5 Safety Maintenance Musts for Spring

5 Safety Maintenance Musts for Spring

Let’s face it: When we think of spring cleaning, we don’t always include our cars. Even though they work harder for us than anything we own, puttering along dependably on most days, we don’t spend nearly enough time taking care of them.

Unfortunately, that neglect can backfire. In fact, the National Highway Traffic and Safety

Administration estimates that 2,600 deaths occur every year from neglected vehicle maintenance.

And that doesn’t include the less dangerous maintenance slips that can shorten the life of your car, causing a transmission or engine failure that forces you to buy another vehicle, costing you thousands in lost and new payments.

Fortunately, it’s easy to keep your car humming happily without breaking your bank account. All your car needs is a little love, and these top 5 spring maintenance musts:

1.     Batteries, Plugs & Wires: Cold weather in Ohio stresses these car parts and the last thing you need is to lose battery power in the middle of the highway. Make sure all these parts are running smoothly, so you can speed off into the spring sunset without a care in the world.

2.     Fluid Levels: From transmission fluid to refrigerant, make sure your car is getting plenty of fluids. One small problem with engine oil or transmission fluid can ruin a vehicle that was previously in perfect condition. And you don’t want to wait until the first 80 degree day to realize your refrigerant is low and you have no AC.

3.     Brakes: Snow and ice can take a serious toll on brakes. Make sure you give your brake system a full inspection. Even one worn brake pad can make or “break” brake safety.

4.     Check your tire tread. Don’t wait for the first heavy summer rain to discover your tread has been worn by an icy winter.

5.     Windshield Wipers: Get your wipers inspected. Cold temperatures can wipe out blades to the point where they’re no longer effective.

Don’t forget to contact Borcherding’s service department for our spring maintenance specials! (866) 666-7657.

Buick Delivers Best May Retail Sales Since 2005

Buick Delivers Best May Retail Sales Since 2005

Consumers choose more premium features as brand marks 13 straight months of retail sales gains

DETROIT – With an expanded lineup featuring three sedans and two crossovers, Buick posted its best May retail sales in eight years. Led by the 2013 Enclave luxury crossover, Buick retail sales were up 9.9 percent from May 2012, marking 13 consecutive months of year-over-year retail sales gains.  Buick total sales were down 3.1 percent.
Calendar year-to-date retail sales are up 16.9 percent, while total sales are up 16 percent.
Enclave had its best May ever with retail sales of 4,912, up 18.6 percent year-over-year. The redesigned three-row crossover has delivered year-over-year retail sales gains each month since it was introduced last year and is up 27.4 percent year to date.
The all-new Encore luxury small crossover also continues to sell well with 1,974 vehicles delivered in May.
Buick customers are selecting more premium features and colors in the brand’s newest crossover models.
The top two models (1SL and 1SN) for both the Enclave and Encore represent the largest percentage of sales for each vehicle – more than 90 percent for Enclave and more than 50 percent for Encore – with the feature-rich 1SN packaged model spending the least time on dealer lots.
Buick crossover customers are also opting for premium tricoat paints, with the Enclave’s White Diamond and Encore’s White Pearl representing the highest percentage of sales for each model.
“Enclave has be our best-selling model since its introduction in 2007, so it’s no surprise the redesigned model is leading our growth this year,” said Brian Sweeney, vice president of Buick Sales and Service.  “More importantly, we’re seeing demand for the premium trim level models within our crossover line-up, which is indicative of the customer that’s considering Buick today.”
Enclave was recently named a 2013 Total Quality award-winner in the Near Luxury Utility category by Strategic Vision, which examines 155 specific aspects of Total Quality to measure the most meaningful experiences for customers across all automakers.

The Verano luxury sedan also marked its best month of the year in May with retail sales up 9.4 percent over May 2012.

Buick News

Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late To Change Your Wiper Blades

Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late To Change Your Wiper Blades

Clear vision is essential to safe driving. Neglect the wiper blades — the part of your car responsible for keeping your vision clear – and you may find yourself actually needing the traction control, anti-lock brakes, dynamic stability control and airbags as you crash into what you can’t see.
A clean windshield is not only useful during rain, sleet and snow. How many times have you experienced a windshield that is smeared with insects, bird droppings, road tar or other messy deposits? Removing such dirt with worn wiper blades is nearly impossible. Usually, you wind up smearing the mess and obscuring your vision even more. If you change your blades regularly, you can avoid these problems and keep your eyes on the road.
Generally, a blade will show physical wear signs like cracking or discoloration. Another way to know is by the quality of the wipe. Streaking or un-wiped areas are a dead giveaway. In addition, if the blades make noise or chattering sounds, then they need to be replaced. However, if you change your blades frequently, you won’t have to examine your blades looking for these signs of possible failure.
Blades can be easily damaged by snow scrapers and ice during the winter but the sun is just as damaging to a blade in the summer.
By simply doing a little preventative maintenance, you can avoid these uncomfortable situations. Wiper blades should be treated the way you treat engine oil — you don’t wait until you have engine trouble before you change your oil.
How often should you replace your blades?

The National Highway Transportation Board recommends that drivers change their wiper blades every year, however the average vehicle owner replaces his/her wiper blades only once every two and a half years. “Most people wait until they are in a downpour and nearly drive off the road before they are convinced it’s time to change blades,” says Jenifer Maddox, brand manager for PEAK Automotive Products. Some blades, such as Optix Wiper Blades, even come with simple connector systems that make installing the blades on any vehicle a snap.

So if you’ve been procrastinating about changing your windshield wiper blades, take a few minutes today to change them.

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Source: [Cleveland at Home]