Don’t Touch These Guys!
Do you consider yourself to be a handy person? Great news! We love when people take the initiative to get familiar with the inner workings of their vehicles’ engines. However, no matter how handy you are, there are some essential maintenance functions that you should 100% leave to the professionals. I don’t care how many socket wrenches you have, if you need to take care of any of the following issues, take your vehicle to the shop here at Destination Nissan to have Nissan-certified experts take care of your vehicle!
- Don’t touch the transmission. Don’t even change the fluid. If you make a mistake with the transmission you’re in for a much more expensive repair than you had on your hands before you decided to try and repair it.
- Your windshield is another thing that you need to bring to glass professionals. Even those store bought kits that say they fix cracks, well. A professional will get the job done seamlessly, and the kit won’t provide satisfactory results. Just get a pro in there and you’ll be set.
- Anything to do with wiring should be off-limits; trying to tinker with anything in the car that has a lot of delicate electronics is a bad idea. So no putting in a new sound system on your own! Do you know how bad electrical fires are? Stay away!
- Don’t think about touching the fuel pump, either. This is not only a very precise part, but it requires precise installation and even the smallest mixup can total your engine from the inside out.
- Don’t try your hand at engine diagnostics. This should be a no-brainer. The little code reader you can get that turns off the check engine light doesn’t actually fix anything, so why waste money that you could spend on getting what’s making the light come on repaired?
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3 Most Exciting Features of the 2018 Nissan Kicks
In 2018, Nissan is releasing a new vehicle into the market. The Nissan Kicks takes up where the Nissan Juke left off and gives you a variety of other features that can make driving more exciting. Here is a look at the three most exciting features of the 2018 Nissan Kicks.
- Speakers in the Headrest
If you want to get a better sound experience out of your car, then you should check out the 2018 Nissan Kicks’ available Bose Headrest speaker. Speakers are in the driver’s headrest so that you can get the best surround sound experience possible.
- Remote Engine Start
If you live in a cold environment, then you could benefit from a car that you can heat up early without having to go outside. The Nissan Kicks has an available remote start system, which makes it possible to start your car from a distance. On the days where it is too cold to venture outside, you can start to heat up your car for your drive to work while staying warm in your house.
- Interior Space
One of the most notable advantages that the Kicks has over the Juke is its increased interior space. This includes an expanded cabin so that you have more leg room. The storage compartment is also bigger. The extra space makes the Kicks more comfortable and useful in different situations.
To learn more about the other features that the 2018 Nissan Kicks has to offer, you can visit Destination Nissan. The experts can get you ready for the sales launch of the Kicks in June.
Image via Flickr by RL GNZLZ
2 Best Waterfront Dining on Hudson River
Albany, New York sits on the northern end of the Hudson River and is known for its history, culture, and technology. The city also offers a wide variety of dining options with several restaurants that sit along the banks of the river. Here is some of the best waterfront dining on the Hudson River.
Hudson Harbor Steak & Seafood
Hudson Harbor Steak & Seafood is an excellent choice for a special occasion or just a night out. The chef cooks all the meals to order so make sure you leave plenty of time to relax and enjoy your meal. For your dinner, why not try the wonderful Coquilles St. Jacques or perhaps the broiled scallops, which come with an amazingly rich sauce.
H & L On the Hudson
H & L On the Hudson is a casual spot for food and sits right at the C. Springer Marina. This place serves up breakfast items until 10:30 a.m., so you can start the day with an egg sandwich or a breakfast wrap, or stop in for lunch. Be sure to try the original Philly cheesesteak sandwich or a fresh hand-pressed burger for lunch. You can also get an all beef hot dog, delicious chicken tenders, or a buffalo chicken wrap. This food stand sits right on the Hudson River and offers beautiful views that you can enjoy while you eat.
These are just two of the many wonderful waterfront dining locations on the Hudson River.
Image via Flickr by rkeefer
Engine Overheating? Here’s Why
If you’ve ever had your engine overheat, you know it’s a scary thing. Your temperature gauge veers into the red, smoke comes out of your hood, your car stops, and you’ve got a literal hot mess on your hands. Here’s how to fix some of the common causes of your engine overheating.
- Your thermostat might be broken. The thermostat both tracks the temperature of your engine and regulates it by restricting coolant from going through the engine block of your car before it’s heated up sufficiently. If the thermostat is broken, it won’t open up and therefore coolant won’t be able to reach your engine, causing it to overheat.
- The coolant hosing is degraded. After driving your car a lot, the hoses that carry the coolant, which are usually made out of not-so-high-quality plastic, can get corroded or caked with grime, which can lead to the coolant not making it through the hosing efficiently, or at all.
- You’re out of oil. If your car is out of oil, you’ve got a problem. Oil lubricates and even helps cool your engine, so if you’re out of oil your engine could also possibly weld itself together, which can lead to it seizing. You really don’t want this, so make sure that your oil level is good. You should be checking your oil at least once a month anyway – so if you aren’t doing that… start doing it!
- Air in your cooling system. Sometimes air can get into your cooling system, even though it’s a closed system. If you get enough air in the system, it can block the flow of coolant and cause your car to overheat. The simple fix for this is to test your coolant and, yes, you might have to flush it. If you’re looking at your coolant, make sure your engine is cold – as in, you haven’t run your car for a couple hours beforehand.
If your engine does overheat, you’ll want to stop driving it as soon as possible and take it to a shop or your dealer. They will be able to tell you exactly what’s going on in your engine and help you get it fixed as soon as possible. If you’re ever unsure about what you should be doing with your engine, don’t try to wing it! Your dealer will be the best source of information about how to care for your vehicle’s engine.
3 Best Sports Bars in Albany
Any season is a great time to watch sports, especially from a local sports bar. Whether you like baseball, hockey, or football you can enjoy your favorite from one of these Albany Sports bars when the season starts up again.
Lynn’s Uptown Sports Tavern
Lynn’s Uptown Sports Tavern on Colvin Ave. is a popular gathering spot for people who like to watch sports. The restaurant recently remodeled and now there are even larger TVs, so watching your favorite team there is even more fun. Lynn’s offers traditional food, to include excellent wings that can be ordered extra hot and extra crispy.
City Line Bar and Grill
Head to City Line Bar and Grill to watch all of your favorite games on the TVs that are mounted all around the seating areas. This is also a great place to head for happy hour, or dinner and drinks. In the summer, there is outdoor seating, complete with a fireplace to add to the ambiance.
Andy’s Place
Andy’s Place on New Scotland Ave. has lots of large TVs for watching games while you enjoy the excellent bar food and the friendly, helpful service. You can get anything from pizza to burgers and salads, and, in fact, you may want to try the bacon cheeseburger, which is hand-formed and served on a toasted, buttered roll and then topped with lettuce, tomato and a slice of onion.
Check out one or all of these great Albany sports bars with friends while you enjoy a game, a drink, and a burger.
Image via Flickr by chefranden
A Buyers Guide to the 2018 Nissan Titan XD
The Nissan Titan XD takes the Nissan Titan and adds a larger frame and stronger engine. New for 2018, the Titan XD comes with the option for the Midnight Edition package, but other than that, it carries over from 2017 without any changes. Here is a buyer’s guide to the 2018 Nissan Titan XD.
The Power
The base engine in the Titan XD is a 5.6-liter V-8 that produces 390 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. There is also a 5.0-liter turbo V-8 available that generates 310 horsepower and 555 pound-feet of torque. Nissan pairs the base engine with an 8-speed automatic transmission, and the turbo gets a 6-speed.
When equipped, the smaller engine in this truck can tow up to 9,740 pounds and handle a 1,950 payload. Upgrade to the larger turbo engine, and it can tow up to 12,760 pounds and haul up to 2,910 pounds.
Technology
Standard technology features in the XD include a 5-inch display screen, Bluetooth, and NissanConnect. There is an option to upgrade to a 7-inch touchscreen display, and you can also add a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot, satellite radio, navigation, and voice recognition.
Safety Features
Nissan makes several advanced safety features available including a rearview camera, front and rear parking sensors, a blind-spot monitoring system, and rear cross-traffic alert. There is also the option to add a 360-degree surround view camera.
The 2018 Nissan Titan XD is a sleek and powerful truck that will perform both on the road and over rough terrain.
Image via Flickr by truckhardware
Riddle Me These Tire Q’s
So, let me ask you this essential question. How often do you check the pressure of your tires? If you don’t have an answer, well… you’re not alone. Unfortunately!! The thing is that you should have an answer because checking your tires should be a regular part of your maintenance schedule. There are some things that you should absolutely leave to the professionals, but checking your tires is something that you should be doing yourself at home reasonably often. Check out how often you should do it, why you should do it, and learn a little bit more about tires and their lifespans!
In all honesty, you should be checking your tires at least once a week. It seems like a lot but it takes about thirty seconds and you don’t need anything besides a tire pressure gauge to do it. Look at the pressure, add air if your tires are a little low, and there you go. How do you know what the pressure in your tires should be? That information is on a sticker located on the inside of your driver’s side door jamb. It’s also in your owner’s manual and might even be on the outside of the physical tires, stamped into the rubber.
Checking the tread of your tires is also important. For this, you’ll need a penny. To use it, put the penny into your tire’s tread with Lincoln’s head pointing towards the ground (or center of the tire). If you can see the top of his head, you need new tires very soon.
Tires should last for about five years or so, but some factors go into the premature wear of your tires. They are:
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Low tire pressure
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Overinflated tires
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Aggressive driving
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Improper alignment
To combat these, make sure your tires are always inflated (which also improves your MPG’s) and have your auto tech check your tires and rotate them, as well as check the alignment of your vehicle, at every oil change.
Fall In Love Again This Month
Looking to get into a new Nissan this month? Well, good news for you – our specials this month are on your FAVORITE models, and they are not only 2018’s (which means they are brand-spankin’ new) but they’re priced so well that we’re still pinching ourselves because are we dreaming? No! Those prices really are amazing.
Our first special is on the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport, which is the perfect vehicle for any summer adventure you want to go on. At first glance, the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport may only look like a car fit only for the streets, but never judge a book by its cover. The All-Wheel-drive package provides a locking center differential helps you to obtain the optimum traction in the snow and mud, making for a pretty impressive crossover. Meanwhile, hill descent control enables drivers to slowly creep down steep inclines. If you’re looking to hit some off road Destinations, the Nissan Rogue Sport is the vehicle for you. You can get behind the wheel for only $199 a month for a 36-month lease. INCREDIBLE.
Our second offer for you is the 2018 Nissan Sentra S, yours for only $179 a month on a 36-month lease and with less than $1,000 down – a deal you will NOT find anywhere else. The 2018 Nissan Sentra is taking the sub-compact class to the next level with higher standards that are sure to make a strong first impression that will stay with you. So why not take one out for a test drive? It’ll only make you fall more in love with this vehicle… which isn’t a bad thing at all.
Stop in today or give us a call and schedule your test drive. It’ll be true love, we know. Experience it for yourself!
*Specials expire 5/31/18. See specials page for details.
Road Trip Basic Supplies
Planning on a road trip this spring? The past few days have made it seem more like summer, and I know that a lot of us have the travel bug from it! Of course, when you’re on the road, there are always bound to be little emergencies or bouts of boredom. When you’re traveling with a couple of passengers, you need to keep them occupied and comfortable. If you’re going solo, you’re still going to need some provisions to stay comfortable! We’ve compiled a list of important things to keep in your vehicle whenever you’re road tripping that’ll take care of passengers numbering from just one to a whole car-full! Check it out!
In The Car
- Blankets and pillows
- Music
- Folding chairs
- Reading material
- Camera
- Cash for toll roads
- GPS
- Binoculars
- Wet wipes
- Puzzle books and quiet toys for kids
- Pen, pencil, notepad
- Tissues, paper towels, toilet paper
- Small bags for garbage
Vehicle Emergency Kit
- Flashlight, roadside signal flares or reflective cones/warning signs
- First aid kit
- Booster cables, wrenches, screwdrivers (basic tool kit)
- Gallon jug of water
- Extra washer fluid, oil, transmission oil, brake fluid
- Rags, workshop towels, old blanket
- Gloves
- Spare belts (alternator, fan and air conditioner belts)
- Candle, warm clothes, heavy blanket (for winter travel)
- Duct tape and WD40
Safety technologies have become an even bigger part of the automotive industry over the past decade. Technologies that used to be the work of science fiction are now becoming standard features on the latest model cars. The new Nissan Intelligent Safety Shield system offers a new level of security while you drive. Here is a guide to understanding the Nissan Intelligent Safety Shield technology.
What is the Intelligent Safety Shield?
Nissan’s Intelligent Safety Shield (NISS) is a combination of a four-camera system with a three-radar system to see things that you normally cannot. There is one camera on each side of the car and a radar system on the front and sides. Combined, these technologies create four different systems that can see into your blind spots.
New Systems
NISS creates four new systems to help you drive. The Automatic Emergency Braking system responds in a fraction of a second to stop you from running into something in front of you. The Predictive Forward Collision Warning system looks further down the road for hazards and warns you if there is a potential crash coming. The Blind Spot Warning system watches your blind spot for other cars. The Intelligent Cruise Control scans for cars in your lane and adjusts your cruise control speed to avoid hitting them.
Nissan’s new technologies can make driving much safer by watching for hazards that you don’t see. Visit Destination Nissan to get a better look at these new systems for yourself.
Image via Flickr by axe-belger
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