Are you looking for ways to increase your fuel economy without having to get another new car? Well, Kia’s coming a long way in terms of fuel-efficient vehicles and even electric vehicles, but if you’re not ready to make the switch just yet there are several ways you can increase those MPGs in the vehicle you’re driving now. Check them out!

Don’t speed! It’s illegal, to begin with, and it decreases your MPGs. We all love to go fast on the Northway, but try to stay closer to the speed limit and see how it helps!

When driving on highways, use your cruise control. Speeding creates a lot of accidental acceleration and deceleration – with cruise control on, that’s eliminated. If you stay at a reasonable speed, that’s just the icing on the cake.

Don’t idle your vehicle. Idling not only wastes fuel but harms the environment. Restarting your car uses less gas than just a few seconds of idling, so just think about that next time you double park on Lark Street!

If you have a storage box or rack on your roof, switch to something that serves the same purpose but that’s rear mounted. It helps your vehicle be more aerodynamic, which saves fuel.

Finally, be safe. When you are driving, really focus on safety and being a model driver. When you focus, you’re more likely to drive in a way that maximizes your MPGs. Who knew!

If you are anything like me, you’re both an avid road tripper and also really really addicted to being prepared for anything. If you fit this description, I have the list for you! This is a long list of the things you might want to keep in your vehicle in case of things like boredom or real emergency – so feel free to pick and choose your favorites (or at least the things you think you’ll need the most) and then put them in some sort of storage device in your car. Thank me later!!!

In The Car

• Blankets and pillows

• Music

• Folding chairs

• Reading material

• Camera

• Cash for toll roads

• GPS

• Binoculars

• Wet wipes

• Puzzle books and quiet toys for kids

• Pen, pencil, notepad

• Tissues, paper towels, toilet paper

• Small bags for garbage

Vehicle Emergency Kit

• Flashlight, roadside signal flares or reflective cones/warning signs

• First aid kit

• Booster cables, wrenches, screwdrivers (basic tool kit)

• Gallon jug of water

• Extra washer fluid, oil, transmission oil, brake fluid

• Rags, workshop towels, old blanket

• Gloves

• Spare belts (alternator, fan and air conditioner belts)

• Candle, warm clothes, heavy blanket (for winter travel)

• Duct tape and WD40

Sometimes it feels like my car is a needy child. It’s always hungry for more gas, it pitches a fit in the cold weather. The oil always needs to be changed. Thank goodness I don’t need to put my car through college, I’d be in trouble! Uggg, so much effort to keep my car running! What’s the point!? Actually, why DO we need to change the oil in our cars? What does the oil even do for our car? Is it really necessary to put all this effort and money into our cars? As with most things in life, there is, in fact, a rhyme AND reason for the things we must do. So if you enjoy the benefit of driving yourself to work on a freezing cold morning such as this when the temperature was 1 degree, check out this cool info about why your oil is important to your car.

1. Lubricates the engine. All the moving parts that enable your engine to work create heat and will wear down the engine dramatically without proper oil lubrication. Make sure to refer to the owner’s manual to see what specific weight and grade of oil the vehicle requires and ensure it is kept at the recommended fill volume.

2. Temperature regulation. As mentioned above, your engine creates heat with all the moving parts. So, by maintaining clean and sufficient amounts of oil you are preventing too much friction and over-heating of the engine.

3. Protects engine from dirt. Dirt and dust manage to show up in the most unlikely places. I don’t know how it does it, I’m not a dirt scientist, but it just does. When it comes to your car, dirt particles are deadly to engines. Over time, dirt can cause corrosion and decrease the life of an engine oil traps that dirt and dust and breaks down into “sludge.” The ultimate goal, keep the engine clean, and it will stay working longer. Changing oil is an important part of keeping the engine clean.

4. Improves gas mileage. In addition to overheating, poor engine lubrication can lead to increased fuel consumption, so make sure there is enough clean oil in the engine.

5. Increases lifespan of the vehicle. Much like a diet of just fast food, not taking care of your vehicle will decrease its lifespan. By keeping up with maintenance you’ll be able to keep your vehicle running well much longer than if you don’t.

As it turns out, changing your oil and keeping up with your vehicle’s regular maintenance is actually important. Your car isn’t just being an overdramatic child. It needs these things to function.  Here at Destination Kia, we have a variety of service coupons that make this regular maintenance even more affordable. Come see how affordable and convenient routine maintenance and repairs at Destination Kia are. To make things even better, when you buy from Destination Kia you get 3 years of oil changes and car washes FOR FREE! Stop by today!

Destination, leave a Kia under the tree for me.
I heard you have the new Soul
Destination, so hurry down to Alb’ny tonight!

Destination, a Forte, Optima, and Sorento too, BLAZE BLUE
Right on their Specials page
Destination, so hurry down to Alb’ny tonight!  

Think of all the perks you’d miss
Look all these Kia’s on their specials list!
Puppies and babies they don’t include
But 3 years of oil changes sounds pretty good!

Destination, A little birdy mentioned to me, a spree
At the Colonie Mall
From Destination, so hurry down to Alb’ny tonight!

So Hurry down to Alb’ny tonight
So Hurry to Destination tonight
Hurry

*For more details and qualifications for these special offers go to the Destination Kia Specials page on our website.

A few weeks ago on our Destination Kia blog we discussed the different kinds of vehicle maintenance that is safe for you to do on your own and the following weeks we’ve been covering how to actually do those pieces of maintenance. This week: Spark Plugs. Changing your spark plugs is a relatively simple and quick process that can take anywhere from 20-30 minutes depending on how many plugs you have. It costs around $15 to do this yourself (the price of new spark plugs). Here is how to do it:

1. Locate the spark plugs by following the thick, rubbery wires under the hood of your car. Depending on the number of cylinders in your engine, you will find four, six, or eight spark plugs.

2. Start at the end of the row of spark plugs, pull the wires off the plugs by grasping the wire as close to the engine as you can then pulling or wiggling it a bit. Only pull off one wire at a time.

3. After you get the first wire off, attach a spark plug socket and extension to a ratchet. Set your ratchet to loosen, slide it over the plug as far as it will go, then remove the old plug.

4. Install the new plug by screwing it in by hand then tightening with a wrench.

5. Reattach the spark wire plug. Then repeat with each spark plug, one at a time.

So now you know! Granted, it’s winter weather out there and is getting pretty cold, so if changing your spark plugs yourself feels like more work than it’s worth, you can definitely stop by Destination Kia and we’ll be happy to do that for you! Or if your vehicle requires work more complicated than changing your spark plugs, we’ll be more than happy to help with that too. Destination Kia is here to help!

Identify Your Bulb Type

Welp, my headlights have gone out. How will I ever survive?!?!? Daylight only extends to 4PM, so I guess I’ll just have to live at my office now. UNLESS I can change the dead bulb in my headlights? WHAT?! It’s not as complicated as I thought! AMAZING! So how do you change the bulb in your headlights? Follow these helpful steps below and you too can enjoy the glorious benefits of night time driving!

Tools for the Job

Owner’s manual: Your owner’s manual will have more than just the type of bulb you will need—it will also show you where your bulb is placed and how to switch out your headlight.

Screwdriver: While newer vehicle models don’t use screws to hold any of the parts in place, you may need one for an older vehicle.

Safety glasses: Always a good idea to keep yourself safe.

Steps to Change a Headlight

1. Open and prop your vehicle’s hood.

2. Remove the power connector from the back of the headlight. This may require a slight turn to get it loose.

3. Remove the dust cover from the back of the headlight. This also may require a small twist to get loose.

4. Some cars have a clip that holds the bulb in place. Press down on this clip to release the light bulb.

5. Grasp the housing of the bulb and pull it out. This step may require a little wiggling to get it loose. Do not pull the bulb by the glass or tug the bulb roughly. You could cause it to break.

6. Holding the old bulb and new bulbs by their housings, compare to make sure they match.

7. To guarantee your bulb is free of dust and fingerprints, gently wipe it with a pre-moistened alcohol wipe or rubbing alcohol on a dust-free cloth.

8. Line up the bulb housing with the open socket and insert carefully. Make sure it’s secure.

9. Slide the bulb back in place and twist if necessary to make sure it’s locked into its spot.

10. Replace the clip (if you have one), dust cover, and power connector.

11. Turn on your headlights to ensure the bulb and connection are working.

12. Close the hood and pat yourself on the back!

Now you know! That wasn’t too hard, was it? If you just responded to that question with, well actually it kinda was and I never in my life want to do that again, the good news is that you can head over to Destination Kia and they will be happy to replace your headlights for you! Stop by today!

With winter weather on its way, it will be more important than ever to make sure you can keep your windshield clean, crisp, and clear for when you’re driving through whatever madness mother nature throws our way this year. For that reason, we’re going to give you some helpful tips on changing your wipers before the crazy weather shows up.

Replace Your Wipers

Changing your wiper blades is typically a simple task. If, however,  you’re not sure you’re up for that task you can always leave it to the professionals at Destination Kia in their service center. If you want to do it yourself, here are some helpful steps:

1. Measure. Measure the wiper blade length or check your car’s owner’s manual for the correct blade size.

2. Remove the old wiper. Lift the wiper arm away from the windshield and depress the small tab on the underside of the wiper where it meets the wiper arm. When the tab is depressed, slide the wiper blade off the arm by pulling downward.

3. Attach the new wiper blade. Pull the wiper blade tight onto the arm. You will hear a clicking sound when it locks into place. Now, simply lower the arm slowly back onto the windshield and repeat this process on the other wiper arm.

4. Test. Finally, test the wipers after installation. It’s better to do it now, when it’s convenient, as opposed to during the middle of a downpour.

Something as simple as keeping your windshield clean and your windshield wipers working to their best ability could be the difference between safe driving and an accident. Make sure you are taking all the precautions this year. Stop by Destination Kia to get your vehicle ready for the winter!

The holidays are a time filled with love, joy, and juuuust a little stress. My mom insists every single year that she loves getting ready for Thanksgiving and having the family around. “It makes me happy,” she says while she cries into a bowl of stuffing. I know that she loves having the family over, but she ends up stressing herself out with all of the preparations. This year, in an effort to help my mother stay calm, I’m bringing her to Destination Kia to test drive one of their many specials. Few things bring my mother as much joy as exceptional savings, so I’m thinking this will help to destress my poor mom.

With options like the 2017 Kia Forte LX which can be leased for $178 a month for a 36-month lease or $117 a month for a 36-month lease with $1,999 due at signing mom will be sure to zen out a bit! Mom has been looking for something fun with plenty of space, so the 2018 Kia Soul which she can lease for $229 per month with a 36-month lease and $0 due at signing is perfect! These prices are amazing!

Bringing the whole family together for a delicious meal can be pretty intense, but these savings will have even mom feeling lighter, even fluffier, than her special cheesy mashed potatoes. Other awesome deals you’ll find at Destination Kia include the 2018 Kia Sportage LX, 2018 Kia Optima PHEV EX, 2017 Niro Hybrid LX, and the 2018 Kia Sorento LX! To find out more about these deals check out our specials page on our website!

Stop by Destination Kia, to help mom get through her favorite time of year with most of her sanity intact!

*All specials expire on 11/30/17 see specials page for full details.

Last week we talked about the various kinds of maintenance that you should never do on your own. It’s not about you, it’s about safety, and having the necessary equipment. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t easy tasks that you can manage on your own. Below we have listed the top 5 things you can handle all on your own.

Air Filter
You need a new air filter for your car every 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first. This is a fairly easy job that would take probably 10 minutes to do on your own.

Windshield Wipers
You’ll need new wiper blades after about six months or a year of use. It depends on how much you’ve had to use them that year. Driving with a streaked windshield is unsafe for you and those on the road around you, so it’s not worth the risk to ignore something as simple as this.

Headlights
Replacing your headlights is fairly simple and should only take you ten minutes. The only cost with this maintenance task is the cost of the new headlight, which can run anywhere from $20-$100 depending on what kind of bulb you need.

Spark Plugs
Changing your spark plugs can take anywhere from 20-30 minutes depending on how many plugs you have. It costs around $15 to do this yourself (the price of new spark plugs).

Oil/Oil Filter
Your oil is typically changed every 3,500-5,000 miles depending on your vehicle. If you aren’t sure, check your owner’s manual. Your engine keeps everything in your engine running smoothly and acts as a temperature regulator, so it is vitally important that you keep up with your oil changes. It takes about 45 minutes to change your own oil and will cost around $20 (the price of oil and a new filter).

Over the next few weeks we will cover how to do each of these tasks so that if you all want to do them on your own, you’ll know how to do it. In the meantime, if you are thinking to yourself, “Well, that seems like a lot of work. Can’t I just get this done for me??” You definitely can. Stop by Destination Kia and we’ll be more than happy to get your vehicle in tip-top shape!

Now, I’m a firm believer in the Do-It-Yourself life. If I can fix it or do it myself, I 100% will. There are, however, a variety of things that I would never try to do on my own, particularly when it comes to my car. Let’s be real, I’d prefer to just pay to have something fixed up, rather than accidentally mess something up and have to pay even more to get it repaired. Or even worse, damage something crucial and end up in an accident because I made a mistake! No thanks, I choose life. So, here are some pieces of vehicle maintenance that you should maybe leave to the pros. Next week I’ll provide a list of regular vehicle maintenance that you can easily do on your own.

1. Wiring Harness Repair

Wiring harnesses are the brains of modern cars, sending electrical signals to make your vehicle run. Not to dismiss your mechanical abilities here, but this is a lot like a Doctor Frankenstein-kinda project if you tried to fix this on your own. We all know how that went down. Not awesome, friends. So the question is: Is this a vehicle you are driving? Or is a junker that you’ve been working on? If it’s just a junker and you’re out here for fun or a learning adventure, you’ll likely learn a lot, and there’s something to be said for knowing how your car is wired. If however, you depend on this vehicle to get you to work so that you can pay your bills, it is so not worth it. For real, wiring harnesses are notoriously temperamental and when something’s wrong in there you’re gonna need to call in a pro at Destination Kia.

2. Air Conditioning Repair

Even at the most basic of the 3 air conditioning repair levels, I’m not willing to attempt that fix. I don’t have experience working with hazardous materials like that found in a DIY refrigerant top-off kit. This is more a risk of my own health, than damage to my vehicle,  and I’m really not interested in that risk. The next 2 levels would require specialized parts like a vacuum pump to remove existing refrigerant before charging the system back to factory specs, or even having to dismantle the dashboard to check for leaks or a malfunction. That’s a bit more than I’m willing to take on as a project, and is best left to the professionals.

3. Body Work

Unless you are literally the Michelangelo of automotive body filler putty, I promise you this will not work out the way you want. Grand aspirations of fixing up your car to it’s former glory with some putty and a dream usually turns into second-rate fill and mismatched paint. You will definitely save money, but at what cost, friends.? AT WHAT COST?! Apparently around 7 dollars for a pint, BUT THAT IS BESIDES THE POINT! It’s usually best to leave these sorts of issues to the professionals — it will look significantly better than if you tried to fix it on your own.

4. Spring Removal

In order to take a spring out of its housing, you need to compress it with a device called a spring compressor(I know, shocking!). Ok, great, that sounds fine right? Well, hold on there friend, do you happen to have an industrial-grade compressor laying around the house, because that’s the kind of power you’d need. Yah, I didn’t think so. Even if you did, keeping that spring tamed and secured is a daunting task. Like, imagine that thing lets loose and you happen to be in the line of fire. Seriously, people have been seriously injured and even died this way. Once again, I choose life. Leave this to the safety of professionals.

5. Ignition System Repair

Fun fact: messing up your ignition system will definitely make it a wee bit tricky to start your car. And by a wee bit, I mean that thing is not going to start, you are going to be late for work, and that coworker you HATE will end up with the promotion. Honestly, the risk of failure and subsequent damage here has only grown with the creation of modern electronic ignition systems. It’s no longer as simple as pulling a spark plug wire and looking for a spark. Unless you’d really like to light yourself up like that cat from National Lampoon Christmas Vacation to the tune of 50,000 volts of electricity, I strongly recommend not tackling this job by yourself!

Ok, so there are quite a few car-related fixes that just aren’t practical to tackle on your own. I get it, I too want to be a wizard and fix my car on my own, but for the safety of your vehicle, and in many cases, your life, please leave it to the professionals. Next week, we’ll talk about some jobs that are safe for you to do on your own! In the meantime, if your vehicle is in need of service, stop by Destination Kia today and we’ll be happy to get you all sorted out.