Posts Tagged ‘Wisconsin’
How to ensure your vehicle is okay after flooding
Friday, August 6th, 2010
The streets of Milwaukee were a scary place to be a few weeks back. We got over eight inches in a matter of hours, which caused massive flooding in a lot of areas. As scary as that was, you are not completely in the clear yet. Now that the rain has stopped, it is important to ensure your car did not receive any damage from the large amounts of water. Whenever there is flooding or a lot of rain, there are several things that can go wrong:
Breaks: When a lot of water gets into your breaks it cause them to rust and erode. When this starts to happen you may hear a squeaking sound when you break. If this is the case, it is much easier to re-lube and clean your breaks than replace them in a few weeks.
Steering: Your steering column is filled with important lubricants, just like your engine. If water got into the column then those lubricants become useless. Without lube your steering will quickly become hampered. Again, it is much easier to replace the lubricants now then replace your steering column down the line.
Undercarriage: Your car has drain plugs that prevent water from staying in your vehicle. However, it is easy for these plugs to become blocked and for water to stay in your vehicle. If this happens, rust and erosion are imminent. It is important to check your entire vehicle for water to ensure this does not happen.
Engine: If water got into your engine you are more than likely noticing the poor performance by now. If your car is sputtering, stalling or not operating correctly, you more than likely got water into the engine. However, water might be sitting in your oil pan which will again cause your vehicle to eventually breakdown. It would be much better to get an oil change than a new engine!
When we had as much water as we had a few weeks ago, a lot can go wrong on a vehicle! That is why Ewald Automotive is offering a FREE FLOOD INSPECTION for anyone that wants to ensure his or her car is running properly. If you are unfortunate enough to have damage, we will take 20% off of any repairs. If you are interested in setting up an appointment, please feel free to visit our website at: ewaldauto.com
Tags: automotive, Automotive Advantage, car dealership, car service, Ewald, flooding, inspection, Milwaukee, service, Wisconsin
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Finding the right vehicle for your family
Thursday, July 29th, 2010
There are a lot of special considerations when looking at a vehicle for your family. Not only will it be responsible for getting you around town, it will be responsible for your family’s safety and convenience. Making a final decision will take some careful consideration; here are a few questions that can get you closer to your answer:
What’s the cargo? This will have the biggest impact on the style of vehicle you look at. If you have to get a large group of children to and from school, appointments and other events, a minivan might be your best option. If you have kids but also a lot of cargo like pets and groceries, perhaps you should look at an SUV. If you have a smaller family, consider a car as the most practical means of transportation.
Where will you be driving? Let’s face it, gas is not cheap! However, before you jump head first into a hybrid, consider your driving style. If you’re driving mainly around the city, a hybrid might be best for you. However, if your normal trips consist of a lot of highway driving, look into a smaller engine vehicle. Either way, understanding your driving habits will help you out tremendously.
What is the safest option? When it comes to your family, safety is usually your number one concern. Purchasing a vehicle should be no different. Once you have the style of vehicle picked out, look at the safety reports on which one is the safest. There are generally yearly reports, with breakdowns for each type of vehicle, so do a quick search online and find out what is the safest.
How much can you afford? Notice that price is the last talking point? I completely understand needing to fit into a budget but by finding a vehicle that fits your needs first, you will be much more satisfied with your purchase. Also, when looking at the price tag also consider additional costs like insurance and maintenance. Another quick search online will show you the best vehicles to insure and maintain. This can ensure that your new vehicle purchase really does fit into your budget.
Hopefully these tips help you find a vehicle that gets your family safely where they need to go for years to come. If you have any questions on finding the right vehicle for your family, please let me know at: cihde@ewaldauto.com
Tags: automotive, Automotive Advantage, car buying, car dealership, car sales, Ewald, family, Milwaukee, new cars, Oconomowoc, used cars, vehicle purchase, Wisconsin
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You got in an accident, now what?
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
Wisconsin’s winter roads can be brutal at best. It seems they take pride in destroying your car at any cost. We always hope to be the one driving by the car in the ditch but every now and again, we are nose deep in snow, concrete and earth. Before this happens to you, it is important to have a plan.
The first thing you have to know is what to do immediately after the crash. First of all, make sure everyone including you is okay. Regardless of the severity make sure you call the police, without a report it may be hard to file an insurance claim. If there are other cars involved, get their insurance information as soon as possible and be prepared to share yours. If you do not have a camera on your cell phone, then it is a good idea to carry a disposable camera in your car. Pictures of any accident scene will greatly help in insurance claims.
Once things wrap up on the scene of the accident, it will be important to know where you want to get your car towed. Most often people will choose the closest repair shop but this may not always be the best answer. A good repair shop will give you a free estimate in order to earn your business, they will accept all insurances and all technicians will be ASE certified. It may also be good to look for a shop that offers onsite rental cars or shuttles and services all makes and models. By doing your research ahead of time and finding your repair shop before any accident, you could save yourself a major headache down the line.
As soon as you are able, make sure to call your insurance company. It is important to know the phone number that you should call to file a claim and your policy number. From there try to provide them as much information as possible.
This last step is important: relax. They are called accidents for a reason and they happen to just about everyone. Take a few minutes to mentally process what happened and then let it slip away from your mind. If you’ve followed these steps, then you’ll be back on the road in no time.
Tags: accident, body repair, car, insurance, repair shop, vehicle, winter, Wisconsin
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