St. Petersburg Kia Offers Tips for Buying Your First Car

Road trips are adventurous and exciting, but they can also be exhausting and stressful if you are not fully prepared for one. Here are some tips to get your car ready for that summer road trip you have been looking forward to since last fall. The Crown Kia service staff in St. Petersburg, FL can assist you with many of these steps should you heed the following advice. more Check All Fluid Levels Before hitting the road, check all of your fluid levels. These fluids include power steering fluid, brake fluid, transmission fluid, windshield wiper fluid, oil, and radiator coolant. After checking all fluid levels, make sure every belt and hose is secured in place. If you have recently brought your vehicle in for a check-up or repair, your vehicle is most likely ready to be driven. If you cannot remember the last time you got everything checked out, including an oil change, it might be best to take it in as soon as you can. Our knowledgeable associates in the service department at Crown Kia will happily serve you and ensure your vehicle is in working order before your trip. Check Your Tires Check your tire pressure and treads before starting your vehicle. Deep treads and adequate pressure are significant for proper traction while on the road. You should never inflate the tires more than their allotted amount due to the higher probability of the tires popping. Tire inflation should be closer to its maximum capacity during the summer, so try to keep this in mind before leaving for your trip. Bring a spare tire and car jack in the event of tire failure. Check All Lighting Make sure all of your lights, including interior lighting, are functioning properly. Your headlights, turn signals, and brake lights should be replaced before your journey to establish visibility and safety while on the road. Faulty exterior lighting is a safety hazard and will also get you pulled over by the police. Check your reading lamps and overhead lightbulbs to maintain driver and passenger security. What to Bring A GPS is a popular option to bring along when traveling, but a map will also suffice. It is best to have some sort of guide to reassure yourself that you are headed in the right direction. For emergencies, bring extra fuses, motor oil, jumper cables, a flashlight, first aid kit, and a cell phone charger for each person who carries a cell phone. Fully charged phone batteries will prevent anxiety from creeping up in case an emergency arises. Bottled water and protein-packed snacks will give everyone energy and a full stomach. At Crown Kia, we will be happy to examine your vehicle and make any necessary adjustments before your next adventure. We will work with your schedule to ensure you get on the road when you need to. Stop by our dealership in St. Petersburg, FL today and allow us to prepare your vehicle for you. We look forward to assisting you!

If you are planning a trip abroad and are going to rent a car to drive during the trip, you will want to take some time to learn about driving in another country, insurance and car rental contracts.  Things are not always exactly the same in a foreign country as they are at home!  Here are some tips from Pinellas Park area Kia for driving abroad: more Check License Requirements Some countries allow any driver with a US driver’s license to drive in their country while others require an International Driving Permit.  You can get an International Driving Permit from the National Auto Club if you are at least 18 years old, but make sure to check legal driving ages in whichever country you visit. Car Insurance Considerations When Traveling Abroad You will want to check your insurance policy before you go to make sure it covers international driving.  Not all insurance companies will cover drivers in another country.  If you rent a car from a car rental organization, you can choose coverage through their insurance, or perhaps the credit card you use to rent the car will include car rental coverage. If you are traveling between countries, such as when traveling in Europe, make sure whatever you choose for your insurance coverage will cover you as you cross each border into another country. Preparing for Driving Abroad Road rules and signs are different in other countries.  Many cars in foreign countries have steering wheels on the opposite side of the car, and may drive on the opposite side of the road from what you are used to.  This can be difficult to remember and can create problems when entering and exiting intersections – be alert! Another tip for driving in a foreign country is to rent an international GPS unit to help you navigate.  You won’t want to use your smartphone’s GPS (if it even works in another country!) because you will pay higher data roaming charges. Learn How to Drive a Manual Transmission If you are used to driving an automatic car, you may want to learn how to drive a manual transmission before you travel and drive abroad.  Many car rental companies abroad only rent manual transmission vehicles – or if they have automatic transmissions available – they will generally charge extra for them.

People are always on the lookout for the best deals and lowest prices whether it comes to our groceries to car shopping or car maintenance services.  It’s often true that you get what you pay for, and sometimes the lowest price is not going to provide you the most comprehensive service when it comes to car maintenance.  Our St. Petersburg Kia service department focuses on providing high-quality, long term and affordable car maintenance for our customers – helping you avoid repeat visits for service. more Using Cheap and Low Quality Parts Cause More Expensive Problems Some car maintenance service and repair shops find and buy the most inexpensive, non-factory parts they can to help keep their expenses down.  While they will probably quote you a lower price than a service center using factory auto parts, it’s important to keep in mind that cheap, non-factory auto parts can literally cause expensive damages over the long term.  Generic auto parts may not fit your vehicle exactly right which can cause new problems in your vehicle’s engine.  Factory auto parts may cost a little more to buy, but you can rest assured they are designed specifically for your Kia and will save you money over the long term as you will not be creating new problems with ill-fitting parts. Cheaper Car Maintenance Quotes May Result in Uncertified Mechanics Another reason some car maintenance service and repair centers can offer lower quotes is due to their employees having a lack of credentials.  If employees of a service center are not ASE certified, they can generally charge less for the time spent diagnosis and fixing your vehicle since they aren’t paying for the insurance coverage of their employees.  What you may not realize is a mechanic without certification may take longer to figure out what is wrong with the vehicle, and take longer to repair it – costing you more hours than you would pay for a knowledgeable, ASE certified technician.  The technicians at our Florida Kia dealership are certified and offer quality customer service. Updated and Quality Technology Our St. Petersburg Kia dealership invests in the latest technology and equipment to help our service technicians diagnose and fix your vehicle.  This helps keeps your costs down and ensures you get high quality service.  Some service and repair centers minimize their own costs by using outdated technology or older equipment leading to misdiagnosing your vehicle and repeat repair needs.