So, your teenager got a driver's license?

We know it’s difficult to let your teen take the wheel—and we can help! The best remedy to the parental stress that accompanies a smiling teenager with a glossy new license? Making sure they’ve got the right car. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re out looking for a new ‘whip’ (or whatever the kids are saying these days).


New instead of used
It might decrease your stress level momentarily to put your teen in charge of a vehicle that costs less, but think about it long-term. You want your kiddo to be safe and you don’t want to end up having to spend money on repairs that end up being more costly than the vehicle itself.

Not too big, not too small
It doesn’t matter that “everyone else” has a tiny sports car, or that your teen “will be the laughing stock” of the school unless they are behind the wheel of a huge SUV. The truth of it is that a happy medium is, well… a happy medium. New drivers behind the wheel of big vehicles are more likely to roll it in an accident and new drivers with sports cars are more likely to disobey the speed limit and get into trouble that way. 

Stay away from stick!
We know back in our day everyone knew how to drive a manual transmission, but the sad truth is that it is becoming somewhat of an endangered skill. Your teen can learn how to drive stick! Just make the first vehicle as easy and safe as possible for your teen—and everyone else on the road.

5 Things You Need To Do Before Your Summer Road Trip

Road trip season is here again!  There’s no doubt about it: one of the best parts of summer is hitting the road on an adventure.  But before you start your car and set out for unfamiliar horizons, make sure you have these things checked off your to-do list.


1. Top off coolant.  Seems pretty obvious, but many forget this one!  Make sure you stay cool out on the road and remember to be proactive about air conditioning care to prevent future problems.
2. Refill windshield washer fluid.  You’re bound to gather a few hitchhikers like bugs and dust on your journey.  Make sure your windshield wiper fluid is topped off so you can deal with these obstructions on-the-go.
3. Inspect your belts. As your car ages, belts become dry and brittle. This is made worse by heat and the last thing you want is to deal with a broken belt in the middle of your trip.
4. Check your tires. This is a good idea to do regardless of season, definitely not just a summer must. The easiest at-home method for this is performing the penny test.
5. Get your brakes checked out. Bring your car into our service department and let us take one final look before you head out! Even though you hope this summer never stops, you want your car to, eventually.

Get the Best Gas Mileage Possible on Your Summer Road Trip

Planning your summer road trip is already stressful enough–why worry about what you’re spending on gas?  Here are a couple of things to avoid and a couple of things to remember while you’re out on the road.

DO be assertive (not aggressive).  Speeding up and braking sharply slices your highway gas mileage by 33 percent.

DON’T drive with the windows down.  While you may think you’re cutting costs by avoiding use of the air conditioning, you are actually making your car work harder to maintain speed because of aerodynamic drag.

DO make sure your tires are properly inflated.  Driving on partially deflated wheels does nothing but damage to your gas mileage.

DON’T use a rooftop cargo box.  If you need the extra room, try a cargo tray that attaches at the rear bumper.  It’s much easier on your mileage.