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I can't even begin to stress the importance of proper planning when you are taking a long road trip. Seriously, a nice trip can take a SHARP left turn into We-Messed-Up-Ville really fast! A few weeks ago, my friends and I decided to go on a road trip to celebrate the last few weeks of summer before college started up again. We were just really excited to get going, and figured we would wing it. Winging it is 1000% the one thing we should not have done. We set off on our weekend of fun, in my newly acquired 2017 Chevy Cruze hatchback, not a care in the world. We had a vague idea of where we wanted to go, but no real set destination, just see where the road took us. We had several changes of clothes, some sneakers, blankets, pillows, snacks...road trip things. We were on top of the world. We managed to arrive at a campground and decided that even though we didn't have any tent sleeping outside would be a lovely idea. It would have been if it didn't rain. So we all piled into the Cruze, arranged the seating as best we could and slept in the car. It worked out surprisingly well considering there were 3 adult women attempting to sleep in there. After our impromptu camping, we stopped at a few restaurants, and parks on our way and had a lot of fun. Things were significantly less fun, however, when we were on our way home. Somehow we forgot that filling up on gas was a thing we needed to do. It would have been fine if we didn't hit traffic on the highway. There must have been some kind of crazy accident because we were in bumper to bumper traffic for over an hour, at which point we noticed that our gas tank was at E. We were in the middle left lane of four lane traffic and moving towards the outside wasn't an option, and unless we wanted to take some risks with some guard rails, escaping to the left was decidedly not an option either. All we could do was keep going and hope that we could somehow get over and find an exit before the tank completely emptied. It was a waiting game NONE of us wanted to play. We were doing well. There was an exit in sight and we were making strides to get over to that exit....until the car started slowing even when the gas pedal was to the floor...nothing. We ran out of juice. It was done, man. Game over. We were sitting in the middle of traffic, no gas and all we could do was sit and wait till the traffic cleared and we could get the car over to the shoulder or have a tow truck come save us. The moral of this supremely humiliating story: remember to fill up your tank! Your vehicle may have incredible mileage, but friend, YOU STILL NEED GAS TO DRIVE. Heed my words friends. Try to plan better than we did. It will never hurt you to be prepared.

So, I hear you like trucks. I too, like trucks. So, why should you like this truck? Specifically the Chevy Silverado 1500? Well, I have a list of reasons a mile long...no...LONGER. It is, in fact, a pretty sweet truck. So why should YOU like it. Take this journey with me, friend. See for yourself, the excellence of this particular truck. 1) Strong & Efficient Base EngineThe engine is mighty powerful. Stronger than many horses, thus the impressive horsepower of 285 horsepower with 305 pound-feet of torque. When equipped with the V-6 engine, the truck becomes a quite efficient daily-driver. You can expect to get an admirable 18 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the open road. 2) Pulls a Sizable LoadHow many things do you have? The Silverado 1500 can haul all of them. Ok, maybe not all of them but like 12,500lbs worth of things. That is a lot of things. That's approximately 8,333 1 ½ lb burritos...THAT IS SO MANY BURRITOS! 3) Rugged Z71 PackageOh, so you're a tough guy? You like tough things? BEHOLD THE TOUGHEST THING! The rugged Z71 package makes this truck so tough, prison looks like a preschool. Ok, maybe that's a bit intense...but it can handle any terrain with ease! 4) Smooth Driving DynamicsDo you also like butter? Well this truck drives as smooth as butter. It handles the road like a boss! 5) Stylish TrimsThe 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has an attention-grabbing appearance. It will actually grab your attention right out of thin air and put it on this truck. IT WILL TAKE YOUR ATTENTION! ALL OF IT! 6) New Teen Driver ModeGot teens? It's cool, we've got technology for that! Chevy's new Teen Driver mode will give parents a greater sense of control. Not only can the system monitor a teen's driving habits and set a speed limit, but it can also track their whereabouts. We're ALL ABOUT SAFETY! 7) Impressive High-Tech ComponentsTechnology! HA! This truck is a high tech robot that will totally NOT take over our civilization! It will only improve it with features like Chevy's MyLink touch-screen interface, 4G Wi-Fi hotspot, and an impressive Bose sound system so that ALL of your beats can be SICK! 10) Family-Friendly Crew Cab ModelSo we established that you may have teens? What about tiny tots? WELL, The crew cab version of the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is a great choice for families. SO MUCH SPACE FOR ACTIVITIES and your kids various toys and such! The moral of the story is that the 2017 Chevy Silverado 1500 is THE BEST most excellent truck, in my opinion, and perhaps in yours too! Stop by Harchelroad Motors TODAY for a test drive and to find out more about this magnificent creature!

Every time the check engine light comes on there tends to be a pretty universal feeling of panic. So we worry about this light coming on, but what does it mean? Well, the check engine light is part of your vehicle's onboard diagnostics (OBD) system. Computers have control and monitor vehicle performance, regulating such variables as engine speed (RPM), fuel mixture, and ignition timing, and may even tell the automatic transmission when to shift. Your check engine light has two speeds- constant and blinking. The light will either flash or stay constant depending on the severity of the problem. If the light is steady the problem is not an emergency, but you should schedule an appointment as soon as possible. A blinking light usually indicates a severe engine misfire. If this happens, stop your vehicle and get it checked as soon as possible. Either way, you should have the vehicle checked by one of our qualified service technicians at Harchelroad Motors as soon as possible. So now that there is a way to identify the severity of the problem, so what do you do when the light does come on? The first and most logical step is to stop driving as soon as humanly possible. Look for a serious problem that requires immediate attention. See if there are any indications on your dashboard that there is low oil pressure or overheating. If you see these things, please don't try to drive your car and call to have it towed. If none of those indicators are present, try tightening your gas cap. This will typically solve the problem. Keep in mind that it may take several trips before the light resets. Some vehicles have a separate indicator that warns of a loose gas cap before the condition sets off the check engine light. If tightening the gas cap fails, try to reduce your speed and load. If the check engine light is blinking or you notice any serious performance problems, like loss of power, reduce your speed and try to reduce the load on the engine. If for example, you are towing something, it may be best to unload. Have the car checked as soon as possible to prevent expensive damage. Take the vehicle to a professional. When your check engine light comes on it will generate a code that, when scanned, let you know where the source of the issue is. While there are ways to scan the code yourself, the solutions to the problems indicated are not always easy fixes. To get the best care and certified parts and service you should have the vehicle diagnosed by a qualified service technician directly who can tell what's wrong and fix it. So now we have a bit of a better understanding of what your check engine light means. So if you want to avoid a situation like this, you can stay ahead of vehicle problems by having these things checked regularly: • The conditions of the battery and charging system are critical to the proper operation of the electronic control system. Both should be routinely checked by measuring cranking and engine running battery voltage • Make sure the battery rating meets at least the minimum cranking amperage (CA or CCA) requirement for your vehicle • The fan/alternator or serpentine belt on your vehicle is an integral part of the charging system. Belts should be inspected for signs of wear and proper adjustment • Loose or corroded cable ends may prevent your battery from maintaining a full state of charge

Is leasing right for me? This is a question that is on the rise in this day and age. Young people, in particular, are more likely to rent homes and lease cars than they are to make purchases so it's good to understand why leasing may or may not be the right choice for you. With a short quiz provided below we can get a better idea if leasing is the right choice for you. With a few quick questions, we can answer that question for you: 1. How far do you drive?The standard lease contract allows for 12,000 miles a year or 36,000 miles for a typical three-year lease. If you drive farther than your allowed miles, you will have to pay 20 cents for each additional mile at the end of the lease. So if you're not someone who does a lot of driving or only really drives short distances, a lease may be the perfect option for you. 2. Do you use your car for business?If you are perhaps a CEO, real estate agent, or lawyer and are looking to show up to impress clients with a luxury vehicle, a lease may be what you're looking for. Your lease payments might qualify as a tax deduction write off! Check in with your accountant and then stop over to Harchelroad Motors of Imperial & Wauneta and we'll be happy to set you up with a sweet ride! 3. How clean do you keep your car?A leased car is not for someone who likes to use and abuse their vehicles. Don't get me wrong, lease contracts allow for your average wear and tear, but if your definition of average wear and tear involves unidentifiable stains, tears, and dents, maybe leasing isn't for you. With the average lease contract running about 3 years, that's a lot of time to make a healthy mess of your car, so really take that into consideration before leasing. 4. Do you like to customize?A leased car should be returned in both the condition and style in which you got it. This means that if you like to modify and customize your cars, you'll need to take all of your modifications off your car before returning it. If that's not your style, leasing might not be for you. 5. Are you short on cash but strong on credit?Leasing is a low commitment option, it's more of a "pay as you go" form of car ownership. If you have strong credit you can start a lease with $0 down and still have lower payments than if you bought the car. Remember, it's only for 3 years so you'll have to either get a new lease after that, or buyout that car. 6. Do you love driving the newest model?As mentioned previously, leasing is a low commitment driving option. So if you like to have the latest and greatest, without having to constantly spend ALL of your money, leasing is for you! 7. Are you comfortable always having a car payment?One advantage of buying a car is that you will eventually not have car payments. The downside is the payments up until that point can be quite high. If however, you don't mind always having car payments as long as those payments are lower, leasing might be your go to! So what did we learn? Is leasing right for you? Whether it is or isn't, you can stop by Harchelroad Motors of Imperial & Wauneta and we'll be happy to go over our lease and finance options!

So you've just gotten your driver's license and your mom has been a mess. I feel ya, friend, mine was too. Perhaps she's been a bit on edge every time you mention going out on the road to practice. Any time you're near the car the pitch of her voice raises an octave or two. It's understandable, you're her baby and she wants to be able to keep you safe and sound and the roads aren't always as safe as she'd like them to be. So, if you want to help your mom make it through your driving lessons, follow these simple tips. Step 1: Compliment your mom. She'll need the emotional boost before getting in the car. Step 2: Make a plan of your route with your mom. Perhaps you notice Mom has started hyperventilating, talk her through your route gently and give her a little hug. There, isn't that better? She's started breathing a bit more normally. Step 3: Go over the specific road skills you'd like to work on today. Mom's eyes have gone the size of saucers, but never fear as you explain how to perform the skills you'd like to work on, grab mom a chocolate bar, slowly pass it over to her and as she eats and calms down, ask her if she's ready to get out on the road. She seems nervous, but it looks like she's accepted. Step 4: Now that you've gotten Mom into the car, praise her for how well she is doing. This was a big step for the two of you. Give her the map of your route and confirm that she knows where you will be going. Praise her one more time. GOOD JOB MOM. Step 5: Check all of your mirrors, seat and steering wheel position to be sure everything is at the correct position. Mom was about to ask if you adjusted everything, but you beat her to it! Your thoroughness seems to have relaxed her slightly. Only slightly though. No sudden moves. Step 6: Ask Mom if she's ready to go. She may be clutching the door and armrest a bit, so put on some soft calming music in the background. Like really in the background. You don't want it to be so loud that you can't hear Mom, or you get distracted by the dulcet tones of Ed Sheeran. Once Mom's death grip has loosened, you can start the car. Step 7: Tell mom you're going to start driving and back up VERY SLOWLY. She is still extremely skittish and you don't want to startle her. Step 8: Now that mom is engrossed in her task of giving you directions, she seems to have calmed down a bit more. The first stop sign has appeared and she is already trying to slam her foot through the floor, be sure to gently reassure her that you've got it under control. No use getting flustered along with her. Your calm will help calm her. Step 9: You've finally reached your end destination, and Mom seems to have made it through ok. Go over what you worked on, what needs improvement still and what you want to go over on your next driving lesson. Praise her again and give her a big hug. This was a big step for Mom, and she made it! Step 10: You've made it home safely, and mom is now napping after having such a big day. Now you can reward yourself by binge-watching Game of Thrones for several hours. You deserve it!

*Thud thud* This is a sound that haunts my dreams. *Thud Thud* Why you might ask? Well, this is the sound my tires make when they hit a pothole. The last time my car hit a particularly deep pothole, it had a LOT of damage. A tire deflated, a good portion of the underside of the car was shifted and cracked, so now even the sound gives me a fair bit of anxiety. What makes it worse is that you can't always avoid the potholes. Narrow roads, large trucks, you do the math. It's not looking good for you friend. *THUD THUD* For this reason, it's important to know what kind of steps you can take the minimize the effects of the pothole. But what can you do to avoid them, besides moving somewhere warmer or resigning to never leave your home again? There are actually several steps you can take that are a lot less extreme, and while it isn't always easy, these tips should at least help slightly. Alternatives to spending your life as a hermit living in constant fear of potholes: Leaving more space between you and the driver ahead of you. This is just a solid practice to be in the habit of anyway, but if you are all up on the driver in front of you, how would you be able to see what fresh havoc has appeared before the other driver. After all, the more space between you and the other guy, the more likely you are to notice a pothole and calmly dodge it like you're in the Matrix. Slowing down. Thing one, much like giving space to the other driver, slowing down enables you to actually react when a crater appears on the pavement. In addition to reaction time, if you come at a pothole at 75 MPH you car will 100% feel it and more than likely suffer. At say 20 MPH, your car may just get out of there unscathed. Watching out for water. Water on the road is a lie and will TRICK YOU. You might be looking at the road thinking to yourself, "Hey, this is fine. Look at how flat and fine this road is." PLOT TWIST POTHOLE and all of a sudden, your right tire is at an angle that is in no way conducive to driving. After a rainstorm or snow, potholes can fill with water. That makes them harder to see, and harder to judge how deep they are. That makes them even more mysterious and dangerous! So when in doubt, avoid them. Pothole damage accounts for nearly 500,000 insurance claims every year! So if you've been a victim of one, you're not alone. That's why we're making this blog post in the first place. So remember, it's important to stay alert, slow down, and keep an eye out, to avoid some costly damage and some serious stress. Should you fall victim to a pothole, know that Harchelroad Motors of Imperial and Wauneta is here to help you out! So stop by today to get that pothole damage fixed up!

One of the most terrifying feelings as a driver is when you go to brake and you do not stop. You are at the mercy of your car and can only hope that there are no other drivers around so that you can find a way to come to a stop safely. To avoid instances like this happening, regular servicing will ensure your brakes are in good working order. Sudden brake failure in well-maintained cars is possible but you are probably more likely to be hit by lightning. Another way to keep yourself safe is getting in the habit of checking your brakes every time you get behind the wheel. That way you won't have to worry about this situation happening. Brake testing only takes a few seconds to do and will become habit after a while. There are two checks that you can make - Static and Rolling. Brake Tests You Can Do:Static brake test: The static brake test is just a matter of pressing the brake pedal when you get into the car. There should be resistance from the pedal; if there isn't and the pedal feels soft or easily pushes to the floor you have probably got a fluid leak and should not drive the car. Rolling brake test: Also pretty self explanatory, you perform this test by pressing the brake pedal gently as soon as possible after moving off and while driving slowly. It's a surefire way to make sure that your brakes are OK before you need them. To be clear, I'm not saying floor it and brake. I'm saying start slow, like normal, then stop(at like 5-10mph). Symptoms of impending brake failureIn addition to performing these tests regularly, what are some of the signals that your brakes are about to fail? To know that you'll need to understand how your brakes work. Your brakes use a hydraulic system; for the system to work effectively there must be fluid in the hydraulic pipes. If the fluid starts to leak, the brake pedal will feel 'softer' and will often travel further when pressed. If your brake pedal feels soft or 'spongy' stop immediately and get a breakdown mechanic to check the car. In an EMERGENCY SITUATION ONLY you might be able to build up brake pressure by repeatedly pumping it, however, this is only an 'emergency' measure to stop the car once. This is definitely not a I-guess-this-is-just-how-I-brake-now solution. Driving with a 'soft' brake pedal is extremely dangerous because your brakes could fail at any moment. Even if they don't fail, you definitely won't be able to stop as quickly as you may need to and it could lead to an accident. If your brake pedal feels hard and the brakes are not working or are inefficient, something might have broken in the braking system OR it could just be that something is jammed under the brake pedal. I found a chapstick stuck under there once, so really try to keep the floor area of your vehicle free of litter and other stuff that could slide under the pedals. Your brakes are not something to take lightly, so make sure that you are really keeping up on their maintenance. If you need to get your brakes checked, you can stop by Harchelroad Motors of Imperial and Wauneta and we'll be happy to check your vehicle out and get you back on the road!

My dad is not what most would call "handy". He, to this day, has no earthly idea what to do with a wrench, much less have any working knowledge about cars. Even if my dad knew the first thing about cars, when I was a teen, I couldn't care less about cars, how they worked, or what they needed. I had many more super important teenager things to deal with at the time, like the fact that all of my friends had the new flip phone and I just had the super lame Nokia (I swear that thing was rolled over by my mom's Blazer and still worked. HOW???). Now that I'm a super-mature and independent grown woman (I grocery shop now. *hair flip*), I have learned at least the basic maintenance my car needs. Fun fact, even the basics are pretty involved. I violently underestimated how many fluids went into the everyday function of my car, but here we are. Motor oil, transmission fluid, Antifreeze????????? SEND HELP! Ok, so let's try to break this down a bit. Motor oilChanging your oil is one of the most basic pieces of car maintenance we do. But what does it do? WHY do I need to get my oil changed EVERY 3,500 miles? Simply put, oil lubricates your engine. Oil reduces friction and keeps your engine from overheating all of the MANY moving parts. This oil also prevents rust by blocking oxygen from getting to the metal. So win win! Transmission fluidThe unsung lubricant hero of your car, the transmission fluid works a lot like motor oil, lubrication, and cooling. All good things. As transmission fluid moves through an automatic transmission, it gets pressurized, which provides the hydraulic power needed to perform the transmission's basic functions, like shifting gears. Antifreeze Ok, so this name is moderately confusing as it does more than prevents water in your radiator from freezing, it also keeps things from boiling...so a more appropriate name might have been Anti-Extreme-Temperatures, but that's kinda a mouthful, so Antifreeze it is. Adding antifreeze to the water in your radiator lowers the freezing temperature of the water, which helps prevent freezing in cold weather. Brake FluidLike transmission fluid, brake fluid gets pressurized and provides the force that activates your brakes. It's quite a process, and I'm not super well versed in the technical side of how it works, but just know that when you need to hit the brakes because a pedestrian with headphones and a death wish crossed the road without looking, know that this fluid is the reason you are stopping! Power Steering Fluid By this point, you have very likely figured out that most of these fluids serve to remove the majority of the friction going on in your vehicle. I mean, there are a LOT of moving parts going on here, so as many of the other liquids power steering fluid provides lubrication for the steering gear and makes it easier to steer your car. When you turn the steering wheel, a small opening allows pressurized power steering fluid to move in and help you direct the front wheels. Quite a force, right?! Now that you know how important all of these liquids are, stop by Harchelroad Motors of Imperial and Wauneta to get them checked out!

I don't like to stay in one place for long. I much prefer the freedom and constant change of the open road. It's always felt more like home to me than any one house could. I have spent the better part of my life on the road. Fortunately as a writer, my job allows the kind of freedom I need to travel as I please. I have traveled everywhere. One of my very first road trips took me from Maine to Washington State. I took this trip with my best friend and through some miracle we didn't murder each other. Instead we were able to really explore and learn about each other and ourselves. We also learned some valuable travel lessons that have been proven useful in all of the following expeditions. For that first road trip we had to pack everything into my little Chevy Impala. That car was completely awesome, but a road trip vehicle it was not. As such it wasn't quite as spacious as we would have liked. This lead us to the realization that two small suitcases are better than one big bag. The ability to mix up how things are packed so that you can fit other items in your vehicle is ENDLESSLY helpful! We have learned from that experience and upgraded to the Equinox. While my 2017 Chevy Equinox is the ultimate road trip vehicle with lots of space for everything I could ever need, it's still helpful to pack smart so that there is extra room. While on that trip we had to struggle through every type of weather and temperature. So we had all kinds of clothing options for each situation. We've found it makes good sense to separate the clothing seasonally into two carry-on-sized suitcases instead of one large bag. This way, we don't have to dig around in a huge bag just to find the clothes we need; we simply bring in that day's weather-appropriate suitcase and leave the other one in the car. I do a lot of cooking on the road. We keep all of the cooking supplies (cast-iron pans, good chef's knives, a portable pour-over coffee station) in a clear plastic container. Occasionally we camp, infrequently if at all possible, and so all of the camping gear (tent and foot air pump, air mattresses, and sleeping bags) goes in another container. That way, when we need something, we know exactly where it is. When you are traveling cross country, anything can and will happen, so it's best to err on the side of caution. Of course we have a spare tire, car jack, jugs of potable water, and a first-aid kit in our trunk. We even have AAA membership. But the thing we've discovered are of the highest importance of all, are snacks. We try to keep it on the healthy side for good measure, but let's be real, a bag of Cheetos or 2 have ended up on the road with us. We do bring a lot of dried fruit, nuts, granola bars, beef or turkey jerky, really the things that travel well. The key to a successful road trip is to be ready for anything and have a vehicle that makes the drive comfortable. I can't say enough good things about my Chevy Equinox from Harchelroad Motors of Imperial and Wauneta. It has upgraded our experience 100%. Granted when you go from an Impala to a big spacious SUV it's going to improve the quality of your journey, but the Equinox is truly an exceptional road trip vehicle!