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Since a new driving season is approaching, it's a great time to be prepared by checking your spare tire. If you're currently using the compact spare tire provided with the vehicle, you might want to consider upgrading to a full-sized spare tire.

A full-sized spare tire is rotated with the normal tires to ensure even treading and wear. It provides you with an extra tire in an emergency, and you won't have to rush to the dealership for a replacement tire or drive at significantly reduced speeds. It's important; however, that you remember to replace the…

Many people hear the alert sound in their vehicle that lets the driver know the tire pressure in one or more tires isn't quite right. Unfortunately, many people choose to ignore this alert. It's not safe to keep driving on tires that are not inflated properly. Too little air, or too much air can lead to a very dangerous situation. Tire pressure matters more than you know.

People assume they can just fill up their tire with plenty of air and move on. In fact, too much air isn't a good situation to be in. You could…

Here at Honda of Ames, we want you to enjoy your pickup truck to the fullest, and that includes being ready for tailgate season! We have included tons of tips for you to use so your tailgate party is ready for anything!

Most of your food can be prepped for grilling the night before. Kebabs can be loaded onto skewers and marinated, and hamburger patties can be shaped and packed between sheets of wax paper. Disposable foil pans are great for packing and transporting these, as you can toss them after use leaving you with less to clean up...

With so many brands and types of headlights to choose from, it can become overwhelming to take on routine headlight service by yourself. That's why we here at Honda of Ames encourage you to bring your vehicle into our location if you feel your vehicle isn't illuminating the road for you properly. We have a number of maintenance options that we can consider. This includes things like:

• Changing out worn out bulbs for something that is newer and brighter. We have many different options you can select from that include different colors and brightness options.
• It might be…

We can easily take our tires for granted, but they are the only point of contact our vehicle has with the road, so they should be cared for regularly to keep them performing their best. Every time you apply the brakes, minute amounts of metal shavings and carbon fibers fly off, some of them getting stuck in the grease around your tire. This mixture is highly corrosive and will damage metal surfaces.

Clean your tires with a dedicated tire soap, lathering it well and letting particularly dirty areas soak. Rinse with a strong jet of water, then use a terry…

If you're a truck owner, you've likely heard the terms "payload" and "towing capacity." However, do you know what these terms mean? At Honda of Ames, we want to ensure you know all you can about your vehicle, which is why we offer this brief explanation of these often-confusing terms.

Payload refers to what you can haul in the truck itself. The strength of the materials the truck is built from influences the payload limit and this limit includes everything from passengers to pea gravel. The towing capacity of a truck is what the vehicle can tow in…

At Honda of Ames, we understand that it can be tempting to drive on your winter tires throughout the year. You may think that you can save money by just using that one set of tires each year. In some cases, the thought of having to spend time putting on and taking off tires is too much to bear.

However, it is important to use winter tires during the winter and summer tires during the summer. This is because they are made of different compounds that are formulated to handle the specific road conditions that you are likely to face…

Avoiding a tire blowout depends largely on your ability to properly maintain your tires. If you notice a slow leak or think that you have debris in the tread, pull over and attempt to confirm your suspicions. It can also be a good idea to check air pressure with a manual or digital gauge.

Proper inflation is crucial because tires that don't have enough air in them can grip the road too well. An increase in friction can cause heat that can eventually cause the tire to tear or shred instantly.

If you see a cut, scrape or other…

Rain is inevitable from time to time. The roads can get rough, so there are a few tips that can keep you a bit safer. At Honda of Ames, we want to make sure you’re doing everything you can to be safe.

You should always be aware of the amount of water on the road. If you slam on your brakes, you’re more likely to hydroplane. Instead, try to brake slowly. If you do end up skidding in the rain, keep your steering wheel and your eyes pointed towards where the car is heading.

A bit of preventative…

When it comes to car wax, one important piece of information is how it should be applied. The effectiveness of the car wax is dependent on how it is applied. Therefore, you are going to have to exercise a little bit of precision on how the wax is applied to your vehicle.

When applying the wax, you want to apply it in small and even circles. You want to have a good amount of wax. This means you don't want to put too little wax on the car. You also don't want to put too much wax on…