Chevrolet Avalanche: 2001-2013

When the Chevrolet Avalanche first debuted in 2001, it was a confusing vehicle. But by the end of 2003, selling upwards of 90,000 vehicles, the Avalanche had established itself as a mainframe in the Chevrolet lineup. But as demand for Silverado's and Colorado's increased, the Avalanche saw a decrease. And now, only selling around 2,000 Avalanche's per month, Chevrolet has decided to let go of the Avalanche.

     Chevrolet is celebrating the departure of the Avalanche with a special edition called; The Black Diamond. This package will include body color trim work, special badges, and lower pricing. GM and Chevy are rewarding their loyal customers, and hopefully new customers, with about $2,500 off MSRP. They are also making a few adjustments to their trim levels and the options provided. LT trim will now provide a standard rear-view camera, and the LS model will sport; rear-parking assist, power-adjustable pedals, fog lights, and remote start; all standard.
     Personally, I used to love the Avalanche when i was younger. Recently, I just see it as an alternative to the Silverado. I think it's a unique vehicle which for the right deal, is great to have. So if you want a new truck, make your move on an Avalanche and take advantage of the great deals!

Distracted Driving

Traffic accidents are usually just that, an accident. Driving distractions are a continual cause for concern as people, teens especially, are distracted by all kinds of things going on inside and outside of the vehicle. 

Here’s a list of the most observed distractions: Cell phone use, grooming, eating, use of navigation, interaction with other passengers, adjusting the radio, and reading. Studies have shown that texting is the most distracting because it uses up manual, cognitive, and visual senses. Texting is no stranger to anyone, in the U.S. in June of 2011, 196 billion texts were sent and received. That is an astounding number as it was up 50% from June of 2009. Another alarming stat is that 40% of people have said they were in a car where the teenage driver put them at danger by using a cell phone. Personally, if I am in the car with someone and desperately need to check a text, I would have my passenger do it for me. These next stats show just how much texting can amplify the magnitude of a crash. According to VTTI, texting while riving creates a 23% higher risk of a crash than driving without a distraction. Also, texting while driving gives you the same response time as if you had a .08 blood alcohol rating. This stat makes me thankful that there are now laws against texting and driving in Michigan because if it is the same as someone driving drunk, it needs to be eliminated. When a vehicle is not being controlled by someone, it can be a killing machine. Carnegie Mellon research shows that driving while using a cell phone reduces the mount of brain activity associated with driving by 37%. So that means that nearly half of you is driving a car while the other half is telling Jimmy how much you like him. 

When I drive a car, I know how dangerous it can be. So many little things can go wrong, and that is why it is so important to eliminate as many distractions as you can to make your driving experience as safe as possible.

Chevrolet Volt Sales

The Chevy Volt is a revolutionary electric vehicle which is finally beginning to pick up steam. The Volt has actually been slow to gain drivers as people are impressed with the Volt, but not quite sure if they want one yet.  Numbers were not meeting desired sales figures in February so Chevy actually decided to halt Volt production in the months of March and April for five weeks because they were producing too many Volt's. However, when the recent sales figures for March arrived, Chevrolet decided to reduce the Volt production hiatus by one week as sales in March doubled sales in February. Chevrolet, and I'm assuming the environment, were very pleased with this sales increase as they are hoping that the recent attacks on the Volt by the Right Wing are over. Charging stations are popping up all around Grand Rapids, Michigan (GR was recently named #1 best place to raise a family and #2 best place to live overall) and that is sure a great sight to see. Our environment cannot last and provide the same opportunities for the future generations as we are able to experience today without our help. Chevrolet is working to push their environmentally friendly Volt and make it available as much as they can, now it is up to us to act and utilize everything that technology and automobiles can offer.

Cruise Control

One of the most commonly over-looked options on vehicles today is cruise control. It is an easy way to be sure to not speed, while at the same time, driving fast enough to not upset other drivers.
First, we'll take a look at a few advantages to cruise control. Long drive's can be quite boring and actually quite exhausting! Cruise control is a great way to reduce driver fatigue as you are able to adjust your positioning and get more comfortable. Also on these long drives, fuel efficiency is often better while using cruise control. Many drivers today tend to have a lead foot (myself included), so taking your foot off the gas and letting the engine monitor the speed is a great way to achieve the best possible fuel economy your car can achieve. My favorite benefit however is using cruise control to not excessively exceed the speed limit! On a long and straight highway, it is very easy to just keep pushing that gas pedal down, but with cruise control, your speed will be whatever you set it at. Of course you have the ability to set it at 80 in a 70, but if your not one for living on the edge, setting your cruise at 72 is a great option.

Using cruise control does have its disadvantages however. referring back to the advantage of making yourself more comfortable is where this disadvantages arises. When you rely entirely on cruise control, sometimes you may become less aware and therefore, not able to have the quickest response time available. If you make yourself comfortable, it is usually the case that your foot is not as close to the brake or gas as it should be. A recent technology in many cars today which is looking to counter this problem is adaptive cruise control. This will monitor the cars around your vehicle and make sure to use the right amount of braking or acceleration as needed. Another time to be wary of cruise control is in snow, ice, slush, or rain. The vehicle is unaware of the conditions, so it may lose grip and begin speeding up in wet conditions which can be very dangerous. Vehicles today are using a stabilitrak system which is aimed to monitor this and protect the car from spinning out. But no system is perfect so always be careful if you decide to use cruise control when wet conditions arise.

Cruise control is a very nice convenience to have in your vehicle, but you just need to make sure to be aware at all times while using cruise control, and be smart while using it.

Driving in the Rain

    
Just because winter is over in Michigan, does not necessarily mean that driving becomes easier. The rain that inevitably falls in the Spring can create dangerous driving conditions which many people are unaware of. I am here to share a few tips on how to drive carefully in the rain.
     Using cruise control on wet pavement has often been argued as unsafe. Judging by the research i have read, I would have to agree that using cruise control on wet pavement can increase the probability of hydroplaning. If the tires hit water and the treads do not catch, your engine will speed up causing you to hydroplane and lose control and because you are using cruise control, your feet may not be as close to the brake, causing your reaction ability to decrease. It is also important to remember that if you begin to hydroplane, do not turn the wheel or brake suddenly as this can send your car spinning, instead, slowly release your foot off the gas and steer straight. If you have anti-lock brakes, braking may be acceptable.

     Before reading up on this topic I was unaware of this scenario. Be especially cautious after a long dry spell when the rain falls. Engine grease and oil will build up along the pavement and when that first rain arrives, the roads will become extremely slick. It is important to maybe wait a few hours until the rain washes away the grease and oils so your commute is as safe as possible.
     One simple tip that many people overlook is the use of your headlamps. For many people, the rain makes it difficult to see, so you want to make sure that your headlamps are turned on so other drivers are aware of where you are on the road.

     Last but not least, if you see a huge puddle, don't try to make a huge splash by accelerating towards it. Even though this looks pretty cool, it can be very harmful for your engine. If the water makes its way up to your electrical components of the engine, it could cause damage which can ruin your engine and become very costly.
     Remember to always be aware of your surroundings and never underestimate how the weather can affect driving conditions. Drive Safe!

Chevrolet Sonic: Sporty and Smart

The Chevrolet Sonic hatchback is one of Chevrolet’s most recent creations. The Sonic is a drastic improvement from the outgoing Aveo both in quality and performance.

The Sonic features two engines which it shares with the Cruze, a 1.8L 4 Cylinder, and a 1.4L 4 Cylinder Turbo. The most popular engine is definitely the 1.4L Turbo which offers 138HP and 148lb-ft of torque, the most torque in its class. The Turbo engine launches the Sonic from 0-60 in an impressive 7.8 seconds. This number is especially impressive considering that the Sonic achieves 40MPG highway. The Sonic turbo on a full tank of gas can travel an astounding 488 miles! That’s a trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco. The engine is only half of what makes the Sonic such a sporty ride. Chevy went through hundreds of suspension variations until they got the perfect blend of sport and comfort. The Sonic is a great small car for performance and fuel economy.

Even though the Sonic is priced to start as low as 14,000$, it is loaded with technology options. One of my favorite features is that you can start up your Sonic via your smartphone through the OnStar application. This means that in the winter, your car can be heated up by the time you get in, or in the summer, it can be cooled down for you, pretty convenient if you ask me. Another neat feature the Sonic provides is the radio connectivity. Pandora and Stitcher SmartRadio are both available as well as the possibility of hooking up your iPod to play through the radio. If you’re really feeling adventurous, you may want to try the Bluetooth connectivity availability which allows you to make calls through your vehicle.

The Sonic already has a great looking exterior but if you want to spice thinks up, Chevy has you covered. Chevy offers all kinds of cool graphics which the dealer can add to your Sonic, as well as matching black or white wheels, whichever floats your boat.

As always, Chevy doesn’t neglect safety. Sonic has you covered all over with 10 standard airbags which is the most in its class and is a key factor in its top safety pick by the IIHS. Other neat safety features include, StabliTrak, electronic brake force distribution, and the always trusted; OnStar.  

The Sonic is a great small vehicle for your money. You don’t usually expect such a fun drive from such a low priced vehicle, but the Sonic is re-writing how small cars are made.

April Fools

When I was a kid, I looked forward to April Fools like it was Christmas. I loved plotting elaborate plans to trick my family only to be so caught up in the moment that they get me good with a joke. Even today, they somehow manage to get me good and I'm almost 21.
Some people believe that April Fools presents an unlucky omen. Chrysler CEO Marchionne says that the scheduled release of the new Dodge Dart for April 1, may not be the best idea. At the Geneva Auto-show he recently said he may delay the date due to the "jinx" factor. Personally, I don't lose sleep over this sort of thing and I would give the customers what they want, a Dart to test drive on April 1. I have actually been waiting on the purchase of my next car until I can test drive the Dart. It seems to be a sporty car with an ample amount of horsepower produced by a turbocharged four cylinder and I am quite excited to drive it and make my decision on a vehicle. It's not like that one extra day will kill me, but I am really looking forward to a new car and the days seem to be moving by too slowly.
In the end, the extra day shouldn't make a difference for customers, and maybe it will eliminate a negative omen. Time will tell when we see how the Dart sells in America.