Just the same, you shouldn’t forget to care for your tires during the summer. After all, most people tend to use their car more during summer. A dead battery isn’t the only thing that can happen to your car during the summer. Did you know that it is also common for people to get a flat tire at that season? Avoid that and other dangerous scenarios due to improper care for your tires by following these tire care tips.

Effect Of Summer On Tires

Do you ever wonder why people don’t advise you to check your tire pressure when you’ve just driven for a long while? Well, that’s because driving would increase the temperature on the tires, which then has an effect on the pressure. This is also true when it comes to the hot temperature during summer. Due to that, there could also be a change in the pressure of your tires. When the pressure is not ideal, your car is more prone to wear and tear, a flat, or bursting.

Caring For Tires In The Summer

Caring for your tires should be done all-year-round. That is why the tips here would also be similar to what you should do at any season. Nevertheless, these should all be done to make sure your tires are in their optimal condition.

Optimal Tire Pressure

Tire pressure is important at any time of year. The tires must be properly inflated so it runs smoothly and there is a lesser risk of premature wear and tear. If you are unsure about your tire’s optimal pressure, the car’s manual is there to help. Manufacturers have a suggested pressure level that you should follow.

When tires are properly inflated, drivers don’t just feel better about handling their vehicles. It is also helpful when it comes to improving gas mileage. Additionally, you can further save more by being able to avoid having to change your car tires because they were easily worn out.

Just like we’ve mentioned earlier, the car tires should be checked when they are cold. Too high pressure will result in a higher chance of a blowout. It is best to check the tire pressure regularly too. Adjust as needed because temperature fluctuations are also common in the summer and it can affect the tire pressure.

Summer Tire Replacement

Aside from the tire pressure, you should also check the tire treads. If they are already worn down, then there is a need to replace them. Worn-down tires won’t be able to optimally grip the road. A penny test will help you check whether your car tires are still good to use.

To do this test, use a penny and slip it in between the tire treads. Make sure that Lincoln’s head is facing you. Insert it on the thread and rotate so that the head faces down. Check to see whether his head goes beneath the treads. If it does, then your tires are still good to go. However, if his entire head is above the treads, then your tires need to be replaced because they are already worn out. Do this test regularly too and replace your tires as needed.

Summer Tire Rotation

Even if you have four identical tires on your vehicle, they will be worn out differently. There are many factors that could affect this such as the weight that the tires hold. More common than not, the front wheels hold more of the weight so they would get easily worn out as compared to the ones on your rear.

Furthermore, turning could also cause your front wheels to receive more wear and tear than those at the back. By rotating your car tires in the summer you could equalize the wear and tear of all your tires. That means that you’d also be having a smoother rider because of equalized wear. Rotating the tires also prolongs the life of the tires so doesn’t skip this during summer or any time of year for that matter.

Rotating your tires is easy and involves a few steps. It’s just like changing a flat tire. If you know how to change a flat tire, then you can easily rotate your tires. When doing this you first loosen the lug nuts on your tire. Then use the auto jack to raise the car off the floor. This allows you to pull off the tire once you remove the lug nuts. Repeat this procedure for the other car tires. Then, switch or rotate the tires and secure them in place with the lug nuts. You can now lower your vehicle when all the tires have been successfully attached.

Tires aren’t cheap, and just like any wearable item, tires need proper maintenance to provide lasting benefit to the driver.  There are times when tires fail unexpectedly even with the most robust maintenance and care.  When an unexpected flat tire occurs, call Now Towing Service in Greensboro to quick 24-hour service today…

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Most people don’t prepare themselves enough until they are already in the situation in question. However, waiting for that to happen and just winging it out isn’t ideal. The freeway is filled with fast cars and that increases your safety.

So before that happens, it is best to be prepared, at least mentally so you’d know what to do when your car breaks down on the freeway. Safety should be the number one priority. Furthermore, there is also a need to call on a professional wrecker service provider to come to your aid and prevent extensive financial losses or legal ramifications.

The Dangers Of Breakdowns On The Freeway

Breakdowns on the freeway are very dangerous for the driver. Cars pass by at a speed of about 80-100 miles an hour. Such speeds put them at risk. Additionally, some roadside assistance and wrecker service may also have a hard time reaching them on the freeway because such highways could be located in barren places. They could be far away from town and could wait a little longer than usual.

With that, drivers who have their car broken down on the freeway should make sure to take various steps to help with their safety while waiting for help. Although they may be simple steps, they may still require a little preparation, like having your own emergency kit. The items in the kit help improve your visibility so you can easily be spotted by other drivers and the help you called for.

Minimizing Danger On The Freeway

In order to minimize the danger you face on the freeway, you have to make sure that you park your car off the road in case it breaks down. That will move you further from traffic so you’d be a lot safer there than in the middle of the freeway.

The next thing that has to be done is to improve visibility. The more visible you are, the less likely other vehicles would crash into you. Use the hazard lights in your vehicle if you can. If there is no battery power, your emergency kit will come in handy. It should contain flares and other visual aids to help people see your car. This is highly important especially when your car breaks down at night.

It is also best to avoid repairing the vehicle on site. Although a quick change of the flat tire can be performed, other problems may not be easily remedied. It is best to call for help and wait for it to arrive.

Don’t Leave Your Car

It is not a good idea to sit inside a car that’s broken down on the freeway. However, it is also unwise for you to stand beside the car or walk on the side of the road to try to get some help. Walking on the freeway is very dangerous, even if you are on the side of the road. You might accidentally get hit by a car or something can get thrown at you due to a car’s tires.

There can even be instances when you’ve left your car to find help and rescue officials find it abandoned. In such a case, they’d tow away the vehicle for safety purposes. However, you’d be fined for abandonment. Furthermore, extra fees may also be charged by those who towed your vehicle. All these can be avoided if you just called for a tow right away and waited for it patiently in your vehicle.

Professional An Immediate Towing

The best way to handle a car that has broken down on the freeway is to immediately call on a professional towing service provider. You should be ready with their number on your phone just in case. Choose reputable ones that are ready to rescue immediately in case you need them. They can also help talk with the authorities so that they could understand the emergency situation. This could help you refrain from stressing out too much due to your broken-down vehicle.

It takes a solid towing company to stay in business in Greensboro, but Now! Towing Service isn’t any ol’ roadside assistance service.  With over 20 years experience in North Carolina, we know and thing or two about helping stranded motorists in their time of need…

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The traditional way of jumpstarting a car is using another vehicle’s battery. However, today there are many technologies that could help you jumpstart your vehicle even without using another car. That is through the use of a jump box.

When you have a broken down vehicle due to a drained battery, you have two choices. Either use a jump box or jumper cables to help jumpstart the vehicle. We will compare both and see which is better to use.

Jump Boxes Have Limitations

Jump boxes are great because you don’t need another vehicle to jumpstart the car. However, they have limitations too. If the car you are trying to jumpstart is electrically demanding, then the jump boxes may have a hard time jump starting them. Although jump boxes can still be used to jumpstart hybrid or electric cars, you’d need larger ones to make them work.

Jumper Cables Are Easier To store

Jumper cables are more compact as compared to jumper boxes. They can be stored underneath the seat. On the other hand, jumper boxes may be larger and could be heavier. The car has a limited amount of trunk space and carrying something heavy at all times can also negatively affect your gas mileage.

Jump Boxes Require Charging

In order for the jump boxes to work, they should be charged. Charging isn’t done often but you should do it a few times a year. Sometimes, you might forget to charge them because you don’t really use them. If that happens when you’ve drained your batteries, then you can’t use them at all. You’d still need to call for a jumpstart service.

On the other hand, high-quality jumper cables will last for a very long time. You might not even need to buy one even if you change your car. They can last a lifetime and are much more affordable too.

Jump Starters Are Temperature Sensitive

When you break down due to a drained battery in the dead of night in winter, your jumper box may not work as efficiently as possible. This is because the jumper box is affected by temperature. If it is too cold, there is poor performance. However, jumper cables work well whatever the temperature is.

Need immediate 24 hour help for your dead battery.  Call Now Towing Service in Greensboro for fast, friendly jumpstart service…

The post Jump Start With Jumper Cables Or Jump Boxes appeared first on Now! Towing Service Greensboro North Carolina.

There are many people who suggest insisting on a flatbed. But do you really need a flatbed for your auto-transmission vehicle or could your car survive being towed with some of its wheels touching the ground? Let us help you figure it out.

Best Way To Tow A Car With Auto Transmission

When having your car towed, you’d want to make sure that you don’t damage it further. To make sure about towing instructions, the best thing to do is to read your car’s manual. There, they would discuss how to go about towing your vehicle.

The best way to have your car with auto transmission towed is by using a flatbed tow truck. With this, you don’t risk damaging the transmission because all wheels are lifted off the ground. However, at times when there is no flatbed available and they could only send you the other tow truck with a dolly. So do you just find another company that has a flatbed?

Although the flatbed tow truck is the best way to tow an auto transmission vehicle, towing it with a tow truck equipped with a dolly is still possible. In fact, some car manufacturers won’t really require you to get a flatbed tow truck to have your car towed. The only consideration here is to have the car towed with the non-driving wheels so you don’t damage the automatic transmission.

The car manual should be read if you are unsure about towing your car. This is because there are certain vehicles with an auto transmission that could also get damaged when towed with the other two wheels on the ground. The good thing here is that tow truck drivers know about this and would ask you a few questions about your car. However, if you can’t tell between your drive shaft and the camshaft, it’s best to consult the manual about towing. Check whether your car is really safe to tow on two wheels.

Other Factors To Consider When Having Your Car Towed

Apart from having either a manual or auto-transmission, there are some scenarios when it would be best to have the car towed by a flatbed tow truck. Such factors include the following.

Ground Clearance

Whether your car is manual or automatic, ground clearance is an important factor to consider when having it towed. Cars with low profile or low clearance are best towed by flatbed tow trucks. It can be difficult to put low-profile cars in a tilted deck or on dollies as it could have damages to the suspension and car body.

Vehicle Weight

Another important factor to consider is the car’s weight. Tow trucks with dollies are still capable of towing cars but using them for heavier vehicles isn’t advisable. Flatbeds are ideal because they are better at handling heavyweights. If the tow trucks with dollies are pushed to tow very heavy vehicles, the tow dollies could get damaged, and the car that it is towing as well.

4-Wheel Drives

As we’ve mentioned, towing cars is safe if the non-driving wheels are towed. With 4-wheel drives, there are no non-driving wheels. Whether you select the front wheels or rear wheels to drag the vehicle, you’d be severely damaging the transmission. There are ways to go around this, but that is a complicated process that would take time to do.

A Collectible Vehicle

If the car you need to tow is a vintage, classic, or luxury car that’s part of your collection, you wouldn’t want to risk damaging it. You should really find or wait for an available flatbed tow truck for them.

When you call a towing service company to transport your car or truck, you assume they are going to complete the job safely, and without any damage.  One of the best ways to ensure a hassle free tow is by employing a flat bed towing truck to do the job…

The post Do Cars With Transmission Really Need A Flatbed? appeared first on Now! Towing Service Greensboro North Carolina.

While there often are some differences from year-to-year, most annual breakdowns follow similar patterns, with the causes remaining mostly the same.

So without further ado Virginia Beach, here’ top 5 reasons people called for roadside assistance in 2018:

Battery issues

Over the years modern cars have become incredibly reliable mechanically, however with all the gadgets, wifi, and electric timing the load on your battery can be extremely high.  If you’re not careful, the juice in your battery can deplete quickly.

While a jump from a stranger sometimes does the trick, more often than not we’ve seen people with issues at the terminals.  They’re either corroded, or loosely connect.  If the terminals look caked over with white gunk or rust, clean them off and securely tighten the connection.

Batteries are not overtly delicate but when it stops working, it needs to be replaced, or a connection issue inside your vehicle needs to be understood and fixed. Typically battery issues cannot be fixed by simple tools that can be carried around in a car. It can also be a hazard sometimes if untrained people try to fix batteries on their own the least of which can be getting shocked.

Flat Tire Calls

For one reason or another, flat tire calls increased in 2018.  We say everything from small punctures to dangerous tire blowouts and everything in between.  Perhaps it’s because we had a relatively quite snow season.

Whatever the reason, tire issues are not as terminal as battery trouble, some tire issues can require roadside assistance. Sometimes it can be because there isn’t a spare tire or the spare tire is damaged as well or if the issue is so serious that it cannot be fixed by simply swapping tires out.
Other times multiple tires might be involved or the people in the car might not have the tools or the adequate knowledge to change tires. In all such cases, roadside assistance can and is often the only way out of being stranded in the middle of nowhere.

Putting Together An Roadside Emergency Kit

Getting locked out

We have all been there even if it might be embarrassing to admit. In today’s world of contact-less keys, it can be very easy to leave yourself locked out of the car and the very safety and alarm systems that protect your car from being stolen can turn into a major headache if you find yourself locked out of your car without a way to unlock it.

This situation can be rendered a lot worse if someone is locked inside the car such as a child or a pet who cannot unlock themselves and that can lead to a lot of panic-stricken and dangerous moments.

Roadside assistance in the form of a locksmith is usually the only way out and in 2018 a lot of people needed this type of help.

Starter trouble

Often seemingly a battery issue, a non-working starter can be extremely frustrating to say the least.  While you may be able to simple jump a battery with another vehicle, starter issues often require a new starter (expensive!)

While you may need a new starter long-term, there are ways to get the starter working again, at least to the point of getting you to the repair shop.  First step is to check the joint of all the connecting cables between the battery and the starter. Tighten everything because a loose connection means less flow of current to the starter.

If that doesn’t work sometimes a light tap with a hammer (TIP:  have one in you car’s emergency kit), is enough to jerk the gears into motion.

Running out of fuel

Running out of fuel and needing assistance happened a lot more than most people would imagine and it made up a good portion of our calls in 2018.

This can happen due to a number of reasons. The primary of these is, well, carelessness.  Truth is, people tend to overlook the fuel indicator and try to drive off on near empty fuel tanks – don’t feel bad, we’ve done it ourselves!

Another reason could be people trying to be overly optimistic. Finally, it could be a broke fuel level indicator that leads car owners into a false sense of security as to the amount of fuel left in their cars.

Thankfully, with the help of roadside assistance, people stuck in such unfortunate situations in 2018 didn’t have to push their cars to the nearest fuel station.

The post Top 5 Reasons For Roadside Assistance Calls In 2020 appeared first on Now! Towing Service Greensboro North Carolina.

The modern car engine and its fuel system have become quite complicated and running out of gas can lead to the uncomfortable situation of the car not starting back up.

Thankfully, it isn’t too difficult to get the car moving and we have explained it below in The 5 Step Process of Restarting a Car That Has Run out Of Gas

Fill Up Your Tank

Look, this goes without saying but obviously your car or truck will need its fuel to get back running again.  Good news is: you do not need to fill the fuel tank up all the way to get it going. All you need is a couple of gallons to get the car to the nearest fuel station.

For this reason it’s always a great idea to carry something called a “Jerry Can” with you to store the fuel.

Hopefully you can get a friendly person to give you a ride to the nearest fuel station where you can purchase the gas.

Get back to your car and fill the tank in a safe manner. One thing to keep in mind is to ensure that you are getting the right type of fuel.

Let the fuel get in the system

You have to understand that the fuel system doesn’t consist of a single hose that runs all the way to the combustion chamber of engine. It is full of nooks and crannies along with valves so, it needs some help to get the fuel flowing. To ensure the best chance of success make sure that you vehicle is level.  If you’ve been stranded up or down-hill, do your best to push the vehicle to a level spot.

Next, prime the the gas pedal a few times before turning the engine on. This will allow the fuel an easier path to fill the fuel system.

NOTE:  It is important to be patient and not try to turn the engine on before the fuel has reached were it needs to be. Not only will the engine not turn on, it can lead to the battery being drained which is a far worse situation to be in.

Allow the fuel injectors to do their thing

Most modern cars have some type of fuel injection system and if your car does too then it means that the fuel is pumped using an electric pump. Turn the key halfway through at which point the electrical systems like the dials and displays turn on. It is absolutely crucial not to turn the key all the way in as that can damage the car. Wait for a couple of minutes, turn off the car and repeat this a few times. After three or four times, the fuel pumps would have pumped enough fuel to allow for the car to start up without any trouble.

Try starting the car

By this step we assume that the fuel system is no longer dry and the ignition chamber has access to the fuel that it needs for the engine to start up. Turn the key all the way in and the car will probably splutter a few times before turning on.

It is important not to keep trying to fire the car up. If it doesn’t work after a couple of tries then go back to the previous steps. Usually, this is not required and the car should fire up quite easily but that is not always the case.

Give the previous two steps a couple more goes and hopefully that will get the car running again.

Last resort

Sometimes, your car just refuses to start. This could be because of something else that is wrong with the car that is preventing it from starting up. This can also happen if air gets trapped in the fuel system and it has no way to get out.

The most important thing to do is not to get frustrated and keep trying to turn the car on until the battery is drained.

If you have given it a decent try and it still hasn’t started then it is time to call the professionals. That is why it is paramount to sign up for some type of roadside assistance provided the car manufacturer isn’t providing. Keep their contact numbers handy and get in touch with them immediately to get yourself out of the spot of bother.

Green Light Fuel Delivery Services

If you’re in the Virginia Beach VA area and gone through the steps and are unable to restart your vehicle, give our service professionals a call at 757-938-3378 for convenient fuel delivery service 24/7.

One of our trained towing service professional will be there with more than enough gas to get you to the nearest gas station and on your way – all for an affordable flat fee.

In addition to our gas delivery services, we also offer a full suite of roadside assistance and towing services including Wrecker Services (link), Jump Start Services, Flatbed Towing, and much more!

The post 5 Steps To Restart A Car That Has Run Out Of Gas appeared first on Now! Towing Service Greensboro North Carolina.

As a towing customer, you should be rightly concerned, and proactive in the towing process to make sure that your car, truck, or motorcycle gets to when it needs to be without a scratch.  Here’s how….

Choose a Reputed Towing Company

This might seem like the most logical thing to do but people often tend to lean towards the cheapest option out there.

We’re not saying that the cheapest option is bad, we’re saying reliability and experience should be what you’re aiming for. This is because you will be entrusting your car, which is a prized possession for a lot of people, to the towing company.

There’s a few ways to tell if you’re dealing with a good company.  First off is to look for referencing or by going for customer reviews, or better yet – if you know of someone who has had their car towed without any issues then you can use the same company.

If that’s not an option then look for viable towing options and check out their customer reviews so you can choose the most reliable option out there.

Next make sure that the towing service you choose is licensed and bonded in the City and State your in.  There’s alot of bad apples out there, and far too many operate without the proper credentials.

Also don’t be shy to ask to get a copy of the credentials.  In case anything goes wrong, they should be on the hook for any costs.

Insist On A Flatbed Tow Truck

Just like anything, there’s a bunch of tow trucks that companies use to transport vehicles, but in general, the best one is still the flatbed tow truck.

Why?

Flatbed trucks are the easiest and safest to load a car onto a flatbed truck, and with all four tires on the flatbed, there’s nothing moving on your vehicle during transport.

Other options like hook-and-how truck can scrape the underside of the car that can often result in damage to the axles, transmission and other important and expensive to fix parts of the car.

It is also the safest option during transit as the car can be tied down in the most secure manner possible.

Also consider that with your car being level, fluid leaks and other unpleasant experiences can be avoided.

Put Your Vehicle In Neutral

An extremely important step towards accomplishing that is by putting the car in neutral. This will allow the towing professionals to move the car around easily without having to apply any unnecessary force on any portion of the car all of which can be potentially dangerous and lead to scratches and other types of damage on your car.

Most towing professionals will be able to get a car not in neutral moved to the towing position but that would involve a lot of awkward maneuvering which again has a greater potential of leaving unwanted signs of the tow.

Ensure The Car Is Hooked And Secured Safely

There is one undeniable fact in this world and that is that no one can love your car as much as you do. So, even the most reliable towing service out there may leave a few things to chance. Before your car is about to be towed, check that the car is loaded correctly and secured properly.

The car has to be loaded in a manner that the weight is distributed equally and there is no imbalance in the way in which the car is towed. Another very important aspect of a tow is the way in which the car is secured to the tow truck.

The points at which the car is tied down or attached to the tow truck needs to be secured really well. There should literally be no loose ends and the car should not have any space to move around.

This can not only result in the car coming loose but it can also cause the car to vibrate and move around in a manner that is damaging.

Take Tons Of Pictures

When putting the care of an expensive piece of property in the hands of others, in pays to be extra cautious and overly-careful.

While you may have confidence that the towing service provider is legit with the the proper insurance and credentials, it’s still a good idea to take as many pictures as you can of your vehicle before and after it gets loaded on the tow truck.

As a towing business owner and driver it makes it doesn’t bother me at all when customers do this, in fact I PREFER they do this just in case there’s is any disagreement between the customer and the insurance providers.

A word of safety advice however:  Tell the towing professional what you’re doing before you start canvasing the car.  With moving machinery we need to know when you are at all time to ensure that you are clear of harms way.

Thanks for reading our first article!

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