How To Prevent Road Rage

As much as I hate to admit it, I have to be honest: Human beings are angry drivers!

I, like most people, would like to give myself the benefit of the doubt that I am a great citizen at all times and completely prone to road rage. However, I like most people, have also been behind the wheel of a car after missing my work alarm, after long days, etc.

Each of us is different and has different day to day stressors that might make you more likely to suffer from road rage. So see what kind of driver you are and take these tips in consideration before next time you are behind the wheel.

1. Lack of sleep can make you cranky

This is one that should not come as a surprise but we all know how cranky we get when we miss out on sleep. Sleep exhaustions makes us more likely to resort to your angry feelings.

Try to get eight hours of sleep every night (the recommended daily dose of sleep for adults).

2. Plan ahead

Doing such as allotting yourself enough time to sleep will make your day easier behind the road, it also shows off the importance of planning ahead. Angry driving tends to be presentable, so take a look at your schedule and give yourself enough time to get places. Only you know your habits, so make the necessary adjustments to give yourself plenty of time to make your commute!

3. Angry music? Tone it down a little!

As big of a Metallica fan as I am, it does makes sense that listening to angry music might increase your chance for angry driving. Try listening to music that puts you in a good mood and reduce stress. While more relaxing music will lower your stress levels, it will also help cover up stressful traffic noise (Don’t overdo the volume as to completely drown it out!)

4. Share the road and practice kindness

One mistake I find myself making is a pretty common for people to make: assuming that when someone cuts you off, blocks you out, etc. they are doing it on purpose, which can then lead our own emotions to get a little out of hand. Most of the time, other drivers really don’t see you and will be quick to try to apologize. It is up to you how to react, so try to keep that in mind and keep your stress levels down.

5. Take the self-test.

The key to being able to change your driving behavior is admitting your own faults in order to correct them. One useful tool to analyzing your own emotional patterns came from our friends at Edmunds.com, so give them a try. Do any of the following statements sound like you? If you answer "yes" to any of these statements, then your driving style may qualify as aggressive.  

- I regularly have to speed in order to get to work on time.

- I tailgate other drivers, especially the ones that drive in the left lane.

- When other drivers do something to annoy me, I flash my lights and honk my horn to let them know.

- I am verbally abusive to other drivers, whether they can hear or not.

- I constantly weave in and out of traffic to get ahead of other drivers.

Conclusion                                                                                                             

At one point or another we will lose our cool on the road, however aggressive driving is something that can be prevented. Try to make sure you are rested before driving, give yourself extra time and practice common courtesy to others and you will be able to lower aggressive tendencies.

How to Avoid Getting Pulled Over!

How to Avoid Getting Pulled Over!

 

We’ve all been there…You are in a rush on your way to work and you begin to speed to get there. However just when you think you’re in the clear, you see the one thing you don’t want to see behind you at that specific moment: The old blue and red lights from your towns finest patrol man/woman.

While these are moments that we absolutely hate in life, getting pulled over is something that 99% of the time is preventable. So after doing some research and checking a few different sources, we have compiled a list of some of things NOT to do to avoid getting pulled over.

While these are the best we found, I am sure there is something we could have missed so feel free to comment and give us your own tips! And NO we don’t mean “outrun the cops” wise guys! :o)

1. Avoid Speeding. 

This one should be a no brainer, but it is the easiest way at getting pulled over. By now you should know to slow down in front of police, however the increase of traffic cameras have also made it a reason you might want to slow down.

Aside from saving you money on speeding tickets, you should think about your safety when speeding. The faster you go, the longer it takes to react to an unexpected situation, and the longer it will you’re your people to be able to completely come to a stop.

The worst parts of traffic tickets is that even if you take it to court, chances are you will lose. Speeding can usually be proven in the police officer’s favor, so even if you go to court, the most you can expect is reducing your penalty, but expect to pay a fine anyways.

Whether it is saving your driving record, your money or your health make sure you slow down.

2. Hazardous driving. 

This one should be a no brainer, but we may have all committed this without even knowing it!

While the category for hazardous driving usually makes people think of swerving, speeding, racing, etc. it also includes a whole range of things.

Remember that time you were rushing and had to eat your lunch on your way to work? That is something that counts as hazardous driving!

Remember that time you did your make up while driving? Or that time you had to change your outfit while driving? That is another example!

What you have to think about is this: If you have to take your attention away from the road to accomplish any task, it increases your risk of getting in an accident and thus it’s considered hazardous driving. If you really have to get something done while in the car, your safe bet is to just pull over where you can and take care of it.

3. Illegal cell phone use and equipment

By now over 30 states have banned texting while driving, and some have even banned all use of cell phones while behind the wheel. Unless you are using a hands free device, your best bet is to wait until you reach your destination to use your phone. Unless it’s an emergency, chances are you can wait to make that call or text that person. Doing so could save your life!

What exactly is considered illegal equipment? burned-out headlights, broken tail lights, heavily tinted windows, broken windshields, expired tags, the lack of a front license plate (in some states) and loud exhaust modifications are a few examples of illegal equipment that make you subject to being pulled over.

4. Following too closely and improper lane changes. 

This is something that you are advised against doing during driving school, but it’s something that too many people are guilty of. Following too closely can lead to an accident by shortening a driver's reaction time that combined with some other form of hazardous driving (cell phone use, eating, etc) can be deadly.

An improper lane change would mean, for example, cutting someone off or changing lanes without checking for cars next to you. Failure to signal can also be added to this ticket so make sure you always use your turn signals and LOOK before changing lanes.

5. Driving slower than traffic

This one might be a little shocking to everybody, but think about it this way. You are on your way home on the highway at night, following all speed limits of course ;), when all of the sudden you come across a person going way slower than you. There are no obstacles on the road, and there doesn’t seem to be any weather hazards such as rain or snow that would make this person drive that slow: What would you think?

That’s right, driving slower than traffic might actually make a police man you are 1) under the influence of something 2) being suspicious or 3) there is something wrong with you and increases your odds of getting pulled over.

In fact there are some highways that even have “minimum speed limits” to let people know what the safest ‘slow’ speed they can drive at.

Like what you read? Follow us on Twitter at @jerrysitsaboutu for blog updates.

For more information on all of our available vehicles, products and services visit us athttp://jerrysitsaboutyou.com

What's Under Your Tree? Our Wish List

Every year during Christmas season I spend half my bank account on my family and friends wish list. However this year I started thinking, what if I could get half of all my friends’ bank accounts for my own presents? What would I buy? And suddenly a light bulb went off: A brand new car.

So, under the assumption that I have a free pass at any vehicle I want, here are the cars I would love to find under my Christmas tree. And yes, I am going to need a pretty big tree!

2013 Chevrolet Avalanche Black Diamond Edition

Since this is the last year of the Avalanche, I would love nothing more than to take advantage of this bad boy while I can.

So what makes the Avalanche so great? First it’s a SUV, but in a few simple moves you are able to turn it into a pickup truck. Yes you read that right, the Chevy Avalanche is able to go from a large SUV to a powerful pickup truck, making this the perfect car to take the family in, while also perfect for those heavy hauls.

Since this is the last year for the Avalanche, Chevrolet decided to make every single one a Black Diamond Edition, which adds special equipment, a refined exterior, and the Black Diamond badge on the 2013.

We might be saying goodbye to the Avalanche, but I would love to say hello to it below my Christmas tree!

For more info on the 2013 Avalanche check out: http://jerryschevynews.blogspot.com/2012/07/2013-chevrolet-avalanche.html

2013 Scion FR-S

We said it, and we meant it. The 2013 Scion FR-S brings pure balance to drivers.

This bad boy is not only a sleek and sporty vehicle that would make any sports fan blush, but it is also a refined ride with front-engine, rear-wheel-drive that is both well balanced and lightweight. While the FR-S doesn’t have the type of horsepower that a beast like a Camaro or Corvette has, its lightweight design and compact size allows the car to be speedy, yet agile around corners, offering impressive maneuverability and confident handling.

To top it all off, the 2013 Scion FR-S offers plenty of connectivity features that we have learned to love from all Scion vehicles, as well as great fuel economy.

Not bad Scion, I am definitely in love.

2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Limited Edition

While the limited edition model of the 2013 Outlander Sport has not come out yet, the regular 2013 Outlander did, and since this is technically a wish list I went ahead and added it on here anyways.

The 2013 Outlander Sport Limited Edition adds blackout side mirrors, center bumper, wheel arch trim and roof rails, dark-chrome alloy wheels and a special "Limited Edition" badge.

The 2013 Outlander Sport Limited Edition will also see quicker and smoother acceleration thanks to a new engine balancer shaft that gives the model an increase in performance while maintaining the vehicle's outstanding 31 mpg highway fuel rating.

To top it off, the 2013 Sport Limited edition package offers great connectivity features and it is very comfortable to ride in. While I usually would have picked a Mitsu for its performance vehicles (The EVO is one of my all time favorites), the 2013 Outlander Sport Limited Edition definitely caught my eye. Making it to my Christmas list!

2013 Toyota Avalon

Toyota made us a little crazy with anticipation when it announced a mystery vehicle earlier this year (Toyota Debuts New Sedan http://newtoyotanews.blogspot.com/2012/03/toyota-to-debut-new-sedan.html) , I have to admit I was a little disappointed to hear that they were bringing back the Avalon….until I actually saw what the redesigned Avalon looked like!

Simply put, this bad boy blows all previous Avalon’s out of the water. The exterior and interior received great redesigns making this the best Avalon to date.

One great addition to the 2013 Avalon is that it added three driver-selectable powertrain modes: “ECO,” “NORMAL” and “SPORT”.

In SPORT mode, the new Avalon sees an increase in its acceleration response, as well as enhanced steering feel. ECO mode maximizes the Avalon’s fuel efficiency by altering its throttle response and reducing the energy used by the air-condition system, allowing the Avalon to achieve an impressive 31 mpg highway estimate from the EPA. The 2013 Toyota Avalon has a city fuel efficiency rating of 21 mpg.

The Toyota Avalon left me speechless, and it definitely made its way to the top of my Christmas list.

While there are many other vehicles that I would love to get, these stood out to me for various reasons. Whether it was affordability, performance, features or its different capabilities, these bad boys were able to strike my eye, and put themselves at the top of my list.

Top 5 Tips to Make Your Tires Last

Since 2010 we have noticed a steady rise in tire prices, and with the Holiday season right around the corner, as well as the ruthless winter seasons that hit the east coast (enjoy your sunshine west coasters, we are just jealous), extending the life of your tires is more important than ever to those who are looking to save money and stay safe.

Taking care of your tires does not have to be difficult. And with simplicity in mind, we bring you our top 5 tire-care tips to make them last longer and perform better:

1. Make sure your tires are properly inflated

Many experts will tell you that often times most instances of damaged or flat tire reports come from lack of air.

Make sure you get into the habit of looking at your tires, whether it’s once a week, every morning, or every time you go get gas at the pump. If you spot bulging sidewalls during a visual inspection, this could indicate low tire pressure. You should also check the tire pressure once a month with a quality digital or pencil type pressure gauge. Luckily for you, many vehicles today are equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), which uses a warning light on the dash to notify you when a tire is low.

One word of advice we can offer is to make sure to fill up your tires according to manufacturer-

recommended tire pressure settings, and to always monitor your tire pressure when driving in snow, rain and sleet, since correct pressure is essential to good handling and traction.

Lastly, by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure, you can improve your gas mileage by up to 3.3 percent, so also saves you money at the pump.

2. Rotate and balance tires every other oil change

Many experts today recommend that you rotate and balance your tires during every other oil change. Lucky for you, most tire shops offer this service free-of-charge if the tires were purchased from them. Normally the front tires tend wear faster than the rear, so rotating your tires will help increase their lifespan. Also, keeping the tires balanced reduces vibration, which increases tire and component wear.

3. Keep your tires clean and covered up

You would be surprised how damaging the environment can be for your tires. Purchasing a good tire protectant will help prevent your tires from suffering from ozone damage in the summer and will make sure your tires make it through the harsh weather conditions of the winter time, thus greatly improving your tires lifespan.

Whenever your vehicle is stored for long periods of time (classic car owners pay attention), make sure to cover your tires and remove the vehicle's weight or load to help prevent sidewall cracks from forming.

4. Avoid road hazards and potholes

Driving too fast, not keeping a safe distance from the vehicle ahead of you, and driving on rough or damaged roads can lead to tire damage from road hazards. Drive your car like road warrior. Crushing through anything in your path on your way from point A to point B? Well you might be surprised to find out that even hitting a pothole at 20 MPH can cause significant damage to the tire sidewall, which is non-repairable.

Now if you can’t avoid hitting a pothole, it is always safer to go through it than to swerve at the last minute, however if you are able to slow down before driving over a pothole, try to do so, as rolling over a pothole can cause less damage to your tires than driving over it at a higher speed.

Also keep in mind that properly inflated tires are less likely to sustain significant damage from potholes and other road hazards.

5. Routinely check your tires’ tread wear

A tire wearing on the outside edge only can be a sign that the wheels are not properly aligned, which can greatly reduce the life of your tires.

Be sure to routinely inspect your tires for uneven tread wear. Wheel alignment can be checked by simply looking at the wear pattern on tires or by a trained technician with the use of an alignment rack. Always make sure the tires have plenty of tread (4/32” of an inch minimum) so you don’t lose traction.

An easy way to check your tread depth is to do the old penny trick (which you can find here: http://lanceratjerrysmitsubishi.blogspot.com/2012/11/new-driver-top-5-things-to-know-about.html). As silly as it sounds, the penny trick is a very easy way to stay on top of your tires tread wear.

At Jerry’s we offer tires for life on all of our vehicles. This means that Tires that are originally purchased on your Jerry’s New or Manufacturer Certified Pre-Owned vehicle will be replaced once they are worn due to normal wear and tear. On top of that Jerry’s also offers nitrogen air fills for your tires free of cost!

Like what you read? Follow us on Twitter at @jerrysitsaboutu for blog updates.

For more information on all of our available vehicles, products and services visit us athttp://jerrysitsaboutyou.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is the best isn’t it?

Great food, the company of your family and friends and an increased waist line make this our most anticipated night of the year. However, aside from the great food and fun, Thanksgiving is also a time for reminiscing and giving thanks for the many different blessings we have in our lives.

At Jerry’s we’ve already had our feast and our fun, so that just leaves us with one thing to do: Sit back, reminisce and give thanks for a wonderful year. In honor of the thanks giving holiday, we bring your our top 3 moments to give thanks about.

3) Orioles make it to the playoffs!

Dear lord I never thought I would get to see the day again. But low and behold , just when I was ready to give up on my beloved Orioles, Baltimore decided to shut me up by bringing us  one of the most interesting, fun and exciting seasons we have seen in a long time!

The Baltimore Orioles would go on to lose in the New York Yankees in a very tight series at the playoffs. However the birds finally making it back to the playoffs brought the Baltimore community together and gave us something to cheer for. PLAY BALL!

2) Community support during Jerry’s Car Show and Festival 2012

If you follow us on Facebook or Twitter, chances are you were either part of the fun, or you absolutely hated us for being all over your news feed.

This summer Jerry’s raised the stakes during its annual Car Show and Festival by giving away a brand new car to a lucky member of the Maryland community. The car show benefited the Maryland affiliate for the Make-A-Wish foundation.

In order to win the car we held a contest where we would hide cardboard keys around different parts of the Baltimore area and then provide clues to their location via our social media sites and our webpages. All of the key finders were then invited to our Car Show and Festival, where they would get to trade their cardboard keys for a real one in the hopes of being able to win either a 2012 Scion iQ or a 2012 Chevrolet Sonic. The winner would be the one who found a key that would be able to start the car during the Car Show and Festival.

While we expected this part of the festival to be a success (who doesn't want a brand new car right?), the most rewarding part of the whole show was the fantastic show of support by the Baltimore community.

After it was all said done, we received donations totaling over 7,000 dollars. To top it off, Toyota national headquarters matched our donation, meaning that we were able to donate a combined 14,000 dollars to the Make A Wish foundation!

That day was filled with great music, entertainment, food and an incredible selection of cars. However the only reason it was a success was because of the incredible show of support by the Baltimore community.

1) Community response after Daniel Borowy shooting

We were all shocked to hear about it and we could not believe something like this would happen so close to home. When Daniel Borrowy was shot during an incident at Perry Hall Middle School, it single handedly brought the entire Baltimore community together in prayer for his life. Social media groups were created for him, vigils were held outside the hospital where he was held and many members of the Baltimore community came together to show support for the brave survivor.

Daniel survived and eventually went back home to begin his recovery process. However one thing is for certain, we will never forget the face of that young boy who fought for his life and inspired us all with his positive attitude and his love of life. It is times like these that made us proud to be a part of the Baltimore community.

Whether your favorite part of thanksgiving is the feasting, the football or the black Friday shopping that's sure to follow, make sure you do us one favor: enjoy it. 

Have a wonderful thanksgiving break everybody. We are thankful that you are a part of our lives. Never forget folks, It’s About YOU!

Like what you read? Follow us on Twitter at @jerrysitsaboutu for blog updates.

For more information on all of our available vehicles, products and services visit us athttp://jerrysitsaboutyou.com

2014 Mitsubishi Outlander to debut in the U.S. at L.A. Auto Show

A Fuel efficient SUV coming our way with plenty of comfort, technology, and safety features? Mitsubishi you have my attention!

Last week we made the announcement via our Facebook page (which, pardon the cheap plug in, you can check out at : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jerrys-Mitsubishi/108664672503204),  that Mitsubishi Motors had recently made an announcement regarding  plans to debut the new Outlander generation in the United States later this month, at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show.

After it was already launched in several markets across Europe and Asia, the new generation of the Mitsubishi Outlander, the 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander, is getting ready to make its debut in the United States too. Mitsubishi announced it would do so during the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show on November 28th. According to Mitsubishi representatives, the 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander will be “among the most fuel-efficient compact CUV with seven-passenger seating as standard”.

For 2014 the Outlander will feature a fresh new design direction that emphasizes exterior aerodynamic efficiency, and will come with a brand new engine that will see itself equipped with a new version of the advanced MIVEC continuously-variable valve lift timing system, greatly helping to increase the vehicles’ fuel economy. The redesigned 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander will be one of the most fuel-efficient compact CUVs, yet it will still be able to accommodate 7-passenger seating as standard.

The Mitsubishi Outlander will also see some safety technology features added on for 2014, such as Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) or Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC).

However Mitsubishi is not done yet. Besides the new generation of the Mitsubishi Outlander, the carmaker is also planning to introduce a special edition of the model 2013, in order to commemorate the brand’s three-decade presence on the North American market.

The 2013 Outlander Sport Limited Edition is arguably the most dynamic-looking compact crossover vehicle available in the segment. It will come equipped with blackout side mirrors, center bumper, wheel arch trim and roof rails, dark-chrome alloy wheels and a special "Limited Edition" badging.

The 2013 Outlander Sport Limited Edition will also see quicker and smoother acceleration thanks to a new engine balancer shaft that gives the model an increase in performance while maintaining the vehicle's outstanding 31 mpg highway fuel rating. The 2013 Sport Limited edition package will also come equipped with a 6-way adjustable power driver seat, aluminum brake and accelerator pedals, leather parking brake lever and available special two-tone Dove Grey and Black leather seating surfaces.

Mitsubishi also mentioned plans to announce other important company developments during their presentation at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show.

Like what you read? Follow us on Twitter at @jerrysitsaboutu for blog updates.

For more information on all of our available vehicles, products and services visit us athttp://jerrysitsaboutyou.com

New driver? Top 5 Things to Know About Your Car

Congratulations!

After months of studying and many nights spent dreaming about your first car or about the driving experiences that are going to come your way, you have finally done it: you earned your drivers permit. 

However, one thing you will hear from many is that, even though you learned the rules of the road, there's a lot more to driving.

If you want to impress your parents by driving safely and save money while you do so, you have to know how to keep your car properly maintained.

Here are five car maintenance and repair tips to get you started:

1. Don’t buy more gas than you need

First tip for your vehicle: Using a higher grade of gasoline than your car manufacturer recommends is like throwing money away.

Think about it, premium gasoline is about 20 to 40 cents more expensive per gallon than regular gas. In fact, most experts would agree that there is very little difference in quality between gasoline grades anyways.

Another easy gas related money-saving tip? When the gas tank is full and the pump handle shuts off automatically, do not add more gas.

Gasoline expands once you put it in the car and thus it needs room to expand. By topping of your tank, the extra gasoline can evaporate into your car’s vapor collection system, causing your engine to run poorly. 

Also, filling up past when needed causes that extra gas to be fed back into the gas station’s holding tank through its vapor recovery line. Lastly, overfilling your gas tank can cause harmful vapors to be released into the environment.

Next time you visit the pump think green, for your wallet and for the environment.

2. Tires: Invest in a penny's worth of safety

One of the best ways to guarantee your car will have proper traction is by making sure the car’s tires have plenty of tread. While 4/32 of an inch is recommended, your vehicles minimum tread should never go below 2/32.

Want to know the easiest way to check your treading? The old penny trick

Take a penny and insert it so Lincoln's head goes into the grooves of your tires first. If any part of Lincoln’s head is covered, you have a legal amount of tire tread left and can go on without having to replace your tires. However, if you see space above Lincoln’s head, or if you can see any part of the words “In God We Trust,” it’s time to get new tires.

At Jerry’s we offer tires for life on all of our vehicles. This means that Tires that are originally purchased on your Jerry’s New or Manufacturer Certified Pre-Owned vehicle will be replaced once they are worn due to normal wear and tear. On top of that Jerry’s also offers nitrogen air fills for your tires free of cost!

3. Change your Oil!

This one was emphasized to me by my own father so I am sure you will hear the same: "CHANGE YOUR OIL"

Experts used to recommend an oil change every 3,000 miles, but now the standard is that vehicles 2002 and older can go 5,000 miles without oil changes, while anything below that should stick with 3,000 mile intervals between oil changes.

So, what’s the big deal about oil changes? Pay attention.

Motor oil helps to lubricate, cool, and seal many of your engine’s internal components. When the engine is running, oil is constantly circulating through critical parts of your car’s motor, thus making regular oil checkups and changes vital to your car. Neglecting to change the oil periodically will shorten the life of your engine.

One great thing about oil changes is that they are simple and inexpensive to do, which is the main reason why so many car owners change their own oil. If you want to do it yourself, get a parent or other adult to help you out, consult your vehicle owner’s manual to find out what kind of oil to use. If you don’t want to change it yourself bring it into the shop, it still won’t cost you much, and it will keep you from having to spend big money down the road.

4. Replace your own fuses and save a few bucks!

If something electrical in your car stops working, (Such as your windows or windshield wipers), it might be a simple fix such as a blown fuse. Identify which electrical part isn’t working then, using the owner’s manual, locate the fuse box. After locating which is fuse runs the part that isn’t working, remove it with a plastic fuse removal tool, usually located in the fuse box. After installing the new fuse test the electrical part for proper operation to verify the repair

(NOTE. Make sure you install a new fuse with the same amperage rating, ir else it wont work :o) )

Replacing a fuse is one of the easiest repair jobs you can do yourself. If you are feeling shaky on replacing a fuse yourself ask an adult to help, go online to access how-to guides, and always consult your vehicle owner’s manual to learn more.

5. Always pay attention to your check engine light!

One of the biggest mistakes drivers can do is ignoring their Check Engine light.

The Check Engine light can signal any number of component failures, from a loose gas cap that causes a fuel-vapor leak to a faulty oxygen sensor that affects gas mileage. A blinking check engine light usually indicates a severe engine misfire that could damage your car’s expensive catalytic converter if ignored.

The best tip we can offer is to read your owner’s manual in order to familiarize yourself with all the dashboard warning lights. The more you know about your car, the less likely you’ll be seeing our mechanics in the near future.

Like what you read? Follow us on Twitter at @jerrysitsaboutu for blog updates.

For more information on all of our available vehicles, products and services visit us at http://jerrysitsaboutyou.com