lifestyle auto car

by Colette Cooley, Cars for Keeps Office Manager

I was talking to a customer the other day when she made the comment that the worst thing she has to do is pump gas. Most women would agree that pumping gas is not high on our list of fun things to do. It's one of those chores where we have to mentally go to our happy place while doing it. It takes courage to grab that pump handle not knowing who last used it and what they had on their hands, leaving behind residue of…..?

Then we check the direction of the wind so we can stand upwind of those noxious fumes. Then we find out that we have picked the only pump that refuses to shoot out our receipt. And then, the topper is when the pump fails to click off and we get a backwash of gasoline all over our hands making it necessary to drive home with only our wrists on the steering wheel. The fumes from that seem to linger in your car for days.

The best temporary solution is to carry handi-wipes in your car's storage compartment. As any busy professional or soccer mom knows, handi-wipes are a MUST! But what else can we do to take charge over this situation?

The best way to cut down on visits to the gas pump is to make sure your car is running at its best and most fuel efficient. Regular maintenance is the key. Oil changes when they are due, visual inspections, fluid checks and tire air pressure checks. Believe it or not, these services improve your car's fuel efficiency. Sludge in the engine causes the engine to work harder and uses more gas, so get those flushes done to clean out that engine. There are also some wonderful additives that can help your car get even better performance. Stop by or give us a call; we'd be happy to help you find out which additives and maintenance routines are best for your vehicle.

by Rob Hopp, Cars for Keeps Owner

If you hold your fingers above the defrost vents with the temperature set on high, as a general rule, you shouldn't be able to leave your fingers there for very long without them getting pretty uncomfortable - if the heating system is working well.

When we perform routine inspections (aka "Pit Stops"), we usually check the heat output at the center vent; a good heater thermostat will put out 150° temps.

We have seen them run as high as 160°f. At 130°f degrees you may start getting a few complaints, though it’s still pretty livable, at 120°f people are getting unhappy, the coats are staying on and below 110°f NO ONE is happy.

More importantly, a malfunctioning heater often points to deeper problems below the hood - problems which, if left unattended, could result in interior coolant leakage, engine inefficiency or an overheated engine.

Is it the radiator, the heater core or the thermostat?

These are the three components which influence your radiator's heating performance the most. Small, easy to fix problems in any of these can result in low heater output, and more serious problems with any of them can lead to mechanical failure or damage to other parts of your vehicle.

Radiator - The radiator is the component which cools engine coolant to keep the engine cool. When vehicles' heaters are on, the heat extracted (by air cooling) from the coolant (heater core) is pushed through the dashboard heater vents. Clogs, cracks or leaks in the radiator impede coolant fluid flow, resulting in low heat out put and, in many cases, engine overheating.

Heater core - The heater core is essentially a heat exchanger which transfers heat from the engine to the radiator. Hot coolant fluid is passed through the core's winding tubes from the engine, which heats the fluid, to the radiator, where fans blow hot air off the heater core tubes and through the vents. Heater cores are made up of small tubes which sometimes get clogged, causing radiator failure. A clogged heater core also means the engine is not being properly cooled, which can lead to engine damage if left unattended. Heater cores may also become leaky, resulting in lower heat output and improper engine cooling.

Thermostat - The thermostat is what activates the flow of coolant fluid through the engine. It controls a small, heat-activated valve in the heater core which blocks or opens coolant flow through the engine. To minimize engine wear and make the most efficient use of engine energy, thermostats ensure that coolant doesn't flow through the engine until it reaches its maximum operating temperature (about 200 degrees F). When thermostats aren't working correctly, they could be stuck open - causing inefficiency - or they could be stuck closed, causing the engine to become hot and blocking hot air from coming out of the car's heating vents.

If you stop by with your car, mini-van, light truck or SUV, we'll test the output for free!
While the symptoms can seem similar, subtle differences in your description or in our testing tell us which component is to blame. Most clients aren't aware that something as simple as low coolant (antifreeze) can cause some pretty weird symptoms.

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by Colette Cooley, Cars for Keeps Office Manager

Halloween is fast approaching. The time of year when children (and some adults) get to live out their fantasies of who they would like to be for just a few hours. Extraordinary preparations are being made this year it seems. My granddaughter has been growing her bangs since summer to match the character she is going to portray. Teenagers are sporting orange and bright pink hair with spikes, and artistically shaven heads are becoming popular. Strange costumes have been showing up around Cars For Keeps.

Yes, even adults believe in the magic that lies in our imaginations. As part of the preparation for this night let us not forget about our cars. Because of all the little goblins, fairys and air-benders dashing around the streets and neighborhoods, brakes and headlights should be in top working order. When was the last time you had your brakes checked?

How about decorating your car to compliment the character that your children are portraying? Goth seems to be big this year. A spray can of cobwebs in strategic places on the outside of your car can set the mood for all to see, and of course, the standard skull attached to your antennae or dangling from your grill is a must. Get the ones that glows in the dark. Very chic.

It is the little things that are most often forgotten, so just as a reminder, fill the gas tank.

Happy Halloween!

by Marjorie Steele, Cars for Keeps Social Media Manager

Let's take a break from auto repair to talk about fun activities happening around Grand Haven - namely, pumpkin picking! After all, you've already attended to your vehicle's fall maintenance, right?

It's Halloween season again, and for those of us lucky enough to live in West Michigan, harvest season means more than trick or treating. Thanks to an abundance of local farms, Halloween in Michigan offers families many opportunities for outdoor fun. Picking your own pumpkin out of the field is much more fun than picking one from the grocery store - especially for the kids - and most pumpkin patches also offer apple picking, cider making exhibitions, corn mazes and hay rides.

Grand Haven has a number of nearby pumpkin patches which offer plenty of activities for friends, couples and families.


Bethke Farms is the closest, being located just outside of Grand Haven proper. Bethke has a u-pick pumpkin patch, a corn maze and a beautiful 20 minute hayride for the family to enjoy. Open through October 31st, 10-7 Friday through Sunday and 4-7 Monday through Thursday. Click the link to learn more about visiting Bethke.

Kent Harvest Trails is a Grand Rapids-based organization which has put together a comprehensive list of pumpkin patches and farm tours available throughout the Grand Rapids area - most of them are a short 30 minute ride from Grand Haven. Activities range from huge, 15 acre corn mazes to scarecrow building and petting zoos. Visit their list of pumpkin patch farms to learn more about each farm's activities, hours and location.

I think this weekend, I'll be trying out the corn maze at Fruit Ridge Hayrides. What will your family be doing?
needs, right?

by Colette Cooley, Cars for Keeps Office Manager

The month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. A gentle reminder to get your yearly breast examination and there are many events that you can participate in to help in the fight of this horrible disease. My dearly loved sister-in-law died of breast cancer last year and there are probably many of you out there that know someone who is fighting this battle.

Many women avoid mammograms because it is too painful. I am one of them. I found a better way. You can get a breast exam through Thermography. It is not painful, nothing touches you and it finds anything suspicious sooner than x-ray exams. To find out where to get a thermographic breast exam in your area just Google “thermographic breast exam”. You will find many hits to explain what thermography is and how it works.

There are many cancer walks and races going on around the country and you can find out where by Googling “breast cancer walk”, or go to the Susan G Komen website. The US Postal Service has Susan G Komen stamps for sale this month, and a portion of the price is donated to cancer research. You can pick them up at your local Post Office.

Cars For Keeps is giving away ball caps for Cancer Awareness this month - although I noticed today that there are only four hats left! If you are in the neighborhood, stop by and pick one up. Women unite to comfort, strengthen and encourage each other for our health, welfare and knowledge of how we can be all we are meant to be.

Well, choosing a winning entry for our Summer Travel Story Contest was difficult, but we're pleased to announce our winner. We hope Martha Webb and her husband enjoy their weekend getaway in the mansion at Grand Haven's Lakeshore Bed and Breakfast.

Thank you to everyone who participated - we appreciate your support! If you placed an entry in our contest, be sure to check your email for a special gift from Cars for Keeps.

Summer in Michigan

by Martha Webb
There is nothing like summer in Michigan, especially, on the west side of the state. From the UP to South Haven there is nothing but the beautiful sights of Lake Michigan. Each port town is unique in itself. I've spent many summers in Muskegon and Grand Haven, lots of fun memories. Then there’s Mackinaw and the Island. As a matter of fact my husband and I were going to Mackinaw over Labor Day Weekend – and unfortunately, we didn’t get to go. You see he had a heart attack on Tues. and Wed had a heart cath and stents. Our weekend get away flew out the window. I’m praising God I still have him and the medical staff were able to save him. That’s really the most important thing. We have only been married 7 years (both 2nd marriages). We were engaged in Grand Haven. So we have many things we are thankful for and our favorite vacation together is now the Labor Day Weekend of 2010 as we got a new lease on life and a greater appreciation for each other.

by Colette Cooley, Cars for Keeps Manager

The other day as I was walking through the garage I stopped to watch one of our mechanics, Leslie, installing a new engine in a car. It was amazing. He had just gotten the engine block bolted in but there were pieces and parts lying around everywhere. Wires and hoses were strewn all over the engine. It looked like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Imagine a plate of cut up cooked spaghetti and then trying to get all the pieces back together again.

I mentioned the puzzle aspect of putting the engine together and he just shrugged nonchalantly and said, “It’s not that difficult.” It hit me then that it’s all in what you know. Our mechanics are going to school all the time to keep their knowledge up to date and to keep pace with all the engineering technologies which are used in new automobiles every year. Just as with any other career, our mechanics have taken a lot of training and expertise to become good at what they do. How many people could step into your job without training and do it as well as you?

It is fortunate that the only thing you and I to know about our cars is where to take them for maintenance and repair. It’s all in what you know - and that knowledge is a wonderful thing.

by Marjorie S., Cars for Keeps Social Media Manager

This month, the Car Care Council and participating auto repair shops across the country (including Cars for Keeps) are celebrating Car Care Month. So what exactly does that mean?

Well, in addition to placing a healthy discount on our bumper to bumper inspections, we're emphasizing customer education. A well informed customer is a great customer - at least we think so. The better you understand your vehicle and its maintenance needs, the longer you'll be able to keep your car running efficiently (which is kind of our thing).

A while back, the Car Care Council published a printed Car Care Guide for vehicle owners to use as a reference for any and every repair service they might encounter. The Car Care Guide is now available in digital format, allowing customers like you to boost your car care knowledge from the comfort of your computer.

Click on the link above, and let's review some of the Guide's most useful features together:

Car Care Checklist - On pages 1-2, the Car Care Guide details every part of your vehicle which requires routine maintenance, exactly how these parts need to be maintained and how often. Handy, huh?

Why Do I Need This Service? Expanding on the list of parts outlined in the checklist, the Guide then provides detailed information about maintenance and service tips for each of these areas. The guide answers that pesky question, "Why Do I Need This Service?" regarding each service area in detail, so you can stop relying on hearsay and subjective opinion.

Typical Service - Wonder what kind of maintenance will be performed on your vehicle when you bring it into the shop? You don't have to. The Car Care Guide outlines common maintenance procedures for each major service area as well as recommendations for service regularity.

Questions to Ask - By far our favorite feature in the Car Care Guide, this section helps car owners know what questions to ask their auto technicians during routine maintenance to ensure you're getting the best service - and that you understand what services are being performed. Your car's maintenance shouldn't be a thing of mystery to you, and we'd be thrilled to answer any of the Guide's questions - or your own.

Why are we so excited that this resource is available to you, the vehicle owner? It provides a trustworthy source of information which isn't from us. In other words, we can be confident that when we say "don't take our word for it", a reliable third party auto repair resource is close at hand.

by Colette Cooley, Cars for Keeps Office Manager

In the automotive world these days it is becoming trendy to fix up and keep the car you have. It is the “politically correct” thing to do in today’s economy and trend towards sustainability. This is a great trend in theory, but let’s face it girls, we who change our clothes three and four times a day find it goes against our nature to not change our car every year or so. Fess up ladies, who of you have never bought those ‘must have’, hot new shoes only to get them home, taken them out of the box, thought to yourself ‘what was I thinking’, and tossed them in the Goodwill bag. Hmmm?

Oddly enough, I am different about my car. Once I find a car I really like, I will drive it until it falls apart on the road – no matter how much I want all those new gadgets that are in the newer models. My SUV is going on fourteen years old and is still running strong. The secret is to add new features to your old car. GPS devices like Garmin and bluetooth adapter kits are not that expensive, they're easy to install and hey - they work.

I will tell you another secret – regular maintenance. At Cars For Keeps our mechanics give you a strong once over inspection every time you have an oil change. Just like maintaining good health for the body, an early diagnosis to any problem your car may have results in an easier, and cheaper, fix before the first problem causes a second and third problem. So, dust off that old faithful car, give it regular oil changes, keep those fluids fresh, come to us quickly when you hear a noise and maintain those tires with the right air pressure. Your pocketbook will thank you, and who knows, maybe you will find another pair of ‘must have’ shoes.