There’s nothing like the smell of a new Chevy, and there’s really no better way to describe the smell other than “new”. It’s no wonder they sell “new car” scented air fresheners and sprays. I remember the day when my new Chevy stopped smelling new. In fact, it smelt funky. I immediately knew I had either left food or something else in the car causing that smell, and I was determined to get rid of it and have my Chevy back to smelling new.
Because the cabins of our Chevys are enclosed and small compared to our houses, the smallest odor can stink up the entire car and make it miserable to drive in. So how can we get rid of these odors and prevent them from coming back? First, be sure you lock your windows and doors to prevent rain and bugs from getting inside the vehicle. If you’ve never done this before, good for you. Let me be the first to tell you that it doesn’t smell like a rain-scented Glade candles. In fact, it smells like mildew.
Second, if you’re a smoker, be sure to roll down your window when you smoke. Cigarette smoke clings to cotton fabrics like crazy. It’s also a good idea to crack all four windows half an inch for at least five minutes after you finish your cigarette. This will help air out the vehicle.
Next up, don’t leave any food in your car! A few hours is okay, but overnight or longer and you’ll be smelling your left-over, Olive Garden that’s now room temperature for a week.
When it comes to odor prevention, the best and most obvious thing to do is keep your car clean. If you are experiencing one though, you can try using baking soda or charcoal to get rid of the smell. For the baking soda route, simply buy a small to medium box and leave it in the car overnight. For a more effective result, spread the baking soda around a bit, but remember you’ll have to vacuum it up later. If you want to give the charcoal method a try, grab several different sizes from nearly powdered to rock-like. Put them in a basin and leave it overnight.
Both baking powder and charcoal will absorb the odors in your car. But if neither of them work, you can also give your car a deep clean or take it in and have it detailed. After all, they don’t make new car scents for nothing. And if you have a brand new Chevy truck or car, I can guarantee you’ll want to keep that new smell for as long as possible.
When it comes to DIY car maintenance, there are several things that every Dallas Ft Worth used Chevrolet owner should know how to do. At the top of that list is knowing how to check the fluid levels in your car. Those of you who have owned a car for a decade or two most likely know how to do this. But I’m sure there are some drivers out there who have never even opened the hood of their car and therefore, probably didn’t even know you could easily check the oil and transmission levels. Not to worry, that’s why I’m here.
The average passenger vehicle is equipped with a dipstick for the engine oil and another for the transmission fluid under the hood. The exact location of these two will vary from vehicle to vehicle, but they are both fitted with a round handle which will help you grasp and pull them out. The engine oil dipstick is almost always located next to the engine and the transmission dipstick is usually somewhere behind that with either a “transmission” or “ATF” label. If you’re having a hard time locating either one, check your owner’s manual or give us call.
Now that you’ve located the engine and transmission dipsticks, grab a few paper towels and go ahead and pull one of the sticks all the way out. Using a paper towel, wipe off any fluids on the stick and then completely reinsert the stick back into its slot. Now pull the stick out again, but don’t wipe anything off this time. Here’s what you’ll be looking for:
Engine Oil:
Look for the minimum and maximum mark. The oil should be in the middle of these two marks. If it’s low, you will definitely need to add at least a quart of oil. Be sure not to overfill, though. Doing so could cause a lot of damage.
Transmission Fluid:
The fluid should reach the “full” line. If it doesn’t, you could be at risk of some serious engine problems in the future. You may want to give us a call or swing by and let us take look.
Remember, having your fluids at the proper level will help your vehicle run at optimum conditions and prevent future issues. If either one of you fluid levels are low, give Classic Chevrolet a call or make an appointment online. They’ll be happy to show you how to properly add fluids and take car of anything else you may be experiencing in your new or used Chevy.
Have you ever been driving down the highway or side street and noticed that your car is pulling toward the left or right? If this hasn’t happened to you, be thankful. It’s pretty unsettling to take your hands off the wheel for a second and then realize your halfway into the next lane. Granted, you should never take your hands off the wheel, but let’s face it; it does happen occasionally, and normally your vehicle should continue in a straight path. Unless you’re driving through a storm with high winds or you’re driving out west to see a Red Raider football game, the wheel alignment in yourChevrolet truck or car is probably off.
So how exactly does this happen? The answer is simple: cars become unaligned when the suspension gets knocked from its correct location. The majority of the time this is due to running into or over a curb. It can also be caused by suspension wear due to age, potholes or any other suspension jarring. The common signs that your alignment is off include your car pulling or drifting away, rapid or uneven tire wear and the spokes of your steering wheel being to the right or left. If you’re driving down a straight and level road and your aren’t in high winds, the Chevrolet bow tie logo in the middle of your steering wheel should be straight. If you’re having to hold the steering wheel to the right or left, your alignment is probably off. Check out this video showing other signs of a need wheel alignment.
So Dallas Fort Worth Chevy drivers, are you experiencing any of these things? If so, you should probably bring your car in to have the alignments adjusted so that the wheels are positioned correctly relative to the vehicle’s frame. Even if you’re not sure, better safe than sorry. The experts over at Classic Chevrolet Texas want to ensure that you have proper wheel alignment so you get the most tread wear and performance from your tires. You can even schedule an appointment online. Wheel adjustments will help maximize the life of your tires and stop your car from making an unwanted lane change on those DFW highways.
Hey Dallas Ft Worth Chevy drivers, are your headlights looking a little foggy lately? Maybe they aren’t shining as brightly as they used to? Over time, the brightness of headlights can be affected because the outside cover becomes oxidized. This gives them a foggy and sometimes yellow look. In severely oxidized headlights, you can’t even see the bulb any more. This also causes your headlights to be less bright, which can affect your visibility when driving during the night.
Now before you get ready to head to yourChevrolet Dealer in Ft Worth for a new set of headlights, try this simple and cheap solution using only Crest toothpaste, a cloth and water.
Apply a nickel-size amount of the toothpaste (make sure it’s paste and not gel) to the plastic cover of the headlight. Then, with a dry cloth, rub in a circular motion until the toothpaste is completely rubbed in. You should start to notice the grime wipe away. Once it’s all rubbed in, rinse the headlight with water and wipe away any residual paste with a wet cloth.
It’s so simple, it’s almost hard to believe, right? Well, here’s video proof that it actually does work!
Have any of youChevy owners in DFW tried this before? Let us know if it worked for you!
Hey DFW Camaro lovers, I have some exciting news. Earlier today, Chevrolet announced that its most-powerful convertible ever, the 2013 Camaro ZL1, will debut at the LA Auto show next month. According to a press release issued by General Motors, this Camaro will deliver more performance and technology than many exotic cars and ultra-luxury convertibles. I told you I had exciting news!
The ZL1 will be powered by a 580-horsepower LSA 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 engine, so I’m sure Camaro Chief Engineer, Al Oppenheiser, wasn’t kidding when he said, “This is a car that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face every time you drop the top – or hit the gas.”
The convertible will share all its characteristics and engine parts with the 2012 ZL1 coupe model which recently lapped the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife course in 7:41.27 minutes. The only changes we’ll see are a tower brace under the hood, a transmission reinforcement brace, an underbody tunnel brace and a set of X and V braces under the body. All of these are aimed at stiffening the chassis to better handle and apply all the power the LSA generates. Check out this video of the 2012 Camaro ZL1 at Nordschleife.
Are you getting excited yet? The ZL1 convertible will most likely be available for purchase in the late months of 2012. Until then, I’ll be sure to keep you posted on the latest updates!
We’ve all heard of the dangers of texting while driving time and time again, but there are still those who continue to do it. Hopefully, my fellow Chevy DFW drivers out there have taken this matter seriously. If not, time to listen up. A new study coming to us from the Aggies shows these dangers are far worse than most experts believe.
Earlier this week, the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI), an agency of the Texas A&M University System, released a report revealing that reading or sending a text message while driving doubles a driver’s reaction time. The study consisted of 42 drivers between the ages of 16 and 54.
First, participants were asked to drive a course with and without texting, and their reaction times to a periodic flashing light were recorded. Without texting, reaction times fell between one and two seconds. With texting, the reaction times doubled to three and four seconds. Furthermore, drivers were more than 11 times likely to miss the light all together when texting.
As the drivers’ reaction times were being recorded, their ability to maintain proper lane position and speed was also being measured. The results showed that drivers were less able to:
safely maintain their position in the driving lane when they were texting. Plus, their swerving was worse in the open sections of the course.
maintain a constant speed while texting, tending to slow down in an effort to reduce the demand of the multiple tasks. By slowing down, a driver gains more time to correct for driving errors (such as the tendency to swerve while texting). Speed variance was also greater for texting drivers than for non-texting drivers.
[tti.tamu.edu]
Christine Yager, an associate transportation researcher in TTI’s Center for Transportation Safety who managed the study said, “Most research on texting and driving has been limited to driving simulators. This study involved participants driving an actual vehicle. So one of the more important things we know now that we didn’t know before is that response times are even slower than we previously thought.”
Research doesn’t lie, friends. It’s a fact that texting while driving slows reaction time. So why risk you an accident in your new Chevyto send or read a measly little text message? Surely your life is worth than that.
Even if you’re not a fan of The Fast and The Furious movie franchise, you’ve got to at least check out the fifth movie, Fast Five, for the cars alone. The list is long and ranges from 1960s classics to 2011 models. I’m sure you won’t be surprised to know that my favorite on the list is the 1965 Chevy Corvette Grand Sport. You could probably say I’m a little biased, but even Dennis McCarthy, one of the most well-known picture car coordinators in the business, calls it the “Hero Car”. And with good reason.
Built by Mongoose Motorsports, this replica of a Grand Sport features the Chevrolet 502 big block backed by a Borg Warner Super T-10 four-speed transmission and rides on CS Corvette suspension. Here’s a breakdown of the car’s role in the movie from Dennis McCarthy himself.
According to McCarthy, all of the Fast Five vehicles had a pretty rough life on set. The only ones still drivable were the Hero and two stunt cars. If you haven’t seen the movie yet and you’re a car lover like me, I definitely recommend you check it out. Here’s a scene from the movie featuring the Corvette. Enjoy!
There’s nothing worse than the feeling you get when you’re being pulled over. Whether or not you’ve broken a traffic law or may have a headlight out you’re unaware of, it can be stressful seeing those red and blues flashing behind you. If you know how to handle the situation, it’ll be easier for you to remain calm and possibly up your chances of receiving a ticket.
First and foremost when you see the police’s lights behind you, signal and pull over to the side of the road. Make sure you pull as far over to the right as possible without putting your entire vehicle in the grass. Be sure you don’t do this too quickly though, you don’t want the officer to have to slam on his brakes.
Once you’ve pulled over, go ahead and turn off the car. Roll your window down and place your hands on the wheel. If it’s night time, turn on one of the interior lights. A lot of times people will have their license and registration ready for the officer by the time he gets there. However, I would recommend waiting until he asks you for it. That way, it doesn’t look like you are rummaging about in the vehicle.
When the officer comes to your window, don’t speak first. I’m sure you’ve all seen people in movies saw “What seems to be the problem, officer?” This can come off sarcastic or cocky regardless of how you meant it. Answer all of the officer’s questions with “yes, sir” or “yes, mam”. This is common courtesy in any situation.
I’ve heard that one of the first things officers learn is to make up their minds on whether or not to give a ticket before leaving their vehicle. However, you have nothing to lose by being extremely polite and cooperative. You never know, you may be let off with a warning for your little four mph over offense in your new Chevy.
Electric cars are still pretty new to the states and so it’s only natural that people have questions and may be confused. The new, two-part 2012 Chevy Volt ad addresses this very issue in a brilliant way. Check out part one.
What makes the Chevy Volt so unique is it’s ability to switch between running on electricity and gasoline. In fact, it’s the first automobile with this ability. Not only does the Volt have an on-board electric source allowing you to drive gas-free, it also has an onboard gas generator that produces electricity giving you an additional 375 miles on a full tank of gas!
With all of these options comes choices. Do I drive on electric, gas or both? The answer is simple, let the Volt decide for you! That’s right, the car is actually programmed to give a choice of the three driving modes for the most efficient trip. You can also download an app that will give you real-time data on your battery level!
I’m telling you guys, the Volt brings an entire new meaning to term hybrid. Here’s the second part of Chevy’s gas station commercials. Enjoy!
For the past few years, fuel economy has been a smoking hot topic in the auto industry. Automakers have constantly tried to outdo each other in mpg numbers and we’ve definitely started to see a stronger presence of hybrids and electric cars. So it’s only fitting that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) would make one of the biggest changes to fuel economy labels since they were created back in the seventies.
Not only will you now find an estimate of how much you will spend or save on fuel for the next five years (4), you’ll also get an estimate of how much it will cost you to drive 100 miles (5). But wait! There’s still more. You can compare vehicles by how much it will cost you in gasoline annually (6) and how other vehicles in it’s class measure up (3).
One of my favorite new editions though is the SmartPhone integration. Each label has a unique QR Code® (quick response) that you can scan into your phone. Of course, you’ll have to download the free app first, but after that you’ll be able to make even more comparisons and do personal calculations. See what else you can do in the video below.
If fuel economy weighs heavy on your buying decision list, then I’d definitely recommend downloaded this app. After all, most of you are going to be driving that new Chevy in DFW for quite some time and it’s cool to see the potential savings before they even happen.
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
There’s nothing like the smell of a new Chevy, and there’s really no better way to describe the smell other than “new”. It’s no wonder they sell “new car” scented air fresheners and sprays. I remember the day when my new Chevy stopped smelling new. In fact, it smelt funky. I immediately knew I had either left food or something else in the car causing that smell, and I was determined to get rid of it and have my Chevy back to smelling new.
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