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I don’t know about your in-laws, but mine do this super cool thing where they pass judgment on every single thing I do, say, think...It’s my favorite! Their latest thing to gripe about is my car. I’d had my car for about 8 years, she had been a good car, but after all of the harassing about my car not being a safe car for kids, I finally caved at got a new car. A 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee from Zappone Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram in Granville. I thought, finally my in-laws will ease up on the harassment. We all decided to go on a family road trip with our daughter and the in-laws, NOT MY IDEA, but it would make my wife happy, so off we went. We packed all of our things in, set up the car seat for the baby and there was plenty of room for my in-laws. When we pulled up to pick up my in-laws my mother-in-law immediately said: “THIS is your new car?” Yes, what exactly is the problem with this car? “Well, she said, I’m just not so sure about it.” Ok, Gladys, I’m hearing you, it’s not a car YOU picked so you’re not happy, well let’s see if I can convince you that I actually made the right choice! When they finally got in the car and we got on the road, it’s hard to deny how much space they had, even with the car seat! They had plenty of legroom and were able to really stretch out. My mother-in-law was particularly surprised that all of our bags fit in the back of the car. The next surprise came with the Uconnect 8.4 NAV system with its 8.4-inch touch screen with hands-free options, and even Siri Eyes Free options to keep my focus fully on the road at all times. With SiriusXM, I was able to play my mother-in-law’s favorite music for the ride, which kept her happy longer than I anticipated. The second we started to hit some traffic on the highway, my mother-in-law started up again. She always gets nervous out on the highway, especially when the road is busy. As traffic started moving at a normal pace again, the car in front of us stopped abruptly. Because I have Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning with Active Braking to warn me of a potential crash and stop my vehicle autonomously I was able to avoid hitting the car. Were it not for that feature I’m not sure I would have been able to stop fast enough. That really impressed my mother-in-law. After that my mother-in-law wanted to know what else this Jeep had to offer. She was amazed to learn all of the safety features this vehicle had to offer like Sentry Key® Theft Deterrent System, Rain Brake Support, Driver Inflatable Knee-Bolster Airbags, Keyless Enter ’N Go, Ready Alert Braking, ParkView™ Rear Backup Camera, Hill Start Assist, Enhanced Accident Response System, Four-Wheel Traction Control, Lock On Sync Tire Pressure Sensor, Remote Proximity Keyless Entry, Trail-Sway Damping, LATCH System, Electronic Rear Limited-Slip Differential, Remote Start System, Electronic Stability Control, and Security Alarm to name a few. The rest of the ride both of my in-laws stayed pretty quiet other than the usual pleasant conversation. The road trip went pretty well and my in-laws seemed to be happy enough so I was happy. The next weekend when I sent to drop my daughter off at my in-laws I saw a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee in their driveway. Looks like I finally did something my in-laws approve of! See Why the Jeep Grand Cherokee Is Mother-In-Law Approved

Your headlights are one of the most important safety features on your vehicle, though you might not recognize them as such! If you’re having any problems with your headlights, you need to get them addressed as soon as possible. You risk getting pulled over or into an accident if your headlights don’t work properly, so maintaining them is paramount! If your headlights work, but are dimmer than you think they should be (or too dim to properly illuminate the road for you), the first thing you should do is clean them. Use cleaning solution and a clean microfiber cloth and give them a nice wash. If that didn’t help, come ask us about upgrading your headlight bulbs or reconditioning the plastic lenses to restore that brightness! If one of your headlights is out, then it is probably a burned out bulb that needs to be replaced. Don’t wait on this one - just because you still have one working headlight doesn’t mean you’re not a hazard on the road. If both of your headlights are dead, well, why haven’t you gotten them fixed yet?? It’s probably a broken or burnt out relay or control switch that needs to be replaced. Finally, if both of your headlights work fine but get a little dimmer in situations like when you’re accelerating, you might have a problem with your charging system. Tell us about it at your next oil change, and we’ll take a look for you. Service Doesn’t Have To Cost An Arm And A Peg Leg

There’s nothing wrong with wanting things, but often we have to stop ourselves before we act on those desires. Well, you won’t have to restrain yourself this month at Zappone Chrysler Jeep Dodge in Granville, because our specials are priced to treat yourself. Take a look at them and then take a deep breath, because now’s the time to indulge! If you’ve always had your eye on the sporty and rugged Jeep Wrangler, then you’re in luck! The 2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara is on the lot and available for you to buy for only $39,905. This is a brand new Jeep Wrangler that you can make your own, and that you can trust to take you anywhere you want to go… and we mean anywhere. There’s no road, trail, or thought that this vehicle can’t tackle! For folks in the market for the perfect minivan for their family and lifestyle, we’ve got great deals on the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica L! I had a friend once describe his old Pacifica as a tank that he knew would live forever. Well, that’s still true, but the years of innovation between then and now mean that the 2018 Pacifica has the technology, safety features, and entertainment that you look for in a brand new, top-of-the-line vehicle. The real kicker? The 2018 Pacifica can be yours for only $27,995. That is a lot of bang for your buck! When you’re thinking about trucks, you probably have a picture in your mind of a rugged, tough truck with an aggressive grille, powerful stance, and the hauling and towing capability of probably a thousand Arnold Schwarzeneggers. You’re probably thinking about a Ram! Though they don’t measure the hauling and towing in units of Arnold, the 2018 Ram 1500 Express still has more than enough power and torque to get you and anything you want to bring along from Point A to Point B with ease. And for only $159 a month with a 24 month lease, you’re pretty much guaranteed to fall in love! If you’re a Jeep lover but you also appreciate a luxurious car interior, then we’ve got the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo for you. Treat yourself to all the power of Jeep and the legacy that comes with that name, but with an interior that’ll remind you of Buckingham Palace. Well, not really. But it’s pretty dang luxurious, and it’s got all the technology and comfort features you could want. And for only $265 a month for 36 months, it’s hard to say no to that beautiful grille! Finally, we have the 2017 Dodge Challenger R/T. It’s called the “Challenger” for many reasons… of course, I don’t know them, so I’m going to make some up that I think honestly describe how awesome this vehicle is. It challenges the norms, it challenges the road, and it challenges the idea of “normal” because it’s just so special. When you put the key in the ignition and start it up, the engine seems to purr to you and tell you that it’s okay to be a little wild sometimes. That sound awakens something primal inside of you, that thing that makes you more animal than human, and that thing that loves speed and noise and excitement. The 2017 Dodge Challenger is for that animal in your heart. Unleash it for only $34,995! *Specials expire 2/28/18. See specials page for details. Read About Them Here

The things that folks are looking for in new vehicles today are pretty much universal: something sturdy and reliable that can get you where you need to go and that gets good gas mileage. The last one is in bold because it’s one of the most important things to lots of shoppers. But say you’re happy with your current vehicle and don’t want to get a new one just yet… but kinda wish it got better MPGs. Well, thank goodness for you, there are some great tips in this blog to help increase them easily. Of course, you won’t go from getting 20 to getting 70, but these tips can help bump you up a few miles per gallon! First of all, don’t speed. Speeding is not only bad for your gas mileage, but it’s illegal. The best way to combat both of the negatives (the speeding and also the MPG drain) is to use your cruise control when you’re on the highway. This eliminates accidental acceleration and deceleration that can mess with your fuel economy and make it harder for you to get those MPGs you want! When coming to a stop, try to start braking earlier than you might usually. Long, slow brakes help conserve fuel and improve your fuel economy. It might seem like you’re holding up traffic, but everyone’s going to have to stop anyway, and you might as well save gas while you do it. A plus is that you might still be mid-brake when the light changes, and it takes less gas to accelerate from moving than it does to start from being stopped! When you aren’t actively moving, don’t idle. Idling not only is bad for the environment due to the exhaust gases it creates, but idling for a few minutes uses more gas than it takes to start your car. When you idle for too long, you are actually wasting your gas, believe it or not. If you’ve got a storage box or bike rack on top of your car, consider switching to something that is mounted in the rear. This won’t create as much drag and it’ll keep your vehicle aerodynamic, as it should be. The more aerodynamic your vehicle is, the better MPG’s you’ll get! The last thing is to focus on driving safely and obey all speed limits. When you’re really concentrating on the road (and not on your music or passengers or similar) you drive more efficiently. Try it out! You’ll see how well it can work! Our Most Fuel Efficient Vehicles!

If you suffer from blind spots in your vehicle, then there are a couple of very easy solutions for you to get rid of those blind spots and continue to drive safely. One does involve a little aftermarket modification, and the other requires a little bit of patience. Check them out below! The first solution is to simply get two small convex mirrors to attach to the outer corners of your vehicle’s wing mirrors. Make sure your mirrors are clean before you stick the little ones on, and then once you’ve stuck them on make sure they’re attached tightly so that they don’t fall off when you least expect it. The second strategy is to adjust the mirrors you already have: Adjust your rearview mirror to give you a view directly to the rear. Make it so that it best covers your rear window view. Don’t tilt it to get side views - just straight back through your window. Lean your head until it almost touches your driver’s side window. Adjust your left side mirror so you can just barely see the side of your car - no more. Lean your head to the passenger side as far as you can comfortably while still sitting up and adjust the right mirror so you can barely see the right side of your car. You shouldn’t be able to see the side of your car when your head is all the way upright! Try these out (well, try one out at least) and let us know how it helped! We’ll Fix Your Other Problems!

If you are one of the people who’s looking to improve your fuel economy but who might not be ready to buy a new car just yet, that’s great! We have put together this blog post to give you some tips on getting better MPG’s in the vehicle you have through some simple driving tricks. Check them out! The first thing is not to speed - not even on the Northway. It’s illegal for starters and it does absolutely nothing for your fuel economy. Stay close to the speed limit while still keeping up with the flow of traffic. When you are on the highway, if it’s not too busy and the roads are clear, use your cruise control. With highway driving, there can be a lot of accidental acceleration and deceleration, and using cruise eliminates that. It also helps you stay closer to the speed limit! When you’re not on the highway, make sure you don’t idle your vehicle. If you’re stopping somewhere, just turn off your car. Not only will you save gas, but you’ll save the environment too! If you have any racks or boxes on your roof, consider switching to something that is mounted on the rear of your vehicle. It keeps your vehicle aerodynamic, reducing drag and keeping your MPG’s up. The last tip is to focus on safety. When you’re paying attention to how well you’re driving, you’re driving more safely. Don’t be distracted by other drivers, your music, your passengers, or anything else. Focus on the road and driving safely and you’ll get better mileage. It’s magic! NOTE: These tips won’t get your mileage to go from 25 to 75. They’ll help you go from 25 to, like, 29. This is not a miracle guide, it’s just an efficiency guide. Check Out Our Fuel Efficient Vehicles!

With the weather we’ve been having lately, it’s more important now than ever to make sure that you have a solution to any ice and snow that might accumulate on your car. The only problem is that if you’re pressed for time, scraping ice and snow can be daunting, time-consuming, and just not seem worth it to do the whole job. Here are some quick and easy tips to making sure that you get rid of all the ice and snow on your vehicle fast and make your vehicle safe for the road. First of all, you should have a quality plastic scraper in your vehicle. The best are the ones that come with the brush on one end and scraper on the other because sometimes all you need is that brush! Never try to get rid of ice on your car with anything metal, or by pounding at it. When you do this, you can scratch and chip your paint, break glass, or cause dents in your vehicle that cost money to get removed. If all you have is a light coating of ice or frost on your windows, you can make an easy defrosting solution that you can leave in your house and use on those icy mornings. Mix one part rubbing alcohol and two parts water in a spray bottle, and spritz it onto your windows. Wait a minute and then run the wipers. Clean and clear! If your doors and locks are frozen, never apply hot water or use an open flame (like a lighter) to try and thaw them. Cold water is what works - hot water will freeze again and could cause damage to your vehicle, but cold water is warm enough compared to the ice that it’ll help thaw it out. If you have the alcohol solution, try a bit of that as well. The most important thing is to have patience - preparedness is important, but if you’re impatient you can cause damage that you’ll regret later. Stay safe out there! Schedule Winter Service Today!

When it comes to driving, I consider myself one of the best drivers I know… that is, when it’s light outside. After the sun goes down, all bets are off because my night vision is really seriously horrible. It’s not fun, especially because I like driving, and I like to think that I am a good driver. But when it’s dark I turn into a grandma, and that’s not my style at all. Thankfully, I’ve found some good tips over the years for improving your driving at night with bad night vision. These tips won’t fix your eyes, but it’ll keep you safe even when your vision isn't the best. First, if you have “night driving” glasses that are tinted in any way, throw them away right now. I am sorry you fell for that scam. The tint blocks light, and light is the thing you need the most of at night - do you see where I am going with this? If oncoming headlights blind you and throw you off, a great trick is to watch the white line at the side of the road. Keep your head straight, but just cast your eyes to the line. You’ll be able to see with your periphery, but you won’t get stuck with spots on your retinas smack dab in the middle of your field of view. Finally, if your vision is so bad that you think you shouldn’t be driving at night - don’t do it. Work with your schedule, find a ride, take public transport - just don’t drive at night if you feel that you cannot do so safely. If it’s between staying home and driving somewhere, well. I’d rather not be in an accident than in one, even if that means staying home and suffering the FOMO. It’s worth it! Ask Us About Your Headlights!

Last week winter officially arrived and I couldn’t be happier. With the official winter wonderment, we also had our first healthy heap of snow. Is your vehicle ready for whatever weather based plot twists mother nature throws at you? Let’s be real for a minute here...you never know what you’re going to get here in the capital district. Will it be 85 degrees and sunny in this January? Will it be 4 degrees and blizzarding? Who knows?? Not me. I prefer to be prepared. If you want to be ready for whatever kind of winter we end up with, check out these helpful tips on things you should have checked or changed! Tire Traction I hear ya! Is it really worth it to get snow tires? It’s your choice, but my snow tires have saved me from some pretty intense snowfall. They are designed with increased tread and temperature-withstanding compounds that can keep tire material structure pliable in extreme cold, giving you better traction, so in my opinion, they are 100% worth it. Tire Tread Should you decided to not go with snow tires, at least make sure that your tires aren’t bald and have a decent tread. Even the best all-season tires won't do any good if they don't have adequate tread on them. If you have any doubts, you can easily do the penny test. Basically just insert a penny (with Lincoln's head pointing down) in between the raised portions of your tire's tread. If you cannot see the top of Lincoln's head, then your tires have sufficient tread; if you can, you need new tires. It’s also important to make sure that your tires are wearing evenly so check all of your tires in different places to make sure. Proper Tire Inflation In addition to tread, keeping your tires inflated correctly can help keep you safe in snowy terrain. Remember that for every 10-degree drop in temperature, your tires lose one psi of air, meaning this is prime time to keep up with that tire pressure. Most vehicles are equipped with a tire pressure sensor so keep an eye out for that light, but also walk around your vehicle periodically and look to see if your tire is bulging a bit. If it is, check the tire pressure and inflate it to the correct psi! If you keep on top of these things, you will be able to make it through the winter months like a champion! If you want to have your tires checked and or changed, stop by Zappone Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of Granville today and we’ll get your winter ready! Get Your Tires Checked Today!

*To the tune of Frosty the Snowman Zappone here in Granville, has some specials on our lot A Jeep Cherokee, a few Chryslers you’ll see, and a Dodge for Uncle Scott Specials at Zappone are a fairytale, they say. So before they go, tell everyone you know, to stop by Zappone today You’ll soon believe in magic when you ask about the price. The savings are so clear to see you won’t even have to think twice! Oh, Specials at Zappone are only here for a short time, So come down today, or check our specials page For savings that are sublime! Check Out Our Specials Today

Last week we talked about the repairs that you can totally do on your own. They are relatively simple and it’s not likely that you will cause serious damage if you mess them up. The following list, however, is comprised of the things you REALLY REALLY should not do on your own. Not because we doubt your mechanical prowess, but mostly because they require very specific machinery, or you could actually get seriously hurt trying to accomplish them. It’s not you...it’s safety. So before you decide to do some home repairs on your car, check out this list: 1. Wiring Harness Repair Wiring harnesses send electrical signals to make your vehicle run. So the big question to ask yourself before messing with the equivalent of your car’s brain is: Is this a vehicle you plan to drive? Or is a vehicle you’re just working on a home to learn more about cars? If it’s just a fun learning project, you'll likely learn a lot, and carry on with playing around here, but be careful, you’re still working with electricity. If however, you will need to drive this car in the near future, don’t do it, man. For real, wiring harnesses are notoriously temperamental and when something's wrong in there you’re gonna need to call in a pro at Zappone Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of Granville. 2. Air Conditioning Repair There are 3 levels to air conditioning repairs, and even the most basic of those is pretty complicated. If you don’t have experience working with hazardous materials like that found in a DIY refrigerant top-off kit, this is not a project to tackle on your own. This is more of a health risk, than damage to my vehicle and risking your health for the sake of replacing your own AC is not worth it. 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 happen to be exceptionally good at moulding putty, this is not a task you’ll want to take on. You will definitely save money, but if your goal is to bring your vehicle back to its former glory, DIY is not the way to go. 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 Unless you have access to an industrial-grade spring compressor, taking a spring out of its housing is not going to happen. Yah, I didn’t think so. Even if you did, keeping that spring tamed and secured in a safe way is not easy. If the spring let loose and you were in its way you could be seriously injured. People have even died this way. Please leave this one to the safety of professionals. 5. Ignition System Repair If you want your car to start, you’ll need your ignition system in tact. So if you mess this up, you can end up doing more harm than help. 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. 50,000 volts of electricity is no laughing matter. So if you’re not super interested in being electrocuted, I strongly recommend not tackling this job by yourself! if your vehicle is in need of service, stop by Zappone Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of Granville today and we’ll be happy to get you all sorted out. Have Your Vehicle Serviced Today

I’m the kind of person who likes to have a more hands-on role in the fixing of my car. It’s nice to know how the car works and be able to save a few dollars while doing it. As much of a DIYer as I am, there are some pieces of maintenance that I wouldn’t, and honestly shouldn’t, attempt on my own. That being said, this week and next week’s blogs will talk about what maintenance you can do on your own, and what you should leave to the professionals. First things first, below you will find a list of the car maintenance that you can probably handle on your own without causing too much trouble with your vehicle. 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. Headlights Depending on your vehicle, replacing your headlights is a fairly simple task and should only take you about 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 $30 (the price of oil and a new filter). 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. So now you know what you can handle on your own in terms of maintenance for your vehicle. If you still aren’t interested in maintaining these things on your own you are more than welcome to stop by Zappone Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of Granville, and we’ll be more than happy to take care of everything for you. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us and we’ll do what we can to answer your questions. Stop By Our Service Center Today