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There's Still EIGHTEEN DAYS Left to Win FREE Oil Changes for a Year!

There's still EIGHTEEN DAYS LEFT for you to enter to win our contest for FREE oil changes for ONE WHOLE YEAR! If you haven't entered already, just head on over to our Facebook contest page (http://a.pgtb.me/M91b2r) for your chance to score the best Christmas present you could possibly give (or receive) this holiday season. So hurry and enter now before it's too late!

What Car Thieves Don't Want You to Know

Ex-con Steve Fuller, who has been convicted six times for stealing cars, has decided to reveal all to make amends for the hundreds of cars he stole in the past.

Fuller outlined to ABC News' 20/20 program what car thieves look for, what they know that we don't, and how you can best protect your beloved vehicle. Here are five of his tips:

1. Be careful where you park
It might sound obvious, but Fuller recommends avoiding dark locations, including carports, underground parking and apartment complexes. Of the latter, Fuller said that it was easy to steal from an apartment block because "all I really had to deal with was somebody coming down from their apartment to get in their vehicle, and at that time in the middle of night it's not usually that often."

2. Be aware that your car model might be a target
Fuller used to love stealing Honda, Toyota, Acura, and General Motors vehicles because "they have good resale value so the parts are in demand. It's as simple as that."

3. Don't keep spare keys in your car
It sounds so obvious, but people really do it - in fact, Fuller told 20/20 that for 90 per cent of the vehicles he's stolen he used the car's spare keys to do it.

"Glove compartment, center console, door, change tray, you name it, it's there. I found it in all those places," Fuller said.

4. Be aware of secret keys
"A lot of people don't know that they have a valet key inside their vehicle," said Fuller of the keys which can unlock the driver's side door and start the car. Your car manual will advise you of whether you have a valet key or not.

5. Don't leave your window open when you're not inside
This is the biggest mistake you can make.

"A window that has enough room for me to stick my fingers in, I can get out of its track by rocking it back and forth," Fuller explained.

"Then, I can pry the window out of the track enough to where I can get my arm down in there and unlock the vehicle."

How to See Forever on Your Dirty Car

Every year, almost 100,000 tons of space dirt falls on our planet. That's the equivalent of one U.S. Nimitz-class aircraft carrier dropping from the skies every year. Of course, it doesn't all come at once. Each day, about a hundred tons of material hits the Earth. Most of it is in the form of interplanetary dust caught in the Earth's gravitational pull. But on any given night, you might also catch the bigger stuff: sand-grain-sized or even pebble-sized bits of the solar system flaring across our sky as meteors. After their fiery journey through the atmosphere, most of that material ends up as dust on the ground too.

So if you do the math, those hundred tons of inbound space stuff translates into about 10,000 grains of dust added to your car every day. And if you only make it to the car wash once a year, then odds are pretty good that if you write, clean me, on your car's rear window, it will leave at least a few tiny bits of dusty space dirt on your fingers. And it's right there, on your fingertips, that you can meet eternity up close.

(courtesy of NRP)

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The Craziest Laws in Texas

 

Every state has its fair share of outrageous, crazy laws, and our state in particular is no exception. Some of the laws have been repealed, and some are still in the books, but at one time all of these were the law of the land in Texas. What law do you think is the craziest? Let us know, fans!

• A city ordinance states that a person cannot go barefoot without first obtaining a special five-dollar permit.
• An anti-crime law requires criminals to give their victims 24 hours notice, either orally or in writing, and to explain the nature of the crime to be committed.
• Austin: Wire cutters can not be carried in your pocket.
• Beaumont: Collegiate football is banned at Lamar University.
• Borger: It is against the law to throw confetti, rubber balls, feather dusters, whips or quirts (riding crop), and explosive firecrackers of any kind.
• Clarendon: It is illegal to dust any public building with a feather duster.
• Galveston: It is illegal to drive a motor car down Broadway before noon on Sundays.
• Houston: Beer may not be purchased after midnight on a Sunday, but it may be purchased on Monday. It is illegal to sell Limburger cheese on Sunday.
• In Corpus Christie it is illegal to raise alligators in your home.
• In Lefors, Texas it is illegal to take more than three swallows of beer at any time while standing.
• In Mesquite, Texas it is illegal for kids to have unusual haircuts.
• It is illegal for one to shoot a buffalo from the second story of a hotel.
• It is illegal to drive without windshield wipers. You don't need a windshield, but you must have the wipers.
• It is illegal to have an open container in a car.
• It is illegal to milk another person's cow.
• It is legal for the blind to go hunting as long as they have someone with them who isn't blind.
• In Texas any artificial constructed underwater barrier reefs must come with an instruction booklet.
• Jasper: Dogs must be on a leash at ALL times. Fine of 100 dollars.
• Lubbock County: It is illegal to drive within an arm's length of alcohol - including alcohol in someone else's blood stream.
• Port Arthur: Obnoxious odors may not be emitted while in an elevator.
• Richardson: It is now illegal to place a "for sale" sign on a car if it visible from the street. It is illegal to do "U Turns."
• Temple: No one may ride a horse and buggy through the town square. You can ride your horse in the saloon. Cattle thieves may be hanged on the spot.
• Texarkana: Owners of horses may not ride them at night without tail lights.
• The entire Encyclopedia Britannica is banned in Texas because it contains a formula for making beer at home.
• There is an old law in Texas that states you are unable to tuck your pants into one boot unless you own ten or more cattle.

(courtesy of Crazy Topics)

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How Do Gas Pumps Know When to Stop?

If you've ever put gas in a car, you'll know that the pump magically knows when to stop spewing fuel into the tank. That's super useful, and safe too. But how does it know when to stop?

Is it witchcraft? Psychic powers? Clever guesswork? Or, you know, some simple but incredibly smart engineering? Watch this video and find out!

Rolling Stone's 25 Best Road Trip Songs Ever

Rolling Stone recently came up with a list of the 25 best road trip songs ever, and we think it's a pretty solid list ourselves. Is there a song that you think is missing? Or did most of your favorite songs manage to make the cut? Let us know!

1. "Immigrant Song," Led Zeppelin
2. "Born To Run," Bruce Springsteen
3. "Highway to Hell," AC/DC
4. "Runnin' Down a Dream,"Tom Petty
5. "Truckin'," Grateful Dead
6. "Ol' 55," Tom Waits
7. "Radar Love," Golden Earring
8. "Tush," ZZ Top
9. "The Passenger," Iggy Pop
10. "Wanted Dead or Alive", Bon Jovi
11. "Passenger Side," Wilco
12. "Turn the Page," Bob Seger
13. "No Particular Place to Go," Chuck Berry
14. "Going Back to Cali," LL Cool J
15. "Born to be Wild," Steppenwolf
16. "Running On Empty," Jackson Browne
17. "Take It Easy," Eagles
18. "Award Tour," A Tribe Called Quest
19. "Taking the Long Way," Dixie Chicks
20. "Roadrunner," Modern Lovers
21. "Rearviewmirror," Pearl Jam
22. "Gravity Rides Everything," Modest Mouse
23. "No Sleep Till Brooklyn," Beastie Boys
24. "Pink Houses," John Mellencamp
25. "Travelin' Band," Creedence Clearwater Revival

The Dangers of Texting and Driving

Since the introduction of text messaging, our society has become a population of screen peckers, with deft little thumbs that can move at an unbelievable rate across a phone keyboard. The average text messages sent each day in the United States alone reaches 6 billion, with the amount of texts sent across the world reaching 2.2 trillion each year. With numbers like these, it’s no surprise that text messaging has become a problem while driving.

In 2011, 23 percent of car accidents involved a cell phone—that equals about 1.3 million accidents.  When you text, your eyes are off the road for at least five seconds. If you happen to be going 55 miles per hour, that means you travel the entire length of a football field without looking up once.

So, while you’re busying answering the text asking you “Wut up?,” your car is essentially barreling down a road at 55 miles per hour by its own free will because, with your eyes off the road for that length of time, you won’t be paying enough attention to stop it. Can you imagine all the different scenarios that can happen in a football field length of space? Cars can pull out in front of you. Chickens can cross the road. Children can chase their basketballs into the street. All possible accidents just waiting to happen, all because you want to type, “Nuthin, u?”

Texting makes you 23 times more likely to crash. With 1 out of 5 drivers admitting to surfing the web while driving, the road just got that much more dangerous. Think before you text. You might just be saving a life.

Essential Maintenance Items You Should Keep in Your Car

There's nothing like breaking down at the side of the road and realizing the spare tire in your trunk has a flat from the last time it happened.  To keep you up and running, keep these in your trunk:

Spare tire (in good condition), along with a tire jack and tire iron, because without them or someone else to help you, the spare tire is useless. Here's how to change a tire, in case you need a refresher. Also, if your wheels require a special security key, make sure that's always in your car too.

Tire inflater and sealer, like the Fix-a-Flat, which can plug a leak (and help you avoid using the above tools) just enough to get you to the auto shop.

Jumper cables, because dead batteries happen to the best of us. Alternatively, you can pack an emergency battery booster so you don't have to rely on a Good Samaritan coming along.

Your car's manual, which should be in the glove compartment already.

Tire pressure gauge: Checking tire pressure on a regular basis can improve handling, increase fuel economy, promote tire longevity, and even save lives.

Duct tape and WD-40. 

Car repair information. A business card for your auto repair shop, the number for AAA (if you're a member), and car insurance claim forms should also be stored in your glove compartment.

Maintenance Tips - Keep your car shining bright!

Lights

 

One indicator or blinker is flashing faster than the other

When you indicate one way and the blinker flashes quicker than when you indicate the other way, it means one of the bulbs has blown. An auto parts store will be able to tell you what sort of bulb you need to replace it with and your manual should show you how to get at the indicator bulbs - they're different on every car.

Don't touch the glass when changing headlight bulbs

Most headlight bulbs now are filled with halogen and have special coatings on the outside of the glass. If you pick the bulb up by the glass with your fingers, you will leave trace amounts of oil and grease on the glass. When the bulb is used, that area of the glass will get hotter than the rest and it will eventually cause the bulb to crack. When changing headlight bulbs, only hold the metal bulb holder at the base, or make sure you're wearing rubber surgical / mechanic's gloves (clean ones) if you're touching the glass.

Kia Has Something For Everyone

Being short has many of it's downsides.  You always need to have your pants hemmed, you're forced to sit at the kids table at family dinners, and it's almost impossible to find a vehicle you're comfortable in.  Lucky for you, the 2013 Kia Soul was recently named to Edmunds list of the 10 best cars for short drivers.  As always, and test drive will be necessary to make sure it's a right fit, but at least you have a starting point in your search!  View our selection of Kia Souls on our website today. 

Peak into Kia's future by taking a look at the KV7 concept car!

The KV7 concept will change the perception of the traditional van. To achieve this Kia gave it a gullwing door, tabletop computer and custom-built swiveling seats making it the perfect vehicle for those social outings, road trips and the next family adventure.

Visit Pete's Car Smart Kia's website to find your next Kia!

5 things to do in Amarillo this summer!

 This summer, spend some time at fun attractions in Amarillo! Five of our favorite hot spots include:

1. Amarillo Botanical Gardens
2. Amarillo Zoo 
3. Elkins Ranch Jeep Tours 
4. Texas Air and Space Museum 
5. Route 66 District

 

Visit www.petescarsmartkia.com to find your next vehicle.

Pete's Car Smart Kia not only provides great vehicles, but we provide great service tips as well!

Dropping Off Your Vehicle?
When leaving your vehicle in our Service Dept., please park inside the Service Drive and one of our Service Advisors will assist you. We also make reservations over the phone for you to leave your vehicle with us for a speedy in and out process. When picking up your vehicle your appointed service advisor will also handle your paperwork so there is no confusion about any of the repairs made.

For more service tips, visit us here!

Every year during the Vans Warped tour, there is a volunteer day for the bands, crew and sponsors. This year, they volunteered for Waves for Water!

Happy Thursday fans! Take a look at this spectacular Kia Spectra commercial from 2002.

Hurry into Pete's Car Smart Kia to receive a $500 discount incentive on all 2013 Kia Soul Trims through our College Student and Graduate Program

Click here to view this event!

Kia global sales up 2.6% halfway through 2013

Kia Motors Corporation announced today its global sales figures (export sales, domestic sales and sales from overseas plants) for passenger cars, recreational vehicles (RVs) and commercial vehicles through June 2013, recording a total of 1,383,759 units sold. This figure represents a 2.6% year-on-year increase for the first six months of 2013.

China experienced the highest cumulative gain to date in 2013 of 23.1% (291,125 units sold), followed by Europe with 3.7% (296,543 units sold). Korea, North America and general markets* experienced cumulative decreases of 5.3% (226,404 units sold); 4.3% (313,976 units sold) and 1.3% (255,711 units sold), correspondingly.

“Halfway through the year Kia is still posting positive sales results, and we are particularly pleased with the strong sales momentum in China, which further demonstrates the market as a rising star for the Kia brand,” said Thomas Oh, Executive Vice President and COO of Kia Motors International Business Division.

For the month of June, Kia’s bestselling model in overseas markets was the B-segment Rio (known as ‘K2′ in China) with 43,586 units sold. The Sportage compact CUV was the second best seller with 33,388 units delivered, while the C-segment Cerato (known as ‘Forte’ or ‘K3′ in some markets), Optima D-segment sedan and Sorento mid-size CUV followed with 32,696, 23,197 and 18,090 units sold, respectively.

Courtesy of Automotive World

Kia Motors America launches nationwide partnership with B.R.A.K.E.S. Teen Pro-Active Driving School to provide free hands-on defensive driving instruction!

Kia Motors America (KMA) is launching a nationwide partnership as the official vehicle and presenting sponsor of B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe) Teen Pro-Active Driving School to educate teenagers and their parents about the importance of responsible driving habits.  KMA’s support – which includes a fleet of 32 Kia vehicles – will provide teens nationwide with no-cost, hands-on training, including distracted driving exercise, emergency braking using the anti-lock braking system (ABS), evasive maneuvering and skid-control practice.  A three-to-one student-to-teacher ratio will ensure personal attention and high-quality individual instruction for every student.

“KMA is committed to giving back to the communities in which we do business,” said Michael Sprague, executive vice president, marketing & communications, KMA.  “Our partnership with B.R.A.K.E.S. will help teens learn to respond quickly and confidently to real-world driving scenarios through advanced training techniques to help ensure their own safety and that of others on the road.”
In addition to supplying school cars and other support, Kia’s race-winning No. 38 Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) Optima Turbo, driven by Mark Wilkins, will prominently feature B.R.A.K.E.S. for the remainder of the 2013 PWC season in an effort to raise awareness for teen driving safety.  The racer’s new livery will be unveiled at a promotional event in New York City’s SoHo district this evening, ahead of this weekend’s races at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn.

 “Kia’s support will enable B.R.A.K.E.S. to train thousands more teens, grow awareness and expand training to new areas of the country,” said Doug Herbert NHRA Top Fuel Racer & Founder of B.R.A.K.E.S. “We are extremely excited about this new relationship and what we can do together with Kia to accomplish our mission of reducing teen driving accidents.”

B.R.A.K.E.S., a 501 c3 charity based in Charlotte, N.C., has provided safe driving instruction courses for more than 8,000 students in the U.S. and Canada.  The school offers nearly four hours of hands-on training and a very low student-instructor ratio to ensure personal attention.  The curriculum includes an array of defensive driving techniques and raises awareness of the dangers of distracted driving.  Parents participate in the courses alongside their teens to ensure safe driving techniques are reinforced following the session.  To sign up for a school in your area visit http://www.putonthebrakes.com/driving-schools/schedule1/.
Training includes the following:

• Accident Avoidance/Slalom:  The two-part course simulates an animal or object jumping out in front of a car.  It forces students to make a split-second reaction to help negotiate a quick, evasive lane change without losing control of the vehicle.  Students must navigate their vehicle around cones while focusing on weight transfer, hand positioning and eye scanning.
• Distracted Driving:  In 2009 it was estimated more than 5,400 people died in crashes that were reported to involve a distracted driver and about 448,000 people were injured[i].  The course demonstrates the danger that cell phones, text messaging, and other distractions can pose while driving.
• Drop Wheel/Off Road Recovery:  The drop-wheel recovery course teaches students how to effectively recover from a drop-wheel situation by regaining control of the car and safely returning to the roadway.
• Panic Stop:  Teens often lack the experience needed to judge a safe following distance.  The panic stop course instructs students on proper braking techniques to help stop a vehicle in the shortest distance possible while maintaining control.  Students experience firsthand the pulsating brake pedal effects of ABS and how to control the vehicle when ABS in engaged.
• Car Control and Recovery:  A wet skid pad simulates wet-road conditions.  Students learn how to recover from both over-steer (rear wheel) and under-steer (front wheel) skids.

Courtesy of: Kia Motors America

Who remembers this Kia video from back in 2011?

Enjoy this week's Throwback Thursday video!  

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Kelley Blue Book's KBB.COM Names 2013 Kia Soul to List of Coolest New Cars Under $18,000

Soul Picked Based on its Fun-to-Drive and Fun-to-Own Personality

•  The Soul stays cool with its fun design and technology
• Soul’s extensive list of standard features makes it a superb value

Kia Motors America’s (KMA) top-selling urban passenger vehicle, the 2013 Soul, was named to Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com list of the 10 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000. Chosen by the site’s editors, the 2013 Soul was celebrated for its fun and bold design, high-tech offerings and roominess.
“The Soul, which paved the way for Kia’s design led transformation with its fun and funky personality, quickly established a reputation as the spunkiest car in the Kia lineup, and now KBB has recognized it as one of the coolest vehicles on the market,” said Michael Sprague, executive vice president, marketing & communications, KMA. “Kia has always strived to provide customers with value, style and substance, and the Soul fulfills that promise with an extensive roster of standard features and unique design that has become iconic.”
The Soul placed third on Kelley Blue Book’s annual list of the coolest cars. Editors at Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com looked for new cars that were fun to own and drive. The Soul’s one-of-a-kind look and feel stood out amongst its competition.
“Born in 2010 and significantly updated in 2012, the Kia Soul has managed to keep its cool the whole time,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com. “Like a small cargo van with bold lines and high tech, the Soul’s impressive standard equipment list includes Bluetooth^®1 phone connectivity, an auxiliary audio input and iPod^®2 integration.”
For more information about KBB.com’s 2013 list of the 10 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000, please visit http://www.kbb.com/car-reviews-and-news/top-10/10-coolest-cars-under-18000-2013/.

About the 2013 SoulRefreshed for the 2013 model year, the Soul features technology and styling upgrades, bringing a new level of cool with enhanced power and efficiency. New for 2013 are power-folding side mirrors, darkened chrome around the signature grille, upgraded leather on the leather-wrapped steering wheel, standard Bluetooth^® wireless technology with steering wheel-mounted controls, standard steering wheel-mounted audio controls, and cruise control. The Soul also offers Idle Stop and Go (ISG) technology as part of the Eco Package, which senses when the vehicle is stopped and shuts off the engine to maximize efficiency and results in reduced engine load and less fuel consumption.

Kia’s Unprecedented GrowthKia Motors America is one of only three auto brands to increase U.S. sales in each of the past four years, and in 2012 the company surpassed the 500,000 unit mark for the first time.  With a full line of fun-to-drive cars and CUVs, Kia is advancing value to new levels of sophistication by combining European-influenced styling – under the guidance of chief design officer Peter Schreyer – with cutting-edge technologies, premium amenities, affordable pricing and the lowest cost of ownership in the industry.  Kia recently joined the exclusive ranks of Interbrand’s “Top 100 Best Global Brands,” and is poised to continue its momentum with seven all-new or significantly redesigned vehicles scheduled to arrive in showrooms in 2013.  Over the past decade Kia Motors has invested more than $1.4 billion in the U.S., including the company’s first U.S. assembly plant in West Point, Georgia – Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia – which is responsible for the creation of more than 11,000 plant and supplier jobs.  The success of the U.S.-built* Optima and Sorento in two of the industry’s largest segments has fueled Kia’s rapid growth and is complemented by Kia’s comprehensive lineup which includes the Cadenza flagship sedan, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Sportage compact CUV, Optima Hybrid, the Forte sedan, 5-door and Koup compacts, Rio and Rio 5-door sub-compacts and the Sedona minivan.

Courtesy of Kia Media

2014 Kia Sorento gets Spiderman-like transformation

How new the 2014 Kia Sorento really is depends on how you look at it, or more correctly, where you look at it.

Kia's current design renaissance encompasses the street-wise Soul and Sportage wagons as well as the Optima and Rio sedans. You can also place the current-generation Sorento that was launched for 2011 on that list. The lines are so right on the money in terms of contemporary style and carrying capacity that there was obviously no point in monkeying around with the mid-sized wagon's looks.

For 2014, the Georgia-built Sorento receives a minor nose tweak, including the ubiquitous mesh-style grille, updated headlights and optional fog lights, plus new taillight lenses. Otherwise the silhouette remains basically the same.

Surprisingly, however, just about every other part of the Sorento's DNA has been altered, redesigned, or otherwise enhanced, kind of like when Peter Parker was bitten by the spider to become Spiderman. Same kid on the outside, but better reflexes and more power.

For 2014, Kia has mounted the Sorento on a platform that's identical to that of parent Hyundai's Santa Fe Sport. Kia claims the new structure is 18 percent stiffer than the 2013 version; attached to that is a stouter sub-frame that holds the powertrain more firmly.

There's also a new independent front suspension, while a more compact rear suspension aids interior space and restricts noise and vibrations from entering the cabin.

The Sorento's hydraulic power-steering system has been exchanged for a more efficient electric unit that features Comfort, Normal and Sport settings, depending on your desired level of steering firmness.
Kia's design team also took care of business on the inside, installing a new instrument panel and center control stack with easier-to-find buttons and knobs.

As before, Sorento can accommodate up to seven passengers with the optional third-row seat, but there's precious little legroom in back and equally scarce stowage room when loaded to the max with passengers. There is a solution if a more comfy back row is a must, but it requires visiting your Hyundai dealer to scope out the extended-wheelbase version of the Santa Fe.

Big changes are also to be discovered in the engine bay. The 175-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder powerplant that was standard for 2013 has been dropped, and the previously optional 191-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder with direct injection (fuel is sprayed under very high pressure directly into the combustion chambers instead of the intake manifold) now assumes base-engine duties.

Added performance is at hand with the available 290-horsepower 3.3-liter V6 (also direct-injected) that delivers 18 more ponies than the outgoing 3.5-liter V6.

The four-cylinder's six-speed manual transmission has been deleted, leaving only a six-speed automatic with manual shift controls.

As before, you can order your four-cylinder or V6 Sorento in front- or all-wheel drive. The latter is a full-time system that constantly varies the torque to all four wheels and can direct power to the outer wheels in high-speed turning situations for added control (known as torque vectoring).

Interestingly, estimated four-cylinder fuel economy is 20 mpg in the city and 26 on the highway (two-wheel-drive), which is close to the V6's 18/25 rating. That points to the extra work the four-cylinder has to do to lug the Sorento around, which might make you wonder what the point is.
Clearly, the four-cylinder enters the market at a more favorable pricepoint.

The 2014 Sorento starts at just under $25,000, which is a price jump commensurate with the increase in power, content and that one great intangible, class.

Along with the existing LX, EX and SX/SX-L trims, Kia has added a new SX Limited model that does its luxury best to coddle passengers with a wood-trimmed interior with ventilated soft leather-covered seats on the inside, while self-leveling headlights and exclusive 19-inch wheels (17- and 18-inch wheels adorn lower trims) are installed outside.

As for options, the tricks up the Sorento's sleeve include a power liftgate, panoramic sunroof, advanced voice-activated communications, infotainment and navigation controls (incorporating an eight-inch touch-screen) and a blind-spot monitoring system that constantly tracks vehicles in the immediate vicinity and issues an audible and visual alert should any get too close.

Courtesy of Newsday