to consider wiper blades as an important safety component. Then we’ll stay ahead of the storm.
You really ought to replace your wiper blades twice a year; in the spring and the fall. If you live in the colder parts of Arkansas, you may even want to get special winter blades in the fall.
Winter blades are designed to resist freezing. Speaking of winter and freezing conditions, if your car has been sitting for a long time and the windshield becomes frozen, don’t use your wipers to clear off snow and ice. That can just shred your blades and may even damage the wiper motor.
Your wiper blades live outside; freezing cold and blistering sun. Over time, they become hard and brittle, and then tear. They also lose their flexibility and just don’t clear the windshield effectively. Worn wiper blades aren’t just a safety hazard; they can also scratch your windshield. That may require replacing the entire windshield – a big cost for such a little part.
AutoNetTV recommends you replace worn blades right away. Your local service center can provide you with a quality replacement blade. They cost about the same as they would at the store – but installation is included at the service center.
Of course you also need washer fluid to help your blades do their work. Even though Parkway Automotive will top off the washer fluid with a full service oil change, it is a good idea to have some extra fluid at home. It’s a good idea to keep a bottle in the car if you’re on a road trip.
Always use windshield washer fluid. Plain water, even that fancy French bottled water, just doesn’t cut it. It can freeze in the fluid reservoir or on the windshield itself, making things worse. Besides, water won’t do as good job of cleaning your windows.
From Dustin Scott Shop Foreman at Parkway Automotive.
I just wanted to give an example in writing, on hybrid vehicles, for further discussion. For example, the 2012 Camry Hybrid gets 39 miles to the gallon at highway speeds, and the 2012 Chevy Cruze with ECO engine, that I used in my previous example, gets 42 miles per gallon at cruise/Cruze. This makes the Cruz appear to be superior to the Hybrid, but there is the city driving specs that would seem more in favor of the Hybrid: Camry Hybrid 44 mpg//Chevrolet Cruz 28 mpg. Now we’re talking about a much greater difference in numbers where the Hybrid appears to reign supreme!
I’d like to offer my fact based opinion on the aforementioned statistics. For those that live in the city and never do any highway driving this example will not apply. Not many people live in the city, when compared to the total number of people working in the city. For people not in the city, I would venture a guess that 70-80% of the time people spend driving to work each morning is spent uninterrupted by stop-lights or stop and go traffic. Even at a reduced speed of 35 Mph or so, the Cruze would not be considered getting city mileage. City mileage is obtained in frequent stop and go situations. So, driving the Cruz, if 10 miles were driven at 42 miles per gallon until the city made stop and go necessary for the next 2 miles at 28mpg through town to your destination and times that again to make the journey back. Let us compare this mileage example to a Cruz vs. Camry Hybrid.
Chevrolet Cruz: 20 miles @ 42mpg and 4 miles @ 28mpg x 20 days per month = 400 highway miles and 80 city miles. The Cruz consumed fuel equal to 9.5 gallons at cruise and 2.9 gallons during city conditions for a total of 12.4 gallons for the month to and from a destination in town.
Camry Hybrid 20 miles @ 39mpg and 4 miles @ 44mpg x20 days per month = 400 highway miles and 80 city miles. The Hybrid consumed fuel equal to 10.3 gallons at cruise and 1.8 gallons during city conditions for a total of 12.1 gallons for the month to and from a destination in town.
The Hybrid vehicle maintains all of the normal operating costs of the typical gasoline engine but also adds a new normal maintenance item. The battery is huge, expensive and damaging to the environment. Lithium Ion batteries of this magnitude have a great impact during not only disposal, but creation as well. The expected lifespan of the high voltage hybrid battery is about 5 years or so. When the battery fails, the cost can easily be $4,000 dollars. At a difference of 0.3 gallons of fuel, at $3.50 gallon, per month from the proposed example above, it would cost an additional $1.05 per month in fuel. It could also be hypothesized that it would take 3,810 months to save $4,000 dollars in fuel to pay for the battery required to save that much fuel. Furthermore that is 317 years!
So, if one were to be mindful only of cost of operation and environmental impact, then the Chevrolet Cruz comes out on top.
Also, please challenge the numbers, I would be happy if someone could correct my math and tell me I could save $4,000 dollars, in fuel savings, 100 years sooner.
“As God made man in His own image, so He made earthly marriage in the image of His own eternal marriage with His people” from John Pipers book This Momentary Marriage
For advice on how to make your truck last longer, visit us at Parkway Automotive 708 Kirk Road Little Rock, Arkansas 72223 501-821-6111
These days many people in the Conway, Arkansas area are really committed to making their cars last a long time. First thing: you’ve got to start with what you’ve got. It’d be ideal if people started with a brand new car, never missed a scheduled service item, paid attention to the severe service maintenance schedule and had regular inspections. But if you’ve had the vehicle for a while, or bought it used, its maintenance history is what it is; and that’s where you start.
Go through the maintenance schedule for your truck and see what’s been done and when. Have your Little Rock service advisor at Parkway Automotive do an inspection and come up with a list of stuff that needs to be done. Review the list and prioritize the work, talk about budget and make a plan to get caught up.
Making a plan is so important. Suppose you go in for an oil change and learn you need your cooling system serviced, a transmission service and are coming up on a timing belt replacement in the next 5,000 miles. You might be pretty overwhelmed.
To make it even more stressful, these are all very important systems that are expensive to repair if there’s a failure. In consultation with your Little Rock service advisor, you might decide to take care of the transmission on this visit, set an appointment for the cooling system service next month and get an estimate for the timing belt replacement so you’ll be prepared for it in a few months.
Having a plan for taking care of these important services will set your mind at ease.
I really hesitated to post this video. It should only be viewed by those who drive and should be viewed with discretion. Only adults should watch it first and then decide if your young drivers should see it. It brings to reality what can happen when we are being distracted while driving. (I started driving with both hands on the wheel again). Check out this video on YouTube:
You may know that most automotive failures in Little Rock Arkansas are tire related, but do you know the second most common cause for vehicle failure? Nope, it’s not teenagers. It is the coolant system. But, if you take good care of your coolant system, it will take good care of you.
A car’s engine creates a lot of heat – so much heat, that if it is not properly cooled, the engine can lock up, resulting in massive damage and repair bills. But when everything is working right, your engine operates at the proper temperature and all is well. Without antifreeze in your cooling system, the water could freeze and cause engine damage. This could be very expensive, not to mention inconvenient.
The right mix of water and antifreeze protects the engine against damage from freezing and overheating. Antifreeze also protects the coolant system against corrosion that could cause the system to fail. The thing to remember is this: coolant system failure is very common, but it is also very easy to prevent. Your Little Rock service center knows the manufacturers’ recommendations, and can tell you when the coolant needs to be changed. They can also perform a coolant system service.
Give us a call or stop by for a coolant service or checkup. Parkway Automotive 708 Kirk Road Little Rock, Arkansas 72223 501-821-6111
Even the best antifreeze cannot completely protect the coolant system from harmful deposits forever. The anti-corrosion additives are used up over time, so the coolant must be replaced. A coolant service cleans out the system and replaces the old fluid with fresh coolant. A coolant system service is a low-cost way to protect against major engine repairs down the road. Prevention is the key. Be sure to watch out for the two main warning signs: if your temperature gauge is in the “hot” zone or if you get a message warning you to check your coolant. If you take a look under the hood, you will see the coolant overflow bottle. You can see there are lines that indicate the proper level of coolant … if your engine is cold – or if it is hot.
You can add water or antifreeze to that bottle yourself, but be careful. First, you never want to open the radiator pressure cap. The steam could severely burn you. Second, try to get to your service center immediately if your coolant is low. If that is not possible, follow the directions in your owner’s manual. Third, remember that you need a proper mixture of water and antifreeze, or you will damage your engine. If you make an emergency addition to your cooling system, follow-up with your service center where they can make necessary corrections. Fourth, not all cars use the same type of antifreeze.
You will need to check your owner’s manual to make sure you use the right kind. Mixing antifreeze types or using the wrong kind of antifreeze may void the manufacturers warranty on your cooling system. If you’re not sure, ask your service technician at Parkway Automotive for guidance.
Many conditions that cause the check engine light to come on affect fuel economy. Some very dramatically.
