Service Plus Automotive posts educating, engaging, and entertaining blog posts about auto repair, preventative maintenance, and our involvement and other activities within the Calcium, NY, Fort Drum, and Watertown community. We post monthly updates, so we encourage you to check back in. Happy reading!

Tag Archives: auto mechanic

How Self-Driving is Nearly Here (and Also Decades Off)

How Self-Driving is Nearly Here (and Also Decades Off)

Photo by Jonas Leupe on Unsplash    You might have heard of electric self-driving vehicles. In the past several year's many shows, movies, public figures, and especially tech giants have said that they would become the norm in society. Many car companies, such as Tesla, have placed a massive bet that self-driving cars would become essential in a technologically progressing society.   So what can self-driving cars do for us? One benefit of self-driving cars is that they are equipped with technology commonly referred to as Artificial Intelligence. The vehicles use this Artificial Intelligence to make split-second decisions on the driver's behalf to decide the best outcome intelligently. They do this with assistance with a mixture of sensors, radar, GPS, laser beams, and cameras. In the ideal state of self-driving cars, there would be no need for any human ... read more

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Winter Fun in Calcium

Winter Fun in Calcium

Photo by Filip Bunkens on Unsplash   Welcome to another wonderful December in Calcium! We’re so glad you’re a part of our community, and we hope you and your family have had a wonderful 2021. If you’re looking for something to get you in the holiday spirit, we’re pleased to say you have options! (If you want some options closer to home, here’s last year’s look at lights displays!)   The Holiday Season in New York State offers so much to do. There’s skiing, snowboarding, ziplining, dogsledding, ice fishing, ice biking, and snowmobiling -- and that’s just the obviou ... read more

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Showing Gratitude for a Good Year

Showing Gratitude for a Good Year

Photo from the website   We can’t believe it’s already November! Compared to 2020, this year flew by us. 2021 has been a great year at Service Plus Automotive. We hope your year has been just as good and you’ve managed to accomplish your goals.   As the holiday season approaches, we’ve got charitable giving and community support on our minds. With Thanksgiving approaching, it’s a good time to reflect on the things we’re grateful for. We were blessed with a great year, both in terms of the business and our charitable donations within the Calcium and Fort Hood community.    Here are some of the contributions Service Plus Automotive made to your community this year:   We had an incredible time forming a Captain and Crew team for the Volunteer Transportation Center’s Golf Tournament and sponsorship. Service Advisors Kayla and Brandon, our Tech ... read more

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Why It’s Time To Check Your Tires

Why It’s Time To Check Your Tires

Photo by Jiafeng Wang on Unsplash   As October moves us further into beautiful autumn in Calcium, we need to consider the months ahead. November and December will mean Holiday travel for many of us. And even once we complete that traveling, we can expect January snow to slow us down.   That makes October the right time to think about your tires. School’s in session, Halloween is coming up, and both these things involve excited kids running out into traffic. It would be best if you had your tires in good working order. You need to make sure they have been rotated once in their cycle, have good tread, and are aligned correctly before the ice and snow make driving infinitely more difficult for you.   Old-timers will ... read more

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Back To School Thinking

Back To School Thinking

Photo by Matt Ragland on Unsplash   Back to school season is upon us! The streets will soon fill with youngsters on their way to class, buses with their stop signs extended, and carpools full of kids on their route to school. Before the pandemonium begins, have you considered what you might need to have done regarding your vehicle?    Now is an excellent time to look at your vehicle and have some discussions with your kids when it comes to their pick-up schedule.   Here are a couple of ideas you might consider:   Do a walk-thru: This is an excellent time to do a point-to-point check of some of the basic safety features in your vehicle! Check the seatbelts and make sure they fasten correctly, adjust yo ... read more

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Staying Cool At Summer’s Last Gasp

Staying Cool At Summer’s Last Gasp

Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash   Welcome to the heatwave! August is traditionally the roughest summer month, with the heat having one last gasp before Autumn begins to take over in September. By most accounts, it’s going to be a brutal August in 2021.   If you want to stay cool and avoid getting too hot this summer while out in your car, here are some steps to take that will help you out!   Avoid Iced Drinks - it’s a common misconception that drinking an icy-cold beverage will bring your body temperature down. The truth is, it will raise your body temperature to combat the cold inside your body. Hot tea and coffee won’t lower your temperature, but your body doesn’t need to do the one ... read more

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How to Turn a Cancelled Vacation into a Stay-At-Home Adventure

How to Turn a Cancelled Vacation into a Stay-At-Home Adventure

Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash   Do you have any Summer travel plans? Many families will be hitting the road this month, but some will have to postpone their vacation due to conflicts that keep them at home. If your vacation plans were unexpectedly canceled, and you don't know how you'll entertain the kids without a rebellion, have no fear! In this blog, we will be giving you a few ideas of how to host and plan your own “staycation”!    With gas prices hitting a high, COVID-19 still being a concern for many, and last-minute life issues making an unexpected appearance, many of us have decided to stay at home for the Summer and enjoy our time off from the comfort of our own home. So, how ca ... read more

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Top Road Trip Getaways From Fort Drum

Top Road Trip Getaways From Fort Drum

Photo by Ben Shanks on Unsplash   With Summer right around the corner and COVID-19 restrictions easing, many of us have been eagerly waiting for a well-deserved vacation! Road tripping can be a great way of enjoying every second with gorgeous scenery and irreplaceable time spent with loved ones. Here are a few ideas of road trip getaways from Fort Drum we recommend:    Seneca Lake Seneca Falls offers several must-see locations, including three of the best parks in the region, the most significant wine trail in New York State, and also provides some spectacular views from local boat tours! Driving down Route 14S offers a scenic drive with stunning views and is right along the wine trail that includes a collection of 35 wi ... read more

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How To Change A Flat Tire

How To Change A Flat Tire

Photo by Nicholas Jackson from Pixabay   Welcome to the May blog for Service Plus! We hope Spring is treating you well and that your family is either vaccinated or scheduled to be soon!   This month’s blog is a look into how to change a flat tire. There’s a lot to know, and the first point to make is that there’s a difference between coming across a flat tire on a parked car and having a blowout.    If you have a blowout, your first steps are about making sure you get to safety. Pull over as far away from the road as you can manage, and set down signals if you have them. Be sure you are in the Parked gear and that the parking brake is fully engaged. If you&r ... read more

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Top Five Reasons To Change Your Car’s Air Filters

Top Five Reasons To Change Your Car’s Air Filters

  Welcome to April’s blog! We hope you have been coping well in the past month and are just about ready for Spring now. Today, we’re looking at the benefits of changing air filters.   Air filters are something inexpensive to replace, but they usually get replaced less than they should, because car owners don’t have time in their busy lives to do the work-- which can usually be done in under 30 minutes. Here’s our top five reasons to change your air filters:   5. Reduced Emissions - the air from your exhaust is the same air that came in through your air filter. If it starts dirtier, it leaves dirtier. A new air filter helps relieve that.   4. Quick, easy fix - changing your engine and cabin air filters is inexpensive and fast for a mechanic. Don’t hold out if you don’t have time to do the work yourself; bring it to your auto mechanic.   3. Reduces Allergens - when the pollen starts to build up, having a new air filter ... read more

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