How to Prep Your Car for Back-to-School Season
Getting ready to head back to school is a busy time, whether it involves returning to college or gearing up for another busy year of after-school activities and hurried mornings. To help you have a smooth transition, simply follow a few simple steps and you and your car are ready to hit the road.
Check the Tires
Before you head back to school, take a look at your tires. Invest in a tire gauge, and check all four tires to make sure they have the correct pressure. You can find the manufacturer’s suggested pressure number on the inside of the driver’s door or in the owner’s manual. Improper tire pressure can cause you to get fewer miles per gallon. It can also increase overall wear and tear, and you may need to purchase new tires sooner.
One way to determine if you need new tires is by doing the penny test. Take a penny with the head side facing you, and turn it so Abe Lincoln is upside down. Insert the penny into the tire’s groove, and if you can see any of his head, you need new tires. This means you’re losing tread. Do this test monthly.
Look Under the Hood
Make a point to regularly check all the fluids under the hood. If you’re not sure where to find everything, the owner’s manual states where all the fluids can be found. This includes coolant; transmission, windshield wiper, brake and power steering fluids; and oil. Clean fluids help your car run more efficiently and extend its life. If you can’t remember the last time you changed your wiper blades, you should think about replacing them. The blades usually last about a year.
A car battery usually lasts four to five years, depending on temperature and usage. If your battery shows signs of reduced performance, consider testing it with a voltmeter. For instance, if it takes several tries to start your car or if the electrical components don’t work properly, you might need a new battery.
Be Prepared
It’s a smart idea to keep basic safety equipment in the back of your vehicle. This includes items specifically for the car, such as jumper cables and washer fluid. You could also invest in a car first-aid kit, which usually includes sockets, screwdrivers, pliers, and gloves. If you live in an area that gets snow and cold temperatures, you should also have a shovel, ice scrapers, and blankets available.
Get Organized
Once the craziness of school officially kicks in, you might need help keeping your car organized. If you have younger children, you might have sports equipment, books, or toys that have found a home in your trunk. To keep them from rolling around, pick up some storage containers or bags. Just make sure you keep enough room for your emergency items.
If you need more assistance in getting your car ready for back-to-school season, contact the professionals at Clinton Honda. They can help you with maintenance and provide additional tips.
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5 Tips for Detailing Your Car
Is the interior of your car full of candy wrappers from the last weekend at the theme park, cookie crumbs from last week’s road trip, and enough sand to build a private beach on the back seat? We have five foolproof tips for detailing your car that will help you clean it in no time.
Vacuum the Interior Thoroughly
Vacuuming the interior of the vehicle is something car owners do often. So what do we mean by vacuuming thoroughly? First, take all floor mats out of the car. Then vacuum from the top (yes, there’s dirt up there, too) to the bottom without missing a single spot. That includes that little shelf on the back, the seats and under them (make sure you slide them forward to get to those hard spots), the dashboard, and the trunk.
Wash the Floor Mats After Vacuuming Them
In most cases, removing the floor mats, vacuuming them, and putting them back is enough. But after a two-week vacation at the beach, for example, you’re still wondering where all that sand is coming from.
Remove the mats and shake them or whack them on the ground or against a wall to get rid of the major dust particles. Then vacuum on both sides to make sure you removed the smaller grains. Finally, hand wash them and hang them to dry. Read the rest of this entry »
5 Family-Friendly Summer Activities in Flemington
For most families, summer is everyone’s favorite season. Longer and warmer days are an invitation to relax and spend some quality time with the kids. But instead of doing the same things every year, take a look at our suggestions of five family-friendly things to do in Flemington this summer.
Northlandz for Train Enthusiasts
Railroad enthusiasts will rave about this place, but no one stays indifferent after visiting the world’s largest miniature railway. Trains aren’t the only attraction at Northlandz. Model-sized houses, bridges, mountains, roads, and people complete the tiny human-made town. At 495 US-202, Flemington, you can also visit a dollhouse with over 90 rooms, a doll museum, and an art gallery.
Opening hours are Thursdays to Mondays from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Read the rest of this entry »
Everybody likes to buy designer clothes or quality goods, and if you live in the Flemington, NJ area, you are in luck! Liberty Village Premium Outlets houses a collection of over 40 outlet stores, featuring some of the world’s top designers and products at discounted prices of up to 65 percent. If you want to shop in a relaxed atmosphere, away from the hustle and bustle of other outlets, take a stroll through Liberty Village Premium Outlets and find that bargain of a lifetime. Here are some of the stores where you can shop.
Michael Kors
Although Michael Kors is known for his designer American sportswear, he also designs luxury accessories, as well as a collection of stylish yet affordable, ready-to-wear clothing. Products you can shop for at Michael Kors include footwear, watches, jewelry, swimwear, eyewear, and fragrance products. The designer describes his brand as “powerful, confident urban dressing for modern times.”
The 2018 Honda Civic Type R, with its sleek and sporty hatchback design, does not only look like a race car, but is the most powerful Honda Civic to see the road up to date. Although this car will give you amazing speed, it also provides a comfortable and smooth ride. Here are some of the impressive features of the 2018 Honda Civic Type R.
Excellent Performance
The 2017 Honda Civic Type R drew attention at the legendary Nürburgerring in Germany, when it topped the lap time record for front-wheel-drive vehicles. In the 2018 model, Honda builds on this impressive feat and has very much perfected front-drive performance. The powerful Civic boasts a 2.0-liter VTEC turbocharged and intercooled engine that delivers an impressive 306 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. It also comes with a close-ratio six-speed manual transmission with limited slip differential, providing tight cornering and better control throughout.
This car features an adaptive damper system with three modes. Set in Comfort mode, the Civic will provide a smooth, comfortable drive in which you will feel no bumps. Choose +R mode when you are in a sporty mood, as it will give you a firm ride and precision around corners. Read the rest of this entry »
4 Things the 2019 Honda Ridgeline Does Better
The Honda Ridgeline, which is Honda’s only pickup truck, is one of the most versatile and well-rounded vehicles in its class. It offers a unique blend of practicality and play, and although it might not be as tough as some of its more traditional counterparts, it boasts a set of unique features and car-like dynamics which makes this midsize truck comfortable and user-friendly.
The 2019 Honda Ridgeline is the newest model on the market, and it does not disappoint. There are many different trim levels available to choose from, including the RT, Sport, RTL, RTL-T, RTL-E, and Black Edition. Here are some of the most impressive features of this new exciting edition of the Honda Ridgeline.
Practical and Unique Exterior
Unlike other pickup trucks that have a body-on-frame construction, this truck sports a unibody construction. The 2019 Honda Ridgeline also boasts unique features, such as a dual-action tailgate that can be pulled out to serve as an extra packing surface or swung open to make loading easier. The locking in-bed trunk offers further functionality by providing a secure stowing space in your trunk. The trunk bed itself is long, wide, and features a 50-inch flatbed between wheel wells where you can stack sheets of materials completely flat. Read the rest of this entry »
Work on Your Golf Game Near Flemington, NJ
Heron Glen Golf Course
Heron Glen Golf Course is an 18-hole course offering five sets of tee boxes for golfers of all skill levels, and there is a practice facility with a driving range that has both grass and mat hitting areas, plus a nice-sized putting green and practice bunker. The signature 13th hole is considered one of the most scenic, especially during the fall.
The National Golf Foundation has given Heron Glen the National Customer Loyalty Award from 2008 through 2018, recognizing it as a top five facility in overall customer loyalty. The course has won multiple awards over the years, including for the best course with most affordable prices, top women-friendly and senior-friendly course, and plenty of No. 1 picks for best course in New Jersey. Read the rest of this entry »
The 2017 Honda Ridgeline is setting the new standard for safety amongst pickup trucks after earning highest-possible safety ratings from both the IIHS and the NHTSA. That means that this model has been awarded with both a Five-Star Overall Vehicle Rating from the NHTSA as well as a TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating from the IIHS. With these two impressive rating the Ridgeline is now the only pickup in America to receive highest possible ratings from both organizations and the only to ever earn a TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating.
Standard safety features on the 2017 Honda Ridgeline include Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) Body Structure, Front Side Airbags, Multi-Angle Rearview Camera, Advanced Front Airbags, Anti-lock Braking System, Vehicle Stability Assist™ with Traction Control, and Side Curtain Airbags (some vehicles equipped with a rollover sensor as well).
This model is also offered with the available Honda Sensing™ suite which includes advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies like Adaptive Cruise Control, Collision Mitigation Braking System™ with Forward Collision Warning, Lane Keeping Assist System, and Road Departure Mitigation with Lane Departure Warning.
“2017 Honda Ridgeline Tops Pickup Trucks in Safety by Earning 5-Star Overall Vehicle Rating from NHTSA.” Honda Newsroom. N.p., 16 Feb. 2017. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. <http://www.hondanews.com/releases/2017-honda-ridgeline-tops-pickup-trucks-in-safety-by-earning-5-star-overall-vehicle-rating-from-nhtsa>.
The 2017 Ridgeline and Pilot with Honda Sensing™ and LED headlights, and the 2017 Accord Sedan with Honda Sensing™ and projector beam halogen headlights have been awarded the coveted 2017 TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in recognition of their superior crash safety performance.
If you have a family that is constantly on-the-go, you need a vehicle that can accommodate your every move and traveling need. Here at Clinton Honda we have exactly what you are looking for, the 2017 Honda Odyssey. This fun, efficient, and functional minivan has been designed to provide you with the space that you need and the convenience that you want to make every family outing as fun and stress-free as possible. Find out more about what this model has to offer when you read about the vehicle details on the Research & Review page that we are going to be releasing soon. Check it out once it arrives for information on trim levels, performance, safety, and more and then make your way over to our dealership to get behind the wheel and test it out.
Honda Super Bowl Commercial
Anyone who tuned in for the Big Game this past weekend not only got to see an incredible game but a variety of highly entertaining star-studded commercials. Honda was one of the many companies that created a special Super Bowl spot which features a variety of famous faces and focused on the brand’s “Power of Dreams” slogan. The 2017 Honda CR-V was the featured vehicle as the spot focused on how the brand’s Power of Dreams led to the creation of a model that is now celebrating 20 years in production. The overall message was that you should never be afraid to dream big because all dreams are possible as long as you put in the time and effort to make them a reality.
The brand took a unique approach to their message by featuring a variety of celebrities including Amy Adams, Steve Carell, Viola Davis, Missy Elliott, Tina Fey, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Jimmy Kimmel, Stan Lee and Robert Redford as they shared how they followed their dreams from humble beginnings to where they are now. The unique element was that each celebrity was speaking as their younger selves from the pages of their high school yearbook.
“Since its introduction in 1997, CR-V has set the standard for efficiency, practicality and driving fun, becoming a customer favorite and taking the title as America’s best-selling SUV over the past two decades,” said Susie Rossick, assistant vice president, Honda Auto Marketing. “To celebrate the all-new, fifth-generation CR-V, we wanted to share inspiring stories that bring to life what we mean when we talk about The Power of Dreams.”
You can see this motivating and inspirational spot below and be sure to stop by Clinton Honda to take a test drive in the 2017 Honda CR-V.
“The Power of Dreams: Honda Rolls Out the Red Carpet for America’s Best-Selling SUV; Celebrating 20 Years of CR-V.” Honda Newsroom. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2017. <http://hondanews.com/releases/the-power-of-dreams-honda-rolls-out-the-red-carpet-for-america-s-best-selling-suv-celebrating-20-years-of-cr-v>.
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