It’s summer time in Texas. Which means it’s very very hot outside. It may even be 112 degrees as your reading this. Texas summers are brutal and it can not only do a number on your car but it can do a number on you too! Consumer Reports put together some very very good information on driving in the summer heat that I thought was pretty good for my fellow Texans. I know it gets hot in other states too so read on and learn something! We want you to be safe, cool and relaxed when you are driving to visit your Dallas Chevy dealer!
It’s hot outside, but even hotter inside a car. On a 90-degree day, the temperature inside a vehicle can quickly rise another 20 degrees in just the first 10 minutes. We all know the deadly consequences of leaving children or pets in a hot car. But in everyday driving, just getting in your car after it’s been parked in the sun for a while can be uncomfortable and has the potential to cause burns. Here are some tips on how to prepare for driving in the summer heat.
When parking, reducing the amount of sunlight coming in through the windows can minimize heat buildup inside the cabin:
Park in the shade if possible.
If you need to park in sunlight and you have a sunroof, close the shade.
Put a sunshade in the windshield and another over the rear seat window, especially if you’ll be carrying children in car seats. Folding-type shades are easy to store while driving.
If you’re parking in a secure area and there won’t be any rain, lower each window an inch or two. If you have a sunroof, you can leave it in the tilt position to provide extra ventilation.
When getting into your car, be careful not to burn yourself on hot surfaces:
Open the windows for the first few minutes to let buildup heat escape.
Bring a towel to sit on if you’re wearing shorts and have leather or vinyl seats.
Be careful when buckling up to not touch the metal part of the seatbelt as you can burn yourself.
Keep a light pair of gloves in the car if you find the steering wheel too hot to handle.
Driving in hot weather presents unique challenges for passengers and pets:
If carrying children or pets in the backseat, bring plenty of water and snacks, and plan to stop more often to tend to them.
Remember that the rear seat and cargo areas in SUVs, wagons, and minivans can be considerably warmer than the front-seat area. If you’re carrying passengers back there, and there are no backseat temperature controls, adjust the front a/c vents so they direct air to the rear.
If you’re headed to the store, bring a cooler bag to keep frozen items from melting or defrosting before you get home.
Keep in mind that high temperatures can mean power outages, which means that any gas stations that are affected could be out of service. Filling up in the morning will help you be ready for the unexpected.
For more advice on summer road travel, see our guide.
I can appreciate all of the things that various manufacturers are doing to combat smog and emissions coming from our vehicles. It seems to me that at the moment it’s kind of at a stand still. I know it is getting better and is better than in years passed but we aren’t quite there yet. I watch the news I see the air quality alerts that we have daily in the DFW area. There has to be more than one way to combat this. Right?
I found this article over on Autoblog.com and I thought it was so interesting that I had to share it with you. This could be a major break through in the world of pollution and emissions.
Researchers at the Eindhoven University of Technology (EUT) may be on the brink of discovering a breakthrough that will lead to reduced pollution and cleaner air for all. According to the EUT, a roadway made of concrete blended with titanium dioxide can effectively remove up to 45 percent of the nitrogen oxides that it comes in contact with. The titanium dioxide, a photocatalytic material, captures airborne nitrogen oxides and, with the aid of the sun, converts it to nitrates that are harmlessly washed away by the rain.
The EUT conducted real-world studies on a 1,000-square-meter section of repaved road in the Netherlands. Such testing showed that the laced pavement could reduce nitrogen oxides by 25 to 45 percent more than traditional concrete. As Jos Brouwers, professor of building materials at the EUT remarked, “The air-purifying properties of the new paving stones had already been shown in the laboratory, but these results now show that they also work outdoors.”
Additional testing is still underway and although the pavement laced with titanium dioxide does cost some 50 percent more than regular cement, overall road-building costs only increase by a marginal 10 percent. Costs aside, the advantages of the titanium dioxide are readily apparent, but the implementation of such a product requires repaving our roadways – a time intensive and costly endeavor.
What are your thoughts on this latest information? Do you think it’s good?
So now we reach the final part of our Behind the scenes of the Chevy Camaro series. The Camaro is almost completed now. It’s almost time to ship it off to it’s new owners. Do you feel like you’ve seen some cool stuff in these videos? Or, did you already know all of this? For those of you who have never been to a GM plant or seen a car being built in action, I hope that you learned something and enjoyed them. They may have not be Oscar worthy performances but still neat none the less. Thanks again to CamaroBlog.com for sharing these videos with us. Your local Dallas Chevy dealer is packed full of Camaros that are just ready for you to take for a spin!
In this 2nd installment of behind the scenes of the Chevy Camaro, we are again taken back to the Oshawa Assembly Plant as the Chevy Camaro is closer and closer to being completed! Is your Camaro currently being built? Are you waiting patiently in anticipation? Well continue to watch what your car is going through!
Like Matt Rigney over at CamaroBlog.com said these aren’t the best videos in the world but you are getting a glimpse into the Chevy plant watching the miracle that is the Camaro being built! Is your mouth watering yet? Check out the deals on the Chevy Camaro at your local Grapevine Chevy dealer.
This is probably the silliest thing I might have ever seen. I hope that you guys are smart enough to not ever think that this is ok or safe! You need and must have a reliable trailer to load your jet ski on! Thanks AutoBlog for sharing this hilarity!
We’ve all seen people doing really dumb things. You know, the kind of act of stupidity where you’d try to stop them from harming themselves or their possessions if it weren’t so riveting to watch. Hell, we’ve made some pretty heinous misjudgments in our time, but we’ve never attempted to load a jet ski into the back of a Ford Econoline while said van was partially underwater. That just doesn’t sound like a good idea.
While driving a jet ski into a cargo van doesn’t make any sense to us, we know of at least one YouTube all-star who thinks otherwise. Well, he probably thought otherwise until the van’s rear wheels began having trouble maintaining traction while submerged under water. Hit the jump to watch Darwin’s theory in motion. Luckily, it appears that nobody was hurt during this epic fail.
Now people we may not sell trailers but you can at least make sure you have a safe hitch at your Dallas Chevy dealer! Be safe out there and enjoy the video.
Have you guys seen this new video for the 2011 Chevy Silverado HD yet? Talk about some incredible animation. It’s a great video and it’s a great truck! I can’t wait until we get this in. When you are ready for a test drive make sure you head over to your Grapevine Chevy Dealer.
Here’s what AutoBlog had to say about it.
The 2011 Chevy Silverado HD didn’t pull any punches about wanting to beat the competition, but it might just pull everything else. In case you missed any of its maybe-or-maybe-not best-in-class numbers, The General has put together a nifty little animation for you that trumpets all of its heavy duty points. And it does a much better job of it than the Dude Perfect spot did…
The Volkswagen Thing….What an ugly car. You may be a car nut and think you’ve seen them all. Did you know that the ugliest ones weren’t made here. They were made over seas. Below is a video of all the ugly cars that made this list. Some of them are the ugliest cars I have ever seen and they will burn your eyes! Thanks to AutoBlog for sharing the video.
Here’s the top 30 ugliest cars in alphabetical order:
AMC Gremlin
AMC Pacer
Aston Martin Lagonda
Aurora
Citroen Ami 6
Corbin Sparrow
Fiat Multipla
Ford Edsel
Ford Scorpio
G-Wiz
Hua Detroit Fish
Kia Opirus / Amanti
Lamborghini LM 002
Lightburn Zeta Sports
Mini Marcos
Nissan Cube
Nissan Micra C+C
Nissan S-Cargo
Pontiac Aztek
Reliant Bond Bug
Scangyong Rodius
Sebring-Vanguard citiCar
Skoda Roomster
Subaru Baja
Subaru Tribeca
Suzuki X-90
Tang Hua Book of Songs
Tang Hua Piece of Cloud
Volkswagen Thing
Zap Xebra Electric Truck
So… Do you own one of these? Now this is just the opinion of one man. What do you think? Are they all ugly?
The Camaro of Classic Chevrolet Fan Bill Meier. A 2010 2SS/RS!
A member of theCamaro5 forum has done something pretty awesome. It’s the biggest treasure chest of production statistics regarding the 2010 Chevy Camaro. Everything from exterior and interior colors to sunroofs and states. Where does Texas lie?
First off is exterior color popularity and the most popular color is black with 22,893 made so far. As for the interior color this is probably a no brainer as most have opted for the black interior with 69,036 units made so far with this color. The most popular model is 2SS with right around 48,875 made so far, in second is the 2LT with 18,629 made so far. Next up is transmission type with most folks opting for the six-speed automatic rather than the six-speed manual.
Another fun production fact is how many have purchased a sunroof in their 2010 Camaro, 55% have gone without one. The engine choice is one that has even surprised General Motors as 58% of Camaro buyers have opted for the V-8 model.
Where are all those Camaros headed to, well the biggest draw for Camaros is Texas with 12,983 purchased so far, California and Florida are second and third respectively. – AutoBlog writer Matt Rigney.
I came across this story today fromUSAToday.com. Who is the better driver? The fast paced teenager or the slower paced senior? I was surprised at the answer. You’ve got to read this story. I was once a teenager and I thought I was a good driver then. I wonder how good of a driver I will be when I’m 65.
Picture this: You’re out on the road, driving in mixed traffic with your choice of drivers to follow. One is a gray-haired senior puttering along in the right lane and the other is a fresh-faced teenager moving briskly in the left lane.
Statistically speaking, which driver is safer to follow? Kirk Seaman of AOL Autos’ blog asks whether it’s older driver with the slower reflexes, poorer vision, and cautious driving style, or the younger driver with faster reactions, better eyesight, and driving with the flow of traffic?
Seaman’s answer: Stay in the right lane, behind the oldster, and let the teenager go on his way. According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the safest drivers are in the age group between 64 and 69 years old. And studies of the data reveal that teenage drivers — especially male teenage drivers — are the most dangerous drivers on the road.
Here’s Seaman’s report on why:
“In every motorized country around the world, teenage drivers are disproportionately involved in crashes,” said Dr. Anne McCartt, senior vice president for research at the Institute. “The seriousness of this problem has been recognized for decades. Only in the last few years have public policies such as graduated driving licenses been enacted to address the situation. And those laws seem to be working, but fatalities are still high.”
In 2008, 5,864 15- to 20-year-old drivers were involved in fatal crashes. That’s the bad news. The good news is that number is down by 27 percent since 1998. Driver fatalities for this age group also decreased by 20 percent in the same time period.
However, motor vehicle crashes still remain the major cause of death for teenagers. In 2008, 2,739 15- to 20-year-old drivers were killed and an additional 228,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes. Sixty percent of deaths among passenger vehicle occupants ages 16-19 were drivers.
Senior drivers, like teenage drivers, have higher crash rates per mile driven, especially when it comes to fatal crashes. But seniors don’t drive as many miles, so a better measurement of their susceptibility to accidents can be had by comparing crash rates on a per capita basis. Looking at the numbers in this way shows senior drivers have much lower crash rates. Despite their increased risk of crashing per mile driven, relatively few elderly drivers are involved in accidents because of their lower rates of exposure. In addition, the rate of fatalities per capita among seniors has decreased 40 percent since 1975 and is now at its lowest level during this period.
Let’s look at the numbers. In 2008, 15- to 20-year-old drivers made up 8.5 percent of the U.S. population, yet accounted for 12 percent of occupant deaths among all ages in passenger vehicle (cars, pickups, SUVs, and vans). Per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash. Drivers from 65 to 69 years old made up 3.7 percent of the population, but accounted for just 3.2 percent of all fatal crashes.
Major risk factors contributing to teenage crashes are those you would expect, including:
Lack of experience. Teens are more likely than older drivers to underestimate dangerous situations or not be able to recognize hazardous situations.
Poor judgment. Teens are more likely than older drivers to speed and allow shorter headways (the distance from the front of one vehicle to the front of the next).
Low seat belt usage. Compared with other age groups, teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use. In 2007, 61 percent of all 15- to 20-year-old passenger vehicle occupants killed in fatal crashes were not wearing seat belts.
“Almost all states have adopted some form of graduated driver licensing,” said Dr. McCartt. “These laws are proving effective in reducing teenage crashes.”
Graduated driver licensing (GDL) systems are designed to delay full licensure while allowing teens to get their initial driving experience under low-risk conditions. Research suggests that the most comprehensive of these programs are associated with reductions of 38 percent and 40 percent in fatal and injury crashes, respectively, among 16-year-old drivers.
“When parents know their state’s GDL laws, they can help enforce the laws and, in effect, help keep their teen drivers safe,” said Dr. McCartt.
What do you guys think about this story? I found it very interesting and as a Fort Worth Chevy dealer I felt the need to share it with you. What are your thoughts?
There are only a few things more irritating than being stuck in a traffic jam. I often see people in the cars next to me screaming, hitting their steering wheel and generally looking extremely irritated. Then I see the people that are relaxed, jamming to the stereo and they look so calm and collected. How do they do this?
Well there are a few things that you can do to remain “calm” during traffic jams. Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist wrote a great blog on how to cope with traffic jams and I thought it has some pretty great tips in it so I thought I’d share. When I am driving to work now or when I am driving home and I get irritated with traffic jams I hope I can remember Eric’s tips.
Get a comfortable car with a good stereo, satellite radio and an automatic transmission.
If you spend most of your time behind the wheel staring at the bumper of the car in front of you, what’s under the hood of your car matters a lot less than how comfortable the seats are, how well insulated the interior is — and what kind of stereo rig you’ve got.
A plush sedan may be just the ticket — not the sporty car you can’t really use anyhow. Horsepower and 0-60 times are much less important in the bump and grind than having lots of leg and elbow room, seats that don’t make your backside go numb and — and most important of all, something to keep your mind off the debacle all around you. XM or Sirius satellite radio and their myriad programming options (or an iPod/MP3 player hook-up you can use to download podcasts and so forth) can help you forget that you haven’t moved more than a couple of yards in the past 15 minutes.
This is also why an automatic is essential for a commuter car. I love stick-shift cars, but in traffic, constantly having to push a clutch in and out gets tiring fast. It’s also much harder on the clutch and related components, which will wear out faster — and thus, cost you money.
Adjust your schedule.
Depending on the type of work you do, you may be able to get your boss to change your work hours slightly, enabling you to avoid the times of day when the roads are at a near-standstill. Instead of coming in at 9 and leaving at 5, see if you can get your boss to let you come in at 8 and split at 4 instead. In some cases, being able to leave at 4 vs. 5 may cut 30 minutes or more off your daily grind.
Another possibility is to work through lunch so you can leave an hour “early.”
Bottom line: Unlike asking for a raise, asking for slightly different work hours doesn’t cost the company anything. That makes it more likely your request will be granted.
Telecommuting and flex time.
The next step is to work on your boss to let you work from a home work station some of the time — or even all of the time.
Computers and the Internet opened this door — and today’s networking capabilities and affordable high-speed access (DSL, Cable) make it easy for many white collar and information workers to do everything they need to do from a remote location, such as a home office. More and more employers are becoming receptive to this arrangement, too — especially if you make a strong pitch based on how it will make you more productive and thus a better employee.
Point out that it doesn’t do the company any good for you to be spending two or more hours per day sitting in traffic; that you’d be much more productive if you were able to log on from home and be available immediately and virtually any time. Point out that you could handle unforeseen situations at odd hours and weekends. Present a “business plan” outlining every aspect of the work-from-home arrangement; suggest a trial period to make sure everyone is comfortable with it. You might even consider sweetening the pot by offering to take a pay cut in return for being able to skip the commute. Keep in mind that if they agree, you will save a great deal of money on gasoline, vehicle upkeep and maintenance — and so on. Taking a five percent pay cut may not actually cost you anything on balance — but it will likely be very appealing to your employer.
Try to be Zen about it.
This too shall pass — and working yourself into a futile rage every morning and every night is about as sensible as Elvis shooting the TV whenever Robert Goulet came on. Banging on the wheel, making faces, muttering hate and death under your breath won’t get you there any faster — just as Elvis blowing away his Zenith didn’t much hurt Robert Goulet.
The best way to cope with traffic today is to make a plan to escape it tomorrow. So long as you know the nightmare is temporary — that in three years, let’s say, you’ll have moved, arranged new work hours — whatever your plan is — you’ll be able to deal, just like a con who knows he’ll be out of the clink in “x” number of days.
When you are ready for a new more comfortable car make sure you check and see what your local Fort Worth Chevy dealer has to offer. There are some amazingly comfortable cars in the Chevy line up. Check out the Traverse or the Malibu just to name a few.
What do you guys think? Think these tips will help you?
Hi, I'm Hagen Durant, General Manager of Classic Chevrolet in Grapevine, TX - I am a huge car and truck enthusiast and love talking cars. I'm a cyclist, health nut, father, geek, and drummer. I look forward to giving you great information about cars and trucks, driving tips, maintenance and so much more.
If you have any questions or would like to make suggestions feel free to email them to me at hagen@classicchevytexas.com
It’s summer time in Texas. Which means it’s very very hot outside. It may even be 112 degrees as your reading this. Texas summers are brutal and it can not only do a number on your car but it can do a number on you too! Consumer Reports put together some very very good information on driving in the summer heat that I thought was pretty good for my fellow Texans. I know it gets hot in other states too so read on and learn something! We want you to be safe, cool and relaxed when you are driving to visit your Dallas Chevy dealer!
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