Simple Ways to Boost Gas Mileage

Gas prices are rising once more. All around the country, people are finding their trip to the fuel pump to be a shocking experience. When it costs as much to fill up the fuel tank on your SUV as to feed your family for a week, it’s time figure out some fuel saving techniques. Actually, there are several ways that you can make sure that you get the best possible gas mileage.

Tire Pressure

Another cause of poor fuel economy is low tire pressure. The lower your tire pressure is, the softer your tires are and the harder your car’s engine has to work to turn them. However, you don’t want to over inflate them either, as that leads to premature tire failure. Make sure you set your tire pressure to your automaker’s specifications (found on the driver side door placard).

Don’t Idle

One of the biggest wastes of gas is idling your engine. If you are going to get out of the car for more than 60 seconds, cut the engine off. Unless it is very cold, don’t warm your engine up for more than two minutes or so. Remember, your car is still burning gas when you idle, but it’s just being wasted. Don’t sit idle – turn off the engine.

Keep Driving

Another way to boost your gas mileage is to do all of your running around and errands at one time. If you’ll be going several places during the week, try to get them all done at one time. Shorter trips can often cost as much gas as longer ones, so combine as many as possible.

Consider Your Braking

To start boosting your gas mileage, you should also consider the way that you brake. If you are one of those people who stomps the brake pedal at the red light, stop. You should begin braking well before you need to stop. The same rule applies to driving in traffic – avoid speeding up and then slamming on your brakes, as you are only wasting gas.

What's a Little Guy?

While teardrop camper trailers have been around more than half a Century, the vast majority of the general public remains unaware of the concept.  In 2002, Little Guy burst onto the teardrop scene and has championed this unique trailer ever since.  Whether camping, traveling, or spending time outdoors hunting, fishing, or just enjoying nature, a teardrop trailer is the ideal size for the everyday man (or woman).

Manufactured in Sugarcreek, Ohio by skilled Amish craftsmen, each trailer is constructed with the highest quality of materials on the market.  Little Guy has the largest distribution network of any manufacturer of teardrop camper trailers in the world, with dealers located in over 30 US states and international dealers spread throughout Canada, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and Europe. We are constantly expanding our worldwide distribution network, bringing Little Guy Teardrop Camper Trailers to the masses.

Every trailer has an alufiber roof with either fiberglass (Little Guy) or aluminum (Silver Shadow) sidewalls.  In addition, both feature a set of double locking entry doors with slider window and screens that provide safety as well as privacy.
On a Little Guy, alloy mag wheels are paired with aluminum fenders giving the trailer a crisp, sporty presentation.  Meanwhile the classic Silver Shadow, black steel wheels with baby moon hubcaps are complemented by ½ circle or retro teardrop fiberglass fenders with black( or optional white) wall tires.

The interior of a Little Guy features white cabinetry & headliner with carpeted walls & linoleum flooring. In addition, every trailer has lights, a large roof vent, and a custom tri-fold mattress.  The retro Silver Shadow, on the other hand, offers all of the same amenities but also features 12v-110 power standard, 100% birch wood interior and a full sized galley all set to serve as your kitchenette.
Every teardrop trailer comes with a front mounted metal screen cargo area or rectangular platform, making it ideal for a cooler, a portable ac/heat unit, gas generator or a even a couple of bicycles.
Every Little Guy has a wide range of options and accessories for just about any outdoor enthusiast’s needs.  From the power package, which allows you to have full power features whether you are camping at a park with electrical hook up or out in the remote wilderness, to  A/C and Heat to TV-DVD-Radios to tailgating set ups featuring a rear-mounted grill to camouflaged trailers to window shades to our custom side mount tent -- Little Guy has everything that you can possibly imagine related to teardrop camping.  Little Guy Teardrop Camper Trailers are easy to tow with virtually any vehicle and most importantly, they are practical, attractive, economical, affordable, and a whole lot of fun!
Discover the excitement of owning a Little Guy Teardrop Camper Trailer. See what it is like to really enjoy spending time with family and friends, without worrying about the high fuel prices or repair work and maintenance that are involved in driving a motor home or towing an RV.

Oil. Why does it matter?

When it comes to routine maintenance, changing your oil is one of the more inexpensive services. Despite its relatively low cost, oil plays a vital, multifaceted role in your engine, and spending a little money on routine oil changes can help prevent you from forking over large sums of cash down the road.

Engine oil provides key functions in a modern internal combustion engine. It helps keep engine components working smoothly together.

It's typically a lubricant to keep the moving parts separated by an oil film.

The inside of an engine — a place where there are thousands of controlled detonations happening every minute — can be a hot place, and oil helps draw heat away from the combustion chamber. Lastly, it helps prevent carbon and varnishes from accumulating in the engine.

What if I Don't Change My Oil?

If you're reading this article, you're probably not one to skip a few oil changes, but you might be wondering what might happen to your car's engine if you did. In short, it's not pretty.

One of the problems is that there will begin to be build-up in the cooler parts of the engine, like the crankcase and around the camshafts and valves.

You would get the carbon deposits, the sludge as you would call it, coming out of the old oil. To clean the engine would be relatively expensive because it would require taking parts off.

It can get to the point where it's so thick that it can't be pumped. You can start to wear out your piston rings. Once those begin to wear it's not easy and not inexpensive to fix that problem.

It can get worse. The pistons could eventually seize or the camshafts could be damaged. Getting a bill for either one of these repairs would make even a few high-quality oil changes look like pocket change. Regular oil changes are like "really cheap insurance" for your engine.

Buick's E-assist Fuel Efficient Technology

FUEL-EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGY

Buick’s innovative eAssist Technology improves your vehicle’s fuel efficiency by adding a compact electric motor and state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery to a 2.4L four-cylinder ECOTEC engine, improving fuel economy by an estimated 25%. The 2012 LaCrosse and Regal are the first vehicles available with eAssist Technology.

Buick’s eAssist Technology is about improving fuel efficiency through innovations like:

• An automatic start/stop technology that shifts from gas to electric power and back seamlessly-conserving fuel. When you step off the brake, the engine restarts instantly-lag free.

• A process called regenerative braking, which transforms your vehicle’s forward momentum into energy when you slow or come to a stop.

• A state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery pack stored in the trunk, which uses the energy created via regenerative braking to power the radio, climate control, and other accessories whenever the engine operates in auto stop mode.

In fact, the 2012 LaCrosse gets better highway fuel economy than the Lexus HS and Infiniti M Hybrid.²

The 2012 Regal with eAssist Technology will offer better fuel economy than Acura TSX, Audi A4, and the Volkswagen CC.⁴

It’s the combination of simple ideas and innovative technology that helps Buick make 36 MPG HWY⁵ a reality on the road. That means you can enjoy more time driving and fewer stops at the pump.

The Power Flow Display in the center of your instrument cluster shows you what Buick eAssist Technology is doing to improve your vehicle’s fuel efficiency as it happens. See when your battery is charging, when your engine is in start/stop mode, or when the electric motor is giving you a boost.


Get instant feedback on how fuel efficiently you are driving with the ECO Gauge located under the speedometer in your vehicle’s instrument cluster. You can achieve maximum fuel economy by keeping the needle in the middle of the ECO gauge. Accelerate or brake too aggressively, and the needle moves to the right or left. Keep the needle in the middle as much as possible, and eAssist technology will do the rest.

About Warranty Forever at Becker Buick GMC

Frequently Asked Questions by Warranty Forever Customers:

Q: How do I make a claim if I have a breakdown?A: Contact the dealer where you purchased the vehicle. They will handle it all from there! If you have any questions that you would like to ask us directly, you may call 1-800-810-8458 and speak with a claims specialist. Q: When are the claims specialists available to take my call?A: Claim specialists are available Monday - Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday to answer all of your questions. Q: Is there a deductible that I need to pay when making a claim?A: There is no deductible on the program. All parts and labor are covered 100%. Q: How do I know what maintenance is required to keep my Warranty Forever contract in force?A: It is required that you maintain the vehicle with the selling dealer or a pre-authorized facility in accordance to the Manufacturer's Recommended Maintenance Schedule. To check to see the maintenance required for each particular make and model, please click here: Edmunds Recommended Maintenance. If you have any further questions, please contact a Claims Specialist at 1-800-810-8458. Q: How do I locate a dealer that offers a Warranty Forever Contract on a car I would like to purchase?
A: You can locate a dealer by emailing us at support@nwan.com or by calling 1-800-810-8458. Q: What if I am traveling out of town and need to have a maintenance service performed while I am traveling?A: Although you are required to perform every Manufacturer’s Recommended Maintenance with your selling dealer or a facility which has been preauthorized, you may call us at 1-800-810-8458 and PRE-AUTHORIZE any maintenance service to be performed while you are traveling or not at the selling dealer. If you need assistance with this you may also contact your selling dealer’s service department for details. Q: What if I am traveling out of town and have a breakdown that would be covered under my Warranty Forever Contract?A: Although you are required to have all repairs performed at your selling dealer, if you are over 150 miles or more away from your selling dealer, you may take your vehicle to any licensed repair facility to have your repair work completed. You may call us at 1-800-810-8458 for assistance or you may contact your selling dealer’s service department for details. Please remember - all out of state repair service must be preauthorized or the repairs performed by an outside dealer will not be accepted. Q: If my car breaks down and the breakdown is covered by the Warranty Forever Contract given to me by my selling dealer, am I required to pay for the repair and then wait to be reimbursed?A: No, all repairs are paid by National Warranty Administration Network (NWAN) by credit card. Please be sure that all repairs are authorized prior to the repair being completed. All unauthorized repairs will not be covered. Q: What if I need to be towed or need a rental car while my car is being repaired?A: Towing and rental car coverage is not provided by your Warranty Forever contract. However, if you purchased an extended service contract, your extended service contract will most likely provide that coverage for you.
Q: What is a licensed repair facility?A: Any repair facility or dealership that employs ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) technicians. ASE technicians are certified through a national non-profit organization to ensure the technicians competency in many areas of the automotive industry. Repair establishments with at least one ASE technician are permitted to display the ASE sign. Motorists should look for facilities that display the ASE Blue Seal of Excellence® logo.

Q: Is a facility ASE certified?
A: No, not exactly. As mentioned earlier, the technicians themselves obtain these certifications. The facility itself is not certified, however, businesses with a high level of commitment to ASE (75 percent of service personnel certified) are entitled to a special "Blue Seal of Excellence" recognition from ASE. You will sometimes see this logo displayed inside the facility waiting area.

Q: How do I know if an ASE certified technician will be the one working on my vehicle?
A: One of the advantages to taking your vehicle to a licensed repair facility is that if an ASE certified technician is not the individual working on your vehicle (say, for an oil change), they are still available to assist and oversee the work being performed. This ensures that the maintenance is being performed properly, and to the manufacturer’s recommended specification.

What is a powertrain warranty?

Here at Becker Buick GMC, nearly all of the vehicles we sell come with our exclusive Lifetime Powertrain Warranty Forever.  What is a powertrain warranty, you ask?

A powertrain warranty covers all or part of the powertrain of a vehicle, which is made up of the engine, transmission and drivetrain.  Essentially, the powertrain is the system that powers the car, and then transfers that power to the transmission, then finally to the wheels of the car.  When a mechanical problem occurs with a covered part of a powertrain, the manufacturer or warranty company may pay to have it repaired, if all requirements are met by the customer to uphold their warranty.

Buick Regal GS Turbo

We will be getting in another Buick Regal GS Turbo soon, we have had so many people interested in this car that we can't keep them on our showroom floor.  In the meantime, to tide you over, here is a great review & article that was in our very own hometown Spokesman Review newspaper.  Enjoy! 

http://www.spokesmanreview.com/auto/auto.asp?sid=3391