GRANDVILLE, Mich.,––April is National Car Care Month! You might be wondering why April? This time of year marks the end of winter, or for us in Michigan, the winding down of winter weather, and the beginning of warmer weather. What happens when the warm weather comes around? More driving! Whether it's a long road trip you'll be taking, or more back-and-forth trips to sports practices and games, your car requires a little extra care before you hit the open road this spring.

We'll be posting a few blogs throughout the month to help you care for your vehicle. To kick things off, here's how to maintain your tires for National Car Care Month!

Inspect

What should you be looking for when you inspect your tires? And how often should you be inspecting them? We recommend performing a visual inspection and inflation inspection. Make it easy on yourself and perform this on a date you'll remember like the 1st, 15th, or the last day of the month. The things you should be looking for are tire bulges on the sidewall, odd or really uneven tread wear across each or all four tires, and any puncture damage (from nails, staples, etc.). See anything funny? This could put you at risk for a blow-out or a flat tire, so make sure to switch your tire for the spare and bring your tire/vehicle in as soon as possible.

Inflate

As we mentioned above, we recommend doing an inflation inspection about once a month! Because the weather changes so often in Michigan and the temperature fluctuates, the air pressure in your tires can also fluctuate. Take note of the recommended PSI for each tire in your owner's manual or on the sticker on the inside of your driver's door and check your tires with a handheld gauge. You can also bring it into our Express Service Lane to have them checked with professional equipment. Why is this necessary, though? Having under inflated tires can cause you to pay more on gas AND can cause premature wear. Having over inflated tires can cause uneven wear and put you more at risk for damage, especially at high speeds.

Rotate

Did you know regular rotations can help you save money? That's right! Each tire will wear differently depending on the location on your vehicle. By having them rotated every 5,000-8,000 miles (we recommend at every other oil change), you'll ensure each tire is getting even tread wear, which means you'll have to replace them less often. Keep in mind, it's recommended by many tire professionals to replace all four tires at once. Stay tuned for our next blog that will cover wheel alignments and suspension, which plays a good part in your tire's tread wear!

Respect 

R.E.S.P.E.C.T. what does it mean for your tires? It means staying at or above the load capacity and avoiding very fast speeds/brakes. If you're a moderate driver, you're likely treating your tires just fine. If you're a driver with a lead foot, you could be putting more wear on your tires which will lead to a tire purchase sooner than expected. You can typically find the load capacity on the tire itself, or in your owner's manual.


National Car Care Month is a great reason to schedule an appointment for an oil change, tire rotation, and multi-point inspection at RiverTown Honda. Our service technicians understand that time is money, and that your time is valuable. We do our best to get you in and out and back on the road in no time. Need more info on how to keep your vehicle in top shape this Spring? Stay tuned to our upcoming National Car Care Month blogs AND check out our Spring Car Care tips and seasonal maintenance info on our website.

Give RiverTown Honda, the #1 Honda Dealer in Michigan in 2017, a call at (877) 236-9113, or visit us at 4260 Kenowa Ave. Grandville, MI 49418, one mile west of RiverTown Mall.

GRANDVILLE, Mich.,––Winter is coming. We don't mean that in a Game of Thrones sort-of way, but to remind you that the snowy, icy, wet, and cold weather is coming shortly. It's mid September now, but school, work, and every day life can often get in the way, so we're reminding you early this year! Because of the approaching fall and winter seasons, it's important to take care of your vehicle's tires. Why? They're one of the most important components on your vehicle. They're the parts that connect your car to the road, and the ones that can keep you from sliding off of it in inclement weather conditions.

Take a look at the tire care tips below, courtesy of our experienced Service team at RiverTown Honda, that'll help you become more aware of your vehicle's routine maintenance needs, stay safe on the road all year long, and save on tire purchases in the long run, too!

1. Check the Inflation Regularly

You can walk up to your car, look at your tires, and think "they look properly inflated" and go about your day, but this is the wrong approach. Take some extra time to check your tire's inflation levels individually when your car is "cold" about once a month or before you take a longer road trip.

Check the sticker on the inside of your driver's side door or the owner's manual to find PSI recommendations for each tire and make sure each is inflated to that exact level. Honda determines this based on the specific vehicle model's carry load, so sticking to the recommendations means your vehicle can run more efficiently and you can avoid tire damage from over or under inflation. Most newer Hondas come with an electronic TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) and will alert you on your dashboard if a tire is losing air.

2. Have Your Tires Rotated at Every Other Oil Change

A tire rotation service is exactly how it sounds, all four tires are taken off the vehicle and then put back on the vehicle in a different location. Why is this necessary so often? The tires at the front of your vehicle will typically wear more quickly because there is more weight at the front of your car. If your vehicles' wheel alignment is off, your tires can also wear prematurely because of the odd angle they travel at (another routine maintenance service to add to your list). Having your tires regularly rotated ensures even wear across all tires during the time you own/use them, saving you money on tires in the long run.

If you're a regular RiverTown Honda customer, we'll have record of when you tires were last rotated and will recommend doing so when it's appropriate! If you're not a regular customer at our dealership, you can get a tire rotation for only $14.95, or sometimes less with our coupons and special service offers.

3. Keep an Eye on Tread Wear & Have Wheel Alignments Done

As mentioned above, your tires need to be regularly rotated to keep tread wear even, although, if you spot uneven tread wear, it could mean you need a wheel alignment. This service typically only needs to be completed once every year, but if you notice your wheel is pulling to one side while you're driving straight, or if your tread looks uneven, let our experienced Service Technicians take a look at your alignment.

Another reason to keep an eye on tread wear is simply your safety on the road! The tire tread is what gives your car traction against the road, and tread that's too worn won't be able to properly grip the road as needed. Most tires begin with about 10/32" of tread and should consider being replaced when they reach about 4/32". You can always use the penny trick to check your tread, or consult our team if you're not sure how to properly measure.

4. Replace All Tires at One Time or Two at a Time

If you have a tire that's damaged near the sidewall, you'll unfortunately have to have it replaced, even if the tread is still good. You can replace just one tire, but it's better to have the entire set of tires or at least two replaced at a time. Your car will run its best on tires that are the same brand and that have an equal amount of tread. When replacing tires, our team searches for new tires that match the old tires size and tread pattern, so your vehicle's handling is stable. Sometimes different brands, tread patterns, tread levels, and obviously, different sizes can handle differently. It's recommended to have all four tires replaced at once, but if you can't afford all four, you should replace two.

5. Consider Purchasing Snow Tires

If you're a year-round driver in West Michigan, you know how much of a pain the winter weather can be. According to weather authorities, we might be in for a worse winter than last year, so it's time to get prepared. Did you know, snow tires can actually be more helpful in stopping and accelerating situations than 4x4 or AWD can? By purchasing snow tires, your car will be suited to better handle snow, ice, and slush. Snow tires are specially formulated to be flexible in cold weather, providing you better grip on the road, and have extra wide, symmetrical tread, allowing your car to better channel snow and slush. Important to note: snow tires should only be used when the weather is cold (normally below 45 degrees), otherwise they can heat too quickly and wear fast.

We understand that tires aren't cheap; however, having another set of tires that you can use 1/4-1/2 of the year will prolong your all-season tire use AND the safety benefits you get out of snow tires is unmeasurable. We recommend purchasing a good set of snow tires when the cold weather arrives, and storing your all-season tires at home. We can easily switch them for you when the weather gets warm at RiverTown Honda!



With all the tire care tips above, you should be well equipped to take the best care of your tires year round! As mentioned above, if you're a customer at RiverTown Honda, a log of all services you have completed on your vehicle is kept in our system so we can keep track of your routine maintenance needs. If you're not, we recommend keeping some sort of service log so you don't miss critical check points, especially when it comes to your tires! You can see our full service menu online for pricing and descriptions, but if you have further questions, don't hesitate to reach out to our team in Grandville, MI. Our Service Center is only 12 minutes from downtown Grand Rapids and ready to serve our neighbors from Wyoming, Byron Center, Kentwood, Hudsonville, Georgetown Twp., Grandville, Holland, and beyond!


Give RiverTown Honda a call at (877) 236-9113, or visit us at 4260 Kenowa Ave. Grandville, MI 49418, one mile west of RiverTown Mall.

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