The four OK Tire and Auto Service stores in Saskatoon are locally owned and operated, and have been providing superior service in Saskatoon since 1989. They provide honest advice and fair prices meaning you can count on them for the right advice and helping you with any questions. All locations provide a variety of tire, wheel, and mechanical brands to offer their customers, ensuring that all your needs can be met.

OK Tires are your Trusted Saskatoon Tire Experts and here they provide a great Tip on How to dig your car out after a snow storm!

This article details how to get your car out of the snow build-up after a blizzard or a big snow storm. It's a big job, so using the right tools and knowing what to do can help the task run more smoothly. And if you're inwardly groaning at the task, at least it's a great workout in winter!

1. Find your car.

After a snowstorm, locating your car can be tricky sometimes when a row of cars in the street or a car park look the same under the snow! Always know where you last left your car to make it easy to find again during the winter. If you need to carve out a path to get to your car, do so, as you'll want firm footing when clearing the car. If you're at work or in a general car park, wait for the car park owners to help clear the driving areas.

2.Gather the snow clearing gear.

You don't need much but what you do need must be capable of doing the job without scratching your car. Shovels have a tendency to scrape cars, even if you're careful because it's easy to slip and it's hard to know where the snow ends and the car starts until you've cleared enough snow. Only use a soft bristled broom Use a broom with feathered, soft bristle tips to do the main removal work. Don't use gardening bristle brooms or corn brooms as these will scratch the car. Also take an ice scraper for the windshield. A very careful approach to removing the snow from the car itself would be to use an old towel, and shake it out from time to time. Dress warmly. Be sure to wear gloves as your hands will get incredibly cold otherwise and you won't be able to keep clearing the car. Wear layers of clothes, as you might need to remove the snow jacket if the going gets too hot while clearing off deep snow.

3.Start digging out the car.

Depending on your personal strength, the amount of snow piled up on a car, and the temperature, this task can take anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour. It will be much faster if you can get a helper or two on the job. The following method is recommended: Start by digging around the wheels and the sides of the car, especially the driver's door. A snowblower could be great for this and for getting rid of the snow later removed from the car itself to the ground. Don't throw the snow--and whatever junk might be mixed in with it--at the car, people, or anywhere else it could cause a problem. Shovel the removed snow well away from the car, other cars, and pedestrian walkways. The intention is to clean your car without creating more snow hazards. Brush the snow off the roof onto the ground. Brush the snow off the roof onto the ground. Since much of this will fall onto the hood of the car, also brush it off the hood. Don't leave snow on the roof or hood of the car. While it seems easier, it's a road hazard because it can blow onto your windshield blocking your view, or large chunks can blow onto other driver's windshields and block their view. If your vehicle is higher than you, use a small step ladder and a broom to push off the snow. Use a scraper to clear the windshield, side windows, side mirrors, back window and any parts of the roof and hood that are not yet free of ice. Use a scraper to clear the windshield, side windows, side mirrors, back window and any parts of the roof and hood that are not yet free of ice. Do not pour warm water on the windshield as this will cause the glass to crack!

4.After a major blizzard,

Snow may have filled the engine compartment. If so, prop the hood open, remove the snow, dry the spark plug wires and leave the hood open to let everything dry off. Also check your windshield washer outlets to make sure they are clear as you may need to clean your windows often during winter driving.

5.Try to unlock door with the key if the car doesn't have a remote.

As soon as you can get into the car, if your locks aren't frozen, start the car and turn on the heat and defrosters. The heat from the heater and defrosters will help the car to warm up and melt snow and ice while you continue to clear it off. Make sure the exhaust pipe is clear and only have the engine on while clearing snow when the car is outside, never when the car is in shelter as the build-up of carbon monoxide is toxic. If it doesn't open, use lock de-icer or clean and try another door if you don't have any de-icer on hand. If you don't have any de-icer on hand, using a lighter or match to heat up your key before attempting to unlock your door. This may work as the heat will melt the ice; try several times if needed.

6. Clear snow away from the tailpipe.

The exhaust must be able to flow freely from the tailpipe or it may build up in the car's interior.

7. Free up the wipers, if frozen.

Free up the wipers, if frozen. If they were running when you stopped the car, it may damage the wiper motor if you start the car and they are not free to move.

8. For where it gets really cold and your car's sluggish

Start the car. Turn on the heat and rear defroster. Wait a few minutes for the car to warm up. Then get in and drive the car as usual, provided your driveway is clear.

This video shows someone digging out their car - took 3 hours but they get there eventually!!

Thanks OK TIRE Saskatoon!! Check out their listing in Saskatoon Tires and Saskatoon Auto Repair & Service on the Saskatoon Directory of excellence to read what their many happy clients have to say about them!  

Original Article here

Trusted Saskatoon.com THE Saskatoon Directory   is proud to be hosting a Talk to the Experts show " The Trusted Show' Every Month on Newstalk 650 ..the first show aired June 9th.  Find them all on our Trusted Channel on You Tube which is a fabulous resource of Tips , Interviews, Demos and Tours.

What this means is you can listen to all the shows ON DEMAND, you can share them with friends who may be interested in the shows subjects and this makes sure you never have to miss a Trusted Show - we think out of the Box when it comes to marketing, so we can provide the BEST Possible service for YOU the public- we are the Ony Local Directory that works for you...and the only  place to offer this kind of service in Saskatoon !  

This latest show we are featuring is the TRUSTED SASKATOON  AUTO SHOW

The show that aired on Newstalk 650 CKOM in October 2012 starts with Sara , the Trusted Directory Founder, chatting to Brent Loucks about Trusted and how it works, along with some of the the Saskatoon Trusted Partners on the Saskatoon Directory of excellence. 

All of the questions on the show have been submitted by our wonderful Trusted Saskatoon Facebook Fans  and one lucky fans question was chosen by Brent to win the Prize package submitted by the 3 Trusted Businesses worth over $200!

This months experts are Trusted Saskatoon AUTO EXPERTS and they answered questions about auto repair, tires and buying a used vehicle ....we know you are going to get lots from hearing the responses to the questions YOU want the answers to.

This months ' Trusted Saskatoon Experts' are:

Jeff from OK Tire- representing the 4 Saskatoon OK tire locations - and he has answered EVERY question you can think of on Saskatoon Tires

and in part 2

Rob from Glenwood Auto - a wonderful LOCAL TRUSTED business who is this shows Saskatoon Auto Repair & Service Expert

ENJOY the show ..and hear who wins the prize.....

Part 2

CONGRATULATIONS DARREN FISCHER was chosen as the winner by Brent and you won a $50 VISA gift Certificate to OK Tire an Oil Change GC From Glenwood ( approx $60 value) and a $100 Gift Cert !!!  they are your Trusted Saskatoon AUTO Experts!

it always pays to be a fan or a follower  ( on twitter @Trustedcanada ) of Trusted! 

Contests and things to be won all the time!

darrens Facebook Profile Pic ..lol!!

The next shows Prize package is going to astound you ..so keep your eyes and ears open..and check into us on  Facebook !!

Let's face it, most of us do not think about the tires on our vehicles until we run into a problem....and that problem may be a major inconvenience at best; an accident at worst. Having your vehicle serviced by people that you trust is an absolute must. Let Don and the highly trained technicians at Crestview Auto Service work with you to make sure your vehicle is ready for the road.

Crestview Auto Service is your Trusted Saskatoon Tire Expert and they also offer full Auto Service and Repair in Saskatoon

Here Don Klassen shares a Trusted Saskatoon Auto Repair Tip!

Why does one person’s vehicle operate better and more efficient than another persons when they have exactly the same vehicle? Although our driving habits come into play, most importantly is how we maintain our vehicle. Are we proactive with maintenance or are we reactive, meaning do we have regular inspections and servicing to avoid surprises or is servicing done past the time or mileage it should have been done because we think we are saving money by putting it off. It has been well documented by government agency’s and private industry that being proactive with vehicle maintenance and servicing will save you allot of money (over 43% in some studies) compared to putting it off. The old saying of pay me now or pay me later is very true. Each vehicle comes with a maintenance schedule designed to keep the vehicle operating properly over the life of the vehicle. But what does the life of the vehicle mean; properly maintained vehicles can be very reliable and provide virtually trouble free driving for 15 and even 20 or more years. Maintenance schedules are perpetual and repeat themselves at various mileage and/or time intervals, they do not end, and go on for the life of the vehicle.

By definition, vehicle maintenance is flushing and changing fluids along with servicing components before they have a chance to negatively affect the life of the component they are protecting or they cause wear to other components on the vehicle. In other words change or flush the oil, antifreeze, brake fluid etc. before it is worn out and causes component wear or failure. Replacing struts and shocks before suspension components fatigue and fail due to excessive movement. Replacing the accessory drive belt before it breaks and causes engine overheating and damage.

Keep in mind that repeatedly stretching the maintenance intervals will have a compounding effect, as components wear they begin to wear faster and faster causing you to spend more on repairs than you would on maintenance. This “stretching the maintenance” includes using the “normal” schedule if you should be using the “severe” schedule. Your owner’s manual has “normal” and “severe” maintenance schedules, but how do you know which one to use? When you read the “fine print” in the owner’s manual it will very likely lead you to the conclusion you are in the “severe service” category. This is almost never talked about when we go to buy a vehicle because it adds to the cost of ownership.

As a general rule stop and go driving such as city driving, short distances that do not fully warm up the engine and transmission etc. to burn off contaminants in the oils, trailer towing, hot or cold weather (think winter and middle of summer) all point to severe service driving. Keep in mind, people that have well maintained vehicles get to choose when they get a different vehicle and often will change vehicles just to have something different, not because they have to. These people enjoy shopping for a new or newer used vehicle, without the pressure of feeling “I have to buy a vehicle today because mine is broken”.

Find Crestview at 24, 23rd Street East  or online at www.crestviewautoservice.ca - they are a fullservice Saskatoon Tire and Auto Repair & Service business and they can be found on the Saskatoon Directory under TIRES SASKATOON    and Auto Repair & Service Saskatoon they are your TRUSTED SASKATOON TIRE and AUTO REPAIR EXPERTS

Let's face it, most of us do not think about the tires on our vehicles until we run into a problem....and that problem may be a major inconvenience at best; an accident at worst. Having your vehicle serviced by people that you trust is an absolute must. Let Don and the highly trained technicians at Crestview Auto Service work with you to make sure your vehicle is ready for the road.

Crestview Auto Service is your Trusted Saskatoon Tire Expert and they also offer full Auto Service and Repair in Saskatoon

Here Don Klassen shares his first Trusted Tip!

Should I keep my vehicle or sell and get a different one?

This is a question that we are asked from time to time when a customer is faced with a large repair bill or the vehicle is getting up in years. This seems like a simple question to answer but each person’s situation is unique and needs to be evaluated based on his or her set of circumstances. It is important to understand what the nature of the repair or services required is that brought up this question.

Some questions to consider are:

• Is it a single item failure such as a transmission due to missed maintenance of the transmission fluid

• Is the vehicle needing maintenance on a number of different systems that are not broken but only needing routine servicing?

• Does the vehicle have a history of being maintained in a way that prolongs the life of the vehicle

• Have maintenance services been missed compromising the life of the vehicle.

• What will the overall condition of the vehicle be after the Auto repair or services are completed?

People that have well maintained vehicles get to choose when they get a different vehicle and often will change vehicles just to have something different, not because they have to. These people enjoy shopping for a new or newer used vehicle, without the pressure of feeling “I have to buy a vehicle today because mine is broken”. Others are not so fortunate, due to missed maintenance causing a failure of one or more systems on their current vehicle they feel pressured into getting a different vehicle sooner than finances allow them to comfortably acquire and are often left with an un-easy feeling from rushing such a large purchase.

Vehicles that are properly maintained on a regular basis very seldom have major component failure because the maintenance has been done that keeps the vehicle operating properly. This is doing more than just changing oil, it involves having qualified technicians inspect the different systems of the vehicle, servicing components and fluids before they become excessively worn or contaminated. Excessive wear or contamination will result in component failure, possibly having a compounding effect damaging other systems or components that will increase your costs. Proper vehicle maintenance should be budgeted for; the benefit is you get to choose when to change vehicles rather than being forced to change and then after the purchase, being stressed about the payments.

Have a great day, next time we’ll discuss the vehicle manufacturers maintenance schedules and how maintenance can save you time and money. 

Don

Find Crestview at 24, 23rd Street East  or online at www.crestviewautoservice.ca - they are a fullservice Saskatoon Tire and Auto Repair & Service business and they can be found on the Saskatoon Directory under TIRES SASKATOON    they are your TRUSTED SASKATOON TIRE and AUTO REPAIR EXPERTS

The Auto Industry is an industry that really struggles with its reputation, in fact,when we asked Trusteds 1000's of fans and followers who they least Trust the Auto Industry came out top of the list ... by FAR.

The problems that arise seem to be the same issues over and over again...the consumers are not ' experts' in the mechanics of vehicles, and as such really have to TRUST the dealers and repair shops will not rip them off ...unfortunately the horror storiess are all to common about peoples ignorance being taken advantage of. Trusted is very proud to promote and endorse the Saskatoon Businesses that we do in these categories, and know that we really do have Trusted Partners that operate with integrity..out latest Trusted Partner in the SASKATOON TIRE Category is no exception..lets tell you all about them!   

CRESTVIEW AUTO SERVICE

www.trustedsaskatoon.com is thrilled to welcome Don Klassen and the Crestview Auto Team to the Saskatoon Directory of Excellence.

Crestview Auto Service is a TreadPro Tire Center - meaning that they can offer you all the best brands of TIRES for all types of vehicles...which is great, but Crestview offers more than just Tires..they are a full Saskatoon Auto Service & Repair shop.

They currently have three Journeymen Technicians on staff. Don Klassen and Dave Wiebe also are certified ASE Master Technicians. Their head technician Dave Wiebe was the Grand Champion of the ACDelco Technician of the Millennium III contest in 2003!!!

David beat out five United States and two other Canadian finalists in what each contestant referred to as an incredibly challenging final competition at the 2003 ACDelco Technician of the Millennium III competition. Weibe took home a Chevrolet Silverado SS pickup as the top finisher. All eight finalists had advanced in the competition against 2,500 other technicians. An audience of nearly 5,000 attended the competition, which was held Oct. 24 at the Venetian Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

"The Technician of the Millennium III finals were a much bigger deal than I envisioned they would be when I entered the competition last fall, and the title is also a big deal," Wiebe said. "I had a feeling of satisfaction I never dreamed because I have wanted to be a technician since I was a kid, and feel I have become so much more."

All technicians were provided with identical tools, parts, computers and diagnostic equipment, which they used to diagnose and repair actual vehicles in a timed, hands-on skills demonstration. The top-10 scoring technicians in each region advanced to the eight regional hand-on competitions, where they were judged on their ability to diagnose and repair vehicles.

Crestview Auto Service have a GREAT Mission Statement, that is even more comprehensive than the 5 Trusted Guarantees!  

To reduce stress, costly breakdowns and save their customers money they will

•Book your next appointment tailored to your time schedule

•Perform inspections every time on every vehicle

•Advise you of any maintenance or repairs identified on your vehicle

•Provide you with an estimated cost of repairs for any maintenance or repairs identified while working on your vehicle

•Never proceed with any maintenance or repair work without customer authorization

•Never present an invoice larger than the most current estimate you approve

•Advise customers of all manufacturers recommended services

•Provide new vehicle warranty inspections and on line search for all manufacturers recalls

•Provide highly skilled diagnostic technicians and equipment to accurately solve the toughest problems

•Source and provide parts considering quality, price and availability

•Provide and maintain responsible environmental practices

•Provide comprehensive warranties for all services performed

• Through these principles we will continue to be a quality professional service provider to all our clients and their referred friends and family.

 To Back it up ebven more..Recently, NAPA Autopro was ranked Highest Overall Customer Satisfaction* by J.D. Power and Associates, something they are very proud of.

Out of 28 new-vehicle and after-market services providers, the study found NAPA Autopro to be the top. As well, their service advisors received the highest rankings for courtesy, responsiveness and thoroughness.

This is inline with the great testimonials we received from their clients when we surveyed them as part of the Trusted Verification process...read them here on their listing in the SASKATOOON TIRE category and you can find even more positive feedback on their Google places listing here  and on their website they have another 60 or so great reviews to read through...all this adds up to one thing ..they are EVERYTHING that the stereotype isn't..and we are proud to Give them the Thumbs up! 

We asked our Facebook Fans a question

Sick of being Ripped off? How can YOU help others AND win yourself? What tips would you like to have from our Trusted experts jQuery152046135281307204673_1336491493997 Let us know and the top 3 best TIPS will be selected ..then who ever has the most likes will win a $200 Gift certificate. It always pays to be a fan of Trusted Saskatoon!

Trish Planchot-Voldeng asked our Trusted Experts a REALLY good question: How do I know if a car repair shop is trying to sell me unnecessary parts and repairs? and do I really need winter tires?

" Unless Trish is a trained expert in automotive repair I am afraid she will never know if she is being ripped off. What she needs is a Trusted... shop that maintains her vehicle to manufactures specifications based on mileage and severity of driving conditions. This way she should almost never need “repairs” or have “breakdowns”. Most people have their car fixed after its broken. This is expensive in the way of unexpected down time and potentially having an accident which of course will cost a significant amount more than having the car repaired before it ever breaks down. The Canadian average to “maintain” their vehicle last year was $1384.00 which is $115 per month. If you let your maintenance go and don’t keep up with the manufactures service intervals, the maintenance costs WILL catch up to you along with breakdowns and that $1384 WILL turn into hundreds or even thousands all at one time which is very hard to budget for. Sorry for the long explanation. As for the winter tires, they are 100% recommended and consumers should watch a few video’s on Transport Canada’s web site. www.tc.gc.ca  Type “winter tire safety tips” in the search box and watch the videos.”Rod Janzen OK TIRE on 8th Street a Trusted SASKATOON TIRE Expert

"Trish,A good repair shop should be using a multi point inspection form with every customer. They should explain up front the work that will be carried out as well as the other items that the technician is likely to inspect. They should also explain what constitutes ‘green light’, ‘amber light’ or ‘red light’. When additional work is identified, the customer should have a complete explanation as to why and they should be offered the opportunity to see the old parts once they have been removed. This probably doesn’t completely cover all doubt, but I would question any organisation that doesn’t have some sort of inspection process that is explained to the customer. The winter tire question is a different one. I would refer to the federal and provincial government guidelines on that as well as SGI as an answer to that question." Thanks Trusted Saskatoon Auto Repair expert!

A Response from George at OK Tire on 22nd "Good morning Trish, try to have a relationship with the shop you are going to what i mean is alot of people jump from one shop to the next shop figuring they are getting ripped off but there not.Always ask to see what the shop is doing and get them to show you what is wrong. this way you will have a better under standing on how your car works.a good shop would have no problem showing you what u need . and if they refuse to show u  find a different shop. A good shop has clients not customers. never be afraid to ask a question that may seem silly there not...some of the silly questions can be explained.always look for a nice clean shop with no junk in bays ect. treat clients like i would like to be treated.if you dont ask you will never know. winter tires if you never have driven on winter tires you are in for a big surprise . WOW ask my wife Michelle before we got married she does alot of driving . in one month she had 4 accidents i always told her to put on winter tires . same story to expensive well after her fourth accident she decided to put on winter tires. belive it or not same driving habits she has not had one accident since they where installed. she also thought the same thing till she drove on these tires in winter driving conditions the wow factor came upon her. she would never be with out them again .she is a great beliver in winter tires and so are alot of other men and women trying is believing. you dont know how much better it is for start off and braking and also to avoid that accident . a good set of winter tires is the best. if you would like more information go on line you would be amazed on what u would learn" Thanks George at OK Tire a Trusted SASKATOON TIRE Expert!!

A response from Jeff at OK Tire on Circle Drive "Hi Trish, For anything you are not sure of you can always have the vehicle taken to another shop to get a second opinion or bring in a friend or somebody that you know that is mechanically inclined and have the mechanic go through the repairs required with that person. If the shop tries to force you to make a decision right away, have them put it back together and take it to another shop. I always offer that to my customers especially if it is something that they do not understand or are comforaible making the decision on their own. If you are not comfortable with a doctor's diagnoses you would get a second opinion, right, same thing applies to your vehicle. Winter tires, yes, very good investment in safety. I like to use shoes as a comparison, you can wear you dress shoes all winter long. You are going to walk very carefully so you don't slip and fall, now you put your winter boots on and you are running, stopping and turning. Same thing goes for your vehicle. If you have any questions you could always call me personally at 934-1919 Thanks and have a very Merry Christmas. Jeff. Thanks Jeff a Trusted SASKATOON TIRE Expert!

I will do my best to respond to Trishs' Question about auto repairs and winter tires. First of all to the question about auto repairs there are few steps I would take to ensure I'm not going to get ripped off. First thing I would do is ask around among friends/coworkers (Look for car oriented guys or gals who will no doubt be more in tune with the local car scene) if you get a positive response from this avenue check out the shops and see if they have a warrenty or a customer sastisfaction guarentee. Its not bullet proof but its a good start. Once you have picked a shop to do your repairs there will usually be a diagnostic fee (approx $150 ish) to determine the problems your vehicle is having and they should be able to provide you with an accurate estimate for the cost of repairs and if there are any unforseen parts or labour problems then they should always give you the heads up before they perform any more work at additional cost. Lastly if the first quote on repair is in the thousands of dollars it might pay (even for piece of mind) to spend the extra $150 to get a second diagnostic opinion it could save you more than it costs or just reaffirm that you're not getting ripped off. Lastly to the question of do I really need winter tires? I guess need is different to every person If you drive a sporty vehicle that comes equipped with summer tires then I would say yes you do need a set of winter tires because not only will travel be frustrating you are endangering yourself and everyone on the roads and sidewalks were you go. There is lots of scientific jargon and test data than can be quoted but at the end of the day you have to try winter tires for yourself they are in every way superior in winter driving conditions to a good set of All season or All weather tires they aren't a magic pill they don't turn ice and snow into summer driving conditions but if you drive responsibly in winter time a good set of winter tires will really help you make your daily commute safer.

Thanks to all the Ayto Repait and Tire Experts on www.trustedsaskatoon.com  

Check out www.trustedsaskatoons.com  YOU TUBE CHANNEL here for our Trusted Tips and videos..our latest tip is on this subject!! Funny how things work out!