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Archive for August 2016

Should Anchorage Soccer Moms Follow the Severe Service Schedule?

Posted August 30, 2016 12:22 PM

So you take your vehicle in for maintenance and the pro at L and M Motors Inc tells you that you ought to change your oil more often. What? You followed the maintenance schedule – but you take a second look at that “severe service” schedule and see some of the following:


1. Most of your trips around Anchorage are less than four miles/six and a half kilometers.
2. Most of your trips are less than 10 miles/16 km when outside AK temperatures are below freezing.
3. You don't do a lot of AK freeway driving, so you drive at low speeds most of the time.
4. You drive in an area with a lot of pollution, dust, dirt, mud or slush.
5. You frequently tow a trailer, haul heavy loads around Anchorage or use a car-top carrier.
6. The weather in your area can get very hot or very cold.

Surprising, isn't it? Severe driving isn't quite what you'd envisioned.

Ask yourself: "Which auto service schedule should I follow?" For some of us, it's obvious. But for most of us, it's not an either/or question.

One way to decide how often to maintain your vehicle is to picture a line. On one end, imagine ideal driving conditions: year-round moderate AK temperatures, only freeway driving, all trips are longer than 4 miles/6.5 km and travel is always at a constant speed of 60 mph/97 kph. At the other end of the line, put the severe driving conditions. Now, stop and think about how you drive, where you live, where you go in AK and what you plan to do with your vehicle in the near future. Consider honestly where your driving fits on the line.

For example, if the regular maintenance schedule recommends an oil change every 5,000 miles/8,000 km, the severe schedule recommends 3,000 miles/5,000 km and you fall in the center of the driving conditions line, then 4,000 miles/6,600 km is a happy compromise. Just be honest. You don't want that happy compromise to turn into auto repairs.

Learning why our vehicles need more frequent service can also help us Anchorage drivers determine a maintenance schedule. For example, fluids in your vehicle are depleted more rapidly the more heat there is in their environment. That heat can come from air temperatures, but also from the extra heat generated in the engine and transmission from stop-and-go driving. Towing a trailer or carrying heavy loads also generates more heat. So under these conditions, fluids must be replaced more often in order to retain their effectiveness.

Moisture naturally builds up inside of an engine because of the heating and cooling it constantly undergoes. When the engine is hot, moisture evaporates; when the engine is cool, moisture condenses. As long as the engine is getting hot enough to evaporate all of the moisture, your vehicle will remain healthy. But short trips don't allow for this and moisture can build up inside the engine. This moisture can lead to the formation of oil sludge, which in turn leads to clogged engine parts and damage.

In dusty or polluted Anchorage area conditions, filters and fluids just get dirty more quickly. Talk with your service advisor at L and M Motors Inc regarding service schedules and which one is right for you. Good car care means taking care of problems before they become problems. And in order to do that, you need to know how often to take your vehicle in to L and M Motors Inc for service.

L and M Motors Inc
400 W 53rd Ave
Anchorage, AK 99518
907-563-4994



Stay Safe in Anchorage by Putting Your Cell Phone on ICE

Posted August 21, 2016 1:29 AM

We don't want to think about it, but each Anchorage resident who drives or rides in a vehicle is potentially an accident victim. In the worst-case scenario, those people are unconscious and unable to communicate with AK rescue workers.

Rescue workers and Anchorage police are well aware of this difficulty, even if the rest of us don't stop to think about it. They can all recount stories of searching through glove compartments, pockets, wallets, purses and cell phone directories for a person's name and for contact information for someone who can help them get the person the medical care they need.

This contact information is critical in an accident because Anchorage medical workers need to know about allergies and potential drug interactions. Also, in AK, some medical treatments can't be provided without authorization or consent, and there can be insurance and billing issues if the person's medical care is not properly arranged.

ICE provides a solution for these concerns. ICE stands for In Case of Emergency and is a way for others to quickly identify emergency contacts in your cell phone.

Bob Brotchie, a paramedic from Cambridge, England, developed the idea for ICE in 2005. It soon spread around the globe. The system is simple, affordable and highly functional. Anchorage rescue workers can tell you that they can't always find purses and wallets at the scene of an accident. But these days, almost no one in AK goes anywhere without their phone.

To add ICE to your phone, simply put ICE in front of the names of those people who should be contacted in case you are in an emergency. For example, “ICE-Dad,” or “Ice-Deborah,” or “ICE-Dr. Mitchell.” Anchorage rescuers can quickly identify and access this information, saving valuable time. The only thing Anchorage drivers have to do after that is to keep their contacts current. Every time you change the batteries in your smoke alarm, it is a good idea to double-check your phone and make sure your ICE cell phone numbers are up-to-date. Of course, we'd rather avoid an accident in the first place. It's good advice to keep up with preventive maintenance (we can help you with that at L and M Motors Inc in Anchorage) and practice good car care and driving habits. Those can go a long way to keeping you safe on the road. Planning for the unthinkable helps your rescuers find the information they need quickly. Let's put the world on ICE.

 L and M Motors Inc
400 W 53rd Ave
Anchorage, AK 99518
907-563-4994

 

 



L and M Motors Inc Often Asked About Premium vs. Regular Gas

Posted August 15, 2016 3:43 AM

Anchorage residents often ask the question: "Will using premium gas make my car run better?" The answer is simple. But first, let's talk about what exactly premium gasoline is.

Different grades of gasoline have different octane ratings. Regular gasoline has the lowest octane rating and premium the highest. Most gas stations around Anchorage, AK, also carry a mid-grade that falls in between the two. The octane range for the different grades of gas varies by region due to altitude differences.

Engines require different octane ratings because of design differences. For example, turbocharged engines usually require premium gas.

There's a sticker on your gas tank filler lid that tells you the minimum octane rating your vehicle manufacturer recommends.

For help identifying the type of gasoline your engine needs, come by L and M Motors Inc in Anchorage.

L and M Motors Inc
400 W 53rd Ave
Anchorage, AK 99518
907-563-4994



Anchorage Tire Repair

Posted August 9, 2016 10:05 AM

Most Anchorage residents have experienced a flat tire. You know it's inconvenient and a pain. Our tires are important. Keeping them in good working order isn't just a big safety issue for Anchorage drivers – it also has a financial impact. With high AK gas prices, we've all heard about the importance of keeping proper tire pressure to save on gas. In addition, proper inflation promotes even tread wear so your tires last longer. 

There's another danger with under-inflated tires for Anchorage residents. Low tire pressure puts added stress on the structure of the tire itself, causing it to break down prematurely. Also, under-inflated tires generate more heat which also reduces tire life. So get those slow leaks fixed quickly – don't just keep adding air every few days. You want to avoid tire damage.

Anchorage residents should only hire qualified tire professionals to perform repairs - we have a whole team of them at L and M Motors Inc. Anchorage folks can buy self-repair kits, but we advise you to save those for emergencies, like when you're off-roading and need a quick fix so you can hobble back to civilization and get professional help. If you need to use a repair-in-a-can product, remember it's a temporary measure only and your tire needs to be properly repaired as soon as possible.

L and M Motors Inc
400 W 53rd Ave
Anchorage, AK 99518
907-563-4994



Keeping Your Anchorage Air Fresh When Driving With a Clean Cabin Air Filter

Posted August 2, 2016 4:31 AM

Pop quiz: What is a cabin air filter?

A. A filter for your Anchorage house?
B. A fresh, piney scent?
C. A filter for the passenger compartment of your car?

Clever you, it's C.

A cabin air filter cleans the outside air before it comes into the passenger compartment of your vehicle. It filters out common AK air particles like dust, pollen, spores, bacteria, pollutants, exhaust gas, odors and even sparrows.

These high tech filters can block particles larger than 3 microns. By contrast, a grain of sand is about 200 microns.

Not all Anchorage vehicles have cabin air filters. They are fairly new on the scene in AK. Last check, about 40 percent of new vehicles sold in Anchorage come with cabin air filters, but the number is growing every year.

Cabin air filters make driving a lot more pleasant for people in Anchorage. Your vehicle can be a haven during our AK allergy season with very little dust and pollen getting into the cabin. Of course, like all filters, the cabin air filter eventually gets clogged. When this happens, your heating and air conditioning flow can become restricted. The filter can even get kind of smelly.

Check your owner's manual for replacement guidelines. If your vehicle owner's manual doesn't mention your cabin air filter, ask your friendly and knowledgeable service advisor at L and M Motors Inc for a recommendation. It's usually every year or 12,000 miles /19,000 kilometers. Change it sooner if you drive in dusty conditions around the Anchorage area, or if you start to notice a funky smell coming from your vents.

The team at L and M Motors Inc urges Anchorage drivers to keep their cabin air filter cleans. It may not help with your brother-in-law in the backseat, but it will make your driving experience around Anchorage more enjoyable.

Come by and we'll take a look at your cabin air filter for you.

L and M Motors Inc
400 W 53rd Ave
Anchorage, AK 99518
907-563-4994

 



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Christine is so helpful and the sweetest lady! These guys are amazing! They are honest about what is being done to your car and don't overcharge you like dealerships! I just moved up to Alaska and plan on using these guys forever. Definitely recommend their service and expertise.
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So we started hearing a high pitched noise from the back brakes on a trip to anchorage from seward, after checking out another local shop who was extremely rude I jumped on yelp and stumbled across these lovely people. They got me in right away just to take a peek, saying they couldn't fit me in till later but would take a look just to see if it was still safe to drive and what to expect. They were curtious, friendly, honest and fair. I highly recommend this establishment! Thanks for getting us back to Seward safely xoxo
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