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My name is David.  For the last year and a half, I’ve had some battery problems....

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May 2020 Newsletter

May is here and it's time get planting

I hope everyone is doing well during this difficult time.  Springtime is a time of fresh new growth with flowers and trees blooming.  I wrote about my vegetable garden last month and the trouble I was having with a groundhog.  My kids and I attempted to catch said groundhog and managed to catch a skunk. I have to say that I felt like I was dealing with high explosives when we were getting it out of the Have-a-heart trap. It didn't directly spray us but it did spray the blanket that we covered the trap with and just being close to it my son Parker and I smell pretty badly for the balance of the day.  ( Facebook Video ) With that being said, the skunk must have chased away the groundhog because we haven't seen it since. Below I have listed some events, specials, and just fun facts.  I hope you enjoy this and please feel free to leave a comment or reach out to me with suggestions.

Events

With most gatherings cancelled, we have to think outside the box to find ways to keep ourselves busy. Here are some ideas of things you can do while following social distancing:

• Start a backyard garden. Having a garden is a healthy activity with visible reward. There is nothing quite like eating food that you've grown yourself. If your yard is small, you can even start some vegetables in a few large pots. Here is a guide for how to grow vegetables in containers.
• Go for a walk. Staying cooped up in your house might make you stir crazy. If that sounds like you, take some time to go for a walk on a nice day. Fresh air and exercise do good for the body and mind.
• Cook something with your family. One Petty household favorite is homemade pizza. We usually buy pre-made pizza dough, but if you're feeling daring you can make your own using this guide.
• Have a cooking competition with your family. Choose some fun ingredients, and challenge your family to make a dish using them. If you have little ones, you can keep it safe by having a dip-making competition. Have them come up with a new dip to be used with french fries or chips! There are more ideas here. 
• Learn a new skill. Some ideas include learning how to: solve a rubik's cube, make pancake art, do a card trick, make a face mask, and learn sign language.

Keeping You Safe

Things are tough right now for everyone.  Not only are we dealing with the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic but we are all worried about the future of our economy.  Petty Motorworks is here to help everyone through this difficult time.  We have taken every measure possible to ensure the safe handling of you and your car.  Check out what we can do for you:

• No-Contact service 
• Night drop and outside Key Locker for after hours service
• Email, text, and phone contacts 
• Pick-up and Delivery service (within our service area)
• WE will disinfect your car on drop-off and then again before you pick-up
• 6-12 month No Interest (if paid in full) financing is available for most repairs.  
• CLICK HERE TO APPLY
• Free Digital Vehicle Health Report (VHR)
• We have been using a digital vehicle inspection system for over four years now and our customers love it
• Your VHR will be emailed and texted to you for review once completed
• This is a great way for us to explain to you about your vehicles service needs
• Our VHR include photographs and videos to help demonstrate issues without you ever coming in the shop

Free Oil Change Specials

We are extending our free oil change promotion for the month of May. This promotion is redeemable by any first responders on the front lines of our pandemic response. Act quickly, because there are less than 20 left. 

Petty Motorworks would like to wish all of our Mothers a Happy Mothers Day. We also understand that some are experiencing very difficult economic times and we would like to extend an offer of a Free Oil Change to all of our single mothers who may benefit from a little help. We will be offering this 5/11/20 through 5/15/20 by appointment only and there are limited spaces available.

Napa Brake Special

Napa is offering a $75 rebate on brake repairs.  Most Napa brake parts are included in this promotion so make an appointment today to have your brakes check.  We will do a complete Vehicle Health Report and brake inspection for free as well. 

Take Out 

Right now is a good time to give support to your local family-owned restaurants. Here is a list of local restaurants that offer takeout or delivery.

• Breakers Kitchen and Tap Room - Pick up
• Kristy's Casual Dining - Pick up
• Oyster Creek Brewery  - Pick up and delivery for our beer connoisseurs.
• Doyle's Pour House - Pick up
• Lunch Box on 9 -  Pick up and delivery
• Delights Artisan Cafe  - Pick up
• Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce Member restaurant listing

Napa Gold Certified Auto Care Center

I am proud to say that we are the first Napa Gold Certified Auto Care Center in New Jersey and that our work carries a 3 year 36,000 mile Nation Wide Warranty.  

Fun Facts

Here are some light-hearted facts, to bring cheer through a difficult situation.

#1 Fact: The first oranges weren’t orange

The original oranges from Southeast Asia were a tangerine-pomelo hybrid, and they were actually green. In fact, oranges in warmer regions like Vietnam and Thailand still stay green through maturity.

#2 Fact: A cow-bison hybrid is called a “beefalo”

You can even buy its meat in at least 21 states. 

#3 Fact: Samsung tests phone durability with a butt-shaped robot

Do these interesting facts have you rethinking everything? People stash their phones in their back pockets all the time, which is why Samsung created a robot that is shaped like a butt—and yes, even wears jeans—to “sit” on their phones to make sure they can take the pressure.

#4 Fact: Peanuts aren’t technically nuts

They’re legumes. According to Merriam-Webster, a nut is only a nut if it’s “a hard-shelled dry fruit or seed with a separable rind or shell and interior kernel.” That means walnuts, almonds, cashews, and pistachios aren’t nuts either. They’re seeds.

#5 Fact: Firefighters use wetting agents to make water wetter

The chemicals reduce the surface tension of plain water so it’s easier to spread and soak into objects, which is why it’s known as “wet water.”

#6 Fact: The longest English word is 189,819 letters long

We won’t spell it out here (though you can read it here), but the full name for the protein nicknamed titin would take three and a half hours to say out loud.

#7 Fact: Cats have fewer toes on their back paws

Like most four-legged mammals, they have five toes on the front, but their back paws only have four toes. Scientists think the four-toe back paws might help them run faster. 

#8 Fact: That tiny pocket in jeans was designed to store pocket watches

The original jeans only had four pockets: that tiny one, plus two more on the front and just one in the back.

#9 Fact: The man with the world’s deepest voice 

can make sounds humans can’t hear

The man, Tim Storms, can’t even hear the note, which is eight octaves below the lowest G on a piano—but elephants can. 

#10 Fact: Thanks to 3D printing, NASA can basically “email” tools to astronauts

Getting new equipment to the Space Station used to take months or years, but the new technology means the tools are ready within hours.

You can read more facts here.

I hope you enjoyed our monthly news letter and please feel free to comment below about anything you would like to see or add.  

Thank you all, and remember 6 feet of separation,

Tom Petty

Mothers Day 2020

Petty Motorworks would like to wish all of our Mothers a Happy Mothers Day. We also understand that some are experiencing very difficult economic times and we would like to extend an offer of a Free Oil Change to all of our single mothers who may benefit from a little help. We will be offering this 5/11/20 through 5/15/20 by appointment only and there are limited spaces available.

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Keeping your car Healthy

Our car is our lifeline

During this time of "shelter in place" the amount we are using our vehicles has dramatically dropped off and some vehicles are even not being used at all.  In order to keep your vehicle working correctly so it's ready for when you need it, we have put together a few tips.

Battery

Every vehicle has a normal "parasitic load" which slowly depletes the battery.  This is caused by the electronics in your car that need just a little power to maintain their memory.  It is usually so small that the car would be able to sit for 30 days or longer without any concern.  Most manufacturers suggest that if your car is not used for 30 days you should take some type of action to prevent the battery from going dead.  This may be the use of a battery tender or a battery disconnect but if we are home do we need this?  Most people think that starting your car for a few minutes each day will prevent any issues but this is just not true.  When you start your vehicle the starter motor draws a huge load on the battery and running the car for a few minutes only recovers a portion of what was used.  So slowly, over time, your battery gets lower and lower in its state of charge and eventually will not have enough power to start.  You can prevent this by taking your car for a drive for at least 15 minutes and make sure that your car reaches full operating temperature, idling in the driveway just isn't good enough.   If you do need to get a jump start, understand that this is so you can get home or to a service facility.  Never try to recharge a dead battery by driving your car as it will cause your Alternator to overheat and may even be damaged.  It can take up to 10 hours to charge a battery so it is best done using a battery charger. 

If you do need to jump start your car be very careful.  Hydrogen gas will accumulate around a battery under normal conditions and if the battery has been discharged or has a bad cell it can actually become a bomb.  Under no circumstances should you make your last jumper cable connection anywhere near a battery as it can create a spark, and if there is enough hydrogen it can explode.  This is not just a warning as I have personally seen it happen many times in my career.  

Tires

If a car sits too long the tires will get flat spots and when you finally get to take a ride it will shake like there is a tire out of balance.  This is simple to overcome by just making sure that your tires are properly inflated and again take your car for a ride.  Driving warms the tires and help take away any of the memory that the tires may have had from sitting in one spot too long.  Don't worry if your car does sit too long as most times the vibration caused by "flat spotted" tires will go away with just a little bit of driving.

Brakes

If you car is sitting in your driveway you need to be concerned about your brakes as well.  Most vehicle today have a large open wheel and disc brakes.  The brake rotors, which are the shiny discs of your disc brake system, are made of cast iron and they are very susceptible to surface rusting.  It is very common that in just a few days the rust that forms on the normally shinny surface get heavy enough to cause a grinding noise, but if it is not removed it will get thick enough to actually cause permanent damage.  Brakes will vibrate or you will have to push much harder to get the car to stop.  You can prevent this by, you guessed it, taking your car for a drive.  Are you sensing a pattern here?  So take your car for a ride, check your rear view mirror to make sure that no one is behind you and give your car a few good hard stops.  This cleans the rotors of the light rust that is forming and will prevent the rust from getting too thick to cause a more serious problem.  If you can, store the vehicle in a garage as it will keep it dry and minimize rust formation. It is also important to not use your parking brake as they can stick when not release regularly and you should block your wheels if you are concerned about unwanted rolling. 

Fluids

Most fluids can tolerate a short term issue like we are going through right now but it is important to know that your fluids can cause damage if not properly maintained. 

• Engine oil - when an engine runs normal internal combustion produces water vapor. This is why you see white smoke/vapor on cold mornings and it will accumulate in your engine oil if it is not brought to normal operating temperature.  So change your oil more frequently when your vehicle is used lightly and make sure to take it for a drive regularly. 
• Coolant - or anti-freeze is what protects your car from overheating in summer and freezing in winter.  We have always been told to check our Anti-freeze protection level before going into winter, but what we don't all know is that one of the most important aspects of your coolant is the corrosion inhibitors that protect and lubricate the internal metal parts. If you aren't using your vehicle it should have fresh coolant in it to prevent any internal engine corrosion.  Most coolants today are scheduled to be replaced every 5 years or 100,000 miles, which ever comes first. 
• Brake fluid - Brake fluid is a hygroscopic which means it absorbs moisture over time.  This means that brake fluid should be changed periodically.  Most manufacturers recommend that the brake fluid be changed every 2-3 years or 24,000-36,000 miles to prevent internal brake system issues or the possibility of brake fade due to fluid boiling. I don't think this situation requires you to get your brake fluid changed, but if it hasn't been changed it is something to think about.  
• Fuel - If you are going to store a vehicle for extended periods of time then a fuel stabilizer should be put in your tank but for a short term issue like we are experiencing I personally don't think it is necessary. 
• Other fluids - There are other fluids that required maintenance on your vehicle such as your transmission but only the ones listed above need to be worried about unless they are already past due. 

Rodent Damage

We routinely see vehicles become the homes of squires, chipmunks and mice and they love to eat plastic, wires and everything else.  If a car sits there is no motion to help scare them away and your vehicle is way more comfortable than the wood pile out back.  If you keep you car in the garage make sure there is no dog food or bird seed stored there as well, as it will surely make your garage a luxury accommodation for you local critters. Some people recommend hanging mothballs in pantyhose under your hood or cotton balls soaked with peppermint oil.  

Summary

To sum things up, make sure that your car has been properly serviced (not only an oil change) for the mileage that is on it.  Take your car for a drive once a week that brings it to normal operating temperature and include a few good hard stops.  Don't idle your car if possible, and never idle it in your garage.  

Turbo Charger Failure

Chevy Cruz Turbo Failure

The turbocharger is a pretty common failure on this application.  Either the turbo cracks internally causing an internal bypass of exhaust gas around the turbine or the waste gate wears so much that it won't properly close.  

Petty Motorworks can handle all of your vehicles service needs no matter how complicated or simple.  Our staff is highly skilled and we are well equipped with equipment that exceeds most dealers.