Are You Using The Right Car Seat?

Here are some helpful car seat safety tips

• Rear-facing is safest.  The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommend rear-facing as long as possible. Parents should keep child rear-facing until at least 2 years old, longer if the car safety seat weight and height limit allows. Young children are fragile and are best protected in a rear-facing car seat. To ensure a child can stay rear-facing as long as possible, purchase a convertible seat when your baby outgrows the infant seat.
• Most children younger than 5-years old are not mature enough to sit without a full harness. Keep your child in a forward-facing car seat with a harness until at least 5 or 6 years old.
• Most common mistakes can be avoided by simply following manufacturers’ instructions. All car seats must meet stringent Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to be sold in the U.S. It is when they are not used correctly that makes them unsafe. Always read and follow the instructions for the safety seat. Also, read the vehicle owner’s manual section on child restraints.
• Always use the top tether when installing a forward-facing car seat.The tether reduces movement of a car seat in a crash and helps to achieve a tight installation.

Below is an infographic that includes important ages and stages information.

Originally Posted By: www.myboysandtheirtoys.com

McGrath Audi
301 North Waukegan Road
Glenview, IL 60025
1-888-364-6780

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Save Gas with these Tips

 

 

I’m not sure about you, but I hate having to stop for gas. So if I can put that one errand on hold for as long as possible, I’m going to do what I can.

Below are some proven tips from Consumer Reports to help you spend less time at the pump.

No idling. There is no need to warm up your car or keep it running while waiting for passengers. The general rule-of-thumb is to turn off your car if you know you’ll be stopped for more than 30 seconds. Don’t worry about the starter, it is designed for multiple, repeated starts.

Combine trips. Avoid making multiple short trips or try to combine all errands into one trip. If you can, avoid rush hour, as sitting in traffic burns more gas and emits more pollutants. Why not try carpooling?

Watch your speed. For those of you out there who like to drive fast, this one will make a huge difference. Did you know that the faster you drive on the highway, the worse your gas mileage will be? ConsumerReports.org saw fuel economy in a test vehicle drop 5 mpg when the  cruising speed was increased from 55 mph to 65. Driving at 75 mph cost an additional 5 mpg.

Drive smoothly. Avoid hard acceleration and braking when possible. In the same test vehicle, Consumer Reports found that frequent bursts of acceleration and braking reduced fuel economy by 2 to 3 mpg.

Tire inflation. In our tests, we found fuel economy is reduced when tires are not inflated to where they should be. Check your tires’ pressure and top off as needed when they’re cold (before the vehicle has been driven or after no more than a couple of miles of driving). Use the inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle’s manufacturer, not the maximum pressure embossed on the tire’s sidewall. The recommended pressure is usually found on a placard on a front door jamb, in the glove compartment, or in the owner’s manual.

These are just a few of the things Consumer Reports recommended… click-through to read the full report here: 11 money-saving fuel economy tips

McGrath Audi
301 North Waukegan Road
Glenview, IL 60025
1-888-364-6780

 

Vehicle iPhone Apps

There are thousands of apps available to iPhone users. You can get lost trying to find ones that are useful to you, it can be very time-consuming. Not to worry, we’ve done some digging and have found 5 useful car apps to possibly make life a little less stressful, and maybe even, a little more fun.

1. GasBuddy (Free)
   GasBuddy is pretty simple yet very effective. It locates the cheapest place to fill up in a short radius. While a few gas stations don’t appear on the screen, prices are usually 100% accurate. This app lives up to its name; plus it doesn’t cost you a penny. 83 Ratings = 5 Stars
2. Honk ($0.99)
   Parking tickets are a thing of the past with Honk, which helps you keep an eye on your parking meter. In addition to a programmable alarm (2, 5 or 10 minutes remaining), Honk can refresh your memory if you forgot where you left your car. This precious app will ensure that your future downtown stints don’t leave a sour taste in your month. 11 Ratings = 4.5 Stars
3. Dynolicious ($12.99)
   How does all that tuning translate on the road? Using the iPhone’s built-in accelerometer, Dynolicious calculates your vehicle’s 0-100km/h acceleration, quarter-mile time, horsepower total, lateral Gs, and other performance metrics. All you have to do is to create a profile for your car and voilà! 26 Ratings = 4.5 Stars
4. Car Minder Plus ($2.99)
   Your car will love you with this app. Manage all your car maintenance needs, log repairs, track fuel economy, and look up when a service is due. Manage multiple cars, and get the most out of each of them.  57 Ratings = 4.5 Stars
5. Garmin/Navigon/TomTom (0$ to $59.99)
   There is something for everyone, with prices ranging from 0$ to nearly $60. And believe me, it’s a significant upgrade over Google Maps. You can find various points of interest, plan long trips with multiple stops, and get clear turn-by-turn directions. We are in road trip season after all.

Along with those 5 we’d also like to highlight this Audi specific app:

1. Audi Roadside App (Free)
   Audi and Allstate Roadside Services have teamed up to offer the Audi Roadside App—the easiest way to get the roadside assistance your Audi needs. The app leverages your pre-registered vehicle information and your smart phone’s GPS to quickly dispatch the nearest Roadside Assistance provider to your exact location.

Did we miss any? Let us know if you use a car app that you love and would like to share.

McGrath Audi
301 North Waukegan Road
Glenview, IL 60025
1-888-364-6780

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Leasing VS Financing Your Audi

Leasing is growing in popularity, and represents a viable alternative to buying. Audi Financial Services knows you need options, not alternatives, which is why we offer flexible leasing plans that will help lower your monthly payment and give you the option to buy.

Why lease? Because it costs less, you’re basically paying for the estimated depreciation of the vehicle over the lease period, rather than paying for the whole value of the car.

Here is a quick rundown of some advantages and disadvantages to leasing your next vehicle:

Advantages:

• A lease costs less than a purchase, you only pay a portion of the vehicles cost
• Monthly payments are lower
• No large down payment. When the lease begins, you pay the first month’s payment, title, taxes, registration, banking fees, and a security deposit.
• You don’t have to worry about selling the car when you no longer want it.

Disadvantages

• You don’t own the car.
• You aren’t able to customize the vehicle or make modifications to it as you could if you bought it.
• There are additional charges for excessive mileage (for example, more than 15,000 miles a year) and any damage to the car.
• If you have the option to buy the car at the end of the lease (as is often the case), you’ll have to make that decision as soon as the lease ends, whereas if you owned the car you could decide exactly when to sell it.
• Generally, you will need to have the maximum insurance coverage limits.

The decision to lease or buy will always depend on your personal circumstances. If your objective is to one day be rid of car payments and you want to own, buying a car may be the best option. If, however, if your goal is to drive a new set of wheels every four years and minimize your monthly costs, leasing a car may be a good alternative.

Stop by the dealership, let our finance team help you make the right decision.

McGrath Audi
301 North Waukegan Road
Glenview, IL 60025
1-888-364-6780

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Audi Seasonal ServiceTips

The experts at McGrath Audi know your vehicle inside and out. Our technicians are proud graduates of rigorous factory training, which includes the latest service procedures, and the use of specialized tools and equipment necessary to care for your Audi vehicle. They employ the most sophisticated technologies, and the focus derived from Audi specific training.

Plus, their training and certifications are continuously updated to keep pace with your technologically advanced vehicle. So no matter what the season, trust your McGrath Audi to help prepare you and your Audi vehicle for whatever Mother Nature delivers.

• Spring Shape-Up
  The roads you travel daily cause wear and tear on your vehicle. Just one pothole or curb hit can change your vehicle’s alignment, causing uneven wear on the tires. See our experts for a thorough tire and alignment check and help promote proper handling and maximum tire life.
• Summer Cooling
  Keep your car’s air conditioner working at maximum efficiency by having it drained, recharged, and inspected every two years. Our trained Audi technicians will carry out a detailed inspection of the air conditioner system’s hoses, connectors, fan, and belt. They can also periodically give an air conditioner an ultrasonic disinfecting treatment.
• Winter Wheels and Tires
  Maximize the capabilities of quattro and FrontTrak by helping improve traction in cold weather. Better tire traction can help your Audi stop safely and stay on course.

We are pleased to offer you the convenience of online scheduling for your service appointments, let us help you and your Audi have a long, happy, healthy relationship.

McGrath Audi
301 North Waukegan Road
Glenview, IL 60025
1-888-364-6780

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Road Trip Ready

Summer is practically here, so if you haven’t already, it’s time to start planning your summer adventures! You’ve read through a million tourism websites and have decided where you want to go.  Now you need to think about the vehicle that will take you on said adventure, after all, if the car breaks down, all your careful planning could go out the window.

1. Have a technician look at your vehicle  before any long distance trip:
   1. MOST IMPORTANT – Change your oil and filter regularly, not just when you’re going through a road trip checklist.  It’s a quick, inexpensive process that can literally add years and thousands of miles to the efficient service life of your engine.
   2. Check tire pressure regularly (preferably before driving, while they’re cold). Go by the manufacturer’s recommended settings in the owner’s manual or door sticker.  Have the wheels aligned for better handling, tire wear and safety.
2. Check your spare tire and make sure your car jack and all parts are in the vehicle.
3. Put together an emergency kit.  At the very least you should have:
   1. bottled water, granola  bars or other non-perishable food
   2. flashlight and batteries (not just your lighter or smartphone app!),
   3. basic first aid kit (one you put together yourself, or a pre-made kit from the pharmacy)
4. Bring a spare set of car keys.  Locking the only set of keys in the car can take the fun out of any holiday, fast.
5. Be sure you have valid proof of insurance in the car with you. And if your policy doesn’t include roadside assistance, consider adding it through your carrier or through a motor club like AAA.

Now that the not so much fun stuff is taken care of, you can head out onto the open road, knowing you’re ready to face whatever your adventure has to throw your way!

Let McGrath Audi help you on your way, book a service appointment today.

McGrath Audi
301 North Waukegan Road
Glenview, IL 60025
1-888-364-6780

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