by silsautocom on September 2, 2010
Light is the life of our visual capability! Without light, our eyes are useless. Most drivers have experienced taking on the wheel during low visibility periods such as night time and precipitation.
Using your headlights whenever your vehicle engine is running is especially important this time of year when it’s getting darker out sooner and the weather is not reliable. Using your headlights is a safety feature that helps you avoid accidents on the road!
Sil’s Auto Care wants to protect your car and give you the reliability of clear light when you are driving!
Headlights Question & Answer
Have you looked at your lenses?
Do they look faded?
Do you struggle to have clean vision at night with headlights on?
Would you like to save money with a headlight restoration versus complete replacement?
Sil’s Complete Auto Care Centre is offering a FREE Headlight Condition Inspection and $20.00 Off Headlight Aiming! Call for details.
BG LenzSaver Headlight Restoration Video
See a quick demo on what Headlight Restoration can do for your vehicle! Click here to watch the video!
by silsautocom on July 21, 2010
It’s relatively easy for most vehicle owners to determine when their tires, brakes and windshield wipers are worn out. Shocks and struts, on the other hand, aren’t nearly as simple to inspect, in spite of the fact that these safety-critical components are highly susceptible to everyday wear and tear.
Experts recommend replacement of automotive shocks and struts at 120,000 kilometers. Testing has shown that original equipment gas-charged shocks and struts degrade measurably by 120,000kms kilometers*. For many popular-selling vehicles, replacing these worn shocks and struts can improve the vehicle’s handling characteristics and comfort.
*Actual mileage may vary, depending upon driver ability, vehicle type, and the type of driving and road conditions.
STEERING
Worn shocks and struts can allow excessive body roll when turning, which affects the vehicle’s ability to safely steer around objects in the road.
STOPPING
Worn shocks and struts can allow too much weight transfer to the front wheels during braking, which could result in a measurable increase in stopping distance.
STABILITY
Worn shocks and struts can allow excessive roll, sway and bounce while the vehicle is in motion, which reduces the driver’s control.
Like most safety-critical chassis components, shocks and struts do wear out over the course of normal operation. The rate of wear depends on a wide range of variables, such as road and environmental conditions, your driving style and vehicle load.
In general, however, shocks and struts wear so gradually that the negative effects – reduced steering precision, stopping performance and/or vehicle stability – might not be easily recognized in normal driving conditions. In addition to these safety concerns, worn shocks and struts could negatively affect:
- passenger comfort
- rate and pattern of tire wear
- dynamic wheel alignment
- brake life
- durability of other chassis parts
Sils Complete Auto Care wants you to Ride Safe.
The next time you get in your vehicle – check your odometer and also check to see if you are experiencing any of the symptoms above. Are you possibly driving on worn shocks and struts?
by silsautocom on December 17, 2009
Be sure to be safe this winter season! Bring your car or truck in to Sil’s Auto Centre and take advantage of our Winter Maintenance Special (
click here for coupon).
Winter Maintenance Special includes:
- Oil and filter service
- Multi-point inspection, including brakes
- Coolant Flush Service
- Inspection of all heater and radiator hoses
- Tire inspection, rotation and balance (if needed)
- Check and top off all underhood and vital fluids
- And more!
And while you’re out there on the roads, keep these following tips in mind:
- Make certain your tires are properly inflated.
- Drive with your headlights on.
- Avoid using cruise control or overdrive. Don’t let your car make a bad decision for you.
- Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze-up.
- If you lose traction and your vehicle feels like it’s floating, gradually slow down. Don’t slam on the brakes.
- Use caution when driving on bridges or concrete highways. These surfaces are the first to freeze and become slippery when the temperature drops.
- Slow down in advance of shaded areas, especially on curves. Shaded areas are cooler and may have ice that is difficult to see.
- Don’t pass snowplows or sanders, and don’t follow them too closely.
- Don’t get overconfident with four-wheel drive. It won’t help you stop any faster.
- Winter road conditions often result in longer stopping distances. Give yourself room. If you have anti-lock brakes, press the pedal down firmly and hold it. If you don’t have anti-lock brakes, gently pump the pedal.
- Slow down when approaching intersections, off-ramps, bridges or shady spots. These all have potential to develop black ice.
- Avoid abrupt actions while steering, braking or accelerating to lessen your chance of losing control.
- Look farther ahead in traffic. Actions by other drivers will alert you to problems and give you extra reaction time.
- Trucks take longer to stop. Don’t cut in front of them.
And just in case, make sure you pack an emergency kit in your trunk with the following items:
- Rechargeable flashlight
- Cell phone and car adapter
- Extra food and water
- Flares
- Tools: jack, lug wrench, shovel
- Road maps
- Blanket/sleeping bag(s)
- Extra warm clothes, boots, hat and gloves
- First aid kit (if you take prescription medicines, keep a few handy in your kit)
- Pocket knife
- Matches or lighter
- Battery jumper cables
- Ice scraper and snow brush
- Paper towels
- Extra washer fluid
Be safe and be warm out there!
Carlo
