It may seem like you sent your little one off to kindergarten just yesterday, and all of a sudden, they’re off to college. If your college-bound kid is taking their car with them, here are our top safety tips for preparing your student’s car for college. You may not always be able to prevent the unexpected, but a few safety measures can make all the difference in the world.

Top Tips for Preparing Your Student’s Car for College

1. Put an Emergency Gas Card in the Glove Compartment

College students are often strapped for cash. Help your student avoid the cost of towing a car that’s out of gas. Plus, it’s unsafe to walk along the side of the highway to the nearest gas station. Tuck an emergency gas card in the owner’s manual to make sure your student doesn’t push the ‘E’ line too far.

2. Sign Up for Roadside Assistance

If you can sign up for roadside assistance, make sure your student has a dedicated card. From replacing dead batteries to towing a dead vehicle, roadside assistance is invaluable when the unexpected happens.

3. Check the Spare Tire (If Your Car Has One)

If your car has a spare tire, you first want to make sure the tire is even there! This is especially important in used cars, where there’s a space for the tire but the tire may have been removed at some point. Replace the tire if it’s missing; otherwise, inspect the spare tire, make sure there’s no damage, and ensure it’s filled and ready to go just in case.

4. No Spare Tire? Keep a Tire Air Kit in The Car

DIY tire repair kits may not be a favorite of tire mechanics, but sometimes there’s just no other choice when a tire has gone flat or sprung a bad leak on the road. A tire air kit can be the difference between having to get a car towed and being able to get to a tire shop.

5. Put an Emergency Kit in the Car

An emergency kit is a small but valuable kit of supplies for those occasions when you find yourself stranded on the side of the road. Most emergency kits include road flares, reflective caution signs, oil, jumper cables and other roadside safety essentials. Learn what to put in a car emergency kit here.

6. Change The Car’s Oil

Oil is one of those things that is easy to forget about. Out of sight, out of mind, right? After all, unlike gas, it doesn’t seem essential. In fact, regular oil changes are crucial for your car’s health. Change the vehicle’s oil before your student takes off for school or while they’re home for winter break for the peace of mind that all of the vehicle’s components are working smoothly.

7. Check the Battery in the Car

Any long-time car owner has been there: you get in the car, turn the ignition, and hear a click instead of the engine starting. That’s right, your battery has died overnight. Check the battery in your student’s car for corrosion and damage.

You can get the remaining charge tested at a tire and battery shop to see how much life is left in it. Even if you don’t replace it, you can at least be aware of how much life is left in the car’s battery.

8. Be Snow Ready

Send snow-preparedness gear with your student’s car if they’re going to school in a snowy northern state. Do your research to see what the city’s law is about snow chains or snow tires and pack accordingly.

9. Replace The Car’s Windshield Wipers

Windshield wipers are a crucial part of any vehicle’s safety. After all, they’re essential for visibility in bad weather. Change out the vehicle’s windshield wipers if they’re old or leaving streaks on the glass when in use.

10. Make Sure Your Maintenance Is Up to Date with T3 Atlanta

The best way to prevent a car from breaking down is to make sure your vehicle’s maintenance is up to date. T3 Atlanta can help. Our friendly, knowledgeable mechanics provide great service at two convenient metro-area locations in Smyrna and Decatur.

Whether your student is about to leave for school or is back for the holidays, bring their vehicle in. We’ll inspect the car and make sure everything is in top condition. You can have peace of mind that whatever college life may throw at them, your student’s car is safe and road-ready.

While you are excited with the summer sun and the long drives, your car might be dreading it. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. That’s why we have created this list of summer car care tips for car owners both old and new. These tips might not be applicable for all types of cars, but you might pick a thing or two. Read on to learn our top five summertime car maintenance tips.

Summer Car Care Tips

1. Have your AC checked

Hot weather means more stress on your car’s AC system. So this should be an essential part of your summer car care routine. Make sure everything is working as intended so you won’t have surprise breakdowns while on the road on a hot day.

You might also want to see if the freon levels in your car AC system is still in acceptable levels if you want to survive the summer’s scorching heat you need to have your freon topped off. If everything is working fine, have your mechanics do a thorough cleaning of your AC. This will remove any dust buildup that might cause the AC to not blow as much as it is supposed to.

2. Mind the engine temperature

Summer days can get pretty hot and this makes the engine temp go even higher. An overheating engine is one sure way to take the fun out of your summer plans. In order to help your engine cool off, you might want to choose the best kind of coolant for your car’s radiator.

Coolant is a specialized liquid that excels in absorbing the heat generated from your engine (with the help of the car’s engine cooling system) and dissipating it. Make sure you check the coolant levels on your car’s radiator at least once a week to make sure it is topped off.

3. Have an oil change

Sure, you’ve had your oil change a few months ago and it’s not really time to do an oil change but you should still do it if you love your car. This is especially true when you are planning on a number of road trips during the summertime.

Not only will an oil change ensure your car is in tip-top shape, but this also allows you to change the oil in your engine to be more suited for the hot weather. After all, the type of oil you put in your car can help cool it down when needed. If you are not sure about this, you can check your car’s manual to see a special summer schedule for maintenance.

4. Check your fluids

As in any pre-road trip maintenance, you should go and make sure your car’s fluids (brake fluid, power steering fluid, transmission fluids, and coolant as mentioned above) are topped off. Seasoned drivers know that missing this simple check can spell disaster especially when you are going on a longer than usual road trip. Also, check your trunk to make sure you bring extra in case you need to top off along the way.

5. Make sure your tires are still up for the job

The last thing you need for a road trip is having your tire blown because you forgot to check it. Summertime is the time for the triple check – tread, air, and spare. First, make sure the treads on your car tires are still healthy. Next, make sure it has enough air before you drive off.

Lastly, check your spare to make sure the treads are still acceptable and it has enough air. Your spare should be usable when you need it (which is usually an emergency), so better to check it before you stash it.

Bring Your Car to T3 Atlanta for Your Summer Car Care

If you plan on a number of road trips for the summer, it might be a good idea to go and have T3 Atlanta check your car first. Our mechanics can do a comprehensive maintenance check on your car to make sure you won’t have to worry about your car all summer. Call us today and let’s pencil your car in for a thorough check.

When you are young and financially challenged, you tend to develop this habit of stretching everything to the limit. Like following a measly budget and hope you won’t die of starvation. Or wearing the same set of clothes until somebody notices. But perhaps one that we can really relate to is running your car on empty.

Let’s admit it. We’ve done this at least one in our lives. We always tell people we do it for the excitement but the truth is that our paycheck arrives in 2 days and you have nothing left.

As you get older and hopefully your finances improve, you rarely see the gasoline logo light up. But running on empty is still a fear we have to face especially when we like to go on long drives.

The thing about long drives is that the big distance between point A to B means a lot of things can happen. From reroutes to breakdowns and even jams. While a lot of resources on your phone and online can help you get a good idea of how much gasoline you need and where you can top off, at one point you might really run on empty.

But is running on empty really bad? How far can you drive your car on empty when the light on your Nissan, Lexus, Toyota, or Infiniti when the empty light is flashing? Let’s find out.

How Long Can You Drive Your Car on Empty?

For those unfamiliar with the term, running on empty means you are running your car even if the fuel gauge is at “E” or empty and the gas tank warning light is on.

Normally, cars have a reserve tank for such occasions. This means that while the main tank is empty, the reserve tank provides your car with the last few drops of fuel needed. Manufacturers also made it a point to “trick” car owners by dropping the gauge to empty even before the main tank dries out. This is because they know people like to put things off and that includes going to the gas station.

How far you can go on empty really depends on the type of car, the conditions, and the way you drive. For example, according to tankonempty.com (a website that tracks how far one can go on empty by gathering experiences from car owners) an Infiniti M35 can run up to an average of 48.33miles before the car stops. You can enter in your vehicle’s details to find information on your exact make and model.

Running on Empty and Why It’s Bad

While you may feel like MacGyver going all smart and risky in running on empty, it can do serious damage to your car.

For starters, running on empty means your car is literally scraping the bottom of the fuel tank. As your car ages, debris accumulates at the bottom. For older cars with metal tanks, this means deposits from the deteriorating tanks as well. Any debris or gunk that has settled at the bottom will be sucked up. The debris can either damage your fuel pump or force you to change your fuel filter sooner than expected.

When you run on empty, it’s often your fuel pump that gets the most stress. The fuel serves as a coolant and lubricant for the fuel pump for certain models and when you run out of fuel, this means your fuel pump might overheat and wear out.

Another thing to worry about is the car’s catalytic converter. When your car stalls as a result of running on empty, your exhaust system suffers. The catalytic converter is usually the one that gets the most damage, and you may end up replacing it.

Ask any mechanic or car expert and they will tell you that running on empty is a big no-no. The aim is to always have at least a quarter of the tank at all times. Aside from having the peace of mind knowing you still have enough to reach a gas station, it’s also a great way for you to show your car you appreciate it.

Fast and Friendly Atlanta-Area Auto Service at T3 Atlanta

T3 Atlanta’s mechanics are the best in the area for Nissan, Toyota, Infiniti, and Lexus cars. If you have questions (like how far you can go with an empty tank, for example), don’t hesitate to visit our shop. Our team of experts will be ready to answer your question and service your vehicle if needed.

Winter is coming. Are you and your car ready?

When talking about winter, a lot of us can just sigh at the idea. Winter is inevitable and it’s not the best season for your car. Snow, frost, and ice can make roads more dangerous. That’s why having winter car preparations is important.

Preparing your car for the winter can get pretty exhausting especially when you don’t know where to start. Most people adjust only when something happens. Like how some people change their tires only when they start to feel their cars slipping on the roads. Hindsight is always important in safety so preparations need to be made even before winter hits.

But what should you prioritize? What should you do first? We’ve prepared a short list of what you should include in your winter car preparations. Let’s see what we have.

Winter Car Preparation 101

1. Check your tires – We put this first because this is probably the easiest. Regular tires won’t work on icy roads so you should start switching them with your winter set. But before you do that, check your winter tires if they still have the proper tread depth. No point using them when they can’t even perform properly. Lastly, make sure to constantly check your tire pressure. The cold can cause the pressure to drop at times so check your tires visually before you get on the car and watch out for the tire pressure light.
2. Mind the lights – With winter coming and Daylight Savings Time, it gets darker earlier. This means you need to make sure that you can see and other drivers can see you too. So have all your lights checked from your headlights to your taillights. Spare no expense in ensuring all the lights work because the worst time to find out they don’t is when you are in the middle of the road.
3. Change your wipers – While not exactly applicable to “cold-but-not-really-snowing” winters of Atlanta, you might want to change your wipers just to be sure. There are winter specific wiper blades that plow through snow and ice with no problem. This is very helpful especially during morning when you are defrosting your car. Aside from the wiper blades, change your windshield wiper fluid that won’t freeze when the temperature drops.
4. Have a winter kit ready – Winter can get pretty feisty at times and this might result in pretty bad weather at times. Being stuck because your car broke own or the roads are very unsafe is pretty normal. That’s why you need to have an emergency winter kit ready in your car. The essentials include:
   • Extra warm clothes.
   • Blankets
   • Snacks and energy bars.
   • Water
   • A first aid kit
   • An ice scraper
   • Flashlight and some batteries
5. Visit a mechanic – Your car might run just fine during fall or summer but winter is a totally different beast. Having a trusted mechanic check your car right before the start of winter is always a good way to ensure you lessen the chances of your car breaking down.  A good shop or mechanic will probably check 6-9 different points which may include the following:

1. • Brakes
   • Battery
   • Antifreeze
   • Thermostat
   • Defroster
   • Heating System

All these parts of your car are necessary for it to run properly and safely during the winter.

If you are in need of a trusted mechanic that has the expertise and experience then T3 Atlanta is your best bet. Our tried and tested service for Lexus, Nissan, Infiniti, and Toyota cars has us on the top spot for auto repair shops in Atlanta. Give us a call today and let us help you get your car into shape for winter.

Waze, Google Maps, and Apple Maps are essential companions when it comes to road trips across the country or in-town. But what other apps are out there for long-distance travel? When you’re planning your next road trip, check out these apps to help keep you entertained, fueled, and educated about your surroundings for a truly outstanding vacation. Here are the 5 best road trip apps for your next trip.

1. Spotify

Music is a must-have on any road trip. Instead of packing a binder of CD’s, download Spotify. This app offers millions of songs and podcasts to keep you and your road trip companions entertained whether your trip is three-hundred or three-thousand miles long.

You can even download your entertainment for offline listening so you don’t rack up the phone charges for the month.

Spotify»

2. REI Co-Op National Parks Guide

Are you a spontaneous traveler? The REI Co-Op National Parks Guide might be your new best friend. This free app contains maps and sightseeing information about many of the country’s National Parks with new park information updated regularly.

Best of all? This app doesn’t require cell data, so you don’t need to worry about your map vanishing when you’re in the middle of a backcountry hike.

REI Co-Op National Parks Guide on Google»

REI Co-Op National Parks Guide on Apple»

3. Audubon Bird Guide

Audubon’s Bird Guide app is the perfect, palm-sized field guide for anyone who wants to try bird watching on their next road trip. The app makes it easy to explore what kind of birds are nearby so that you know what to look out for.

Spot a bird that you don’t recognize? No problem! The app lets you enter in a description of what you saw and provides the best matches so you can know for certain what kind of owl you just saw.

The Audubon Bird Guide on Android»

The Audubon Bird Guide on Apple»

4. TripIt

TripIt is the ideal travel companion for hardcore planners. This app creates an all-in-one itinerary for you to make your trip as smooth as possible. All you need to do is forward your travel information – that includes hotels, travel, and even restaurants – to their dedicated submission line, and TripIt does the rest.

From there, you can easily share your compiled information with your traveling companions so you can skip the worry of juggling a dozen confirmation emails or printouts.

TripIt»

5. GasBuddy

Unless you own an electric car, GasBuddy is a road trip essential. With this app, all you need to do is enter in your location and it does the rest, finding the closest gas stations to where you are as well as prices. That way, you don’t have to be uncertain about where the next gas station is or be surprised by prices.

GasBuddy»

Prepare Your Car for Your Road Trip with T3 Atlanta

Planning a road trip? Now that you’ve got your entertainment sorted with the best road trip apps for your trip, make sure your car is in top condition before you take to the road. Save the time and hassle of getting stranded on the highway and enjoy your trip to its fullest with a car that’s in top condition.

T3 Atlanta services Infiniti, Toyota, Lexus, and Nissan vehicles. With two convenient metro area locations in Smyrna and Decatur, we make it easy to stop in for all your car care needs. We’ll inspect your vehicle and recommend any important maintenance items you may have so that you can embark on your road trip with confidence. Give us a call today and we’ll help ensure that your car gets you from point A to B without a hitch.