Should You Eat in Your Car?

As car owners, most of us have eaten in our cars at least once during ownership. Drive-throughs are convenient for road warriors and work commuters alike. Time is money, after all, and there’s not always time to take a leisurely meal when you’re on the go. But should you eat in your car or not? There’s a lot of debate on both sides, so let’s take a look at the pros and cons of this practice.

Eating in Your Car: Pros

Whether you’re a casual driver or a road warrior, there are a lot of pros to eating in your car.

Can be Fun: If you’ve never had a picnic in your car before, why not give it a shot? Sometimes your planned trip to the park can be rained out. Or, perhaps there’s not a park nearby. With the right mentality, a picnic in your car can be a lot of fun. Grab a good friend, pack a bag (or a picnic basket if you have one), and drive to your local park for a quick nosh before enjoying a day in the sun.

Timesaver: It’s 7:40am and you haven’t eaten breakfast yet, but your boss expects you to be at a meeting at 8am. You’ll want to be at your best, so instead of skipping the most important meal of the day, stopping by the drive-through can help you fill up and give you the energy you need to rock your meeting.

Convenient: As nice as it is to have a sit-down meal at a restaurant, nothing beats convenience like eating in your car. Depending on whether you grab something at the grocery store, bring something from home, or stop at your favorite fast food spot, eating on the go is convenient to not have to leave your car to be served a meal.

Eating in Your Car: Cons

While eating in your car has a lot of conveniences, there are some cons to consider as well.

Danger: Driving safely requires your full attention to be on the road. Multitasking on anything – whether it’s driving and being on the phone, driving and talking with your passenger, or driving and eating – reduces how much attention you have to focus on the road.

Health Considerations: As convenient as it is to stop at your usual fast food joint, eating fast food isn’t always the healthiest option. If you have special health considerations or are just trying to watch your waistline, it may be a good idea to keep track of how often you’re eating on the go.

Cleanliness: When your attention is split between driving and eating, it can be easy for stray crumbs to escape even the best-intentioned driver. If you’re a clean freak, this may be a deal breaker for you. After all, crumbs accumulate in the most difficult of places – and that’s not even to mention spills. Unless you have a membership at your local auto wash, you may wind up spending a good chunk of change to keep your car spotless if you eat in your car on the regular.

Splitting the Difference

As you can see, there’s no single answer to the question, ‘Should you eat in your car?’ Ultimately, this choice comes down to preference and your particular situation. Some of us want to keep our favorite cars in pristine condition while others don’t mind a few crumbs here and there. Some of us are on a tight deadline and can’t spare the time to stop for a meal.

Whatever you decide, just remember to keep your eyes on the road and a hand on the wheel. It’s also probably a good idea to avoid foods that are messy or require both hands.

If you drop something, don’t reach down and grab it. While it might cause a mess, leave it or, if you have a passenger, ask them to grab the item if they are able. No matter how you look at it, it’s better to cause a small mess than a large car accident!

There are few more alarming sensations than when your car suddenly behaves in a way you don’t expect. Fishtailing is one of those loss of control situations that happens when you least expect it. Without knowing what to do if your car starts fishtailing, you could spin out of control.

What is Fishtailing?

Although the name sounds silly, the term ‘fishtailing’ is a good way to think about what happens during this type of loss of control. While the car is moving, the rear end of the car slides out of alignment with the front wheels and may waver back and forth, much like a fish swimming.

The movement can be small and easily corrected, or it may be significant and could pose a traffic hazard. In any case, you’ll want to know how what to do if your car starts fishtailing so you can get to your destination safely.

Why do Cars Fishtail?

Whether a car is new, old, AWD or 4WD, every vehicle can potentially fishtail in the right (or wrong!) conditions. These reasons include:

• Road conditions, especially icy, snowy, wet, or slick conditions
• Curves and turns in the road
• Weight distribution where the front of the car is heavier than the rear

Cars are not limited to fishtailing on curves; this phenomenon can happen on straight roads too, such as when you are changing lanes or avoiding an unexpected obstacle in the road.

Fishtailing vs Hydroplaning

You may have heard of a phenomenon known as ‘hydroplaning’. Fishtailing and hydroplaning are similar in that you lose control of your vehicle by skidding, but they actually refer to two different issues.

Hydroplaning is a type of vehicle loss of control that only occurs when water is present on the road surface. During this type of loss of vehicle control, water gets between the surface of the road and the tire, causing the car to skid.

What to do If Your Car Starts Fishtailing

When your car starts to fishtail, your car will unfortunately not correct itself, instead turning into a full spin if you don’t act as quickly as possible. Spinning out will make it that much harder to redirect your vehicle and pose a potential hazard to other drivers too.

Correcting a fishtailing car is a fairly straightforward process. The sooner you can react to correct the issue, the more quickly you can get back to normal driving!

• Stay calm
• Let go of the accelerator and brake
• Gently turn the wheel in the direction of the spin or skid
• Let your car naturally slow
• Correct the fishtail and adjust your driving speed

It’s important to remain calm when your car starts to fishtail. Once your car begins to skid out of control, you could actually cause the car to fishtail to the other side if you oversteer to correct the problem. This could lead to a series of fishtails and pose a potentially serious hazard to yourself and other drivers.

Although it may be difficult to remember in the moment, gentle movements and adjustments will help return your car back to control. Jerking the wheel will make things worse.

Fishtailing most often happens when driving too quickly for conditions. If your car has fishtailed once during a particular stretch of road, chances are it will happen again. Adjust your driving speed to fit the conditions.

Unless you’ve lived in a place where it snows a lot, many Atlanta drivers may not be familiar with the challenges of living in a city where heavy snowfall is a common occurrence. Knowing what to do if your car is stuck in the snow will help you get back on the road as quickly as possible.

What to do If Your Car is Stuck in the Snow

The first thing to remember when your car is stuck in the snow is to stay calm. Getting frustrated is a pretty normal reaction; we’re all used to being able to hop in the car and start driving without a second thought. Staying calm will help you think clearly so you can quickly get your car out of the snow. Here’s what to do if your car is stuck in the snow.

1. Dig out your car

If you have a snow shovel, it’s time to grab it out of your garage and get to work. Remove the snow from the area in front of the car leading to a part of the street that has been cleared.

If you’ll be traveling in snowy regions during the winter, consider keeping a small shovel in your vehicle so you can dig yourself out of any unexpected heavy snowfall.

2. Clear a path for the tires

This is definitely a case of ‘working smarter, not harder’. Unless the level of snow is higher than the vehicle’s clearance, you only technically need to shovel snow away from the tires and your intended path.

Make sure to clear ice away from the tires as well. In certain situations, ice can freeze tires to the ground and make getting out of a snow drift far more difficult.

3. Make sure the tailpipe is uncovered

While you’re digging your car out of the snow, it may be a good idea to start your car and let it warm up. Make sure your tailpipe is uncovered so that dangerous gases don’t build up in the cabin of the vehicle.

4. Turn off traction control

Traction control reduces the power to the wheel when the onboard computer detects slippage. In most situations, this feature can improve your overall safety by preventing the car from oversteering or going out of control. In snow, on the other hand, you’ll usually need that extra boost to get out of a snow drift.

At the same time, it’s important to be aware of how much your tires are spinning. While it’s tempting to gun the engine and apply maximum power to the problem, you could actually dig yourself in further.

5. Try the ‘rocking’ technique

This technique involves shifting your car between drive and reverse to gain momentum so you can get your car moving. Turning off traction control will generally help. If you have a friend or neighbor handy, they can help push as well – but be careful!

• First, put your car into drive and go as far forward as you are able
• Then, quickly put your car into reverse and go back as far as you can
• Return your car to drive and move forward again
• Repeat these steps until you are able to drive out of the snow

6. Create traction for the tires

If you’re having a really difficult time getting your car out of the snow, consider sprinkling an abrasive substance like cat litter, sand, salt, or gravel in front of the tires. If ice has accumulated on your car or tires, you could even sprinkle broken up ice to improve traction for your tires.

Visit T3 Atlanta to Winterize Your Vehicle

If you haven’t winterized your vehicle yet, it’s not too late! Winter in Atlanta is usually coldest between January and March, so getting your car winterized before then will help keep you from getting stranded in the cold.

Driving in winter weather is much different than driving in your average rainstorm. Snow, ice, and poor visibility can all contribute to hazardous conditions as well as reducing traction on the road. Here are our top winter driving tips to help you and your family stay safe this season.

Top Winter Driving Tips

These tips can not only help you stay safe while driving this season, but they can help your car stay in top condition year-round so you’ll be prepared for whatever surprises the weather may hold.

Pack an Emergency Kit

Emergency kits are a good idea to have in your car at all times, but they can be especially handy during the winter. A well-stocked emergency kit can make a huge difference if you become stranded on the side of the road.

If you already have an emergency kit, all you need to do to get it winter-ready is add a few items to your emergency kit. These items may include:

• Snow shovel
• Ice scraper
• Salt
• Sand
• A blanket
• Boots
• Gloves

Not sure what else to pack in your kit? Check out our blog about what to have an emergency kit here»

How to Build Your Own Car Emergency Kit

 

Check Your Tires

When the thermometer starts to dip towards the freezing line, it’s a good time to check on your tires.

Look at the tread on your tires and use the ‘penny test’ to judge whether it’s time to get replacements. Turn the penny so that Lincoln’s head is facing you and place the end into the tread. If you can see the top of his head, then it may be time to get new tires.

Check the inflation on your tires. Your owner’s manual and the tires themselves will list the recommended PSI for the tires on your particular vehicle. Tires naturally lose some air with cooler weather, and underinflated tires can not only lead to uneven wearing, they can reduce the amount of traction and decrease the fuel efficiency of your vehicle.

Get a New Battery as Needed

The maximum life of your battery will vary depending on where you live. If you live in a colder climate, you can generally expect batteries to last 3 – 4 years. In warmer climates, such as Atlanta, most batteries last between 4 – 5 years.

If your battery is reaching the end of its lifespan, it may be a good idea to replace the battery before it gives out unexpectedly. Most mechanics and auto shops can test your battery to determine how much charge is remaining.

Drive to Fit the Conditions

When visibility is poor and conditions are slick, it’s usually a good idea to slow down and exercise more caution. Use your best judgment and stay safe during inclement weather!

Give yourself extra time to get to your destination if you expect heavy traffic or challenging driving conditions.

Change Your Windshield Wipers

On average, most windshield wipers last about six months before they need replacement. By changing your windshield wiper blades twice a year – once in the fall and again in the spring – you’ll always be ready for whatever the weather may hold.

Keep Your Gas Tank Above Half Full

Keeping your gas tank above the half full mark has a few different benefits. For one, you can prevent long term damage to your vehicle. Condensation collects in the gas tank during colder temperatures and may lead to rusting. However, if your gas tank is at least half full, the gasoline itself absorbs any excess moisture and prevents this problem from developing.

In case you get stuck in snow or ice, having a mostly full gas tank will make your wait for emergency services considerably more comfortable too. Sure, you may have to visit the gas station more often than usual, but you can rest easy that you’ll never run out of gas at an inopportune moment!

Have Your Car Inspected at T3 Atlanta

Although Atlanta doesn’t have the regular heavy snows of northern states, we do get unexpected ice storms now and again! Don’t let a preventable issue leave you stranded on the side of the road. Make an appointment with T3 Atlanta so you can rest assured that your vehicle is in top condition to handle any unexpected winter storm.

If you’ve ever been tire shopping during the winter months, you’ve no doubt seen advertisements for winter or snow tires in addition to all season tires. But what is the difference between snow tires versus all season tires?

Although Atlanta doesn’t get a lot of snow, we often see ice during the winter months. If you’re planning to travel into states with snowy conditions this winter, knowing what type of tires to put on your car can help you stay safe this season.

Snow Tires Versus All Season Tires

You may be thinking that one tire is the same as another. In fact, different tires are designed for different types of conditions. Specialized tires may be designed for snow and ice, track days, offroading, summer driving, and more. Let’s look at the difference between snow tires versus all season tires.

What are Snow Tires?

As the name suggests, snow tires are designed for wintry conditions. The materials that are used in snow tires stay soft and pliable even in cold weather, which gives them more traction. In addition to this, their tread design has wider gaps than those used on summer tires.

Because snow tires need to maximize traction in wet or slippery conditions, the tires themselves are designed to increase the amount of contact between the snow and the tire while minimizing slippage.

Snow tires may also feature metal studs that protrude from the rubber where the treads touch the road. You’ll need to check with your county or city jurisdiction to make sure that tires with studs are legal before you buy. Your local tire shop will also be familiar with the regulations in your area.

What are All Season Tires?

Most new cars come outfitted with all season tires by default. These tires are designed with longevity, a quiet and stable ride, and fuel economy in mind. They strike a median balance between summer and winter tires in terms of function and performance.

Although the name suggests that all season tires are usable in any condition, this is true up to a certain point. It may be helpful to think of them like wearing tennis shoes to the beach or the mountains. Tennis shoes work fine in either scenario, but there are shoes designed with a more specialized fit in mind.

All season tires are great for moderate driving conditions. They offer good performance whether the weather is hot, cold, wet, or lightly snowy or icy. But when it comes to heavy winter driving conditions, they simply aren’t as effective as snow tires.

If you have the ability to keep a spare set of tires in your garage and expect to be driving in snowy, icy conditions regularly, it may be a good idea to keep two sets and change your tires depending on the demands of the season.

Winter Car Maintenance at T3 Atlanta

T3 Atlanta recommends having an annual winter car inspection in order to change out fluids, add antifreeze, and any other outstanding items before the weather gets below freezing. If you haven’t had your winter car maintenance yet, make an appointment today. We are Lexus, Toyota, Infiniti, and Nissan specialists with convenient locations in Smyrna and Decatur.

Summer is here and that means friends and families are taking to the road for vacations. You’re no doubt excited about your destination, whether you’re heading to the beach or the mountains. But, a large part of the road trip experience is your time on the road! These road trip essentials will help you get to your destination safely and ready to have a great vacation.

Road Trip Essentials

Here are the top road trip essentials, all of which you can easily customize to your own situation and needs.

Paper Maps

Although cell reception is widespread these days, there are still large parts of the US which do not have reception. Having a backup is a great way to avoid getting lost. Most state border visitor information centers will have free maps. You can also download offline copies of maps to your smartphone or tablet for easy reference.

Cleaning Supplies

When you’re on the road, spills can quickly become a big inconvenience. You can’t just hop over to your home supply closet, so be sure to pack these essential items:

• Towel: Having a dedicated “trip towel” can come in handy in a variety of situations. A towel can become a pillow or blanket in a snap. The large surface area is ideal for cleaning up large spills, or drying off the dog if she rolled around in some mud. Towels don’t take up much space and are utilitarian in a variety of situations.
• Wet sanitizing wipes: These all-purpose wipes come in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit any situation. They’re great for wiping up spilled juice, cleaning off the windshield, and everything in between. Plus, many wipes are antibacterial so you can keep germs at bay and prevent unwanted colds.
• Paper towels or napkins: You never know when a paper towel can come in handy as an impromptu napkin. Ideal for spills and car care, and of course, napkins!
• Instant hand sanitizer: Instant hand sanitizer is a road trip must. Small keychain bottles can fit into purses, onto carabiner clips, or into supply bags without taking up much room.

Emergency Kit

You never know what the road might bring, so it’s best to have an emergency kit even if you don’t use it.

What to have in an emergency kit:

• Jumper cables
• Flares
• Water or coolant
• Flashlight or headlamp
• Tire gauge
• First aid kit

Snacks and Food

No road trip is complete without food. Depending on whether your trip is a few days or a few weeks, you can save some money and eat healthier than fast food. Plus, you won’t have to make stops every few hours if you stock a cooler with snacks or a picnic lunch.

Ideal snacks for the trip include:

• Chips
• Pretzels
• Jerky
• Dried fruit
• Nut mixes
• Granola bites
• Energy bars
• Pre-sliced vegetables with dip

Make adjustments to suit your preferences as desired. It’s recommended to keep coolers in easy reach so that you don’t have to unpack the entire car to get to that granola bar. If you have the space, keep the cooler in the back seat for your optimal convenience.

Water

It may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s easy to forget about water when you are ready to have some fun. Sodas are far more appealing when it comes to being on vacation.

Bring a refillable bottle and keep yourself topped up at rest stops along the way. Many cafes will also let you fill up your bottle at no charge. Not only is this better for the environment, but you can keep yourself hydrated and save money on buying extra disposable bottles!

Activities for the Car

Especially useful if you are travelling with kids, activities for the car will keep the young ones occupied so they aren’t constantly asking that age old question: “Are we there yet?”

Many stores carry car-friendly games and toys. These often have magnetic pieces to help prevent small parts from getting lost between the seat cushions. Portable DVD players are a great way to keep kids entertained not only in the car, but in camping tents or the hotel room.

The Most Important Preparation for Summer Road Trips

It can be easy to overlook when your car is running smoothly, but having a vehicle inspection is the most important part of planning a summer road trip.

It’s most likely that your vehicle won’t need any work at all. Still, it’s always good to have the peace of mind that your vehicle is in good condition to take to the road. You’ll also be less likely to get stranded on the side of the road.

Check out more tips for preparing your car for a summer road trip here.

Need an inspection before a big trip? Are you passing through town and need some unexpected maintenance for your Lexus, Toyota, Infiniti, or Nissan? Call T3 Atlanta. Our friendly and skilled mechanics can help you get back on the road in no time at all.

You’ve probably heard that having your car properly aligned is a good thing. That can lead to questions like: What is an alignment all about? What does getting an alignment involve? How to know if you need a wheel alignment is pretty straightforward. But first, you need to understand what an alignment is and why it matters. Then, you’ll be ready to learn how to spot the signs of poor alignment.

What is a Car Alignment?

Despite what most people think, a car alignment has nothing to do with adjusting the tires or wheels. Instead, the alignment refers to how the suspension is adjusted, and how it makes the tire/wheel combination sit in relation to the road.

Without getting too technical, a mechanic checks three factors when measuring a car’s alignment: camber, toe, and caster. If any of these are off, it means the suspension must be adjusted to correct the situation. How that’s done depends on the exact configuration of your car’s suspension.

Why Car Alignment Matters

A car that isn’t properly aligned doesn’t perform at its best. Poor alignment means you don’t enjoy handling that is as crisp as normal. Your vehicle will ride more roughly, negatively impacting comfort even if the road is smooth as glass.

Improper alignment can cost you money over the long run. Tires are made to be used with the entire tread contacting the road. Sometimes, improper alignment can cause tires to sit more heavily on one side than the other. The end result? Your tires wear out unevenly and at a rapid rate.

Maintaining proper alignment costs less than having to get new tires more often.

Signs Your Car Needs an Alignment

As you’ve probably guessed by now, there are things you can watch for that indicate your car is out of alignment. Staying vigilant is a great way to catch any car problem early.

If you notice any of the following, have your vehicle checked out by a professional shop such as T3 Atlanta:

• The car is pulling in one direction. If you always need to be steering to the left or right because your car pulls in the opposite way, even when the road is perfectly flat, that’s a sign it’s out of alignment. You should be able to not have you hands on the steering wheel when the road is flat, at least for a moment, and not have the vehicle do anything but drive in a straight path.
• Crooked steering wheel. The logo on your car’s steering wheel needs to sit level when you’re just cruising down a straight stretch of road. If it sits tilted to one way or another, that can indicate poor alignment.
• Uneven tire wear. Perhaps the most common sign, this includes the inside or outside edge of your tires wearing out faster than the rest of the tread. If both edges are worn down faster than the middle of the tread, that’s a sign you don’t keep your tires properly inflated.
• Feathering. Run your hand across the tread on your tires. If it’s smooth on one side and ridged or sharp on the other, that’s called feathering. While subtle, this can be a sign of improper alignment.
• Sloppy steering. If you find that you’re struggling to steer your car and you have power steering, that can be caused by poor alignment. The treads on your tires help provide grip, so if that isn’t being used fully, the consequence is poor steering.
• Squealing. When your car isn’t properly aligned, the askew nature of the tires can cause them to squeal. That should always be alarming if you’re not involved in action movie chase scene, and you should have that checked out to be sure of the cause.

Fortunately, getting your car aligned isn’t a long or expensive process, making it completely worth addressing when you notice these signs.

Driving can be an enjoyable experience, but in a flash, it can turn scary. One of the most horrifying events is when your car hydroplanes. Despite what some people might think, you can actually do something about the situation, instead of just waiting for it to play out and dealing with the consequences. To learn how to control a hydroplaning car, you must understand what causes it. With that knowledge, correcting the problem is simple.

Causes of Hydroplaning

When being honest, most people will ask: what is hydroplaning? Simply put, hydroplaning is when water that has accumulated on the road is high enough that it sits between your tires and the actual road surface. In other words, the rubber is no longer touching pavement, and the car is essentially skipping along.

This situation is dangerous because hydroplaning means your tires have zero traction. Without traction, you can’t really steer, brake, accelerate, or have much control of your car.

Three factors determine the risk of hydroplaning:

• Your speed
• The depth of your tire tread
• The depth of the standing water on the road

Your tires are designed with channels in the tread that push water out to the edges. This is so the tread contacts relatively dry pavement while the water is constantly funneled away. How much water can cause hydroplaning really depends on the tire. Too much water will overwhelm any tire, no matter how deep the tread. The quicker the car is moving, the less time the tread has to push the water out of the way.

How to Prevent Hydroplaning

Can hydroplaning be prevented? To an extent, yes, but even the most careful driver can experience this situation.

One of the biggest factors that affects hydroplaning is your tires. You should keep them properly inflated at all times. Tires that have too little air pressure don’t have their entire tread touching the road surface. That means whatever liquid channels that are built into the tread might not function as designed, or maybe at all.

The same idea goes for tires that are worn down. Tread patterns that are shallow can’t channel nearly as much water as fresh tires, so you’re more likely to hydroplane.

If it’s raining, or for some other reason you see water on the road, slow down. Don’t slam on the brakes, but do cut your speed significantly. Keep steering wheel movements gradual and not sudden.

Some people say never to use cruise control during a rainstorm. While cruise control might not cause you to hydroplane, it’s still a risk factor. If you have the setting too high for the conditions, you might accelerate when you should be slowing down, because the cruise control system doesn’t adjust to environmental factors. Also, if a situation occurs that requires you to quickly hit the brakes to turn off cruise control, such as another driver pulling out in front of you suddenly, you could lose control.

How to Control a Hydroplaning Car

Knowing what to do if your car hydroplanes is good knowledge to have in the event that this situation ever arises. If you know how to control a hydroplaning car, you can act without hesitation, and get yourself out of the dangerous situation.

1. First off, you shouldn’t panic if your car starts to hydroplane.
2. The next step involves you taking your foot off the accelerator so the car slows. Press on the brake pedal slightly, because jabbing the pedal will make the hydroplaning worse.
3. Avoid jerking the steering wheel. Use slow and gradual movements. Even though it might seem counter-intuitive, turn in the direction that the car is moving. Fighting against the natural motion will make regaining control that much harder.

It might take a moment or two, but eventually doing these things will put you back in control of how your car moves. If you panic and start jerking the wheel around or braking suddenly, the experience could end with a collision and worse.

After hydroplaning, practice extreme caution for the rest of that drive since the conditions are conducive to hydroplaning. Slow down, be aware of your surroundings, and get to your destination safely!