Your Tailgate vs. Your Mileage

Posted on by Greenwood Collision Auto Body Shop Seattle

Many pickup truck owners believe that, by riding with their tailgates lowered, they can improve their gas mileage. After all, it seems logical enough that a lower tailgate is more aerodynamic and therefore requires less work from your fuel. However, this may not be the great boon you think it is. Our Seattle auto body shop advises that you may not be getting the mileage you were hoping for from your lowered tailgate.

Research has demonstrated that, when you drive with your tailgate up, you may actually be enjoying superior aerodynamics over a lowered tailgate. As air flows over a pickup truck in motion, it rushes over the cab and pushes forward on the back of the vehicle. This benefit is largely lost when you don’t keep the tailgate up. Meanwhile, replacing your tailgate with an aftermarket net is even worse, as it subjects your truck to a surprising amount of drag. Keep your tailgate up, and enjoy better mileage!

So Your “Check Engine” Light is On…

Posted on by Greenwood Collision Auto Body Shop Seattle

For many drivers, the “check engine” light is a frustrating sign.  Not only does this indicate that there may be some horrible damage in your car, but it’s also not being very helpful in determining what this damage is.  It could be a matter for your Seattle body shop, or it could be a minor problem that you can fix yourself.  To help you know the difference, try following these simple steps:

  • When your light first comes on, the first thing you should check is your gas cap.  If it’s not screwed in tightly enough, it will set off your light.

  • If it’s not the gas cap, listen for any unusual sounds or behavior in your engine.  Something like this is probably a problem you should have looked at right away.

  • If there doesn’t seem to be anything unusual going on in the engine, watch the light to see what happens.  It might go away on its own, but if it sticks around for about a week or so, you should bring it in.

Driving With Pets

Posted on by Greenwood Collision Auto Body Shop Seattle

We at your Greenwood Seattle auto body shop are mostly concerned with your car, because that’s what we know how to fix.  There’s not much we can do for a driver if his pet suffers an unfortunate injury out on the road.  Therefore, in the interest of protecting our furry and flea-bitten friends, we ask that you heed the following advice when it comes to taking your pets for a ride.

  • Keep your pet’s routine.  Stop for walking and feeding at the usual times.  If your dog isn’t accustomed to going to the bathroom on a leash, cultivate this habit.  This can keep your animal calm and easier to control on long trips.
  • Get your pet used to the car.  Try some short, dry runs to destinations that the animal likes, like a dog park.  Watch for motion sickness, and see your vet if the animal experiences any problems that don’t go away.
  • Secure your pet.  An animal running free in a car is compromising the safety of the entire vehicle.  Cats can get under the pedals, dogs can block your vision, and anything can go flying through the windshield if you brake too quickly.  You can search your pet supplier for the right carrier or harness that will afford safety and comfort to your animal.
  • If keeping your dog in a pickup truck bed, clear the area of loose materials and secure the animal with a leash.
  • Do not leave an unattended pet in a hot car!

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Avoiding Swerving

Posted on by Greenwood Collision Auto Body Shop Seattle

Danger can come from any direction out on the road.  Reckless drivers, small animals, and unsupervised kids can jump out at any time and send you and your vehicle on a premature trip to your Seattle auto body shop.  These are scenarios where you may be inclined to “swerve”, a maneuver that is sometimes necessary but is frequently dangerous as well.  Swerving can lead to collisions, take you off the road or even send your car into a rollover.  To avoid these kinds of disasters, try following these tips:

Firstly, you can’t beat the proverbial ounce of prevention.  Staying alert and watching far ahead of your car can help you avoid a lot of potential dangers.  Children at play, a cat that might dart out in front of you, a slippery spot in the pavement or a car poised to turn into your path, these are all hazards that you can plan for if you see them far enough in advance.  It’s also a good idea to allow for at least three seconds of space between your car and the car in front of you (more during unsafe conditions, like rainy or windy weather).

If you need to swerve, turn the wheel first and then apply the brakes to reduce the chance of rolling over.  If you’re going off the road, fight the instinct to swerve directly back into traffic.  Keep driving straight as you gradually slow down, if it’s safe to do so, and merge back into your lane when you’re under control again.

We hope that this advice serves to save you any unnecessary grief or damage.  Whenever your best driving skills should fail you, however, you can always count on the collision experts at Greenwood Auto Body in Seattle.

https://autos.aol.com/buying-guide/Safety/avoid-common-car-accidents/

Should I Use High-Octane Gasoline?

Posted on by Greenwood Collision Auto Body Shop Seattle

Are you ever tempted to reach for the “high-octane” gas when you’re fueling up your car? Maybe you anticipate getting a better mileage, or you envision racing down the road with a get-up-and-go that you’ve only dreamed of. If this is a feeling you are familiar with, take the advice of our Seattle body shop: you’re wasting your money.

The truth is that high-octane gas is only doing you any good if your car is made to use it. Such cars have high-compression engines, which require a premium gasoline to prevent knocking during acceleration. High-compression engines are among a tiny minority of cars on the road, though; if you have to wonder whether or not your car is one of them then it’s probably not. The regular octane gasoline will give you as good of a performance as your car can get, so save your money and reach for the 87.