FALL 2017
PUBLISHED BY
THE DAILY ASTORIAN
local AUTO dealers | car CARE TIPS | buyers guide
EVERYTHING AUTO FALL 2017 FEATURED LOCAL AUTO DEALER VEHICLE
FALL VEHICLE MAINTENANCE
✔ CAR CARE
MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST
We’ve all heard about the importance of winterizing
your car. But when should you do so — and how?
October is National Fall Car Care Month and offers the
perfect opportunity for you to make sure your vehicle
is ready to handle the snow, sleet and freezing
temperatures to come.
The following should be included in any “winterizing”
package offered by your local repair shop, but you
can also handle many of them yourself. Make a
checklist to ensure you are covering all of your bases.
BATTERY
Stop by Dane Gouge’s Astoria Ford and check out the awesome new 2018 Ford Raptor 4x4
It is important totest your
battery and charging system. A
fully charged battery in good
condition means you won’t be
stuck with an engine that won’t
start.
DRIVE BELTS
The 2018 Ford
Raptor features a:
High-output 3.5L V6
EcoBoost, twin-
turbo, intercooled
24-valve DOHC
engine with 450
horsepower and 510
lb. ft. of torque
Inspect the underside of your
drive belts for signs of wear. The
American Automobile
Association recommends
replacing your belts every
60,000 miles.
ENGINE HOSES
1809 SE Ensign Lane, Warrenton, OR 97146
Sales: 503-325-6411 • Service: 503-836-5500
Parts: 503-836-5501 • www.astoriaford.net
Check your cooling system
hoses for leaks or loose clamps.
You can also feel and squeeze
the hoses for brittleness or
sponginess.
TIRE PRESSURE
AVOIDING THE
HOLIDAY BREAKDOWN
E
BATTERY
Properly working lights are
crucial. Check the operation of all
headlights, taillights, brake lights,
turn signals, emergency flashers
and back-up lights. Replace any
burned-out bulbs.
BE PREPARED
COMMON ISSUES
Every year during the holiday season, this is how AAA
service calls are broken down:
• Nearly 300,000 requests for help with a dead battery.
• More than 80,000 failed batteries repaired on the spot.
• Nearly 200,000 sets of keys retrieved from inside
locked vehicles.
• More than 166,000 tire changes.
•About 21,000 vehicle extrications.
AIR FILTER
The AAA recommends you
check your car’s engine air filter
by holding it up to a 60-watt
light bulb. If light can be seen
through much of the filter, it is
still clean enough to work
effectively. If the light is blocked,
it is time to replace it.
very year, as tens of millions of travelers
take the road for their holiday trips and
vacations, at least one million people will be
stranded. But many of them would be able
to avoid these problems if they started
planning in the fall.
That figure is an estimation by the American Automobile
Association, which is ready to deploy its assistance specialists
to help with lockouts, battery replacements, jump starts,
extricating vehicles from snow and towing cars for repair.
Drivers can avoid some roadside breakdowns by keeping
their vehicles properly maintained. The AAA advises
motorists to follow their recommended maintenance
schedule and make sure their vehicle is ready for the holiday
travel season.
Have a certified technician check your vehicle’s fluid
levels, lights, brakes, exhaust system and heater/defroster.
you should continue to schedule regular services, including
oil and filter changes, throughout the winter driving season
at the intervals recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.
Test your tire inflation pressure
because falling temperatures in
fall and winter may have
lowered tire pressures.
WIPER BLADES
BEING STRANDED
The AAA projects its roadside technicians can fix the
issues of more than three out of five stranded motorists and
send them on their way. The remaining two travelers will
still need a tow.
Keeping you and your family safe while you’re stranded
is important. This means pulling your car fully onto the
shoulder of the road and keeping your hazard lights
flashing.
You could also benefit from having an emergency kit
full of blankets, batteries, water, flashlights and other
essential items to keep you safe and warm during long
delays.
Wiper blades should always be
soft and pliable, but the best way
to tell whether they need to be
replaced is by using them. Your
wipers are designed to clear the
rain from your windshield so you
can see safely.
BRAKES
Have your brakes checked and
changed at the first indication
of a problem, usually identified
by a squeaking or grinding
noise.
EVERYTHING
2 4 H OU R S
R OYAL C AB L.L.C.
EK
•
EN
•
• O
P
SERVICE DIRECTORY
Established 1996
E
W
• 7
D AYS A
Whether you’re in need of cab services
or interested in taking a coastal tour...
Day or Night,
Royal Cab has you covered!
Open
24 hours/
7 days a
week!
www.royalcab.net
cash & debit
• A LL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH BIKE RACKS
• P ET F RIENDLY • S MOKE F REE
Oregon
503-325-5818
Washington
360-665-3500
AUTO
A Coastal
Lock-n-Key
L.L.C.
Michael Long, Owner of A Coastal
Lock-n-Key, has proudly been serving
Clatsop County’s locksmithing needs
for the past 18 years. “I take pride
in the quality of my work and I am
dedicated to meet all your locksmith
needs. I make and replace high
security car keys and also perform
ignition work.”
COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL & AUTOMOTIVE
CCB#181688
LICENSED • BONDED • INSURED
1454 Commercial St.
Astoria, Oregon
locknkey@gmail.com
503-468-0295