Here are a few water cooler tidbits about used cars that might make you say "hmm."




1. Three out of four automotive transactions in the U.S. involve previously owned vehicles.

2. The average vehicle will likely have three owners in its lifetime.

3. Industry experts believe one of every 25 air bags that have been deployed have not been properly replaced. They’re also the most stolen item from a vehicle (having surpassed radios).

4. About half the cars that are flood damaged end up back on the road. As far as Hurricane Katrina is concerned, estimates are that about 200,000 vehicles were dried out and resold.

5. The most frequently searched price range for a used vehicle is under $5,000.

6. Consumers lose as much as $4 billion a year due to odometer fraud, with the average rollback being 15,000 miles.

7. There are more used Silverado pickup trucks for sale than any other model (nearly 120,000 throughout the U.S.)

Summer Time Driving Safety Tips

Driving safety tips are applicable all-year round, but in the summer there are some special safety issues that should be kept in mind.

         Watch out for children and pedestrians on the road. With summer and holidays, more children will be playing in the streets, and people will be out cycling, skating or walking.

          Pay attention to stress and fatigue. The additional heat in summer and traffic delays can make you feel more tired and less alert than usual. 

           Look out for road constructions and detours as most road constructions take place during the summer.

         Get your car tuned and serviced. All fluids, such as coolant, brakes, power steering, windshield…, should be checked and topped off.

           Change belts and hoses. Heat and humidity can deteriorate rubber.   

            Optimize tire pressure. Be sure to check your car manual for optimum pressure level. Use seasonal tires if possible.

           Keep drinks and health snacks in your car when going out on long drives or if you expect delays on the road.

           If you are going on long-trips, take regular rest stops or take a break when you stop for fuel.

          Keep a first-aid safety kit in your car. Make sure the contents of the box have fresh supplies.

Weather conditions in summer can pose special threats to driving safely. For example, overheating or sudden storms can create emergency situations.

Hot weather conditions can make you car overheat resulting in engine breakdowns. You should refer to your vehicle manual for proper cooling guidelines. Ideally the cooling system in your car should be completely flushed and refilled for maximum performance in the heat.

In case your car overheats and you need to refill the radiator do not open the radiator cap immediately after stopping the vehicle but wait until the engine has cooled down. The cap will be hot and pressurized steam might burst out from the radiator causing you injury. Also you must be take precautions to avoid contact with coolant. Additives in the coolant, such as anti-freeze, may contain chemicals that are injurious to health.

[Addendum] Cars are becoming increasingly complex. Modern cars have alternatives for adding coolant that does not require direct direct access to the radiator. Some have positive restraints and some cooling systems are sealed. In other words, if your vehicle overheats, it is generally advisable to call and wait for knowledgeable help.

Sudden storms in summer can create driving hazards that you might not have expected. Flash flooding, tornadoes and rain may require you to take immediate precautionary measures. If you come across water-crossings, get out of your car and check for the water depth before you attempt to cross it. Do not attempt to cross if the water is moving. Moving water is extremely dangerous and can easily sweep the car off the road.

If you sense bad weather approaching, turn on your radio and monitor the weather news. In case of tornadoes, seek shelter immediately. If the road is wet due to rain, reduce your car speed and drive carefully especially on curves.

What Costs Society $44,193 per minute?

We’ve repaired a lot of cars over the years at Holmes Body Shop and can agree with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s conclusion that going too fast is one of the biggest factors in whether you have to see us…or don’t. If you have an accident, we’re here to help. If you’d like to avoid our kind of help, consider the information in this article from the NHTSA…..
What costs society$44,193 a minute?

For the answer…check your speedometer as you drive home!

Exceeding the posted limit or driving too fast for conditions is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to traffic crashes. Speed is a factor in nearly one-third of all fatal crashes. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speed-related crashes cost society more than $23 billion a year.

Too few drivers view speeding as an immediate risk to their personal safety or the safety of others. Yet, speeding reduces a driver's ability to steer safely around curves or objects in the roadway, and it extends the distance required to stop a vehicle in emergency situations.

Crash severity increases with the speed of the vehicle at impact. Inversely, the effectiveness of restraint devices like air bags and safety belts, and vehicular construction features such as crumple zones and side member beams decline as impact speed increases. The probability of death, disfigurement, or debilitating injury grows with higher speed at impact. Such consequences double for every 10 mph over 50 mph that a vehicle travels. Many drivers don't consider this. They slow their speed in residential areas, or when the weather turns bad. To them, a few miles an hour over the posted speed limit is an acceptable risk. Their
excuse -- other drivers do it. They believe the worst that can happen to them is to receive a speeding ticket. Drivers like this are wrong. Maybe even dead wrong, because driving too fast for conditions or exceeding the posted speed limit can kill you.

Consider These Speed-Related Facts
Rural roads account for over 60 percent of all speed related fatal crashes.
Sixty six percent of speed-related crashes involved a single vehicle.
Sixty percent of all speed- related fatal crashes occurred at night (6 pm to 6 am).
Drivers involved in speed-related fatal crashes are more likely to have a history of traffic violations.
On average, 1,000 Americans are killed every month in speed-related crashes.

Youth and Speeding
Of all drivers aged 15-24 years of age involved in fatal crashes, 32 percent were speeding.
Of drivers under age 21 involved in fatal crashes, 38 percent of the male and 24 percent of the female drivers were speeding.

Economic and Environmental Costs of $peeding
Fuel consumption increases steadily above 45 mph with passenger cars and light trucks using approximately 50 percent more fuel traveling at 75 mph than they do at 55 mph.

Have a Safe Day!

Happy Holidays From Holmes Body Shop!

Happy Holidays from Holmes Body Shop!

Changing lives with Recycled Rides-Our story of holiday giving.

We're a family-owned collision repair company that fixes damaged cars and motorcycles so taking part in the National Auto Body Council’s program called ‘Recycled Rides’ was right up our alley. We were able to make this a holiday season that one needy family the San Gabriel Valley will never forget.

The Williams family had no idea what they were in for, as they stepped into the headquarters of our Holmes Body Shop and Holmes Powersports business in Pasadena. They thought they were tagging along with a non-profit group called Door of Hope, picking up tickets for Pasadena's famed Rose Parade. Door of Hope is a faith based non-profit organization that helps homeless families rebuild their lives and get off the streets. The Williams’ are recent graduates from their program and are now in a home of their own.

But Jamar and Amber didn't know we were setting them up for something more. They weren't just tagging along; we actually were bringing them to Holmes Body Shop for an early Christmas. After entering the building from a side door, I steered them out the front door, and face-to-face with two dozen Holmes body shop technicians and staffers applauding them, and standing on either side of a fully refurbished 2009 Nissan Versa. The car, with a bright green bow on the windshield, was our gift to them.

“I couldn't wait to see the expressions on their faces,” said owner Tom Holmes “And how they'd react.” The Williams reacted with joy. Jamar ran around the crowd, giving and getting high fives from our body shop staff that volunteered their time and talents to repair the car, the vendors who donated materials and insurance company that donated the car that, otherwise, might have been towed to a junkyard.

This is our first year to take part in the 'Recycled Rides' program. We chose Door of Hope to find the right family. The organization's executive director, Tim Peters, said Jamar and Amber weren't looking for a free ride; they were trying hard to make a better life for themselves and their son, and needed a way to get to their jobs.

To Amber, the surprise of a car was like her “Thanksgiving, birthday and Christmas all rolled into one. It's an overflow of a blessing.” As a stocking stuffer, Holmes Body Shop and Holmes Powersports gave the Williams tickets to the Rose Parade. They can drive themselves, to get there.

This year we tried a new way to give, and got to surprise a family with the gift of a car, just for them, to drive themselves toward a more successful future.

If you would like to see the CBSLA and KCAL9 news story about the give-away please click on this link: http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/video/6478254-pasadena-car-shop-gives-away-car-to-those-in-need/

For information about Recycled Rides visit http://www.autobodycouncil.org

Pasadena Car Shop Gives Away Car To Those In Need « CBS Los Angeles

Pasadena Car Shop Gives Away Car To Those In Need « CBS Los Angeles

Motorcycle Safety Tips!

Compared to most of the U.S., Southern California is a lucky place for motorcyclists to ride: great mountain and canyon roads, legendary off-road trails, and asphalt ribbons that stretch 250 miles in a straight line: it's called the Golden State Freeway for a reason.

But more than that, we have mild weather, that's the envy of the nation. So as the calendar marches toward Autumn, and bikers from San Francisco, North, and Salt Lake City, East, start looking for corners in their garages and covers to stash their rides, we get to keep going.

The only real concern that year-round riding brings, is increased exposure to accidents. The math is simple: keep your bike on the road an extra six months annually, and you've doubled your risk.

The other morning,the CBS-TV station in Los Angeles featured a live report on its early-morning newscast about a ranking of safe -and not-so-safe--cities in terms of wrecks. The reporter cited an annual report by Allstate Insurance.

A quick check of Allstate's website reveals that --of some 200 U.S. cities surveyed-- Glendale, California, presents the greatest risk for drivers, with the probability of being involved in accidents every 5-1/2 years. The national average is nearly double that, with drivers involved in accidents every 10 years. But possibly more important to drivers and riders alike, is the site's list of tips for road safety. Some of the ideas are so simple, it's easy to overlook them... but important,not to:

• Be cautious when going through intersections. Almost one-third of motorcycle crashes happen here.
• Be visible when you ride. Avoid blind spots, wear bright-colored, protective clothing, activate turn signals early and always use your headlights.
• Flash your brake lights when slowing down. This helps others on the road know your intentions.
• Remember to give yourself space between you and the car in front of you. You'll have more time to react to other motorists' actions.
• Ride within your limits. If you're a new rider, consider taking a training course. Rush hour is not the time to learn how to maneuver your motorcycle. All riders should avoid extreme temperatures and inclement weather.

Every rider worth his/her leathers knows motorcyclists have to be be twice as careful as their counterparts sitting on top of four wheels, especially in the Southland; where the weather multiplies the risks as well as the rewards.

With equipment like the technologically state-of-the-art MotoJig frame straightener, it's easy enough to repair a bike that once would have been written off. The trick is avoiding mishaps in the first place; so bikers don't lose street time, because they're laid-up after a wreck, and can't take advantage of the road-trips, or even the commute after the morning news, that Southern California offers, year-round.

(For more information on the MotoJig frame repair system, go to holmespowersports.com)

Fuel Saving Tips From Holmes Body Shop

1. Slow down

One of the best ways to save gas is to simply reduce your speed. As speed increases, fuel economy decreases exponentially. If you one of the "ten-over on the freeway" set, try driving the speed limit for a few days. You'll save a lot of fuel and your journey won't take much longer. (Just be sure you keep to the right, so you won't impede the less-enlightened.)

2. Check your tire pressure

Under-inflated tires are one of the most commonly ignored causes of crummy MPG. Tires lose air due to time (about 1 psi per month) and temperature (1 psi for every 10 degree drop); under-inflated tires have more rolling resistance, which means you need to burn more gas to keep your car moving. Buy a reliable tire gauge and check your tires at least once a month. Be sure to check them when they are cold, since driving the car warms up the tires along with the air inside them, which increases pressure and gives a falsely high reading. Use the inflation pressures shown in the owner's manual or on the data plate in the driver's door jamb.

3. Check your air filter

A dirty air filter restricts the flow of air into the engine, which harms performance and economy. Air filters are easy to check and change; remove the filter and hold it up to the sun. If you can't see light coming through it, you need a new one. Consider a K&N or similar "permanent" filter which is cleaned rather than changed; they are much less restrictive than throw-away paper filters, plus they're better for the environment.

4. Accelerate with care

Jack-rabbit starts are an obvious fuel-waster -- but that doesn't mean you should crawl away from every light. If you drive an automatic, accelerate moderately so the transmission can shift up into the higher gears. Stick-shifters should shift early to keep the revs down, but don't lug the engine -- downshift if you need to accelerate. Keep an eye well down the road for potential slowdowns. If you accelerate to speed then have to brake right away, that's wasted fuel.

5. Hang with the trucks

Ever notice how, in bad traffic jams, cars seem to constantly speed up and slow down, while trucks tend to roll along at the same leisurely pace? A constant speed keeps shifting to a minimum -- important to those who have to wrangle with those ten-speed truck transmissions -- but it also aids economy, as it takes much more fuel to get a vehicle moving than it does to keep it moving. Rolling with the big rigs saves fuel (and aggravation).

6. Get back to nature

Consider shutting off the air conditioner, opening the windows and enjoying the breeze. It may be a tad warmer, but at lower speeds you'll save fuel. That said, at higher speeds the A/C may be more efficient than the wind resistance from open windows and sunroof. If I'm going someplace where arriving sweaty and smelly could be a problem, I bring an extra shirt and leave early so I'll have time for a quick change.

7. Back off the bling

New wheels and tires may look cool, and they can certainly improve handling. But if they are wider than the stock tires, chances are they'll create more rolling resistance and decrease fuel economy. If you upgrade your wheels and tires, keep the old ones. I have fancy sport rims and aggressive tires on my own car, but I keep the stock wheels with a good narrower-tread performance tire in the garage. For long road trips, the stock wheels give a smoother ride and better economy.

8. Clean out your car

If you're the type who takes a leisurely attitude towards car cleanliness -- and I definitely fall into that category -- periodically go through your car and see what can be tossed out or brought into the house. It doesn't take much to acquire an extra 40 or 50 lbs. of stuff, and the more weight your car has to lug around, the more fuel it burns.

9. Downsize

If you're shopping for a new car, it's time to re-evaluate how much car you really need. Smaller cars are inherently more fuel-efficient, and today's small cars are roomier than ever -- one of my favorite subcompacts, the Nissan Versa, has so much interior room that the EPA classifies it as a mid-size. Worried about crash protection? The automakers are designing their small cars to survive crashes with bigger vehicles, and safety features like side-curtain airbags and electronic stability control are becoming commonplace in smaller cars.

10. Don't drive

Not a popular thing to say on a car site, I know, but the fact is that if you can avoid driving, you'll save gas. Take the train, carpool, and consolidate your shopping trips. Walking or biking is good for your wallet and your health. And before you get in your car, always ask yourself: "Is this trip really necessary?"