Valet Service Etiquette

Valet parking is a popular service that allows you to spend more time doing the things that are important to you. Valet services are common at hotels, shopping malls, and golf clubs, but as with all of these things, there is a certain etiquette to ensure that you keep everybody happy. Follow this guide from Sheehy Nissan of Mechanicsville on valet service etiquette to ensure that you do not make any faux pas.

Before you take your car to a valet, there is a minor amount of preparation that you should do inside first. There is no real need to clean the car, but you should always remove items of value. This includes your checkbook, any personal paperwork, your mobile phone, and similar items. Try to take as many of these items with you as possible, or remove them and leave them at home. This ensures your personal security, and can also avoid an embarrassing situation later.

When you approach the valet, allow him or her to give you directions on where to park or where to leave the car. Wait patiently if the valet is dealing with somebody else, bearing in mind that he may simply ask you to move forward a little. Wait until the valet greets you and asks for your keys before getting out of the vehicle.

Tipping is common for valet services, and if you want to get good treatment, you should make every effort to give the valet a tip. This applies even if you are already paying an overall service fee. It is advisable to tip the valet when you hand over the keys AND when the car is handed back to you, particularly if this is a service that you want to use regularly. The valet will remember generous drivers, and will then try and keep your car in a good space. If the valet has to retrieve your car because you forgot something, you will need to offer another tip.

You may not want to give the valet your entire key bunch, especially if this contains your house keys, or keys to your office premises. Drivers that regularly use a valet service keep a separate bunch for the valet, with only the essential keys for the car, but this may require a little too much forethought. Ensure that the valet has all the keys that he could possibly need, including any alarm or immobilizer fob.

Ensure that throughout the process you are polite, friendly and courteous. There is no need to bark orders at the valet, or treat him like a servant. Bear in mind that this individual is looking after a very expensive asset, so it is worth your while to show him a high degree of respect and manners. This could go a long way when you need help with your car.

5 Popular Urban Legends Involving Cars

Urban legends are a common phenomenon in all parts of the world. Everybody probably has a favorite urban legend associated with horrific, ghoulish characters, but for every part of your life, there is almost certainly a selection of urban legends. Driving is no exception, of course. Over the years, drivers and passengers alike have concocted a host of different myths and stories, which have grown to become established urban legends. Sheehy Nissan of Mechanicsville has five of the most popular ones.

Carjackers and flyers

For many years now, worried motorists have been warned of the threat to their precious cars from gangs of roaming carjackers. Using a combination of cunning and audacity, these carjackers place flyers on the rear windshield of your car, hoping that you won't notice until you have started the engine. In a fit of irritation, you will leap out of the car to remove the flyer, allowing the carjacker to jump in and drive off. While there can be no guarantee that this has never happened to anybody, the reports that it is commonplace are not founded in evidence, though it makes good sense to ensure that you take the keys with you, even if you step away from the car for a few seconds.

Red cars and speeding tickets

Many drivers will theorize that there is strong evidence that red cars are given speeding tickets more often than any other colored car. There are a number of different theories why this is the case, ranging from 'the police like to ticket red cars' to 'red cars get stolen more often' but the fact is that there is no statistical evidence to support this theory. Of course, many super cars and sports cars are red, but as a percentage of the overall auto population, that probably isn't enough to sway the trend.

Sugar in the gas tank

There seems to be a popular misconception that sugar in the gas tank will ruin your car's engine. The theory suggests that the sugar dissolves in the gasoline and then melts into a sludge as it passes through the engine, clogging every nook and cranny in a sugary goo. In fact, the sugar doesn't dissolve in the gas tank at all. Small amounts would be controlled by the fuel filter, but larger amounts would simply fill up the gas tank and prevent fuel from reaching the engine. The reality is that the sugar would never really get anywhere near the engine, though a big deposit in the fuel tank would certainly be a nuisance.

Keys and cell phones

Common urban legend would lead you to believe that if your car is equipped with a remote keyless entry system, then any would-be thief can let him or herself into your car with a cell phone signal, playing the 'sound' transmitted by the keyless device. This might work if keyless systems did, indeed, use sound, but the fact is that they don't. They use a radio frequency signal that cannot be relayed by mobile phone, so you're quite safe, whatever anybody tells you.

Driving barefoot

Many people believe that if you decide to drive without wearing any shoes, then a traffic cop will be obliged to give you a ticket. In fact, there is not a single state in the United States where it is illegal to drive a car without footwear. The only exception could be Alabama, where it is illegal to ride a motorcycle without appropriate footwear, but then that's almost certainly common sense.

How to Make Your Car Look New Again in the New Year

All right, it’s the New Year and time to make your car look like new again. The first step is pretty obvious – clean it. Don’t go through an automated carwash if you want the best results though, as even the most advanced car washes can leave dirty spots on the outside of your car, and some can even damage the paint surface on your car. Read on for more details from Sheehy Nissan of Mechanicsville. 

But first, a description of the paint on your car. It’s made up of several layers of paint, usually a primer, one or more layers of color paint, and a clear coat on top of it all to protect the color paint. The scratches that build up in car paint are often only damage to the clear coat and it is this that you want to repair. Buy a reputable brand of cleaning products – they usually come as a multiple step system, but this is what you essentially want. First item necessary is a good detergent. Don’t use dishwashing liquid or household cleaners, as they can strip layers of wax and clear coat off. Next, you will want to use a good quality wax. This not only protects the clear coat, it fills in the scratches in the clear coat itself. Apply a layer of polish for the final gloss. At all stages use a new, clean cloth – never brushes or sponges. The idea to keeping care of your paint is using the least aggressive way of cleaning it.

Larger scratches and paint damage, such as the result from getting into a scrape with another car or a pole can often be buffed out using a cutting wax. This has tiny abrasive particles in it that strip contamination off the car. Even when it looks like your paint has been badly scratched, it is often the case that whatever the car has contacted has left some if it’s paint on top of your paint, and with a cutting wax it can quite literally be wiped away.

On the inside of your car it’s always a good idea to have a set of good quality floor mats. These not only cover the carpet under the mat and keep dirt off it, but it also means you don’t need to be too aggressive when cleaning the carpet itself. Most cars have synthetic carpets, and if you move the head of a vacuum cleaner over it too fast and with too much pressure, the friction can actually cause enough heat to melt the fibers together and cause a big scratch-like mark.

Dust builds up on the dashboard and center console, and this can be removed by simply running a damp cloth over the surfaces. As long as the cloth is damp and not actually wet the electronics in your car should not be affected. If you want to go further there are plenty of interior cleaners and polishes that can give a glossy effect, but always try the new formula on a piece of trim you don’t normally see so you can gauge whether you want your entire dashboard to look like that.

If your car has leather upholstery, you can go with a high quality leather cleaner. This not only cleans the leather, but like the polish on the outside of the car, it protects the leather from certain damage. Again, be careful in choosing a cleaner as some can make the leather extremely slippery.

Alternately, find a detailing company with a good name and reputation and have them do it all for you. Completely cleaning a car can take a long time, and that’s why there are many professionals around to do the job for you.

 

5 New Year's Resolutions for Your Car

New Year is a time when we vow to make a fresh start. And often that includes taking better care of ourselves. But how about taking better care of your car? Here are five resolutions from Sheehy Nissan of Mechanicsville to consider:

1. Wash it once a week

Keeping the paint in good condition is not just a matter of pride; it actually protects the value of your investment! Road grime, tree sap, and deposits from feathered friends contain contaminants that eat into paint, dulling a bright finish and helping corrosion get started. Not everyone has the time or a place to hand-wash their car, so go to a car wash and pay for the better service that includes the underside. Even if you don't live in the snow belt, keeping this clean helps prevent rust.

2. Clean the inside

Do friends and family wrinkle their noses at the left-over fast food boxes in your car or truck? Do they wipe their hands on their pants after closing the door? You probably keep your lounge clean and tidy, so why not your car too? Make it a rule for the first Saturday of each month to vacuum the interior and get rid of the junk. Buy a tub of automotive interior wipes and go over all the surfaces – you'll be surprised at how fast they gather dust – and clean the window glass. You'll see out better, the windows will mist up less, people will want to ride in your car, and by keeping excess weight off, you'll even save a little gas!

3. Get the oil changed

The engine is your car's heart, but it asks for very little. Just treat it to a regular oil change and it will reward you with years of loyal service.

How regular is regular? That depends on your vehicle and the type of driving you do. Some light an indicator when the oil needs changing – resolve not to ignore it! For others, ask the dealership what they recommend - it could be 3,000, 5,000, or even 7,500 miles – then mark on your calendar, organizer, or planner when you need to get fresh oil.

4. Check the lights and tire pressures

Resolve to do this every week. You don't want to drive around without lights, and you certainly don't want under-inflated tires.

Check brake lights by backing up to a garage door or wall and tapping the pedal while looking in the mirror. If you don't see the red glow from each light ask a friend to watch while you work the pedal. If there's a problem get it fixed promptly!

Tire pressures should be checked when the tires are cold. The best way is to buy a gauge and do a check before you get in and start driving. Perhaps you could do it before heading off to the car wash on Saturday morning! And don't forget the spare if you have one.

5. Stay current with servicing

Modern vehicles are extremely reliable, but there are things that need inspecting and replacing at regular intervals. Staying on top of servicing helps ensure your vehicle will provide reliable service for years to come. Ask your local service department what is recommended, and heed their advice.

The New Year is a time for fresh starts. Spend more time looking after your car, and it will be cleaner, more reliable, and even safer. That has to be a resolution worth sticking to!

What's the Ideal Highway Speed?

When you sit behind the steering wheel of your car, you control your destiny. You choose where you want to go, when you want to go, and how fast you want to get there. The latter choice carries with it significant risk in the form of traffic tickets, fuel economy, and the urgency of your situation, so take some time to evaluate whether or not you’re at the ideal highway speed for your situation before you let your lead foot have its way. We at Sheehy Nissan of Mechanicsville have the details.

Ticket-Free Driving

If your primary goal while driving is a ticket-free driving record, you must always drive at or below posted speed limits. If police determine that the speed of your car exceeds the speed limit by as little as 1 mph, they can give you a speeding ticket. You must not drive too slowly, however, because police could ticket you for blocking traffic or failure to maintain designated minimum speeds. Drivers who want to avoid traffic citations must also know local laws for roads that do not have speed limit signs.

Fuel Economy

Most cars have a “sweet spot” for speed that delivers optimum fuel economy. You can often learn about the optimum speeds for your vehicle by visiting the service desk at your dealer. If you cannot find out the speed at which your car delivers the best gas mileage, you can rely on general principles that can help your car get the most out of every gallon of gas. As the speed of your car increases, the resistance it meets from the air also increases. This means that your car must work harder to maintain high speeds than it has to work to maintain low speeds. The U.S. Department of Energy says that the fuel consumption of cars quickly increases at speeds above 50 mph. Surprisingly, cars with the highest fuel-efficiency ratings tend to suffer from bigger drops in gas mileage at high speeds than the drops experienced by cars that have subpar fuel economy ratings. You must drive slowly on the open road if your ideal highway speed is the speed that delivers the most miles per gallon.

Your Car

Your car helps define your ideal highway speed. If you drive a super-high-performance vehicle, your ideal speed could be much higher than if you drive a motor scooter. If you have a need for speed and your car will not deliver, schedule an appointment with your dealer to test drive cars that have ambition under their hoods.