Stay Safe this Fourth of July
Tips for safely celebrating America’s independence.
The Fourth of July is a wonderful time for family and friends to kick back and relax together. Many people roll out blankets and watch local parades while others show off their skills behind the grill. No matter what your tradition, the day is bound to be filled with food, sun and fireworks, and the best way to enjoy it all is to enjoy it without interruption, so here are a few tips from the experts: 1. Brush Up on BBQ 101: Make sure you protect yourself before chowing down. To prevent harmful bacteria from causing foodborne illness, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends a few simple steps: First, make sure food (especially meat) is kept cold while being transported. Insulated coolers or ice packs should keep items at 40 degrees or below. If you’re precooking food in the microwave or oven, remember that it needs to find its way to a preheated grill immediately afterward. Meats should be cooked thoroughly and checked with a food thermometer to ensure they are ready for consumption. Excited to eat? Just be careful to grab a clean plate and utensils that haven’t touched raw meat – and enjoy. For more food safety tips from the USDA, visit www.fsis.usda.gov. 2. Have Safe Fun in the Sun: The Fourth of July is all about being outdoors; from parades to cookouts, it’s a time to enjoy all that summer has to offer. Unfortunately, however, strong ultraviolet rays can be a dangerous addition to your festive events. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urge the public to keep skin health in mind during all outdoor festivities. The group recommends liberal use of sunscreen with at least SPF 15, hats with wide brims to protect the face, neck and ears, sunglasses with 100 percent UVA and UVB block and ample sources of shade to give your body a break from the sun. Learn more about skin cancer prevention at www.cdc.gov.
3. Enjoy Fireworks Without Starting a Fire: According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the risk of a fireworks-related injury is two-and-a-half times as high for children ages five to nine and teens ages 15 to 19 as for the general population. With thousands of adults and kids suffering from these injuries every Fourth of July, the NFPA is rightfully motivated to get the word out about fireworks safety. Their first tip is to leave the show to the professionals, and make sure children are not able to reach fireworks leftover from the display afterward, since they may still be active. Sparklers and firecrackers are also dangerous, and burn at temperatures hot enough to cause third degree burns. So, while the bright bursts of color are always an Independence Day necessity, most experts would agree that they are best enjoyed from afar. Check out www.nfpa.org for more info. Whether the celebration includes lots of kids or activities for the older crowd, protecting your skin, stomach and more are vital to having a great day. Many folks like to spend the entire day outside, so make sure you’ll last the entire morning, afternoon and evening safe and sound. For more information about July 4, as well as safety tips related to boating, camping, swimming, traveling and more, visit www.usa.gov/Topics/Independence_Day.shtml.
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Even if you aren’t a Massachusetts resident, heading to Boston for Independence Day is well worth the drive. This year marks the 30th annual Boston Harborfest, an award winning festival with over 200 daily events. This six-day extravaganza starts on June 29 and culminates on the Fourth of July. The opening ceremonies take place in Faneuil Hall, while the other main events will occur at City Hall Plaza. There is one main event each day of the festival, including Children’s Day, The Redcoats are Coming!, Extreme Sailing Series and Chowderfest. Topping it all off is the Fourth of July Concert on the Esplanade, where you can hear the sounds of the Boston Pops Orchestra, conducted by Keith Lockhart, while watching a spectacular fireworks performance. Check through the schedule of daily events ahead of time so that you can plan your trip to include all of your favorites. The schedule can be found at 
Fortunately, your dealership offers the specialized equipment and expertise required to flush out any cooling system contaminants and ensure that the antifreeze mixture running through your radiator is as pure as possible. Dealership technicians don’t just remove old coolant and fill your car up with a new mixture; instead, they employ a machine designed to run a unique mixture of antifreeze and distilled water through your engine’s entire cooling system and then vacuum it all out, creating enough pressure during the process to also remove any debris that might be lurking inside your radiator or its associated plumbing. There are a number of other benefits associated with going to the dealership for a coolant flush. The first is the time savings involved. Using a computerized radiator flush machine can cut the amount of time required for the entire flush and fill process to as little as 15 minutes, which is significantly shorter than the hours required for a gravity drain, garden hose refill, second drain for flushing purposes and then filling everything up again in the driveway at home. More important, using a dealership’s fluid flush service is much safer, both for you and for the environment. You don’t have to worry about dealing with the scalding hot antifreeze coursing through your motor, nor do you run the risk of spilling the used ethylene glycol coolant on the ground where it can seep into the water supply or even poison pets, which are attracted by its sweet smell and taste. Even if your car features “non-toxic” propylene glycol coolant, the coolant has still picked up nasty contaminants and trace metals inside the engine, so simply pouring it on the ground is extremely detrimental to the environment. Dealership antifreeze flushes are a convenient, inexpensive and important aspect of your vehicle’s routine maintenance schedule. Castrol recommends flushing your coolant every two years, which gives you plenty of time to set up an appointment at your local dealer and benefit from the peace of mind that this type of service offers.
How do they do it? One of the first steps taken when detailing an engine is to let it cool down. Even an engine that has been running for only five to 10 minutes can build up a significant amount of heat, and introducing a stream of cool water or chemical cleaning products to a warm engine can result in potential cracks in rubber, gaskets and even metal. The detailing gurus at Autogeek.net strongly caution anyone against cleaning a hot engine under any circumstances. The next phase of preparing an engine to be detailed involves locating and protecting any parts that could potentially be harmed by liquids or chemicals. Typically, this means wrapping the vehicle’s alternator, cold air intake filter or ECU box. Sometimes, exposed sensors are also covered to prevent potential water damage. Next, a generous dose of liquid degreaser is sprayed onto the engine and is allowed to sit for a short period of time. Degreaser works to dissolve grit and oil residue that may have baked onto the engine over thousands of miles of use. When it’s time to rinse off the degreaser, forget power washers or even a stiff spray from a pistol-grip garden hose attachment; engine detailing is all about the gentle touch. Dealership detailing pros always use a low-pressure stream of water when rinsing down a motor. If the water sprays out with too much force, there is always the chance it could displace a sensor or wiring harness attachment point. A direct blast of water can also work its way between engine seals, potentially leading to water inside the block or intake. This can be difficult to dry out and could, in a worst-case scenario, lead to engine damage. A spray of water won’t take care of all the dirt under the hood, so detailers typically have to get in there with a cleaning mitt or a soft brush to agitate dirt in all of the nooks and crannies. A second rinse is usually done after this step, which is then followed by drying via an air blower and a set of shop towels. Finally, the motor is given an application of the same protectants and waxes that are used to give your car’s paint and trim a deep shine and glossy appearance. A clean engine doesn’t just look great; it also helps avoid heat buildup and other problems caused by dirt and contaminants that get layered on while driving. And if it’s trade-in time, it’s well worth the few bucks to have your car look its best. Call us today for an appointment, so our detailing professionals can keep your engine looking and performing its best.
Mothers that prefer to stay on the ground while celebrating might enjoy sitting and listening to some classical music. The Museum of Fine Arts Boston is hosting a concert to honor all moms on May 8 titled “Paganini the violinist/Paganini the guitarist.” A link to purchase tickets can be found at 
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voiding speed-ups and slow-downs, will go a long way toward extending the range of your tank of gas. Around town, where stops are unavoidable, gradual acceleration versus stomping on the gas from streetlight-to-streetlight will have a similar effect on lowering fuel use. In both cases, it’s also important to keep in mind that slower speeds equal reduced gasoline consumption. You might be able to get away with not getting a ticket, but you can never escape the extra fuel used by high rpm driving. Properly maintaining your car can also help reduce your gas use. Underinflated tires can rob you of as much as 3.3 percent of your automobile’s fuel mileage rating, according to U.S. Department of Energy figures. Matching your tire inflation to the number listed on the door sticker is a great way to help save gas. Using the correct viscosity oil for your engine – and changing it at the factory recommended intervals – can additionally play an important role in keeping your motor running at peak efficiency. Information on correct viscosity is located in your owner’s manual. If you can’t find it there, visit your dealership’s service department and ask the experts. While a two to three percent increase in fuel economy might not sound like much, using each of these tips in conjunction with each other over the course of a year can add up to hundreds of dollars in savings at the gas pump. With the summer gas price surge just around the corner, every little bit of extra fuel efficiency can help keep more money in your pocket. These tips are sure to help, but it’s all for naught if your car isn’t running at its peak efficiency. Contact us at the dealership today to see what else we can do to help your car run as efficiently as possible.
The primary footprint measures your direct emissions of CO2. These come from the usage of fossil fuels to heat our homes, power our vehicles (cars, planes, trains, etc.) and keep our lights on. These are the emissions over which we possess individual control. According to Carbon Footprint Ltd, the primary footprint for most individuals can be broken down as follows: 
Due to its year-round availability in grocery stores, many New Englanders may not realize that maple sugar and syrup is made from sap collected in a four to six week season, usually in late winter and early spring, when the temperature is just right for collection. For an extravaganza of all things maple flavored, head to the Vermont Maple Festival in St. Albans on the weekend of April 15 through 17, 2011. The festival includes crafts and specialty food shows, live entertainment, contests and more. You can find the updated schedule of events at 
Warmer weather makes it easier to take care of all the cleaning you may have put off during the winter months. It is often far too cold to regularly wipe down the interior or hose off the exterior of your automobile during the December to March period, which means that the dirt, dust and grime associated with regular use can really build up. Of course, winter brings with it several additional cleaning concerns that should be taken care of once spring rolls around. First and foremost, for those who live in a region where road salt is a fact of life, it’s important to make sure all traces of this corrosive substance is removed from your vehicle, inside and out. Road salt is tenacious; it clings to every nook and cranny of your vehicle’s undercarriage. Be sure your carwash, whether you do it yourself by hand or visit a self-serve or automatic carwash, includes your automobile’s wheel wells and underside, which means that it is very important to make sure that whatever carwash you choose, offers the ability to liberally blast your chassis with strong jets of water. Since salt accumulation is one of the biggest contributors to rust, keeping it off your vehicle goes a long way toward protecting your investment. Salt, snow and ice are also very easy to track into your vehicle over the course of the winter where they melt together on carpets and floor mats. It can be frustrating to try to remove salt and mud stains from carpeting using traditional shampoos; fortunately, there are special enzyme cleaning products that are specifically designed to handle road salt, breaking it down so it can be removed from fabric. Simply spray on, wait and then wipe to take care of even the most frustrating lumps of road salt in your vehicle’s interior. Spring cleaning isn’t just for houses and garages – your car can also seriously benefit from some extra care and attention. Taking the time in the spring to handle the little things can make a big difference in your car’s appearance and performance, and lengthen its lifespan. Of course, if you don’t have the time or the inclination for this kind of labor, your car dealer offers state-of-the art cleaning and detailing services specifically tailored to your make and model. Specialized cleaning products, tools and techniques can make short work of even the most neglected vehicles, rewarding you with what might look like a brand-new car. For the do-it-yourselfer, your dealer is a great resource for advice, and for the products your vehicle’s manufacturer recommends for use on its cars and trucks.
One of the best ways to keep your cooling system in top shape is to have it regularly inspected and maintained by the technicians at your dealer’s service department. These individuals are specially trained to be able to detect any of the telltale signs that your car’s cooling system might require service. What exactly do dealership personnel look for when attempting to pinpoint a cooling system problem? According to the Automotive Service Association (ASA), there are a number of basic steps that can help diagnose any vehicle coolant issues. Technicians start with an engine’s coolant hoses, which can dry out and crack over time due to heat and vibration. The same can be said of an engine’s drive belts, which power important cooling system equipment like the water pump that circulates an antifreeze and water mixture throughout the motor. The thermostat needs to open and close properly, the vehicle’s fan blades need to spin freely without any bent or cracked blades and the fan clutch should not be loose, (which could indicate a worn bearing). An inspection of the radiator for any leaks when the system is pressurized is also usually performed. In addition to these individual parts, the condition of the coolant fluid is critical to how a cooling system operates. As with most fluids, coolant can degrade over time and become less effective at regulating engine temperatures and inhibiting corrosion. It’s also critical to understand that all coolant isn’t created equal. Many manufacturers – especially those with diesel engines in their product mixes – require specific low-silicate glycol antifreeze that also requires the addition of specific additives. Nobody knows these requirements better than your dealership. Rather than risking potentially catastrophic engine damage, visit your dealer and have your coolant replaced with the correct formula and additives. It is always a better idea to have your cooling system regularly inspected by dealership personnel than to have to deal with unexpected component failures and other issues. Catching a problem before it causes equipment damage or failure is easy enough to do if you stick to the regular cooling system maintenance schedule recommended in your vehicle’s owner’s manual.
e, by now, moved over entirely to run-flat technology.
