Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Spring Car Care Tips



Its that time of year again, April celebrates National Car Care Month.  The Service department here at Mercedes-Benz of White Plains would like to offer a quick and easy checklist to help your car running at optimal performance leading into the summer.

Motor Oil: A must have

That harsh winter and the cold temperatures we just endured can wreak havoc on an engine if its not cared for properly.  Quality motor oil is a must in order to protect your vehicle from these varying temperatures. 

Historically, when the weather gets nicer more drivers take to the highway as the roadways begin to become more and more congested.  Heavy stop-and-go driving is a direct result from the increase in drivers on the road, and these extreme conditions call for a motor oil that will protect their engine from the heat and wear.  Some carmakers suggest changing to a heavier oil to help your vehicle’s engine perform more efficiently during the warmer weather.

Pick a Date to Inflate:

As the weather gets warmer and temperatures increase, tire pressure changes. Under-inflated tires reduce a vehicle's fuel efficiency by an average of 3.3 percent. Tires should be checked monthly to make sure that they are inflated to manufacturers' recommendations, which can typically be found on the vehicle door placard or in the glove box. Be sure to avoid over-inflating the tires, as this can lead to premature or irregular tire wear.

Remember that your tires should also be rotated roughly every 5,000 – 10,000 miles and it can extend the life of your tires significantly by reducing wear.

Spring Cleaning

Road salt can damage your vehicles undercarriage by eating away or corroding the metal. A thorough cleaning at a car wash should do the trick.  As we all know easy it is to let all your stuff pile up in the back seat of your car, especially in the cold months.  Clean out all the clutter, it’s worth it.

Check up’s

Check your battery and plugs. Make sure your battery posts and connections are clean.  Spark plugs fire as many times as 3 million every 1,000 miles.

Check radiator and gas caps.  Tight fitting caps on the radiator and gas tank are important. Radiator caps can corrode and deteriorate, so it’s a good idea to replace yours as often as you flush the cooling system.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the health of your vehicle contact us at:
(877) 221-6690 

Monday, April 25, 2011

Gas Prices - How high will they go?

I pulled into the gas station this Saturday and was startled by the $4.05/gallon sign above the pump.  I got my license back in the 1980's and can still remember pulling into the gas station asking the attendant for $5.00 worth of gas.  Back then, $5.00 was almost a half tank of gas!  Those were the days!  Today, it gets me just enough to fill the lawnmower! 

I started filling up my car and saw the dollar amounts spinning out of control.  It took no time at all to get above $50, and it was still going.  Finally, $62!  When I got home, I decided to see what some of our neighbors might be paying. 

Look at the differences in prices all over the world.  Venezuela pays a whopping 12 cents per gallon!  While this chart in no way made me feel it any better, it just goes to show we are by far not the most expensive!

.
NationCityPrice in USD Regular/Gallon
NetherlandsAmsterdam$6.48
NorwayOslo$6.27
ItalyMilan$5.96
DenmarkCopenhagen$5.93
BelgiumBrussels$5.91
SwedenStockholm$5.80
United KingdomLondon$5.79
GermanyFrankfurt$5.57
FranceParis$5.54
PortugalLisbon$5.35
HungaryBudapest$4.94
Luxembourg$4.82
CroatiaZagreb$4.81
IrelandDublin$4.78
SwitzerlandGeneva$4.74
SpainMadrid$4.55
JapanTokyo$4.24
Czech RepublicPrague$4.19
RomaniaBucharest$4.09
Andorra$4.08
EstoniaTallinn$3.62
BulgariaSofia$3.52
BrazilBrasilia$3.12
CubaHavana$3.03
TaiwanTaipei$2.84
LebanonBeirut$2.63
South AfricaJohannesburg$2.62
NicaraguaManagua$2.61
PanamaPanama City$2.19
RussiaMoscow$2.10
Puerto RicoSan Juan$1.74
Saudi ArabiaRiyadh$0.91
KuwaitKuwait City$0.78
EgyptCairo$0.65
NigeriaLagos$0.38
VenezuelaCaracas$0.12

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Coming to America: The A-Class Concept


After getting great reviews in China at the Shanghai Motor Show and it's Premiere in New York, The A-Class Concept is headed for production. There is confirmation that this 3-door sedan will be sold in the U.S.

Mechanically this vehicle is perfectly feasible for production, with a 2.0 liter 210-hp four cylinder engine. It would not be to far fetched to also see a turbo charged to join the lineup in the future.  The A-Class will use a duel clutch automatic gearbox, while presumably first arrive as a front wheel drive vehicle and potentially be released as a 4-matic vehicle.

We speculate the base sticker price to start below that of the C-class, which is just under $35,000.00.   When this A-class finally arrives in the U.S. expect it to have some differences from the vehicle that was revealed in china.  The car will ride on smaller wheels, and that elaborate pinwork grille might not be there.  Even with the slight alterations there is no doubt that this A-class will be a beautiful vehicle

Rumor has it that the development team over at AMG has already started working on a 350 horsepower version of the Mercedes-Benz A-class.  I guess we will just have to wait and see.....

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe



Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe


With the New York International Auto Show opening their doors later this week the anticipation of the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe are through the roof.  A 451 horsepower 6.3 liter V8 engine gives this coupe its motivation.  Mercedes-Benz says, the C63 is the fastest model in the segment going 0-60 in 4.4 seconds topping out an electronically-limited 155 mph.

The coupe shares the same technology updates from the 2012 C63 AMG Sedan, while also featuring the AMG SPEEDSHIFT 7-speed sports transmission, with  “Controlled Efficiency” a mode that reduces the emissions and provides a reduced fuel consumption.

If there is a need for more speed and performance then this coupe already has there is an optional AMG development Package.  This package provides an increase to 481 horsepower, while improving acceleration from 0-60 in 4.3 seconds.  This performance increase is thanks to the technology used in the SLS AMG.

Visually, this car is esthetically pleasing with the confident athletic stance.  The C63 AMG Coupe has a sinister low profile, powerful shoulder line and a narrow C-pillar, combined with short overhangs, long hood, steeply raked windshield and long, sloping roof.  It truly is a beautiful vehicle.

The All-New C63 AMG Coupe will be in our Showroom September 2011.