Here at Duncan Acura, we want you to be a well-informed vehicle owner when it comes to maintenance. Preparing your vehicle for winter is crucial if you live in areas that experience icy and snowy road conditions, and we want you to be safe while driving in them.

Gain enhanced visibility in snow storms. One simple thing you can do alongside changing to snow tires is to change your wiper blades out for a pair that are more suitable for winter driving. Winter wiper blades have a more durable rubber blade that doesn't freeze solid, and a stronger frame…

You know that you're in the market for new tires, but do you know what type you should get? The two main types of tires are winter tires and all-season varieties. They both have pros and cons, but what you need will depend on the vehicle you have and where you live.

In you are located in an area of the country that gets a lot of snow - like Roanoke, VA - then you'll need a set of winter tires to get around. If you invest in winter tires, you'll need a different set for the warmer weather…

Some vehicles come equipped with a roof rack. This rack is designed to provide you with more cargo space than just what you have inside the vehicle. If you are someone who likes to travel, this can be a great feature to have included. If you have never used a roof rack before, here are some tips to help you out.

Make sure that you purchase a storage container that will properly on your vehicle's rack. It shouldn't hang over the sides or the front of the vehicle. Secure the box or container onto your vehicle properly. 

Steering is a process that involves precise timing. The moment you turn your steering wheel, your car must react properly so that its wheels will successfully drift around curves and turns on the road. However, if an automobile understeers or oversteers, most driving maneuvers will be tougher because the steering wheel's timing will be off.

Understeering and oversteering can make a car behave differently. If your automobile understeers, it will continue to drive straight for a while after you spin the steering wheel.  

Here at Duncan Acura, we care that you take pride in your purchased vehicle. Now all we need to do is educate you on a few tips that will help you clean your car faster than you thought was possible!

Tip 1: Keep It Simple, Just Use Water

If nothing else, water will help you rinse the outside of your car to clean off dirt and bugs. Of course, drying it off with a clean towel will help remove hard water spots.

Tip 2: Remove Undesirables 

Duncan Acura knows that the safety of your child is an important consideration when choosing a new vehicle. LATCH evaluations of child safety seats can help shed light on the ease of child seat installations in a new vehicle.

IIHS is an organization that conducts crash tests and LATCH evaluations. LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. These evaluations relate specifically to the hardware that is used to attach a child safety seat in a vehicle.  

High quality vehicle maintenance incorporates service to all wearable areas of your vehicle. You are probably used to getting oil changes done, but there are many other areas to pay attention to. For example, your headlights are an important safety feature that requires routine maintenance. If you can't see the road well in front of you, then you are a danger to yourself and others while you are driving on the road. Routine headlight maintenance includes:

• Cleaning the interior of the headlight casing. When this area is dirty, this can make your headlights appear much dimmer. 

The radiator in the engine is very important in the engine of the vehicle. For one thing, it completes the cooling system of the engine so that you can drive your vehicle for a while without worrying about it heating up and burning out as long as you are keeping everything in working order.

The thermostat in your vehicle is a lot like the thermostat in your home. It acts to make sure that your vehicle's engine is cool enough to keep working. Without the thermostat, your vehicle might be working at a slight disadvantage when it comes to…

You are your own best advocate when it comes to protecting your finances. It might make excellent financial sense to refinance your car loan at this time. If you meet certain conditions, you might be able to save yourself some money each month with lower payments.

Repaying your loan may have elevated your credit level since you first took out your loan. If it has, you may be able to qualify for a lower interest rate, which could save you plenty of money each month in a lower payment. 

While your teen might have certain ideas about their first car, you may be a bit more choosy. It's important for your teen's independence that they have a car for work and school, but you want to pick one that will be reliable and safe.

You'll want to pass by cars boasting of their impressive acceleration. While your teen may not mean to, it's too easy for inexperienced drivers to accidentally speed in cars with a high horsepower rating. Slower and solidly dependable vehicles, like pickup trucks or SUVs, actually make an excellent first car.