Steps To Not Getting Lost

Anyone who's ever been on a roadtrip can tell you getting lost is FRUSTRATING especially if you don't have the reliability of a trusty GPS (we use "trusty" loosely)

So when taking a long trip remember a few of these tips:

1) A compass and map are cheap and priceless! A simple map of the US and compass can help you get a lot done... all you need to know is North from South and where you've already been. These make a great backup in a pinch if your GPS dies.

2) Keep checking road markers. If you're going through a sparse area remember to keep checking road signs every few miles to know exactly where you are and that will make the use of a map 100000 times easier! You can't find where you're going if you don't know where you came from.

3) Avoid low populated areas if possible. If you don't know where you're going but think taking a back road would be a fun idea... you're probably wrong... Unless you LOVE the mysterious, unknown, and staying at a "roach" hotel in the middle of nowhere without cable or cell phone service! Stick to main highways as much as possible, and follow the above tips.

Keep all of these things in mind and your trip will be much more relaxing and comfortable and every once in a while, practice map reading... it's a useful skill to have!

Read more »

Is Now An Ideal Time To Travel?

If you haven't been on that special road-trip yet, now could be the time.

Specific areas of the US and Canada are at peak weather conditions around the end of August, here's a list from Getaway:


Americas:

Alaska — Denali National Park
June to August is seen as warm, peaks being July to mid-August. May and September offer quite mild weather and are seen as off peak. October may see blizzards, with November to February for snow.

Canada — Ontario, Toronto
Spring, summer and autumn are ideal warm weather for touring. If you want to ski, head over for winter. Warmest months are July and August.

United States — California, New York
East Coast — summer (June/September) is most popular but most crowded, so autumn and spring are preferred.

West Coast — a warmer time would be mid-September to mid-October, along with all of May and early June. Cooling down from November to February (snow).

So jump in the car (or rent from us) and get out there and see the world!


See more peak visiting times: http://getaway.ninemsn.com.au/askgetaway/2001/16186/best-time-to-travel

Read more »

How to Use Jumper Cables

Planning on a long trip? At some point you may need a jump. Seems like a basic thing to do for your car, but you'd be surprised how many people can't use jumper cables properly.

● Find a car to serve as the boosting car.

● Park the two cars -- the dead car and the boosting car -- close to one another, making sure that they're not touching each other.

● Make sure both cars' engines are turned off, and both cars are in park.

● Clamp the red jumper cable (i.e. the positive cable) to the dead car's positive battery terminal, which is marked with a "+." Make sure that the clamp is firmly connected to the battery.

● Clamp the other end of the red jumper cable to the booster car's positive battery terminal, also marked with a "+." Make sure that the clamp is firmly connected to the battery.

● Clamp the black jumper cable (i.e. the negative cable) to the booster car's negative battery terminal, which is marked with a " - ". Make sure that the clamp is firmly connected to the battery.

● Clamp the other end of the black jumper cable to a bare, metal surface on the engine of the dead car. This can be a bolt or a screw. This provides grounding for the jump start [source: Brauer].

● Ensure that the jumper cables are not touching any engine parts.

● Start the booster car's engine and let it idle for a few minutes.

● Start the dead car's engine and let it idle for a few minutes.

● Disconnect the black jumper cable from the once-stalled engine. Then disconnect the black jumper cable from the booster car.

● Remove the red jumper cable from the booster car. Then remove the red jumper cable from the once-stalled car.

Original Article: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/how-to-use-jumper-cables.htm

Read more »

Looking To Rent? Go With The Civic!

At Van-Go Rentals we are proud to carry a sweet lineup of Honda cars for our customers like the 2011 Honda Civic, but not everyone is convinced it's the right choice, so here's a review from a CarConnection Critic:

"The current-generation Honda Civic looked pretty far-out when it was first introduced, five years ago, but it turned out to be a trend-setter. Its swoopier, more ached roofline, stubbier, yet more aerodynamic front end, drawn-forward, more rakish windshielf, and even its bold, two-tiered video-game-like instrument panel, which made other small-car dashes look plain at the time, have since been emulated by other automakers—serving to keep the Civic's look very contemporary."


"...Overall, the Honda Civic feels very peppy, with quick and precise steering especially in low-speed driving. On the highway can be a little too light on center, but when pushed hard the Civic feels like a more sophisticated, more expensive car whereas most other budget-priced small sedans start to show ragged edges...."


To read more of this review visit:


http://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/honda_civic-sdn_2011

Read more »