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Gift Ideas for Car Lovers Almost everyone knows someone that is a car enthusiast. But for those that aren't, it can be tough to figure out what type of gifts will be most appreciated by the car lovers. That's why we’ve created this helpful list for you to check out the next time you are trying to buy a gift for a car lover! more Read More: What can I do with my old tires? Gift items to buy car enthusiasts While many car enthusiasts are fairly particular and have specific tastes about what goes on or in their car, there are a number of gifts you can give them that will still be very much appreciated! Check out these ideas below! Car Cleaning Gift Basket: items to include in a basket like this are high quality products like soap, a car wash nozzle for a hose, scratch-free wash mitts, microfiber towels, and you can put it all in a bucket! Driving Gloves Phone dash mount Dash mount for a camera (bonus points to buy the camera as well!) Jump starting kit Personalized Key Chain Wheel Cleaning Kit: items to include in a kit like this are wheel cleaners and wheel scrub brushes to get into every nook and cranny, scratch-free towels, wheel cleaner and wheel guard coats. A good tool kit geared toward mechanical work Car seat protectors Cordless tire inflator These are just a sampling of the many things you can get for the car enthusiast in your life. Model-specific gear and accessories like clothing, model cars and more also often make great gift ideas. View Our Inventory For all your automotive needs, come to Palmen Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM of Racine today!

How to drive a manual transmission vehicle: Downshifting and reversing Learning how to drive a manual transmission model can be tough, but that's why we are creating a helpful how-to guide to help walk you through the steps to drive stick! If you are catching up, check out part one of how to drive stick! Let's dive right in and learn the next steps to driving a manual transmission: downshifting and reversing. more View Our Inventory Steps to drive a stick shift vehicle: Downshifting Once you've got the hang of accelerating and shifting gears (upshifting), you need to learn how to decelerate to slow down and stop safely. Downshifting is especially helpful on hills or in bad weather where it can be dangerous to brake too harshly. To downshift, you should be using the clutch and the brake while you shift gears, rather than the clutch and the gas pedal. Push in the clutch and shift down one gear while pressing on the brake. Let off the clutch slowing to avoid high revs. Repeat this process until you can reach a stop. Note: there is no real need to downshift into first gear, as at speeds that low you can generally just reach a complete stop and put the vehicle into neutral once you hit the bottom of second gear. But always make sure to get back into first gear as you start accelerating again! Important notes to remember about downshifting and stopping while in a stick shift vehicle are that you should only move one gear at a time. When at a stoplight, try not to press the clutch for more than a few seconds. You should put your car in neutral whenever you are stopped for any period of time. Steps to drive a stick shift vehicle: Reversing Once you’ve gotten the hang of moving forward in your stick shift vehicle, it's time to learn how to reverse! There is only one gear for reversing, but often it moves quickly, so it is especially important to let off the clutch slowly and push it back in while stepping on the brake if you need to slow it down. Learning to drive stick shift is a process that takes practice and time. Popping the clutch, or releasing it too quickly, will cause your car to lurch and stall out. This happens often as you are learning to drive stick, so try to get the hang of gear shifts before you drive in heavy traffic. Practice in open (read: empty!) parking lots, on long straightaways of deserted roads, and always have someone that knows how to drive stick shift along with you in case you run into trouble. We hope these blogs were helpful to teach you the beginning steps to learning how to drive a manual transmission vehicle! For all of your automotive needs, come on down to Palmen Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM of Racine!

How to drive a manual transmission vehicle: The basics and upshifting Have you ever been car shopping and found a car you loved, only to realize it had a manual transmission? With the enormous popularity of automatic transmission vehicles, many people don't learn how to drive manual transmission, or stick shift, vehicles anymore. But manual transmission models can be more fuel efficient if you drive them correctly, and they can put more control in your hands on the road. Learn how to drive a stick shift here! more Read More: Road trip safely with your pet! Parts of a manual transmission vehicle The first step to learning how to drive a stick shift is learning what the different working parts are so that you can learn how to use them. Clutch pedal: Stick shift models have an extra pedal at your feet, called the clutch. It is located at the far left of the vehicle, and you will use your left foot to depress the clutch while you are shifting gears. Gear stick: Manual transmission models don't have gears for "drive, reverse, neutral, and park" like an automatic. Instead, the gear stick has numbers 1 through 5 or 6 and an "R" for reverse. Parking brake: The parking brake becomes especially important in a manual transmission model, because these models don't feature a set "park" gear like an automatic transmission. As such, you should always remember to use the parking brake when you park a stick shift model. Steps to drive a stick shift vehicle: Upshifting Before you actually start trying to drive stick, you should practice learning the gears and using the clutch with the car off to get the hang of the movement and motions. When you are practicing, get used to the feel of operating the clutch and switching gears at the same time, and make sure you are fully placing the stick into gear each time you switch gears. When you are ready to start the car, follow these steps: Ensure the car is in neutral (stick is in the middle, not pushed into any gear) and push the clutch down to start your vehicle. Put your stick into first gear with the clutch pressed down, and slowly let off the clutch as you press on the gas pedal (note: you will still use your right foot for the gas and brake pedals, your left foot should only be used on the clutch pedal). Around 15 mph or 3,000 rpm, you should be ready to move into second gear. Push the clutch in and let off the gas pedal, move the stick from first to second gear smoothly and fully, slowly let off the clutch while you push on the gas pedal, and then completely let off the clutch and keep your foot on the gas. This process will be repeated with each upshift. View Our Inventory Stay tuned to the blog for part two of this blog: Downshifting and reversing in manual transmission vehicles!

How to travel safely with a pet in the car A great way to experience the beauty of the country is to go for a road trip. This allows you to take in the sights firsthand as you travel to your destination. Many people want to bring their furry friends along, but it can be tricky planning a road trip with a dog or a cat in the car. Check out these travel tips to be safe on the road with your pet! more Read More: Find the best camping spots on Lake Michigan in Wisconsin this summer! Tips to travel safely with a pet Check out these tips to make longer road trips more enjoyable for you and your fur-baby! Take shorter trips with your pet. Building up your pet's time in the car before you set off on a long road trip can help them feel more comfortable in the car and help them settle down and relax. Keep your pet safe in a comfortable carrier or harness attached to a seat buckle. Letting your dog or cat roam around the car can be distracting and dangerous in the event of an accident. Make sure they are either in a carrier that allows them to sit and stand comfortably, or use a harness with a seat buckle to secure them in the back seat safely. Never leave your pet alone in the vehicle. Even if you crack the window, parked cars heat up fast in the summer months and keep cold air in the winter months, making it dangerous to leave your pet unattended in the vehicle. Pack a pet-friendly travel kit. Items to include are food, water, bowls, a leash, waste bags, medications (if applicable), travel papers (like your pet's rabies vaccination record if you are traveling across state lines), a pet first-aid kit, old washcloths (to wipe dirty feet!), blankets or bedding, and toys. Other tips to keep in mind when traveling with a pet is to be mindful of their feeding schedule and try to keep them on a regular schedule. Never feed your pet in a moving vehicle, as it can cause tummy stress, and try to feed them a few hours before departure to allow their stomach time to digest their food before they get in the car. You should also make sure your pet has a microchip for identification and always keep their collar with identification tags that include your number, address, and any other relevant contact information. Never put a choke collar on your pet while traveling. We recommend bringing bottled water for your pet to avoid tummy upset. We hope you have a safe and fun trip with your pet! To schedule a service appointment before your road trip, come to Palmen Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM of Racine today!

There's nothing more frustrating than getting stuck at a red light for what feels like an eternity, whether you're running late or perfectly on time. However, there are a few things you can do to help things move along some of the time. Check out these tips for quicker changing traffic lights, and you might get to your destination just a bit more quickly. more How to Change a Red Light Green The first thing to consider when you're wishing things would change is the type of traffic light you are sitting at. If you notice a camera or indentations/detectors on the road surface, then the light can be influenced by where your vehicle is. However, if it's a simple, timed traffic light, there's nothing you can do as it's set to change at regular intervals regardless of traffic. Read More: Why Is Gasoline So Colorful on the Ground? Traffic Light Tips for Cars: Center your vehicle in the lane Pull to the very front of the lane, but don't cross the lines into the crosswalk If there is a camera, try to position your vehicle where it is pointed Traffic Light Tips for Motorcycles: Look for the indents in the road's surface and try to position yourself in the center of them If there are no markings, position your bike in the venter of the lane, close to the front without crossing the lines Traffic Light Tips for Bicycles: Follow all the same rules as you would on a motorcycle If there is a bike lane, look to see if there are detector markings there (if not, you'll need to use the lane to induce the light change) If the light doesn't change, try pressing the pedestrian crossing button to induce the light change.

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.

We've all heard that plants are a great addition to our living spaces. They make our homes and offices feel more comfortable, and they clean the air we breathe! Do we need any more reason than that? There is one space we spend time in that might have you wondering, can I keep a plant there? That place is your car. The answer is maybe. Read on for some info about keeping plants in your car and tips to help make it more successful. more Keeping a Plant in Your Car to Purify the Air We all love to breathe fresh air.  The sweet smell of air that is semi-free of pollutants can make for a healthier and happier lifestyle. So, what about purifying the air in your car? Your vehicle has carbon filters to keep some pollutants out of the cabin, but wouldn't a little plant add to the overall purity? Read More: Strange Smells in Your Car & What They Mean When it comes to putting a potted plant in your car, there are a few things you have to consider. During the summer, your car can be a very hot place, and the opposite is true in the winter. It's a good idea to consider having your car plant live indoors in the winter. During the summer months, having a plant in your car is more realistic. If you're up for the challenge, be sure to note these tips before you move the plant in. In the warm summer months, it's important not to stifle your plant. Keep the windows cracked so the temperatures don't suffocate the plant. Park your car where your plant can find some sunshine, and be sure to water as frequently as the plant needs. Feeding your potted friend will keep it alive longer. Find a stable location for your plant. If it's toppling over every time you take a left, you'll end up with a dead plant. It's important to make sure that it has a stable seat. Best Indoor Plants for Homes in Wisconsin If you give up on the dream of having an air-purifying plant for your car, you can still take advantage of the benefits of having one in your home! Check out this list of perfect indoor options for homes in Wisconsin. Lucky Bamboo: This hearty plant is great-looking and can live in even the least comfortable environments. Bring one into your home and water regularly to see quick growth. Golden Pothos Vine: This is a great suggestion for those who haven't had an indoor plant before. It doesn't need much light and only requires watering once a week or so. It grows quickly! Snake Plant: This slow-growing and exotic-looking plant will last for decades if you take care of it. Requires very little water and loves sunlight, but will survive even in less sunny rooms.

We all see those bright red and blue lights flashing behind vehicles that are pulled over on the side of the road, or on their way across town while we pull over to let them pass, but have you ever wondered what makes the Dodge Pursuit different from other vehicles on the road? THe design team at Dodge has worked hard to make the Pursuit a lean, mean, crime-fighting machine, and we are here to talk to you about what it can do. Read on to learn about the 2017 Dodge Pursuit engine specs. more New Dodge Police Car Engine Specs The 2017 Dodge Charger Pursuit is a vehicle built to take down the enemy, and the standard 3.6-liter V-6 engine gets an estimated 26 highway miles per gallon. The powerful engine puts down 292 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. The Pursuit comes with performance-tuned suspension and an improved brake package for boosted confidence.  The 2017 Dodge Charger Pursuit also has an available all-wheel drive V-8 engine that offers even more power and capability than the V-6. Check This Out: Crazy Driving Laws in Wisconsin Interior Features 2017 Dodge Pursuit Since the 2017 Pursuit was designed with police use in mind, the Dodge Uconnect’s interface allows for quick switches between vehicle controls and police-designed computer systems that can be stowed in the trunk.  The segment’s largest 12.1-inch touchscreen in the instrument panel makes it easy for officers to keep their eyes on the prize. Read More: 3 Things You Didn't Know About the Original Jeep The visually aggressive exterior of the Charger Pursuit is matched by a functional and impressive driver cockpit. All of the technology and instruments are designed to be within quick and easy reach of the officer in control of the vehicle.

Every state has strange laws that were created at one point or another, and Wisconsin is no exception. We're going to tell you about some of the weirdest driving laws in Wisconsin, and you can try to live within the law. Or not. These silly rules might seem too outdated, but let us know in the comments below what you think! more Strange Laws in Wisconsin Before we get into the laws that are specific to driving or vehicles, we'll tell you about a few laws that might have you puzzled. Which one do you think is the most bizarre? Read More: This Color Car Paint Never Fades! In Milwaukee, it is illegal to play a flute and drums in the streets to attract attention. So better find attention in another way!  In Racine, it is illegal to wake a fireman when he is asleep. Those guys need to conserve their energy, and get their rest when they can!  In Sun Prairie, it is illegal to manufacture nuclear weapons within the city limits. So, if you're looking to craft one of those, best take it into the country. Bizarre Driving Laws in Wisconsin In Hudson WI, no one may sit on another's parked car without expressed consent. It is illegal in LaCrosse to tie your horse along 3rd street. You must ride your bike with both hands on the handlebars in Sun Prairie. No one may camp in a wagon on a public highway, as you will risk a fine of up to $10. Do these strange laws have you puzzled? Wondering what situations brought about such detailed rules? We are too. Our world is filled with so many issues, and yet residents of Wisconsin were, at one time, banned from consuming yellow butter substitutes by law. The world is a funny place. Be sure to check out the other tips and tricks we have available for car drivers in WI!

We might know that Jeep vehicles are renowned for their capability and sporty design, but the Jeep wasn't born out of a wish for style or comfort. The original Jeep was a utility vehicle developed to be an affordable, no-nonsense option for the military to use as transport. We'll tell you 3 things you didn't know about the original Jeep. Read on! more Fun Facts About the First Jeep Vehicles The WWII Jeep was Designed in Two Days The government realized upon getting involved in WWII that the military needed a light and effective mode of transportation. Karl Probst started work on the design and was finished, proposed, and accepted in only two days. Talk about quick turnaround! Ford Introduced the Famous Jeep Grille Ford had a number of innovative designs on its "Pygmy" design, and one of those was the flat grille that we know the Jeep so well for. In an effort to create a high quality vehicle that was easy to produce and maintain, the flat front grille from the Pygmy was adopted. The Jeep Name is Still a Mystery It's assumed that the Jeep name comes from a shortening of "general purpose vehicle," but there's no way to say for sure. Other sources say that it was common to call all military vehicles "Jeeps." We may never know, but we sure are glad they are here! Read More: New Features on the 2016 Jeep Wrangler Which Jeep is Most Like the Original? While there is no Jeep in the lineup that is as rugged and rough as the original, the 2016 Jeep Wrangler is probably the most popular option for drivers who love the historic look of the original. If you are interested in learning more about the Wrangler model, check out the research page here!

There are some cool advertisements we see on TV every once in a while, but have you seen one that makes the car you drive look completely un-cool? Well, unless you drive a Dodge Challenger Hellcat, this ad is sure to make you feel a little jealous. Check out the new Hellcat at with the robot hellcat and schedule your test drive to take home your own Hellcat today. more Unleashed Dodge Hellcat Advertisement Highlighting the speed and power that the Hellcat engine brings to the table, this Challenger SRT Hellcat ad makes us all feel excited about the horsepower under the hood. Watch the video below, and consider taking a test drive in the 2016 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. We know you'll love it. Check This Out: Dodge Challenger vs Ford Mustang vs Chevy Camaro Test Drive the Dodge Challenger Hellcat WI If you are interested in seeing more of what this powerhouse has to offer, give us a call here at Palmen Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM of Racine. We would love to let you get behind the wheel and share more of the Challenger SRT Hellcat's incredible performance specs. Schedule your test drive online today!

When it comes time to go hunting, fishing, or even just camping with your family in the woods, finding a place to sleep can be tough. Sure, you might bring a tent along, but if you have a pickup truck along there's really no reason you'll need one! We're here to give you our four tips for pickup truck camping, and we hope to help you make your next trip more convenient than ever before! more What Do You Need for Truck Bed Camping? While it's not as spacious and comfortable as a camper, truck bed camping allows you to get some sleep without spending a ton of extra cash. If you've got a relatively clean truck bed, and a clear night, you are all set! If you have a covered truck bed, you don't even need the clear night. However, these four tips will help you make your overnight stay more comfortable. Four Steps to Comfortable Truck Bed Camping Step 1: Clean 'er Up Between the dirt from hauling things and potential mess left from your last hunting trip, your truck bed might be a bit of a dirty place to sleep. However, if you want to camp out there it's helpful to clean out and seal the area the best you can before heading off on your trip. Close windows and use weather tape to seal any leaks in your cover/hatch. Step 2: Raise the Floor Since you'll most likely need your truck bed's space for storage while on your trip, it is important to take advantage of all the potential your truck provides. A good way to increase your storage space, and still have room to crash at the end of the night, is to create a raised platform with storage underneath. While you might feel like you are reliving your college days in a dorm bed raised way too close to the ceiling, you will appreciate the room for your extra cargo! Step 3: Waterproof Storage Camping gear, clothes, cooking equipment and other belongings should be organized and stored in separate waterproof bags or containers. This will allow you to store those items outside the truck at night while you sleep. Other things like electronics will probably be safest in the cab of the truck. Step 4: Pack Thoroughly The last thing you want to find out when arriving at your camping destination is that there is no running water and you have none along. Bring plenty of water along, and a couple aluminum baking pans to use when you want to wash your face or brush your teeth, or even do dishes. Also make sure to bring a headlamp or lantern, a portable charging device for your phone, extra batteries for a flashlight, and an extra key to your truck. You never know what might happen!