Road Trip - Lone Star CarsSummer is right around the corner – that means everybody’s gearing up for a road trip! If you’re hitting the road this year, you might want to take a look at some classic road trip movies.

If your car is equipped with a built-in entertainment system, you could even watch these movies during your excursion. .

Blockbuster recently released a great infographic about the subject of road trip movies. Watching any of these movies is a great way to get that open-road feeling without spending a ton of cash of travel expenses.

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Tire Pressure - Lone Star CarsTires deflate. Unfortunately, this is just a part of driving a car. Tire manufacturers around the world are constantly working on developing new and better technology that can help drivers avoid fluctuations in tire pressure, but changes still occur. When your tires are properly inflated, your vehicle benefits from improved fuel efficiency.

Gas prices continue to climb each year; making a simple habit out of maintaining your tire’s air pressure levels could save you money at the pump. In addition to enhanced fuel economy, properly inflated tires also reduce the likelihood of accidents. Tire blowouts most commonly occur when tires aren’t inflated to their correct levels.

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Many people know that their vehicle is made of metals, plastic, glass, and rubber. However, can you recycle your car? Environmentally-conscious citizens often wonder about the impact of their actions, known as the “carbon footprint.”

Recycling small cans and plastic bottles will benefit our environment, but nearly 10 million vehicles are also recycled each year. Out of those 10 million vehicles, 75% of material in each vehicle is recycled.

Although rubber makes up less than 5% of the recyclable components from a vehicle, 80% of scrapped tires are reused for new products. Studies show that 3 million scrapped tires can be recycled into over 34 million pounds of surfaces for children’s playgrounds. Additionally, over 100 cities make use of recycled tired for rubberized sidewalks.

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Lone Star Cars - Spark PlugsChanging you spark plugs can seem overwhelming at first, but the process actually isn’t extremely difficult. Performing maintenance like spark plug replacements can save you big money on repair. Some auto shops charge over $1,000 for a simple spark plug removal, depending on your vehicle. Spark plugs are essential to the performance of your engine because they ignite air fuel mixture inside the cylinder so your engine produce power.

We found a really great video that details how to change your spark plugs step by step. The mechanic in this video will have you impressing your friends with your automotive know-how in no time.

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Car Thefts 2012 - Lone Star CarsA stolen car is like a kidnapped friend; you miss them more when you don’t know if you’ll ever see them again. A recent report from the Texas Auto Burglary and Theft Prevention Authority details the top vehicles in Texas for thieving.

Criminals typically like to make their crimes as easy as possible, so they target vehicles that they can steal quickly.

Take a look at our list to see if you were driving one of the highly targeted vehicles of 2012.

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Used Cars Dallas - Lone Star CarsIt doesn’t matter who you are; you can’t legally drive a car on city streets without insurance. Some studies indicate that nearly 30% of drivers might be hitting the road without the minimum-required coverage. Auto insurance isn’t just required by law, it is there to protect every driver on the road.

In the event of a major accident, auto insurance could prevent everyone involved from huge financial responsibility. Insurance companies understand that accidents happen.

Theft is a different story. Many auto insurance companies offer very little in the way of compensation or reimbursement in the case of auto theft. Insurance companies will usually cover the car if it is stolen, but contents of the car are usually not covered since they aren’t listed on your insurance policy.

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Car Maintenance - Dallas Used CarsRoutine maintenance is the key to keeping your car up and running for years. High-mileage vehicles (vehicles over 100,000 miles) need extra care and often require a little more attention. The old rule used to be that an oil change should take place every 3,000 miles.

Many vehicles – even high-mileage vehicles – now need an oil change only once every 5,000 to 7,000 miles. Technological advancements have been great for engines, but you still have to keep up with the basic. The fluids in your car are the lifeblood of the engine, so make sure to routinely check your levels.

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Dallas Used Cars - Lone Star CarsIn the modern age, cars now come equipped with Bluetooth technology, USB ports, and battery charging pads. Technological advancements provide drivers with luxuries which were unimaginable decades ago, but the automotive industry is still evolving. Projections indicate that self-driving cars will represent up to 75% of all vehicles on the road by the year 2040.

Self-driving cars will follow other cars closely and reduce accidents. Intersections will become more efficient and reduce drive time. As crazy as it may seem, steering wheels and pedals might be obsolete someday. Analysts’ projections show that sensors and software will likely take over for traditional components of vehicles today.

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Brake IssuesYou can’t drive too fast without fully functioning brakes to slow you down. Most people know that they will need to replace brake pads during the life of their vehicle. However, many people are not aware of how frequently to change their pads or the common signs of brake issues.

Taking good care of your brakes is an essential part of keeping your vehicle in tip-top shape, but brakes also save lives. We want everyone to stay safe and arrive alive, so below we will detail some common signs of brake issues.

Brake Lights

Have you ever been driving when a warning light suddenly bursts on to your dashboard? In some cases, a brake warning light will indicate low brake fluid levels. You can easily add more fluid, but the problem might not be so straightforward. Your brake line could potentially have a leak. Check the brake line for a leak on your own or take you vehicle to the nearest shop to make sure your brakes are safely working.

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Many people plan to hit the open road this holiday season. Families are geared up and ready to make cross-country drives that could potentially take them through unfamiliar states. Nothing can ruin your family’s voyage quite like an unforeseen speeding ticket or lengthy exchange with a well-meaning office doing his job.

Police officers and highway patrolmen go out each day and try to protect every driver on the road. One way that law enforcement officials attempt to curb reckless driving is by ticketing speeding motorists. In many cases, when people see a vehicle pulled off the road for speeding, they will lower their speed for a considerable period of time.

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