LiveLoveAndDrive.com

The Pacific Northwest is famous for rain (and snow if you make the trek to Mount Hood), and with the temperatures dropping there are a few things to consider pertaining to your vehicle.

Vehicle Maintenance:  Along with the usual checks of tire air pressure and fluids which is done all seasons, when winter comes along it’s a good time to make sure your battery is holding a good charge and your heating/cooling system is in good shape to handle the colder temperatures.

Snow Tires:  Think about purchasing snow tires! Snow tires have unique tread designs and are made up of a special rubber compound to drive in ice and snow. A lot of vehicles have ‘all weather tires’ (they will have a M + S on the side of the tire, which stands for mud and snow) which means they are equipped to drive in different weather conditions, but if you are planning on driving in more than a small amount of snow, winter tires are recommended - they are designed to prevent snow from compacting in the tread and the rubber compound helps the tires to stay flexible.  There are several different options for driving in the snow; whether you go with purchasing a set of snow tires or installing chains its always better to have some form of traction.

Driving in snow and ice conditions:

• Make sure your windshield is clear and your wipers are in good shape.
• Keep your headlights on.
• Leave a few car lengths in between your vehicle and the one in front and drive at a slower pace.
• Brake more gently - never slam on brakes. If you start to skid make sure to steer in the direction you want the vehicle to go and let off the accelerator.  If you have regular brakes pump them, if you have ABS (anti-lock brakes) don’t pump, just apply even pressure.
• If you get stuck, try wiggling the steering wheel side to side to remove the snow.  Its always a good ideal to have an emergency kit in your car in case you get stranded.  Click here to read about creating your own simple emergency kit.

Just remember to take it slow and drive with caution!

Natalie Chambers
Gold Team Service Manager

I have to admit, emergency supplies in my car has never been at the top of my to-do list.  However, with winter coming, I figured it was time to be prepared.

Speaking to several automotive experts helped me put together an emergency kit checklist that seems to cover all the bases without going overboard!

Day to Day Auto Emergency Kit

Cell Phone
Pen and Paper
Insurance & Registration Cards
Accident Checklist - Print off this checklist to put in your glove compartment
Card with relevant medical information for you and your family; allergies or conditions that may require special attention if there are serious injuries  Print off this checklist to put in your glove compartment
Set of cones, warning triangles or emergency flares
Jumper Cables
Ice Scraper
First Aid Kit

Road Trip Emergency Kit
In addition to the ‘Day to Day’ emergency kit, add the following items to create your road trip kit.

Blanket, wool is preferred
Water
Food – Canned w/can opener, granola/energy bars, raisins, etc.
Maps
2 quarts of oil
Flashlight & extra batteries
Roll of paper towels
Fire extinguisher
Waterproof matches
Whistle
Tire Inflator & Repair Kit
Duct tape
Your required medication, at least a one week supply
Cash - in a baggie - 10 ones, 2 fives and 4 dollars in quarters (pay phone)
‘Help’ sign

Whether it be close by or far away, have a fun, safe trip!

One of our customers, Shannon, accidently left her wedding ring in the 2004 Honda Pilot she and her husband traded in.  Justin, our wonderful detailer found it!  We made sure it got back to her and she was so thrilled she called all the Portland newstations about it!

Do you know we do a TON of free things for our customers, even if you have never purchased anything from us?  Come see us if you need us to…

Repair flat tires
Check tire pressure
Installation of windshield wipers or inserts
Installation of headlight and brake light bulbs
Top off needed fluids
Retrieve your radio code for you (we will try our best!)

Obviously every situation is differen`t and there may be some charges in some cases, but as a general rule we install these items and perform these tasks on the house! 

Also, when you use our parts or service department we provide you with a Gold Rewards card. This card acts as a re-usable gift card and is provided at no charge.  For every parts or service purchase you make at retail prices you can redeem 10% back on that card to use for future purchases in our parts or service department, or as a down payment on your next car!

I hope this has shed a little light on the really cool things we do for our customers here at Dick Hannah Honda.  Drop by and see me, I am here to serve you!

Part one in a series of articles to help you keep money in your pocket and gas in your tank.

Before you even put the key in the ignition, plan your trip.
Many people will just hop into their car to drive to the post office, come back home and park their car. An hour or two later they get right back in and drive to the market. This scenario is repeated over and over.

You will get better gas mileage if you combine errands into one trip since a warm engine uses less fuel. While you are at it, plan it out so you take the shortest route and/or roads with the least traffic… it doesn’t just sound smart, it is smart!

Google Maps and the AAA website have lots of trip planning information and maps.

Choose the right time to drive
Many times simply leaving fifteen minutes early or leaving just after the rush can save you travel time and gas.  Why?  All that stop-n-go will use up a huge amount of gas especially if you drive a car with a V6 engine or an SUV.

Check traffic reports via television, radio or through online traffic reports before leaving your home or office.

Disable All Wheel Drive
All-wheel drive or 4×4 capabilities are great for traction control on snowy or off-road use, but they consume quite a bit of gas. If you are on clear paved roads then disable the all-wheel drive mode to save gas. Only use this option when weather or road conditions dictate.

Avoid jack rabbit starts and stops
This is a tough one for some folks to resist especially the younger drivers, but avoid stomping on the gas pedal when the light turns green. While it may seem cool to hear that engine rev hard, fast starts out of the line will consume huge amounts of gas as the engine has to work much harder to get the car up to speed.  Accelerate gradually when starting off and extend your gas mileage and the life of your drive-train!

Going green… “It’s simply a matter of doing the right thing.”

Here at Dick Hannah Honda, our passion is improving the lives of our customers, our employees and those who reside in the communities we serve. As the largest auto dealer company in Washington State, we welcome our corporate responsibility to be an advocate for the best environmental practices; to set the standard and pave a path for others to follow suit.

We recognize the impending need to preserve and sustain the environment and its resources. We are more than corporate stewards. We are a collective group of people stepping up to the challenge, tackling tough issues and setting change in motion. We owe it to our employees, our customers and our community to be a trusted partner and to simply do the right thing.

Family owned since 1949, we have been serving our customers auto needs in the Portland/Vancouver area for almost 60 years, and we want to help keep the Pacific Northwest just as beautiful for the next 60 to come.
 
23,000 Tree Planted and Counting
With every new and pre-owned vehicle sold we plant a tree in our local Gifford Pinchot National Forest. We’ve partnered with the National Arbor Day Foundation and so far over 23,000 trees have been planted. Our customers receive a certificate and further details regarding the National Arbor Day Foundation reforestation efforts!

We Buy 100% Green Power
Here at Dick Hannah Honda we voluntarily pay a premium on our power bill to purchase GREEN power (primarily wind-based power) that is produced here in the Northwest. The costs to generate wind-based power is higher for Clark Public Utilities and they rely on the support of local businesses to aid in their efforts to incrementally develop wind, solar and other “renewable” forms of electricity in the Northwest.

Reducing waste and recycling
In most office areas, we have been able to replace garbage containers with recycling containers. We have also placed new recycling receptacles in our showroom floors, providing our customers with improved recycling opportunities.  We are heating our service shops with recycled oil, recycling old tires and more!  We are committed to reducing the amount of waste that ends up in our public landfills.

Saving Energy
We are working closely with Clark Public Utilities to evaluate power saving opportunities and made improvements to our HVAC system to lower energy consumption during non-business hours, replaced all lights with energy efficient lighting and use the Energy Star planning tools as a part of our process in energy reduction.

And we’re just getting started!
Here at Dick Hannah Honda we are energized each and every day at all the new possibilities moving forward. The Hannah Green Task Force is constantly evaluating new ideas. We’re excited about the prospects of these new concepts such as:
o Bio-diesel or Hybrid shuttle services
o More outreach programs in the community to help educate our neighbors on ways to save energy in their vehicles
o Enhanced recycling programs of our chemicals
o More comprehensive recycling of steel parts from our Collision Center
And whatever else we can collectively discover to make a difference!

“It’s simply a matter of doing the right thing”