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Preventative planning is key when determining how best to deal with emergency roadside situations. Consider the following steps the next time you find yourself in a compromising situation while out on the road:

1. Plan to Put Out Flashers: Having a set of flashers or triangles available to steer oncoming traffic away from you and your vehicle is a must for safety as you wait for help.
2. Plan to Move Your Car: Only if you are able, go ahead and move your car to the side of the road. Note that this might not be possible or even advisable in some…

Motor oil keeps your engine clean, lubricated and healthy. The more you drive, the more frequently you need to change your oil, according to our Bowman Commercial service department. What if you don't drive that often? You still need oil changes, just not as frequently.

When You Don't Drive That Often

Regardless of how often you drive, your car engine stills needs an oil change every 3,000 to 7,500 miles. If you're driving a model that's more than 10 years old, consider oil changes at 3,000-mile intervals. 

Despite the belief that it’s the battery that gives your car power, the alternator is actually the powerhouse for your car. Although your battery gives your care the electricity needed to start the car, it’s the alternator that generators power and sends it to the battery. Many drivers mistakenly buy a new battery when it’s actually the alternator that needs replacing. Come to Bowman Commercial to get your alternator and battery-related questions answered.

Here are some signs your alternator may need replacing.
 

It's always a good idea to keep a tire pressure gauge in your vehicle, but many newer models come equipped with tire pressure sensors. These sensors will alert you if the pressure inside of your vehicle is too low or too high. It's important that your tires have an exact amount of pressure in them so they can safely keep you on the road.

As with any feature on your vehicle, tire pressure sensors can require repair or service themselves. You can usually narrow this problem down by checking all four of your tires. If their pressure is…

It's hot outside and you hear a hissing sound coming from underneath your hood. Otherwise, maybe you hear a squealing sound in cold weather. Either way, these signs could mean expensive repairs on your vehicle. At Bowman Commercial, we're committed to helping you avoid unexpected and costly auto repairs, so we would like to tell you more about belts and hoses so that you can do preventative maintenance before small problems become big ones.

One of your hoses is responsible for sending coolant to your radiator. Without this coolant, your car can overheat, resulting in damage to your…

Let this blog post from us at Bowman Commercial remind you that your vehicle needs periodic alignment adjustments. This service can improve your drives' smoothness, and it can help your tires' treads last longer.

We use an alignment tester to evaluate your tires, wheels and related components. It provides key measurements like toe, camber and caster. Toe is simply where a tire points when your steering wheel is straight. We want neutral, straight readouts, but we sometimes see tires that point right or left. Camber deals with tires leaning in or out when viewed from above. 

Look at your vehicle as spring approaches and decide that you will take care of it how it should be taken care of from a maintenance prospective. In other words, don’t let things slide any more as you come out of the winter season. It is easy to bury our heads in the sand and pretend like there are no problems, but this is not advisable. There are some basic pieces of maintenance to take care of now.

 

Driving on snow, ice, and slush can be dangerous, especially if you don't have the right tires on your car. Winter tires, also known as snow tires, are designed to provide maximum traction in bad winter weather. If you're thinking about adding winter tires, you need to know the three most common types.

Studded winter tires have metal studs within the treads. These studs dig into the frozen surface, providing needed traction. Some have permanent studs, while others have studs that can be removed until needed. Today's tire technology has advanced and studless winter tires are more…

Don't ignore a seemingly small chip in a windshield. The crack could expand and make the vehicle unsafe to drive. An extended chip usually means a full windshield replacement is unavoidable. Relying on insurance or warranties to cover the loss might lead to disappointments, too. Turning to windshield chip repair work may provide the perfect solution.

Windshield chip repair follows a two-step process. Special tool technology first forces air out of the chip, and then the fills the chip with resin. The resin soon hardens as it cures. Once the curing completes, the annoying chip no longer 

 

Misconceptions about motor oil abound. At Bowman Commercial, we want to help Clarkston drivers identify common motor oil myths and unlearn them. After all, when you have the right information about your car's maintenance needs, you can make timely and informed decisions.

Different Vehicles Have Different Oil Change Schedules

Most drivers believe that oil changes should always be performed every 3,000 miles. In truth, however, some cars only need to have this service performed once every 7,000 miles. Fortunately, determining the right schedule for this service isn't rocket science.