What to Do for Carsick Babies

For the majority of the year, driving conditions are pretty tepid. But the true test of your integrity as a car owner, and the quality of your car comes during the winter months. This is when you can truly get punished for not taking care of your car unless you take care of the necessary winter car prep. Between harsh winter weather and the toll the cold, ice, snow, and salt can take, you really have to step up your winter car care game to get your vehicle winter ready. We don’t want to see you or your car on the side of the road this winter season. The best way to avoid any issues is to make sure your car is ready to take on whatever the next few months have in store. So before things get really rough, here are 5 simple winter car care tips that will help you and your car be ready for the colder months ahead. Juice Up Your Battery Having to wait for a jump in the middle of the cold and possibly snow is up there with the worst things to happen in winter. If you don’t check your battery before the cold weather sets in, you’re really taking a gamble. The extreme cold that we tend to see can make it difficult for your battery to operate. And the last thing you want is to come back to your car left in a cold parking lot and find it dead leaving you with no heat. The best advice you’ll get today is to get a volt test on your battery now. This will tell you what the health of your battery looks like and whether or not you should invest in a new battery. Maintain Your Tires When it comes to driving in winter, the quality of your tires is paramount. But it’s not just about what kind of tires you have but keeping an eye on your tire pressure as well. Investing in winter tires or all-season tires is a great idea and one we highly recommend. You want something that you can rely on for snow, rain, mud, and anything else you may encounter this year. However, something that gets overlooked often is tire pressure. As the air gets colder, tire pressure can drop up to one pound per square inch with every 10-degree drop. Keep an eye on your tire pressure and make sure you fill them if they are looking low. Check Your Fluids Every fluid in your car is going to help it perform the best it can during the colder months. For this reason, it’s very important that all of your fluid levels are good and fresh. Change your oil and filters if it’s coming near time, flush and refill your coolant/antifreeze, and fill your windshield wiper fluid. Doing all of these now will ensure that your car works the way it should even when temperatures drop. Wash Your Car This may seem like a weird thing to do, but it’s surprisingly important. However, this is something that you should do throughout the winter months. As more snow hits the roads, the county will salt those roads in an effort to keep them as clear as possible. But that salt will also end up on your car, especially all over your undercarriage. While the salt really helps the roads, it can wreak havoc on your car and cause rust. That is unless you give it a good wash after a big snow. Both an automatic and manual wash will work, as long as you can hit your undercarriage well. Pack an Emergency Kit Everything is all fun and games until your car dies in the middle of a snowstorm. Whether you slid on ice or something happened with your engine, or maybe even ran out of gas, having an emergency kit may just save your life. Depending on the weather and where you are, you definitely need to be prepared for anything. Here are some things you should have packed: First-aid kit Jumper cables Snow brush and ice scraper Flares Multi-tool with a knife Portable charger Air pump Shovel Cat litter or sand Candle and lighter Thermal blanket Snacks and water Stay Safe Out There Winter can be a crazy time, but making your vehicle winter ready ahead of time can go a long way. These are just a couple of things you can do, but there’s always more. Do your research and talk with our fantastic service technicians about what you should have done before the colder months are on top of us. Be smart and stay safe this holiday season!

With freezing temperatures and snowy roads, winter brings conditions that can challenge and frustrate even the most seasoned driver. However, if you approach this winter season in one of these Ford vehicles, you'll find interior comforts and impressive performance that can help you handle whatever nature brings. more Ford Explorer The Ford Explorer is a stylish SUV that's ready to handle whatever type of road condition you face this winter. The available intelligent four-wheel drive with Terrain Management System lets you quickly and easily shift into one of four settings to match the terrain. In the winter, the Snow and Mud setting will let you take on these conditions with confidence. Plus, when summer rolls back around, you'll appreciate the convenience of the Normal and Sand setting. Ford F-150 When you're ready to get out and have some fun this winter, the Ford F-150 has the power and performance you need. A properly equipped F-150 has a maximum towing capacity up to 13,200 pounds and a maximum payload capacity up to 3,270 pounds. Therefore, whether you want to bring along the snowmobiles or the ATVs for a weekend of fun, this truck can handle it. Plus, the F-150 offers plenty of smart towing features, including a smart trailer connecter that lets you know about connectivity issues and a blind spot monitoring system that covers a trailer. Ford Edge Not only does the Ford Edge look sharp, it also comes with plenty conveniences and comforts to make your winter drive easier. The Edge comes standard with a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine that produces 245 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque. You'll also enjoy standard features that include hill start assist, four-wheel anti-lock brakes, and traction control, as well as an available intelligent all-wheel drive system. Inside, the available heated front seats and heated steering wheel give you luxurious comfort on those cold winter mornings. Ford Fusion The Ford Fusion proves you don't need a truck or SUV to handle winter roads. This sleek sedan comes available with an intelligent all-wheel drive system that uses sensors to balance torque between the front and rear wheels. This enhances handling to give you better traction, often before the wheels even begin to slip. Plus, the Fusion also comes available with a remote start system, which lets you start the vehicle from the warmth of your house so it's the perfect temperature when you venture outside. Ford Escape The Ford Escape comes available with an intelligent four-wheel drive system that monitors the road conditions and vehicle traction every 16 milliseconds, guaranteeing a smooth drive. If the system detects slipping, it can transfer torque from front wheels to the rear wheels as needed to make sure you have the right combination of traction and handling. Not only is the Escape capable, but it's also smart. The available SYNC 3 system can let you check the weather, get directions, and connect to your smartphone. This winter, you can take on any type of conditions when you head out in one of these Ford vehicles. This photo, " Black Explorer,” by Truck Hardware used under CC BY 2.o. " Black Explorer " is licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Wyatt Johnson Ford.

Traffic jams are the worst. You have to deal with other drivers merging, driving erratically, or throwing anger and shade your way for 30 minutes to several hours a day. That’s why it’s no surprise that the traffic is a main source of anger, stress, and anxiety. If you suffer from a bit of road rage every now and again that’s exacerbated by traffic jams, check out a few of these strategies to keep you calm behind the wheel. more Turn Off the Road Rage Music Studies have yet to show the soothing qualities of Metallica, hardcore hip hop, or punk rock, and that’s why you should avoid them behind the wheel. Fast, aggressive music with violent lyrics can often get your blood boiling, and that’s even before someone cuts you off or changes lanes without using a blinker. If possible, try some jazz, classical, or talk radio that keeps your eyes on the road and your rage at a far from palpable level. Grab a Snack Although you should avoid eating and driving, grabbing a snack during a traffic jam is an ideal way to curb your anger and stress. You have more than a few options when it comes to the snack, as this can range from indulgences such as candy to something healthier or protein-packed such as fruit or jerky. The idea here isn’t so much what you eat, but the fact you’re eating something can direct your rage away from other motorists and chill you out, even if only for a few minutes. Listen to a Book on Tape If you’ve ever watched golf on television or Bob Ross paint a lovely picture, you know all about the soothing qualities of a quiet, calm voice. At home, these things may put you to sleep, but behind the wheel, they can offer a refuge from a traffic jam. You can find these voices on talk radio shows every so often, but a book on tape may just deliver it even better. Not only do you get a soft voice to listen to, but you also get an enthralling story that distracts you from the person who’s putting on makeup, eating a cheeseburger, and inching into your lane. Try Something New You have your favorite musical artists for a reason, whether it’s because of the insightful lyrics, screeching guitar solos, or danceable beats. However, you might find yourself in a rut of listening to the same songs on your iPod or the radio. This can cause you to tune them out, and you may actually find listening to the same things as an annoyance. Fortunately, you have alternatives to this revolving cycle. With SiriusXM satellite radio, Pandora, or HD radio, you can listen to artists you may never have heard before based on your tastes and other artists you enjoy. This new music keeps you attentive, while also calming you during the drive. Unless you’re a bit of a masochist, you probably don’t love the prospect of sitting in traffic. However, you can curb your fears and make the best of a bad situation, keeping you calm, collected, and under control for the duration of your ride. This photo, “ Bay Bridge traffic jam DSCN0362,” by Gohsuke Takama used under CC BY 2.o. “ Bay Bridge traffic jam DSCN0362” is licensed under CC BY 2.o by Wyatt Johnson Ford.