Subaru News (BLOG)

Welcome to Subaru News, Suburb Service’s monthly blog! Subaru News is meant to educate, entertain, and engage you in monthly musings on such topics as auto mechanics, Subarus, travel, auto repair, and driving and living in the Lake Forest Park and Shoreline area. Our blogs are released on the first day of each month!

Articles:

Is Tire Sidewall Cracking Dangerous?

Cracked tires are no good-and, often, you'll notice sidewall cracks in your tires first. Sidewall cracking is dangerous because it reduces a driver's ability to handle dramatic increases in load when taking corners and increases the possibility of a tire blowout. Repairing sidewall cracks ASAP is always the best idea. Depending on the extent of the damage, you may need to have a professional install new tires to help you avoid dangerous situations on icy Seattle roads during the winter months. Why Do Tires Crack? Tires can crack for a number of reasons. Age, wear, and exposure to the elements are the most likely causes of cracking in tires. To understand why, you have to think about your tire's materials. Tires are made of rubber, right? Think about how a rubber band would be affected if left outside in wind, rain, hail, and sunlight for years. Then, imagine you ran that rubber band over asphalt every day-think it would wear out quickly? You'd be right. Rubber ... read more

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When Is the Optimal Time to Sell a Car?

Everyone's least favorite car fact? When you purchase a new car, the value drops the moment you drive it off the lot. According to Edmunds, most cars drop in value nearly 20% in the first year...but when is the best time to sell your car to recoup the money you put into it? To avoid any major financial loss on purchasing a new vehicle, you'll want to know when the optimal time to sell. Let's break it down. When Is the Best Time to Sell a New Car? When it comes to selling a car, the best time to sell will vary from driver to driver. Many factors can impact the value of your vehicle-like mileage, age, and wear. As your car ages, you'll need to weigh the pros and cons of maintenance versus shopping for a trade-in. Typically, drivers will make a decision after owning their new car for 30,000 to 40,000 miles. This is when most warranties start to expire and when your first major service usually come due. After the 40,000 mile mark, it's common to need more than j ... read more

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7 Things You Should Never Do When Changing a Tire

Flat tire? Yeah, that'll ruin your morning for sure. Let's face it-no one wants to end up with a flat tire on the side of the highway, but life happens sometimes. To make this unpleasant task a little bit easier, you'll want to prepare yourself for the worst situation. Here are 7 things you should never, ever do when changing a tire. 7 Things You Should Never Do When Changing a Tire1. Ignore your tire pressure. When your tire pressure light flashes on, don't ignore it. Keep your tires properly inflated and you'll significantly reduce your chances of having a flat. 2. Not maintain your spare tire. A spare tire can be a lifesaver when a flat tire occurs, but only if it's ready to roll. Learn now how to remove your spare tire and where to find the jack in your car. If you don't have one, it's time to invest to ensure you're always covered in the event of an accident. 3. Break down in an unsafe location. While you ... read more

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Top 4 Car Tricks For Winter Months

When it comes to driving, winter can be a scary time of year. You have to worry about snow, ice, hail, and distracted drivers hustling around during the holidays. We want to make the season a little easier for our favorite Subaru owners-here are our top 4 car tricks for winter months. 4 Winter Car Hacks to Make the Season Brighter1. Keep an ice scraper on hand. First and foremost, you should always keep an ice scraper in your trunk or glove box. On a cold, snowy day in Seattle, you might need it to scrape off snow or ice from the windshield before heading into work. 2. Raise your windshield wipers overnight. Don't have a garage? Parking your car outside for the night? Check the weather and be ready for the snow, ice, or wind chill. If you know it's going to snow or inclimate weather is imminent, consider raising your windshield wipers overnight. This will keep them from getting buried under snow and frozen to your windshie ... read more

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Packing Your Car for a Snowy Adventure

Taking a winter hike up to Hog Lake in Spokane? Heading off on a weekend getaway to ski with old friends? Whatever snowy adventures you have planned, you'll want to pack your car accordingly. Here's exactly how to pack your car for a winter trip. How to Pack your Car for a Winter TripPack in reserve order. Packing a full car's worth of skiing and snowboarding gear can get complicated really quickly. You'll want to start with a clean slate and add items according to priority. Things you'll need the least should go in first; things you'll need the most should be at the back or front of the car and easy to access. Decide to roof rack or not. Thinking about carrying your gear on a roof rack? This is the first decision you'll have to make when planning to pack for a snowy adventure. Racking your heavier items will free up space inside the car for people and gear, but installing a full roof rack system can be expensive (if you do ... read more

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