Trip Tip's

Summer is winding down but there is still plenty of time to round up the kids and go on a good ol' fashion family ROAD TRIP! To insure that you get the most MPG on this long trip and to insure safety, here is a check list to review before going on any trip.

CAR
Tune Up: If your car hasn't had a tune up lately, now is the time. Have our certified service technicians  check your brakes, filters, and change the oil. check your brake lights, headlights, and turning signals for you.

Tires: Make sure your tires are at the proper pressure and have good tread. Bald tires can cause skids and blowouts, and that's definitely not something you want to worry about heading down the highway. Come in to get a full lesson on tier safety. 

Fluids: Besides the oil, you want to make sure your washer fluid is topped off and your radiator is properly filled. 

YOU

Keys: Have an extra set of car keys in your purse or in your pocket. You never know when you may lock your keys in the car, and there may be no one to help you if you are far from home.

Maps: Have maps of each state you may be passing through. You might have a GPS that you relay on, but technology is known to fail. It is not a bad idea to double check the directions you are given by your GPS before hitting the road.

Gas: To be on the safe side, keep your tank full as you go along. Once your tank reaches the ¼ full mark, get gas as soon as you can. You might want to get into the habit of filling up once you hit the half full mark. You don't want to run out of gas if you end up lost. 

Cell Phone: Your battery should be fully charged and your hands-free unit hooked up before you pull away. If you have Onstar and would like a refresher course on how to use it, stop by the dealership anytime and any one of our sales associates or technicians would be happy to show you. you can also have Onstar installed in most vehicles.

Paperwork: Have all insurance and registration numbers where you can easily find them. If you have AAA or any other roadside service, have those numbers programmed into your cell phone or stashed in your glove compartment for easy access.

Passengers: Children can handle car rides well if you are prepared. Any distractions causing you to glance from the road for even a second may lead to an accident. Have everything you may need, like snacks or drinks, out so you can easily reach them and hand them to your child without looking away from the road. Set them up with books, games, or toys and remind them you must concentrate on the road. 

Visibility: Take along at least two pairs of good sunglasses. Clean all of your windows before you leave, and make sure nothing is obstructing your view out the back window. It's also a good idea to clean your rearview mirrors.

If you are going on a road trip and need a tune up or any other service just click Here to make an appointment. At Harold Chevrolet-Buick we make it a priority to provide all of our customers with world class service. With our complimentary shuttle service you will not have to worry about missing work. We also have WIFI for the times you opt to stay. Give us a call at (260)665-2195 or stop by today!

AN AWESOME WEEKEND!

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR MAKING OUR GIVE BACK WEEKEND A SUCCESS!

We had a great turn out for our blood drive, the REDCROSS was very impressed. We would also like to congratulations our winners: Phillip Nieswender was the winner of our $500 giveaway on Friday, and Miranda Wilges was our $500 winner of Saturday! Stephen was the winner of our first FREE GAS FRIDAY $50 giveaway. 

Check out our photos from the cook out below. Thanks to our very own gill masters for cooking up great burgers and brats. We would also like to thank Rickles Pickles for donating a case of their famous pickles and awesome mustard! needless to say the pickles were the first to go!

Don't forget to keep an eye on our Facebook page, we are giving away another $50 in free gas this Friday! 

Harold Chevrolet-Buick is your local Chevrolet-Buick dealer with a large selection of top-quality used cars as well. Check our our inventory or make a service appointment. If you have any questions or would like to know how you can be our next winner, call (260)-665-2195.

Give Back Weekend!

Get ready for our GIVE BACK WEEKEND! This weekend is ALL about YOU!

FRIDAY- we will be giving away $500 CASH and a $50 GAS CARD. We will also be partnering up with the RED-CROSS for a cook out and Blood Drive! Everyone who donates blood will get a coupon for a FREE OIL CHANGE!

SATURDAY- We are giving away another $500 CASH!

Keep checking our FACEBOOK page to find out how YOU can be a winner!

This is just one of the many ways we like to GIVE BACK at Harold Chevrolet-Buick.

Brake Check!

Brakes are obviously a very important safety feature in all vehicles and when they are not working properly, you are putting yourself and others in danger! Below you will find 5 WARNING SIGNS YOU NEED NEW BRAKES.

1) LOOK:

The first thing you can do to check if you may need new brakes pads is to look. Look and see if the pads have a lot of wear and tear. If your break pad is less than 1/4 of an inch thick, it is time to make a service appointment.

2) PULLING:

If when you apply the brakes you notice your car is being "pulled" to one side, it may be a sign that your brake pads are wearing unevenly. This is an easy and cheap fix when caught early!

3) STOPPING DISTANCE INCREASES:

When you apply the brakes and it takes longer to come to a complete stop, this is a key sign that your breaks are not working properly. This could be a leak in the brake fluid, or your pads are thinning out.

4) VIBRATING, PULSATING BREAK PEDAL:

When you press on the break and you feel a vibration or pulsation in the brake pedal, this is a sign that you may need new rotors or that your car is out of alignment.

5) GRINDING NOISE:

If you hear a loud grinding and screeching noise when breaking, this is a sign that you have completely worn down your brake pads. The noise you hear is caused by the disc and caliper (metal) rubbing together.

If you observe any of these 5 warning signs, it is time to make a service appointment. By clicking  HERE you can set an appointment with one of our Certified Service Technicians. With the GM certified Service offer you will be getting the best price around for brake pad instillation, just click HERE to print the amazing offer and to view other GM Certified Offers.

Save a Life-Blood Drive!



This month I am excited to announce that we are having a blood drive! Here at Harold Chevrolet we are partnering up with our friends at the American Red Cross to make this blood drive a real success. Summer,especially the month of July, is a time that blood donations are hard to come by and blood is in high demand. We can all do our small part to make a big difference. And, as a thank you for taking your time to donate, we will be awarding FREE OIL CHANGE coupons to all those who donate.

We will also be having our monthly cook-out during the blood drive so everyone can enjoy a nice lunch after their donation. Even if you can't donate, stop by for a hot dog or burger and enjoy the community and conversation.

Please contact Harold Chevrolet at (260) 624-4397 or go to redcrossblood.org to make your blood donation appointment. Appointments are suggested as we are expecting a large turn out!

Hope to see you there!

Cookout!

While I think nothing says summer like a cookout, my dad thinks nothing says summer like a drive around town in a convertible! So on the 29th of June we have decided to combine these two summer traditions at our usual end of month cookout. Like always, the last Friday of the month we like to fire up the grill and get to know our friends and customers a little better.  We will still have the usual hamburger and hot-dogs you have come to expect, but we are going to add a 2012 CAMARO and the electrifying VOLT to the mix! 

our very own grill-masters will be cooking up you lunch on June 29th!

There is not a better way to break up the typical  work day than with a cookout and drive around town in a 2012 CAMARO. Or maybe you have been interested in how the VOLT runs. Either way come and enjoy the wonderful weather, grab some food and just take a break from the norm. Bring your family, or your co-workers and come have lunch on us, hope to see you there!

Chevrolet is the New NASA

     I had just turned 8 years old and my parents were letting me stay up late on July 20, 1969 and watch as Neil Armstrong stepped onto the surface of the moon with his famous quote, "This is one small step for man one giant leap for mankind." 

     Now fast forward 42 years I'm driving home from work in the all new Chevrolet Volt, the most advanced automobile on the road today. General Motors has invested over 800 Million dollars in the engineering of this spectacular vehicle.  Why? You ask would they spend that much to design and engineer one car? 
     Because the Volt is a game changer it is no different then when John F Kennedy said that we were going to be the first on the moon, he said it because he believed in America, he believed that if we can Dream it we can Achieve it.  Detroit-Hamtramck  is where the Chevrolet Volt is built. In the heart of American Manufacturing,  the home of the Automobile Detroit. 
     The Chevrolet Volt is a testament to the ingenuity and creativity of the American worker. 

     This Summer alone the owners of the Chevrolet Volt have driven over 6 million miles without using a drop of gasoline.  General Motors Dreamed it, their engineers and production staff built it, and I am proud to say that I get to sell it.  Come by and see me at Harold Chevrolet Buick and take this marvelous machine for a test drive.  It's almost as exciting as sitting on that couch watch that lunar module touch down, and you get to be in the drivers seat this time.