Tip Tuesday: AC/Summer Check

We are in the full swing of Summer and that means heat. A huge essential in your car during the Summer months is the air conditioning. You never want to be in a situation where your AC is not functioning properly. If you want to make sure everything is going well with your AC, you can make an appointment for our Summer Check. This check is designed for your Summer adventures. We will check some basic safety items and some features of the AC in your vehicle as well. This is what is done during the AC check:

• Performance test
• Check belt tension 
• Compressor engagement 
• Interior venting 
• Duct temperature 

Checking the duct temperature is a very important part of the Summer Check. The technician will do this by sticking a thermometer in the center air duct on your dashboard. They will then read the temperature. As long as it is between 40-45 degrees, your AC is working perfectly fine. You can do this little test at home if you feel you are having a problem with your AC. If it is above that 45 degrees, make an appointment for an AC check and we can take a look at it for you.

Besides checking the AC, the Summer Check also includes:

• Testing the electrical system
• Battery 
• Alternator
• Starter
•  Checking Cooling system
• Engine coolant/antifreeze condition 
• Belts and hoses
• Checking tire condition 
• Adjust air pressure 
• Checking wiper blades, washer operation, and all fluids
• Checking all lights 

The Summer Check a $29.95 value and could take only 30-45 minutes to complete. Call us at (609) 655-2886 to make an appointment for one today!

Mini Blog: Oil Change/ Maintenance

Regular maintenance on your vehicle is very important to keep it running to the best of its ability. One of the more ordinary services is to change your oil. An oil change is required to keep your engine lubricated. The engine in your car is made up of a bunch of moving parts. For these parts to move smoothly without friction, they need to be properly lubricated. The oil needs frequent changing because over time it will break down and become contaminated with debris from the environment around it and from the engine too.

There are two kinds of oil changes we do at the shop, conventional and synthetic. We recommend that you need to replace conventional every 3,000 miles or 3 months. For the synthetic oil, we recommend it should be replaced every 5,000 miles or 6 months.

When doing an oil change you also need to change the oil filter. Once this has been completed, you are ready to go until your next service.

Make sure to be on top of these changes as they are very important to keep your engine running smoothly and help your car last as long as it should. Regular maintenance is simple to do and we can take care of all of it for you. Please call us at (609)-655-2886 to schedule an appointment for an oil change and ask for Dan or Joanne!

Mini Blog: Axle Maintenance

Axles are a very important component which enables your vehicle to move. Basically, the job of the axle is to transfer power and torque to your wheels. As the axle turns, the wheels go around. There are two different types of axles, one being “drive” and the other being “dead.” The drive axle is the one that will move your vehicle and the dead axle is for load bearing purposes. 

The damaged axle pictured above was the original one from a 2003 vehicle. It has a torn CV boot. Having a torn CV boot will allow the grease needed to lubricate the component to leak out. This type of damage can be a normal sign of wear where the whole axle needs to be replaced. 

Having an issue with your axles should not be something you ignore. Drive axles are a very important part of your vehicle and need to be properly taken care of to keep you safe. It is also important to keep your vehicle in tip top shape so it is reliable for you. 

In an older car, you could have more wear on your original parts. Just be on top of those maintenance jobs and you should be fine. If you suspect that your car isn’t handling the way it is supposed to, come see us. Here at Jerry Noonan’s Auto Center, “your one stop auto shop,” we can take care of all your automotive needs. Give us a call at (609) 655-2886 or stop by to make an appointment. We will be sure to get your vehicle back in shape. 

Giveback Programs

Making the Earth a better place is definitely something important. Here at JNAC we take that very strongly and wanted to create something for our community to be involved in that can better the environment. We now have two collection boxes in the waiting room one for the Appalachian Wildlife Refuge and the other for Earthworks. These are two organizations that recycle some materials that aren’t typically recycled.

Appalachian Wildlife Refuge is a nonprofit in Western North Carolina. They take in injured and orphaned animals like opossums, bunnies, and owls. They raise and nurse them back to health and set them free! They use mascara wands to remove fly eggs and larva from the feathers and fur of the animals. They are perfect to use because the bristles are close together and gentle to use on the animals.

Earthworks is a company in Ohio who recycles credit cards, old licenses, loyalty cards, gift cards, etc. They grind up the cards then form it into a sheet and make new cards for a variety of consumers. No new plastic is being made for any of the cards, so there is no waste.

AWR collects the wands in February and October of each year. We have a box in the waiting room where you can deposit your used and cleaned mascara wands. Once it reaches one of the collection months we will send them in! You can also visit their website to see if you would like to donate anything else to the foundation as they are a nonprofit and can use supplies.

Earthworks takes any cards, from loyalty cards to expired licenses. If you have any cards with personal information on them please be sure to cut them up. The collection box for Earthworks has a lock and key to respect your privacy.

Please consider bringing in your cleaned mascara wands and expired or used PVC material cards. We want to make the Earth a better place and we need your help. Together we can make a difference so please keep us in mind when you use up that Cheesecake Factory gift card or upgrade to a new mascara. The animals and the future of our planet will appreciate it.

Here are the links for each of the foundations if you’d like to do your own research or donate to them personally.

AWR: https://www.appalachianwild.org/
Earthworks: http://www.earthworkssystem.com/

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