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How Do I Fix a Vibrating Car? Have you ever sat behind the wheel of a car that shakes? It can be really frustrating to deal with the vibrating steering wheel. We all wish that our cars ran like when they were new, but after many miles our cars just start to show their age. So how do I fix a vibrating car? more First things first, a car that runs well is bound to be a safer car. Let's figure out why it's vibrating. That's half the battle! Do you feel the vibrating in your steering wheel when you are moving? If this is the case, your wheels might need to be balanced. A wheel that is off balance can make a lot of vibration. This is a cheap fix!  You might also want to try replacing your shocks or struts. If either of these things are worn, it can make for uneven driving and bouncing.  The vibration could also be hiding in your upper strut bearings. Most full-service tire shops can check and fix these (they are accessed from under the hood).  You should check and/or replace your ball joints, which allow the car to move up and down and side to side while also keeping your suspension tight. Shaking is unavoidable if these are worn out.  It might also do good to check and replace your tie rod ends. Since these are important in connecting your steering rack to the wheels, it can cause vibration if the wheels are even slightly going in different directions. Or Does your vehicle vibrate when you are sitting in idle? Check to see if you have a broken motor mount. A engine that isn’t mounted correctly will be moving around under the hood at low RPM.  You might also be having issues with the fuel system. Watch your RPM when you are idling again. If it seems erratic or drops very suddenly, this can cause shaking or vibration. Is it shaking when you are accelerating? Have your transmission fluid and filter checked. If you have low transmission fluid, it can cause your car to shake when you are speeding up. The same goes for the filter. Finally, you might have a worn universal joint. This is really obvious when you accelerate and should be fixed right away! Otherwise you might end up on the side of the road somewhere. Feeling your car shaking and don’t know what to do? Come in to see us at Palmen GM in Kenosha WI. We can service your car or help get you into a new or used vehicle right away!

What to do when you're stuck in traffic It happens to all of us at some point. We're cruising along in traffic, maybe en route to or from Chicago, and suddenly... things start to slow down. And the vehicles around you get slower, you tap on your steering wheel impatiently, hope it doesn't happen, and then... it happens. You're not moving, sandwiched on both sides by the vehicles around you, and no one's going anywhere. Then the inching starts. You fumble through the radio stations looking for reports, trying to ascertain whether it's going to be a long one or not. So, what to do? Here you are, and you can't will anything else to be the case. Here are our best tips for what do do when you're stuck in traffic: more 1. Relax. Okay, it's easier said than done if you've got places to be, but there are a few things that should ease your mind, particularly if you've got a vehicle with start-stop technology like Buick's eAssist. That way you know you're not also wasting fuel while you idle -- normally a pretty major and annoying gas-suck while you're stuck. Put on some soothing music while you're at it, especially if you've got SiriusXM radio. Or if you really want to relax, check out how the latest Cadillac XTS can make that happen for you -- it's pretty next-level. 2. Entertain yourself! Speaking of SiriusXM, there are plenty of talk radio programs as well to keep you entertained. From comedy to politics (maybe not those, though; they're not exactly stress-reducing for most of us), there's plenty of programming to distract you from the situation at hand in a way that maybe music wouldn't do quite as well. In lieu of those options, give someone a call that you haven't talked to in a while through your Bluetooth system -- it's probably the safest time to do so, and your mom will be ever-so-happy to hear from you. 3. Got kids along for the ride? Now that can be tricky. Surely they want YOU to either magically make the cars start going again or entertain them some way in the meantime. This might be a good time to play "The Quiet Game." You know the one, and you probably know to only use it when absolutely necessary to keep it from wearing out. Now might be one of those times. Hope you're back on the move soon, and come see us here at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac when you are!

When should you get your brakes checked? When it comes to vehicle systems that are most crucial for safety on the road, not enough can ever really be said about brakes. The problem is, it's one of those car problems we don't always detect in a timely fashion. Or maybe we sense that our brakes aren't as tip-top as they once were but we're putting off having them checked out at a service center because we think it's okay to ride it out a bit before things get bad. We strongly advise against waiting, as brake issues can be among the most dangerous to you and the other drivers with whom you share the road. When should you get your brakes checked? Here are some signs that it's time: more 1. You feel a pull toward one side while you're braking. 2. Your brake pedal needs to get pushed almost all the way to the floor in order to come to a stop, or you feel as though you're having to apply more pressure than usual when braking. 3. You hear any strange noises whatsoever when you step on the brakes. This might be a grinding, squeaking, screeching, clicking, or clunking. Whatever it sounds like, it means you need to have your brakes looked at. 4.  You feel a vibration or pulsating feeling when you apply the brakes. The key with all of these warning signs is to stay alert and have them looked at as soon as possible. If you ignore these issues, you run the risk of starting to get used to them and forgetting what healthy brakes feel like. That's not something we want you getting out of touch with! If you have any questions at all about whether your brakes are in need of replacement or repair, please schedule an appointment with the professionals here at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac. We're here to help!

How to winterize your car It's that time of year again for us here in the Midwest when taking our vehicle out becomes less of a joy and more of a nerve-wracking necessity. That said, the Wisconsin and Illinois winter ahead of us doesn't need to be as dreadful as we may be making it out to be. Sure, it'll be cold and potentially unpleasant, but with a little planning you'll be able to make the most of your circumstances and feel like you're on top of your game. Today we're going to offer some of our top tips for how to winterize your car so that being out on the road is a safer and less stressful endeavor during the chilly months ahead. more 1. One thing that's easy to do here at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac, if you'd like, is to have a winter check-up performed. What we'll do is go in and look at the various systems, in particular those fluids, belts, hoses, and battery, to make sure everything's running smoothly and ready to take on winter. Check out our coupons page for the most recent service deals. 2. Check your heating and defrosting systems. These are the types of things you don't want to get caught without while you're out and about, so test these systems early in the season. Have a friend help you check all of your lights as well to make sure everything's working properly for maximum visibility (a huge part of safe winter driving). 3. Tires, tires, tires. From tread to proper inflation, your tires play a major role in your winter driving safety. Whether or not you think you're due for a new set, definitely make sure your tires are in great working order before the major ice and snow is upon us. As far as pressure, make sure you're checking on that regularly, even if you have a tire pressure monitoring system built in to your vehicle. 4. Finally, make sure you've got an emergency kit in your vehicle that includes a charging method for your phone, extra warm clothes, rock salt or cat litter,  jumper cables, and flares.

Bad Driving Habits Everyone thinks they're a good driver -- at least to some extent. Maybe we acknowledge a few things we do that aren't ideal -- habitual speeders have probably seen enough of those cherries and berries to know there's room for improvement, or maybe we're guilty of a little distracted driving, like eating or fiddling with the radio too much. But with all bad habits, there are consequences, and when it comes to driving it's especially important to work on keeping those things in check. Today we're going to list some bad driving habits that might end up costing you in the long run. more 1. Aggressive driving might make you feel like you're king (or queen) of the road in the moment, but usually people who are irritated are also doing a lot of slamming on the brakes, quick-jerking turns, and roaring up to speed from a standstill. You might also be following other drivers to closely and passing at inadvisable times. While there's a clear physical danger associated with these maneuvers, it's also going to cost you over the long haul in terms of wear and tear on your systems. Your car will last longer if you can find a way to calm those nerves. 2. Running on empty. Do you frequently find yourself at the bottom of a tank of gas? See that little warning light quite a bit? It's not without consequences, and not only because you run a higher risk of running out on the road. This practice can also cause clogging of your fuel system over time, leading to deterioration that will not be pretty when you get your estimate back from the mechanic. Think your system could use a flush before resolve to never let it go under a quarter tank again? Bring it on in to our service center. 3. Idling. Once in a while it feels appropriate to sit in idle -- maybe you want to let your car "warm up" before you get going in winter (not necessary - give it 30 seconds and just start out gently), or you're just stopping for a few minutes while your friend runs in to grab some cash. Whenever possible, just turn the engine off and wait. Too much idling can be a big strain on your engine. Questions about how to better maintain your vehicle? Next time you're in our service center for an oil change just ask us about some ways to improve your vehicle health and we'll be happy to offer suggestions.

Can you trade a car in before it's paid off? Do we have a deal? So, you've got a loan you're paying off on a car you're starting to feel bored with. Do you need to stick it out until your current ride is paid off before you can start checking out new models with any serious hope of making a purchase? Can you trade in a car before it's paid off? Today we'll help you understand how this is possible and help you decide if it's the right choice for you. We may be happy to help you look at new vehicles, but we want you to be happy with your decision so we'll give you both sides of the coin. more First thing's first, to answer the main question here: Yes, you can trade in a car before it's fully paid off. What happens is we here at Palmen or the financial institution of your choice will help you roll your current debt into your new loan (factoring in of course the trade-in value of your vehicle). Why might you want to do this? Maybe you can't get your eyes off that new vehicle and the incentives right now are so good you just can't pass it up. Hey, it happens. Realistically, you can probably achieve a similar monthly payment but it might be over a longer term. If you're down with that, by all means get into some new wheels. Alright, so why not jump on it? Well, the question is really whether you think you can actually wait a little longer until your current vehicle is paid down or off entirely. This gives you the most equity to work with and is certainly what many would call wise in this situation. Depending on how well you treat your vehicle, anyway -- if you're the type to put a lot of wear and tear on it there may be an addition downside to keeping it around longer. Assuming you're a good driver, though, you'll probably end up on top by waiting it out. In the end we want to stress that it's entirely up to you and it's also up to you to get all the facts. Do plenty of research, ask people you trust (yes, even that stickler-for-penny-pinching uncle of yours) and make the choice you know you can live with. If you have any questions about the trade-in process, with or without a loan to pay off, give us a call here at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac anytime!

Buick Change Oil Soon Message Whether you're a new Buick owner or you've had one for as long as you can remember, the automaker continues to evolve and improve the ways in which it helps you stay on top of maintenance and help uphold the value and longevity of your vehicle. If you've recently seen the Buick change oil soon message and want to make sure you're not in immediate danger, we'll help you sort out what that means exactly and how you can best keep your Buick in good health. more Time for a change? If you do see the change oil soon message on your dashboard, your first instinct might be to panic, especially if you thought it wasn't going to be a while before you were due. This is not an emergency warning -- it's simply telling you that you will be coming up due soon and to make sure you've scheduled an appointment at a service center for the near future. No need to pull directly into one of those quick-lube stations you've never been to before -- just know that it's probably time to give your favorite local service center a call. We can get your filters changed as well.   According to Buick's FAQ section, in fact, the "Change Oil Soon" warning message is letting you know that within the next 600 miles you should have an oil change. At that time your technician can look over your vehicle for other work that might need to be done. One of the advantages of having a dedicated service center that you trust is that you can rely on them to keep an accurate history of previous maintenance and repairs performed on your vehicle so that you don't need to provide all of that information every time you come in. If you have any questions about maintaining the life of your Buick vehicle, don't hesitate to call or come see us here at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac in Kenosha! We'll be happy to help -- and while you're at it, check out our current service coupons!