If you know us at B Squared you know we have a lot of fun with a bit of business on the side. This blog is so that you can see what we are up to funny or not and the ridiculous situations that we get ourselves into. This also will include my new adventure in networking. So ENJOY!
Can you drive straight? Is it hard to drive straight? If you ignore this problem, its not going to go away. This problem can get worse overtime, it can wear out your tires quickly, and your vehicle becomes unsafe. This situation is not good. Since your car is probably out of alignment these issues can lead to hundreds of dollars to replace your tires and suspension repair. Its recommended that you get an alignment check every 6 months or 6,000 miles.
If you have uneven wear on your tires, off center steering wheel while driving, your vehicle is swaying, drifting, your vehicle is pulling to the right or left, there is vibration, or noise is coming from your tires, you want to get your vehicle checked out. You might need service to your vehicles alignment, steering, drivetrain or suspension system.
Watch your tires. Your car waste fuel when your tires aren't inflated or you have a bad alignment this forces your engine to work tons harder. Wheels that are out of lined, you might have have uneven tread wear.
When checking your tires let your tires cool down before you check the air pressure.
Remove Excess Weight Remove all the unnecessary things from your vehicle. This will help with better gas mileage.
Avoid Excessive Idling When you are not in your car turn off the engine, simple as that. While waiting for friends or family members to join you on your car adventure.
Think before going out Consolidate your errands and trips. If you can do this you will help yourself in the long run. The continuous stop and go waste fuel.
Drive the Speed Limit Listen to your mother and go the speed limit. Basically, when you speed you waste your fuel.
Drive Nicer That sudden acceleration or that sudden stop has you wasting fuel. Adjust your speed gradually. You don't want to have your gas guzzled up. Do you?
Use windows and your air conditioning smarter If you are on the highway keep your windows closed; those highway speeds make your car work harder if your window is open. Use your air conditioner. Now in stop and go traffic put those windows down.
Keep your engine up to date Take care of your engine. Always get an oil change ( this is basically the heart of your car) Following the service schedules listed in your owners manual. Replace the oil filters, air filters, all of your fluids, and of course make sure you have those tires at the right pressure.
You may have an alignment problem if your car drifts or pulls to one side, your steering wheel’s off center, you have uneven tire wear or your car doesn’t feel like it handles right as you travel around Florida.
When all of your Seminole vehicle’s wheels are lined up exactly with each other, your wheels are in alignment. Running into potholes, smacking a curb or other Seminole street hazard are great ways to knock your car out of alignment. Then one or more of your wheels starts pulling in a slightly different direction and the problems begin.
Driving for an extended time when you’re out of alignment causes your tires to wear unevenly and excessively. Sometimes the tire can be worn so badly that it will fail.
At the very least, you’ll have to replace your tires sooner. You could end up with premature wear to your suspension system, which can be really expensive.
The front wheel alignment is adjustable on all vehicles, and the back wheels are also adjustable on some cars.
Now, let’s talk about some alignment basics. Wheels are adjustable for toe, caster and camber. The ideal alignment for your car was designed by its engineers.
So, what is involved in an alignment check at B Squared Automotive, LLC? First, there’s an inspection of the steering and suspension to see if anything is bent or broken. Tire condition will also be evaluated.
From there, the vehicle is put on an alignment rack and we take an initial alignment reading.
If all four wheels are adjustable, they are lined up perfectly parallel with the vehicle’s centerline. If the back wheels aren’t adjustable, the direction they push is determined and the front wheels are aligned to match.
Like most things, your Seminole vehicle manufacturer has suggested a mileage interval for having your alignment checked. But if you run into a curb, pothole or something else that’s given you a big jolt, pay attention to whether your vehicle is pulling to one side when you drive. It’s better to have your alignment checked before waiting to see if there is uneven tire tread wear – by then, the damage is done.
Getting your alignment checked when needed is a great way to extend the life of your tires and suspension parts. It also makes sure that your tire meets the road properly for maximum performance and safety.
Come in to B Squared Automotive, LLC for an alignment inspection and we'll let you know how things look. You can call ahead for an appointment by calling (727) 209-3500.
North Americans love their cars. And nothing goes with cars better than the road trip. Freedom from daily schedules, new sights and the open road – it’s great! But there’s nothing like car trouble to bring the fun to a grinding halt.
Now you can’t always avoid problems, but you can take steps to reduce the probability of getting sidelined on your trip. The first step is to look at your trip plan from your vehicle’s perspective. What kind of roads will you be traveling – winding byways or super-highways? Mountains or plains? What weather conditions are you likely to encounter? How many miles will you travel? How much weight will you be hauling – passengers and luggage? Lugging a trailer or roof top carrier? Will it be dusty?
Armed with the answers to these questions, you can start a trip inspection to help you prepare your Seminole vehicle for your big adventure. A lot of our Seminole customers prefer to go through this exercise with an automotive service advisor at B Squared Automotive, LLC to get their input and make sure they haven’t left anything out.
A great place to start is with the tires. Inspect them for tread wear and proper inflation. Is it time to rotate your tires? Replace them? Are they up to the job – you wouldn’t want to drive regular highway tires on a muddy off-road adventure.
Shocks and struts play a major role in both driving comfort and safety. If they need to be replaced, you’ll really be glad you did once you hit the road. Is it time for a wheel alignment? Fighting a car that’s pulling to one side all day can be tiring and dangerous.
And don’t forget your brakes. Any strange noises, grabbing, soft or hard peddle feel? If there is any doubt, get a brake inspection before you leave.
Moving under the hood, have your belts and hoses inspected. If something is excessively worn or near failure, the stress of a long road trip might just be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
Your engine air filter will be important. For every gallon of gas you burn, your car will filter and use 12,000 gallons of air. If the filter needs to be changed, you’ll notice the fuel savings on your trip.
How close are you to your next oil change? Will you be able to complete your trip before it’s due? If not, just get it taken care of before you go so that you don’t need to interrupt your trip. In fact, a full service oil change is a great idea because they will top off all your fluids and check to see if any other maintenance items are due, such as transmission or cooling system service.
Do you notice any unusual odors in your vehicle? If so, it could as harmless as a dirty cabin air filter. But if it’s an exhaust leak it could be fatal on a long trip. Of course you’ll want to be comfortable, so get an air conditioning service if you aren’t getting the cold air you used to.
Are you wiper blades still working well? If not, that is quick and inexpensive to fix. Headlamps are often overlooked when planning for a trip. If you haven’t changed the bulb in six months or so, replacement bulbs will really light up the night on your trip.
All the items mentioned are part of any good vehicle maintenance plan. These are things that you want to take care of anyway, but they all come into focus as you plan for your trip.
They will always save you money in the long run and may prevent inconvenient delays on your trip. After all, you wouldn’t want to miss the world’s largest ball of string, would you?
Your car might have an alignment problem if: it drifts or pulls to one side, your steering wheel's off center, you have uneven tire wear or your car doesn't feel like it handles right. When all of a vehicle's wheels are lined up exactly with each other, your wheels are in alignment. Running into potholes, smacking a curb or other object are great ways to knock your car out of alignment. Then one or more of your wheels starts pulling in a slightly different direction and the problems begin.
Driving for an extended time when you're out of alignment causes your tires to wear unevenly and excessively. This can be dangerous and expensive. You'll have to replace your tires sooner, but even worse - you may cause premature wear to your suspension system, which can be really expensive.
The front wheel alignment is adjustable on all vehicles, and the back wheels are also adjustable on some cars. The adjustment can go three different ways. The first adjustment is called toe. The next adjustment is called camber. And finally, there is castor. The engineers who designed your vehicle determined the alignment settings that will give you the best handling and safety.
There are several things involved in an alignment check. First, there's an inspection of the steering and suspension - it should be checked to see if anything's bent or broken. Then the tire condition needs to be inspected. From there, the vehicle is put on an alignment rack and an initial alignment reading is taken. If all four wheels are adjustable, they are lined up perfectly parallel with the vehicle's center line. If the back wheels aren't adjustable, the technician determines the direction they push and then aligns the front wheels to match.
Like most things, your manufacturer has suggested a mileage interval for having your alignment checked. But if you run into a curb, pothole or something else that's given you a big jolt, pay attention to whether your vehicle is pulling to one side when you drive. It's better to have your alignment checked before waiting to see if there is uneven tire tread wear - by then, the damage is done.
Getting your alignment checked when needed is a great way to extend the life of your tires and suspension parts. It also makes sure that your tire meets the road properly for maximum performance and safety. For more information about alignment, call B Squared Automotive, LLC at (727) 209-3500.