2 C
SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2016
POTTER’S TIRE & AUTO
MARKS 24 YEARS
Ready your ride
for a warm
weather road trip
Check the battery, tires and engine
before hitting the open road
Owner Paul Potter, at right, and his technicians work to provide
customers same-day service at his auto shop in Florence.
otter’s Tire and Automotive in
Florence is celebrating more than
two decades of service in the com-
munity. Owner Paul Potter and his staff
are proud to have reached their 24th
anniversary this year.
Located at 4515 Highway 101,
Potter’s currently employs five full-time
technicians. Being a six-bay shop and
having technicians ready to work on cus-
tomers’ cars and trucks make for quick
service and shorter turn around times.
When asked what his secret to success
is, Potter responded, “I feel it is because
we take pride in offering quality care in
Florence and the surroundings areas. We
are known through the community for
standing behind our work.”
The shop is open Monday through
Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Potter takes
pride in offering same-day service on
most vehicles.
“Customers seem to appreciate that
P
service. With busy schedules,
we understand our customers
want to be back on the road
quickly,” Potter said.
Potter’s Tire and Automotive
also offers quality tires for
most vehicles. If the exact tires
needed are not in the show-
room, Potter
picks up the
phone and has
them in
Florence usu-
ally within a
day or two.
The shop
also offers
brake service,
tune-ups,
complete
engine repair,
safety checks,
trailer hitches,
Wash your car
trailer brakes, radiator flushes,
transmission service and more.
Stop in or call 541-997-5049 for an
appointment today.
When hitting the beach for
a weekend getaway, having a
good-looking car is almost as
important as looking good
yourself. While a trip to the
tanning salon won’t do your
car any good, a thorough car
wash will.
Use two mitts to wash your
car: one to wash the top and
one for the gritty undercar-
riage so the big bits don’t
scratch the paint in more vis-
ible areas.
A quick wash removes not-
so-friendly deposits from
busy little birds, water spots
from recreational areas,
break dust that erodes the
wheel surface, and all kinds
of debris that dims your car’s
shine over time.
Be prepared
for anything
Perhaps the biggest prob-
lem with flat tires is they
always seem to come at the
worst possible time. Before
you duck out of the office
early and start your weekend
getaway, be sure you’re pre-
pared for whatever pitfalls
the road might present.
Check the trunk and make
sure you still have a spare
tire and a jack ready to roll
should they be needed.
Get a tune-up
Nothing can ruin a spring
road trip more than a broken-
down vehicle.
After a harsh or even a
mild winter, your car
deserves a tune-up, and you
deserve a reliable car when
you hit the road.
Make sure the battery has
plenty of juice, the tires are
properly inflated and that
there’s fresh oil in the
engine. —Metro
Extend your car’s longevity with these spring cleaning tips
The open road lies in front of
millions of drivers who are
ready to lower the windows and
feel the warm breeze. Nothing
curbs the excitement of a spring
drive more than car issues that
could have been avoided by
simple maintenance to combat
the lasting effects of driving
through winter.
Many people consider spring
the perfect time to clean their
homes, but it is also important
not to forget the vehicle. The
average vehicle stays on the
road nearly 11 years, according
to a study by Polk Research.
This trend of consumers hold-
ing onto their vehicles longer
than usual continues to grow.
To help protect what is typi-
cally the second largest invest-
ment for any consumer — your
vehicle — here are tips to make
sure you are ready for a suc-
cessful spring travel season.
As temperatures change,
so can tire pressure. Proper tire
inflation is essential for
increased automotive safety,
optimum driving performance
and significant cost savings,
including better fuel mileage.
Tires should be inflated to
the vehicle manufacturer’s rec-
ommendations printed on the
vehicle door placard or in the
glove box, and should be
checked at least monthly. Over-
inflation can lead to premature
or irregular tire wear and
under-inflation reduces a vehi-
cle’s fuel efficiency.
Keep hydrated: Many flu-
ids require attention, including
the engine oil, transmission
fluid and power steering fluid.
Spring is the perfect time to
make sure they are all clean and
at the proper levels.
Additionally, to help ensure
maximum engine life, change
the oil and oil filter every 3,000
miles, or as directed by your
owner’s manual.
Breathe free: Re-placing a
dirty air filter can increase a
vehicle’s life expectancy and
fuel efficiency by reducing the
strain on the engine, especially
during warmer months.
Over the winter months, salt,
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after enduring a harsh winter
and looking ahead to the wet
spring weather, it is not the
time to have low tread on your
tires. The lower the tread depth,
the less traction you will have
on wet roads, and the greater
the distance you will need to
stop. —BPT
Celebrating 71 Years!
Hoberg’s
Complete Auto Repair
Best-selling vehicles
in the United States
Many auto manufacturers aspire to build cus-
tomer loyalty. Once a customer is satisfied with the
performance and durability of a vehicle, he or she is
more likely to purchase or lease cars produced by
that vehicle’s manufacturer in the future.
Each year, automotive trend reporters catego-
rize those vehicles that command the greatest
share of the car-buying market. In 2015, certain
vehicles moved up the list, while others main-
tained their hold on the top spots.
According to data through the third quarter of
2015 compiled by automakers and the automotive
resource Good Car Bad Car, the Top 14 passenger
cars of 2015 (excluding trucks and SUVs) are:
1. Toyota Camry
8. Nissan Versa
2. Honda Accord
9. Chevrolet Malibu
3. Honda Civic
10. Hyundai Sonata
4. Toyota Corolla
11. Subaru Outback
5. Ford Fusion
12. Nissan Sentra
6. Nissan Altima
13. Chevrolet Cruze
7. Hyundai Elantra
14. Kia Soul
sand and other impurities may
build up in a vehicle’s air filtra-
tion system, and replacing this
air filter can improve accelera-
tion time by around 6 to 11 per-
cent, according to fuelecono-
my.gov.
Many times, consumers
postpone tire purchases, but
RV’ers,
we are
your complete Mobile
& Dry Rot Repair Service
“Complete RV
Truck & Auto Repair”
PARTS
SERVICE
www.hobergsautorepair.com
345 Hwy. 101
541-997-2413
Kevin McMullen
3rd Generation Owner
hobergsautorepair@gmail.com
541-997-8287
Serving Your Auto Needs Since 1945
acrauto.com
• Repairing all
makes and models
• Serving Florence
for 35 years
541-902-1955
18 Mon
th
Unlimi ,
ted
Mileag
e
Warran
ty
1736 West 15th Street • Florence
WINNER
READERS
CHOICE
BEST AUTO REPAIR
AND
OIL CHANGE
541-997-6700
joel@acrauto.com
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Few things exemplify the
easygoing nature of spring
and summer more than pack-
ing up the car and heading
out on a road trip.
Hitting the open road with
the top down, pulling up to
the beach and enjoying a
carefree day in the sun is a
time-honored tradition for
motorists across the country
once the warmer weather
arrives.
After all, who wants to
worry about office workloads
and catching up with house-
hold chores when there are
more important things like
barbecues to plan, and tan
lines and travel plans to con-
sider?
One thing all motorists
need to think about before
they put the top down and
tackle the open road is how
road-trip-ready their car is
and how it’s going to look
and perform when it’s finally
time to push the pedal to the
metal.
For the antsy motorist
ready to leave work in the
dust and hit the highway,
consider the following tips to
make sure your vehicle can
have as good a trip as you do.