CARCHEX and Pat Goss wish everyone a safe and happy Memorial Day!

Video Transcription
Hey folks, thank you for watching. Have a happy Memorial Day and above and beyond everything else, be safe.

Myth: To save money during the warmer summer months, you should try to limit driving to early morning or later at night.

Fact: If your car is in good condition, it doesn’t matter what time of the day you drive.

Video Transcription
Well, that all depends on the coefficient of drag of the automobile, the wind resistance as far as type as tread on the tires, and the rolling resistance of the tires combined with the axle ratio, and the horsepower and torque output of the engine. If you have all of those factors, and you can do the equation then what you come up with is a determination as to whether you drive at high noon or midnight. That can save you a lot of fuel in the long run.

Just kidding folks! It really doesn’t matter. If you’re car is in good shape you can drive it any part of the day, hot, cold, doesn’t make any difference.

Sure, average gas prices are still the highest they’ve been in years, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up your summer road trip. It’s one of America’s greatest travel traditions! Here are some tips to help you save on your summer road trip.

Getting your car ready
Before you climb behind the wheel, here are some main preparations you’ll want to make. This will probably take some time, so start a few days before your trip.

Check tires regularly
Check your owners manual or the label on the door jam of your car to see what the proper tire pressure should be. Adjust the pressure in your tires when they’re cold, which means they haven’t been driven on for at least four hours. Keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure improves fuel economy.

image via 8tracks.com

Check cooling and air conditioning systems
The coolant in the cooling system needs to be checked twice a year and flushed and replaced as necessary. If your car has a cabin air filter, make sure it’s clean. Checking your vehicle’s radiator cap at the start of the summer driving season is a good idea, too. Given the temperatures it’s continually exposed to, its internal rubber gasket can end up cracked or damaged.

Change oil on schedule and keep full
Engine oil must be replaced at recommended intervals found in your vehicle’s owner manual, usually every 5,000 miles or 6 months. Between changes, be sure to check the oil level on a monthly basis, adding fresh oil whenever necessary.

Lighting and visibility
Check your headlights to make sure they all work and that there are no hidden wiring problems. Finally, clean your windows, replace worn wipers with a fresh set, and check to make sure that the washer-fluid in the car is full.

Gas saving tips
Once you are ready to hit the road, here are some gas saving tips to help you make the most of your summer road trip. Gas prices don’t just seem to go up around weekends and holidays, they really do. So, don’t wait until the weekend to fill up your tank. Try to fill it up earlier in the week for your weekend road trip.

Watch Your Driving Technique. Paying close attention to the driving conditions around you will be worth it. When on the highway, drive the speed limit or as close to 55 mph as possible. Driving slower can boost mileage by 5 percent.

Avoid stopping and starting abruptly because accelerating from a standstill requires extra fuel. Instead, be aware of the timing of red lights so you can slowly coast to the light and reach it as it turns green-without coming to a full stop.

Use cruise control where traffic and road conditions allow it. Automatic fuel use is much more waste-free than trying to maintain a constant speed using your lead foot.

If you’re driving around town you’ll get better fuel economy if you turn the AC off and roll the windows down. But as soon as you start traveling at highway speeds, the wind resistance plays a big part in fuel economy and you’ll do better by rolling the windows up and turning the air conditioning on.

Safety
A GPS device is a useful road trip tool. It can prevent you from getting lost, which can not only be dangerous, but a waste of gas as well. Look for one that can calculate the shortest route between two points, and be sure the device can tell you if you are going to hit traffic.

You should also have an emergency kit handy in case you break down in an unfamiliar place. Your emergency kit should include:

• Water
• Warm blankets
• A flashlight
• Jumper cables
• Flares
• Tools to change a tire
• A fully charged cell phone
• A first-aid kit
• A Map

It’s also wise to subscribe to a roadside assistance plan — just make sure you know where to call in an emergency and what kind of assistance your policy includes.

It’s also important to take frequent breaks. Driving through the night may seem like a good idea in theory, but in reality, it’s dangerous. Your risk of falling asleep at the wheel or committing other serious driving errors is much higher when you’re suffering from a lack of sleep. If you’re feeling tired or having trouble focusing, pull over. Take a break at a rest stop and wait until you feel fully aware before you start driving again.

Whatever your destination this summer, whether it’s a beach getaway, an amusement park, or a scenic drive, these tips are sure to make your road trip as headache-free as possible, all while saving you some extra cash. Happy driving!

This time of year can bring some extreme weather, including strong storms with high winds. What if you get caught driving in one of these storms? Think driving next to a large tractor trailer in high winds is the safest place to be? You might want to think again.

Video Transcription
Well whenever you’re driving in high winds, number 1, you want to pay close attention to everything around you and be prepared for a gust of wind to move your vehicle across the road, so you have to be prepared for that and be ready to react. But one of the big mistakes that a lot of people make is they will ride along beside a tractor trailer, or a trailer that is being towed or something like that, a bus even. Well, the thing that you may not realize is that is a very dangerous place to be because a large vehicle has a lot of wind surface and that means that a really strong gust of wind can cause that tractor trailer to flip over, and if you’re beside it, it could be right on top of you. So stay out in the open.

The CARCHEX promise is “Customer Experience Above All.” In everything we do, the customer comes first.  We achieve this by making the customer feel as comfortable and as educated about our product as possible. CARCHEX ensures that the customer’s experience, whether it’s in the beginning, the middle, or at the end of their plan, is the best experience they could possible have.

In the video below, CARCHEX vehicle protection specialist Jerry Elston explains what the CARCHEX standard “Customer Experience Above All” means to him.

Video Transcription
Customer experience above all – that is my job as a vehicle protections specialist to come in here every day suited up ready to give the best possible experience to our future members. It’s up to me, I’m the actual face of CARCHEX, I’m the first one they speak to, I’m the first one they contact, and believe me I would be contacted along the way through their entire warranty process. Well it’s my job to ensure that experience, whether it’s from the beginning when we are deciding what plan best fits their needs, or the middle when they have a claim and they don’t know exactly where to call, or at the end when it’s time to purchase another plan, they need to know what other options they have. During that whole entire time I strive to give them the best customer service I possibly can.