Is Your New Year’s Resolution Better Gas Mileage?

Are you looking for ways to reduce fuel consumption in 2020? If so, these gas mileage tips might help you get started on developing better driving and car care habits for the new year!

24 Hour Towing and Roadside Assistance
24 Hour Towing and Roadside Assistance 317-247-8484

How to Lower Your Gas Consumption

➤ Eliminate Extra Weight

The first step to reducing fuel consumption is reducing any excess weight within your vehicle. Remove any heavy items that have been stored there for some time.  Things like sporting equipment, clothes, books, trunk items, and more can all add unnecessary weight to your ride. The heavier a vehicle is, the more fuel it requires for motion. This is the easiest and quickest way to immediately improve gas mileage on your own.

➤ Don’t Idle Too Long

Another approach to saving on fuel is to avoid long idle times in your car. Next time you go to pick up pizzas for the family, park and walk into the store rather than pulling up and allowing your car to run while you are inside paying. Unbeknown to ordinary drivers, this action causes our fuel to burn up almost as fast as it would if we were driving.  Avoid taking lunch breaks in your car, leaving it on while applying makeup, or listening to music before school. This will eat your fuel up faster than you would believe.

➤ Practice Better Driving

If you really want to reduce your gas mileage and fuel consumption, try driving better. You may believe you are a fantastic driver, especially if you have a solid record. But this does not mean you can’t improve on your skill. Driving fast, erratically, taking off fast, and coming to abrupt stops can cause your vehicle to use more fuel than it needs to. It can also damage your vehicle’s inner workings. Try driving slower, smoother, and in a more consistent manner can help reduce fuel consumption and save you money in the long run.

➤ Service Your Car as Needed

It is also highly suggest getting regular scheduled maintenance for your vehicle to keep it in good condition. Oil changes, engine cleanings, tire services, and more all contribute to the efficiency of your car’s fuel consumption.

➤ Never Drive a Malfunctioning Car

If you experience problems on the road while driving, it is vital that you pull the car over immediately, and contact a local Indianapolis roadside assistance service. Driving a car while it is malfunctioning in any way will put more strain and stress on the engine, and therefore, use up more fuel. Worst of all, it can cause additional damage to the inner workings of your vehicle.

Who to Trust for 24 Hour Roadside Assistance in Indiana

Call Zore’s Towing at 317-247-8484 for 24 hour roadside assistance for fuel fill-ups in Indianapolis, or anywhere within Central Indiana. Our friendly staff is waiting by the phones, ready to help you get back on the road, safe and sound. We operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year, so you can always count on us. Request a free estimate, today.

Indianapolis Towing & Recovery 317-247-8484

How to Free a Car Stuck in the Snow

Whether you prepared for it or not, Hoosiers all across the state woke up to a winter wonderland. Although beautiful and serene, snow can pose several dangers to drivers on the road. One of the most common vehicular incidents related to snowy weather is getting stuck. If you are stuck in the snow right now and searching for the easier way out, you have found the right blog.

Continue reading to learn how to free your car from the snow, including how to obtain the fastest solution if nothing you do seems to work.

24 Hour Towing and Roadside Assistance 317-247-8484
24 Hour Towing and Roadside Assistance 317-247-8484

What NOT to Do

Before getting to the part on how to free your car that is stuck in snow, you need to review some important safety standards to ensure you and your vehicle are not in any danger. First, be sure you and any passengers are far away from the road and out of the way of traffic. Next, it is important to put your blinkers, or hazard lights, on to warn oncoming traffic of your post. When stuck in a ditch, it is important to never stand behind the downward sloping end of the vehicle. This poses the risk of being run over by the car if it frees and rolls down on top of you. Furthermore, never attempt to push a car out of a ditch, as the same risk applies.

How to Get Started

Now that you are familiar with some of the most important safety points, you are ready to do what you can to free your car from the snowy impound it is in. To start, surround your vehicle’s perimeter with roadside assistance triangles, if you have them. If not, start by clearing out as much snow as you can from behind and in front of each tire, as well as underneath the car. Use your hands, ice scraper, cup, or anything else you have that can help you scoop and clear snow. If part of your wheels are on a road, it is important that you take extreme precaution against oncoming traffic. In fact, it is recommended to abort the project and call a professional if your vehicle is along a busy road.

After you have cleared a few feet of snow in front of and behind your tires, you can choose to attempt the “rocking method”, which literally involves switching back and forth from drive to reverse until the car springs free from the snow or ditch. However, be warned that this approach is not recommended since it can damage the transmission if done improperly.

If you feel confident in this method, just be sure the car is motionless before switching gears by hitting the brake as soon as it is in the peak of each “rock.” Just do not “floor” the gas. You may need to try this step a few times before it works. If it doesn’t work after a few attempts, you still have one more option. According to Consumer Reports, it is important to keep the wheels straight while doing this. Avoid spinning your tires because this will only dig you deeper into the mud.

If this approach doesn’t do the trick, you can try to add more traction behind every wheel of the car with anything you have on hand that will provide a driving surface, such as cat litter, cardboard, floormats, old shirts, and similar items. For cars that are front-wheel drive, put the items in the front of each tire.

Still Stuck?

Contact a 24 Hour Roadside Assistance Truck

Call Zore’s Inc. at 317-247-8484 for friendly 24 hour towing and roadside assistance and advice in Central Indiana. We open a family-owned and operated business for 90 years, so you can trust us for prompt and professional service. We are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year, so our certified tow truck operators can be there for you anytime, any day! Request free estimates, anytime.

Indianapolis Towing & Recovery 317-247-8484

Top Safety Tips for Driving in the Winter

It’s officially winter. Days are mostly dreary and cold, portending the snow and ice that will soon be upon us. As we can expect from every Indiana winter, streets and roadways will certainly be slick, slushy, and at times, even frozen over. When the winter storms come in, they really make driving conditions dangerous and unpredictable, so it is critical to your safety and the safety of others to use extreme caution and care when driving in such conditions. Accordingly, it is important to remember how to safely operate your vehicle, navigate in winter weather, and manage road emergencies.

Continue reading to review some vital safety tips for winter driving and be sure to pass them along to your friends and family too!

24 Hour Towing and Roadside Assistance 317-247-8484
24 Hour Towing and Roadside Assistance 317-247-8484

Winter Driving Tips You Need to Know

You never know what to expect with winter weather, so being prepared is key. One of the most important rules of safe driving that applies all year long is to have your vehicle serviced professionally according to its individual needs and its manufacturer’s maintenance schedule. When your vehicle is in good condition, it is in its safest form. This includes parts, fluids, tires, and more.

Another important part of being prepared is keeping an emergency roadside assistance kit in your vehicle at all times. There are various types of kits available at the stores, all with different items. Choose whichever kit best fits your emergency roadside needs, such as jumper cables, road triangles, flashlight, first aid kit, blanket, and more. See our blog, “Put a Roadside Emergency Kit in Your Car” to get some ideas on how to create your own. Below are some additionally important tips to remember when driving in inclement weather.

Additional Driving Safety Considerations

⚠ Keep at least a half a tank of gas in your vehicle at all times.
⚠ Periodically check for proper tire inflation.
⚠ Do not leave a vehicle running in an enclosed garage.
⚠ Always wear your seat-belt.
⚠ Always ask passengers to buckle up too.
⚠ Never drive when you are too tired or drowsy.
⚠ Always keep your eyes on the direction you are steering.
⚠ Avoid using the parking brake in wet or slick conditions.
⚠ Avoid using cruise control in wet or slick conditions.
⚠ Accelerate and Brake slowly on wet or snowy roads.

Long Distance Driving Safety

⚠ Have your vehicle serviced before you leave.
⚠ Watch the weather before you leave to be prepared
⚠ Be sure you fully-charge your car phone and bring an emergency charging unit.
⚠ Delay leaving if weather is too extreme.
⚠ Check your emergency roadside kit and refill as needed.
⚠ Check that your exhaust pipe is not clogged with snow.
⚠ Pack extra blankets.

If you get stuck in the snow, stay with your vehicle and call for help.

Towing and Roadside Assistance for Indiana

Call Zore’s Inc. at 317-247-8484 for friendly 24 hour towing, recovery, and roadside assistance and advice in Central Indiana. We open a family-owned and operated business for 90 years, so you can trust us for prompt and professional service. We are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year, so our certified tow truck operators can be there for you anytime, any day! Request free estimates, anytime.

Indianapolis Towing & Recovery 317-247-8484