Ask Patty has put together some great new features for you on our web site!
First, we just have to tell you about our $50,000 Automotive Shopping Spree . Yes! We aren't just pulling your leg, we are actually doing a $50,000 contest!
There are also other great prizes to win from CarMD and Reverse Guard! Sign up now for the contest and win cash to get the car of your DREAMS!
And it just keeps getting better... Ask Patty is in Second Life! We have a great place to come and get coffee and get automotive advice! Meet Patty at our launch event on May 11th from 4pm to 7pm PST. Check out our location by looking through our photo album.
You can now park your car on our virtual MyCarPage garage!
MyCarPage offers you these great features for free:
• Make vehicle ownership more convenient
• Access & track vehicle service history
• Receive special offers and coupons
• Easily manage all vehicle information
• View vehicle resale values
• Automatic service & recall notices
• Get local traffic reports & gas prices
• Maps, directions & more
By registering your vehicle on MyCarPage at Ask Patty, you can have your own personalized web page for your car, truck, or SUV. Wow! Register now on Ask Patty!
And don't forget our Dream Car Search where you can shop for and compare cars, as well as get quotes from a Female Friendly dealership near you!
Also, check out our April Womanar by Kim Walker:
Know What You Are Buying: Make Sure To Get A Pre-Purchase Inspection
And just because we care, here is a tip from the Ask Patty blog:
Reprinted from CarCare.org
If
your car battery is dead or even weak, you're not going anywhere. It is
the leading cause of starting trouble, whether because of lights left
on, a charging system problem or other cause.
Sometimes it is
just that the battery has outlived its usefulness. But even at best, a
healthy battery in 80-degree weather has only half of its output when
the thermometer dips to zero.
When shopping, remember that a battery is rated by cold cranking amps
(CCA), indicating its power and the reserve capacity rating (RC), which
indicates how long your car's accessories can run and still have enough
power to start the engine.
Since
starting a car in cold weather can take up to twice as much current to
turn over a cold engine, cars in colder climates would benefit from a
higher CCA rating. Check your owner's manual for the original equipment
manufacturer's (OEM) minimum requirements needed for your car and
select the battery adequate for you needs. Buying one with an excessive
CCA rating may be a waste of money.
In every situation, more RC
(reserve) is better, like a little extra in the checking account. The
size and number of plates in a battery determine how many amps it can
deliver. By having more and/or large plates, you can increase the
normal life of the battery. This is what distinguishes a three-year
from a five-year warranty battery.
Battery manufacturers build
their products to an internationally adopted Battery Council
International (BCI) group number based on the physical size, terminal
placement (where you connect the cables to the battery) and terminal
polarity. BCI and the battery manufacturers offer application
guidelines that contain the OEM cranking amperage requirements and
group number replacement recommendations by make, model and year of car
and battery size, CCA and RC specifications.
Reprinted from CarCare.org