It may seem simple, but it plays an important part in keeping you safe.

With winter on its way, daylight is getting shorter and shorter each day. Short days mean more hours spent driving in low- or no-light conditions. That’s bad enough on its own, but add the extra complication of nasty weather to the already gloomy season, and you’ve got a driving challenge.
When it’s snowing, sleeting, or even just raining, you need every system working at its best. Often it’s the simplest things that can turn out to have the biggest impact. Here’s an example: when was the last time you even thought about your wiper blades?

Now, even if you don’t live in an area that sees frosty conditions, it’s all too easy to forget about those little things until they become big problems. There are no rest stops in the middle of a sudden downpour or a freak storm. If it seems like an unnecessary additional expense, a quick review of your insurance deductible or some body shop quotes for repairing relatively minor damage will make this seem like the bargain of the century.

Being able to see is the number one safety feature any vehicle can offer the driver, and it’s also one of the easiest things to ensure is up to snuff. Wiper blades, headlight bulbs, and clean windows are pretty much all it takes. Don’t neglect the inside surface of windows, either. Environmental contamination floats around in the air, and the plastics in your car’s interior give off gases that build up on the glass and attract other gunk. A quick once-over every few weeks with some glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth makes a huge difference, especially at night. Another benefit to clean windows is that they don’t fog as easily.

If your car has been using the same wiper blades for a year, it’s probably time to change them. Your dealer’s service department will know exactly what fits, and can install them quickly.

Head lamps are, surprisingly, often neglected. In winter weather, make it a point to stop and clean the lenses occasionally to keep built-up frozen gunk from reducing the illumination in a gradual way that sneaks up on you. Some cars have headlamp washers, and just as it’s important to make sure the windshield washer nozzles spray correctly and the reservoir is full of fluid, take the time to verify your head lamp washer system is working. All you have to do is look.

If you’ve got a headlamp bulb out, you’re probably required by law to get it repaired, though many drivers suffer along, instead. Many bulbs are easy and inexpensive to change yourself, while some other lighting systems can be much more involved. If you’re unsure, you can be certain it’s nothing your service department hasn’t seen, so they’ll know exactly what it takes to fix it.

While we spend the dark, winter months waiting for the return of spring, a few quick checks and simple, inexpensive repairs will better your chances of making it through winter unscathed.

This article is presented by INFINITI of South Atlanta in Union City, Georgia.

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We would like to thank you for making INFINITI of South Atlanta what it is today and allowing us to provide all your automotive needs. You have made it possible for us to build such a close and loving INFINITI family, and we are so happy that you are a part of it here in South Fulton. We have great plans for 2019 and cannot wait to share them with you.

Most importantly, we would like to continue to show you our commitment to the community that we serve. We will continue our commitment to the community and to establishing a great sales and service experience that goes beyond your expectations.

Thank you again for your loyalty to INFINITI of South Atlanta.

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It’s time to start thinking about it. Winter. Even as we enjoy the onset of autumn’s splendor, we know winter is not far behind. Is your vehicle ready? While the weather is pleasant, take a few minutes to do some simple checks.

Lights

Do all the lights on your car or truck work properly? It’s easy to tell if a headlight has failed, but burned out brake lights, blinkers, and marker lamps aren’t always apparent. Don’t worry if you don’t know how to replace the bulbs yourself; especially now, with so many vehicles using LED lighting elements, fixing a problem may require the help of a dealer technician, but you can spot the lights that are out yourself.

Make sure the headlights, both low and high-beam, are operating correctly. To check the other lights, turning the vehicle on to its “accessory” position might be necessary. Make sure the blinkers all work, left and right, front and rear. Many vehicles now have additional blinkers in the mirrors or sides of the vehicle, so be sure to check those if your car or truck has them. Get an assistant to step on the brake pedal while you make sure all your brake lights – left, right and center high-mounted – are working. Remember to check license plate lights, position lights, reverse lights, running lights and parking lights.

Wipers and Windshield

Is it hard to see out your windshield at night or in the rain? If the answer is yes, you’ll want to correct the situation. Wipers that smear, chatter, or otherwise fail to clear the windshield are a big danger you can fix quickly and inexpensively. If you don’t remember the last time the wiper blades were changed, now is a good time to replace them. Check the operation of your windshield washer system, too. Do the nozzles spray a strong stream on the windshield? If you can’t see, you’re more likely to hit things.

The windshield itself can pick up rock chips and other damage that reduces visibility. Keep the windshield clean, inside and out; physical damage to the windshield glass can sometimes be repaired, and windshield replacement, if necessary, may be covered by your car insurance, depending on your coverage.

Tires

Even if you’re not in a region where winter tires are necessary, you need good tires for maximum safety. Look for uneven wear patterns or low tread depth. Worn tires are more likely to hydroplane, and they give up dry traction, too. Any obvious damage– including chunks missing, nails or screws in the tread, bubbles or cuts in the sidewalls, suspicious bulges or flat spots in the tread, etc.–can be an immediate hazard and should be addressed right away.

Fluids

This one is possibly the simplest. Make sure all the fluids are at the proper levels, especially the windshield washer fluid. It’s a good idea to carry an extra bottle or two of washer fluid, as well, because it’s easy to go through a lot of it when you need to keep salt spray off the windshield. Power steering fluid, engine coolant and brake fluid are vital to safe driving, as well; if you don’t feel comfortable checking these fluids yourself, your service department will happily take a look.

Most of these checks are included with a routine vehicle maintenance visit, so you could make it easy by heading in for an oil and filter change and multi-point inspection. Then you can head into the winter months confident that your car won’t let you down when you need it the most.

This article is presented by INFINITI of South Atlanta in Union City, Georgia.

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A World’s First Technology, INFINITI’s Direct Adaptive Steering® (DAS) removes the mechanical connection between the steering wheel and tires, allowing for instantaneous driver input that can be digitally processed and adjusted up to 1,000 times per second. The DAS is unaffected by the kickback and forced movement of conventional steering but still gradually requires more effort with increased speed and G-forces like a conventional system.

The confidence-inspiring system allows the driver to choose Sport and Sport+ modes for quicker steering and more driving pleasure.

In 2013 INFINITI introduced Directive Adaptive Steering®- the world’s first digital steering system. Now just three years later the second generation of this ground-breaking technology is available on select INFINITI models like the thrilling Q60 Coupe and the sophisticated Q50 Sedan.
Direct Adaptive Steering®

THE DRIVE MODE SELECTOR

Personalized Steering
Drivers can choose from several modes to customize steering performance using the Drive Mode Selector.

Less Effort
In the Standard mode, steering requires less effort at lower speeds for easy maneuverability.

Quicker Steering
Compared to Standard mode, at a speed of 60 mph the steering ratio for Sport is four per cent quicker, and 12 per cent quicker for Sport+.

THE NEXT GENERATION OF A WORLD’S FIRST

Control. Precision. Adaptability.

Handling’s triple-crown. Now, after more than ten years of research and development and three years of real-world testing, the second-generation of this world’s-first system is here. Directive Adaptive Steering® uses electronics for a more precise feeling behind the wheel. Over uneven roads, this moderates the need for constant, subtle adjustment, imparting a commanding feeling while helping shield the driver from excessive road vibrations.

Standard Steering
While driving on uneven roads, drivers typically make constant, subtle adjustments to maintain control.

Direct Adaptive Steering®
Direct Adaptive Steering® helps shield the driver from excessive road vibrations, giving you a stronger feeling of control.

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For many across the U.S., winter weather means snow, ice and whistling wind. As the weather gets colder, it is likely your children will want to stay inside most of the time. When children are stuck indoors, however, cabin fever can set in quickly. To keep your children from being bored or glued to the television on a cold winter’s day, consider these five indoor activities you can do as a family.

Bake cookies
Most kids love cookies, especially when they have helped bake them. Including children in this fun activity is easy. Keep your child away from the hot oven by asking him or her to mix the cookie dough together. If there are multiple children lending a helping hand, give each one an ingredient to add. An added benefit is that the hot oven will make the kitchen toasty, creating a great atmosphere for snow day fun.

Play board games
Pull out the family’s favorite board games and have a fun family bonding experience. According to Parenting.com, educational board games, such as Uno and Connect Four, are a great way to bring the family together and help children learn regardless of their age. Letting the children pick from a pile of educational games makes it easy to show how fun learning can be.

Finger paint masterpieces
Finger painting is fun for children of all ages. After all, what child doesn’t like to get a bit messy? PopSugar suggests adding a few puffy stickers to the child’s paper before he or she starts to paint. This helps boost the child’s fine-motor skills, especially when the paint has dried and it is time to take the puffy stickers off. Tailor the stickers to reflect the season, too, using snowflakes and snowmen.

Build a fort
Blanket forts give children the opportunity to use their imaginations. Use sheets and pillows to build a castle your child must defend from a dragon or build a spaceship to take to Mars. A fort encourages children to use logic when building, while also allowing them to flex their creative side, making it a great indoor activity for a cold day.

Make your own play dough
Making homemade play dough is surprisingly easy. It requires only a few household ingredients and takes 10 minutes to make. Here’s an easy recipe from Living Well Mom to follow:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of flour
• 1 cup of water
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1/3 cup salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Food coloring

Directions:
Combine the flour, cream of tartar and salt into a 2-quart saucepan. Then, add the water and vegetable oil. Place this on your stove and turn your stove’s burner on medium/low and stir. Add the food coloring of your choice as soon as the mixture begins to solidify. Keep stirring until the dough starts gathering together around the spoon. Then, set the finished product on waxed paper or a plate to cool. Once it is thoroughly cooled, the dough is ready to play with.

If it is cold outside, don’t worry about sending the kids outdoors to play. Instead, keep them entertained with these great indoor activities. Share an experience that is fun and educational with any of these terrific ways to spend a cold day.

This article is presented by INFINITI of South Atlanta in Union City, Georgia.

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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and, according to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women in the United States. Regular screenings could help detect breast cancer before you even notice it.

In 2012, breast cancer was the cause of an estimated 783,000 years of potential life lost, making it a serious concern.

Thankfully, with our constantly improving medical technology and outstanding physicians, deaths caused by breast cancer have reduced drastically over the last 30 years. On top of improved treatment options, these leaps in breast cancer survival rates are also based on early detection of the cancer itself. Those early detections often happen during annual breast cancer screenings.

Catching it early
Science has proven, time and time again, the time at which the cancer cells are discovered plays a huge role in a patient’s chances of survival. With annual screenings, breast cancer cells can be detected before patients are even symptomatic. Cecilia M. Brennecke, M.D. and an expert for BreastCancer.org explains that research spanning back to the 1960s proves that mammograms are the only proven way to detect breast cancer before symptoms emerge.

Self-exams
In addition to annual mammograms, individuals can perform self-exams, checking for irregularity in their breast tissue. During your next appointment, ask your doctor about the process of self-exams and what you can do to best detect abnormalities during your self-exams.

Many doctor’s offices, including obstetrician-gynecologists (OB-GYN), have small pamphlets that will walk you through the steps of performing a self-examination. If you’re not as comfortable asking for one in person, the National Breast Cancer Foundation will send you self-exam instructions directly to your email, free of charge.

Self-exams can be performed as often as you feel necessary, but doctors recommend these self-exams at least once per month or 12 times per year. If you notice any changes or abnormalities, consult with your physician. Even if it turns out to be nothing, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

When you should begin
The American Cancer Society recommends women begin annual breast cancer screenings at the age of 45. However, those with pre-dispositions for certain cancers or a family history of breast cancer may need to begin these exams earlier in life.

As you age, you may be recommended by a physician to have breast cancer screenings two or three times per year, depending on your personal health and history. If you are concerned about your risk, talk to your doctor about the frequency of your screenings.

Talk to your doctor
Speaking with your personal physician, regardless of your age, will help you make an informed decision about your health care. It’s never too early to start asking questions and be prepared.

Breast cancer can be a scary, life-threatening disease. But annual breast cancer screenings can help detect the disease early on, increasing survival rates exponentially.

This article is presented by INFINITI of South Atlanta, in Union City, GA.

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In the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, INFINITI is offering employee pricing and special financing with deferred payments to those in the designated FEMA disaster areas who have an insurance claim on their current vehicle due to the storm.

INFINITI will offer these programs beginning today through January 2, 2019, allowing customers to take advantage of special pricing on new INFINITI models at INFINITI retailers. Details about the program is available at INFINITI retailers. For those customers affected by Hurricane Florence these programs are still available through the end of November.

INFINITI Financial Services (IFS) will offer payment deferrals for new vehicle purchases for up to three months, allowing Michael’s victims to focus on current needs without the added burden of an immediate vehicle payment.

Current IFS customers in FEMA designated areas in Florida and Georgia are encouraged to contact IFS via phone (800-627-4437) or chat online at infinitifinance.com to discuss available options.

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Even the best air conditioning systems may struggle to cool down your home with the woes of our Georgia heat still present. When the heat gets overbearing, try cooling off with these creative ideas.

Build your own mini air conditioning unit

When it feels too hot even with a fan directed right at you, you can use that fan and combine it with a large mixing bowl full of ice to build your own mini air conditioning unit. The principle is the same as a real air conditioner, except that it works by melting ice rather than boiling liquid.

According to ApartmentTherapy.com, you’ll be best off tilting the bowl so that the air from the fan hits the ice as directly as possible. Even after the ice has melted into water, it should still help cool the room, albeit at a reduced rate. Alternatively, you can use frozen water bottles instead of a bowl of ice and then reuse them later.

Know your pulse points
If there’s no pool around to get completely submerged, you can still get cool by strategically pouring water or placing a cool object over your body’s pulse points. These are the points where it is easiest to feel your pulse because your blood vessels are close to the surface of your skin; as a result, because they are so close, you can also use them to cool off your blood, which will lower your whole body temperature as it travels through your circulatory system.
The best pulse points, according to About.com, are the neck, temple, inner thighs, back and top of knees, ankles, inside bend of elbows and inner wrists.

Swap your sheets
Changing bed fabrics can be a great way to stay cool in the spring, summer and fall. While flannel and fleece do an excellent job of keeping you warm in the winter, fabrics that stay cooler and breathe easier-such as cotton-will be more effective at keeping you fresh during the summer nights. In addition, try to get your hands on a buckwheat pillow. Herbco.com says that the naturally-occurring air space between buckwheat hulls allows them to dissipate heat rather than trap it like conventional pillows. Combined with cooler fabrics, you’ll no longer need to toss and turn while looking for the coldest part of the bed.

Turn off all heat sources
This might seem like an obvious tip, but homes are full of sources of heat that are not so obvious. First, the basics: close the blinds, turn off the lights (or switch to incandescent light bulbs) and use the microwave or grill instead of the stove or oven if you need to cook something. Turn off and unplug all electronic devices as well, especially computers and TVs, which generate heat while running and even while idling.
In addition, About.com says that light fabrics reflect heat rather than absorb it, which means that if possible, you can even “turn off” your warm surfaces by covering them with smooth white fabrics, even if that means simply throwing a white sheet over the corduroy sofa.

Combine each of the tips above to stay cool all throughout the year, no matter how warm it gets.
This article is presented by INFINITI of South Atlanta in Union City, GA.

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At the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in August, INFINITI unveiled its striking Prototype 10 concept car, a daring electrified speedster that provides a window into the brand’s desire to deliver driving pleasure and thrilling performance from electrified powertrains.

In creating the single-seat Prototype 10, INFINITI has re-imagined the classic speedster with a cool, clean and forward-looking design. The concept is a natural evolution of the form language first seen in the INFINITI Q Inspiration and hints at future design cue for the brand. INFINITI plans to electrify all of its new production cars from 2021 onwards.

“The INFINITI Prototype 10 echoes the layout and design of some of the most evocative car designs of all time, where power was celebrated through high-powered single-seat competition cars. Our new concept speaks of an electrified future, something which is reflected in its form and details. It is appropriate that we found inspiration in an optimistic bygone era in which cars were characterized by the simple love of driving,” said INFINITI Executive Design Director, Karim Habib.

For more information about the Prototype 10, visit: www.infinitinews.com/prototype10.

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Fall brings cooler temperatures and shorter days, providing a seasonal reminder for much-needed car care. When the leaves begin to change, take some time to repair the damage your car has incurred from a long, hot summer and prepare it for autumn changes and winter stresses.

Tire check
Keeping an eye on the wear and tear of your tires throughout the year is a must-do for drivers, and fall is no exception. Not only should you check that the tread of your tires is sufficient for safe driving, you should also consider if it’s time to invest in a new set of wheels, perhaps even weather-specific ones.
“If you notice that your tires have less than 1/8-inch of tread left, then it’s time to go shopping. (The distance from a quarter’s rim to George Washington’s hairline is about 1/8 inch.),” advises Consumer Reports.
It’s also essential that your tires maintain proper air pressure with fluctuating temperatures. According to CarCare.org, “Air pressure in a tire decreases one-two pounds for every 10 degrees of temperature change.”

A light in the dark
Shorter days mean more hours driving in the dark, so make sure your car’s lights are at their brightest.
“Walk around the outside of the car and check the operation of all lights: headlights, taillights, parking lights, brake lights and emergency flashers,” writes TheCarConnection.com writer Suzanne Kane.” Make sure all lights are clean.”

Clean slate
With all the fun that summer brings, it also brings a big mess that seems to glue itself to your car. Before you add leaves, rain and muck to the mixture of dead bugs, bird droppings and tree sap, Consumer Reports suggests giving your car a thorough cleaning. For an extra layer of protection, invest time in a car wax.

Routine upgrades
Wiper blades are essential to safe driving, but wipers are surprisingly fragile. Check that yours are working well, and if not, swap them out for new blades, advises Kane. Now is also the time to do a fluid check.
“This includes washer fluid, along with transmission, brake and power steering fluids. Make sure they are all at or above minimum safe levels and refill as necessary,” reports Kane.
With the changing season, it’s also time to change your oil and air filter, and to top off your cooling system, according to Kane.

Mechanical monitoring
There is never a good time to get stranded with a dead battery, so Consumer Reports recommends inspecting your vehicle’s battery for clean and tight connections. You want a battery with a full charge to take you through your daily adventures.
Kane also recommends having your brakes checked and testing that your vehicle’s heater and defroster are in order as well as doing a thorough inspection of what rests under the hood.
“Look for leaks, cracks or loose clamps in the cooling system and squeeze the hoses and replace any that are spongy-feeling or brittle. Inspect the underside of drive belts for fraying and replace as required. If you’ve noticed any engine noises, experienced sputtering or other engine problems, have a licensed mechanic thoroughly inspect the engine and make any necessary repairs,” reports Kane.
By paying attention to car maintenance in the fall, you’ll be readying your car for a successful run through autumn and beyond.

This article is presented by INFINITI of South Atlanta in Union City, GA.

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