Spring Cleaning For Your Car

Spring is known for April showers, May flowers, and the beginning of warmer temperatures that we have patiently waited for during the winter months. But spring is also when numerous people choose to take part in a long-honored tradition; spring cleaning. Sure, cleaning out the closets, scrubbing every surface, and reorganizing dresser drawers and basements surely isn’t as fun as sitting outside on the patio while the sun is shining. But isn’t it amazing to know that the house is spic and span and looking its best after a thorough dose of spring cleaning? 

Oftentimes, just when you think your work is complete, there is one area that you use very frequently that also needs a look; your car! Let’s face it; we are very confident that forgotten items are under the seats, wrappers and trash might be in the glove compartment, and you may even forget what items are in the trunk! Hey, we aren’t judging-when you’re often going from one place to the next, it’s easy to discard countless items in a hurry, telling yourself you’ll get to it later before becoming distracted with other tasks to accomplish.

If this sounds like your car, this is the perfect time of year to make sure not only your house, but your vehicle is ready to take on the season ahead by being as clean, fresh, and organized as possible. Here are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to giving your vehicle a proper spring cleaning.

Wash Your Car

When it comes to spring cleaning your car,  it’s best to start from the outside and work your way in, and that means giving your vehicle a good outside washing. During snowy weather, salt accumulates not only on the car’s body in cold weather, but also underneath it. Washing up this build-up salt at a local car wash will prevent salt corrosions that can cause harm to your vehicle’s muffler, exhaust, and coil springs.

Focus on the Carpets

Now that your car is looking good as new on the outside, let’s focus on the inside! After removing any trash, it’s time to give those carpets in the vehicle’s interior some loving by giving them a thorough vacuuming, removing stains, and power-washing floor mats.  

Replace Tires and Wiper Blades

Both your vehicle’s wiper blades and tires are exposed to a great deal during the winter season, so between the constant inclement weather and the potholes on the road, it’s a great idea to make sure both your tires are good to drive in and your wiper blades are prepared to face those April showers!

When it comes to making sure your car is clean and well-cared for, trust your friends and experts at Terry’s Auto Body. Terry’s Auto Body and Trailer Sales is your headquarters for exemplary customer services and for spring vehicle cleaning. We take every measure to ensure you are satisfied with all your trailer needs and will do whatever it takes to earn your business and remain lifelong clients. Terry’s Auto Body has been serving the  Riceville and McIntire area for over 30-years. We pride ourselves on being large enough to provide professionalism and reliability, yet small enough to provide personalized service. Contact Terry's Auto Body & Trailer Sales for all your trailer needs, repairs, and maintenance. Avoid disaster and keep your family safe while driving. Call 641-985-2536 or visit our website.

Sources:

https://www.compare.com/auto-insurance/guides/spring-cleaning-car-maintenance-checklist

https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/best-cars-blog/2014/03/spring-cleaning-for-your-car

How to Avoid Salt Damage to your Vehicle

The Midwest or America’s Heartland is known for a lot of things, the iconic foods, crystal clear lakes, cornfields, state fairs, Big Ten sports, and unpredictable weather. In fact, in Iowa, we can expect an average of 27-inches of snow each year and when it snows, you can be sure that salt is on the roadways. 

Salt is imminent to safe winter driving but it is unsightly on your vehicle and can also cause damage such as rust. Over time rust on certain parts of your car can create a myriad of issues such as problems with the brakes, structural damage, issues with the exhaust, muffler systems, coil springs, and more. The good news is, there are ways to avoid damaging your vehicle with a little time and effort. Here are some tips. 

1. Wash your vehicle every 10 days or less.
2. Wash your vehicle before the temperature reaches 35 degrees F. or higher. At freezing temperatures, road salt can't do much to hurt your car; it has to warm up to start contributing to rust.
3. Avoid driving through deep snow. Deep snow can become packed into the undercarriage and contribute to corrosion and even cause drivability problems (reduced braking action, vibrations, inhibit airflow, etc).
4. Avoid driving through large puddles of standing water where road salt collects.
5. Repair paint chips that are larger than the tip of a pen to avoid corrosion.
6. Wax your vehicle at least every three months to give your vehicle a strong protective coating.
7. Wax your vehicle before winter to protect your paint from corrosive salt.
8. Keep car tires clean and salt-free.
9. Wash your car during the day so the vehicle has time to dry. 
10. If possible, avoid driving before and after a snowstorm.

While it’s not always possible to avoid the wintery weather of Iowa it is possible to avoid damage from the salt. Terry’s Auto Body and Trailer Sales is your headquarters for exemplary customer services and for safe winter driving. We take every measure to ensure you are satisfied with all your trailer needs and will do whatever it takes to earn your business and remain lifelong clients. Terry’s Auto Body has been serving the  Riceville and McIntire area for over 30-years. We pride ourselves on being large enough to provide professionalism and reliability, yet small enough to provide personalized service. Contact Terry's Auto Body & Trailer Sales for all your trailer needs, repairs, and maintenance. Avoid disaster and keep your family safe while driving. Call 641-985-2536 or visit our website.

Sources:

https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/hidden-hazards-of-road-salt-car-corrosion-can-take-a-toll/363940

http://www.royaltouchcarwash.com/preventing-road-salt-damage/

https://blog.nationwide.com/prevent-road-salt-damage-to-your-car/

Photo by Thomas  Apeldoorn Unsplash 

Prep Your Car for Winter Driving

When it comes to driving in winter, we know what it takes to be good and careful drivers. When conditions are bad, we understand that we must drive slowly and cautiously and never waiver in our vigilance if we are to keep ourselves and other drivers safe. That's what we OURSELVES do. But we can be the best drivers around in these frigid conditions, but no matter how careful we are, it doesn't do much good if our cars are not ready Too Faced this dangerous season. The other half of the equation of remaining safe on the roads in these next few months is taking proper care of our vehicles.

Here are a few key ways to prep your car for safe driving during this frigid time of year. 

Inspect  Your Battery

The functionality of a battery, according to Constellation, lessens in cold weather. That’s why it’s best to have your car’s battery carefully inspected before severe winter weather strikes. 

Fix Your Heater

If you were to find yourself in an emergency while on the road and you’re stranded for a significant period of time, we have to assume you’d be pretty uncomfortable if your car’s heater was failing to work while waiting for help to arrive. Not only can a working heater in winter prevent minor discomfort during any trip, it can also keep you safe and healthy. 

Check  Your Tire Pressure

Check your tire pressure with a tire gauge to ensure that your tires are fully prepared to face snow and ice. From there, you can simply follow the instructions found in your vehicle’s manual for the recommended tire pressure. If you find your tires need air, simply visit your local gas station-most of them offer free tire air fill-ups all year round!

Stock up on Emergency Materials

Having a box stocked with winter supplies can, at the very least, make an emergency situation more comfortable. But in extreme cases, a winter box can save your life should disaster strike on a cold winter day. US News recommends having a flashlight, road flares, a first-aid kit, blankets, an extra change of clothes, gloves, snacks, and a charged cell phone whenever you hit the road this season. 

Terry’s Auto Body and Trailer Sales is your headquarters for exemplary customer services and for safe winter driving. We take every measure to ensure you are satisfied with all your trailer needs and will do whatever it takes to earn your business and remain lifelong clients. Terry’s Auto Body has been serving the  Riceville and McIntire area for over 30-years. We pride ourselves on being large enough to provide professionalism and reliability, yet small enough to provide personalized service. Contact Terry's Auto Body & Trailer Sales for all your trailer needs, repairs, and maintenance. Avoid disaster and keep your family safe while driving. Call 641-985-2536 or visit our website.

Sources:

https://www.constellation.com/guides/winter-storm-preparedness/preparing-your-car-for-winter.html

https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/2015/11/03/5-steps-to-prepare-your-car-for-winter

Towing Tips: Winter Holiday Travel with a Tow

The winter is filled with beautiful, cloud-like views, soft snowfall followed by warm evenings by crisp, hot cocoa filled fires. The winter can truly bring out the inner adventurer in you. But don’t let your next road trip come to a halt due to safety issues. Take on the winter equipped with the proper knowledge to make sure you don’t get into any life-threatening situations and your trips run smoothly. When it comes to towing in the winter, it becomes even more important to know these towing safety guidelines. Read below to learn how to travel safely this holiday season with a tow. 

5 Winter Tow Tips, Trailer Safety, & More 

1. Maintenance & Tire Checks: Regular vehicle maintenance checks should be done once a year to multiple times a  year, as well as making sure your tires are maintaining their tread. Your trailer needs to be up to date and maintained, as well as your vehicle. Consider checking the battery more often due to the cold weather. Cold weather decreases the life in batteries at a faster rate, especially when the batteries are older. However, replacement batteries are usually your best bet to avoid a dying battery. Regular maintenance for your trailer and brake repairs, as well as finding replacements for your wheels, tires, bearings, and seal is another way to ensure a safe ride. Safety during the winter is even more critical, so proper maintenance and repairs should on top of your list. 
2. Drive Safe & Slow: Be aware of the amount of weight you are driving and practice, especially if you’re a first-time driver. Icy roads reduce traction, so it’s ideal that you’re extra alert even if you have quality tires. For example, slowly add more and more power to your vehicle when speeding up. Once you are sped up, maintain your vehicle's forward motion and avoid stopping on icy inclines.  
3. No Cruise Control: No matter the distance, cruise control is a no-go when you tow in the winter. Towing in the winter and using cruise control can disengage the driver and potentially cause the trailer to be unstable.
4. Install Trailer Brakes: With the added dangers of driving in the winter, it’s vital to have trailer brakes. After you install your trailer brakes, check to see if they have a brake control. if they come with a brake controller ease up on the braking power if there’s a lot of snow. A trailer brake control is something to consider purchasing when towing during winter travel to avoid sliding or worse, potentially jackknifing. 
5. Stay Equipped: If it’s going to snow during travel, it’s a sign you will need to be more cautious and bring extra equipment. You never know what safety measures you will have to take. Stay equipped and keep the following in your car:

• Extra set of snow tires 
• Emergency kit
• Flares to call for help if you get stuck 
• Food and water 
• Charged batteries
• Flashlight 
• Blankets and extra clothing for warmth 

Stay safe this winter with Terry’s Auto Body & Trailer Sales. If you are driving a trailer this winter in the snow, contact Terry's Auto Body & Trailer Sales for all your trailer needs, repairs, and maintenance. Avoid disaster and keep your family safe while driving. Call 641-985-2536 or visit our website at www.ricevilletrailers.com. 

sources:

http://knowhow.napaonline.com/5-winter-towing-tips-safe-trailering-ice-snow/ https://www.crossroadstrailers.com/blog/index.php/how-to-tips-for-driving-your-trailer-in-the-snow/

How to Drive Defensively

Driving can sometimes be a scary ordeal. Aggressive, inattentive, and impaired drivers not only pose a threat to themselves, but to other drivers sharing the road with them. While you can’t control the actions of others, you have the power to make the roads safer while protecting yourself, your passengers, and your vehicle by being a defensive driver. 

Follow these tips to hone your skills and stay safe behind the wheel:

• Be Aware. Being aware of your surroundings may seem like common sense, but this is the easiest and best way to protect yourself and others while traveling the roadways. Check your side- and rear-view mirrors periodically (every 5-10 seconds is suggested) and when your changing lanes or turning. Scan your peripheral for other vehicles and potential obstructions for at least a quarter-mile ahead. For those driving larger vehicles or towing wider loads, make a conscious effort to scan your surroundings more frequently. 
• Delete Distractions. In today’s digital world, our main distraction is the cell phone. While hands-free calling appears to be safer, it takes your attention off the road and increases accident risk. Your best bet is to resist the urge to use your phone while driving. If you need to make or take a call, pull over in a safe area and resume driving once your call is completer. However, cell phones are not the only factor. Checking your GPS for directions, adjusting the climate or radio, and even eating affects our situational awareness. Plan ahead by programming your GPS prior to the start of your trip and mapping our restaurants and rest stops along your route. 
• Rest Up. Tired or sleep-deprived driving is considered distracted driving and thus has a negative impact on your attentiveness. When driving long distances, stop every few hours to walk around, stretch out, and recharge your batteries. If you have a travel buddy, alternate driving shifts. 
• Get a Grip. In driver’s education we were taught to keep our hands at “ten and two,” but times have necessitated us to change to “nine and three.” Should you get in an accident and the airbag deploys, the “nine and three” position gives you the range of motion to turn and react if needed with a higher chance of avoiding injury. 
• Be Ready to React. Follow the “three-second rule” while driving; maintain a “three-second” following distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you. Increase the distance inclement weather or other difficult driving conditions. This will allow you the necessary time to react to accidents or other unforeseen situations. 

Following these defensive driving tips will not only make the roads safer for everyone, but it also removes the fear-factor, allowing the drive to be an enjoyable part of the journey.

If you are driving a trailer this winter in the snow, contact Terry's Auto Body & Trailer Sales for all your trailer needs, repairs, and maintenance. Avoid disaster and keep your family safe while driving. Call 641-985-2536 or visit our website at www.ricevilletrailers.com. 

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Sources

https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/driving-safety.html

https://driversed.com/driving-information/defensive-driving/defensive-driving-techniques.aspx

https://www.businessinsider.com/defensive-driving-tips-2017-2

How To Choose a Vehicle That Can Tow

When it comes to purchasing a new vehicle, there are a number of factors to consider. Does the car that I’m looking at have sufficient gas mileage? Is there enough storage to properly transport my everyday essentials? Does the manufacturer have a good reputation for consistently providing quality and reliability? Will I have enough cup holders to comfortably hold my morning cup of coffee and my water bottle?  (Okay, some questions are more serious than others!) 

Yes, there are countless things to think about when it comes to choosing not only a car that not only matches your personality but that functions in the best way to meet your unique lifestyle. But when it comes to selecting a towing vehicle, many people, even if they have previously owned a car with towing capability, may seem lost and frustrated. 

Here are the best ways to evaluate a vehicle to see if it can tow properly. 

Look at the Tow Capacity

According to our friends at Transwest, the manufacturer of a vehicle sets a towing capacity for that car, or what the maximum weight is that a car can safely tow. No car purchase should be made before knowing what this number is and if that number will work given your specific towing needs. 

Examine the Transmission

Trailerlife.com tells its readers that automatic transmission often has higher tow ratings than cars with manual transmissions. HD, or heavy duty models, the difference is generally 1,000 pounds maximum, and on LD, or lighter-duty vehicles, a manual might have a lower tow rating by approximately 2,000 pounds. 

Know the Drive System

Front or rear two-wheel driving vehicles tend to have a higher tow rating. Pay attention to a 4WD drive system-this often adds up to 400 pounds of weight for many HD pickups, and that extra 400 pounds tends to come off of the overall tow rating. 

Don’t Forget Bed Length

Trailerlife states that in some cases, a long bed truck may have a 150-250 pound lighter towing capacity. That’s because the longer the bed, the more weight tends to be adding. 

When it comes to selecting your next vehicle, you need it not only need it to get you and your essential materials safely from place to place. That’s where your friends and experts at Terry’s Auto Body and Trailer Sales can help. Terry’s Auto Body and Trailer Sales is your headquarters for exemplary customer services. We take every measure to ensure you are satisfied with all your trailer needs and will do whatever it takes to earn your business and remain lifelong clients. Terry’s Auto Body has been serving the  Riceville and McIntire area for over 30-years. We pride ourselves on being large enough to provide professionalism and reliability, yet small enough to provide personalized service. Contact Terry's Auto Body & Trailer Sales for all your trailer needs, repairs, and maintenance. Avoid disaster and keep your family safe while driving. Call 641-985-2536 or visit our website at www.ricevilletrailers.com.

Sources:

https://www.transwest.com/blog/7-features-you-should-look-for-when-shopping-for-a-towing-vehicle/

https://www.trailerlife.com/towguides/choosing-the-right-tow-vehicle/

Protecting your Trailer from the Elements

Don’t let your RV season end with the summer. A camper or RV is an investment, so proper care is ideal. Covering your RV when you’re not using it and other precautionary steps will take ensure your RV of its quality, saving you money and time in the long run. 

Why Cover Your RV? 

Not everyone is blessed with an indoor unit to store their RV, so many drivers tend to go with a tarp as a cover. While tarps can prevent water damage, they won’t ensure complete coverage, so using a tarp isn’t necessarily the way to go. To avoid a costly mistake, invest in an elements cover. Make your RV a priority, as the summer season comes to an end with an element cover. Here are some reasons to protect your RV.

• Sun Damage: The sun can cause seal damage to the exterior if there’s too much exposure to UV Rays. The interior will also reach extreme heats up to 144 degrees! Cover your roof to prevent costly sun damage. 
• Water Damage: During the winter, snow builds up on the roof, causing water damage. Eventually, all of the water build-up will seriously damage your RV.   
• Exterior Fading & Damage: Keeping your RV in the same condition as you purchased it, will ensure it’s value if you were to sell. Not covering your RV with an element cover will cause any color or design to fade or crack. 
• Dirt Build-Up: Dirt and debris build-up on your RV, leaving long, nasty dark streaks of dirt. These streaks tend to be a burden to wash off, so an elements cover can save you a whole lot of time! 

At Home Storage Tips

Depending on which state you live in, the laws are different on whether or not you can keep your RV at home. If your state allows it, you’re going to have to winterize your vehicle, along with investing in tire and vehicle covers. 

• Winterize Your Vehicle: When it’s officially the off-season, it’s time to winterize your vehicle. If there’s any chance of snow, get ready to do some maintenance. The winterizing process involves cleaning out the vehicle itself and flushing out the lines. Your RV or camper is about to sit without movement for a while, so winterizing is crucial. 
• Tire Covers: Ensure your tires durability with tire covers. The winter can take a toll on the traction and overall quality of your tires. Tire Covers are an easy fix for an expensive problem. 
• Element Covers: Protect your RV from the elements with an element cover. Element covers keep the interior at a temperature that won’t cause any unwanted damage. They also protect from water damage, dirt, and sun damage, something a tarp can’t quite do! 

Treat your trailer at Terry’s Auto Body and Trailer Sales! Contact Terry's Auto Body & Trailer Sales for all your trailer needs, repairs, and maintenance. Avoid disaster and keep your family safe while driving. Call 641-985-2536 or visit our website at ricevilletrailers.com.