X Things You Shouldn't Ignore

Driving seems like an activity where you are in complete control of the car. But that is not the case. You work together with the car to get where you need to go, quickly and safely. You are in constant communication with your car and everything from road noise to alarm bells to rain on the windshield should help you to adjust your driving to the conditions.

If you are driving, here are X signs that you shouldn't ignore:

1. The gas gauge. Life gets busy. We understand that. But if you don't have time to fill your gas tank, you'll end up costing yourself a lot of stress as you search desperately for one (or you'll end up costing yourself a lot of time if you run out of gas and have to walk).

2. The temperature gauge. We don't really pay attention to this little gauge very much but it is an important gauge. The engine heats up when it has to work extra hard. So take note of where your temperature gauge is when driving under normal conditions. Consider that to be the baseline of standard operation. If the temperature is lower than that, it's usually not a problem. But if the temperature climbs higher than that, it's a definite warning sign.

3. Your tachometer. Not all cars are equipped with a tachometer, which measures RPMs. If your car is equipped with a tachometer, keep an eye on it. It should increase steadily as you accelerate and it should change when your car switches gears. If your tachometer starts jumping around, that is not a good sign. Alternatively, if you don’t have a tachometer, you'll have to rely on your ears to tell you if the engine is running steadily or if it is revving.

4. Your brakes. Brakes aren't just devices that slow you down; they're whole systems designed to work effectively and to warn you when things aren't working right. Brakes come with a built-in warning system that screeches a little when you apply the brakes. If you hear screeching when you apply the brakes, your car is telling you to check (and probably replace) the brakes.

5.    Buzzing, rattling, and clunking. Vehicles take a lot of abuse on the road and when they are in peak condition, they'll perform the way they are supposed to. But buzzing and rattling warn us that something is loose. It might not be a big deal now but if things aren't tightened up, things could get worse.

6. Grinding. Very similar to above, your car should not make a metal-on-metal grinding sound. That's the sign that a once lubricated part is now no-longer lubricated. Pay attention to where and when the grinding noise occurs and tell your mechanic at once.

On their own, these are warning signs of minor issues that can be fixed with a full tank of gas or by a mechanic. If you catch them right away, they will probably cost you very little. However, if you ignore any of these warning signs or leave them for too long before doing something about them, it could cost you. It might just be a cost of inconvenience, as is the case of an empty tank of gas. But it could be much worse – your brakes could give out, your engine might fail, your ability to control the car could disappear. When that happens, collisions occur and those are much more expensive.

If you get into a collision, bring your car to Boyd Autobody & Glass for fast, affordable collision repair that can get you back on the road safely in no time.

Stuff You Should Carry In Your Car

As Canadians, we live in a pretty harsh climate. The summer can be scorchingly hot; the winters can be shockingly cold; if you live in a place that has one of the other two seasons, they're usually wet. The temperature difference in some parts of Canada can be as much as 80 degrees between summer and winter.
(Count yourself lucky if it's less than that where you live).

So, since we live in what can only be described as an "extreme" environment, what should Canadians carry in their car? Here is comprehensive list:

• Emergency roadside kit: You never know what could happen – you might come upon an accident or you might suddenly run out of fuel. It's better to be prepared for everything. Include candles, blankets, and emergency pylons in your roadside kit.
• First aid kit: From tiny boo-boos to more significant "owies". Include disinfectant and bandages. Most emergency kits come with this but double check and stock up.
• Jumper cables: In case you leave your lights on, or to be a friendly Canadian to someone in distress. Spend extra to get longer ones because some day you'll face a situation where the shorter ones just won't reach.
• Spare tire, jack, and wrench: Seems obvious and a lot of cars come with them. Just make sure that they are usable. If necessary, invest in a better jack and wrench if your auto manufacturer was a little cheap. Jack stands also provide a little extra stability and assurance.
• Salt, sand, kitty litter, extraction devices, and snow shovel: During winter, roads get a little snowy (or sometimes a lot snowy) and every good Canadian has found themselves in a ditch from time to time. A combination of some of these tools can help you deal with those times.
• Ice scraper and snow brush: Avoid using your credit card or thumbnail to remove ice.
• Umbrella, raincoat, winter coat, extra mittens, rubber boots, winter boots: If everything worked the way it was supposed to, we'd always get where we need to go. But cars break down and, as luck would have it, they always seem to break down in the wettest, coldest weather. Be prepared with the right gear.
• Car manual, insurance card, accident report form: Keep these in your glove compartment so you can get at them when you need them. (You can download a free accident report form from here).
• Oil and season-appropriate washer fluid: You might not need to carry oil with you all the time if you mainly drive around the city but you should always carry season-appropriate washer fluid.

Obviously it doesn't make sense to carry all of these things all of the time. But keep these things near your car and when the season calls for it, put it in your car. You'll be glad you had it.

Something else you should carry with you is the phone number to a local Boyd Autobody & Glass shop. If you get into a collision, call your insurance company and call us right away.

Five Steps to Driving More Safely

Every day in Canada, there are hundreds of collisions. These collisions aren't always occurring between two completely inexperienced drivers who happen to be talking on their cellphones. Many of these collisions occur even between experienced drivers. To help you avoid a collision and keep your family safe, here are five steps you need to do:


1. Plan your trip.

Be aware of the journey and the environment before you leave. Decide the best route (which might not always be the fastest or most direct). Consider the weather and allow for it. Remember that other drivers might not be taking the time to plan as thoroughly as you; so your planning shouldn't just take your own experience into account but should also take in other drivers' inexperience.

2. Focus.

Once you are on the road, focus on the road. Keep distractions to a minimum and stay alert. Watch your mirrors and blind spots. Actively avoid getting lulled into complacency. Put aside distracting thoughts until your trip is over. Keep your mind on the road.

3. Look ahead.

Many drivers barely pay attention to the road immediately in front of their car. So, when something unexpected happens, they do not have enough time to react. Look farther ahead. Divide your gaze into zones – immediate, soon, and farther ahead – and watch what's happening in each zone. The farther away you push your awareness, the more time you have to react.

4. Obey the laws.

There are reasons why we have laws and they aren't there to annoy us. The advantage of speed limits, for example, is not to keep us from getting to our destination sooner; rather, the advantage of speed limits (and signalling and proper lane changes and stop lights) is to help make the flow of traffic predictable for everyone. Collisions can occur when drivers do unpredictable things (like driving faster or slower than everyone else or switching lanes without signalling). By obeying the laws, you help to make your driving more predictable to others and therefore you reduce the likelihood that someone will collide with you.

5. Predict.

By following the steps above, you will have a greater command of what's going on around you. This allows you to predict or anticipate what others might do. Is there a car slowing down ahead? Predict that it could stop suddenly or veer in either direction. Is there a large mailbox in a school zone? Predict that a child could be hiding behind it. By predicting the possibilities, you'll improve your ability to react when something happens (because it won't be unexpected).

Collisions are not completely unavoidable. However, they can be reduced by following these five steps – Plan, Focus, Look Ahead, Obey the Laws, and Predict. By doing these 5 things, you'll dramatically reduce the likelihood of a collision.

And if you do get into a collision, bring your car to Boyd Autobody & Glass. We'll help to get your car repaired to restore how good it looks and how safe it can keep you and your family.

6 Ways to See Better While Driving

While driving, you probably give a lot of thought to where you're going and what else is going on around you. This level of awareness helps you to avoid accidents and get to where you need to go safely.
You probably give little thought to your car's windshield. In good conditions, you shouldn't see it. However, Canadians rarely live in "good" conditions. We face every imaginable extreme of weather and it impacts how well we can see.

Here are some tips to help you see better while driving.

1. Your car's windshield is curved slightly, providing some aerodynamics to improve fuel efficiency. However, this means that your windshield wipers tend to take the shape of the bottom of the window, which is shaped different than the middle of the window where you look out of. When you turn on your wipers after not having used them for a while, they can smear or miss a spot entirely. Flex your wipers periodically and be sure to replace your wipers regularly as part of your automotive maintenance habits. This will ensure that you can see while you're driving!

2. Your car's windshield takes the brunt of the cold weather. When you're driving in the winter and your windshield begins to fog up, it's because the outside is much colder and drier than the inside. Turn your interior so it brings in cold air from outside (instead of recirculating the humid, warm air in your car) and roll down your windows slightly. This will lower the temperature in the car and help to eliminate some of the humidity that is causing the fog.

3. Driving during dusk or dawn, the sunlight changes rapidly and your eyes have trouble adjusting quickly. If you cannot avoid traveling during these times, drive with extra caution.

4. Bugs, mud, and glass chips may not seem like a big deal on your windshield, but they can break up your ability to focus on the road ahead. Besides, glass chips can quickly turn into glass cracks when the weather cools down. Clean your windshield regularly and get glass chips repaired as soon as possible.

5. Your car's windshield is part of your car's safety cage. Although it is glass, it helps to add support to the structure of your vehicle. Cracks in the glass diminish the safety of the windshield and put the driver and passengers at greater risk. You wouldn't think of driving with a missing door, so why would you drive with a cracked windshield?

6. In the winter, take the time to scrape all of the windows instead of a small crevice so you can see straight out. Your visibility is one of the most importance lines of defense between you and a serious accident.

Mother Nature throws an awful lot of bad weather at Canadians – from rain to snow to sleet to hail to fog to blinding sunshine. Don't let nature get the upper hand. Do everything you can to stay safe on the roads by keeping your windshield clean. If you have a glass chip or a glass crack, bring it in to Boyd Autobody to be fixed right away to help keep you safe on the road.

Why your car HATES grocery shopping

I hate grocery shopping. There are probably hundred – or even a hundred thousand – other things I'd rather do. No offense meant to grocers or to those who love grocery shopping; it's just not my thing. My car hates grocery shopping, too.

Grocery store parking lots are magnets for autobody damage. There are a lot of cars in a confined location and everyone seems intent on getting the parking spot closest to the door.

• Loose shopping carts are caught by the wind and become high speed (well, medium speed) dent-machines, barrelling head-on into the nearest car. A gust of wind and WHAM, your car has been victimized by a steel rolling cage. (It could almost be its own reality TV show, don't you think?)
• Distracted drivers are busy watching for an open parking spot while also trying not to hit people who seemingly dart out from between vehicles. It's like an insane slalom but they can make it harder by talking on their iPhone, eating a Panini, and yelling at the kids. These drivers can veer suddenly or make turns that are too wide or too narrow and WHACK, your car has a brush with steel.
• Blind reversals may sound like an investment technique or a poker-playing trick but it's actually a daily occurrence in grocery store parking lots. You know the situation: Some little family car is tucked between two behemoth SUVs and they need to get out. They should edge out slowly but "slow" isn't a word in some drivers' vocabularies. They put the car in "R" and push the accelerator to the floor. If you're lucky, they'll look directly behind them but their field of vision is too narrow anyway. When that happens, BANG, your car has been kissed by a 100 horsepower station wagon.
• Vigilante key holders are those people who think that just because they have a set of keys, they can mete out justice like a Wild West sheriff. Park your car too close, or park too nice of a car nearby, and SCRATCH, your car now has a deep canyon carved down its side.

While you're inside battling other people for a loaf of milk or a can of butter, your car is facing its own battle on the frontlines of the grocery store parking lot.

Me? I'll be the one who just sits in my idling car in the lane while my kids or spouse runs in to pick up the milk. (Oh, wait…)

But seriously, if you find your car is the victim of a grocery store parking lot "incident", drop the milk and eggs off at home and then drive down to Boyd Autobody & Glass to have us take a look at the damage. It might seem small now but we can turn your less-than-pristine car into a beautiful set of wheels once again!

May's Safe Driving Skill: Corner safely

In 2009 (the last year that statistics are available), Transport Canada reported that there were over 124,000 collisions on Canadian roads, which ended in an injury or fatality. Since the vast majority of collisions occur because of driver error, we believe that many of these 124,000 collisions could be reduced if we all worked on improving our driving skills. So in 2012, Boyd Autobody is encouraging all drivers to take some time to focus each month on one particular driving skill and to work that skill into their driving habits. Throughout the year, we'll all become better drivers.

For the month of May, the driving skill to improve is cornering. It's easy to maintain control of a vehicle when you're driving at a consistent speed in one direction. But as soon as you start to corner, you introduce a whole new set of variables that can cause you to lose control of your vehicle.

That's right, cornering is not just a matter of slightly turning the wheel and letting nature take its course (even though that's how many people take corners). When you corner, the weight of your car shifts to one corner of your vehicle and then moves backward until you straighten out. (If you're turning left, the weight of your car shifts first to the right front of your car and then as you continue through the corner, the weight of your car flows backward toward the right-centre of your car until you straighten the wheel). When you combine the shifting weight, your speed, the grip of your tires, and the condition of the road, corners become places where drivers easily lose control.

Add to that the following factors, smooth steering throughout the corner and other vehicles driving nearby, and a simple turn can become collision chaos.

Improve your cornering in the following ways:

• Keep a firm grip on the steering wheel all the way through the corner.
• Avoid making too tight of a turn (because that throws the weight farther and faster onto the front corner of your car and that can cause you to lose control).
• Slow down in a corner to help you distribute the weight evenly.
• Check your blindspots.
• Pay attention to where all four corners of the car are (to avoid clipping something with your outside front corner or running over something with your inside back corner).
• Remember that your back tires take a tighter turn than your front tires so be sure to allow for that when judging corner distances.
• Don’t hit the accelerator too early in the corner, especially in poor weather conditions, because that can cause you to lose control.

Cornering should be a simple, safe procedure but it can quickly turn into a common collision scenario. Follow these tips to improve your safe cornering and you'll help to dramatically reduce your chance of collision.

The number one secret to safe driving

When cars were first built, driving was all about getting where you needed to go. As horsepower increased, driving was all about getting where you needed to go quickly. But today, driving is all about getting where you need to go quickly AND safely. There are so many cars on the road and it seems like only about 10% of those cars are driven by people who took a driving lesson at some point in their lives. Plus, we're all in a hurry and it's easy to take additional risks when we're in a hurry.

With so many people driving, how can we drive safely? Here's the number one secret to navigating our treacherous roads safely: Anticipate.

When you anticipate, you look farther ahead and you think farther ahead. You try to predict what other drivers are going to do. You forecast what could happen and you plan and act accordingly. The farther ahead you can anticipate, the better a driver you'll be. Here are some ways to anticipate effectively.

Anticipate environmental conditions. Most of us will stick our head out the door before we leave the house to figure out if we should bring a jacket. But anticipating the weather as a careful driver means considering what the weather is going to be like for the entire time that we'll be on the road… AND considering how the weather will impact your driving and the vehicles around you. Are conditions dry and clear? More people will be driving and they'll be driving faster. Is the sun going to be in your eyes? It will probably be in other people's eyes, too, so be sure to watch out for careless lane changers. Is there fog and will it lift? Turn on your headlights but drive a little slower and watch for people who forgot to turn their headlights on.

Anticipate routes. We are creatures of habit and can always take the same route to a destination. But a few minutes of anticipating the route's conditions can make for a safer drive. Is it a well-traveled route during rush hour? Check the clock and consider another way. Is there construction or accidents? Check social media (like Twitter) before heading out on the road. Watch for mentions of accidents and roadwork. Once you get to your destination, is it easy to find a parking spot? It can be hard to find parking in the downtown cores of larger cities, so if you have to drive around for a while looking for a spot, make sure you don't get lost.

Anticipate drivers. The above two anticipating techniques are done before you drive but anticipating how others will drive WHILE YOU DRIVE is going to be the most valuable technique. To anticipate how others will drive, look farther ahead down the road. Most of us look only a car-length ahead while we drive. However, you should shift your vision between the car in front of you and several car lengths in front of you. For traffic that you're following, watch for brake lights and sudden movement (swerving, accelerating, or braking). For oncoming traffic, watch for sudden movement; at the same time, watch for road conditions that might change how the traffic ahead of you behaves. Are there parked cars? One of them could pull out. Are there trees or mailboxes on the side of the road? They could be hiding a pedestrian. Are there intersections? Someone on the cross street might miss the stop sign.

Safe driving isn't just controlling your own car. It's about anticipating how the rest of the world is going to change around you while you drive. Collisions will still happen because you can't plan for everything, but you'll help to minimize your risk of collision with this top tip for safe driving.

If you do get into a collision, Boyd Autobody is there to help you get back on the road as quickly as possible. Stay safe while you drive!

Tips for driving safely through water

There's nothing like a good rainfall. The thunder and lightning can be fearsome but torrential downpours are also cleansing. And you can almost hear the grass growing right after a good burst of rain. Although our lawns might like wet weather, our cars do not necessarily thrive in wet conditions.

Cars are built to handle inclement weather but only within certain parameters. If you are driving during or shortly after a rainfall, here are some tips to take care of your car:

• Steer clear of puddles. Yes, puddles seem innocent enough and splashing through one can remind us of when we were kids with rubber boots. However, puddles can do two types of damage to your car: First, puddles can hide a pothole. Running over a pothole can damage your car's tires and undercarriage, and knock your wheels out of alignment (which can cause further wear and tear). Second, puddles can splash. That doesn't seem like a big deal except that puddles can splash under our own car into the engine compartment (which can cause damage) or it can splash other cars and affect their ability to see clearly (which can cause accidents!). If you see a puddle, slow down and try to avoid it.
• Be cautious about hydroplaning. Hydroplaning sounds like a superhero's water vehicle but it's really a dangerous situation that can occur during or after a heavy rain. Rain water that doesn't drain off of the road quickly enough can cause cars to lose traction. When your car loses traction, you lose your ability to control your car. Unfortunately, a roadway where the threat of hydroplaning can be difficult to see since all you really see is a wet road. But the threat is real. Slow down a little during and after a rainfall and avoid making sudden changes in direction.
• Don't drive in deep water. During torrential rains, storm drains become overwhelmed with the amount of water and they don't drain fast enough. Roads become rivers. Driving in these conditions is extremely dangerous: You can no longer see potholes or even the curbs, water can get into your engine very easily, and you can even float away in a wave caused by another vehicle! During a bad storm, our instinct is to get home to safety but if we're driving our car we should really just park off of the roadway and let the water diminish.

With the crazy and unpredictable weather we've been experiencing in Canada in the past few years, it's hard to know when the next rainfall will be and exactly how much water will plummet from the skies. Use these tips to drive safely. If you do find yourself caught in a heavy rainstorm, have your car inspected right away.

And if you lose control and collide with another vehicle, bring your car to Boyd Autobody for a repair. We'll dry out your car and repair it and get you back out on the road as quickly as possible.

Deal with these small issues before they turn into big problems

Door ding? Paint scratch? Rust blemish? Glass chip? None of these seem like a big deal if they show up on your car. In fact, they're so small that we might not notice them right away. But sooner or later the light might catch it in a certain way or we happen to walk around the passenger side of the vehicle and we see the tiny issue and wonder "when did that get there?"

What you do next could cost you thousands of dollars.

Do you get into your car and continue driving? Or do you pick up the phone and make an appointment at a nearby autobody repair centre?

It can be tempting to just continue on. It's easy to forget about those tiny issues. After all, they're so small and there are other things in life that seem more pressing – the boss wants that report first thing; the kids need braces; the spouse wants a vacation to somewhere tropical; the brother-in-law needs help moving again. You name it; your agenda is filled with things that seem way more important than a tiny door ding or rust blemish.

These door dings, paint scratches, rust blemishes, and glass chips seem so insignificant that you notice them and they disappear from your mind right away. But just because they're gone from your mind doesn't mean that they're gone from your car. And here's something else you should know: These small issues don't remain small. They grow.

Tiny door dings and paint scratches can lead to rust because the protective coat of paint is broken (even if you can't see that it's broken). Tiny rust blemishes can lead to big rust patches. All rust needs to grow is a foothold. And tiny glass chips turn into big glass cracks once water invades, freezes, and expands. So small issues are small issues and easily forgotten. But they turn into big issues before you know it and suddenly your car is no longer the pristine point of pride it once was.

More importantly, a small ding, scratch, blemish, or chip costs very little to repair and it can be done quickly. But large patches of rust and big glass cracks cost comparatively higher amounts and take much longer to repair.

At Boyd Autobody & Glass, we see these situations on a daily basis – vehicle owners who waited too long to bring in their vehicle to repair what was once a small issue and is now a big problem.

Do yourself and your car and your wallet a favour. Take a walk around your car and thoroughly check for small issues – the things you would normally forget about like door dings, paint scratches, rust blemishes, and glass chips. They're there… and probably forgotten. Then come down to one of our collision repair shops for a quote right away. You'll save hundreds or even thousands of dollars, plus you'll save yourself a lot of time.

Is your car an investment?

We all know the "rule of thumb" that your car loses half its value as soon as you drive it off of the dealership lot. Cars depreciate and unless you own a nicely restored classic car or antique car (you know, from the years when they looked GOOD), you're pretty much guaranteed that you are going to lose money on your car from the moment you purchase it.

For this reason, personal financial experts will tell you that your car is not a good investment… After all, investments are supposed to make money, not lose them. But your car might actually be a better investment than you think.

Cars depreciate. That part is indisputable. But cars are an investment in other ways:

1. Cars are an investment in making money: Your car enables you to get to and from work regularly so you can earn an income. A small portion of that income goes toward maintaining your car, but much more of your income goes toward all of the other things that we need in life.
2. Cars are an investment in saving time: Public transportation is good for the environment and a nice alternative when you don’t want to drive or fight for a parking spot downtown. However, there are many times when you need to get somewhere a little faster than by bus and a car can get you there. And since "time is money", saving times means that your vehicular investment is that much more worthwhile.
3. Cars are an investment in convenience: Have you ever shopped for groceries then had to walk all the way home? It's not very pleasant, especially in particularly hot or cold weather. Along with getting you to and from the grocery store quickly, your car makes your life more convenient.
4. Cars are an investment in safety: When you drive, you're literally hurtling down the road in a cage of steel and glass, zooming by other cages of steel and glass. Buying a car means buying a high-tech safety device that you can move your family around safely in.

For these four reasons, your car IS an investment. Sure, you probably won't "buy low and sell high" as you would with shares of a company on the stock market, but investing in a car means investing in yourself and your ability to make money, save time, enjoy an easier life, and travel safely. Those are important and worthwhile things to spend money on.

Since your car is an investment, it makes sense to take care of it. After all, your house is also an investment and you take care of that. To take care of your vehicle investment properly, you need to do two things: First, keep the car's mechanics well-tuned so the engine runs smoothly and will last a long time. But a tuned engine is only the first step. Earlier in this article we said that your car is a high-tech cage of steel and glass. You need to keep it maintained so that it will last as long as the engine does. At Boyd Autobody & Glass, we can help. From fixing major fender-benders to tiny door dings and glass chips, we can help to prolong the value of your investment.