Latest News From Bumper Radio

Don’t look now, but you’re probably about to hit another pothole.

Drivers know immediately when they hit a pothole, but what they don’t know is if their vehicle has been damaged in the process. While tires and wheels can be visually checked, potholes can also cause considerable damage to the steering, suspension and alignment systems that you just can’t see.

Motorists will spend nearly $5 billion on car repairs from damage caused by potholes, according to a recent report by WJLA-TV in Washington D.C. The U.S. PIRG Education Fund and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) estimate that poor road conditions cost the average motorist around $335 a year.

Spring will be in the air and with it comes pollen, dust and pollutants that are drawn inside vehicles through air conditioning and ventilation systems. 

Cabin air filters clean the incoming air, removing allergens, and should be replaced regularly, says the Car Care Council.

“A dirty or clogged cabin air filter can cause contaminants to become so concentrated in the cabin that passengers actually breathe in more fumes and particles when riding in the car than when walking down the street,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “With allergy season quickly approaching, replacing the cabin air filter is a simple way for you and your passengers to breathe easier while driving.”

Performing basic vehicle maintenance will not only help protect the environment, but will also keep more “green” in your wallet, says the non-profit Car Care Council.

“To be car care aware, you just need to be proactive,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “By following a few simple steps from the Car Care Council, you can drive smart, save money and be green.”

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., April 15, 2014 -- It may be the second most expensive purchase of most people's lives, but new research from DMEautomotive (DMEa) reveals that a growing number of Americans are bypassing test-drives – and making strikingly few visits to dealerships – in their car-buying process.

The latest survey of roughly 2,000 automotive consumers1 found that, before purchasing, 16% took no test-drive, and 33% test-drove only one car. And more than two-thirds (68%) reported that they visited only two dealerships or fewer before buying - with 40% visiting only one dealer.

The survey also measured consumer trust of dealer salespeople, and the results were sobering: only 21% claimed they perceive them as "trustworthy," a lower trust rating than reported for lawyers, mortgage brokers and insurance salespeople.

Virginia Auto Service, located in Phoenix, AZ, is proud to be partnering with Brakes for Breasts! During the month of October schedule a brake service and you will get your brake pads for free, plus Virginia Auto Service will donate 10% of that service to the Cleveland Clinic to help with research to develop a breast cancer vaccine!

Virginia Auto Service is one of six Arizona auto shops participating in the event. Schedule online at http://www.virginiaautoservice.com or call 602-266-0200. Find out more about Brakes for Breasts at http://brakesforbreasts.wordpress.com and help us put the brakes on breast cancer.

Tri-City Transmission in Tempe, AZ has earned the service industry’s coveted Angie’s List Super Service Award, reflecting an exemplary year of service provided to members of the consumer review service in 2013.

“We live to make our customers happy,” says Dave Riccio, owner of Tri-City Transmission.
 
“Only about 5 percent of the companies Tri-City Transmission competes with in the Phoenix area are able to earn our Super Service Award,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “It’s a mark of consistently great customer service.”

ORLANDO, Fla., May 16, 2014 -- AAA Travel projects 36.1 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more from home during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, a 1.5 percent increase from the 35.5 million people who traveled last year.  Kicking off the summer driving season, more than eight in ten travelers will be driving to their destinations.  The Memorial Day holiday travel period is defined as Thursday, May 22 to Monday, May 26.

Highlights from 2014 Memorial Day Travel Forecast include:

• Memorial Day holiday travel volume is expected to reach a new post-recession high with 36.1  million Americans taking a trip
• The 2014 forecast is 2.6 percent higher than the ten-year historical average and the second highest travel volume since 2000
• Eighty-eight percent of travelers (31.8 million) to travel by automobile, an increase from 31.4 million last year
• Holiday air travel expected to increase from 2.4 percent to 2.6 million leisure travelers 
• Travel by other modes of transportation including cruise, trains and buses will see the largest increase, up 6.5 percent (total 1.7 million travelers)
• Travelers will encounter slightly higher prices with airfares six percent higher, mid-range hotels up two percent and car rentals costing one percent more

LOS ANGELES, April 29, 2014 -- The majority of people consider buying a used car a big issue. That's why researchers have performed a thorough background investigation of the car trade process. They concluded that there are several main domains of car selling through newspapers, printed advertisements (flyers, booklets, posters, billboards), internet and other market places.

You will soon realize that advertisements in newspapers are typically short and you should refresh them each week. Not only will you lose your time and money, you'll also lose viewers because they're not as sought-after as they used to be. Nowadays, the best way to have more buyers for your inventory is to market your business via Internet. It's been found that web-sales increase steadily day by day.

There are two major branches of online car marketing you can deal in: classifieds ads and auto auctions. Let's make a comparison between these methods: which of them is the best and presents the most effective way of selling cars.

ROSEMONT, Ill., April 21, 2014 -- A new resource is now at your fingertips when battling distracted driving.

The newly redesigned DecidetoDrive.org website allows you to anonymously send safe driving tips─the "Wreckless Checklist"─to the distracted drivers in your life giving them a "heads up" about their dangerous driving habits. You provide an email address and "Decide to Drive," the award-winning distracted driving prevention program sponsored by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (Auto Alliance) will send out safe driving tips to that person.

The colorful and engaging DecidetoDrive.org website allows visitors to more actively advocate for safe driving in their communities by: