What Tires Should I Get for My Silverado?

You might have prepared yourself for winter setting in and plummeting Maryland temperatures, but is your car ready for the harsh weather? At Koons Clarksville Chevrolet GMC, we have everything you need to winterize your vehicle. Here, we'll offer you some tips for making your car winter-ready. Following these steps will help keep you safe on the Clarksville roads and save you money. Have Your Car Serviced If your car is coming due for a service, it's a good idea to get it done ahead of the cold weather. Schedule a service at Koons Clarksville Chevrolet GMC, and our highly qualified technicians will make sure your car is in the best possible shape for the cold winter months. Even if you don't have a service due, you can still bring your car to us for a winter tuneup, which could pick up any potential problems before they happen. Keep Your Car Clean and Protected The salt covering Maryland's wintry roads is great at keeping them ice-free, but it's not good for your car's paintwork. Washing and waxing your car is like giving it a winter coat that protects it from the harmful corrosive effects of salt and dirt. While it might seem like a chore at the best of times, you should wash and wax your car at least twice each month to prevent dirt and grime from building up and damaging your paintwork. While you're at it, use a pressure washer on the hard-to-reach parts, like the wheel arches and the underside of the car. It's important to see and be seen in the dark winter nights, so keep all your lights and windows clean. Before every journey, make sure that all your windows are completely clear of snow and ice. Change Your Wipers It's no good having a clean windshield if your wipers are worn out. You'll be left with smeared glass and poor visibility. If you haven't changed your wipers recently, you should replace them before the harsh weather sets in. When the temperature drops below freezing, always check that your wipers are can move freely before hitting the road. If your wipers are frozen stuck to the windshield, the blades might tear when you turn the wipers on, meaning you'll need a new set. Check Your Fluid Levels It's always important for your car's vital fluids to be at the correct level, but even more so in the winter. Check the engine oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, and power steering fluid — or have the expert technicians at Koons Clarksville Chevrolet GMC do it for you. They can also check your cooling system to make sure it's got the right mixture of water and antifreeze to keep it working properly all winter. Don't forget to keep your wiper fluid topped off, as that'll help you keep your windshield clear of the winter salt and grime. Switch to Winter Tires Before the snow starts to fall, swap your regular tires for a set of winter tires. With their softer rubber compound and special tread pattern, winter tires stay more flexible in lower temperatures to give you better grip in icy and snowy conditions. You also need to check your tire pressure regularly. As the temperature drops, so does your tire pressure. However, make sure you don't overinflate your tires, as that will reduce their grip on the road. It's a good idea to keep a portable air compressor in the trunk in case your tires need an urgent top-up. Check the Battery One of the worst scenarios, and sadly a common one, is trying to start your car only to find that the battery's dead. You could find yourself stranded in the cold waiting for a tow truck to arrive. Freezing temperatures take a toll on the battery. Winter also makes the battery work much harder as you need to crank up the heat and use the lights and wipers more often. Keep your battery in good condition by making sure the connections aren't dirty or corroded. A battery should last around four years with normal use. But if you haven't replaced it recently, it's worth bringing your car to Koons Clarksville Chevrolet GMC to have our technicians check your battery's health. If they recommend replacing it, check our service specials for a deal on a new battery. Have Your Belts and Hoses Inspected The winter is also tough on your car's belts and hoses, so you should have them inspected. The belts need to be at the right tension and not cracked or damaged. Check the cooling system hoses for any signs of bulging or cracking that could mean they're about to burst, leaving you with a serious leak. Inspect the Cabin Air Filter You need your HVAC system to be in tip-top condition for those cold winter days. If your vehicle's cabin air filter is dirty, it makes the system work harder and can slow down the defogging of your windows. It will also stop filtering out dust, pollutants, and allergens in the air, and you might get a stale smell throughout your cabin. If necessary, you can get a replacement cabin air filter at Koons Clarksville Chevrolet GMC. Carry An Emergency Kit Even with the best preparation, something can go wrong and leave you stranded. Put together an emergency kit and keep it in the trunk, ready for that unexpected situation. As a minimum, the kit should have a flashlight, jumper cables, a tire patch kit, a portable compressor, reflective triangles or road flares, and a first-aid kit. Keep a supply of gloves and blankets for warmth, as well as drinking water and snacks, in case you have to wait for help to arrive. Kitty litter or traction pads help give you more traction if you're stuck on snow or ice. And don't forget a charger for your phone, so you can stay in touch. If you have any questions about making your car winter-ready, visit the service center at Koons Clarksville Chevrolet GMC today. Alternatively, use the convenient online form to schedule a service. We're always ready and willing to help.?? Image via Flickr by OregonDOT

According to the Insurance Information Institute, over 870,000 vehicles were stolen in 2020, increasing 9.2% over the previous year's data. So, what can you do to prevent your vehicle from getting stolen? Experts suggest locking your car, closing your windows, parking in well-lit areas, and using a car alarm. But, of course, these seem like obvious ideas, and they don't always deter a theft. Savvy car thieves can circumvent locks and alarms, and some thieves have no problem taking a vehicle in broad daylight. In 2019, authorities recovered 56.1% of stolen vehicles, and of those, 30% sustained damage to some degree. You might not be able to prevent a thief from stealing your car, but you can take steps to recover it. The faster you retrieve your vehicle, the less opportunity thieves will have to cause any real damage. Installing or activating a GPS retrieval system such as OnStar gives you a real chance at getting your car back quickly. Here's how it works. What Is OnStar? OnStar provides subscription-based communication services for automobiles. As a subsidiary of General Motors, you'll find OnStar-equipped vehicles throughout the Chevrolet and GMC lineup. Most new cars come with a free trial subscription allowing you to test the service. OnStar provides various services, including navigation, emergency, hands-free calling, remote diagnostics, and security. OnStar has a menu of various plans offering different levels of services. OnStar's Safety and Security Plan includes Stolen Vehicle Assistance, which provides the tools to recover your vehicle if the unthinkable happens. Stolen Vehicle Assistance If you have a factory-installed theft-deterrent system in your car and you arm it, OnStar's Stolen Vehicle Assistance will send you a theft alarm notification when your vehicle alarm activates. This early warning allows you to see what happened. If you go outside and see your car driving away, you can immediately report it stolen to OnStar. Once you contact OnStar, an advisor will contact the local authorities and report your vehicle as stolen. Then, they can activate your car's GPS and begin tracking it. The technology can be used to find your vehicle and can remotely slow your vehicle down in some cases. Once your stolen vehicle comes to a stop, OnStar can activate the Remote Ignition Block system. Once activated, the Remote Ignition Block prevents the thief from restarting your car. At this point, the thief typically abandons the vehicle, leaving it for the authorities to pick up. Car thieves steal cars for various reasons. Some might be looking for a joy ride, while others might want to take parts off the vehicle to use or sell. Professional car thieves might sell the entire car to a chop shop or some other illicit group. A joy ride loses its appeal when OnStar starts slowing down the vehicle. Taking parts off a stolen car takes time, and OnStar's GPS locator can cut that time drastically, sometimes before the criminals can get to work. In addition to the Stolen Vehicle Assistance service, you get access to five other services. Automatic Crash Response OnStar uses built-in vehicle sensors to activate the Automatic Crash Response System. A specially trained OnStar advisor connects to your vehicle via a hands-free call when the sensors detect a collision. The advisor can help by contacting emergency services and first responders to report your location using the GPS locator. Also, you can ask the advisor to contact someone from your emergency contacts list. If you need a tow truck, they can help with that as well. The advisor will automatically notify first responders if you get injured in an accident and can't ask for help. OnStar sensors can predict the likelihood of serious injuries using their Injury Severity Prediction algorithm. Emergency Services You don't have to get into a car accident to need emergency help. For instance, you might have injured yourself or someone with you, and getting to a hospital on your own might not be possible. With the push of a button, you can connect with an OnStar advisor. Your advisor can dispatch an ambulance to your location, getting you the help you need fast. Crisis Assist When severe weather or a natural disaster strikes, OnStar can assist you in many ways. OnStar coordinates with first responders and emergency services personnel during a crisis and will give you information, special routing to safety if necessary, and the comfort of talking with a human being. In addition, your OnStar advisor can connect you with loved ones to let them know your situation, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Roadside Assistance Sometimes, the situation doesn't require medical personnel or the police. For example, you might have a flat tire, run out of gas, or have a dead battery. Again, with the push of a button, an OnStar advisor will answer the call and dispatch a tow truck, more fuel, a jump start, or whatever you might need to get you to your destination. Turn-By-Turn Navigation You might find yourself lost and maybe even misplaced your cellphone. Not to worry, OnStar can help. When you connect with an OnStar advisor, they can download turn-by-turn directions right to your vehicle. Then, if necessary, they can call out the turns to you as you drive. OnStar advisors have access to databases with over 1 million businesses, landmarks, and locations that don't even have an address. You don't want your vehicle stolen any more than you want to break down, or get in a car crash. Yet, these situations do occur. So, do yourself a favor and prepare for these incidents by enabling the OnStar system in your car, truck, or SUV. You'll be glad you did the first time you need to push that blue button to call an OnStar advisor. If you live in the Clarksville, MD, area and want to learn more about OnStar services, you can contact us at Koons Clarksville Chevrolet GMC. One of our friendly, knowledgeable staff will answer any questions and happily demonstrate how the system works. Remember, with OnStar you don't have to drive alone. Help is one blue button push away. Image via Flickr by cletch

Suppose your typical weekend involves leaving the pavement behind to test your off-road skills against rugged terrain. In that case, you probably have a solid 4x4 truck like the Chevy Silverado or a GMC Sierra or Hummer. If you don't, Koons Clarksville Chevrolet GMC can get you a custom lift ZRX truck with all the off-road capability you need to get you out, over, through, and back from just about any excursion. But let's assume you already have a rig ready to roll out. In that case, we've created a list of off-road accessories and tools every off-road warrior and dirt dog should have with them. Recovery Tools Pardon the pun, but getting stuck comes with the territory. It happens to everyone at some point, and when it does, you better have the proper recovery tools. A winch can be a godsend when your tires sink into 2 feet of mud and you can't see your rear axle — especially if you're on your own. EXO makes a winch that mounts to the Silverado for around $600 and can hold up to 12,000 pounds. ZXR makes a line of winches for GMC trucks, too, starting around $300. Whichever brand you choose, make sure you have the right cables and weight rating for your truck. You'll also want to carry a tree saver and a snatch block that you can hook to your winch. Another necessary item might be the Deadman Off-Road Earth Anchor, especially if you off-road in the desert where there are no trees to hook onto. The Deadman Off-Road Earth Anchor, made from durable vinyl, can be buried in the earth when you have no trees or friends to haul you out of a jam. If you don't have a winch, you should keep recovery strap and bow shackles on hand to allow another truck to hook up and pull you out safely. Automatic Tire Deflators Getting stuck doesn't always necessitate a winch or another truck to get you out of trouble. Sometimes, just putting a little less air pressure in your tires will do the trick. In fact, dropping your air tire pressure by 30% can improve traction by up to 250%. Lowering the air pressure lets your tires float on mud, sand, and snow and conform around rocks to make molehills out of mountains. However, lowering your tire pressure takes time to do it if you don't have automatic tire deflators. Staun makes a set of four automatic tire deflators for less than $100 that come preset to 18 psi, but you can adjust them if necessary. When you need them, you screw them onto your valve stems, and they automatically bring your tire's pressure to whatever preset psi you have selected. Air Compressor Lowering the pressure in your tires helps you go over and through those off-road obstacles, but at some point, you need to get air back into your tires. Fortunately, you have many brands to choose from when it comes to air pumps, many of which operate off the 12-volt connection you have in your truck. While these technically work, they often don't fill fast. In some cases, you might need an hour or more to refill your tires, and who has time for that? We recommend going with an air compressor that clips onto your truck's battery like jumper cables. Viair makes a 400P model that can put 15 psi into your tires in under three minutes. That's the kind of performance that keeps the adventure rolling. A Good Jack Many off-road enthusiasts love the Hi-Lift jacks, but these can get cumbersome and unsteady in many off-road situations. We recommend something smaller, like the Powerbuilt Unijack that combines a bottle jack with a jack stand. The Unijack offers more stability with its wide base, especially on soft surfaces like dirt, and features a safety bar that prevents it from lowering once set. The Unijack's compact size means it packs away neatly for easy storage. For less than $100, you get a quality lift you can always count on. Body Protection Off-road adventures often have you driving in the woods, over rocks, and through riverbeds. In these environments, you have to take extra steps to protect your truck's body from scratches and dents. You will also want to protect your underbody. Brush guards, rock rails, and skid plates should be high on your list of modifications to make. A good brush guard costs around $200 and protects the front end of your truck while you plow ahead through the brush, tall grass, and anything else in your way. Skid plates protect against any rocks and logs you need to crawl over, especially those hidden underwater or in tall grass. You don't need a rock tearing up your drivetrain because you didn't invest a few hundred dollars on a skid plate. Rock rails protect the sides of your truck between the wheels and double as steps into your truck. Portable Jump Starter Many car owners have added a portable jump starter to their emergency kit. If you haven't done so yet, don't wait. A dead battery can derail your trip to the mall without a portable jump kit. Imagine what kind of snarl a dead battery puts in your off-road excursion, especially if you're miles away from a road and alone? You have a large variety of brands to choose from that cost less than $200. A basic portable jump starter costs $50, but we recommend finding one that has additional features like a flashlight or ports to charge your cell phone. You might as well take full advantage of the power in the battery. Going with a high-end model will give you as many as 30 jumps on a single charge, too. At Koons Clarksville Chevrolet GMC, we know what off-road enthusiasts want in a truck. That's why we stock an expansive inventory of Chevy, GMC, and Hummer 4x4 vehicles. We also offer custom-built off-road trucks that save you time and money versus a DIY job. We invite you to browse our inventory of trucks online. If you have questions about parts and accessories for your GMC, Chevy, or Hummer truck, contact our parts department for help. Our technicians receive extensive factory training to help our customers find the right parts and accessories that fit and work the way they want. Image via Flickr by Diamondback Covers