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Be Ready For Summer!

 Be Ready For Summer!

Be Ready for Summer!

Summer! Be Ready For Summer! Make sure your vehicle is ready for summer. Consumer Auto Parts has everything you need for summer driving. Summer’s heat, dust, and stop-and-go traffic, will take their toll on your vehicle. Add the effects of last winter, and you could be poised for a breakdown. You can lessen the odds of mechanical failure through periodic maintenance…Your vehicle should last longer and command a higher resale price, too!

  • Air Conditioning
    A marginally operating system will fail in hot weather. Have the system examined by a qualified technician.
  • Cooling System
    The greatest cause of summer breakdowns is overheating. The cooling system should be completely flushed and refilled about every 24 months.
  • Brakes
    If your summer weather pattern includes thunderstorms and rain, you will want to inspect your brakes because wet brakes can be less responsive.

  • Towing
    Towing a boat, camper, or trailer is common in the summertime. Before you hook on and drive off for a vacation destination, though, make sure you have inspected your car and trailer.
  • Belts
    Check the engine belts by turning them sideways with your hand so you can see the friction surface. If they’re at all ragged, torn, cracked or showing the fiber cords, it’s time for fresh ones.
  • Battery
    While rough starting conditions are associated with winter, summer actually can be more demanding on your battery.http://www.consumerautopartsonline.com/

Summer is Here

Summer is Here

Summer is here

Okay, so summer is here and you’re looking to hit the open highway. Great! Summer’s heat, dust, and stop-and-go traffic, will take their toll on your vehicle. Add the effects of last winter, and you could be poised for a breakdown. You can lessen the odds of mechanical failure through periodic maintenance…Your vehicle should last longer and command a higher resale price, too! The combination of heat, long trips and heavy loads can place enormous demands on your car. So, before you pull out of the driveway, we’d like to humbly suggest that
you make sure that Old Faithful is ready for a long, hot trip.

Some of the following tips are easy to do; others require a skilled auto technician.

  • Air Conditioning

    A marginally operating system will fail in hot weather. Have the system examined by a qualified technician. Newer models have cabin air filters that clean the air entering the heating and air conditioning system. Check your owner’s manual for location and replacement interval

    Engine Performance

    Replace other filters (air, fuel, PCV, etc.) as recommended more often in dusty conditions. Get engine drive-ability problems (hard starts, rough idling, stalling, diminished power, etc.) corrected at a good shop.

    Tires

    Have your tires rotated about every 5,000 miles. Check tire pressures once a month; check them while they’re cold before driving for any distance. Don’t forget to check your spare as well and be sure the jack is in good condition. Examine tires for tread life, uneven wearing, and cupping; check the sidewalls for cuts and nicks. An alignment is warranted if there’s uneven tread wear or if your vehicle pulls to one side.

Safe Driving In the Rain

Safe Driving In the Rain. Singing in the rain is fun. But driving? For some people, it’s anxiety-producing. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, there are around 707,000 automobile crashes each year due to rain, resulting in approximately 3,300 deaths and 330,200 injuries. But being behind the wheel and a rain-splattered windshield doesn’t have to be a white-knuckled, nerve-racking experience. Brent Praeter, a supervising instructor at D&D Driving School, Inc. and a member of the Driving School Association of the Americas, both in Kettering, Ohio, offers these tips for driving in a downpour.

  1. Think. “Many people drive subconsciously, out of habit,” says Praeter. “And when it rains, they often don’t adjust their thinking.” When conditions are less than ideal, drivers need to stay alert and focused on what’s going on around them.
  2. Turn on those headlights. It’s the law in all states to turn headlights on when visibility is low, and many states also require having the headlights on when the windshield wipers are in use. Praeter says that well-working wipers and relatively new (not threadbare) tires also are must-haves when driving in rain.
  3. Beware of hydroplaning. That’s the technical term for what occurs when your tires are getting more traction on the layer of water on the road than on the road itself—the result is that your car begins to slide uncontrollably. It’s easy enough to hydroplane: All you need is one-twelfth of an inch of rain on the road and a speed of more than 35 miles per hour. If you start to hydroplane, let off the accelerator slowly and steer straight until you regain control.
  4. Turn off cruise control. Ironically, on rain- or snow-slick surfaces, cruise control may cause you to lose control. You might think it’ll help you stay at one steady speed, but if you hydroplane while you’re in cruise control, your car will actually go faster.
  5. Slow down. Speed limit signs are designed for ideal conditions, says Praeter, “and that means driving when you have little traffic and good visibility.” That’s hardly the environment you’re driving in when it’s raining, so let up on the accelerator and allow more time to get to your destination.

– See more at: http://learningcenter.statefarm.com/auto/safety/5-tips-for-driving-safely-in-the-rain/#sthash.AVPxS6UU.dpuf

Meguiars carnauba wax, synthetic polymer wax

Meguiars carnauba wax, synthetic polymer wax

Gold Class Carnauba Plus: yes, it’s a carnauba wax but it does indeed have some polymers and other ingredients in it that help with things application, removal, appearance, etc. But the word “polymer” is incredibly broad: (from wikipedia) A polymer is a large molecule (macromolecule) composed of repeating structural units. These sub-units are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds. Although the term polymer is sometimes taken to refer to plastics, it actually encompasses a large class of compounds comprising both natural and synthetic materials with a wide variety of properties. So both natual and synthetic polymers exist and their properties are all over the place. Obviously we’re not going to get into specifics regarding just which polymers we’re using in any of our products, suffice it to say that not all of them will necessarily provide extra protection but could have other benefits to the product. But this isn’t just true of our carnauba waxes (Gold Class, Deep Crystal, M26) but virtually every single carnauba wax on the market. This is because there is no such thing as a “100% pure carnauba wax” in the sense of the bottle containing nothing but carnauba wax. If a bottle did contain nothing but 100% pure carnauba, you could quite literally cut the plastic bottle away and reveal the brick of carnauba inside. Yes, the brick of carnauba. If you had some 100% pure, naturally occurring carnauba wax in your hand, you could bang it against a table just like you would a solid hunk of plastic – sort of like your TV remote control. It’s that hard, and that unusable in “pure” form. Carnauba must be combined with other ingredients just to make it usable as a car wax. Now, when you see a product that claims to be “pure carnauba” or “100% carnauba wax”, what they’re really saying is that 100% of the wax used in that product is carnauba, meaning there’s no paraffin wax, beeswax, monton wax, etc in the mix. Whether the total wax content is 5% or 50% or some other percentage of the total product, all of that percentage is carnauba.

NXT Tech Wax 2.0: this is a 100% synthetic polymer sealant – there is no naturally occurring wax in it. It has the word “wax” on the label because synthetic sealants are used for the exact same reason as carnauba waxes and the two are therefore interchangeable. But the average guy on the street doesn’t understand “sealant” and if he’s looking for a “wax” he won’t give NXT a second glance. In fact, we often get people calling which wax they need now that they’ve applied a sealant to their paint. They simply don’t know. OK, so NXT is 100% synthetic polymer, but even that doesn’t mean every single polymer in it is part of the protection. And again, that’s down to “polymer” being such a broad term.

Ultimate Wax: this is also a 100% synthetic polymer sealant, but it uses different polymers than those found in NXT. This is why, in liquid form, Ultimate Wax won’t stain plastic trim. It’s also why you can apply UW on a warm surface in direct sunlight, and why it spreads so incredibly thin (ie, Thin Film Technology). Ultimate Wax is also our longest lasting, best protecting wax/sealant at the moment, recently knocking NXT off that top spot.

It is true that carnauba can not withstand the temperature extremes, or moisture extremes, of full synthetics so in extreme conditions those synthetics are better choices. Of course, they have their limits as well and they are not impervious barricades against things like acid rain, bird droppings, etc. They will do a better job against these attacks, but it’s not like deploying the deflector shields on the Starship Enterprise just prior to a Klingon attack.

So if synthetics are that much “better” than carnaubas, why does anyone still use carnauba waxes? Because a lot of people prefer the way carnaubas look, especially on darker colors, and that is their primary reason for choosing a paint protectant. They don’t mind applying the wax a little more often, and/or they were just brought up on carnauba so that’s what they like. There’s no real right or wrong here – there’s a lot of personal preference at play here, especially among enthusiasts who liken the subtle visual nuances imparted by different waxes to the subtle nuances of wine tasting, or the acoustic nuances of high end audio.

But when push comes to shove, the wax you choose should be something that’s easy to use, provides the longetivity you want, and the look you’re after for your own car. Nobody can ever tell you that you’re using “the wrong wax” or that you should be using “Wax A” because it looks best on your color car. That is merely that person’s opinion, and yours may be quite different. That “Wax A” may be the best wax for them, but not for you. But if your only criteria is “what’s the longest lasting, best protecting wax?” then in our line up that would be Ultimate Wax. And it has the added bonus of looking great too (at least that’s the opinion of a whole bunch of people!).

Also, be sure to check out Consumer Auto Parts Locations!
http://www.consumerautopartsonline.com/consumerautopartslocations.html

Michael Stoops
Internet Technical Specialist | Meguiar’s Inc.
(800) 854-8073 xt 3875
mstoops@meguiars.com

April is National Car Care Month: Spring into Action

April is National Car Care Month: Spring into Action

April is National Car Care Month and the Car Care Council reminds motorists to spring into action and follow 10 basic maintenance procedures to make sure their vehicles are running at peak performance for the summer driving season.

  1. Check all fluids, including engine oil, power steering, brake and transmission as well as windshield washer solvent and antifreeze/coolant.
  1. Check the hoses and belts to make sure they are not cracked, brittle, frayed, loose or showing signs of excessive wear.
  1. Check the battery and replace if necessary. Make sure the connection is clean, tight and corrosion-free.
  1. Check the brake system annually and have the brake linings, rotors and drums inspected at each oil change.
  1. Inspect the exhaust system for leaks, damage and broken supports or hangers if there is an unusual noise. Exhaust leaks can be dangerous and must be corrected without delay.
  1. Schedule a tune-up to help the engine deliver the best balance of power and fuel economy and produce the lowest level of emissions.
  1. Check the heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system, as proper heating and cooling performance is critical for interior comfort and for safety reasons such as defrosting.
  1. Inspect the steering and suspension system annually including shock absorbers, struts and chassis parts such as ball joints, tie rod ends and other related components.
  1. Check the tires, including tire pressure and tread. Uneven wear indicates a need for wheel alignment. Tires should also be checked for bulges and bald spots.
  1. Check the wipers and lighting so that you can see and be seen. Check that all interior and exterior lighting is working properly and replace worn wiper blades so you can see clearly when driving during precipitation.

“Whether you visit a professional service technician or do it yourself, a thorough vehicle inspection this spring can help keep your car safe and dependable and help you avoid much higher costs down the road in the form of more extensive repairs or lost resale value,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council.

Many of the businesses and groups planning inspection events for National Car Care Month in April have posted them on the event finder on the Car Care Council’s website. For more information on finding or hosting a local event, visit http://www.carcare.org/car-care-events/.

The Car Care Council is the source of information for the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers.

NCCM image

Want to know more about Consumer Auto Parts?

Want to know more about Consumer Auto Parts?

Want to know more about Consumer Auto Parts? For over 40 years Consumer Auto Parts has been a leader in the automotive parts and auto accessories industry . Our goal is to provide outstanding service, quality brands of automotive replacement parts and accessories at every day low discount prices. We have 42 convenient locations throughout New England and we want to be your auto part and auto accessory provider.

We make it a point to stock name brands supplied by the automotive market leaders like Moog Chassis Parts, Timken Bearings, Standard Ignition, Autolite Plugs, Monroe shocks and struts and Fram Filters, and more. The list of automotive parts and accessory brands goes on, so we invite your calls and inquiries.

For those of you not looking to repair, but simply maintain your vehicle, we carry the area’s largest selection of auto accessories like polishes, waxes, cleaners, chemicals and other auto maintenance accessories. Looking to dress up your car? Stop in to any of our Consumer Auto Parts stores and check out the large selection of floor mats, appearance accessories, and popular functional accessories like Westin, Valley, Grote, Tom Tom, AutoVentshade, Ventvisors or Bug Deflectors.

When it comes to parts, Consumer Auto Parts goes many steps further than the competition to provide you with the selection and service you need to make intelligent choices when repairing your vehicle. We have the largest inventories and auto parts categories in our area. That’s why both professional technicians and do-it-yourselfers shop at Consumer Auto Parts , and that’s why we’ll have the Right Part at the Right Price, Right Now!

We deliver to each of our Consumer Auto Parts locations three times daily, so those hard to find parts are in your hands quickly. Why wait days or even weeks for special orders on auto parts and accessories? We’ll have them delivered to your closest Consumer Auto Parts store in hours or the next day in most cases. Our store salespeople are knowledgeable parts professionals that can answer your questions with confidence. Our retail and commercial parts professionals have multiple electronic catalog application databases as well as manufacturers catalogs available to help supply you with the Right Part at the Right Price. Right Now!

Vehicle breaks down? Wipers in a storm? Headlight out? We are here when you need us-whatever your automotive needs!

All CAP locations are open Monday through Saturday 8 AM – 9 PM and Sunday 9AM – 6PM

Auto Parts, Auto Accessories Sales, Specials

Auto Parts, Auto Accessories Sales, Specials.

Auto Parts, Auto Accessories Sales, Specials. Special offers and sale pricing on auto parts, auto accessories, auto replacement parts and top automotive supply brands. Save money on your favorite automotive supplies and accessories. Keep checking in to find out what our latest auto part sales are.

Consumer Auto Parts and Auto Plus have been leaders in the automotive parts, replacement auto parts and auto accessories market for over forty years. Let our professional and knowledgeable associates answer any questions you have about auto repair, auto maintenance or auto replacement parts.

Auto Parts, Auto Accessories Sales, Specials

Go to any one of your local consumer auto parts store to get $10 off!

Need to find which Consumer Auto Parts is closest to you? Click here for a full list of our locations.

Are you having troubles starting your car because of the cold winter weater? Here are some helpful tips!

Are you having troubles starting your car because of the cold winter weater? Here are some helpful tips! Freezing cold weather can take a toll on car batteries. That’s why it’s important to be prepared for the winter season and the car trouble that might ensue.

1,In engines with a carburetor, gently push on the gas pedal while still parked.Depress the accelerator once and then release it. This will dispense a small amount of fuel into the intake, which can help get things going. Note that there is no need to do this with fuel-injected engines.

2. Shut the car’s doors and turn off all accessories. This includes the heater blower, radio and lights. This will help to maximize your starting power.

3. Turn the key and hold it for 20 seconds. This should help to get the engine going. Don’t hold it for any longer than 20 seconds, as overworking the starter can cause mechanical damage. If the engine fails to crank, wait a couple of minutes and try again.

4. Let the battery recover if the car fails to start. If your car does not start up after ten to twenty seconds of cranking, stop and wait for a minute or two before attempting to start again. This gives the battery time to recover and allows the starter motor to cool down.

5. Jump-start the battery if it fails completely to start. If the starter won’t turn over at all, your battery is probably dead. It’s now time for a jump-start. You will need a set of jumper cables and a willing volunteer with a running car to complete the jump.

6. Replace the battery if necessary. At some point in every car’s lifetime, its battery must be replaced. This is because car batteries have a limited service life, and no amount of maintenance or care can reverse the effects of chemicals on metal. Car batteries typically last about three to five years. If your car needs to be jump-started, it may be time to consider purchasing a new battery.

You can always stop into your local Consumer Auto Parts store to get a new battery, or for any other auto parts you may need! For more information please visit our site at www.consumerautopartsonline.com

For any other questions feel free to reach us at: Consumer Auto Parts Corporate Offices

75 Fortune Boulevard
Milford, MA
phone: 508-634-0600
fax: 508-634-1480

 

OR For your specific location, please visit our locations page to see all of our Consumer Auto Parts Stores near you! Click here for Consumer Auto Parts Locations

Winter Car Tips! Is your Car,Truck, Van, or SUV ready for winter?

Winter Car Tips! Is your car all ready for this upcoming winter? Be sure to Check out our website at www.consumerautopartsonline.com for any automotive parts, replacement auto parts and auto accessories before more snow comes!

Winter Car Tips!

The last thing any driver needs is to break down in cold, harsh winter weather. A vehicle check now before winter arrives is a sensible way to be car care aware and avoid the inconvenience of being stranded out in the cold and with the unexpected expense of emergency repairs, says the Car Care Council.

Did you charge your battery? or do you need a new one? Come on down to one of our Consumer Auto Parts Locations today!

Winter Car Tips!
Are your windshield wipers leaving streaks? or are they getting old? We have great deals on all brands of windshield wipers. Stop in today!

 

 

For more information, please feel free to contact us at our corporate offices:

Consumer Auto Parts Corporate Offices

75 Fortune Boulevard
Milford, MA
phone: 508-634-0600
fax: 508-634-1480

If you have questions for a specific Consumer Auto Parts or Auto Parts Plus location, please check our location page for the store closest to you. We have many convenient locations throughout New England with knowledgeable associates ready to answer all your questions.

All Consumer auto parts locations are open Monday through Saturday 8 AM – 9 PM and Sunday 9AM – 6PM

Car Winterizing Tips!

Car Winterizing Tips!

Car Winterizing Tips!

Winter driving presents a number of challenges to you and your car. Cold weather tests the limits of your car’s mechanical abilities. Treacherous conditions test your abilities as a driver. If you’re not careful, you could find yourself sliding towards a guard rail, wondering if your affairs are in order.

Here are a few tips to help you winterize your vehicle for the upcoming cold winter months:

  • Keep an emergency kit in your car at all times
  • Make sure you don’t have bald tires, the newer the tire the better the control
  • Check your car belts and hoses, replace any that need to be replaced or fixed. ( Or check with your mechanic and get a tune up)
  • Replace windshield wipers and wiper fluid, Low visibility can make driving in cold weather extremely dangerous.
  • Make sure your defrost and your heating units work. It’s also important to stay warm and comfortable while driving, since shivering makes it difficult to steer or pay attention to the road.
  • Keep your fuel tank full, never run it low just in case you run into problems!
  • Check your oil!
  • Check your battery, car batteries last for about three to five years, so it’s best to keep track of how old yours is.

Consumer auto parts has everything you need to make it through another year of winter. Please check out our website or visit one of our locations for more information. http://consumerautopartsonline.com/