Category Archives: travel

Getting That 1st Place!!

Car and Driver recently came out with their 2015 Editors Choices for top vehicles! Guess what?! The Jeep Grand Cherokee took 1st place for mid-sized crossovers and SUVS!! The Grand Cherokee excels at climbing mountains and social circles.

2014 Jeep Grand cherokee

It offers a variety of powertrains: a 3.6-liter V-6, a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, a 3.0-liter turbo-diesel, and the SRT variant’s 6.4-liter Hemi V-8. There’s also the choice of three 4×4 systems plus Quadra-Lift air suspension with five height settings. Comfortable interiors are trimmed with high-quality materials and offer upscale options. Buyers can step into a four-wheel-drive, V-6 Grand Cherokee for as little as $31,790 in entry-level Laredo trim. Jeep offers the Limited and the more luxurious, Summit, trim levels as well; the $47,190 Overland sits between those two.

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland

The $1795 Advanced Technology Group, which brings adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning and mitigation, and blind-spot monitoring with cross-path detection! Pair that with the ample space in the Jeeps cabin, the panoramic sunroof and of course the worlds simplest yet most advanced media center, the Uconnect 8.4AN!

All of this is available at Woody’s Automotive Group! We have the Jeeps, we have the technology, we have it all!

A headlight is just a headlight, right? Not anymore!

Woody's Automotive Group Headlight Service

A headlight is just a headlight, right? At one time this may have been true, but today there are three main options for manufacturers and auto buyers to choose from. Headlamp technology has evolved over the years, but does newer always mean better? I guess it depends on what you’re looking for in a headlight.

The first up is the trusty, time-tested halogen headlamp. Most vehicles on the road today are using halogen lights. This is the oldest of the three options found on new vehicles, but it’s still widely used today because it’s primary advantage is longevity and cost. Under normal conditions, a halogen bulb will last about 1,000 hours and the replacement lamps are usually inexpensive to replace. So why not use them in everything? Halogen isn’t exactly the best example of efficiency. Lots of the energy used by a halogen lamp is turned into heat and is just wasted. If you’re driving an electric car or a hybrid, you can’t afford to be wasting your power in the form of throw-away heat. One thing to remember when changing a halogen bulb is to not touch the glass with your fingers. By wearing gloves, you can keep the salt from the moisture in your skin away from the glass. These salts can compromise the way the glass will resist the high temperatures created by the filament.

Halogen Advantages: – Long life – Bright illumination – Inexpensive replacements

Halogen Disadvantages: – Energy wasting – Extra care when handling

Next up is the Xenon headlight, or the HID (High Intensity Discharge) headlamp. These are generally regarded as a more efficient solution because they generate more light and have a better color temperature (to the naked eye, they appear to have a blue tint). These lamps can generate more than twice the light of a traditional halogen lamp. More light is a good thing, right? If you’re driving with HID lamps, yes. If you’re the oncoming traffic, not so much. For all the light they generate, an HID lamp should last about 2000 hours under normal conditions. These lamps do cost a little more to produce, install, and replace. Another thing to consider is that some of the Xenon lamps may contain toxic substances like mercury.

HID Advantages: – A longer lifetime than halogen lamps – More efficient than halogen lamps – Better visibility for the driver

HID Disadvantages: – Lots of glare for other drivers – All around higher costs than halogen – Harmful materials MAY be found in the lamps

The third major type of headlight used today is the LED, or Light Emitting Diode. These lamps are certainly a leap forward in technology, but they still have a ways to go. Don’t get me wrong- this type of light still has plenty of advantages and it could take over the headlamp world in a few years. These lamps need very low power to work, which is why they are the lamp of choice in electric and hybrid vehicles where electricity is a premium commodity. Also, an LED lamp is usually pretty small compared to a traditional headlamp, allowing manufacturers to produce all kinds of shapes and configurations that wouldn’t have been possible with the older headlights. Although these don’t create the heat that the other lamps do, there is still a certain amount of heat created at the base of the emitter. This hot-spot does create a potential risk for nearby assemblies and cables. This is the primary reason that these lamps aren’t used more frequently. Currently, production costs are pretty high for LED’s, and they mostly offered as options.

LED Advantages: – Very low energy consumption – Small size allowing for different configurations

LED Disadvantages: – High production costs – Not the brightest – Could cause heat damage to nearby assemblies

So how well does your car see in the dark? Come see the experts at the Woody’s Automotive Group today!

Fiat! A Fun Filled Ride!

You live your life with efficient ease. Drive your car the same way. With fuel efficiency ratings of 31 city / 40 highway mpg, your FIAT 500c Lounge is anything but complicated.

fiat 500c

Protected by seven airbags, including advanced multistage driver and front-passenger airbags, a driver’s knee airbag, full-length side-curtain airbags and seat-mounted pelvic-thorax airbags, you can rest assured that you and your passengers stay secure.

Your EVIC keeps you conveniently in touch with your vehicle’s information at a glance. This digital display presents speed, rpm, fuel level, engine coolant temperature and much more, as well as time, date, ambient temperature and mileage.

fiat 500c 2

Speak easy and listen to music hands-free while you’re on the move with BLUE&ME. Stream your favorites wirelessly with Bluetooth Streaming Audio. You’ll be amazed at what you can do with this voice-activated “must-have” convenience.

Added touches bring an extra level of luxury. Immerse yourself in the simple beauty of the FIAT®500c Lounge with details such as leather trim on the shift knob and steering wheel. The available Luxury Leather Package includes heated leather-trimmed front seats, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and the rear park assist system.

fiat 500c 4

Enjoy the freedom and flexibility of your power retractable soft top with four preset positions, as well as a full cycle of stopping points, from fully opened to fully closed. This dual-layer cloth top can be retracted at speeds of up to 60 mph!

fiat 500c 3

MOPAR ELECTRONIC VEHICLE TRACKING SYSTEM

Want to protect your vehicle? Check out this great device offered up by Mopar! They really do think of it all!

Protect your vehicle with Mopar’s Electronic Vehicle Tracking System (EVTS), a state-of-the-art GPS-enabled stolen vehicle recovery system. It features everything you need to recover your vehicle in the event of a theft, plus additional features that put other systems to shame.

EVTS includes nationwide tracking without a subscription, but you’ll want to add either the Silver or Gold Plan to get a wide variety of extra benefits, including 24/7 Emergency Service Dispatch, Security Fence, Arrival/Departure Notification, Excessive Speed Notification, Trace Maps of Past Locations, and much more. Keep your vehicle safe and sound with EVTS.

Check your own automatic transmission fluid!

enter image description here

When your vehicle is parked on a level surface, start the engine and let it warm up. Let the engine run throughout the process unless your vehicle’s owner’s manual says otherwise.

 

  • Locate the automatic transmission fluid dipstick. It’s usually near the spot where the rear of the engine meets the tranmission or transaxle.
  • Remove the dipstick and wipe any fluid from it with a clean rag. Be careful- the fluid on the dipstick might be hot.
  • Re-insert and remove the dipstick again. Observe the markings on the end of the dipstick. It probably has two markings for full, one for cold and the other for warm. If the fluid level does not come up to the warm line, you’ll need to add some automatic transmission fluid. See your owners manual about the type of fluid that’s recommended for your vehicle.
  • If you need to add fluid, use a long, narrow funnel to add the fluid to the same hole that the dipstick fits into. Add the fluid in small increments and keep rechecking the level until it reached the warm line. Be careful to avoid spilling the fluid onto the hot engine parts and don’t overfill the transmission.

When the fluid is at the proper level, just re-insert the dipstick and you’re done!

Your transmission should not lose any fluid during normal operation, so if the level is low, there’s a good chance that your vehicle has a leak somewhere. Consult a service professional at the Woody’s Automotive Group to avoid any possible damage to your transmission.

 

For all your service needs, Contact Deryck or Mike at 888-895-6545 and schedule an appointment | http://www.wowwoodys.com/service-center

Take Your New Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Surfing!

Jeep Surf

Your Jeep Wrangler Unlimited is capable of so much! Maybe it’s the simple task of getting you to work and back for the day. It could be to pick your children up in the snow, because that 4X4 system is like no other! If you are like me, you love to surf and your Jeep Wrangler can handle that responsibility too! Just equip it with a roof rack able to hold your boards and get on your way!

Jeep Surf Boards

 

The 4X4 system, Rock-Trac 4WD, helps deliver more control and more torque at the wheels to help you go virtually anywhere you point your vehicle. So, you will be able to get to the best surf spots with no hassle! Plus, the Alpine sound system will pump up your mood and get your body ready! Get off the couch, stop living a boring life and get out today! See ya in the water!

surfing gif

AGM battery won’t take a charge? Don’t pitch it- try this instead

AGM Battery

AGM, or Absorbed Glass Matt batteries are finding their way into more and more cars on the road. Once found mainly in high performance cars, your everyday driver might just have one under the hood. These batteries don’t have the traditional spillage problems and perform better because the electrolytes aren’t in a liquid form, but are held in a suspension. This keeps is in constant contact with the lead and means better efficiency when discharging as well as charging. Usually. Sometimes, if the battery is discharged too much, it might not take a charge anymore (at least not without a little help)

This doesn’t necessarily mean that your battery is toast. If you have another battery that’s well charged (12.4 volts or more), just connect it in parallel with the dead AGM battery on your charger. Use a set of jumper cables and connect the good battery to the AGM battery, + to +, – to -. Just limit your charging to 10 amperes, and save yourself from having to replace an expensive battery!

charging

Woodys Weekly Update #34

This week Woodys Automotive Group traveled out to the county fair! We messed around with some typical farm animals : cows, chickens, pigs, etc! Check out the weekly update which we also filmed from the fair! It is pretty great and a lot of fun to film!

How to tell if your fuel filter is dirty!

fuel filter

There are a few signs of a clogged fuel filter, here are few of the most common. Having difficulty starting the vehicle, vehicle not starting at all, frequent engine stalling, and erratic engine performance are all signs that your fuel filter is dirty. Thankfully for you they are easily replaced and not very costly. If you are experiencing issues with your vehicle and are unsure of whether or not it’s something as simple as the fuel filter, give the Woody’s Automotive Group Service Department a call 660-646-3455 ext. 28 and they will gladly answer any of your questions! As always, stay tuned for another Tech Tip next week!

The DO’s and DONT’s of Cruise Control!

All about Cruise Control!

enter image description here

Even though cruise control has been around a long time, there have been several advances in the last few years increasing driver comfort and convenience. The primary purpose of cruise control is to enable you to maintain a minimum speed of 25 mph or greater without holding down the accelerator.

When to NOT use your cruise control:
Cruise control can be dangerous when you CANNOT drive safely at a steady speed. Also, DO NOT use your cruise control on winding roads or in heavy traffic. Cruise control is also very dangerous on slippery/wet roads. On such roads, fast changes in the traction may cause excessive wheel slip, and you could lose control!!

HOW TO:
(ON/OFF): Press this button to turn the cruise control on and off.
(Res +): (Resume/Accelerate) Press this button to make the vehicle accelerate or resume a previously set speed. This button can be pressed to increase your set speed. Each time you press it, the vehicle should accelerate by 1 mph. When passing another vehicle, you can quickly accelerate by pressing the gas pedal. When you let off the pedal, your vehicle will slow back to the set speed.
(Set -): (Set/Coast) Press this button to set the speed or decrease the set speed. Each time you press this button, your speed will decrease by 1 mph.
(Cancel): Press this button to cancel the cruise control.
If you leave your cruise control on when you are not using it, you might accidentally hit a button and go into cruise mode when you do not want to. You could be startled and even lose control. Keep the cruise control turned off until you want to use it!