National Sunglasses Day

Today is National Sunglasses Day and what better way to celebrate than shedding some light on why sunglasses are so important. Most people I know typically prefer driving during the day because they can see better and there is no glare from street lights and headlights. I can totally agree with this, but there is still glare during the day. The sun shining into your windshield can sometimes be a big problem when driving; especially if you have to squint to see better. I wear sunglasses pretty much everyday including on overcast days and in the winter. And they do make my driving experience a whole lot better. I do not have to squint while driving so it is just an overall comfortable experience.

There are many types of sunglasses out there so you want to be sure to choose a pair that will aid in your vision rather than hinder it. Frames that are over sized can obstruct your peripheral vision so you’ll want to choose ones like aviators or perhaps a type with large lenses and thin arms. The best lens colors are grey and brown (that are polarized) as they do not alter how colors appear. The amber toned ones are fine as well. It is best to stay away from those pink, blue or green lenses when it comes to driving. You also need to take into consideration the tint of the lenses. Wearing a pair that is too dark can impede your driving ability. It is always best to consult with your eye doctor when considering using sunglasses while driving. They can fit you with the right style, and lens type.

Driving with sunglasses helps reduce the glare from the sun and protect you from harmful UV rays. If you find yourself having a problem with squinting while driving I definitely recommend wearing sunglasses. Not only are they protecting you from the sun's harm, they also help with the glare.

Tip Tuesday: Hacking Your Road Trip

It is finally Summer time and that means vacation! The kids are home from school and you and your family are packing up the car to go on a road trip! Your car can only hold so much luggage and stuffed animals so what are you going to do when you stop for some snacks at a rest stop? Well today’s tip Tuesday is going to be all about how to “hack” your road trip! I will be mentioning some ideas on how you can stay organized with from toll money to eating those chicken nuggets with minimal mess!

When you take a road trip, there is always the possibility that you may need to pay a toll. Most of us have a bunch of change taking up space in a cup holder. In my vehicle, I keep my change in a small wallet in my console, but you can also use an old gum container! This is reusing something that may have been heading to the recycling bin. And with the easy to open tops you can pour change out in a breeze! 

Something I have in my vehicle for long drives is a little trash can. It’s made of a polyester material so it can be wiped clean. It is a collapsible one so I can just tuck it into one of the door pockets and pop it up when I need too! 

It also has two handles so you can put it on the back of a headrest if you wanted. I purchased it from the brand Natural Life, I will put a link at the bottom if anyone is interested! I am very picky about how my vehicle looks, it has to be clean, so this little trash can is perfect for tissues, candy wrappers, etc. It can also be used for recycling or a holder of really anything!

Another life saver involves using a shower caddy. When you stop for that late night snack at Wendy’s, it’s hard to hold your drink, chicken nuggets, fries, and ketchup all on your lap. This is when you can stick all of the food into a shower caddy to ensure you don’t lose any fries on those bumpy roads. You can also use the shower caddy to stick in the middle in the back seat to hold drinks, snacks, books, and other small items your kiddies will want during the ride.

One final tip for any road trip you may go on is having some kind of stand for a GPS or cell phone. I have a little stand that goes right into my dash. (I drive a Wrangler so if you have one too, check out the link below for what I have.)

Most vehicles have a large enough dashboard to put a small stand on there that can be compatible for any cell phone brand or GPS. There are also air vent mounts that you can put into the grooves of the vent to hold your phone up. The only problem with these are that if you have a car that has a swivel vent, they won’t be able to hold up your device. Please check on what works best for your vehicle, there are so many brands and types. These stands/mounts are super handy because they let you drive safer and make it easier to check your route guidance.

Going on a road trip can be stressful. Using these vacation hacks may help you stay more organized and prepared. Packing your kids, pets, and all their belongings in the car can be tough. Hopefully these “hacks” will help make your life a little easier! There are tons of other tips and tricks out there so don’t be afraid to do some research! Below I have added the links to the items I mentioned in case you had any interest in them. Please check them out! Hope you have a safe and fun Summer!

LINKS:

Collapsible garbage can: https://www.naturallife.com/car-stuff/pop-up-car-trash-bin-happycamper-1.html

Wrangler Dash Phone Holder: https://www.quadratec.com/products/12500_2333.htm

World Environment Day: Smart Recycling

Smart Recycling:

Did you know that 92% of plastic is not recycled? There are certain guidelines we need to follow on how to recycle particular plastics. For example, the plastic used to make a water bottle is different from the cap, so these cannot be recycled together. Fortunately there are plenty of websites that explain how we can recycle different kinds of plastics. In honor of World Environment Day, let's get into some details that you can learn to optimize your recycling and reuse techniques.

When recycling plastics check the bottom of the item for a recycling symbol, and look for a number from 1 to 7 in the middle of that symbol. This is how they mark the different kinds of plastics. In Monroe Township, curbside recycling can only contain plastics number 1 and 2 along with glass, cardboard, paper, aluminum and steel cans. Make sure that the containers are cleaned and if they have caps remove them. Monroe Township does not accept any plastic bags containing recyclables so make sure to put them in a bin with a lid.

Now for the plastics numbered 3-7, some of these can be recycled, they just have to be brought somewhere. As I mentioned above the plastic used to make the water bottle is different from the plastic in the bottle cap. These caps cannot be tossed into your regular recycling bin, but can be taken to Whole Foods, who recycles caps and other plastics that are number 5. These plastics are given to a company called Preserve for use in their Gimme5 program. This company recycles number 5 plastics into toothbrushes, plates, cups and other items, which are recyclable. Their products are continually being used in this process.

Where to go:

There are many other stores that accept recyclables. Each store recycles different kinds of items. This is all free to do! All you have to do is make sure the items you are bringing are clean from any food residue and are properly organized so they can recycle them safely. Below are some stores that accept plastic bags, plastic wrap (ie. wrapping on paper towels) and other materials that fall under this umbrella:

• JCPenny
• Lowe's
• McCaffrey's
• Target
• Sam's Club
• Stop and Shop
• ShopRite
• Walmart
• Whole Foods

Please refer to the website recyclingnj.com for more information on what these stores take. This website also talks about how you can recycle other items and what to do with them! It is perfect because it is local and gives us information on all things recycling in our state!

Best Buy is also a store that will recycle for you. They take a wide range of electronics, you can find the particulars on their website. For example, they take cell phones, computers, small appliances, tvs, video game systems, cameras, gps systems, and more! They also come to your house to pick up big appliances like refrigerators, but this comes with a fee. Check out more particulars on their site. I will provide the link below.

Resources:

Another helpful tool you can use to figure out what to recycle and where is goes is an app called Recycle Coach. This app will give you information based on where you live or where you are. It tells you the recycling schedule and when they are going to be doing bulk pickups in your area. You can also type in, for example, “washing machine,” and it will tell you how you can recycle it, where you would need to take it, and who to contact. This app is free in the app store and can definitely help out a lot.

Another resource that is useful is the website earth911.com. This site talks about tons of ways to recycle or upcycle materials and also has a locator to find places near you. You can also read articles about products and other information to live a more sustainable lifestyle.

Reuse:

There are two companies that I would like mention that reuse some of our everyday products. The first is the Appalachian Wildlife Refuge. This company accepts cleaned mascara wands. So once you finished your tube of mascara, you can clean off the wand part, collect them, and once you have a good amount you can ship them to the refuge! They use these wands to remove fly eggs and larva from the fur and feathers of the animals they take in. Another company that you can send things to is Earthworks Systems. They are based in Ohio and actually take all sorts of PVC cards like expired credit cards, licenses, gift cards, hotel key cards, store loyalty cards, etc! About 10 billion cards are made each year and are usually thrown into the trash when their use is done. Instead of tossing them into the trash send them to Earthworks Systems. They make 100% recycled PVC cards and will continue to reuse and recycle expired/old ones. Just cut up your old licence, credit cards, loyalty cards, etc and send them in. They will properly be recycled and remade into new cards, all in America!

Recycling Facility:

TerraCycle is a company based in Trenton, New Jersey that takes just about everything out there and recycles it. They offer quite a few free programs where you can send them different branded items, like Solo Cups, Vans shoes, Tom’s Natural Brand, Colgate toothpaste, etc and they will recycle these items! They also offer packages where you can pay for a collection box for items like Keurig K-Cups. You send the box back to TerraCycle and they will recycle the items for you! This operation is all based in New Jersey and globally known! Please check out their website for more information regarding what they take and what is free vs what you would have to pay for.

I hope I was able to educate you with various ways to recycle. It is very important that we do recycle and recycle smart. Ultimately it is best to switch to reusable products like bottle, straws, and bags. Please recycle smart, we only have one Earth and it is up to us to take care of it. Please review the links at the bottom of this post for more information about anything that I talked about above.

Links

Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/services/recycling/pcmcat149900050025.c?id=pcmcat149900050025

NJ Recycling: http://recyclingnj.com/recycle.html

Preserve (recycled toothbrushes and other supplies): https://www.preserve.eco/

Appalachian Wildlife Refuge: https://www.appalachianwild.org/wands-for-wildlife.html

Earthworks Systems: http://www.earthworkssystem.com/consumers.html

TerraCycle: https://www.terracycle.com/en-US

Tip Tuesday: Conventional vs Synthetic Oil

Benefits of Using Synthetic Motor Oil:

Synthetic oil is distilled, purified, and broken down to a molecular state to remove more impurities. Since it is so broken down, the oil can be made into many combinations that work for modern engines. These customized molecules provide more protection and performance than conventional oil. Conventional oil is more crude and wears away faster. Synthetic oil degrades slower and retains higher levels of engine protection between oil drains. When choosing synthetic oil you can expect less frequent oil changes.

Here are some key benefits when using a synthetic motor oil:

Keeps your engine cleaner: 
Conventional oil can form sludge over time which can reduce the efficiency and the life of your engine. Synthetic oil is purified differently and has less impurities so sludge formation can be better resisted. This will keep your engine cleaner and running strong.

Offers greater engine wear protection:
Engine components wear over time and especially in extreme environments. Motor oil is the protective barrier between these components which you would want to use the best type for your vehicle. Conventional oil will wear down faster leaving these components to break down sooner, whereas synthetic oil will protect longer, prolonging the life of your engine.

Flows better in lower temperatures:
When your vehicle is turned on, oil is pumped to and through your engine components. In colder weather, like here in the winter months of New Jersey, conventional oil will take longer to flow due to its properties. Synthetic oil is formulated to flow quickly in colder temperatures so there is no need to worry about protecting your engine during start ups.

Protects better in high temperatures:
Your engine gets really, really hot on its own and when driving in hotter weather this combination can cause your engine oil to break down or evaporate. Synthetic oil is designed to resist breaking down during these conditions as compared to conventional oil.

Protect critical turbocharger parts:
Car manufacturers are building smaller engines for better fuel economy and adding turbochargers to boost power. The turbocharger works super fast and the shaft can spin up to 200,000 RPM so it is very important that the oil can get to the shaft to lubricate it quickly. Conventional oil can break down faster in these conditions, leaving deposits on the turbocharger which can cause failure to the components. Synthetic oil can protect better and keep these important parts working at peak performance.

Since synthetic oil is a special made product it is more expensive than conventional oil, but is proven to last longer and is better for your engine, which makes it beneficial in the long run. As always, please check with your owner’s manual to see what is recommended for your particular vehicle.

Please check out Mobil Oil* for more information on the benefits of synthetic oil. If you would like an oil change, stop by or call (609-655-2886) to make an appointment. We look forward to hearing from you.

*https://mobiloil.com/en/article/car-maintenance/learn-about-motor-oil-facts/synthetic-oil-vs-conventional-oil

Tip Tuesday: Potholes

Warmer weather is finally here! This may be getting you in the mood for sitting on the beach, relaxing in the park, or anything else that will get you outside. It is also a good time to have your vehicle checked for any tire, wheel, or suspension damage all those New Jersey potholes may have caused. If you are planning a trip to the shore, an outing, or vacation, you definitely want your car riding smoothly.

Did you know potholes are caused by water seeping into cracks in the roadway. Over time, water trickles through the cracks of the top layer into the base layer. Once the colder weather comes, all the water that is trapped below in the base layer will freeze and thaw. During these freezing and thawing processes the layer will lift and crack more due to the growing ice and from weight of the cars above. As more and more cars drive over the weakened areas of the road, the potholes form; the top layer caves into the base layer.

How fast and how hard you drive into a pothole is an important factor of the amount of damage you may incur. The depth of the pothole also plays a role in the extent of damage that could happen.

A significant jolt into a pothole can cause your vehicle’s wheel to bend. This in turn can cause a poor seal between the tire and the wheel which results in air leakage and flat tires. The impact can also knock off wheel weights causing your tire to become off balance. Also as a result of a hard hit, your tire may develop a bulge (impact break) in the sidewall or an unrepairable puncture in which case your tire will need to be replaced.

Repeatedly driving into potholes increases wear and tear of your suspension components which affects overall performance. Over time you may start to notice that your vehicle handles differently, rides a bit bouncy, or pulls to one side. You may also experience poor steering, vibrations, or clunky noises coming from the front end. All these symptoms indicate  damage to your suspension system which in turn causes an increase in uneven tire wear. As a result of any suspension damage your vehicle will require repair as well as an alignment.

If your vehicle drives into a pothole deep enough and hits hard enough, you may experience damage to the undercarriage and break other mechanical components as well.

Now that warmer weather is here, before you set out, consider making an appointment for us to inspect your vehicle. We will make sure you are good to go on those long awaited road trips. You can stop by or make an appointment by calling 609-655-2886. Wishing you safe and happy motoring.

Tip Tuesday: Wiper Blades

Living in New Jersey you know the weather can be unpredictable at times. One day it is warm and 70 degrees then the next day it drops down to 45 degrees with constant rain. Making sure your wiper blades are in tip top shape is always a benefit because you never know when you will need them.

With all the rainy weather we have been having these past few weeks it’s a good idea to check them. Wiper blades should be replaced every 15,000 miles or about every year. They are very important when driving in any precipitation because they help you see clearer which allows you to drive safer.

Did you know that the best way to test your wipers’ functionality is when they are wet? Using your wiper blades on a dry windshield causes them to wear quicker. There is a possibility that you could scratch your windshield too from gritty dirt trapped under the blade. Worn blades can also cause scratches. If you think you need your wipers replaced, please stop by! We carry top rated brands like Bosch and Trico which come in various sizes and fit most standard vehicles.

Small Business Week: Our Story

This week we recognize small businesses all around the nation. The President of the United States, over 50 years ago, brought this to our attention so we can honor those who work for and own small businesses. During this week, we wanted to celebrate our shop's history and talk about how we came to be.

Becoming a business owner was always a thought in my dad’s mind; especially one that had to deal with cars, as he is an automotive enthusiast. And on March 1, 1987, that thought became a reality.

The company started out as being called Jerry Noonan’s Half Acre Mobile and was at a different location than where it is today. It consisted of a Mobile gas station with two bays and an office. His first employees were family members that did the bookkeeping, office work and gas pumping. He did all the repairs.

As the business grew, he hired other mechanics and people to work at the pumps. At one point my dad realized that his business was out growing the location so he needed to start looking for a bigger facility and came across the property of where we are today.

During the process of changing locations there was also a name change for the company. The “Half Acre Mobile” part of the name became “Auto Center” as the gas station wording was no longer relevant. And by 1996 the business became incorporated.

The new location housed one building that consisted of two lifts and an office. It really wasn’t much bigger than where he was previously but because he owned the property this time, my dad knew he could make changes.

He decided to add a building that would hold enough bays to meet the needs of the customers and also provide a section to do auto body. This meant hiring more technicians and administrative people.

So here we are today in 2019 a 14 bay shop consisting of auto body and mechanical repair. We have 5 people up front in the offices, including myself and my dad, 4 people in the mechanical side, and 5 people in the auto body side, including my brother. My mom does the bookkeeping and administrative work usually at home, but she is still a part of this family business.

We all work there now and helped bring my dad’s dream into a reality. In a short lesson, do not give up on your dreams. They may be hard to achieve but if you put your mind to it, anything can be accomplished. This year we celebrate 32 years of business and we would not be where we are today without my dad’s hard work,our employees, and our customers.

*Picture: Drawing by my brother Michael, 29 years ago, at age 5.