AUTONET TV

Odometer Rollback on Your Syracuse, NY Vehicle

How do Syracuse drivers know if an odometer is telling the truth?

Well, back in '86, Congress passed the Truth-in-Mileage Act to protect NY consumers against mileage fraud. It says a NY seller must certify the mileage reported is the actual mileage.

To have your odometer checked in Syracuse, NY, stop by S T Foreign Auto Service:

S T Foreign Auto Service
415 E Brighton Ave.
Syracuse, NY 13210

If it isn't, the seller must say why; for example, maybe the odometer is past its mechanical limits. Some older odometers only go to 99,999 and then start over at 0. Or, the odometer has been tampered with, broken or replaced.

If the seller tells you the mileage isn't accurate, there's not much chance of putting a good number to it. And there's the unscrupulous seller who claims the reading is true, but it isn't. What can Syracuse vehicle owners do?

You can go to www.CarFax.com, where, for a small fee, they'll give you a comprehensive vehicle history search on your vehicle, showing local Syracuse, NY, ownership history, accident reports, total-loss events, manufacturer buybacks, Lemon reports and warranty status.

You can get a mileage history by checking with the local NY DMV (or wherever you happen to be) and other verified sources looking for inconsistencies in the mileage reported when the car was bought and sold. If there are signs of odometer rollback, now you'll know.

If so, proceed with caution. Or, negotiate a lower price. Or just walk away. There's always another vehicle.

S T Foreign Auto Service
415 E Brighton Ave.
Syracuse, NY 13210
315-478-2161
www.stforeignauto.com

Fuel Saving Tip: Tire Pressure Saves Fuel in Syracuse

Underinflated tires waste gas for lots of folks in the Syracuse area. Think how hard it is to walk in sand – you just have to work harder because of the resistance. When your tires don't have enough air in them, their rolling resistance is dramatically increased and it simply takes more gas to get from here to there.

Always check your tire pressure when you gas up at one of our local Syracuse service stations. If they're low – even just a little bit – bring them up to proper pressure. There's a sticker on the inside of your driver's door that gives the manufacturer's recommended tire pressure.

And don't rely on your tire pressure monitoring system to alert you to when you need more air. The TPMS system is set to warn you when pressure drops 20 percent below recommendations. That's severely underinflated and you needed more air a long time ago. And if you have a slow leak – get it fixed right away at S T Foreign Auto Service.

Get some air and save some gas.

S T Foreign Auto Service
415 E Brighton Ave.
Syracuse, NY 13210
315-478-2161
www.stforeignauto.com

Buying the Right Tires and Wheels in Syracuse, NY

Everyone in Syracuse, NY eventually replaces their tires, whether it's because they're worn out or they're just looking for something different. There are so many great tire choices in Syracuse, it can be difficult to sort them out. Let's group the broad spectrum into several categories that will help in the selection process.

One category is often referred to as "summer tires". Summer tires are designed to be driven on the road when temperatures are generally above 45 degrees F (7 degrees C). Their tread design is optimized for traction on dry roads around NY and they're also able to effectively displace water on rainy roads.

So if you live where its summer all year round, these tires will work well for you. If you like maximum performance in warm weather, but still live where it gets cold and snowy, you'll want to change your summer tires for winter tires as the weather starts to change.

There's a range of tires within the winter tire category. If you live where there's a lot of snow and ice, look for the mountain and snowflake icon that signifies a severe snow rating. If you have milder winters and still want a performance component, they make a winter tire for you as well.

For many people, an all-season tire is the answer. You will give up some of the performance at the extreme ends of the summer tire/ winter tire spectrum, but you will find a long wearing tire that gives both good highway performance and winter traction on our Syracuse, NY, roads.

Within the all-season category, there are many choices that your tire advisor at S T Foreign Auto Service can help you evaluate.

S T Foreign Auto Service
415 E Brighton Ave.
Syracuse, NY 13210
315-478-2161
www.stforeignauto.com

A Cold Day in Syracuse – Air Conditioning Service at S T Foreign Auto Service

Most Syracuse drivers worry about a breakdown or a tire blowout on a busy NY highway, but don't worry too much about failure of their air conditioning system. A breakdown on the side of the road can be a miserable and dangerous affair during Syracuse rush hour, but so can a long ride in a hot vehicle.

A lot of Syracuse drivers judge their vehicles' air conditioning systems as “non-essential” and so may neglect them in favor of repairs and maintenance that keep the vehicle running. But preventive maintenance of an air conditioning system is simple and inexpensive, while auto a/c repair can be very expensive.

Syracuse drivers should have the refrigerant in their air conditioning system checked regularly to ensure it is adequate and clean. Air conditioning systems often fail because air and water have contaminated the refrigerant. Air reduces the efficiency of the refrigerant, and water can cause rusting of the system's components. If your refrigerant is contaminated, the system should be evacuated and recharged. This will actually extend the life of your air conditioning system, preventing repairs, and keep it at peak performance.

At S T Foreign Auto Service, we advise our Syracuse customers to run their air conditioner periodically in the winter. This will keep the seals from drying out and cracking, saving them the inconvenience of this relatively minor repair.

Check with your vehicle owner's manual or with your friendly service advisor at S T Foreign Auto Service for information about how often your vehicle air conditioning system should be serviced.

S T Foreign Auto Service
415 E Brighton Ave.
Syracuse, NY 13210
315-478-2161
www.stforeignauto.com

Fuel Saving Tip: Dirty Oil in Your Syracuse Vehicle

If you're a quart low in your vehicle, there isn't enough motor oil to lubricate your engine properly. The extra friction causes drag that reduces fuel economy while you're driving around the Syracuse area.

The same goes for dirty oil; it doesn't reduce friction properly. The result is you get to watch those numbers at your local Syracuse gas pump rolling higher and higher.

The transmission also needs the proper amount of clean fluid to do its work. When it's in need of service, the transmission drags your fuel economy down.

So keep it clean at S T Foreign Auto Service  and give yourself a fighting chance.

S T Foreign Auto Service
415 E Brighton Ave.
Syracuse, NY 13210
315-478-2161
www.stforeignauto.com

Maintenance for High Mileage Vehicles in Syracuse, NY

The median age for cars in the Syracuse, NY area was over nine years. And two-thirds had over 75,000 miles. At S T Foreign Auto Service we hear reports that those numbers continue to rise.

If you have a high-mileage vehicle in the Syracuse area, bring it into S T Foreign Auto Service for high-mileage maintenance.
415 E Brighton Ave.
Syracuse, NY 13210
315-478-2161

Many people in NY are keeping their vehicles longer. The economy has influenced that, but the fact that modern vehicles are more durable and reliable means that owning a high mileage vehicle doesn't have to be a painful experience.

Local car owners in Syracuse with over 100,000 miles on their vehicles often ask which service intervals they should follow. Let's start with the special needs of the older vehicle...

The reality is that time and mileage will take its toll. The engine and transmission will have more sludge. The fuel, steering and brake systems will have gum and varnish built up. There'll be more dirt and contaminants in the fuel tank. Corrosion and deposits in the cooling system. And seals and gaskets will start to dry out.

All of this, plus normal wear and tear, means that the engine might not be as strong as new, so it just has to work harder to get the job done.

So we need to compensate. Consider high-mileage formulations for oil changes, transmission service, etc. These special formulations contain additives that condition the seals and gaskets to prevent leaks. They also have more detergents to clean sludge and other deposits. They cost a bit more, but they're worth it.

In general, if an auto service was recommended every 15,000 miles when the car was new, you should continue to get the service done every 15,000 miles.

Talk with your Syracuse service advisor at S T Foreign Auto Service about the condition of your engine. See if he thinks you should adjust your auto service intervals for oil changes or other auto maintenance to account for the older engine working harder.

Expect the oil filter to get dirty faster. Same goes for the fuel filter. And some leaks are to be expected so you need to keep a closer eye on fluid levels.

If anything, following recommended service intervals for your vehicle is more important in a higher mileage vehicle. Skipping oil changes or other services can lead to problems much more quickly than with a newer vehicle.

So, have your Syracuse auto service advisor at S T Foreign Auto Service help you with an assessment of your older car or truck. If you haven't gotten around to a fuel system cleaning, or replacing power steering or brake fluid, a differential service or transmission service – it's time to start taking care of those things. It'll help keep you on the road for many more happy miles.

S T Foreign Auto Service
415 E Brighton Ave.
Syracuse, NY 13210
315-478-2161
www.stforeignauto.com

Charge It in Syracuse for Extended Battery Life

Here's an interesting statistic for our in Syracuse, NY, drivers: Only 30 percent of car batteries make it to 48 months. And the life expectancy varies by where you live. It ranges from 51 months in extremely cold areas to just 30 months in extremely hot climates.

Why is that? It turns out that it's our modern cars with all their electric accessories that are to blame. Things like, GPS, DVDs and entertainment computers are keeping vehicle batteries from maintaining a full charge. The longer a battery goes with a low charge, the sooner it'll die.

It's clear that you Syracuse drivers need to recharge your batteries. This is the job of the alternator. The problem comes when the car's demand for electricity is high and we are driving in stop and go conditions or short trips around Syracuse. The alternator just can't keep up.

The result is shortened battery life. So what can we do to improve our battery's health?

We need to keep the battery as close to a full charge as possible. That can be hard because sitting for just 24 hours in hot weather between charges can be too long. When the weather's cold in Syracuse, sitting for several days will cause discharge.

So some highway driving around NY will help keep a full charge if the battery has not been deeply depleted. Car batteries are not designed to be run down really low, or deep cycled, as it's called. So using your headlights or other power accessories when the car is off can deeply deplete your battery. Using the alternator to recharge from a deeply depleted state is also very dangerous to your battery because it charges too fast. In fact, on average, your battery would only last for ten recharges like that.

If you do find yourself with a dead battery or very low battery, use a good quality battery charger to slowly bring the battery up to full charge. Follow the instructions on the charger or talk to your friendly and knowledgeable service advisor at S T Foreign Auto Service .

S T Foreign Auto Service
415 E Brighton Ave.
Syracuse, NY 13210
315-478-2161
www.stforeignauto.com

S T Foreign Auto Service Tire Safety: Washington vs. Lincoln

Welcome to the S T Foreign Auto Service automotive blog. Today, let's talk about the effect of tire wear.

Let's focus on stopping in wet Syracuse conditions. In order for a tire to have good contact with the road, it has to move the water out of the way. If it can't move the water, the tire will actually ride on top of a thin film of water.

That's called hydroplaning. If it's really bad, Syracuse drivers can actually spin out of control - endangering themselves and the other drivers around them. At best, you won't stop as fast.

So how does a tire move water? It has channels for water to flow through. Look at your vehicle tire and you'll see channels: channels that run around the tire and channels that flow across the tire. They're designed to direct water away from the tire so it can contact the road better.

And the deeper the channel, the more water it can move. A brand new S T Foreign Auto Service tire has very deep channels and can easily move a lot of water. As the tire wears down, the channels become shallower and can move less water. When it wears down enough, it can seriously affect your ability to stop your vehicle on wet Syracuse roads.

So that's why it's so important for Syracuse drivers to replace their vehicle tires when they get worn. Consumer Reports and other advocate groups call for a standard of 3/32 of an inch and they have the studies to prove it.

At S T Foreign Auto Service, we want our customers to know that the deeper recommended tread depth makes a big difference. Stopping distances are cut dramatically on wet Syracuse streets. A safe stop from NY speeds with 4/32 of an inch of tread would result in a crash with worn out tires.

There's an easy way to tell when a tire's worn to 4/32 of an inch.

Just insert a quarter into the tread. Put it in upside down. If the tread doesn't cover George Washington's hairline, it's time to replace your vehicle tires. With a Canadian quarter, the tread should cover the numbers in the year stamp.

Many Syracuse residents have heard of this technique using a penny and Abe Lincoln's head - the old method. That measure gives you 2/32 of an inch – half the suggested amount. Of course, vehicle tires are a major purchase. Most of us in Syracuse want to get as many miles out of them as we can. But there's a real safety trade-off. It's your choice.

S T Foreign Auto Service
415 E Brighton Ave.
Syracuse, NY 13210
315-478-2161
www.stforeignauto.com

Smart Syracuse Drivers Protect Against Overheating

Engines get hot when they run. This heat can build up and damage vital engine parts, so engines need a cooling system to keep them running. Cooling system failure is the most common mechanical failure in vehicles. This is unfortunate, because these failures are usually easy for Syracuse drivers to prevent.

The radiator is the best-known and most recognizable part of the cooling system. Hoses filled with coolant (also known as antifreeze) connect the radiator to the engine. The coolant draws heat from the engine and then flows to the radiator. Air passing through cooling fans on the radiator cools the coolant. The coolant then cycles back into the engine to start the process over again.

The most critical component of the cooling system, however, is the coolant itself. A mixture of water and coolant/antifreeze helps keep it both from freezing and from boiling away. Either can result in serious engine damage.

Different engines require different types of coolant/antifreeze. The owner's manual will list what kind a vehicle requires. Using the wrong type or mixing different types of coolant/antifreeze may void the warranty on the cooling system and may damage it as well.

Insufficient coolant can lead to engine failure. Coolant levels need to be checked regularly and topped off as necessary. If coolant levels drop quickly or consistently, the cooling system should be inspected for leaks. Coolant/antifreeze contains additives that protect the radiator and other coolant components from rust, scale and corrosion. Over time, these additives are depleted, so it is necessary for Syracuse drivers to replace coolant at specified intervals. Changing coolant should be part of routine preventive maintenance for any vehicle.

This service is often ignored, though, since old coolant still cools the engine. Vehicle owners don't realize there is a problem until the system fails. They are left with major repairs and possibly a damaged engine, which could have been prevented with a cooling system service at S T Foreign Auto Service in Syracuse.

If your vehicle sends a warning message to check its coolant or if the temperature gauge is reading in the red or hot zone, then the cooling system needs serviced. This service is critical and should not be put off since the potential for damage is high.

In an emergency situation, water or antifreeze can be added to your vehicle so that it can be driven to a service center for proper car care. For this reason, your owner's manual contains instructions for how to top off insufficient coolant – allow 45 minutes for the engine to cool before attempting to add coolant or water. However, the fluid should be added to the coolant overflow bottle, not to the radiator itself. Removing the radiator pressure cap can result in severe burns.

Topping off in an emergency, however, does not fix the problem. The vehicle should immediately be taken to S T Foreign Auto Service in Syracuse where they can inspect the cooling system, repair any leaks and clean it if necessary. They can identify what caused the emergency situation in first place and ensure it doesn't happen again.

Regular maintenance of a vehicle's cooling system is just good auto advice for Syracuse drivers. Cooling system service is relatively inexpensive and doesn't take long at S T Foreign Auto Service. Lack of it, however, can put a vehicle in the scrap heap.

Talk to our service advisor at S T Foreign Auto Service for more information. 

S T Foreign Auto Service
415 E Brighton Ave.
Syracuse, NY 13210
315-478-2161
www.stforeignauto.com

ICE - In Case Of Emergency In Syracuse NY

When accidents occur in Syracuse, NY, the victims' emergency contacts are extremely important. Too often, those involved aren't able to provide rescuers with phone numbers and medical information.

When NY police and rescue workers must sift through pockets, glove compartments, wallets, purses and cell phone directories, they waste precious time.

In the unfortunate event that you are involved in an accident, you have people in the Syracuse, NY, area who you'll want to be contacted to arrange help, give consent to treatment and inform Syracuse paramedics of medical conditions, allergies or medications.

A brilliantly simple solution is now spreading through Syracuse and around the globe: ICE. ICE – standing for In Case of Emergency – is a way to identify emergency contacts in your cell phone directory.

Simply put 'ICE' before a contact name in your cell phone, like 'ICE – Dad,' 'ICE – Nancy.' or 'ICE – Doctor Roberts.' Rescuers will be able to quickly identify your emergency contacts, saving valuable time.

Bob Brotchie, a Cambridge, England, paramedic came up with the idea and a promotional campaign in England in 2005. This idea is gaining attention in Syracuse, NY, and in other countries. Syracuse rescue workers all know of how many times they are unable to find a wallet or purse on an accident victim, yet most Syracuse area folks over 14 years of age are seldom without their cell phone.

There are national and worldwide disaster databases, but participation can cost up to $200 a year. 'ICE' is free to the 276 million cell phone users in the U.S.

It is easy for you and your families to designate some ICE contacts in your cell phone. Remember to keep the listings current.

Please join S T Foreign Auto Service in getting the word out. Help us put Syracuse, NY, on ICE!

S T Foreign Auto Service
415 E Brighton Ave.
Syracuse, NY 13210
315-478-2161
www.stforeignauto.com