All-Season vs. Winter tires, explanation follows.

The good news is that winter is long gone, but at least you’ll be informed for next year. It’s quite important to know what you’re getting into when you’re buying tires.

The difference in winter tires starts with the rubber compound, which remains flexible during cold weather rather than hard like all-seasons. Deep grooves (1) in the unidirectional tread blocks (2) clear snow and slush efficiently; small cuts, called sipes (3), grip tiny variations in slick surfaces.

All-seasons wear longer because of harder rubber compounds. Drainage channels (1) limit hydroplaning; fewer grooves (2) mean better dry-surface grip. Bidirectional tread (3) allows tires to be rotated to both sides of the car.

Braking

"I'll be fine, I have all-wheel drive." It's called all-wheel drive instead of all-wheel stop for a reason. On all-seasons, the AWD car stopped in the longest distance. On snow tires, both cars came to a halt about a car length sooner—often the difference between a close call and a call to your insurance company. So long story short, Winter Tires will drastically improve your braking distance.

Acceleration

The difference between Winter Tires and All-Season Tires in terms acceleration time is not that great. 

Cornering

This is a very important part of the test, this will allow you to go around an obstacle and back on track safely. Luckily, this is the best result for winter tires, make sure you are riding on winter tires if you often drive on curvy roads, or at higher speeds.

Uphill acceleration

Going uphill on snow or ice can be quite difficult. Especially if your car is heavy and if you’re towing a trailer or anything. On this particular test, having All-Wheel-Drive is the best thing you can do for yourself, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that winter/snow tires do help quite a lot.

Relax and be safe at the wheel, it can save your life!

Pay Attention. 

There are plenty of distractions in this world. And, you can almost always get away with not giving the road your undivided attention. What scares us, and what should scare you, is that one time in 10 years, when one-tenth of second will save you from plowing into the back of a tanker filled with spent plutonium fuel rods--or worse, a minivan full of kids, possibly your kids. Don't try to do several things at once. You're driving now. Other people's lives depend on it.

What's the hurry? Slow down. 

What's the worst that could possibly happen? You're late. Big deal. What's the worst that can happen if you drive too quickly? You never get there at all. We rest our case...What you can do to prevent that is, give the person you’re meeting, or work and say you’ll be slightly late. Or best case scenario, leave earlier!

Leave enough stopping distance. That is, don't tailgate. Pick a stationary object ahead of you on the roadside. When the car ahead passes that object, start counting off two seconds. (One mississippi, two mississippi.) If you got to the object before counting the full two seconds, you're tailgating.

Be courteous to other peopleWhether it is a car, motorcycle, wheelchair, bicycle, try your best to be courteous. Let them go in front of you if it’s safe, if someone wants to make a lane change, they probably have a good reason, let them do it!

Don’t let your feelings get the best of you!
Do you see a crazy driver on the road? Don’t let him anger you, just relax, put on some music, roll the windows down and enjoy the weather! Stay away from him, and give him room for all of his crazy (and sometimes illegal) moves.

Engine oil, un-mythed!

Engine Oil has its myths, and it’s important to know what you’re talking about when it comes to oil. Engine oil is a key tool to keep your car running smoothly and in good health. We’re going to go over some points to clear up misconceptions!

Is black engine oil dirty? And does it need to be flushed and replaced?

No! Actually that means that it is doing its job and catching debris and sludge out of your engine. Therefore, checking the color of your engine oil is not the best way to see if you need an oil change at all. It is true that an oil that has been in the engine for too long will be darker, and will not fulfill its duty anymore by being saturated with particles.

When do I know it’s time to change the oil?

Well the best way is to check the manufacturer’s recommendations! If you lost track, call your car shop and check when was the last time you came to get an oil change.

Should I change my oil every 3000 miles?Not necessarily! Technology and synthetic oils have really changed the way we maintain our cars. New generation oils should last about 7,500 miles in average. So unless you drive your car in very extreme and severe conditions, you shouldn’t have to change your oil any sooner than with 7,500 miles interval.

Additives will improve my engine’s life.

That’s true, except most of the good and useful additives are only included in the modern engine oils, so don’t bother spending more money in additives for your car. It’s all there already! 

The dilemma is over. Leather vs. cloth interior!

One of many dilemmas is being unveiled today. Well, we all have different preferences when it comes to choosing between leather and cloth seats. One is more expensive than the other, yet has some pro’s compared to its respectable alternative. Let’s take a look at the differences and see which one best fits your needs.

Leather Pro’s:

• Luxury aspect and scent
• Soft and supple feel
• Excellent resale value
• Boost interior feel of the car
• Potentially easy maintenance

Cloth Pro’s

• More affordable than its alternative
• More comfortable (no sliding, no burning)

Ultimately, it all comes down to your lifestyle and where you live. If you live in a very hot and sunny states, you might want to avoid the leather. If you have kids and tend to have an active lifestyle, leather is actually good because of its easiness to be cleaned and ability to not retain odors.

Spring Time, finally!

Spring provides such wonderful weather in almost every location. It's a wonderful time for the family to head outdoors and soak up some sun whether it's at a picnic or at an outdoor athletic event.

Spring time is perfect for families to become even closer, here are some reasons why Spring is the best for family fun!

1. Ideal temperatures -- It's not too hot, it's not too cold. The kids can run around to their heart's content without getting all sweaty and dehydrated.
2. Fun sights and sounds -- Is there anything better than heading out the door and hearing the birds chirp, watching squirrels run by, and seeing your little ones squeal with delight upon spotting them? Nope.
3. Daily trips to the park -- On any given spring day, there's really no better place to hang out with a toddler than the playground. They get to let off some steam, play with other kids, and since the weather is nice (see number one), you don't have to worry about the equipment being too hot for them to touch.
4. Learning experiences -- Now that the snow has melted, you gotta get the yard and garden back in order. Kids love to feel like they're helping out mommy, so you can turn any outdoor project into an educational experience -- even though they'll only see it as fun.
5. Fresh air is great for sleep -- For whatever reason, the kiddos sleep so much better after they've had a good dose of fresh air. Even something as simple as a walk around the neighborhood in the stroller is guaranteed to give your child (and you) a few extra z's at night.

Top 5 best safety features!

Safety features are starting to grow and multiply every year. The automotive industry is starting to implement artificial intelligence into your future vehicles and doing everything possible to avoid crashes and increase safety. We have compiled the Top 5 of our favorite safety features.

1. Blind Spot Detector
That has been such a serious issue for years, especially for new drivers. Checking your blind spot can really be a life-saver, well now, you don’t REALLY have to anymore. Most manufacturers offer this awesome feature. Even better, if you don’t know you have a car in your blind spot and you still put on your blinker, the car will beep to let you know it’s not safe to switch lanes at the moment.

2. Lane departure warning
It happens to everyone, you take your eye off the road for two seconds, you’re talking to someone, and guess what? Your car starts drifting and you don’t notice it. The beauty in the Lane Departure is that it will tell you when you’re leaving your lane.

3. Back up Camera
Everyone know what that is, but it’s quite genius! No need to break your neck and check all the way around now. Some cars will even notify you if it notices a shape (objects or humans) in the eye of the backup camera!

4. Smart Cruise Control
Some cars will automatically slow you down when you approach another vehicle while you’re using Cruise Control. This is the ideal feature for the long road trips!

5. Crash preventing braking
Last but not least, some vehicles will actually be able to brake for you! The front eyes of the car will detect an object in its pathway, and it will be able to react accordingly as needed. A true life saver!

Bridges, bridges and more awesome bridges!

Bridges have been known to be functional for years, but fortunately for mankind, they have also been used to leave a beautiful man-made mark on this beautiful planet of ours. Different cultures have been able to mix functionality with aesthetics, and really well! Take a minute to look at our personal selection of our favorite bridges, worldwide!

Hardanger Bridge, Norway
Recently finished construction this is really the Norwegian equivalent to the Golden Gate Bridge in California.

Confederation Bridge in Nova Scotia, Canada
8 miles of goodness between Prince Edward's Island and New Brunswick. It has a great vintage look, and 8 miles, well, that's something on its own.

Forth Rail Bridge in Scotland, UK. 
Opened in 1890, the Forth Rail Bridge had the longest single cantilever bridge span in the world until 1917, and it still has the world's second-longest single span. As the first major structure in Britain to be made of steel, it remains an engineering marvel even today.

Salginatobel Bridge, Switzerland
Designed by the brilliant Robert Maillart and opened in 1930, the Salginatobel Bridge feels so fresh like it was built yesterday, and remains the best thing that could happen to concrete.

Millau Viaduct, FranceThis masterpiece is known for two things. Its price, and its record. €394,000,000 and the tallest (but not highest) bridge in the world.

Tower Bridge, London, UK
British design straight from the 19th century. It's smart, it's beautiful, and you can get it as a fridge magnet.

Take a second look at how you're setting up your Hyundai Car mirrors!

Some of us have been driving for years, but that doesn't mean we are all doing everything perfectly. Maybe it's time to freshen our skills up and make sure we are setting up our side-view mirrors properly. Its original intent was to help us cover the blind spot, it's not meant to help you see who's behind you. Let's take a minute and look at this video to find out how to properly align your mirrors. If you have any questions be sure to ask us, we'd love to help!

Imagine yourself on your way to work on these roads!

Hussaini Bridge, Pakistan

Sometimes it’s easy to forget how inaccessible some parts of the world are. The Gilgit-Baltistan region of North
ern Pakistan is one such location, with transport links to the rest of Pakistan notoriously difficult. The mountainous terrain, lack of dedicated roads, and wide rivers ensure inter-region travel is tricky, and the development of the Karakoram Highway has done little to ease the struggle over the last 100 years.



Paso Internacional Los Liberatores, Argentina/Chile
As the main transport road out of the Chilean capital of Santiago and into Argentina’s Mendoza city, it sees a large volume of traffic on a daily basis. For regulars, it’s just another part of the daily commute. For outsiders, it’s perhaps one of the most terrifying mountain passes in the world.



Tren a las Nubes, Argentina

Making its second entry into the terrifying travel list, Argentina has chalked up another point on the ‘no-thanks’ scoreboard.

The Tren a las Nubes, or Train to the Clouds, is a 270-mile train line that, at points, reaches heights of over 13,850 ft above sea level. Coasting the Argentina/Chile border high in the Andes, the ten cars carry up to 640 passengers at an average speed of 21 mph.

North Yungas Road, Bolivia
The mother of all terrifying commutes, the North Yungas Road is alternatively known affectionately as the ‘Road of Fate’ and the ‘Death Road’. Yes, Death Road. One estimate is that between 200 and 300 travellers are killed on this road annually. Fantastic, let’s go.

How to improve your aging car's overall comfort

Obviously, as a car dealership, we know that the best way to get an upgrade from an old car is to come in and see our latest offers. We often have great deals on new and used cars. Make sure to check our website for current offers. For some people though, we know a few quick fixes might do the trick. Here they are!

Clean EVERYTHING!

It sounds simple and logical, but many people forget or don’t take the time to do it right. Empty your car completely, and make sure you have all the right cleaning material to get started. You’ll need a vacuum for your carpets and seats, some automotive interior wipes, and some Windex (No ammonia if you have tinted windows)

Fix your cockpit

It is the area you will be looking at and touching the most, so you might as well start there. If your dash is starting to discolor, get a cover for it. If it’s already bad, try to get it painted or dyed, it’ll feel brand new! Also, don’t hesitate to replace any dying light bulbs in your gauge cluster.

Electronics

Bluetooth, iPod, Auxiliary connections, satellite radio are all rather modern features that are rarely found in older vehicles. You should definitely look into upgrading your car stereo and you will quickly find yourself in a new world. It’s worth it! You can also download great GPS apps, to add the GPS features to any car if you’re a smartphone owner.

Upgrade the Exhaust

Look at aftermarket solutions for exhaust, it will probably be a lot better than leaving your old (maybe rusty?) exhaust on. You will improve the noise level, emissions and overall comfort of your car.

Headlight Restoration

Headlight plastics tend to discolor over time, you might want to look into purchasing a restoration kit for cheap and give your headlights a brand new look. It will also improve your visibility along with your ability to see better at night.

Rubberize

Rubber tends to degrade itself rather quickly and you could update that for cheap. Buy a new set of high-quality windshield wipers, it will drastically improve your bad weather experience. Also, see if you can re-glue or replace your car doors’ rubbers, these damage themselves over time.

Best Car TV Show/Movie of all time, what's yours?

Today, let’s talk about your best  Car Show or Car movie of all-time? We have made a selection of what we think are the Top 5, feel free to comment and say which are your favorites!

Knight Rider (TV Show)

Bullitt (Film)

If you have time, make sure you check out one of the World’s Best Car Chase Scene! http://youtu.be/-Lbs_nYW3-o

Gone in 60 Seconds (Film)

Drive (Movie)

How to eat smart at Fast Food restaurants!

Boston Market
Make sure you stay away from the additive-filled dishes that are claimed to be family-style. We highly suggest getting something like a regular turkey dinner with sides of garlic dill potatoes and fresh steamed vegetables is about 360 calories and 10 grams of fat. Five grams of fiber and 42 grams of protein rounds out this meal.


Domino’s Pizza
Obviously one should not eat an entire Pizza unfortunately, that would be a sweet way to eat healthy. The best option you have there, is to have a slice (or two) of a Thin Crust Pizza with Marinara and Vegetables.
 
McDonald’s
If you’re there for breakfast, try the Egg White Delight McMuffin with white cheddar (250 calories, 7 grams fat, and 18 grams protein)
 

Starbucks Coffee
We all know we usually go in there for a caffeine fix, but you can never rule out the option for a healthy spinach and cheese wrap (290 calories, 10 grams of fat, 19 grams of protein, and 6 grams of fiber.)



Burger King
Did you know that Burger King had a Veggie Burger (7 grams, without cheese or mayo, and 20 grams with them)? It’s something to give a try if you’re on the go and you can’t go to a decent sit-down restaurant.

Tips on how to keep a freshly cut Christmas tree healthy!

For those of you who insist on using an awesome REAL Christmas tree, first we would like to congratulate for keeping the tradition going. Secondly, we know it's hard work and it deserves a certain salutation to have such a tree in your home during the holidays.

In this post, we will be giving advice on how to keep your tree as fresh as possible during this Holiday Season.

1. Refresh the tree by making a straight cut, taking one inch off the bottom of the tree and immediately placing it in water. This will improve water uptake.
   
2.  Place the tree in a stand that can hold at least 1 gallon of water. You should expect the tree to take up more water as time goes by. Water the new tree until water uptake comes to an end.
   
3. Always keep the base of a tree in water, no matter what you do. If the base dries out, resin will form over the cut end and the tree will not be able to absorb water and will dry out quickly. You don't need anything other than regular tap water. If the bottom of the tree becomes dry and closes off with resin you will have to cut your tree again, which you want to avoid at all costs. Commercially prepared mixes like aspirin, sugar and other additives introduce into the water are not necessary. Research has shown that plain water will keep a tree fresh, so save yourself some time and money.
   
4. Check to make sure all your Christmas Lighting apparel is up to date and fully functional. You should also make sure you are using UL accessories only. We also suggest you use smaller lights to minimize heat generation on the tree itself, reducing the chances of fire.
   
5. Remove your tree before it dries out, you don't not want to take down your tree once it's already dried. If you've followed our steps you're looking at keeping your tree for about 5 weeks but some exceptions Some species keep their moisture longer that others.

Tips to help you save money on gas!

We all know gas can be expensive, and the truth is, prices rarely go down over time. You might want to read our fuel-saving tips to help you commute efficiently.

 
Remove any excess weight and cargo from your trunk and backseat. It takes time, and can be annoying to clean up the car, but it's a great way to save on gas. Without realizing you might be losing a few MPG (Miles Per Gallon) by just having things in your car!

Respecting the speed limit might sound boring and hard to do, but it actually is a great thing to keep your RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) low, which, will help you drive at a smooth and reasonable pace.

Avoiding excessive idling and also be a great way to save gas.
Idling can use a quarter to a half gallon of fuel per hour, so don't forget that when you're at the grocery store waiting or picking someone up. Keep in mind that you should also avoid to restart your engine excessively.


Use cruise control on long drives and on the freeway. Using Cruise Control will help you keep your foot off the pedal, because we are not robots, and our foot continuously goes on and off the pedal at some point for no reason.

Be sure to visit our website and you can even connect with us on Facebook and Twitter!

Hyundai releases a R-Spec Veloster!

The Veloster R-Spec is revealed at the LA Auto Show 2013!

That's right, there's a Sport Version of the 3-door Sports Hatch by Hyundai. It comes with more aggressive styling, beautiful colors, a Sport Shifter by B&M Racing and some radical colors: Marathon Blue, Sprint Gray (exclusive to the R-Spec), Elite White and Ultra Black.

This version of the Veloster is made for the ones that enjoy curvy roads because it will have stiffer transmission mount, a heavier (sportier) feel at the wheel and higher front and rear spring rates. It will also be lighter than its predecessor, which equals better MPG, better braking, better handling and better acceleration! 

Hyundai hasn't actually released any official pricing yet but some clues lead us to believe this will be around the $20,000. 

Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter for updates and specials! 
Also visit our website to check out our inventory and coupons.

2015 Hyundai Sonata confirmed for New York debut

Hyundai to release a new 2015 Sonata at New York auto show

The New York auto show is one of the greatest in the world and will be taking place from April 18th to the 27th of 2014. That is usually an excellent place to see new releases and especially for Hyundai in 2014. The new Sonata will be revealed but we have found some spy shots (autoblog.com). This was confirmed by the Hyundai's North America CEO John Krafcik, also, it was added that the Sonata was going to be one of three major launches during 2014. The 2015 Hyundai Genesis Sedan should be expected at the Detroit Auto Show, along with a new fuel-cell vehicle.

This is going to be another exciting year for Hyundai, make sure you follow Lake Norman Hyundai to stay up to date on special deals and dealership news. As soon we receive the new vehicles you will be able to come in for a test drive and maybe walk away with you dream car!

For more information on Lake Norman Hyundai please visit our official website.