Tips for storing my car for the winter – Part 2

SUV Winter - Auto repair service in Bedford PA

winter driving- auto repair service in Bedford, PAIn continuing our tips for storing your car for winter in Bedford, PA you should have read the previous part one giving you some great ideas on getting your car clean as to not come back to critters and foul smells when winter is over. In this article were going to look at some additional tips that will help keep your car ready to go one springtime comes.

With Town Hill Auto Service being the leading choice for the Bedford, PA area with ASE trained, master certified technicians; we know a few things when it comes to properly storing your car during the winter months. Let’s look at a few useful tips:

The Fuel Frustration

Gasoline that you get in Bedford, PA for your car today contains ethanol. This fuel substitute is a colorless flammable liquid which is produced by natural fermentation natural elements such as sugars and corn. However eco-friendly this may be it plays havoc on fuel systems and components. Especially for vehicles that don’t get driven often or sit for the winter, the chemical breakdown of ethanol creates a green chalky substance that can clog injectors, filters and more creating problems for your car.

When storing your vehicle in Bedford PA we recommend to use a Napa’s 360 performance stabilizer.  (https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NCB22264) this will help prevent corrosion and rust. It will also help clean the fuel system, so it’s a good idea to run a bottle through about every 10,000 miles or six months, whichever comes first.

Town Hill Auto Repair Service is your Complete, Napa Certified, Service Center
in the Bedford, PA area. Call Today 814-310-2221

car battery- auto repair service in Bedford, PARemove the Battery

Car batteries in Bedford PA are made from lead and acid that creates a mild charge and stores energy. When not being used a battery will discharge and the lead plates will begin to chemically break down. This means that a battery can actually destroy itself if not regularly charged. Additionally as the battery discharges it releases acidic vapor that will react to the metals in your car. This causes a corrosive film to cover the terminals and aluminum inside your engine bay.

Town Hill auto repair service in Bedford PA, recommends to remove the battery and place it on a power tender or maintenance charger that will keep a low current charge; this helps the battery keep or maintain its integrity. This specific device will keep the battery from becoming overcharged and will keep the battery charge available come spring when you need it. Napa sells a nice battery maintenance charger (https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/SOR4502)

Valvoline oil change- auto repair service in Bedford, PAMake sure that your fluids are fresh

Depending on how long you’re going to be storing the car, Town Hill auto repair service in Bedford PA, recommends to make sure that you have performed an oil change and coolant service (at minimum). These fluids have a tendency to break down over time and congeal causing sludge in your cooling and engine systems. Having a fresh oil change will also help when restarting the car come spring; the fresh oil will help coat engine parts. Fresh coolant also contains anticorrosion and rust inhibitors that will help your cooling system components stay clean and ready for the spring.

Note: Be sure to run your vehicle up to complete operating temperature with your fresh fluids opening your heater to allow the fresh coolant into your heater core.

Trust the Local Experts!

Town Hill Auto Repair Service in Bedford, PA. is your main source for vehicle maintenance and repairs for your vehicle. Our ASE Master certified, dealer trained technicians can help you keep your vehicle ready for the road year around. Because we are a Napa certified repair facility, you can have peace of mind knowing that the repairs performed by Town Hill Auto Repair Service in Bedford, PA. are backed with quality Napa parts and our nationwide warranty. Be sure to check with our automotive experts on best tips and practices to keep your car in Bedford, PA. running its best.

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How important is doing Chores?

Just about every business owner in the Bedford PA area will tell you that one of the greatest frustrations and challenges that are faced in day-to-day operations is hiring quality personnel. Trying to find someone that has a specific skill set for this type of business is difficult; being that it takes years of training, unquestionable work ethics and a follow-through attitude to excel.

Nowadays, as business owners, it seems like we would be just happy if we could find a few applicants that would simply follow instructions.

It’s no secret in the auto repair service industry, and other service related industries in the Bedford PA area, that young people today lack many of the “work hard” traits that we reflect on as a core principle. Finding a young person that exhibits a work ethic is literally a diamond in the rough.

As business owners, and parents, I would like to take this article to reflect on some core values and more specifically: the importance of chores.

Are you Setting the best Ensample?

Do as I say, not as I do. For years I have heard this expression and disliked it. It might sound good when you’re talking to a six-year-old child; but, in reality it avoids our personal responsibility to teach our children based upon our words AND our actions. Often times a young person’s solid work ethic comes from watching the work ethic of their parents. By showing them what hard work looks like our children will see hard work as “normal” rather than the exception.

An old English term that best describes this is called the ensample. The difference between an example and ensample is this:

  • An example is telling them how to do something
  • An ensample is showing them how to do something

By setting the ensample for our children we can help produce in them a strong work ethic that will lay the foundation of success for many years to come.

Town Hill Auto Repair Service is your Complete, Napa Certified, Service Center
in the Bedford PA area. Call Today 814-310-2221

Really… Nobody Likes Chores (but everybody needs chores)

Household chores are simply a way to help children become acclimated with work. However, if used properly, chores can also teach children responsibility and accountability. Simply doing chores to get them done, without accountability, is just a way to get free labor; we should rather use chores as a teaching tool.

Just as an employer in the Bedford PA area would challenge their employees to complete the task as stated, chores should be handled with the same responsibility and accountability.

As stated: Completing a task the way that you were told or shown how to do. Not how you think or perceive the task should be completed.

Example:

If the chore is to take out the trash, was it done exactly as stated? Was it taken out on time? Did the trashcan get cleaned? Did a new trash bag get placed in the trashcan? By following through and making sure that the chore was completed as stated you identified to the child your expectation. By holding the child accountable for the proper completion of the chore you help teach them the same accountability that they should have when working for their Bedford PA area employer or for their customer!

Holding the child accountable for the completion of the task to be done exactly as stated requires as much work for the parent as it does for the child. The child should know that our most important goal is that they learn how to complete a task as stated. (Not how they think it should be done).

If we, as parents, do not check that the task was completed as stated (to our complete satisfaction) we show them that they can get away with slacking on the task; thus identifying our work ethic towards their learning. Remember we should never consider chores as free labor, it should always be utilized as an opportunity to teach a solid work ethic.

Reflecting on a Real World Example

A few years ago, I listened to the frustration of one of my clients who owned a Sonic drive-thru. He expressed his frustration that it seems like, to him, that he had to teach young people how to work as much as he had to teach the responsibilities of the job.

He had to teach young people that had graduated high school how to properly wash their hands, how to count back change, how to speak to others with respect and how to properly complete a task, completely, as stated.

Basically, he was frustrated because he had to become their parent rather than their employer. Those young people that were taught a solid work ethic generally found themselves in a management position inside of three months.

Town Hill Auto Repair Service is your Complete, Napa Certified, Service Center
in the Bedford PA area. Call Today 814-310-2221

A Final Thought

This article was not meant to point out the problems with anyone in the Bedford PA area’s parenting abilities. Nor was it meant to identify that somehow my capabilities to parent were better than anyone else’s. However, I think we all, as citizens of this diverse community; can agree that there has been a decline of a strong work ethic in our young people. As a business owner and as a parent, I am always evaluating my role and willingness to share the lessons that I have learned.

If there’s ever room to improve, I want my children to seek those improvements; to go further, better and achieve higher levels of success. I also know that in order for them to go beyond my means they will need a foundation that is as strong as that will to achieve.

We WORK hard for You!

Town Hill Auto Repair Service in Bedford PA. is your main source for vehicle maintenance and repairs for your vehicle. Our ASE Master certified, dealer trained technicians can help you keep your vehicle ready for the road year around. Because we are a Napa certified repair facility, you can have peace of mind knowing that the repairs performed by Town Hill Auto Repair Service in Bedford PA. are backed with quality Napa parts and our nationwide warranty. Be sure to check with our automotive experts on best tips and practices to keep your car in Bedford PA. running its best.

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Learn more about our team – click here

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