National Transportation Week is On the Move

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Boat - National Transportation Week

National Transportation Week has been celebrated since it was first established in 1962 and is supported by the National Defense Transportation Association (NDTA). This year’s 2013 National Transportation Week is going on now, starting this past Sunday the 12th and ending Saturday the 18th.

Each year there is a designated theme for National Transportation Week and this year’s is “Transportation – The World is Right Next Door.” We can see the theme is really focusing on globalization and emphasizing the technological advancements made in the transportation industry.

This week is all about increasing the awareness for this sometimes overlooked industry, which is really very important to our current ways of life and business. Events are being held around the country within the various NDTA chapters to celebrate the numerous men and women who sacrifice their time and efforts to and better the transportation industry and moving products by air, land and sea.

 

Top Tips for Eco Driving Month!

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Eco DrivingMay is Eco Driving Month and though we think that being economically-conscious while driving is something that you should do all the time, we’re here to raise awareness on Eco Driving Month today. Of course there are countless different tricks and hints that you that you can use when trying to save money at the pump and get the most out of your tank. We’ve compiled a few of the better (and easier) tips for you to try out for Eco Driving Month.

  1. Be sure to have your car serviced and oil changed regularly
  2. Reduce resistance from the road by keeping your tire pressure at the recommended PSI
  3. Streamline the vehicle by removing roof racks or other exterior additions that increase wind drag
  4. Remove any excess weight that you’re carrying in the trunk or backseat – every little bit adds up and more weight is more your engine has to work
  5. Continuous braking and accelerating, opposed to smooth driving, will really consume gas, so gently accelerate and avoid unnecessary, hard braking
  6. If you’ll be waiting for longer than two minutes, shut off the engine and avoid idling, which uses more fuel going no where
  7. Roll the windows down in town and use the AC on the HWY
    1. When the windows are down and you’re driving fast, the wind drag is greatly increased. Enjoy the weather with the windows down when you’re taking a trip at lower speeds.
    2. At low speeds, using the AC takes more power and consumes more fuel. Save it for faster speeds when its effect on consumption is less noticeable

National Good Car Keeping Month is Here

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May is National Good Car Keeping Month and today Wilkes Nissan is bringing you some of the best tips and tricks on how to keep your vehicle running as long and efficiently as possible. These tips will range from “DIY Simple” to “Schedule a Service Appointment.” So in celebration of National Good Car Keeping Month, we urge you to go out (especially in this beautiful spring weather) and show your car some love after it got you through the cold winter.

  • National Good Car Keeping MonthFirst and foremost – Change the oil. This is one of the most important procedures. Keep your engine running smoothly and efficiently with clean oil and make sure to change after every 3000 to 3500 miles.
  • While you’re at it, change out all of the fluids in your car when necessary. The coolant and brake fluid should be changed once per year while others like transmission fluid and gear oil and lubricants should be checked according to service intervals.
  • The summer sun is coming and it can be brutal to the vinyl/leather/plastic interior of your car to dry out. Protect it by parking in the shade, in a parking garage or by putting up a window deflector screen.
  • Grab a bucket and start washing. After the winter weather and salt on the roads and now the spring pollen from the trees, a spray-down would suffice, but a really good wash will really do your car some good.
  • A fresh coat of good-quality wax is one thing that will make your car really stand out and protect the paint too.
    • Knock out two birds with one stone by stopping at a car wash that sprays the under-carriage and adds a coat of wax after the wash.

Nissan Sentra Set to Impress with New Campaign

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Are you a fan of winning contests and impressing friends and family? The Nissan Sentra is the center of Nissan’s new social media campaign in which contestants will be competing for prizes of $1,000 gift cards to Nordstrom or Brooks Brothers, Great American Days, or a romantic evening at a high-end restaurant and hotel for two.

2013 Nissan SentraNissan’s VP of Marketing, Jon Brancheau, says, “Who doesn’t want to turn heads and get noticed when making a first impression? We’re giving everyone a chance to look their best, with a little help from Nissan and the power of social media.”

The “Impress with Sentra” campaign is inspired and based on the now 7th-gen Nissan Sentra, which just took on a total exterior and design revamping, aimed to impress customers out searching the market for a more premium car.

In order to participate in the new campaign and contest, you can visit ImpressWithSentra.com (a page on facebook). Just select which best describes you, an incurable romantic, adrenaline junkie or business dynamo and watch as actor Omar Epps (from Love and Basketball and House, M.D.) talks you up. Just share your video to your wall and enter to win one of those great prizes!

Nissan GT-R Holds New Record in Russia

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The Nissan GT-R is at it again, proving its intense power and performance abilities, and this time it was on the ice. You see, just recently an unmodified Nissan GT-R was featured in a grand experiment to see just how fast the car could drive on a sheet of ice; This sheet of ice being the frozen over Lake Baikal in Serbia, Russia.

Lake Baikal is also known as the largest freshwater lake in the world, so famous racecar driver Roman Rusinov knew that he wouldn’t run out of space to drive. Rusinov was able to reach top speeds of 183 mph, setting a national record for Russia.

Watch the video clip below to see the record-breaking event unfold as the Nissan GT-R flies across the frozen lake. Besides some winter weather tires, the Nissan GT-R’s record-setting control on the ice is attributed to its balance and distribution of its weight being nearly perfect.

Improve the Gas Mileage of Your Car

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Speedometer for gas mileageAre you one of those people that always stress about your gas mileage and how many miles you are really getting per gallon on your typical drives? For years now, every time I refill my tank, I reset the trip odometer. This way, I know about how many miles I’m getting to the tank. This is one way to watch and track your gas mileage, but how about some ways to improve it?!

  1. Eliminate or reduce idle time. In this situation, the little things really add up over time. Save yourself some money and gas by shutting the engine off while you’re waiting instead of just letting the engine run.
  2. The warm spring and summer weather is here, so roll those windows down! By not using the air conditioner, you’re reducing the energy (and therefore gas) the car needs to use.
  3. Also take advantage of the warm weather to get out and do a little spring cleaning in your car! All that extra junk that you’re storing in there and towing around just adds extra weight, requiring more energy to run.
  4. Keep your car maintained and serviced. Make sure your air filters are not clogged up. Clean filters allow oxygen to get to the engine easily. Also having the right amount of pressure in your tires will reduce the friction and resistance, allowing for smooth, efficient driving.
  5. Use Cruise Control! One of my person favorite features on my car, cruise control will maintain your speed without all the speeding up and slowing down that hurts your gas mileage. Also, some studies show that the faster your speed, the lower your gas mileage too because of the increased road and wind resistance.

Keep these tips in mind while you’re out on the road to try to keep your gas mileage ratings up!

Nissan Makes Welding Robot Donation to Local University

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Today we’re sharing with you a recent story from Nissan and their community involvement, just in time to celebrate National Welding month.

Nissan has just recently donated two of their manufacturing robots used to in the Advanced Technologies department at the Alcorn State University. This proceeding came to be thanks to an inspired idea from Jason Derryberry, a current Alcorn student and employee at Nissan Canton vehicle assembly plant. Derryberry, who is studying applied science, says, “I’m excited because I work with similar technology every day, so I know what these robots will mean for the Alcorn program and my fellow students.”

Nissan Robot DonationThese robots coming from the Nissan Canton manufacturing facility stand over 5 feet tall and each weigh around 815 pounds. Faculty and students will be working with the robots in the Alcorn robotics lab to program and operate them to perform various tasks. These robots were previously used to arc weld auto bodies for Nissan models.

Chair of the Department of Advanced Technologies, Dr. Kwabena Agyepong, says, “These two robots will give our students firsthand experience with the kind of technology used in Caton and other modern manufacturing facilities.”

Nissan Debuts Pathfinder Hybrid

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At this year’s New York International Auto Show, Nissan showed the world that the Most Innovative Pathfinder Ever has become the Most Efficient Pathfinder Ever. The Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid will be available for the 2014 model year.

The 2014 Pathfinder Hybrid is the first of many upcoming Nissan hybrids and will arrive at Wilkes Nissan in late summer 2013. The Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid is powered by a 2.5-liter gasoline engine, 15 kW electric motor, and Nissan’s advanced Intelligent Dual Clutch hybrid control system. The SUV offers 26 combined mpg and a driving range of 526 miles.

Watch Nissan’s press conference and reveal of the Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid below:

Not Just Teens Text and Drive

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A recent study conducted by AT&T found the adults text more behind the wheel than teenagers do. Nearly half of all adults admitted to texting while driving, even though 98 percent of them agreed that the practice was dangerous.

The study didn’t offer simple answers to why so many adults engage in such a dangerous practice, but many adults did admit to feeling guilt, shame, and stubbornness while texting in traffic.

AT&T conducted the study as part of its It Can Wait campaign, which aims to make drivers aware of the risks of distracted driving. The company recently launched a free mobile app that sends automated and customizable text message replies to incoming texts when the vehicle is moving at 25 mph or more.

Talk with your teen driver about the risks of texting while driving and encourage them to put the phone down when behind the wheel, then follow the It Can Wait message yourself.

When Should You Change Your Tires?

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Not keeping a proper eye on your tires can spell disaster. Knowing when to change them is a vital part of proper maintenance, and ignoring them can result in flat tires, blowouts, and dangerous collisions. So, how do you know when it’s time to change your car’s tires?

  • Tire_tread_03Check the wear bars. Today’s tires are designed to drive 50-60,000 miles, but once the factory-installed wear bars begin to show, your tires need to be changed. The bars run perpendicular to the tire tread and are barely visible when the tires are new. The more you drive, the more the wear bars become visible and once they are level with the tread, it’s time to change.
  • Use a penny. Stick an upside down penny into the tread to measure tread depth. If the president’s head is covered by the tread, your tires don’t need to be replaced. But if you can see Honest Abe’s noggin, the tires are worn and need to be changed.
  • Check the sidewalls. Your tire’s sidewalls are just as important as the tread. Keep an eye out for noticeable cracks on the tire sidewalls. As tires get older or are exposed to extreme weather conditions, the rubber loses its elasticity and cracks can form. Any abnormal bulges or bubbles, or major splintering, should result in a trip to the shop immediately.
  • Check the date. Don’t forget that your tires come with an expiration date. They might need to be replaced simply because they’re old.

If you’re unsure of your tires’ current condition, schedule a checkup at your local dealership.