 The little book that no one reads, but that can make you comfortable with your car. 1. How to Check Your FluidsYour car, as a machine needs lubrication and cooling to run optimally. For this, your car has been designed to run on specific fluids for your engine, gearbox, power steering, cooling system etc. Your car manual gives you specific details on these fluids and where they should be put in your car. It also tells you the exact quantity required for each system. Please note that using the wrong fluids can drastically cut short the life of the affect system in your car. More importantly, owners often need help locating where to measure fluids because the location can greatly differ between models.
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 Your guess is right, tires are made of Rubber, but in the name of safety, durability and performance, there are many more tire ingredients used in the production process. On average, a modern tire on a passenger car will contain up to 25 components and as many as 12 different rubber compounds.
 A vehicle’s air conditioning system does not create cold air, as some folks think. It actually takes the heat and moisture out of the air that is already in your car, leaving behind cooler air. Having a good understanding of how the components work can help to explain the process of air conditioning.
 We’ve compiled the following list of tips, with the intention of getting your ride gleaming with ease, protecting its appearance, and leaving more money in your pocket and time in your schedule.
You and your family may find your vehicles being driven far more infrequently than usual.
Leaving cars parked for long periods of time can have unforeseen consequences that can impact both the reliability and potentially safety of the vehicles. With so much uncertainty right now, you may not want to take your car off the road for such a long period. In today's blog we'll cover some common trouble spots to watch out for and give you simple solutions for keeping your car moving. Spring is coming and after a season of cold temperatures, harsh weather, and maybe some road salt, your car needs a little extra care. It’s our job to help make sure your car gets the right maintenance, offering personal service and excellent quality products at a fair price. Wave goodbye to winter and prepare for safe, warm weather driving with this easy spring car maintenance checklist we bring to you!  1. Schedule an oil and oil filter change. Why are oil changes important? Regularly scheduled oil changes help maintain a healthy engine. As motor oil lubricates and cools the engine, it naturally picks up impurities. This is good! What’s not so good, however, is that oil becomes less effective as it ages. That’s why regular oil and filter changes are so important. If it’s too old, your motor oil can’t do its job and protect your engine. Schedule an oil change at the start of spring to help your engine purr all season long. 2. Have your car battery tested and replaced, if necessary. After winter, your car battery might be on its deathbed. Low temperatures forced your battery to work harder by slowing down its chemical reactions. Now, high temperatures are right around the corner, ready to evaporate essential battery fluids and speed up corrosion. There’s a chance that one hot day could leave your battery DOA. Avoid the inconvenience of a car that won’t start by getting your car battery tested and if necessary, replaced, before it’s too late. 3. Check tire pressure and tread. Check your tire pressure in the morning before hitting the road for the day, and adjust your tires based on that reading. Your tire pressure should match the recommended tire pressure in your vehicle manual. Why bother checking tire pressure between winter and spring? Because fluctuations in temperature can also cause fluctuations in tire pressure. In general, tires lose or gain 1 PSI (pound per square inch) for every -12C change in temperature, and both under-inflated and over-inflated tires can cause problems on the road.  This is the perfect moment to check tire tread depth, too. Without sufficient tread, your tires can’t grip the road as they were designed to do. This could compromise your car’s handling in wet weather and your ability to come to a quick stop. Thankfully, you only need one thing to check tread depth (and it’s not fancy). Grab a penny and perform the penny test! WE TAKE PRIDE IN OFFERING PERSONAL SERVICE! 4. Replace your wiper blades and refill wiper fluid. Your wipers are probably looking worse for wear, especially if they spent months clearing away snow and ice. Perhaps they’re smearing water across the windshield, chattering, or just not doing their job. If a simple wiper cleaning doesn’t do the trick, then it’s time to replace your wiper blades to prepare for spring and summer rainstorms. Get ahead of the changing seasons (and the bugs that come with it) by topping off your wiper fluid, too. 5. Deep clean your lights and replace the bulbs, if necessary. You might need glasses if you’ve found yourself squinting while driving in the dark. Or, your lights might need a good scrubbing! Just like our cars get dirty, so do our headlights and tail lights. Polish hazy headlights with a soft toothbrush, baking soda and water to help them shine bright. If that doesn’t work, a quick bulb replacement should do the trick. Whether you’ll be driving across the country or across town this spring, bring your car to National Tire Wholesale. Our technicians only recommend maintenance and repairs to keep you and your car safe. Wheel balancing and wheel alignments are just some of the many services offered by National Tire Wholesale. Our technicians only recommend maintenance and repairs to keep you and your car safe.  GIVE US A TRY, YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!
If you are experiencing irregular tire wear, handling problems or a crooked steering wheel, an alignment check should be performed. Ignoring these signs can make your alignment problems more expensive to address down the road, can reduce the life of your tires, and can even cause driver assist systems to malfunction. Even without experiencing these problems, most vehicle manufacturers recommend checking your alignment every 10,000 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first.  Let's talk about the importance of wheel balancing and wheel alignments for your vehicle. Wheel balancing is important because wheels lose their balance over time. Factors concerning the weight distribution of your vehicle, road conditions and tread wear can cause an unevenness in the tires, which can then lead to further uneven tread wear. As a result, the vehicle might shake or vibrate while in use. When a technician balances the wheels, they typically apply a calibrated spin balancer, and will normally also test both the static (non-moving) and dynamic (moving) aspects of wheel balance. Any existing unevenness is corrected. Wheel balancing is a service that’s normally done when tires are rotated on the vehicle, or roughly every six to 12 months, depending on the vehicle and its use. Wheel alignment differs in that it involves an adjustment of the angle of the vehicle’s wheels. This is normally done based on the manufacturer’s recommended specifications. A wheel alignment usually includes a tire tread check along with the three basic components for measuring wheel orientation, involving the toe, camber and caster. Wheel alignments are generally recommended if the vehicle feels like it’s pulling to one side, if it has been involved in an accident, or during annual inspections. Since vehicle use will differ among drivers, there is no specific mileage or designated timeline for wheel alignments. For these reasons, the manufacturer’s recommendations as well as those of your automotive facility are likely to be the best sources of advice concerning alignments. Wheel alignments and wheel balancing are important for reasons that include the safe and efficient operation of your vehicle, including requirements for control in difficult road, weather and driving conditions, as well as to ensure that you benefit from the longest use of your tires. Wheel balancing and wheel alignments are just some of the many services offered by National Tire Wholesale. Our technicians only recommend maintenance and repairs to keep you and your car safe.  GIVE US A TRY, YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!
At National Tire Wholesale, we do our best to reduce our carbon footprint. This 2020 is not an exception and we bring to you some ways that you can reduce yours too!  Adjust your driving style.Try to accelerate and decelerate slowly. This will help you to use less gas and decrease the C02 emissions from your vehicle. Check your tires.Driving with under-inflated or over-inflated tires can reduce the fuel efficiency of your vehicle. Check your owner’s manual to determine the correct PSI of your tires and add or remove air as needed. The best time to check your tires is in the morning before you have driven your car because the temperature can fluctuate the reading. National Tire Wholesale has a tire for your every driving need! Check out the list of brands we carry: http://www.nationaltire.ca/tires.html
Get regular oil changes.Oil changes should be done every 5,000 – 10,000 km. Check your oil regularly and if it is getting low or murky. Get a tune-up.Ensuring that all of your vehicle’s parts are working effectively can help to increase your fuel efficiency. Our technicians only recommend maintenance and repairs to keep you and your car safe -you decide if you want to go ahead. These are some services we offer:
Remove the cargo rack.Remove the cargo rack from your vehicle when you aren’t using it. Adding extra weight to your vehicle will increase the amount of gas you use and the amount of C02 you’re putting in the atmosphere. Reduce the amount that you drive.When the weather is warmer, try to walk or ride your bike. You can also start a carpool to get work or get your kids to school or their after-school activities. The idea is to reduce the use of the car when situations on your lifestyle allow for it. Check your traffic apps.Check traffic apps before you leave the house to make sure that you’re using less gas by going the quickest route to your destination. By following these suggestions, you can increase your fuel efficiency and decrease your carbon footprint. If we all work together, we can all help to decrease C02 emissions. Do you have any other suggestions? Let us know! At National Tire Wholesale, you're in the driver's seat. Our technicians only recommend maintenance and repairs to keep you and your car safe.  GIVE US A TRY, YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!
In most areas of Canada, the winter season can significantly affect driving conditions, leaving you more prone to accidents. During the winter, even more so than other times of the year, it’s important to focus on defensive driving to protect yourself and keep your family safe and sound. Driving safely also helps keep your insurance rates down, while minimizing wear and tear on your vehicle. A big part of staying safe in the winter is making sure that your car is adequately prepared to handle whatever driving conditions you may face. Here are some steps you can take to prepare your vehicle and give yourself the best chance of staying safe over the winter months.  1. Make sure you have the right oil for your car.Check your owner’s manual for the right oil for your specific vehicle, but in general oil like 5W30 works better in cold weather conditions than thicker 10W30 or 10W40. The thinner the oil, the more easily it circulates to lubricate your engine in colder temperatures.  2. Make sure your battery is in good condition.
3. Check your tire pressure. Due to the colder air, your tire pressure tends to drop a little bit in the winter. Keeping your tires at the manufacturer’s recommended pressure makes your car easier to handle, making you safer on the roads and will even save you money by improving fuel economy! Most tires lose one pound per square inch for every 5 C drop in temperature, making it critical to regularly check pressure in winter. An improperly inflated tire can cause excessive wear on your tire’s tread, reduces traction for your car, and uses more gas. You can find the right tire pressure (psi) for your car in the driver-side door jamb, on a sticker in your glove compartment, or in the owner’s manual. 4. Make sure your windshield wipers are in good condition. Faulty windshield wipers can significantly impair your ability to see in wet weather conditions. If your wipers are bent, twisted or simply don’t clear your windshield adequately, then replace them. The rubber on winter blades is designed for extreme weather conditions and will help protect your windshield against ice, sleet, and snow so you can see the road clearly. Installing wiper blades is a snap to do, too. 5. Consider snow tires.If your area usually gets a significant amount of snow, it may be worth getting snow tires for your car during the winter months. Snow tires have deeper grooves that provide significantly more traction than all season tires, making them capable of stopping your car as much as 40% faster than all season tires. In addition, snow tires are made of a different type of rubber which allows them to maintain their flexibility even in very cold conditions. You’ll feel safer and more confident in your ability to adequately control your car, no matter what happens on the roads! Winter tires give a better grip and provide up to 50 percent better traction on cold, wet, icy, or frosty roads. Always check your owner’s manual for manufacturer recommendations and make sure you use a set of four identical tires. 6. Make sure your antifreeze mixture is correct.Your coolant should be a 50-50 combination of antifreeze and water. If you’re unsure, you can buy an inexpensive antifreeze tester at most auto part stores. Having less than 50% antifreeze can leave your engine vulnerable to freezing up. 7. Make sure you keep an emergency kit in your car at all times.A well stocked emergency kit can be a lifesaver if you find yourself stranded on a highway in the middle of nowhere. A proper winter emergency kit for your vehicle includes:
8. Keep your gas tank as full as possible.Not only does this prevent you from running out of gas and being stranded, it also lowers the chance that your gas lines will freeze up due to water vapours and condensation in very cold weather. 9. Take your car in for a tune up prior to the first snow fall.Keeping your car well maintained is a good idea at any time, but it’s especially important during the winter when driving conditions are poor and you may be taking lengthy trips for the holidays. Keeping your car in peak condition lowers your chances of getting stranded and gives you the peace of mind to know you’re prepared. 10. Have your brakes checked.
Our service includes but not limited to recommending maintenance and repairs to keep you and your car safe -you decide if you want to go ahead.  At National Tire Wholesale, you're in the driver's seat. Our technicians only recommend maintenance and repairs to keep you and your car safe.  Stay a little safer when you hit the road by preparing yourself & your vehicle. Make sure your vehicle is ready for cold weather and winter driving with these easy tips.  1. Get your car winter ready with a maintenance check up.Preventative maintenance is key. Make sure your battery, brakes, lights and fuses, cooling and heating systems, electrical and exhaust systems, and belts and hoses are in tip-top shape. 2. Air Conditioning.While few people think of air conditioning at this time of year in Canada, a properly functioning A/C system is actually a safety feature! When you need to defog your front window, which occurs frequently in our wet climate switching on your A/C will defrost the windshield in a fraction of the time that it takes without the A/C. You’ll also want to make sure your exhaust system is intact to avoid leaking exhaust pipes or mufflers which could cause carbon monoxide poisoning and decrease the efficiency of your vehicle. While you’re at it, make sure that block heater is still working. 3. Brighter Lights.If you find your night vision less than optimal (and it is not your eyes), consider options for brighter headlamps. 4. Fluids, Systems and Hardware.Check, change or top up all fluids. This includes everything from engine coolant and oil to windshield washer fluid and gas. You should always have at least half a tank of gas in the winter because you could be idling longer in traffic jams or in the ditch wanting to warm up with the engine running intermittently. Having a full tank also prevents condensation in your gas tank and lines which can be excessive with winter temperatures. 5. Blades, Battery, Brakes and Belts.Your wiper blades should be changed at least twice a year so they can effectively wipe away blowing snow and rain. Have your battery checked to see if it’s in good enough shape to get your car started and running through the winter. Optimum braking is critical in the winter when your car needs to perform on snow and ice so have them checked along with your engine belts and hoses while you’re at the shop. 6. Tires.Install winter tires. Your winter tires can go on as soon as temperatures hit 7 C. The special rubber compound in your winter tires allows them to stay flexible and grip snow and ice for optimum traction. Check your air pressure in all four tires and your spare tire. Cold air can make the pressure in your tire drop significantly, which can affect your vehicle’s ability to bite ice and snow. It’s a good idea to check the inflation of your spare as well and ensure your tire changing kit is on board and intact. 7. Emergency Supplies.Pack an emergency kit. Your kit should include some supplies for you and your passengers, including a first aid kit, bottled water, health bars, boots, gloves, and an extra winter coat. Remember to dress for winter every day. Even if it looks sunny and mild when you head out, you could be facing a blizzard on the way back. Your kit should also contain emergency supplies for your vehicle, including booster cables, extra oil and windshield washer fluid, lock de-icer, flashlight, flares or safety triangles, an ice scraper, a shovel, a bag of salt or gravel, and possibly even some chains for your tires. Did you know if you only have all-season tires, you are required by law to carry chains on certain highways and mountain passes?. At National Tire Wholesale, you're in the driver's seat. Our technicians only recommend maintenance and repairs to keep you and your car safe.  |
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