How to Take Care of a Flooded Car as a Result of Hurricane Sandy

 

Hurricane Sandy caused massive damage over almost the entirety of the East coast, and we couldn’t be more aware of it here in the Lehigh Valley.  Our hearts and prayers go out to those who have lost so many irreplaceable items and to those less fortunate than us.  Here’s what to do if your car, truck or SUV has water damage.

Call Your Insurance Company – You usually need to have comprehensive coverage for flooding or water damage to be covered.  Be sure to call your insurer to check if you’re unsure.

Leave the Engine Be – Until your car has been inspected by an expert, you need to go as long as possible without starting your car.  You could actually cause even more problems if water is in certain parts of your engine.

Leave a Wet Interior to the Professionals – Fixing the issue of a wet interior isn’t as easy as simply letting it dry.  Carpeting and upholstery can press moisture pressed against metal parts which can cause rust and can grow mold.  Cars and homes have been further destroyed in the past from people trying to dry their cars themselves using heaters or hair dryers, so we highly recommend against the DIY method.

If you have any further questions, please call our service department at (484) 223-0570.  Good luck to everyone and stay safe.

October is National Car Care Month!

October is known as National Car Care Month, and we think that’s a reason to celebrate!  We feel the best way to give the proper celebration for such an event is to host a plethora of specials that we hope will get you in the mood to treat your vehicle right!

1. Express Oil Change Service Special – From now until Nov. 30, 2012, have your oil changed with our express service department and get a free exterior car wash, a free multi-point vehicle inspection and a free tire rotation.  Did we mention that our express service department is now open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday?
2. AAA Members Special – If you’re a member of AAA, simply show your membership card and receive a 10% discount on all repairs!
3. Repair Special – Do you have scratches or dents on your car?  Stop by our collision center to make your vehicle look like new again!  We repair all makes and models, and since it’s National Car Care Month, we’ll even throw in an extra 10% off!
4. Wiper Blade Special – All of our wiper blades are 10% off!  Ever have a time where your wiper blades just couldn’t do the job against a winter storm?  Don’t let that happen to you again this season!
5. Accessory Special – We’re even offering 10% off on all Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Nissan vehicle accessories!
6. Free Battery Test – Last but not least, we’re offering free battery tests!  If you decide that you need a new battery, we’re even offering $5 rebates on all of our batteries.

These specials will last until Nov. 30, 2012 and cannot be combined with any other offer/discount.  Some offers cannot be used toward insurance claims or deductibles.  Please call 484-223-0632 for details and to make appointments.  We hope to see you soon!

How to Prevent Break-Ins

Unfortunately, it might actually be impossible to make your car unable to be broken into by any means.  However, there is a short list of practices that may make thieves at least move on to a different target:

Keep your car clean – A messy car just might give a thief the assumption that there might be some treasure buried under all that junk.  Don’t give a thief that assumption.

Disconnect the battery – Especially if you’re going to be away from your car for a week or more, consider disconnecting your battery before you leave.  If a thief is able to break into your car, chances are they’ll be too frazzled to try and figure out why it won’t start and will quickly retreat.

Don’t leave valuables in your car – This includes CD's, GPS, laptops, radios, and even loose change.

Lock your doors – It doesn't matter if you’ll be away from your car for 12 hours or for 10 seconds, locking your doors dramatically decreases the chance your car will be broken into.

Check out our large selection of new vehicles with top of the line security!

What is our North Star?

“What is our North Star” is an analogy that is meant to describe what someone or something (like a our company) uses as its “guiding light”.

In this case, the term “North Star” comes from when sailors would use Polaris as the constant to navigate the ship to safe ports. The North Star was the one star that they always thought was the brightest one in the night sky, so it could always be found.  If you knew where the north star was, you could use it as a reference point to plot your course.

We at the Rothrock Family have something that we use as our “North Star,” and that is our customers. You are what we use to keep us on course, to guide us in the night sky of business to make sure we are on course.

When you do business with us in sales or service you can count on the fact that if we are “going off course” in the way we do things, it is only by you, by our “North Star” that we can get back on course, and that can only happen by you letting us know.

Our goal is to make every transaction you have with the Rothrock family be a remarkable and memorable experience. And as our guiding light, we count on you to correct and guide us with everything we do.

Who Are We?

 

 

 

Hi, my name is Rex Weaver, and I am the Service Director at Rothrock Motor Sales.

I remember calling a credit card company about some charges that I thought were incorrect. As I prepared for the call, my dislike for this company grew, and I was ready to take it out on whoever might answer the phone. I was sure I was right, and this company had no right to take advantage of me, “the little guy”. The phone was answered by a very friendly person, but I wasn’t having any of that, because I was on a mission. As the call progressed, though, I realized that I wasn’t talking to the “company,” but instead a person. And that person was just doing their job. They weren’t the company; they were an employee of the company.

Of course, this thought made me think of my own company. When people call a car dealership (and more specifically, the service department) they may think that they are calling a company, but they are actually calling me or one of my teammates.

 

And do you know who we are? We are the same people you see at the store or the baseball game. You see us in church or at the movies.

Now, while we are part of a great company and we all share the Rothrock Family vision, we are people just like you, and we are here to help. Because when we see you and your families at the store or out and about, we want to be able to be proud of what we are able to do for you at Rothrock. We want to be able to see you be happy, and we hope you would want the same for us.

One simple way to accomplish this is by giving us feedback. If something doesn’t go the way you expected, we want you to tell us. Our obligation to you is to take that feedback and be productive with it, and to actually make changes to make the experience better for you and all our other clients the next time and every other time afterwards.

It is not by the absence of problems, but by an appropriate response to a problem that shows the character of a company. Some of the best business relationships I have are with clients and other businesses where not every aspect of our business together went as planned, but the response was effective and well received. So while we strive for the best experience every time you come in for service, you can rest assured that if you have a problem, we are here to help.

Like most of the Rothrock Family, we live in the Lehigh Valley. Our children go to school here and we are proud to be part of this community, and we all look forward to seeing you not only at the dealership, but also in our community.

Should I go to the dealer when my vehicle needs service?

We know that we’ve all debated this question. People might say, “I have my own guy” or, “They are way too expensive.”

We’re here to set the record straight. There are many advantages of going back to the dealership where you bought your car to have it serviced.  Here are just a few:

1.    The dealership knows your vehicle: The technicians at the dealership are all trained and certified to repair and service your vehicle. Some people seem to think that all cars are the same and if you have a garage, you can fix or service any type of vehicle. Sadly, this just isn’t the case. As technology advances, so does the training of the people who work on vehicles, and having a factory trained technician who is updated on all the latest advancements is the best thing you can do when dealing with an investment as important as your vehicle. Being an expert on every type of vehicle is a tough job, so stick with the people who can focus on your specific vehicle, not every vehicle. I think we all know the old saying: “Jack of all trades, master of none.”

2.    The dealership has the right parts: I’m sure the same people who think anybody can fix a car would also think that a part is a part, but again, not the case. There's a huge selection of parts like oil filters and exhaust pieces, and the difference between one and another is remarkable. Sure, sometimes the best parts can be more expensive, but the old saying goes, “Good things are rarely cheap and cheap things are rarely good.” And, if you ever had the pleasure of working on a vehicle, there is nothing more frustrating on having an aftermarket part not fit. Factory parts are designed specifically for your vehicle.

3.    The dealership has more on the line: Dealerships not only service vehicles, but also try to sell you your next vehicle. If aftermarket garages don’t make you happy and you go somewhere else, that’s it for them. At a dealership, though, losing your service business means they wouldn’t expect you to purchase a vehicle from them in the future, either.

4.    The dealership can help with warranty issues: If you have a one-stop place to go for all your service needs, why wouldn’t you? Dealerships have trained technicians who can find warranty issues on your vehicle that you may not even be aware of, and they can help you with it while the vehicle is there. Of course, an aftermarket shop wouldn’t be able to bill the factory for the repair.

If you’ve never had your vehicle serviced at the dealership, you may be in for a pleasant surprise. Great amenities and hospitality, a group of trained professionals and available parts that your vehicle is designed to run on is a recipe for success when it comes to your satisfaction.

And if it’s been a while that you’ve visited Rothrock Motors, stop in and see us. We are the people trained to keep your vehicle in tip top condition and always look forward to seeing you.

We have an Express Service Station available that does not require an appointment, a complete service department with extended hours for your convenience and a full service body shop. We can satisfy all your service needs, including tires.

Stop in for complimentary Multi Point Inspection and enjoy the Rothrock Experience.  Click on the graphic below to view all the benefits of having your vehicle serviced at Rothrock!

Nissan creates a crowdsourced 370Z

All over the internet, people are discussing their dream car.  Which parts would it have?  What would its design be?  What features would be implemented?

Nissan has noticed this and has taken advantage of it!  They took their 370Z and gave it to the masses by crowdsourcing the vehicle.  Creative minds from all over the world got together and voted on every single modification, from the wheels, to the tires, to the interior, to the exterior, to the suspension.  Now, after two building stages, the car is finally complete.

In stage one, the front clip and hoses were removed from the 370Z to pull out the engine, which was replaced with a 3.7-liter six fitted with a Greddy twin turbo kit.  The suspension was also replaced, and a Stoptech big brake kit was added.

Stage two involved changing the fuel/air ratio and the aesthetics.  Check out the videos to see exactly how the 370Z turned out.

Looking for a 370Z yourself?  Check out our selection at Rothrocknissan.com!

Top 5 Summer Maintenance Tips for your car

A lot of people decide to purchase a new car during the summer, because summer is a time that most people are traveling.  If you’re planning on a long car trip this summer, follow these tips to keep your family safe and your wallet a little heavier.

1.     Change your oil regularly: If you look into your owner’s manual, you’ll find that it probably says to change your oil every 7,500 miles or so.  Most oil change experts say that number should be closer to 3,000 miles.  If you’re planning a trip that will put a lot of miles on your car, especially in the summer when you’re car is more likely to overheat, stick closer to the 3,000 mile figure.

2.     Clean your battery: Hot weather can affect your car in ways you aren’t always thinking about.  Summer heat can speed up the chemical reaction taking place inside your car’s battery, which will really shorten its lifespan.  By regularly detaching the battery cables and wiping the terminals, it will decrease the chance of your battery being overcharged.

3.     Change the Air Filter – A dirty air filter can decrease gas mileage by up to 10 percent.  It’s recommended you change your air filter every 12,000 miles, and summer is a good time to do it since the streets aren’t so dirty with salt.

4.     Check your tire pressure – Tire pressure changes with the weather.  For every 10-degree increase in the weather, your tires could raise one-two PSI.  An over-inflated tire can lead to hydroplaning in wet conditions.

5.     Maintain refrigerant – Usually, if an air conditioner isn’t working properly, low refrigerant is at fault.  If you have low refrigerant levels in your car, that means you could have a leak somewhere in the system, and you should have your air conditioning system checked out by a professional.

The Rothrock Motors service department is happy to help if you have issues with any of the above.  Simply call 484-223-0570 to make an appointment!