Hendrick MINI hopes that our readers drive safely throughout winter. An important aspect of staying safe on the road during winter in Charlotte is using the right tires. The three types of winter tires available are studless, studded and performance.

Studless tires are made of a specially formulated rubber that doesn't lose its traction in cold temperatures. They also feature deep treads and thousands of tiny slits in the treads to further increase traction. Studded tires will keep you safe on the winter road too, but they are noisier and damage the pavement when it's free of ice…

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...

Brake pads exist to prevent metal-on-metal contact during braking. For cars with disc brakes, each wheel is connected to a rotor. When the brake is depressed, the caliper pistons come in contact with the rotors to reduce the vehicle's speeds. The result is a tremendous amount of heat and friction. By acting as a buffer, brake pads prevent this friction from wearing the entire braking system down. At Hendrick MINI, we want Charlotte, NC drivers to know all that they can about these incredibly important components.

Did you know there are several things to check for on your car to avoid unexpected breakdowns? A simple check of your belts and hoses can save your day while you're on the highway. Your belts and hoses control many important components on your vehicle.

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.