Here is something that this Cincinnati Honda Dealer didn’t expect to read. I was just curious about the pass/failure rate among those who take a written driver’s test (you have to take both a written and driving test in order to obtain a license, of course). It was the written test I was curious about.
I read an AOL Autos article which states that one in five people could not pass a written driving test. That’s about 38 million Americans who would fail the test. That’s frightening. That means, that well more than a quarter of those one the road don’t understand the basic rules of the road and it shows at times. The bottom line is everyone should be safer when driving. Here is an excerpt from that article:
Russ Rader, a spokesman for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, also laments the careless disregard for basic driving rules even by those drivers who do know the rules. “Drivers do need to know the basic rules of the road, but knowing them isn’t the same as obeying them,” said Rader. “Even when we know the speed limit, for example, we still break it. That’s why speeding is a factor in a third of all highway deaths,” adds Rader.
“Drivers also know they shouldn’t run red lights,” yet hundreds of people are killed and thousands are injured by red light runners every year, notes Rader — who adds that motorists also know that cell phones are a distraction, yet they continue to yak into their phones while driving. “Our highways are a lot like Lake Wobegon (the fictitious town created by NPR’s Garrison Keillor) — most drivers think they’re ‘above average’; it’s all the other ‘idiots’ out there that need to hit the books.
“Research shows that law enforcement (in the form of traffic tickets) may be the best driver education program yet invented.” On the GMAC National Driver’s Test, there was also a “gender gap” of sorts — men had a higher average score than women — 78.1 percent, compared to 74.4 percent. The gap was wider when it came to the failure rate — 24 percent for women, versus 18.1 percent for men.
I wonder if there are any surveys out there that compare sedan to SUV drivers? If you know of any, let me know. Also if you want more safe driving tips, feel free to navigate through this blog, or just stop by Superior Honda to learn more.
Looking to extend the life of your Cincinnati Honda‘s engine? This Cincinnati Honda Dealer, Superior Honda, suggests that you look into try a synthetic oil
Synthetic oil, as compared to traditional petroleum-based oils, has a stronger viscosity or stickiness. It also takes longer to break down in extreme temperatures and is less subject to evaporating. Substituting synthetic oils for traditional oils when servicing a vehicle protects these parts better and, in turn, leads to greater engine efficiency. It’s efficiency directly affects the amount of fuel being used or wasted in the combustion process. Therefore, one of the most considerable ways of improving gas mileage is to protect the efficiency of a vehicle’s engine over it’s lifespan with a synthetic lubricant.
Check out the video below for more!
If you are unsure about using synthetic oil in your Cincinnati Honda, you should call Superior Honda. Use of a synthetic isn’t necessary for newer vehicles, however, it can certainly be used. Give us a call and let us help extend the life of your Cincinnati Honda.
Have you considered buying a Used Honda fromSuperior Honda? There is no doubt that used car buyers are a different breed. Some people may go their whole lives and never own a “new” car. But, for the used car buyer it’s still “new” to them. Here are some pros and cons…
USED CAR PROS:
1) You’ll pay less “up front.” Usually, much less.
That’s probably the single biggest advantage to buying a used car. Even a slightly used car could cost considerably less than a brand-new version of the same make/model car.
2) Someone else put the depreciation into overdrive.
Yes, a used car will continue to lose value the older it gets and the more miles you clock; however, the year-to-year differential is almost always less with a used car. Where a brand-new car might be worth roughly 30 percent less than you paid for it by the time two years have passed, your used car will typically lose only about 10-15 percent of its value over the same time period.
3) Buying used can save a lot of money on taxes and insurance.
Property taxes are based on retail value; the lower that amount, the lower your tax bill. Plus,when insurance companies like to talk up the latest safety advantages of brand-new cars, the actual discounts they offer are often very small relative to the total premium. New cars cost more to replace. It’s as simple as that.
4) Late-model used cars are generally much better-built and reliable than used cars once were.
In the ’70s, a three-year-old car with 40,000 miles on it was well into vehicular middle age. But today, a late model used car with 40,000 miles is still a baby; even with 75,000 miles on it, things should be ok for at least another 50,000 miles. Plus, as new car warranties grow longer-lived, many late-model used cars are at least partially still covered.
USED CAR CONS:
1) You don’t always know what you are getting.
Who knows how it was treated by its previous owner(s)? It may have been abused — or just not serviced per the factory recommendations. The vehicle might have been in a wreck; or maybe under water. Sometimes, these things can be hard to detect. With a used car, you have to worry about the price and the car itself, too.
2) Freedom of choice is not always an option when buying used.
You will be under greater pressure to buy the car you’re looking at because you know it will be tough to find another just like it, with the same options, in the same color, with the same mileage, etc. It’s harder to walk away because if you do, you know you’re back to square one.
3) A used car is… used.
It will have flaws (paint chips, minor damage, stains on the carpet, etc.) and it has less useful life left in it.
No matter how gently you drive, no matter how rigorously you service it, a used car will not last as long as a brand-new car. You’ll be paying for maintenance items more often.
BOTTOM LINE: How much money do you want to save and how much risk are you’re willing to assume?
If you are looking to buy a quality used car and want all of the “Pros” with none of the “Cons”, you really should check out Superior Honda. We have a huge selection of used and certified used to choose from.
First let me say, If you’ve ever been a victim of a car burglary or theft, you understand the helplessness, frustration and even fear that accompanies such a transgression. Your Cincinnati Honda Store, Superior Honda has hear many stories from customers coming in looking to buy a new Honda because theirs was recently stole I know that this might seem redundant, but if everyone were taking precautions and using their heads when leaving their vehicle unattended, theft from vehicle and car theft in general will decrease. Here’s a quick video with information I know you are aware of, but it’s worth repeating because some of you may have forgotten how NOT to be a victim.
Statistics say a car is stolen every 30 seconds in the United States. When you add up the numbers, that is over 1 million new and used cars stolen every year. What should you do when you find your car either broken into or missing altogether.
1) Call the police and report your car or any items that are missing. Give the police the color, make, model and year. Also give your license plate number, VIN number and your location.
2) Call your insurance company or agent after you talk with the police and report your car stolen with the details.
Note: If you don’t already know, immediately ask the agent what your policy covers and how they are going to handle it.
Here are some insurance basics to know.
What is the number of days in the “wait’ clause portion of your policy? Most policies have a “wait’ clause for stolen vehicles. This means your car must be missing for X days before your policy kicks in.
Does you auto insurance policy have rental vehicle coverage? If you need to rent a car during the “wait’ period, find out if your policy will cover for the rental car.
If your vehicle is found, two things can happen:
1) The car will be repaired.
2) The car will be written off. If the repairs cost more than the value of the car, the car is written off – totaled. When this happens the title holder will be issued a settlement check.
Note: Most polices cover only present day value. This means it is possible the settlement check will not cover what you owe on the car. Ask your agent about this.
What happens if the car is not found?
The car is declared missing forever and will be written off. The title holder will be written a settlement check for the present day value of the stolen car.
What happens if my car is found after the “wait “clause time limit?
This is an important question and it depends on your insurance policy and coverage you are paying for. Since there could be different scenarios, you need to go through all options with your agent.
Does anyone else have some good advice for talking with Insurance after a theft? Your Cincinnati Honda store, Superior Honda understands what you’ve been through after a theft. After speaking with your insurance company, see us and we’ll make sure you get a great deal on a great new Cincinnati Honda.
Buying a used car from a Cincinnati Car Dealer can be a great way to get a little more car for a little less money. True the vehicle might be a few years old, but you can still make a great purchase if you know what to look for. There are certain signs to be wary of. To get an instant look into the life of the vehicle keep these words in mind, “Pride of Ownership”. You can ascertain a lot of information just by looking at how well it was kept up.
Now, there is no doubt that if you make a bad decision, you can be inheriting a whole slew of problems. If you’ve decided on a particular used car, regardless if you’ve found it from a reputable Used Car Dealer in Cincinnati, or an individual seller, you’ll want to go over it with a fine toothed comb. Remember, simply kicking the tires and turning over the vehicle simply won’t give you enough usable information when it comes time for you to make a purchase decision.
Check out this video from Eric the Car Guy for some good tips when evaluating a potential used car buy.
Buying a Used Car In Cincinnati can be a slippery slope, and having the vehicle thoroughly checked is a must. Here at Superior Honda, not only do we perform a rigorous multi-point check on every used vehicle before it hits our lot, but we also have many Honda certified pre-owned vehicles. There is no doubt that when considering a used car, you can trust Superior Honda to only offer you the best used vehicles at the lowest used car prices in Cincinnati.
Being a General Manager for a Cincinnati Honda Dealership, Superior Honda, I have been involved with almost every car related issue you can think of. This past weekend I got a call from an acquaintance (a non-honda owner) who was having a unique issue with his vehicle. He had recently come into inheriting an SUV that had but a single key. Incidentally, there were no door remotes either. He bought an after market key on the net and went to a local locksmith to have the key cut and programmed. Unfortunately this was the beginning of what would amount to a half a day wasted because of two major malfunctions.
If you aren’t aware, our car keys have a chip in the plastic part that attaches to the key ring. That chip is what communicates with your car’s computer and validates a matched key, whereby allowing the vehicle to start. The problem after the key my friend bought was cut, programmed and inserted into the ignition. The chip inside the key had dislodged and actually was NOT programmed. When inserted into the ignition and cranked the signal sent to the computer was actually, “someone is using the wrong key” and the anti-theft kicked in prohibiting the vehicle from starting.
His car was full of food, as he didn’t think that it would take but just a few minutes to have the key made. Unfortunately, the damaged key wasn’t the suspect for a good 30 min and my friend called AAA, then his local mechanic, then me. I asked him what was happening and to me it sounded like the anti-theft had been tripped. I asked him to shake the key next to his ear and see if he heard anything. He did it and heard a faint rattle. “That’s a busted chip,” I told him. “Your car thinks you are trying to steal it”. I could hear the cash register in his head counting off what he thought would be hundreds of dollars to tow the car and fix the problem.
“How much am I looking at, Chris?”, he asked.
“Maybe nothing”, was my reply. “Go back into the locksmith shop and grab an adjustable wrench”, I said.
I could tell he still wasn’t making a solid connection about how the computer was preventing him from starting his vehicle. “Pop the hood and disconnect the battery”, I said. After disconnecting the battery I told him to “touch the positive and negative cable ends together, the reconnect the battery”.
Eureka! This reset his computer and the car turned over with easy. With an audible and very heavy sigh of relief, he thanked me and we caught up a little. I found it interesting that his mechanic didn’t think to tell him to try this before he called me. I can only speculate as to the reason.
So that’s it. If you ever have an issue starting your car because you have a broken chip in your key, or you believe that your anti-theft had been tripped. Simply disconnect the battery and touch the battery cables together. That should reset the computer and solve your issue. If it doesn’t turn over after that, then you have a bigger issue at hand. If that is the case, don’t just call any Cincinnati Honda Dealership, call Superior Honda and we can diagnose the issue to get you back on the road quicker.
OK, I normally don’t use my Superior Honda Blog as a soapbox, or platform but I have to get this off of my chest. If you are a conscientious and courteous driver you will respect and understand my frustration.
The other day, I was on my way home on a road that is usually free from congestion. However, this day was a little different. There was a work crew working on a sizable pothole and had closed one of the two lanes down. I wouldn’t say we were at a standstill, but traffic was moving at a snails pace. It was the end of the day, and no doubt everyone wanted to get home. This certainly was the last thing I wanted to encounter myself, after all I had things to do and places to go too!
As I was sitting there like everyone else, trying to relax the best I could after a long day a car goes flying by me on the shoulder. Then another, and another. People, this is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE! The shoulder is not your personal emergency lane. There is no way to know if other terrible drivers, like yourself, are going to make the same stupid (yes, it is stupid) move potentially setting all of us up for a multi-car collision. All it takes is for you to lead the way down that shoulder and other will follow your same bad decision.
After the second car passed me, a car two vehicles in front of me attempted to do the same thing and nearly collided with the third vehicle who was now passing me on the shoulder. There was no way for the car in front of me to see the speeding vehicle coming from behind at an extremely excessive speed. They missed each other by inches. Tiers were squealing and hand gestures were flying. Even though they were both in the wrong.
Listen, there is virtually no reason to use the shoulder as your own personal thoroughfare. It is illegal and highly dangerous. If you are late for a meeting or your kids soccer game, well, that’s just too bad, you should have left earlier. The rest of the drivers you share the road with are not responsible for your tardiness, and shouldn’t be put in harms way because you decided to break the rules.
Like I said, I normally don’t lash out at fellow drivers, but when you put yourself and everyone around you at risk because you have no patience, well I’m sorry, you need to be told. I’ve seen multiple new and used Hondas come through our body shop as a result of their, or another poor, selfish judgement. Remember, we share the road. It doesn’t belong to just one of us and we shouldn’t treat it as such.
Use your head Cincinnati Drivers, not your impatience.
Have you ever thought about the evolution of highway safety? Did you know that, even though there are more cars on the road than ever before, fatal highway accidents are actually going down? Why do you think that is? At Superior Honda we know that it’s due to the advancement of new technology and an agency who has made it their priority to monitor and suggest ways for manufacturers to make our cars safer.
Did you know that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has been around for more than half a decade? That’s right. The IIHS was created in 1959 to test the safety of all vehicles sold in the US. Safety features in cars have advanced dramatically advanced thanks to IIHS testing. Car safety come a long way advancing the efficacy and efficiency of air bags, seat belts, collision warning and avoidance technology and more.
Check out the video below for a brief history of automotive safety.
So, the next time you hope in your Superior Honda, remember that seat belt you just buckled, the airbag warning light that you see, even the seats themselves have all be redesigned time and time again to provide you and your passengers the maximum amount of safety. Can you imagine having just a lap-belt for the driver? Neither can we.
Here’s one final testament to the safety of modern car design. Old Bel Aire VS. New Malibu…who will win?
Wouldn’t it be great to own a vehicle that actually helps clear traffic congestion rather than cause it? That car might not be far down the road. Honda is working on such a concept. According to autoblog.com all preliminary test have been successful:
The system differs from traffic monitoring systems that have been part of other vehicle communication systems in that it provides color-coded displays to indicate whether the driver needs to drive smoother and make acceleration and deceleration more gradual. The system can also work with adaptive cruise control to automatically regulate speed among a group of vehicles. The first public road tests will occur in Italy and Indonesia starting in May of 2012. Honda says the system can boost average speed by 23 percent and increase fuel economy by eight percent. Not bad for some cloud computing.
The development of this type of technology doesn’t just easy traffic congestion issues, it actually saves on fuel costs and lowers emissions. According to Honda’s recent press release:
Traffic congestion causes not only a delay in arrival time but also an increase in CO2 emissions and a higher potential for rear-end collisions. Striving to realize “the joy and freedom of mobility” and “a sustainable society where people can enjoy life,” as stated in the Honda Environmental Vision, Honda will work toward the establishment of a congestion-free mobility society all around the world.
All of us at Superior Honda only see the benefits in this new technology. Sure the critics will say that it takes away some freedom and control for the driver, but in all actuality, that freedom and control has yet to translate into time saved, less gas consumed or less emissions. Why wouldn’t we want something that in our driving lives that keeps cash in our pocket and downgrades traffic severity?
Tell us what you think. Is this something that you can see in your driving lives? Do you welcome this addition, or are you on the other side of the fence? We’re curious about your point of view, leave a comment below.
Here’s the scenario and what we hear at Superior Honda a lot. You’ve been noticing that your car is pulling toward the left. It wasn’t so bad before, but it has worsened. The road noise is getting louder too. Is it your tires? Maybe. Oh wait! Did you hit a pothole, or curb by accident recently? it sounds like your tires are out of alignment. Without the proper attention paid to this issues, your problem will get more severe and you will be looking for new tires much sooner than you thought. Plus, your gas mileage will be affected and you have to fight the pull with more and more strength every time you get behind the wheel.
As mentioned above, vehicles can become unaligned when the suspension gets knocked from it’s correct location. The most common cause for this is running into or over a curb, but it can also be caused by suspension wear due to age, potholes or any other suspension jarring. AOther signs include rapid or uneven tire wear and the spokes of your steering wheel being to the right or left. When you’re driving down a straight and level road, the logo in the middle of your steering wheel should be straight. If you’re having to hold the steering wheel to the right or left, your alignment is probably off. Here’s a video showing you some other signs.
Don’t worry, this is an easy fix if you don’t ignore the warning signs. If you’re experiencing any of the effects mentioned in the video, you may want to bring your car in to have the alignment adjusted so that the wheels are positioned correctly relative to the vehicle’s frame. Here at the Superior Honda, we understand how important proper wheel alignment is for getting the most tread wear and performance from your tires. The adjustment will maximize the life of your tires and stop your car from pushing left and right down those straight roads. Don’t let this problem go as it will not magically disappear.
Hi, I am Chris Heck and I am the General Manager at Superior Honda in Cincinnati OH. I am a husband, father, automotive enthusiast and an all around fun guy. I wanted to start this blog for a few different reasons. 1. So that you will have the latest Honda news at your fingertips, 2. so that you can learn more about your vehicle whether it's a Honda or not and 3. It just sounded like fun!
If you have any comments about this blog or would like to send some suggestions on a topic you are interested in feel free to send me an email at superior_honda@yahoo.com.
By Chris Heck
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