2013 Truck of the Year: Ram 1500

2013 Truck of the Year: Ram 1500

Star Tech: Ram Charges Toward 1500 Superiority

By Michael Febbo  From the February 2013 issue of Motor Trend  | 


For several years, it seemed all we ever talked about with trucks was torque and tow ratings. Things have changed, with truck buyers' expectations reaching a long way off the farm or job site. There's no single magic bullet that will meet every truck owner's needs, so even an entry payload model range like the Ram 1500 has to have far more breadth and depth than its forebears of a decade ago did. To demonstrate its half-ton's ability to cover the entire market, Ram delivered a V-6-powered SLT on the efficient and luxurious side and a V-8 powered Sport leaning toward power and performance.While Ford may be using smaller forced-induction engines for the sake of efficiency, Ram is refining its powertrain options by offering more efficient engines bolted to a new, optional eight-speed transmission. Replacing the old 3.7-liter V-6 is the much-celebrated Pentastar 3.6-liter V-6, which offers 42 percent more horsepower and 13 percent more torque. A new eight-speed transmission is standard on V-6 models and will be optional on the V-8. At launch, V-8s will be available only with the current six-speed automatic, with the new transmission coming at a later date.

At the end of our testing, the decision was unanimous. Hands down, the Ram ran away with this Truck of the Year award. The V-6 fills the void where the Dakota once existed. The V-8 is as much if not more truck than we expect to find in a 1500. The variety of trim levels offered by Ram can give you everything from a very basic work truck to a near-luxury vehicle with performance and off-road models falling somewhere in between. It ticks all six boxes in judging criteria. With loyalty higher in this segment than just about any other, we do wonder how many truck buyers are willing to switch brands. Until the rest of the industry can catch up with Ram trucks in the half-ton segment, it would be a shame to pass this one up.

This is a great article about the Truck competition for Motor Trend. Want to learn moree about Autovanhttp://www.autovantageservice.com/age.com, click HERE to see our site.

Automobile Struts, why do they go bad?

What Are Automobile Struts and how do they go bad?

What are automobile struts and how do you know if they are going bad?

The strut on an automobile is basically a shock absorber assembly for your car. However, the shock absorber portion, itself, is just one part of the strut. The main function of the strut is to dampen the bouncing of the vehicle when it travels over uneven surfaces.

The strut assembly combines the coil spring, the upper and lower coil seats, the strut bearing, the strut mount and the strut boot.

As in any case with mechanical devices, after wear and tear and aging, the strut and its components will weaken. This causes side effects shown as increased tire wear, poor rebound effects or "body roll" and lack of steering stability.

It is important to have the struts checked regularily to maintain your car's performance and safety.
We at Autovantage Service Centers can perform that service and keep you on the road where you belong. Call us at 530-823-3456

What does the SAE Viscosity rating on your Motoroil Can mean?

What does the SAE Viscosity rating on your Motoroil bottle mean?

 Viscosity is the oil's resistance to flow or, for the layman, an oil's speed of flow as measured through a device known as a viscometer. The thicker (higher viscosity) of an oil, the slower it will flow.
You will see oil viscosity measurement in lube articles stated in kinematic (kv) and absolute (cSt) terms. These are translated into the easier to understand SAE viscosity numbers you see on an oil bottle.

A W on a viscosity rating means that the oil’s viscosity has been tested at a Colder temperature. The numbers without the W are tested at 210° F or 100° C which is considered an approximation of engine operating temperature. In other words, a SAE 30 motor oil is the same viscosity as a 10w-30 or 5W-30 at 210° (100° C).

The difference occurs when the viscosity is tested at a much colder temperature. For example, 5W-30 motor oil performs like a SAE 5 motor oil would perform at the cold temperature specified, but still has the SAE 30 viscosity at 210° F (100° C) which is engine operating temperature.

This allows the engine to get quick oil flow when it is started cold verses dry running until lubricant either warms up sufficiently or is finally forced through the engine oil system. The advantages of a low W viscosity number is obvious. The quicker the oil flows cold, the less dry running. Less dry running means much less engine wear.

We at Autovantage Service can advise you on the oil best suited for your vehicle and the area of use.  Click here for more information on Autovantage or Call us at 530-823-3456

How Often Should I change My Oil?

How Often Should I Change My Oil?

Most automobile manufacturers recommend changing the oil at least once a year or between 3,750 and 7,500 miles (depending on vehicle manufacturer) in passenger car and light truck gasoline engines.

However, you'll discover when your read more closely that the once a year, or between 3,750 and 7,500 mile oil change (depending on vehicle manufacturer) is for vehicles that are driven under ideal circumstances. What most of us think of as "normal" driving is actually "severe service" driving. This includes frequent short trips (less than 10 miles, especially during cold weather), stop-and-go traffic driving, driving in dusty conditions (gravel roads, etc.), driving foothill roads and driving at sustained highway speeds during hot weather. For this type of driving, which is actually "severe service" driving, the recommendation is to change the oil every 3,000 miles or six months.

For maximum protection, most oil companies say to change the oil every 3,000 miles or three to six months regardless of what type of driving you do.

A new engine with little or no wear can probably get by on oil changes between 3,750 and 7,500 miles (depending on vehicle manufacturer). But as an engine accumulates miles, the need increases as blowby occurs. This dumps more unburned fuel into the crankcase which dilutes the oil. This causes the oil to break down. So if the oil isn't changed often enough, you can end up with accelerated wear and all the engine problems that come with it (loss of performance and fuel economy, and increased emissions and oil consumption).

Want more information? We are here to help -Call us at Autovantage Service Centers 530-823-3456

Summer is coming, how is your air conditioning

Summer is coming fast and soon we will reach for the AC button in our vehicles.  Below are some common symptoms which will let you know your air conditioning needs servicing.


-Wet carpeting on hot, humid days can indicate a clogged air conditioner drain. When the drain is working correctly you'll see water dripping onto the pavement under the vehicle after you park.


-A vibration or abnormal noise when the fan is on could indicate debris in the blower fan


-A reduced amount of air coming out of the vents, especially if it happens after driving for awhile, might mean the air conditioner's evaporator is freezing up.



-A musty or mildew odor when the fan is first turned on, or all the time when the system is running, can indicate that mold or mildew is growing in the evaporator box.



As the weather starts to warm up, make sure you take care of your vehicle's air conditioning unit now and it will take care of you in July.


Give us a call. Autovantage Service Centers

How to Drive Smart and Save Money!

How to Drive Smart and Save Money -

With no end in sight to high gas prices, consumers should take control of how they maintain and drive their vehicle to get more miles per gallon. It is very important for the health and life of your vehicle to maintain schedule services to ensure that your vehicle lives a long and productive life. Whether yours is the latest model or you paid it off years ago, the trick is giving your car the maintenance it was designed to receive. We recommend the following ways to drive smart and save money:

•Combine errands in one trip.
 •Lighten the load by getting stuff out of the car, including the trunk with the exception of important emergency items. Unnecessary items weigh the vehicle down, causing an increase in gas usage.
 •Stay within the speed limit. Gas mileage usually decreases when going over 65 miles per hour.
 •Avoid aggressive driving.  Sudden stops and starts or rapid acceleration decreases your vehicle's miles per gallon.
 •Check the condition of the gas cap. Approximately 17 percent of vehicles on the road have loose, damaged or missing gas caps, causing 147 million gallons of gas to vaporize every year.
 •Open your windows. Auto air conditioners can reduce fuel economy by 10 - 20 percent. Consider using the air conditioner only when absolutely necessary.

We also recommend following these services to help:

•OIL SERVICE (Every 3,000 - 4,000 Miles) - Always refer to the manufacturer's specifications in your vehicle owner's manual, but a  good rule of thumb is to have the oil and filter changed regularly, every 3,000 to 4,000 miles when using conventional engine oil and every 5,000 - 6,000 miles when using full synthetic engine oil.
 •TIRE PRESSURE/ROTATION (Twice a year minimum) - Tires leak naturally and need the occasional check. When tires aren't inflated properly it's like driving while the parking brake is on. Under- or over-inflated tires wear out sooner. Furthermore, front and rear tires wear differently and should be rotated to even that wear.

•TIRES BALANCED (Anytime you get your tires rotated) - Tires that aren't balanced, wheels that are out of alignment and worn shocks or struts will cause your engine to work harder using more fuel.
 •CHECK YOUR SPARK PLUGS - A vehicle can have up to 16 spark plugs, which fire as many as 3 million times every 1,000 miles, resulting in a lot of heat and electrical and chemical erosion. A fouled spark plug can cause a misfire which wastes fuel and reduces fuel efficiency as much as 30 percent.

•CHANGE YOUR ENGINE AIR FILTER - Have the air filtration system inspected frequently. An air filter that is clogged with dirt, dust and bugs chokes off the air to the engine and creates a "rich" mixture - too much gas being burned for the amount of air. This wastes gas and causes your engine to lose power. When you replace a clogged air filter you can possibly improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.

We can't control the price of gas but we can control how we maintain and drive our vehicles.

Check out our Fuel Saving Special going on right now,

Autovantage Fuel Saver Special

FUEL SAVER SPECIAL!

Oh no! Fuel prices are on the rise again!

As we battle the prices at the pump, our team of experts at Autovantage Service Center can help your vehicle become more fuel efficient!
Our FUEL SAVER SPECIAL will maximize your vehicles fuel economy and performance.  This service will include an Oil Service with our synthetic blend oil (up to 5 qts) and high grade filter.

We will perform a three part Fuel Induction Service to de-carbonize your engine, fuel system and exhaust. We replace the Engine Air Filter and set your Tires to optimum pressure. We will Rotate & Balance (two) Tires.

 We will perform a Safety Inspection which will include checking your emission systems, exhaust systems and spark plugs (if accessible). Once your vehicle has been inspected, you will be given a list of our findings.

ALL OF THIS FOR ONLY $199.95

A $50 Savings! Call 823-3456 today to schedule your appointment..

 Come in before 3-29-13 and get an additional $5.00 off this offer.

Offer expires 4-12-13.


This offer cannot be combined with any other offer.  Larger vehicles & Synthetic are extra. Diesels are excluded

Call now or click here to contact Autovanage Service Center