Save Money by Parking in the Shade

You open your car door after an hour of shopping and a blast of heat hits you in the face. Not only does it cost you money when you park in the baking sunshine, but it can cause you serious problems down the road. Check out a couple of reasons why you should park in the shade.

Effects on Appearance

The sun is just as harmful for the exterior of your car as it is for your skin. Long-term exposure to sunlight causes cracking, flaking, and fading of the exterior finish. Parking in the shade will help your car’s paint job last much longer.

The interior of the car also suffers from extreme heat. The light and heat can cause the dashboard, seats, and other interior surfaces to fade and deteriorate. If you can’t find a shady parking spot, invest in a sunshade to place across your windshield.

Save the Battery

When you start your car after it has been baking in the sun, it causes the battery and air conditioning system to work harder. This reduces the life of the battery and uses gas needed to support the hard-working air conditioning. When you park in the shade of a garage or under trees, your car will be cooler when you get in and it won’t put as much stress on the A/C.

These are just a couple of reasons to try parking in the shade when you can. If you’re worried about the state of your vehicle as a result of sun damage, visit our Service Department at Amistad Motors.

Important Features for One-Car Families

Important Features for One-Car Families | Fort Stockton, TX

Having multiple vehicles can get expensive, and cutting down to just one vehicle can help free up space in the family budget. Here are some features to look for when you want to become a one-car family.

Personalized Profiles

Thanks to memory settings, cars today allow drivers to create personalized profiles. You can set the height of the driver’s seat and mirror positions, as well as create infotainment profiles for every family driver.

Teen Driver Package

If you have young drivers in the family, choose a vehicle with a monitoring system, like Chevrolet’s Teen Driver Package. This technology produces a driving report card detailing your teen’s performance behind the wheel and allows parents to set safety limits on speed, driving distance, and audio volume.

Infotainment Tech

If you want to keep everyone in the family happy during commutes or long road trips, make sure the vehicle you choose has plenty of USB charging ports. A wireless charging station is great if your phones have that capability, and a Wi-Fi hot spot is a plus, too.

Comfort Controls

Arguing over the thermostat at home is one thing, but there’s no need to continue it in the car. Plenty of vehicles offer multi-zone climate control systems. This allows everyone in the family to choose the climate comfort level that they desire.

Here at Amistad Motors, we have a large selection of new and pre-owned vehicles with many of these helpful features. If you’d like help finding the perfect vehicle for your family, contact our team.

Tips for Staying Safe Behind the Wheel

Tips for Staying Safe Behind the Wheel | Fort Stockton, TX

Driving is a skill that most of us will have to utilize on a daily basis. As such, it can be easy to assume we have mastered the art of driving. However, even the most skilled drivers could benefit from keeping these tips for staying safe behind the wheel in mind.

Keep Your Eyes on the Road

In today’s world of mobile devices, it can be tempting to check a text message or e-mail while on the go. However, your priority needs to remain on the road while behind the wheel. Maintaining awareness of what’s going on around you will make every drive a safer journey.

Adjust Your Position

Many commutes last quite a while, so you’ll want to adjust your seating and your mirrors to ensure they are in the perfect position to make your driving experience both comfortable and safe.

Study Up

Once you receive your driver’s license, it might seem like you never have to familiarize yourself with traffic laws again. On the other hand, if you make it a practice to study up on best driving practices and traffic laws every once in a while, you will be a much more prepared driver than if you let that knowledge atrophy.

No matter how well you drive, you’re only as safe as your vehicle. At the Amistad Motors service center in Fort Stockton, our team of expert technicians can help your car stay in peak condition. 

Spring Cleaning Tips For Tidying Up Your Garage

Spring Cleaning Tips For Your Garage | Fort Stockton, TX

If you have a garage, you understand how great it is to have covered parking for your vehicle all year round. You can rest easy during heavy storms and scorching heat. However, if you are like many homeowners, your garage is also home to a lot of junk. Now that the temperatures are warming up, it is time to do some spring cleaning in your garage.

Take everything out

To organize your garage, the first thing you need to do is take everything out. This may make your driveway and yard look like a junkyard, but now you can decide which items you really need. You can organize items into four groups: keep, throw away, sell, and donate. Only keep items that have significant value and are functional.

Repair any damage

If your garage needs any repairs, now is the time to get those done. Seal cracks and inspect the wiring for damage done by rodents.

Clean the floor

Now that all the junk has been removed, you can tidy up the floor. You may have some vehicle fluids that leaked. If you do, sprinkle some kitty litter over top to absorb the mess. Sweep everything out with a large push broom. Use a degreasing soap and a stiff-bristle brush to remove any stains.

If your vehicle is leaking, don’t let it go unaddressed — schedule an appointment at the Amistad Motors service center in Fort Stockton, Texas.

Chevy Models Make Best Diesel Pickup Trucks List for 2021

Chevrolet Diesel Pickup Trucks | Fort Stockton, TX

The U.S. News and World Report publishes annual write-ups and lists about the top vehicles across several categories, and in their “11 Best Diesel Pickup Trucks of 2021” list, all three Chevy trucks — the 2021 Colorado, 2021 Silverado 1500, and 2021 Silverado HD — came away with top honors thanks to their high torque outputs and powerful towing capabilities.

The 2021 Chevy Colorado eliminated its base trim from the previous year and revamped its exterior style. U.S. News and World Report specifically lauded the truck’s Chevrolet Infotainment 3 System. That system can connect to your phone thanks to Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ compatibility.

In the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado, you’ll find the Duramax 2.8-liter Turbo-Diesel four-cylinder engine capable of producing 181 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, as well as towing up to 7,700 pounds.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500’s six-function Multi-Flex Tailgate makes it easier than ever to load and unload your bed. Trailer Length Indicator and Jack-Knife Alert help you stay safe while towing. An available Duramax 3.0-liter turbo-Diesel delivers 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, while enablling you to tow up to 9,500 pounds.    

The 2021 Chevy Silverado HD can tow up to a best-in-class 36,000 pounds thanks to its Duramax 6.6-liter Turbo-Diesel V8, which generates 445 horsepower and 910 pound-feet of torque.

You can find these capable Chevy trucks at Amistad Motors in Fort Stockton, Texas.