Blog

Often driven by an “out of sight, out of mind” mentality, most consumers don’t think about purchasing cabin air filters. That’s why educating consumers on the benefits of cabin air filters can be a shop’s best sales pitch for selling these maintenance add-ons. A recent Maintenance Matters survey found that 49% of cabin air filters are sold during the spring. Increasing pollen counts, coupled with the benefits cabin air filters provide for allergy suffers, makes for a fairly easy sell. One could argue, that winter is the more important season to replace a vehicle’s filter. There are three major reasons to replace a cabin air filter in the winter: 1. Increased Particulate Emissions As cars idle on cold winter mornings, the exhaust can pump out damaging emissions that are harmful to drivers’ respiratory systems. The most damaging component of tailpipe emissions are particulates. Vehicle emission particulates range in size from 2 microns to 10 microns in diameter, and can aggravate the lungs when inhaled. A vehicle’s tailpipe particulate emissions are higher when the engine is cold. Scientists found particulate emissions increased exponentially as the temperature decreased, according to a Kansas City Light-Duty Vehicle Emissions Study. In fact, this study found that particulate emissions doubled for every 20° F temperature drop. The one thing that can stop exhaust particulates from reaching vehicle occupants is a cabin air filter. Some cabin air filters can even stop particulates that are as small as 1 micron in diameter. 2. Defroster Performance In the winter, the benefits of a clean air filter are easy to see. Clogged cabin air filters can restrict defroster performance, making it harder to see out the windshield. If a cabin air filter is clogged, it will create a restriction that will decrease the amount of hot air the blower can deliver to the windshield. This will diminish visibility and adds time that it takes to defrost the window. 3. Summer and Fall Can Be Brutal on Cabin Air Filters Following months of battling heavy pollen, dust, leaves, bugs and other debris, winter is the perfect time to give a customer’s cabin air filter a fresh start. This debris piles up, restricting airflow through the filter and causing heating and cooling problems. With no leaves, pollen or bugs to contend with over the next few months, replacing the cabin air filter in the winter will address heating problems immediately. It will ultimately help prevent cooling problems from cropping up once spring rolls around.     Crisswell, K. (2017, November 30). 3 Reasons to Replace Cabin Air Filters in Winter Retrieved from http://www.brakeandfrontend.com/

Training and education is an important part of the auto industry.  Things are always in a constant state of change with technology advances and it is important that our staff stay as up to date and as knowledgeable as possible to serve our customers.  We take pride in helping our employees reach their education goals! Service Technician, Levi Bahr, is a graduate of the GM ASEP program at DMACC this month. This two year training program combines state of the art automotive service, appropriate academic coursework, and real world internship experiences to give students the best possible preparation for a career as an automotive technician. The program incorporates advanced automotive technical training with a strong academic foundation of math, reading, and electronics, and both analytical an d technical skills using GM products. While Levi was involved in the program, he alternated between hands on work experience at Dale Howard Auto Center, and school on a 8-12 week rotation schedule. This unbeatable combination of school and work reinforces the technical knowledge gained while in college. Upon graduation, Levi earned an Associate’s Degree in Automotive Technology, resulting in a solid education combined with invaluable work experience. Why is this important information to our customers? Levi has now completed all of his factory training which will help him better serve current and future GM customers. Jim Thomson, who has 30 Years of GM Experience and is an A.S.E. Master Tech, was training Levi and a fundamental aspect to Levi’s success. Congratulations, Levi! We are all very proud of you! If you are interested in this program check out the link below! https://www.dmacc.edu/programs/automotive/gm/Pages/welcome.aspx

Wanting a different vehicle can be stressful, on top of that there is also the decision of whether to lease or buy. Did you know there is a way to drive your new car for less money? Many of our customers in Iowa have only considered two methods for purchasing something new to drive. Paying cash or financing a portion of a new vehicle. Both are common and easy to understand but many overlook the third option of leasing their new vehicle. As with anything new, it may sound or appear scary until you know the facts. The following information about leasing vehicles in Iowa could determine which option may be right for you. Buying Ownership. One of the greatest perks of buying a vehicle is claiming ownership once all payments have been made. While monthly payments are usually higher, you are paying off the entire vehicle including tax, interest and other finance charges. When you buy a vehicle, you never have to worry about driving over a set number of miles like you would with a lease. With ownership of the vehicle, you are able to modify it in any way you would like. Leasing a vehicle will limit your ability to do this. Owning a vehicle also gives you the freedom to sell or trade at any time. Leasing Payments are typically lower, and you get to enjoy driving a new vehicle every few years, however, you will always have a vehicle payment. With a lease, you are more or less renting for a set amount of time. In doing this, you are not affected by vehicle depreciation. That being said, since you do not own the vehicle there are limitations to the number of miles you put on it each year. Entering into a lease often includes clauses in the contract that spell out additional charges for the vehicles “wear and tear”. Depending on the type of lease you choose, when the term is up you walk back to the dealership and start picking a new one. You might have the option to finance the remaining value on the vehicle. Companies like Ally are making eligible pre-owned vehicles available for lease too! With Ally Pre-Owned SmartLease℠, you are able to choose models less than 4 years old, and have fewer than 75,000 miles on them! Conclusion The decision to lease or buy will always depend on your personal preferences. You will need to ask yourself what your goals are. If your goal is to drive a new vehicle while minimizing your monthly costs, leasing may be a good alternative. If you want to own a vehicle someday, buying is going to be your best option. https://www.dalehoward.com/finance.aspx

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!