Blog

When you walk across the stage at college graduation with a diploma in hand and a graduation cap on your head, the last thing on your mind if how you're going to get around. We're here when the dust settles and you have to consider what type of vehicle will help you make it to your new job or your interviews, and what car will carry your cargo as you hit the road on all your post-college adventures. Which Jeep is the best option for recently graduated college students? Check out the options here. more Affordable Jeep Vehicles for College Grads All of these Jeep models have seating for up to five passengers inside, and a starting MSRP under $25,000. What that means is that you can get behind the wheel without breaking the bank, and without having to sacrifice unique style and rugged versatility. Jeep Compass Starting MSRP: $20,995 The 2017 Jeep Compass was completely redesigned and has a much more aggressive and confident exterior than ever before. Check out the updates and the modern features throughout the interior of this crossover SUV. Jeep Cherokee Starting MSRP: $23,695 Athletic and unique, this Jeep model stands out from the rest. Check out the high-tech interior and the folding rear seats for added versatility in packing cargo or carrying passengers. This crossover has room for whatever the road has in store. Jeep Renegade Starting MSRP: $17,995 Urban and youthful, the versatile new Renegade is the latest addition to the Jeep lineup and offers a wide range of technology and convenience features. Check out the fun colors and high-tech interior of the Renegade here at Palmen. Jeep Wrangler Starting MSRP: $23,995 The truly rugged Jeep Wrangler is one of the most easily recognized vehicles on the road, and might be the perfect fit for a college graduate who is looking to keep adventure in their daily routine without giving up the innovative comforts of a modern SUV.

We all have painful experiences throughout our lives, but most of us have had our fingers smashed by a car door at least once. It can be incredible painful, and it can even result in some serious damage if not treated properly. Read here and find some tips for how to treat car door smashed fingers, and learn when you need to seek medical attention. more Home Treatment for Car Door Smashed Fingers The first thing you should do after smashing your fingers in a car door is ice the injury. Quickly put an ice pack or bag of frozen veggies onto your fingers to help numb the pain and help to lessen the swelling. Don't panic if your hand throbs and hurts as the quicker your heart is racing, the more blood will rush to the fingers and that will only make the pain worse. Read More: Why Is Gasoline So Colorful on the Ground? After you've got the ice on and you've taken a few deep breaths, find some over-the-counter pain relievers and take the recommended dose. The best options are medications with acetaminophen or ibuprofen. If you have any reason to question how your body will react with certain pain relieving medication, be sure to consult a medical professional before taking it. When To See a Doctor for a Smashed Hand If your injury from the car door seems to be more than a home treatment can help, or your pain is mostly in your palm or joints, you should seek expert medical attention. Injuries that include any of the following observations should be checked out by a doctor as soon as you are able: If you can't bend a finger If the joints or palm bones are injured If your nail bed appears damaged, or blood is pooling under your nail If there is a deep cut or broken bone If there is any sign of infection Accidents happen and we can't always avoid injury, but if you follow these basic rules for what to do after smashing a hand in the car door, you should be able to get your hand back in great shape. Don't hesitate to call a doctor if your injuries appear severe.

If you're looking for Memorial Day events in the Racine area this year, we've got a few options for you. The annual Memorial Day Parade is a family-friendly event that both honors those who have served our country and makes for an excellent way to spend Memorial Day with friends and those we love. Check out the time, location and date for the 2017 Memorial Day Parade in Racine WI, and then consider checking out some of the other Memorial Day events going on in the area. more Memorial Day Community Events Racine WI 2017 Racine Memorial Day Parade 2017 Date: May 29th, 2017 Time: 10:00am-12:00pm Event Description: This free event, organized by the Racine Area Veterans Council, will start at 10:00am at West Boulevard and Washington Avenue, ending with a memorial ceremony at Graceland Cemetary's Veterans Memorial shortly after 11:00am. Read More: Farmers Market Downtown Racine WI 2017 Who Are We Honoring on Memorial Day? Every year, on the last Monday of May, we come together as a community and as a country to honor those who have died in military service. The holiday was originally called Decoration Day after the American Civil War in 1868, when the Grand Army of the Republic organized the day to decorate the graves of the Union soldiers with flowers. Check This Out: Family Friendly Events in Racine May 2017 Memorial Day and Veteran Day are two different holidays. While we should honor all those who serve our country, Memorial Day is set aside to remember those who have died while serving. Veteran's Day, celebrated on November 11 th, honors all military veterans.

When it comes to buying fresh produce and getting the most out of your summer, there's no better place to go than the local famer's market. There, you'll find fresh fruits and veggies, along with a variety of other crafts produced and sold locally. Check out the Racine Downtown Market this summer in West Racine. We've got the details about the starting date and the new location. more Read More: Racine WI Family-Friendly Events May 2017 Downtown Market West Racine Summer 2017 The Racine Farmers Market is moving this year and will be opening a short drive from downtown at the corner of Hwy 20 and West Boulevard. The market will be open on Saturdays, starting May 13th. There's nothing quite as sweet as supporting local farmers and community members by purchasing goods and food from your friends and neighbors. The money goes back into the Racine area and will continue to make the farmers market a thriving part of what makes Racine a great place to live. Check This Out: Recycling Hazardous Waste and Garbage Racine WI

We've all been walking through a parking lot and noticed the colorful substance on the ground. Most of us know it's gasoline, but do we know why it looks so colorful? Why doesn't it look colorful when it's coming out of the pump? Keep reading to learn more about what makes leaked or spilled gasoline so colorful on the ground. more Why Gasoline Looks Like a Rainbow Gasoline that is spilled on the ground creates a thin and spread out display of fun colors in the light. The combination of oil and water that makes up the gasoline separates into layers, and the oil layer reflects the light. The light frequency and the thickness of the oil in different parts of the spill are what creates the different colors. Read More: Avoiding Blind Spots By Properly Adjusting Side View Mirrors The thicker oil in parts of the spill will make the blue and purple tones, while the thinner spread oil will give off the yellow and red tones. Just remember, that while gasoline spills can seem pretty harmless, a vehicle leaking gasoline should be checked out! If it's yours, bring it in and have us take a look. Why Do We Enjoy the Smell of Gasoline? First, let's clear the air (pun intended) and say that not everyone loves the smell of gasoline. Neither are we suggesting that you ever intentionally take a big sniff of the stuff. The fumes from gasoline can actually be linked to certain cancers and can make you feel a bit woozy if inhaled too much. However, there are people out there who enjoy the passing smell of gasoline. Read More: Recycling Hazardous Waste in Racine WI The most reasonable explanation for this is the link between certain smells and happy memories. Many of us, as children, traveled with our parents and stops at the gas station might have meant the start of a new adventure or even a chance at a snack from the convenience store. This natural psychological phenomenon is the most likely reason why you find yourself smiling every time you fill up at the gas station.

The name Trackhawk just sounds fast. The good news is that you will find that the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is just as fast (if not faster!) than the name sounds. This incredible SUV is being called the most powerful and quickest SUV on the road, and you will surely be able to see why. Check out the engine performance specifications and the high-quality images here at Palmen Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Racine. more 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk 0-60 MPH Rating The 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk features a Supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 engine that delivers an overwhelming 707 horsepower and 645 lb-ft of torque. With that incredible amount of power, the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk can go from 0-60 miles per hour in only 3.5 seconds.  You can put a quarter of a mile under the tires in only 11.6 seconds, and reach a top speed of up to 180 miles per hour. Read More: Check Out the 2018 Dodge Durango SRT A large number of dynamic parts give the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee its advantage on the road. Here are a few of the highlights that you won't want to miss out on when this powerful vehicle makes its way onto dealership lots: Brembo braking system TorqueFlite eight-speed auto transmission Five drive-mode Selec-Track system Bilstein adaptive damping suspension Uconnect 8.4-inch touchscreen 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Image Gallery Check out these incredible images of the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk and see why we're all drooling over this impressive SUVs looks and performance. We can't wait to see this fun-to-drive powerhouse in person, but for now these pictures will have to do. Check This Out: 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon

Despite all the recent changes in automotive safety and convenience technology, there's quite a few of us on the road whose car doesn't alert them to cars in the blind spot when making a lane change. We're here to give you a tip to adjust your side mirrors to basically eliminate your blind spot, and it won't cost the price of new technology features. more How to Minimize Blind Spots With Your Side Mirrors Before the release of modern blind spot monitoring systems, we all craned our necks to peek for a car in the blind spot before switching lanes. However, getting rid of those blind spots and saving your neck comes down to simply adjusting your side mirrors to coordinate with your rear view mirror and to give you a wider viewing area. Read More: 5 Places to Check for Pothole Damage This Spring Move your mirrors so that they are angled much farther out, starting their area of view right around where the rear view mirror's ends. With them angled out like this, you won't be able to see the side or back end of your vehicle in the side mirrors, so it can be tough to get used to. However, it should allow you to see whether there is a vehicle in your blind spot without having to turn your head around to look. Next time you are frustrated with the lack of high-tech features doing the job for you, give the adjustment a chance and see if it saves you some neck pain while you're on the road. Need a New Side View Mirror in Racine WI? If you got into an accident or clipped your garage as you backed out, you may have broken your side view mirror. If you are in need of a new side mirror, give us a call. Our service team would be happy to order the part you need and ensure that it is installed properly when it arrives.

Finding a puddle of liquid under your car in the driveway might raise a flag. While not all liquid leaks need immediate fixing, many of them can be an indicator of issues with an important system.  Check out these common leaks and liquids that you might be seeing under your car. If the leaking liquid is appearing under your car most days, it's a good idea to bring it in to see the experts and have things fixed up. more Diagnosing Common Car Leaks Coolant or Antifreeze A neon puddle of either green, pink, blue or orange that smells slightly sweet and feels slightly viscous between your fingers is indicating a problem with your radiator, water pump, coolant reservoir or radiator hoses. This leak could result in an overheating engine if not repaired. Oil Oil under your car will look black or brown and feel thick and slippery when you touch it. An acidic smell might also indicate engine oil. A leaking oil filter seal, loose oil pan plug, or leaking oil gasket may be the cause. You'll need to check your oil levels before driving. Gasoline A gasoline leak has a distinct smell and will look almost like water on the ground (minus the potentially rainbow appearance in direct sunlight). This leak means you have an issue with your fuel pump, injector or a leak in the fuel line or gas tank. Have this checked out and repaired before you lose more fuel! Brake Fluid Brake fluid under your car will look clear or light yellowish-brown with an oily feel. It will smell strongly of avid and indicates a problem with the brake system, brake lines, calipers or wheel cylinders. Any issues with your brakes should be taken very seriously, so please have this checked out as soon as possible! Transmission Fluid Transmission problems can be expensive, but if you see a puddle of dark red or brown or light red or light brown, it's worth having it checked out. This leak could indicate issues with the transmission pan gasket, fluid lines, or seals.

There's no better time to check out the online inventory at Palmen Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram than right now. The Spring Clearance Event means that a variety of the most popular models are available on sale or with special deals in Racine. Check out the 2017 Jeep Cherokee and 2017 Jeep Wrangler, both available right now with special lease pricing during the Spring Clearance Event. more 2017 Jeep Wrangler on Sale Racine WI The 2017 Jeep models are available right now at Palmen in Racine, and both the 2017 Jeep Cherokee and the 2017 Jeep Wrangler are being offered with special lease deals during the Spring Clearance Event at Palmen of Racine. The 2017 Jeep Cherokee Limited 4x4 is an all-wheel drive SUV with room for five passengers, a modern exterior and a variety of high-tech interior features. The less traditional exterior design makes the Cherokee stand out from the rest of the Jeep lineup. However, when it comes to the classic Jeep, there's nothing better than the 2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport 4x4. This rugged vehicle is made to handle rough terrain and tough driving conditions. Check This Out: Both of these Jeep models are available with a lease deal starting at $199 per month.  If you're interested in learning more about the down-payment or the details of this lease deal, give us a call or drive by the dealership lot and speak with one of our friendly Palmen experts. Test Drive Sale Priced Jeep Vehicles Racine WI If you're interested in taking a closer look at either the 2017 Jeep Cherokee or 2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, give us a call or schedule your appointment using our online app. We would be happy to give you a guided tour of all the features you'll love inside the latest Jeep models.

Do you find yourself staring at the new vehicles on a dealership lot just wishing your budget had a little more flexibility? Do you also find yourself unsure of whether the used inventory has something as nice as you'd prefer? The good news is that there are some vehicles you might not have considered. A demo car is a vehicle that the dealership has used to offer test-drives for their latest models, meaning that you can get behind the wheel of a much newer car without paying the higher price of an all-new car. Read about the 3 benefits of buying a used demo vehicle here. more What Is a Demo Vehicle? Dealerships use demo vehicles to allow potential car shoppers to test drive a vehicle before buying it. Instead of breaking the bank paying for a brand new vehicle, why not consider a demo car with only a few thousand miles on it, and the modern style you've been dreaming of? Check out these 3 benefits to choosing a used demo vehicle. Benefit #1: Fewer Miles than Most Used Cars Because the dealership only gives the vehicle out to dealership employees or interested customers to drive, the miles travelled will most likely be lower than that of a used vehicle. It's important to consider who was driving a vehicle before you, but with fewer miles under the wheels, you might be able to score a deal on a nearly-new vehicle. Benefit #2: Discounted Price From New Model Scoring a deal might not be as easy with an all-new vehicle, but since demo vehicles have miles on them and are still considered a new vehicle, you'll be getting something modern and exciting without paying the full price. Be sure to check out all the important systems  (brakes, suspension, transmission) and ask about the vehicle's maintenance before buying. Benefit #3: Easily Available Vehicle History Because the vehicle was owned by the dealership and records exist for everyone who has driven it, it's easy to ask the dealer for information about where the car was driven and who drove it. If you feel confident that the vehicle looks nice and drives the way it should, you can definitely consider buying a used demo vehicle. Read More: 5 Tips for Buying a Car in 2017

Looking forward to the release of an even more exciting Challenger than we've seen before? Taking things a step further than the Hellcat is the SRT Demon, and you're sure to love the incredibly confident exterior and overwhelmingly powerful engine. Check out the images below and let us know if you're interested in driving home in this special Challenger when it becomes available. more 2018 Challenger Demon Exterior Design Images 2018 Dodge Challenger Demon Interior

Comparing pickup trucks can be tough for those of us who don't know exactly what each trim level has to offer. The 2017 Ram 2500 is the perfect truck for those looking to take on the tough jobs without sacrificing the potential for comfort and convenience. Check out this comparison of the 2017 Ram 2500 Tradesman vs SLT vs Longhorn to see which trim level matches your needs and your budget. more 2017 Ram 2500 Tradesman vs Longhorn Standard Features When it comes to engine power, all three of these trim levels for the 2017 Ram 2500 come with the same 5.7-liter V-8 engine that produces up to 383 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. What this equates to is a towing capability of up to 9,910 lbs and a hauling capability of up to 1,466 lbs. When properly equipped, the 2017 Ram 2500 can tow up to 11,890 lbs and haul up to 3,060 lbs.  Check out the comparison chart below to see what each of these trim levels has to offer, and schedule a test drive today to see them in person! Read More: What Comes Standard on the 2017 Ram 1500 Express? 2017 Ram 2500 For Sale Racine WI If you're interested in taking a spin behind the wheel of a powerful and modern 2017 Ram 2500, give us a call or schedule a test drive appointment online. Our online inventory is up-to-date and changes frequently! Take a look through there to see what we've got on the lot right now. We look forward to helping you choose the right pickup for your lifestyle and your budget.