Monday, April 30, 2012

Happy Monday Folks! This week's car care tip: Maintain your car’s battery

Rch

 

Maybe the manufacturer says your battery is maintenance free, but don’t you believe it! Check your battery regularly to extend its life and avoid the hassle of being stranded with a dead battery.

  • Begin with the simple: keeping your battery clean. A dirty case can actually cause current to drain. Wipe with a damp rag. Use a mild detergent if necessary.
  • Next, clean the battery posts or terminals. Loosen and remove the negative cable (black or minus sign) first, then the red positive cable. Use a brass wire battery brush dipped in a paste made from a few tablespoons of baking soda and a little water.
  • Inspect the battery case for damage, such as cracks or bulges — signs that a battery needs to be replaced.
  • Reinstall the cables, positive first, and coat the terminals and clamps with a thin coating of grease to prevent new corrosion.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Fan's here is our Car Care Tip of the Week:

Rch


Protect car paint from the sun - Paint does more than make your vehicle look great. It’s also the first line of defense against rusted body panels. Of course, the best way to protect the paint is to park the car in a garage. If that is not possible, park in the shade or purchase a car cover. The sun’s ultraviolet rays break down paint and cause it to fade. Some car covers protect your car from more than sun, moisture, bird droppings, and dust — they also have a thin layer of cushioning that will guard against light impact, such as from a tipped bicycle or small falling tree branch.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco has electric motor, too!

Chevy

 

Chevrolet’s Malibu mid-size sedan is a welcoming family car — revamped for 2013 with handsome styling, a quieter, refined interior and a pleasant ride.

The Malibu’s eAssist electric motor supplements its four-cylinder gasoline engine. Unlike full hybrids like the Toyota Prius and Ford Fusion Hybrid, the Malibu Eco cannot travel solely on electric power, even for short spurts. Still, the 2013 Malibu Eco earned a fuel economy rating of 25 miles per gallon in city driving and 37 mpg on highways from the federal government.

The ratings compare attractively to the 22/33 mpg rating of the predecessor, 2012 Malibu with a four cylinder and no accompanying electric motor.

The 2013 Malibu Eco is already at dealer showrooms and is being sold alongside 2012 non-Eco Malibus.

Starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including destination charge, is $25,995 for a base 2013 Malibu Eco with front-wheel drive, 182-horsepower, Ecotec, direct gasoline injection, four-cylinder engine mated to a 15-kilowatt electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack.

Standard features include a six-speed automatic transmission, cloth-covered seats, remote vehicle entry, power windows and door locks, dual-zone climate control, 17-inch wheels, antilock brakes, curtain and knee air bags and electronic stability control. It is the first Malibu to offer an onboard navigation system.

Competitors include the 2012 Hyundai Sonata mid-size sedan which has a 198-horsepower four cylinder, six-speed automatic transmission and a government fuel economy rating of 28/35 mpg. Starting retail price is $21,570. The 2012 Sonata Hybrid, with 166-horsepower four cylinder mated to an electric motor and lithium polymer battery pack, starts at $26,625 and has a fuel economy rating of 35/40 mpg,

Another Malibu competitor is the 2012 Ford Fusion sedan, which has a starting MSRP, including destination charge, of $22,495 with 175-horsepower four cylinder, six-speed automatic transmission and a fuel mileage rating of 23/33 mpg. Meanwhile, the 2012 Fusion Hybrid, with 156-horsepower four cylinder mated to an electric motor and nickel metal hydride battery pack, starts at $29,570. The Fusion Hybrid is rated at 41/36 mpg and uses a continuously variable transmission.

The test Malibu Eco impressed with its exterior styling. The Eco model includes some underneath plastic panels and automatic moving “shutters” behind the grille to help smooth airflow and boost fuel economy.

There was some wind noise. But overall, the interior was quieter than in previous Malibus, and road noise was minimized.

The Malibu Eco moved along well but wasn’t a sportster. Zero-to-60-miles-an-hour time is a ho-hum 8.7 seconds, and the four-cylinder engine sounded strained under hard acceleration.

The powerplant is the 2.4-liter, double overhead cam, four cylinder that’s direct injected for decent acceleration. This engine also is used in the Buick LaCrosse and Regal with eAssist and uses a belt/alternator/starter system to carefully manage power and maximize fuel mileage.

In the Malibu Eco test car, electric power, drawn from the onboard battery pack, was fed smoothly, coming on during uphill climbs, for example.

Then, the battery pack would be “refilled” by electric power drawn from regenerative braking as the car slowed and stopped during travel. There is no need to plug in the Malibu Eco’s battery pack, which sits behind the rear seats, in the trunk.

Unless the driver looked at a graphic display on the dashboard showing where the power was coming from at any moment, the mixing in of electric power to the engine power wasn’t readily recognizable.

Alas, fuel mileage on the test averaged just 24.7 mpg. It included some aggressive driving, lots of stop-and-go, and 65 percent city traffic.

This allowed for a range of only 390 miles on a single, 15.8-gallon tank. Drivers really need highway travel to boost the mileage.

Electric rack-and-pinion power steering thankfully didn’t have the artificial feel of earlier electric systems, and the car’s body motions were well controlled in curves and turns.

Rear-seat legroom of 36.9 inches is a tad under the 37.6 inches in the 2012 Malibu but comparable to that in the Fusion.

The low rolling resistance tires, made of a harder rubber compound than regular tires, had some noticeable grip on the test Malibu Eco; low rolling resistance tires on early hybrid cars made travel on wet pavement feel dicey.

In lieu of a weighty spare tire, the Malibu Eco comes standard with a tire sealant and inflator kit that will take most people a while to figure out. The result is a decent-sized trunk of 14.3 cubic feet, down from the 16.3 cubic feet in a non-Eco Malibu.

Source: Washington Post.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Folks, it's time for THIS WEEK'S CAR CARE TIP:

Li__twc

A big old soft sock makes a perfect hand mitt for buffing the wax on your car. Try it out and let us know how well this tip works for you.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Lease a beautiful 2012 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe for only $699 per month!

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Stop in Three-Way Chevrolet and lease a beautiful 2012 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe for only $699 per month! We confident this car would look great in your driveway!

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Fans, you've got to stop by to take a look at our amazing selection of certified used cars.

Twc

 

This amazing 2011 Malibu is just one of them. Stop by or click here for details.

Linda, thank you for your positive feedback.

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"I want to let you know what a great experience it was to have my first oil change at 3-Way. The service supervisor on duty on Saturday did a wonderful job of managing his people, keeping the cars moving etc. I questioned why my tires couldn’t be rotated and even though they were busy he explained it and took the time to show me how to work some of the controls in my car.  I asked that the clock be changed because I couldn’t figure it out and he did it and then showed how to do it. I asked if my car could be washed since I had an extremely busy day ahead and he said he would have it done. I am one who is living on a very tight shoestring budget but if I can afford it this car will ALWAYS be serviced at 3-Way. And Clint in your parts department was awesome as well. Thank you for a pleasant trip and ride." - Linda Witt.

Michel, thank you for sharing your experience.

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Testimonials_-_das_logo

"My name is Michel Boulianne from St Bruno Quebec Canada, and I had a bad experience climbing the Grapewine hill, the transmission of my Chevy truck broke down. I asked the towing driver to bring me to a big Chevy dealer, he did so, and I left my truck in your back yard with my co-ordinations. The next morning at about 7:45 am, Mr. Jim Burque took contact with me, reassuring me that he would do the best to have everything fix up. He did so, and even more, he phoned me 2 times a day to tell me where the repair schedules were. And only after 3 days I had my truck back fully repaired, I did not believe it that all the worked was done and exactly how Mr. Jim told me. You have Mr. Loveall a professional man working for you. I had to tell you my satisfaction of Mr Jim and the mechanic who repaired my truck.  I am more than satisfied of the work done to my truck. On my bad luck, I am happy of having being brought to your garage to have my repairs done." - Michel Boulainne

Monday, April 9, 2012

Happy Monday Folks! It’s time for the maintenance tip of the week.

Rotation

 
Every 5,000 miles or 8,000km, rotate your tires. Front and rear tires wear at different rate and have different wear pattern. By rotating your tires regularly, you are making sure that your tires wear more evenly and last longer. Tire rotation pattern is also different for different tires. It's best to check your owner's manual or call your local dealer for exact recommendations for your tires.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

2014 Chevrolet Impala at the 2012 New York Auto Show

Twc-1

  • Competes with: Hyundai Azera, Toyota Avalon, Ford Taurus
  • Looks like: A stylish sedan, but not a rear-wheel-drive successor to the Pontiac G8 as some might have hoped
  • Drivetrain: 182-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder with eAssist mild-hybrid system; 195-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder or 303-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 with a six-speed automatic transmission; front-wheel drive
  • Hits dealerships: Early 2013

Chevrolet has redesigned its Impala sedan for the 2014 model year. If you were hoping to see this full-size car swap its front-drive layout for a performance-oriented rear-drive setup, you're going to be disappointed because the car you see here, which hits dealerships in early 2013, still has front-wheel drive. However, it does promise better fuel efficiency than its predecessor with the availability of GM's eAssist mild-hybrid system. Pricing information hasn't been released.

More 2012 New York Auto Show Coverage

The new Impala is roughly the same size as the Buick LaCrosse, and it shares a 111.7-inch wheelbase with that sedan. Design cues include a power-dome hood, sculpted body sides and pronounced rear fenders that pay tribute to Impalas from the late '60s. The wide grille brings a new look to Chevrolet sedans, one that has some Camaro influences in it as well as a resemblance to the just-revealed Traverse crossover. Standard exterior features include 18-inch wheels and projector-beam headlights. High-intensity-discharge headlights, LED daytime running lights, and 19- and 20-inch wheels are optional.

 

Twc_-2

 

Inside, the five-seat Impala adopts a version of Chevrolet's now-familiar dual-cockpit dashboard, which is used in the Malibu and Cruze. In the years since the Impala was last redesigned Chevrolet has made significant interior-quality strides; the brand says the Impala's cabin benefits from greater attention to detail and upscale features like available ambient lighting. The backseat head restraints fold for improved rear visibility, but trunk capacity, while very large at 18.8 cubic feet, falls behind the Taurus' 20.1-cubic-foot figure.

 

Tec_-3

 

A revised gauge cluster includes a standard reconfigurable 4.2-inch color screen while the available Chevrolet MyLink system includes an 8-inch touch-screen in the middle of the dash that covers a storage bin. MyLink features include Bluetooth streaming audio and available navigation.

The Impala offers a choice of three engines, all of which drive the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. A 182-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder pairs with the eAssist mild-hybrid system to deliver a projected 35 mpg on the highway, according to Chevrolet. There's also a larger 2.5-liter four-cylinder that makes 195 hp and a 3.6-liter V-6 that produces 303 hp.

Four-cylinder Impalas feature active noise cancellation technology, and all of the engines use direct injection and run on regular gas. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder and V-6 are rated to tow up to 1,000 pounds when properly equipped.

 

Tec-4

Source - Chicago Tribune

Monday, April 2, 2012

Fan's its time for this week's car maintenance tip

Twc

If you have ink stains on the leather, you can remove it with cuticle remover -- not nail polish remover! Just put some on the stain and let it set in anywhere from 10 minutes to overnight and then wipe it off.