Summer Car Care & Organizational Tips

PEKIN, Ill., – Check the temperature: sunny days and warm weather are here to stay! Road trip season has officially begun, which means you'll be spending a lot of time in your vehicle. With that in mind, we've put together a list of summer car care and organizational tips to get your vehicle ready to go for any road trip, no matter how big or small! From cooling systems to U/V protection, we've got you covered with tips and tricks to make sure you enjoy every drive this season. We've also included a few DIY tips to help you keep your vehicle organized for those long drives. Gear up and get your vehicle up to speed this summer!

1. Regularly Check Your Cooling System

Keeping your engine cool is just as important as keeping yourself cool! Your engine's coolant helps to reduce the temperature of the engine on hot days, and without coolant, it can heat up your engine and potentially cause a lot of damage to the interior. If you see any colorful fluids leaking from your vehicle or smell something sweet, bring your vehicle into our Service Center to get it checked out immediately!

2. Make Sure Your A/C is Working

This is a no-brainer, but it's better to be safe than sorry! You won't want to be stuck in rush hour traffic or on a road trip without a fresh breeze cooling you down. If you notice a lack of airflow or your vehicle doesn't produce A/C, get it checked out as soon as you can! Sometimes, all you may need is just a simple filter or fan replaced. These simple fixes can make all the difference in the world on scorching hot Illinois days!

3. Clean Your Car's Exterior and Interior

You'd be surprised at how much of a difference this can make! Having a cleaner interior will help on hot days and decrease internal temperatures when you enter your vehicle. If your windshield is dirty, it can get extremely hazy on hot summer nights and make it difficult to drive. Making sure you have a clean interior and exterior is not only safe, but it'll make your car look a lot better for those fun nights out with your family and friends!

4. Check Your Vehicle's Suspension

The long winter seasons take a toll on a vehicle's suspension, especially during pothole season. Repeated damage to the suspension can misalign your wheels and steering. A good rule of thumb is that if it takes a lot of effort to turn, there is a chance you could have damage to your suspension. If you've hit a large pothole and your steering seems a bit off, schedule an appointment as soon as you can. Our Service Staff is extremely experienced with suspension care and will get your car back into your hands in no time!

5. Keep An Eye on Your Fluid Levels

Keeping a lookout for wiper fluid, power steering fluid, brake pad fluids, and oil levels will allow your vehicle to run smoothly and efficiently through the warm months. Your power steering fluid will help you control your car through turns and reduce resistance, while your brake pad fluids will help to reduce resistance with braking, especially in quick scenarios. Your oil helps to lubricate your vehicle's engine, which will keep it running without heating or warping any other parts of the vehicle. While it may be a hot summer, the chance of it raining is extremely likely! Make sure you've got wiper fluid to wash off any dirt on your windshield so that you can drive clearly!

Keep your car clean this summer with these organizational ideas:

• If you have a dog, consider investing in a dog seat cover. This will keep the fur off your seats!
• Add hooks or hangers to your seats to carry groceries or backpacks easily.
• Get a cooler for your car to keep some drinks nice and chilly for the kids!
• Store plastic bags in a Kleenex box. They could come in handy later!
• Keep loose change in an empty gum container so you can have it nearby without making a mess.

If you like these ideas, check out our Pinterest page for more DIY car fun! Organizing your vehicle can be fun and easy this summer with these summer car care and organizational tips! You can keep your vehicle clean and your passengers happy with some quick and easy maintenance. In no time, you'll have a fresh and efficient vehicle and you'll be ready to tackle road trip season! By following all of our tips, you'll have more room, increased safety, and extended life for your vehicle in only a matter of minutes! If you're in need of additional vehicle maintenance, feel free to schedule an appointment and our Service Staff will get your vehicle back on the road as soon as possible!

At Velde Ford, we're committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Stop by the dealership located at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554 or visit our website: VeldeFordPekin.com for more information.

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Tips & Tricks to Keep Your Vehicle in Good Condition

PEKIN, Ill.,–– The best way to keep your vehicle running well for as long as possible is through consistent care and effort. We at Velde Ford Pekin have compiled a list of tips and tricks to keep your car in good condition from the experts themselves! Using these pro tips will keep your vehicle in good condition and can help you keep track of anything your vehicle may need. You'll be a pro in vehicle care in no time! 

Keep a Vehicle Service Log

This is an excellent way to keep track of any repairs or maintenance done on your vehicle. Using a log will allow you to keep track of when you'll need oil changes, tire rotations, and more. You can also use your service log to schedule future appointments with brake examinations and other inspections to keep your vehicle running smoothly! Some maintenance, like oil changes, should be done every 3,000-5,000 miles, while others, like fuel filter replacements, need to be done at longer timeframes. Check your owner's manual for more information!

Buy the Right Kind of Fuel for Your Vehicle

If your vehicle owner's manual says that you should fill your car with regular fuel, fill your car with regular fuel! Using higher octane fuel on a car that only requires regular fuel won't make much of a difference with your car and cause you to spend money you could use somewhere else. However, if your car requires higher octane fuel, make sure you fill it accordingly, because if you don't, you can cause serious damage to your engine. Read your owner's manual for any questions you may have!

Keep Your Vehicle Clean

Make sure that both the interior and exterior of your vehicle are cleaned regularly! Exterior dirtiness can cause rust to build up on your vehicle and can reduce its value and potentially damage necessary parts. Waiting for the next rainstorm to "clean" you car doesn't cut it! Your vehicle's interior is just as important, as a dirty interior can cause dust and dirt to accumulate. If this happens, your chance of getting sick in your vehicle goes up significantly, so make sure you keep all parts of your vehicle clean and healthy!

Fuel Economy Tips

The best way to improve your fuel economy is by keeping a close eye on your tire pressure. If you have adequate tire pressure by keeping your tires regularly filled and cared for, your tire life will be greatly extended and you'll get better gas mileage! Closing your windows or sunroof will help as well, as it will reduce wind resistance on your vehicle. If you accelerate smoothly when you drive, you'll be able to make the most of any trip you make, big or small!

Go Easy on a New Vehicle

If you just purchased a new vehicle, you probably want to take it out as much as you can. Negative habits like speeding and excessive towing can take a toll on a new vehicle. If you go slow and keep the towing to a minimum for at least the first 1,000-1,500 miles, you can ensure a much longer life for your vehicle. Avoiding bad driving habits like these can make your driving experience painless and enjoyable, especially with that brand new set of wheels!

We at Velde Ford want to make sure you're enjoying your vehicle experience for as long as possible. Making the most of your investment is the best way to enjoy a stress-free time on and off the road. Our list of tips and tricks to keep your vehicle in good condition should help you achieve this! If you have other questions or would like some more tips, feel free to check out our Tips & Tricks page or contact us!

At Velde Ford, we're committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Stop by the dealership located at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554 or visit our website: VeldeFordPekin.com for more information.

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7 Cookie Recipes to Include in Your Holiday Baking

PEKIN, Ill., – The holiday season wouldn't be complete without all of the delicious baked goods and cookies we get to eat! For many families, baking cookies is a Christmas tradition! We gathered these 7 cookie recipes to include in your holiday baking this season. We guarantee they're all delicious. You might eat them all before you have a chance to share them with loved ones!

Cherry Cream Cheese Cookies

These tasty treats are bright and festive with their cherry toppers and they taste just as good as they look! Perfect for sharing with Santa, or friends and family.

Peppermint Mocha Cookies

If you love those peppermint mocha lattes from your favorite coffee shop, you'll be sure to love these fun holiday cookies! Perfect for dunking in your hot cocoa.

Sugar Plum Shortbread

The sugar plums will be dancing in your mouth with this classic recipe! These make a great pair with your morning coffee or tea!

Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies

Crunchy, flaky, peanut butter goodies like this are too good to share! Keep these ones all to yourself!

Lemon Butter Cookies

Gooey lemon cookies are a nice change from your traditional holiday baked goods. The lemon adds a nice tart flavor complemented nicely by the powdered sugar topping.

Melting Snowman Oreo Truffles

These cute truffles are festive and delicious! If you want to stick with the more simple side of things, just hold off on the snowman decorations and add sprinkles instead!

Chocolate Caramel Pretzels 

It doesn't get much better than this salty and sweet combination! The pretzels add a nice crunch!

We hope you enjoy our 7 cookie recipes to include in your holiday baking this season! Whether you try just one, or all 7, we think your friends and family will enjoy these tasty treats! Don't forget to save a few for Santa and his reindeer! While you're busy enjoying time with your family this holiday season, don't forget about your Velde family, too! We're here to meet all of your car care and auto service needs all year round! 

Located at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554, Velde Ford of Pekin is committed to providing customers outstanding service. We want you to enjoy your car buying experience. If you have any questions or concerns, be sure to stop by the dealership or visit our website at www.VeldeFordPekin.com. You can also reach us at (888) 221-2804. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

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Use These Car Care and Maintenance Tips to Drive Through Fall

PEKIN, Ill. –– The signs of autumn have arrived as warm weather succumbs to cooler temperatures and the leaves begin to turn beautiful colors. While this season is great for relaxing and enjoying activities like cider mills, pumpkin patches, and bonfires, it’s also the perfect time to make sure your vehicle is up-to-date on what should be considered regular auto service. Use these car care maintenance tips to drive through fall and ensure that you’re staring at the colorful foliage this season rather than a seized engine on the side of the road.

Get a Brake Inspection

Brakes should be inspected every 10,000 miles, and seeing as fall is just ahead of winter it makes this season the perfect time to take a look. If you hear high pitched squealing or grinding, or if it’s difficult to stop, bring your vehicle to our factory-trained and certified service technicians and get your brakes inspected before the roads get slick with snow.

Get a Battery Inspection

Seeing as your batter keeps your vehicle running, you’ll want to make sure you have it inspected before the temperatures plummet. When it gets cold, your battery has a harder time kicking into gear. Open your vehicle hood and check for corrosion around the battery terminals. If you see any, or if your engine is struggling to start and if your check engine light is on, bring your vehicle to us and we’ll give it a thorough inspection. We use batteries of the highest quality and can get your vehicle back on the road, healthy for the upcoming colder months.

Check Lamps and Bulbs.

Although fall is a colorful season, the sky that comes with it can be pretty dull. Autumn days can be dark and gray enough to require the use of headlights when you’re driving. Make sure your vehicle’s lamps and bulbs are working and that they’re bright enough. If you have malfunctioning lamps and bulbs, or if they’re too dim, our service techs can fit your vehicle with the correct headlamps, tail lamps, and interior bulbs to make sure the road is always illuminated as bright as it should be on the dreariest fall days.

Get a Cooling System Inspection.

Your engine coolant, also referred to as antifreeze, keeps your engine from overheating in the summer, but it also keeps your vehicle’s radiator fluid from freezing in the winter. Coolant should be checked every 24,000 miles and fll is a great in-between season to have your cooling system inspected to make sure your vehicle has a healthy engine. Our cooling system inspection includes:

• Inspecting overall equipment condition and operation
• Monitoring operating temperatures
• Checking coolant quality and levels
• Checking hoses for damage and leaks

Rotate or Replace Your Tires

You should have your tires rotated every 3,000 to 7,000 miles, which is about every other oil change. Unfortunately, the majority of people are unaware of this, and many others continue to drive on worn tires that should be replaced. Fall is the perfect time to take care of this vital maintenance before winter hits and the roads get icy. If your tires look bald, treadworn, or you feel less traction on the road, we offer these tire services:

• New tire installation
• Tire mounting and balancing
• Tire rotation
• Tire inspection for proper inflation and wear (for both new tires and tire inspections)

We want our customers to be safe on the roads this fall, and the best way to ensure that is for you to use these car care maintenance tips to drive through fall. Stop by our Pekin area dealer for the auto service your vehicle needs to remain a healthy machine. At Velde Ford, we are committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit our dealership, Velde Ford at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.

Visit our website: VeldeFordPekin.com

Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram