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Helping Charlotte drivers and passengers stay safe when they're on the go is one of our top goals here at Hendrick MINI. The winter can cause hazardous driving conditions. If you're prepared, then you increase your chances of safe travels.

Keep a supply kit in your vehicle in case you get stuck. Helpful items to include are batteries, a flashlight, food, water, medical supplies, blankets, and warm clothing. Always give yourself more following room from the vehicle ahead, and accelerate and brake slowly. Don't use cruise control on icy surfaces, and...

Here at Hendrick MINI in Charlotte, NC, our team has a goal to help our customers stay safe when they're behind the wheel. We keep their vehicles in optimal condition. A tire rotation is an important service that should be conducted routinely. Read further for additional information about why tire rotations matter.

When you have your vehicle's tires rotated, a service technician will change the position of each tire on the vehicle. Most manufacturers recommend that a car's tires are rotated every 5,000 miles, so drivers choose to have their car's tires rotated when they…

If you are planning on going for a road trip this holiday season, then one of the factors to think about is the type of road that you want to take. Perhaps you want to take the shortest route to your destination. You aren't alone. However, some drivers choose to take a scenic route. Different roads are going to vary in how effective they are in giving you the sights that you want on your road trip.

One thing that you want to do on a road trip is to take a road that is well-known. This is effective…

For most of the year in Charlotte, NC, your vehicle can easily and reliably run on all-season tires with no issues. However, as winter draws closer, it's important to understand the advantages of winter tires to know if they're right for you. Here is a basic explanation of the differences in winter and all-season tires provided to you by Hendrick MINI.

All-season tires provide a middle-of-the-road approach between summer tires and winter tires. This means they balance grip, handling, and performance. 

Our dealership wants you to make an informed decision about the seasonal maintenance that you schedule for your vehicle. Extreme heat and cold weather can affect your battery life. Although your car will initially come equipped with the right battery, some of the capacity can be taken out of it if you are driving in the heat or cold for prolonged periods of time.

Temperatures that are above or below normal can be very brutal for your car or truck. It's important to understand that when it's time to replace your battery, you can come to our dealership…

The alternator is a key part of your car. It generates the power that keeps you moving. Most drivers think this all happens in the battery. That's simply not the case: the battery stores power to start a car. The alternator is the part that produces power.

The alternator is important in part because it keeps the battery charged up. With help from the battery, it runs the functional parts of your car. If there's a problem with the alternator, it can affect everything from the windshield wipers to the headlights. 

Oversteering and understeering are handling problems that can affect how an automobile maneuvers to different points on the road. If your vehicle has either of these problems, an automotive technician at Hendrick MINI can resolve it.

Understeering happens when an automobile continues to drift straight after you spin the steering wheel. Typically, a vehicle operates this way because its steering system doesn't have a good grip. When a system oversteers, multiple things occurs that affect a vehicle's cornering ability.  

The battery in your vehicle is vital for it to start and run properly. The battery is what gives power so that the ignition can engage and get the vehicle running. If you have a bad battery, starting your vehicle will be hard or impossible.

Most of the better batteries on the market today are designed to last for about 60 months. If your battery is over four years old, you should consider getting your battery replaced. This is especially true if you are about to head into the cold winter months. 

Did you know there are several warning signs that your starter needs professional attention? Have you ever tried to start your engine in the morning, and all it does is make a whining noise? It might even make a loud grinding noise similar to when you accidentally turn the key after the engine has started.

If you hear a grinding noise and ignore it, you might damage your flywheel. Freewheeling occurs when you hear a whining noise and your engine isn't cranking. This is a result of the starter gear not co-operating with the flywheel.  

A timing belt is a critical element of any vehicle because it regulates how that vehicle will perform. The timing belt is the essential component necessary to regulate the flow of air and gas into and out of the engine. Anything off on the timing of this process, and the driver could have a very big problem on their hands.

There are numerous critical elements that go into making a vehicle run just perfectly. One of the elements is the regulation of the flow of air to various elements of that vehicle. A lot of people don't realize this…